Date Weekend!

I know, I know.  If you are a momma or daddy of young children you are thinking, "How the heck did you get a date weekend when it's so freaking hard to find a few hours for a date night?"

Here's the thing, we've never done something like this before.  Yes, we've had weekends away without the kids and those have been great, altho few and far between.  This time, however, we asked Larry's parents to keep the kids for the weekend while we had a staycation.

And it was AWESOME because:

1.  No packing which equals no guessing on what I'm going to feel like wearing the next two days.  And also no chance of forgetting to pack something important like my glasses or underwear.  Uh, not that I've ever done that...

2.  I slept better because I got to sleep in my own bed.

3.  We could spend money doing cool things rather than spending money to sleep somewhere.

Now don't get me wrong, I love to go new places and there are many places I want to see.  There is certainly a time and place for GOING somewhere and I enjoy that as well.  But for this season in my life spending a weekend at home sans children with Larry was a huge gift.

Here's a peak into our weekend:

My mother-in-law picked up the kids after she was done working on Friday afternoon.  And then I did something I've been wanting to get done for awhile.

Yup, a new tattoo.  I know you don't all love tattoos (I'm lookin' at you, Mom) and I don't love all tattoos.  But I do love this hymn.  I want Jesus to be my vision in everything I do.  Since I am a slow learner I thought having these words always in my sight might help me remember to always look at life thru the lens of Jesus.

Next, we got a new ride for the weekend.  Larry and I have these awesome friends who let us borrow their motorcycle.  Shout out to the Landis'!!

There are two things I know about motorcycles.  a.)  They are super fun and b.) I don't think I ever spend more time praying than when I'm on the back of one.  Mainly one-liners like this "Sweet Jesus, please don't let us die."  

We rode to a diner we've never been to before called Wimpy and Dee's.  I stuffed my face with a mac 'n' cheese burger.  Then we rode to Trailside, filled up with gas, and went inside to sit down and have ice cream.  It was super fun to have no time restraints due to kids.  When we came home we watched the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes".  Have you seen it?  It's an old movie but I love it.  Favorite line (close your eyes if you don't like swear words):  "He won't sit next to a colored child but he'll eat eggs shooting right out of a chicken's ass!"

Saturday morning we had a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, and coffee.  While we  were eating I said to Larry, "Do you hear that?  It's our refrigerator running.  I don't think I've ever heard it before!"

Then we had to do some dumb grown up stuff.  While Larry went to buy dog food (do you know anyone who is looking for a male black lab puppy?  We have two for sale.  Ready TODAY.  Please come take them away, they are eating us out of house and home.) and puppy dewormer (gross), I blanched soy beans.  Yay.

Dumb grown up stuff done, we hopped on the bike and went to Lititz.  The weather was G.L.O.R.I.O.U.S.  Absolutely perfect for being outside.  We ate lunch at the Tomato Pie Cafe.  Which was a purely selfish decision on my part.  It's not Larry's kind of food whatsoever.

But here's the funny thing.  For the first time EVER, Larry ordered something better than me.   Um, I actually hated what I ordered.

Well, not all of it.  See that scone?  I could have ate my weight in scones like that.  And the soup?  Loaded potato.  Hard to hate that. Which leaves the burger.  A turkey burger.  Sounds innocent enough.  Topped with caramelized onion and balsamic vinegar.  I know I lost some of you with that, but still not a reason for me to hate.  Which leaves...goat cheese.  I never had it before and I was kind of assuming I didn't like it.  I HATE when people assume they don't like things.  So I figured when I tried it, if I did hate it I could just be a big girl and scrape it off.

Here's the thing about goat cheese, people:  It infects everything it touches with it's disgusting goat cheesy-ness.  The closest thing I could describe it to tasting like are smells.  Like, the way a goat smells is how goat cheese tastes.  Or you know when you've let a towel be wet too long?  That gross wet towel smell?  That's how goat cheese tastes.  I know some of you like it.  You can have my portion.  Forever.

Now, I mean no offense to Tomato Pie Cafe.  Their menu is amazing.  If I had enough dollars I would eat there every day until I tried almost everything on the menu.  Larry had a turkey pesto panini which was incredible.  I would have traded in a heartbeat.

After paying for one delicious sandwich and one disgusting one, we wandered around the adorable town of Lititz.  I made Larry go into a kitchen store called Zest.  It was super cool.  Plus they were giving out samples of soup which helped to fill me up since I had an inedible lunch.

Then we were looking for some dessert and found this gem.

I forget what it was called but basically it was a huge chocolate chip cookie, folded in half, stuffed with some kind of mousse, and then dipped in chocolate.  So, chocolate, chocolate, and then chocolate.  Sounds about right.

And that window box behind us?  Love.

So after Lititz we went to...Hershey Park!  Ah!

I love roller coasters like I love my momma.  One in particular has my heart.  Great Bear, I will always love you.

I think it's has something to do with how your feet are dangling.  I'm not sure.  I don't even have the right words to convey to you the depth of emotion I have while riding the Great Bear.  Seriously.  

Moving along.  We left Hershey tired and hungry.  Pit stop at Mcdonald's.  Props to their habanero ranch sauce.  My lips were on fire.  

It was slightly after midnight when we got home.  Such a lovely day.  Such a FUN day!

It's easy to get bogged down in the responsibilities of everyday life.  Most days can't be jam-packed with only fun things from morning until night.  But every day has gifts in it and we need to be on the lookout for them.

And make time every now and then to just cut loose and have fun!