Girls Weekend 2012 {According to my iPhone}...

1. Straight from the airport to get pedis......well, we did make a pit stop at Noodles and Co.
2. Fro-yo #1
3. Early morning photo sesh for Lydia's senior pics
4. Baby sister striking a pose
5. Afternoon at the pool {yes, that's my puffy foot, and Amanda's pretty, thin, tan one}
6. We didn't exactly eat healthy, but we enjoyed ourselves!  {Smashburger, chick-fil-a breakfast, and Fro-yo #2
7.  Amanda helped me pick out a new camera {my bday present bought with bday money from various sources}  I LOVE IT!  So excited for the upgrade, and for all the amazing pictures that will be taken with that camera.
8. Shenanigans at Target.....a Girls Weekend MUST, am I right?

Not pictured:  Magic Mike, complete with a theater full of rowdy women and waaaay too much popcorn.  The best enchiladas from Don Chilitos {I still can't believe I ate the whole thing and didn't feel full}.  Two trips to Noodles and Co. so Amanda could get her fix.  Wendy's iced coffee.  A little shopping for baby.  Lots and lots of talks, and laughing til I almost peed myself.  Don Javis {I'm not gonna explain that one, I just wanted to picture Amanda laughing when she reads it}. 

I can't express enough how much this one-on-one time with my bestie means to me.  I always come away feeling an extra zest for life, and a little more sassy than before.  There's something magical about girl time.  It also doesn't hurt that it gives our husbands {and kids} a chance to miss us, and us a chance to miss them.  Those reunions are always extra sweet.

When I dropped Amanda off at the airport on Sunday, I managed to make it to the car before the tears came.  I try really hard not to cry, but it's always a futile effort.   Every single time we say goodbye, I have a sudden, overwhelming feeling of being alone.  Like a piece of me is missing. I'm sure that sounds super cheesy, but it's true.  I always need a few good tears, and then I'm fine.

Amanda's friendship is one of the greatest blessings I've been given in this life, and for that, I'm so very grateful.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled lives.....

Moments....

A few moments from Girl's Weekend, captured by Amanda on her iPhone.  {Which I'm totally jealous of.  I may or may not have played with it some alot, and totally fell in love.  Someday.}

Do you own a smart phone? If so, what kind?
 My phone is about as dumb as they come.  We don't even have a texting plan.  We're old school like that. 

Mermaid Hair...

When I was a little girl, I used to dream of being a mermaid.  This was no doubt fueled by a heavy  Splash obsession.  {Remember how she named herself Madison, and that was such a weird, nonsense name at the time?  Or maybe I just thought it was.}  Anyway, Amanda and I would spend hours in the pool pretending we had pretty mermaid tails and dreaming up all sorts of exciting adventures.  We certainly had a healthy imagination, I can tell you that!

Shortly after arriving on Wednesday, Amanda showed me an image that she Pinned.  I agreed that it was pretty fantastic, but didn't think much more about it at the time.  Funny thing though, that image kept coming into conversation as the days went by.  We became increasingly more obsessed with the "mermaid hair".  But, we couldn't pull it off....or could we?  {I definitely took some convincing.  I've NEVER dyed my hair, and was I really gonna start with pink, purple and blue!?}  Along with my much cooler, and much younger sisters, we decided to go for it.  We all split the cost of supplies and Amanda and I went to work.  {Later, we passed off the goods to the sisters....whose hair I still haven't seen!}

 

my "colorist".  {That's what we were calling each other.}

 

Waiting for the magic to happen...

Amanda's sultry mermaid locks...

 

And, mine.  {You can tell who the photographer is.   All the good ones were taken by her.}

It's been fun to get reactions from people who notice.  It does add a nice little bit of sass for summer.  I sort of love it, especially the pink.  {There really is blue in there too, it just didn't show up that well.}  

So, that's the Mermaid Hair!  It's all mine for 5-40 washes. :)

Oh, and for those of you who are wondering, Jon's reaction was positive.  He said he was happy that I did something kinda wild and out of the ordinary.

Have you ever dyed your hair?  What's the craziest color you've ever done? 

p.s. I learned that my hair forms the same curls every time.  Each lock that is colored has come together each day.  I figured they just randomly formed.  Interesting, no?

I'm baaaaaaaack!

Girls Weekend was a smashing success!  I cannot believe it's already over, but boy, did we have fun.  I'm so grateful to have had the time with my best girl, and I'm feeling so lucky, so young, and so ready to take on the world this morning.  There's just something about Amanda that brings out the best in me.  I love that girl.

Jon had an equally good time on his float trip.  We had a very sweet reunion yesterday.  We were both so refreshed, and giddy to see each other.  It was nice!  We really need to do this more often. 

I have so much to tell you/show you, but starting off this week, I just want to get some notable moments documented here.

• gimlets with my oldest and newest friends.
• early morning walks and really getting rolling on the talks, which continued non-stop all weekend long.
• getting a much needed pedicure, even though my guy was grumpy.
• seeing Amanda meet my Dad's sweetheart, and having her take some GORGEOUS pictures of them.  {Also, when we left Amanda noted, "This may sound weird, but I feel like I've always known Linda."  I knew precisely what she meant, cause Jon and I had the exact same conversation when we met her.  She's pretty incredible like that.}
• Margaritas and Mexican food.  {And, them carding me, but not Amanda.  I mean, she is a day older, but c'mon people.}
• Sitting by the pool on the perfect day, even if we did get sunburned.  It was totally worth it.
• Going shopping, and buying the same things.  Hey, we live 500 miles apart, no one will ever know!
• Hanging with my mom and sisters, and plotting some craziness.
• Finally seeing Bridesmaids, and it living up to all the hype.  Seriously, the best movie!  Maybe ever!  Instant classic, I tell you.  I for real want to go see it again, and I'm still laughing at certain parts.  Totally freaking awesome.
• Giving ourselves mermaid hair.  {Oh, this one will be an upcoming post, you can bet on it!}
• A fab photo sesh in the field by my house.  I felt like a model.  {Well, except for the profuse sweating and massive amout of bugs.}  Amanda is an amazing photographer, and I cannot wait to see the results.
• THE BEST Pomegranate Punch of all time!  {Well, the only pom. punch I've had, but it was so incredibly delicious.}
• Amanda teaching me to knit.  {and actually remembering it the next day!}
• Planning blog makeovers.  
• Deciding that Girl's Weekend must be at least a yearly event.

I only cried for a couple minutes when she left.  I made myself get busy with watering plants and going to church.  It never gets easier watching her drive away.  

Amanda, 
Thanks for coming up, and thanks for making me feel young and beautiful again.  You and I, we're the same.  I love that we're still discovering things that we have in common, after all these years.  I love that we can talk for 3 days straight and never get sick of it.  I love that when I'm with you, I'm 100% genuine Jen.  I love that we could spend a month together and still not get everything done that we'd like to do.  I love you, girlie.  You're the absolute best, and I'm so lucky to have you as my bestie.  
Jen


p.s. Thank you to my wonderful guest posters last week!  You ladies are awesome.