to celebrate

Who doesn't love a good time with happy family and close friends?

While most of the 30 celebrations happened earlier in the month, we thought we'd do a little recap before our house party this Saturday. We had a handful of guest posters scheduled, but for one reason or another, I'm afraid we won't have that pleasure. Never fear, Jen takes enough pictures of our life now that we always have a story to tell.

#1: Sheepshead Party:

We'd be willing to bet that the majority of you have never played, let alone never heard of, Sheepshead. We're pretty sure it is a Midwestern game with German origins. Well, with all the wishes Jen could have made for her 30th, one of the bigger ones was that Hawk let her throw a Sheepshead party. 

Here's the set-up:

You see the following necessary items:

a. Standard card deck with all 2-6s and jokers removed

b. Hand-written detailed instructions (because hand-written is SO much better than printed!)

c. Trump-Guides for each player or pair to share, also handwritten!

d. Chips for paying up

Here's a close up of the {Trump Guide}:

And of the Instruction Sheet:

And the players (this photo makes us realize we REALLY need to put curtains up and add some decor on the walls in here!)

When most people first attempt to learn this game, they think they're just never going to get it. It seems very confusing. Like in Juker, you play according to trump. And while in Juker the trump changes each round and in Sheepshead it doesn't, for some reason Sheepshead is more complex.

But it is also addictive. We spent the majority of the 3 hours around the table discussing and practicing how to play. We really only played a full two rounds, but the game is intense, strategic, and full of old-fashioned fun, so anyone with a sense of friendly competition thrives here.

Lastly, Jen "blowing out" the imaginary candle on her birthday cake that her sister gave her 3 days before. Del-ish!

The next morning, it was Mass and brunch at one of the Hawks' favorite restaurants. We fell in love over many a Belgian pint through the summer and into the winter at good ole Cafe Hollander.

Here it is in the summer:

After a few of their infamous, best-of-Milwaukee Bloody Marys, we shot a few family pics. Here's Jen with her parents:

Hawk with his (check out the photograph behind them!):

A cool emblem on the back wall:

Our beautiful Moms together!

And then, what Jen hates most: when waitresses/waiters sing happy birthday! But when this girl:

let out with her rendition, the ENTIRE RESTAURANT STOPPED WITH FORKS MID-AIR because she sang OPERA-style!

We sat upstairs. We love how simple it is there, and how they use bicycles for all forms of decor:

One last shot of the lovely floor...repurposed wood. I wish I had this in my home.

Thanks for checking us out today! Happy Thursday!

See you tomorrow for Etsy Friday.

icj,

~j & Hawk

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