Good Friends

This was a wonderful weekend and just what I needed!  Last week was rough, so I can not imagine a better way to end the week.  I seem to have kicked that low-grade fever I ran all of last week (crossing my fingers it stays gone!) and am getting back more energy.

Lorelei flew into town on Friday.  We joined Mr. and Mrs. Waterstone for dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant with Lorelei and our kids.  The kids behaved wonderfully (gasp!) and even behaved when we got invited back to Mr. and Mrs. Waterstone's home afterwards.  There was a studio tour (pics to follow later in an interview with Mrs. Waterstone!) and tons of laughter.  There was the petting of one loving Sophie dog and guarded attention towards Psycho Cat Oreo.

There was a breakfast at Waffle House, a drive-by next to the Big Chicken and a 45 minute walk through IKEA that resulted in the purchase of a couple of picture frames (remember my summer goal to update pictures in the house so it appears we have two children close to five and seven instead of just one child around two years old?) and a narrow/tall chest of drawers that will be PERFECT for art supplies.

There was a lunch at Chic-Fil-A and oohing and ahhing at two different bead stores.  There were raised eyebrows at the local antique mall and the purchase of an old brass ferris wheel/music box that will be a perfect birthday gift for my soon to be six year old.  There was a trek to the outlet malls and a little retail therapy (c'mon! who could resist a Banana Republic dress marked down to fifteen bucks from the normal sixty dollar price tag?) and a parking lot chase to get the golf cart security guard to tell us where the closest gas station was located (how on earth did I pull into the parking spot and NOT realize the car was on empty?).

There was a failed attempt to eat at P.F. Changs (darn that 40 minute wait!) and a successful attempt to eat at Taco Mac.  There was a lampworking tutorial that ended in an exploding bead because the teacher (who shall remain nameless!) couldn't stop yapping and forgot to tell someone else (who was a WONDERFUL lampworker in the making!) to keep the bead warmer.  Then there was more lampworking and fulfilling of requests and "What would this look like?" wishes.  Followed by a walk with Little Horse and the local tree frogs.

There was a walk on the Nature Trail and quite a bit of sweating in our muggy lovely Southern temps.  There was a bit of relaxing and more bead making.  There was laughter and there was peace.  Both were good and made for the best all-around-weekend in a long time.

Coming soon!  An interview with Lori Plyler of Waterstone.  A nugget giveaway for one lucky blog follower.  Pics of new eggs and beads inspired by bugs (don't go away! they WERE cool bugs!).

And hopefully no more whining of fevers, illness or late working hours interfering with torch time!

Tomorrow my babies start back to school.  The two month summer ended quickly after being filled with tons of swimming, fishing and time with family.  I can't believe I am the mom of a second grader and Kindergartner.  Much like this weekend, time flies by me way too quickly!