26 hours of Laughter.

Happy Monday! I hope your weekend was everything you needed it to be. I know for myself it was more than I could of ever asked for. Remember how I told you I couldn't tell you everything about my weekend? All I could tell you is I was leaving. Well, it was because myself and two other of my girlfriends planned a getaway for our dear friend who is turning thirty. Her awesome husband booked us a hotel at the Westin and well we came up with the rest. 

Let me preface this my saying Amy {Birthday Girl} and I are pretty much the 'old' ladies of this 'club' while Carrie and Ricki are {older in age but 10 years younger in the way the act}. They are so gonna love reading this! All four of us together is pretty much a sitcom in itself. 


Amy had NO IDEA until we pulled up in our sweet minivan {with writing all over it} and matching shirts. Yes, I wore a matching shirt. {the things I do for my friends} While we were driving up I was seriously sweating I was so nervous and excited for her. Can I just say she was in shock! I think I was so nervous {we all were} because we just wanted it to be special for her.  

We gave her 10 minutes to get her stuff together for the night. I was actually impressed. She totally did it in 10 minutes and we were out the door. We were gone for a total of 26 hours and let me just tell you it was truly the most fun I have had in years. We laughed until we cried, we danced, we wore matching shirts, we took a carriage ride around the city {thought we were going to get jumped but great memories}, we celebrated Amy, we were real with each other, we made each other laugh till we cried, we encouraged each other, we shopped and shopped and most of all we just enjoyed our our time together.

I feel like when you are in this stage of life, where you have little kids, it's hard to carve out time to spend with friends. Everyone is crazy busy. Everyone has different schedules. It's a choice and it takes EFFORT but the beauty of having good girlfriends far outweighs the effort it takes. Perhaps, for me I am finding some freedom in being myself, speaking my mind and yet having girlfriends who don't judge me, don't care if I'm ready to pull out your hair, they show me grace and I am thankful for these women. I am thankful to share life with them. I am thankful that when I am looking my worst and being an idiot they show me grace. They pray for me they encourage me. 

Perhaps, the true gift of this weekend was the realization that it's worth the effort, it's worth the time away from family, it's worth mixing your schedule up a bit, it's worth taking time for yourself, it's worth asking for help, it's worth celebrating a friendship. ITS WORTH IT!

My question for you is... Are you taking the time and effort to really strengthen and develop your friendships? Because if your not, I challenge you to start today! Make the phone, set up the play date or the dinner {with no kiddo's}. We need good girlfriends, who speak truth to us, laugh with us and help us walk this crazy life together! 

Laughter and Leotards.

Happy Monday to you all!! How was your weekend? Here at our castle we had a typical weekend. The highlight of this weekend was some time I was able to spend with some lovely women who I call my friends.
Every year I can count on my friend Carrie to have the best birthday bash ever. Yes, she throws herself a party. That is one of the many reason she is my friend and I adore her. A group of us crazy women all get together every year. I have known Carrie since high school so we have seen each other go from high school cheerleaders to wives and mothers. All of our girlfriends have lots of different jobs. Many are teachers and many of us stay at home or work part time. Our lives go in a lot of different directions but for a few hours we get to reconnect, laugh with each other and complain to each other. We chat about blogging, camel toe, schooling, crazy kids, adoption, zumba, etc you know, the norm. We laugh hard and took really unflattering pictures. What's a girls night without those? I mean many of them were in leotards for goodness sake. You can't see it but they are all standing on a trampoline for the pictures! {hilarious}

After seeing these you so want to be my friend now, right? After the relay race was complete {yes, you read correctly, there was a relay race} and the Oreo eating contest was complete we all sat around and chatted. There were a few different conversations going on. For a brief second I paused and watched as my friends laughed and talked and hugged and just enjoyed time together. Many of which have a had a rough year and you could feel the warmth in the room. 

The 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' party was a success. Once again Carrie didn't let us down. The night flew by but also lasted for hours. You know what I mean? It was one of those times when you know it has to end but just didn't want it to. This is how I felt. I didn't want to pull myself away. So, I stood in the kitchen {by the cookie cake} and talked, ate, laughed and soaked in all of the time I could.

I hope your weekend was much like mine and was filled with simple joys and rich friendship!

Who Needs a Royal Wedding When You Have Jane Fonda?

Happy Friday Friends!

So, who is sleep deprived from getting up to watch the Royal wedding? Not gonna lie, I said I wasn't going to watch it but I totally got sucked in the last couple of days. Yes, I did see how stunning Kate looked in her Alexander McQueen gown. I am pretty sure I would have looked just as good in that gown. Right? 
{Ahem}
So today is the BIG DAY. It has nothing to do with a wedding and there wont be millions of people watching but let me just tell you the Brits have nothing on us girls. Tonight is a night I look forward to EVERY year. One of my fabulous friends always puts on 'theme' birthday parties. It is always an absolute blast. No kids, No hubs, a lot of craziness and laughter.
The costumes are so hilarious. {shh... I am bringing my camera.}

This years party theme is "Get in Shape Girl' {old school style}. 

Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons... I can hardly wait. 
There is just something about a time to laugh, look ridiculous, and simply enjoy your girlfriends. It's good for the soul.
So tell me do you have big plans this weekend?