My, how fast a year goes by...

I don't even know how it happened, but Aubrey is a year old!

Well actually her birthday is on Tuesday, but her big party was Saturday afternoon and it was so much fun! I just love going down south to spend time with my nieces. Here's a nice selfie of me with the birthday girl...

My sister loves a theme party just as much as I do, and this time she planned a lovely "watermelon" themed backyard birthday party, complete with wading pools for the kiddos. Unfortunately, just as the party was starting the entire backyard was overtaken by a swarm of bees, which took up residence in one of their pear trees in a clump literally as big as my head... I've never seen anything like it in my life!

Hence, the party was moved to the front yard... 

white trash loud and proud! 

Aubrey's cousin Mattison was my buddy for the day.

Love my siblings.

Grandma with the Girls.

Happy birthday, darling Aubrey, we love you so much!

On our way home from Portland we decided to stop at the McMenamins at old Kennedy School... have you guys ever been here? It was so freaking cool! All the old classrooms have been converted into hotel rooms, and there are little bars all over the place (like in the old detention room and teacher's lounge), and there is a full theater in the auditorium plus a restaurant in the old cafeteria. Oh, and also a brewery... love! Everything is restored with super funky charm and it was so fun just to wander around and look at everything. I would seriously plan another trip down just to go here again.

Anyway those are pretty much the highlights of my weekend. How was yours?