Oh My Awesome Friends!!!

I've had a lot of good times with good friends lately.  Can I just reiterate how fabulous it is to live in Utah, where perhaps 25% of my friends also live (thus allowing me to see them often), and where perhaps 80% of my friends have at least one family member (thus bringing them to the area for visits), and where 100% of my friends SHOULD visit (what with the awesome eating and sightseeing and recreation, not to mention our luxurious air mattress that is just waiting for you)...?!  SO fabulous.  LOVE IT!!!  LOVE being able to see so many friends so often!!!

So, first off (in chronological order) ... ALLISON!

Allison and her hubster Ted were here for the summer for a law clerkship.  Fortunately for me (and I suppose for them), Ted recently found out that he scored a full-time position, so I'll get to see these crazy folks again soon.  WOOHOO!!!  The thing that I love about Allison is that she loves food almost as much as I do, so naturally, I suggested that we spend our GMO (girls' morning out) eating doughnuts and visiting the SLC Farmer's Market. :-)

She loves this.

Can you see how much she loves me and my ambush-photography?

Hahaha!  Anyway, we went to the BEST doughnut shop in SLC, of course: Banbury Cross!  (Or as Weston says, "Banbury Foss.")

So much sweet, luscious, doughy goodness!  AHH!  Yum.

I got my current favorite, the yeast doughnut with chocolate icing.  I know it looks like a regular old doughnut in the picture, but don't be fooled.  It is heavenly.

Then we visited the Farmer's Market!  I've been to some pretty awesome farmer's markets in my day, but I am actually very impressed with Salt Lake City.  It is quite large (taking up the entire perimeter of Pioneer Park downtown), with all kinds of baked goods, produce, flowers, meats, cheeses, handicrafts, hot food vendors, and even musicians.  I love it!!

I only took three pictures, though, while Allison and I strolled around.  The one above, plus this flowery one:

And this one, of the pianist whose crazy awesome piano-on-wheels is attached to his bicycle:

Anyway, SO FUN!!!  I love that lovely, happy, energetic lady.  Can't wait to see you again, missy!!!

And next... KIRA AND COLE!  (Sorry, y'all...private blog!)

I hang out with Kira all the time (so fun!), and wouldn't you know it, but these two fantastic folks celebrated their birthdays recently.  So, we had them over for a little belated-birthday extravaganza (complete with one of those HUGE chocolate cakes from Costco, which we all tucked into quite happily).

HAPPY 30TH, GUYS!!! :-)  Woohoo!!!  Can't wait to do dinner again!

And next... ABBIE!

Abbie is my most beloved and favorite New Yorker, and I was lucky enough to get to see her a couple times during her Utah trip.  She arranged a picnic party at the park last week, and look who also showed... a few more famous Wymounties!  Kendra, Bridget, and Carly!  HUZZAH!

We met up at Nielsen's Grove Park in Orem, where Weston (as is his custom) tagged along with another mother and her daughter (even happily mooching bread from the other mom to feed the ducks, hahaha):

The last time that I saw Abbie, it was Christmas 2009 and I had driven up to Manhattan from PA to visit her.  It was WONDERFUL to see her again!!  She is one of those incredibly upbeat, warm, sweet people who gives you a big giant hug like you're the coolest person on the planet.  Yay!  And there was another surprise that day, too: HEATHER!  Ahhhhh!!!  I love both of these girls so much!  Heather and Abbie have been super close friends for a long time, and I am lucky to know both of them from our Wymount days.  I was in on the secret, but I think that Abbie almost peed her pants when Heather approached her!  Haha!

Heather's husband had taken her three kiddos so that she could have some social time with Abbie and everyone else, and being the incredibly  fun and natural mom that she is, she ended up playing with the other kids for a bit!  Wow.  So cool.  (Utah just hit the jackpot with the Petersons!!!  I am SO excited!!!)

And last but certainly not least... DANIELLE!

Danielle is a fabulous California friend, and I'm so glad that she was in town last week!!!  I haven't been back to CA since we left in May 2010, so I LOVE every opportunity that I get to see these girls again.

Danielle is such a sweet, friendly, generous person.  She and her little boy (I can't believe he's 5 already!) met us at Murray Park, and we shot the breeze like the old times.  It made me REALLY miss California!!  I'm so glad that we're finally going in October!  It's been WAY too long!  Anyway, thanks for hanging out with me, Danielle!  YAAAAY!