Walking, Girls Weekend, and A Question

A lot has happened in the past week.  A LOT. 

For starters, my girl started walking!  And I just got really tired thinking about what that means for my future.  Her preferred method of transportation continues to be crawling, since it's way faster.  Not to mention, it's a lot less scary for mommy.  Because now that she's walking, she's gotten about 35 bruises in the last 2 days.

Also, I am never known to exaggerate.

In other news, I contracted what is probably my 45th cold this year.  (See above, re: "never exaggerating.") But I mean, really?  What is the deal?  I know I'm a mother to a 1 year-old petri dish of germs, but STILL. 

Dear Germs,

GO AWAY.  I am tired of snotting all over the place, although it is undoubtedly attractive to my husband. My nose is raw, and that stupid Kleenex with aloe?  It DOESN'T WORK. 

Did I mention that I don't have time for you?  It's Christmas, and I have a toddler. 

Go enjoy the holidays in someone else's nose.

Sincerely,
Your latest victim, who is tired of hacking like an 80-year old smoker.

On a much more fun note, I went on a girls weekend last weekend with Steph and Eryn, two of my very best friends from college. We loaded up the car with the essentials--you know, magazines, snacks, and pants with elastic waistbands--and prepared to get our fun on. 

(Why can't I stop that? WHY?!?)

Got dorky playing with my iPhone ShakeIt app.  But what isn't awesome about shaking it like a polaroid picture?  Oh yeah.  I did.

Wasn't aware that my eyes were yellow.  Apparently, my iPhone thinks I'm a Cullen. 


Upon arriving in Blue Ridge, we thought "hey!  We may or may not need a few more snacks.  Let us stop at the grocery store."

A lady approached us while we were checking out, and goes: "You girls aren't from around here are you?"

Why, what gave it away?  The rarely worn puffy jackets?  The armloads of candy and tabloid magazines? The fact that I had on peep-toed shoes and it was 32 degrees outside?  Hmmmmmmm......

After admitting that we weren't, in fact, "from around here," and were instead from "the city,"  she goes:  "Ummm hmmmm.  Thought so.  Now, don't you girls go drinking and driving, okay? Wouldn't want y'all to drive off the mountain."

Well, yes.  That makes 4 of us.  Not really part of our weekend plans.  But thanks for the vote of confidence, lady.



This was our view....up on the mountain, which, thankfully, we managed not to "drive off." 



It was a fabulous, relaxing, hilarious weekend, full of shopping, reading up on Taylor and Jake (and what I believe to be a totally fake, publicist-driven relationship, but that's another post entirely), and eating things I could never get away with at home.  I loved every minute!

And then, clearly, I loved coming home to this:



Although, apparently my iPhone also thinks John visited a Mystic Tan booth while I was gone.
For the record, he is NOT orange.

Finally, blog friends, if you made it to the end of this rash, rambling post, I have a question for you.  What are you getting the men in your lives for Christmas?   I'm talking husbands, boyfriends, brothers, fathers, and fathers-in-law. 


I'm really good at girl presents.  I mean really good.  Here's my strategy:  find something I love, talk myself out of buying it for myself, take it home and wrap it.  Talk myself out of keeping it for myself, and give it to the woman I bought it for.  Hope that she will eventually want to let me borrow it.  See, easy?

Somehow, I don't think any of the men in my life would enjoy an Anthropologie top, or a gift card to Lululemon.  Help!