Weekend Wrap-Up: Family Gluttony Edition

Because the family that drinks wine and eats oysters together stays together. Or something like that.

We started the weekend with Chris's parents, taking them to the Comus Inn and Sugarloaf Mountain Winery. Comus Inn was okay. It has a fantastic view of Sugarloaf Mountain but it sounds like their Sunday brunch menu is where the real action is. And we always love an afternoon at the Winery. This time of year they offer a really tasty mulled wine.

The Peanut isn't so much interested in Butternut Squash and Ginger soup or Cabernet Franc as he is quality time with doting grandparents:



And orange lollipops:



But we enjoyed the scenery:



On Sunday we enjoyed a mountain of a very different kind. A mountain of food.



My dad and Tessa had us over for a full-blown oyster feast, featuring local Chesapeake Bay oysters and Tessa's signature drink for the day -- Orange Crush:



No lollipops here. Just oysters.



Including the Peanut's very first raw oyster. Promptly followed by his second and third. I kid you not.



If I accomplish nothing else in my life, I raised a toddler that will eat a raw oyster. There are probably a million reasons why small children should not ingest raw seafood. Please don't tell me. For now let's bask in my glory.

Anyway, that was our weekend. So much fun with family, wine and food that I literally popped a filling out of my tooth when flossing last night. Wild times!

In all Fairness

Every year we hit the fair for some good old fashioned family fun, or a "super happy fun family adventure" as Chris prefers to call it. And it was his birthday afterall, so despite the 90 someGodawful degrees and scattered showers, we headed out for some sweaty farm animal fun. Chris got to watch pig races and I enjoyed my annual corn dog and cherry-dipped soft serve cone (Separately, of course. I'm not really in to mutant fried abominations. I'm a fair food purist).



The Peanut had a grand old time, of course. He had fun last year taking in the sights, but this year was even better, thanks in part to his unique vantage point:



Also, he is really in to tractors right now. So, all those lame displays of expensive yard equipment? SUPER FUN.





For the big kids too, I guess:



In addition to the food, I go for the goats. I love goats. There is not a single thing in this world cuter than a baby Pygmy goat. Please don't send me your baby pictures. I will just break your heart right now and tell you that your kid is not as cute as these kids (particularly the one on the right):



Plus, with a little slight of hand, you can make them talk to passers by:



We happened to visit on some sort of driving/draft horse day. I could have watched these big lovable lumps jingle around the ring for hours.



But there was still more to do! Like cheer for the Ravens marching band:





And then, there's this. I have no idea what this is. Both awesome and inappropriate at the same time. And supposedly edible.



We even managed to pause long enough for a sweaty family photo (though not long enough to stop cramming Cheerios into our mouth):



Brave the heat and visit your county fair! And bring me back a corndog while you're at it.

4th, follow up

Because I've been lax about uploading photos. Nothing fancy here like long exposure shots of awesome fireworks displays, just good old fashioned grilling and hanging out with the folks.

Oh, and the BEST. APRON. EVER. You're welcome, Internet.



And perhaps the best ribeyes ever (more on that tomorrow).



And some of the best grandparents ever.


(Whisks are the most patriotic of kitchen utensils, don't you know).

My Grandma and Dad



Rockabye toddler



Goofs



Happy belated birthday, America!

Daddy dearest

Surprise, surprise. We spent most of Father's Day weekend at the beach.



Got to play in the waves with Grandpa Bob.

And then we topped it off with a visit to a winery on the way home. We are predictable folk.



And since I didn't snap a pic with Grandpa Don today, here is the Peanut (when he really was a little peanut) with Daddy and Pop Pop last year:



Happy Father's Day! Especially to these big three in our lives.

More beach pics to come, including PONIES! I didn't get to name any of them though. Hurumph.

A Bawlmer tradition

Honfest in Hampden, y'all! A fantastic celebration of the grand tackiness found in and around Baltimore. Also, a great excuse to eat street food and wander around with open containers and wear spandex.




Why do I always take pictures of port-o-potties?


What the hell kind of bird was that and how big was the cat?





Did you see how big her hair was?? Wait, was that a dude?


Our favorite hon.


Stroller tray = trough.


Enjoying a "velvet Elvis" concoction.


The crab cone from Gypsy Queen Cafe.
Up yours, Coldstone. (I don't really mean that.)

Beach bums

As you could probably surmise from Friday's post, we were away this weekend for our first beach trip of the year. Thanks for not robbing us, Internet strangers!

The Peanut loved the beach just as much as he did last year. He has lost his taste for eating sand, but not for running headlong in to the surf. Why are toddlers so obnoxiously suicidal? Friday was our only real day at the beach, Saturday and Sunday were a bit too chilly, but it was positively gorgeous. And there was hardly anyone there. Probably because it was still, um, April. Rock on, Global Warming.


Doing his best George Burns impression.



A sad little turtle Chris found.



Enjoying the kite festival on the boardwalk.

Clairebear at 4

How sweet are her little blond curls in the breeze?

Cadbury Easter Husband

Buck bock.

Whoopsie

Where did our weekend go? Why, it was spent with these fine people.

Drinking sippies in the sun.

Some of us had wine.

Filming Saw 13 Getting creeped out in Grandpa's cellar

Wondering if it was safe to eat canned green beans half our age.

Showing off fancy sunglasses.

Laughing at silly jokes.

And finding each others' belly buttons.

 All in all, a very productive weekend. Although, I think I'd rather resort to cannibalism than eating anything off the shelf in that cellar.