A Weekend Spent Back Home

Hello everyone and Happy Monday!  It actually is a happy Monday for once though because this is a short week for everyone (at least it is for me so I'm happy).  Only 2 1/2 days of work this week, so today is basically like Wednesday afternoon and everyone loves hump day!  4th of July is on Thursday and I am just excited to get to sleep in on a Thursday and hopefully enjoy some good food, drinks, friends, and fireworks.  Vinnie and I still don't really even have plans so I don't know what we're going to do but since we live in Chicago there are a million possibilities.

This last weekend started early for me because I got to leave work a little early to try and get on the road back home without hitting rush hour.  But remember how Friday was the Stanley Cup Champions (aka the Blackhawks) parade and rally???  Well apparently a lot of people came to little old Chicago (over 2 million people to be exact) and I got caught in THE WORST TRAFFIC EVER!  That might be a little dramatic but for real, it was awful.  It normally takes me 2 1/2 hours to get back home but Friday it took me almost 5.  I was already stressed out about the bridal shower so I thought I was actually going to have a meltdown in the middle of the interstate and start pulling my hair out.  Don't worry I still have all of my hair and I only almost started crying, no actual tears.

By the time I finally got home to my sister's house my parents were already there and they left Iowa about 2 hours after I did and the trip usually takes them about 3 hours.  P.S. I don't think I've ever told everyone that my older sister currently lives in the house that I grew up in.  We moved way out to the country when I was about 6 years old and we lived in that country house until my parents moved to Iowa 3 years ago.  My sister and her husband decided to buy it so now whenever I go visit her, I get to visit my old house too, which is truly a blessing because I have so many fond memories growing up in that old house.  Anyways, back to Friday night, I finally arrived and we pretty much left right away to go to a Winery that was located in the town next to ours.  It's in the middle of nowhere and they had a pretty popular band playing that night whom I had seen play several times while I was in college.  

That night I could not have been happier because sometimes I forget what it was like growing up in the country.  Concerts in the middle of cornfields, good ol' boys dressed in cowboy boots and dirty camo hats, fireflies lighting up all around you, stars upon stars filling up the entire sky for as far as you can see, no police regulating your every move, no snot nosed girls in heels and short dresses judging you for not wearing enough make-up, no one has a care in the world and they're all there just to dance and sing to the country music and have a good time.  I forgot how much I love coming back and hanging out with my fellow rednecks.  There are so many things that I got used to seeing in the country that I never see anymore in the city and I forgot how much I miss it.

Sister, Mom, Me, and wine

Maggie and I

We drank wine, listened to music, reminisced, and just enjoyed ourselves that night.  I wish I lived closer and worked less so that I could have nights like that one more often.  But before we knew it, it was time to go home.  We went home and woke my niece and nephew up even though it was way past their bed time and played with them for awhile before we were all too tired to function anymore.  That night I slept in Emma's princess bed and woke up regretting that decision oh so much.  My back still hurts. 

Saturday was the big bridal shower day.  I woke up early and immediately started working on drawing, cutting out, and gluing mustaches and lips for a stupid bridal shower game.  Then I got ready and ran to the store for a couple of last minute things.  I met Jacquie (the MOH) at her house and we loaded up our cars and drove to the church to set up.  I took a bunch of pictures but they're all still on my real camera so you will have to wait to see any pictures from the bridal shower and lingerie shower but I will tell you that it all went well and all of the stress was worth it because Maggie did enjoy herself which was all that really mattered.  That night Maggie and I stayed up late talking and then fell asleep on the couch.  

Sunday morning we woke up and her fiance made us white chocolate chip pancakes (she bagged a good guy) and then we worked on a few party favors for her wedding.  I hit the road back to Chicago around noon and took all of the back roads to the highway so that I could enjoy my time in the country a little bit longer...and enjoy I did.

I definitely love living in the city of Chicago, but I will always be a country girl at heart.

XO. Tarah


Linking up with Sami's Shenanigans