Peas & Queues: happy people

Hello happy people!

Yes. That's an R.Kelly video. Peas & Queues... always keeping you on your toes.

Now that I have a chai next to me and eight hours of sleep under my belt, let's talk about last weekend.

It was everything a weekend should be. Busy-- but busy with fun, happy things.

Saturday morning I woke up bright and early to grab a couple last minute gifts to send to Jamie and Paul in Boston. After that I hurried home, hopped in the shower, glammed myself up, and then went straight to downtown LA for the Camp Bravo Benefit!

How cool is that?

Every year our fantastic directors organize a benefit to raise money to send kids to camp who otherwise would be unable to go. We dress fancy, eat cheese, hold a silent auction, then settle into our seats to watch talented musical theatre stars do what they do best-- entertain.

Mariko and I arrived at 2pm to help set up for the 7pm start. Woof. It was a long day but so worth it-- the venue was beautiful by the time our team was done with it! I unfortunately didn't take any photos, if that tells you anything about how much fun I was having. Oo!

I had the honor of reading a letter from one our former campers, too. She had lost her mother right before attending camp, and had written a letter to David and Artur to tell them how Bravo had helped her cope with her mother's absence and given her a new positive form of love to rely on. It was an honor to read her letter on stage with all of those performers standing in the wings, donating their time and talent to give another kid the same opportunities for love and acceptance. My heart was beating out of my chest.

I was nervous too. I haven't been on stage in several months. Maybe the longest in my life since I was 5 years old! No hyperbole intended.

The benefit also gave me the chance to catch up with all of my favorite busy camp friends...

Mari, the newly married Steph(!), and me

LOL Rock on (? Eh...), WOW MOM

Year to year... nothing much changes! (I know this sounds silly... but I feel like I look so much older in that bottom photo. I mean-- not so much older. But... still. LA can weather a face, man. Joking.)

My partner-in-crime!

I know. I should have taken more photos. Baby Ashley and I didn't even take one together!

After the benefit we had two hours of packing up to do. What a day! Then Ashley and I headed home for what else? Macaroni and cheese. You guys, I have a mac 'n cheese problem (Is there such a thing?). After years and years of denying myself the cheesy goodness, it's almost all I want to eat. Almost. The other half of the time I want to eat artichokes and popcorn.

Sunday morning Emma and the kids came over for a fun holiday-day! (Jason unfortunately had to work. BOO.) We packed ourselves up in the car and drove out to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl Flea Market!

The flea market has definitely been one of my favorite things about living in Los Angeles! Almost every second week of every month I'm there, buying amazing things I most likely don't need. Which is my favorite. This time was especially fun because we had the little kiddies with us!

The whole gang: mums, me, Makena, Mason and Emma on the right!

I seriously love these kids. They're wild and funny and clever and charming. And I don't care who knows it. Yet another reason I love living in LA! Family time!

Literally as I was writing that my mom sends me this photo:

Lovable scamps.

Anyways, back to the Rose Bowl Flea Market... where we saw Dan Aykroyd, Lauren Conrad, and this guy:

Yes, that's a motorized cooler.

And these special shirts:

After a couple of hours we left with a couple good finds and hungry bellies.

Time for sugar-cookie-frosting-time at my mom's!

(Please notice little Mason's blue bow ring.
We all got matching ones from one of the booths and he wanted one, too. Cute).

Yum!

After the cookie party Emma and the kids headed home. We were starving though. So I was naughty and drove us to my favorite Italian restaurant ever: Fritto Misto in Santa Monica.

Naughty, I tell you!

After dinner we went straight home. I had a lot of Christmas wrapping to do to send Jamie's package by Monday! (It's nice to have presents for a while before the big day. So cheery!)