We booked a cabin in Hocking Hills (through Old Man’s Chalets) and my brother and his girlfriend also joined us for a night in the wilderness. Of course, when you are camping with the Mister, the “wilderness” consists of a log cabin equipped with a plasma screen TV and hot tub. Not that I’m complaining…

actual view from cabin

Coming off that great weekend with friends, this week’s topic is easy. This week, I’m thankful for friends.

I’m thankful that even though we don’t talk every day, and haven’t seen some of them since Christmas, we pick up right where we left off. And that takes a very special friendship.

I’m thankful for their love of Bean, their excitement to meet him and the way their faces light up when he smiles.

I’m thankful for old stories, inside jokes and creating new memories.

I’m thankful that they accept me for me, despite all my quirks, and never pass judgement.

• Like running through the mud together
• and having a debate over extra sharp cheddar cheese
• and using silly voices
• and giving up your blankets
• and not judging when one person (ahem, the Mister) uses a clean towel to wipe mud off their body
• and toasting over turkey legs

Why are you thankful for your friends?

Day one – shopping and lunching solo

The day also featured a “spot of tea” with the lovely Jenn from Eating Bender - I love meeting up with blog friends. It was SO good to see you, Jenn

Day two – Bachelorette Party

We spent the day at the beach and then headed out for a night on the town with dinner at Quartino followed by drinks and dancing at Howl at the Moon.

This restaurant was such a pleasant surprise! All dishes were designed for sharing, so we ordered multiple plates of goodness. I tried not to over-stuff myself, but it was pretty difficult – everything was delicious!

Of course we had to order a special dessert for our Bachelorette

Howl at the Moon

You don’t have to tell me how sexy that dancing face is, I’m fully aware of my awesomeness. Honestly, with some diligent practice in the mirror, you can look just as cool. Scrunching the chin to look as unattractive as possible is key.

All in all, my time spent in Chicago was nothing short of fabulous. It was so great to catch up with my oldest, bestest friend Tracy. Isn’t it amazing how some things never change? We can go for months without talking and then sit on the couch and chat from 5 p.m. – 1 a.m. chattering non-stop. Do you have any friends like this? Aren’t they the best? She really is more like a sister to me than anything else, and I can’t wait to celebrate her wedding in August!

Stay tuned for Puerto Rico updates!

You guys know me, when family and friends are a plenty, blogging tends to take a backseat. But I’m back to share some of the fun!

This weekend was spent at numerous family parties, eating delicious foods and snackage.

The Mister and I dressed in our patriotic best.

After taking in the fireworks, a few of us crashed my parents house (and pantry) and made some s’mores on the grill. Simply wrap an uncooked s’more in foil and place on the grill for about 5 minutes.

Isn’t patriotism delicious?

What was the most delicious thing you ate this weekend?