Ellie Mae's Last-Minute Visit

Poppy was unable to come to NYC as planned, so Ellie Mae was free to come visit her favorite daughter in Colorado!  And Samantha, too.  She arrived Thursday and so began our dining-out extravaganza.  We ate at the Kitchen for lunch, then after I left work and after seeing Sam's apartment, Oak in 14th in Boulder for dinner, breakfast at Turley's, dinner at Benihana (Hannah's new favorite restaurant), dinner the next at Sushi Sasa... it was quite an eating fiesta!  And packed with FODMAP, gluten-free eccentricities.  It was a delicious affair.

On Thursday, Ellie Mae, Aunt Sammy and I stayed at the St. Julien for the night.  We had a lovely time just the three of us!  What a treat to stay at such a nice hotel, even though we were packed in like sardines - a roll-away bed right next to the king bed made for a tight three-in-a-row, but even still, we were very comfy!

Benihana was a blast.  We hadn't taken the girls there, mostly because it's a bit of a drive from our house.  But I think we'll have to go again soon.  They loved watching the chef do his "choppy choppy" work.  And since Hannah's birthday had been only a couple weeks prior, we said it was her birthday and they sang to her and gave her some ice cream (which Emma was very excited about).

On Saturday, Hannah had not one but TWO birthday parties.  The first was a gymnastics/superhero party where the mom of the birthday girl made a cape and mask for each child.  Amazing!  Hannah passed out in the car on the way to dinner after a no-nap, two-cake day, but at least she had her cape and mask on: