Girls just wanna have fun

On Saturday, I had a little case of the nerves while I left my baby in the care of a 14-year-old who wouldn't make eye contact with me (Ben was out for the morning for the Christmas Bird Count).  It was the first non-family, non-friend babysitter.  Henry was fine and was left napping, but I was a mess.  Anyway, it was all very worth it because my Saturday with Tina rocked!

We met up in Schaumburg, Illinois--known for malls and many shopping centers and the IKEA.  Tina and I like thrifting and antiquing and crafting, but not shopping.  BUT, we haven't had a day to hang out together in a long time, so we indulged in 3 hours of walking around and playing in the IKEA living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens.  We rearranged the dishes and wondered why other people thought that they could invite themselves in.  We snacked on cookies and talked about setting up great studio spaces.

Then we had to get food because the IKEA kitchens didn't have any. We ate at this place, whose name I won't repeat because I don't really recommend the service or the food, but they do have inappropriate things shellacked to the tabletops.


We followed food with a trip to the Blick art store.  I love the smell of art stores and I love touching all of the supplies.  Mmmm....

Then we went to a chain coffee shop and stayed very late and drank doctored up cocoa and mocha (and tea) and made a cue alien together (sorry for the blurry photo).  

I can't say enough how much I recommend the meet up.  No one has to clean the house or cook the food or plan the activities.  And it is good to stay in the present moment and have fun where ever you find yourself.