If I had one wish...

...it would be to have last week as a yearly tradition. (Or monthly, if I'm REALLY dreaming!)

You might remember about this same time last year I took a trip to North Carolina to see my dearest friend Jaime. WELL, after some waiting,

hoping

coaxing

convincing

begging

guilt-tripping

and possibly some mild harassing?

...it was now Jaime's turn to come see ME!

There's nothing like a house guest to motivate you to attack that project list! We went through all of our belongings in each and every room, filling up the trash and donation piles faster than we could handle! I dusted things that have probably never been dusted before (cough, cough.) I cleaned out the kids' closet and toys to get ready for Christmas. I scrubbed bathrooms, floors, and baseboards. I made new decorative pillows to jazz up a few places here and there. Oh, and let's not forget that little issue of half my kitchen being ripped out and replaced. LOTS going on around here... sheesh.

Let me start by saying that I took my camera EVERYWHERE, and the representation of pictures I have is pathetic. Ridiculous, really. I don't know why I get so distracted sometimes and forget to ever take the thing out and use it. Must be because the occasion is so extra awesome.

And then she came -- our 5 days of fun began! We are lucky that 2 of our other college girlfriends have moved to the area in recent years, so we were SO grateful to be able to visit and hang out with them a few times during Jaime's stay as well. Here's the chronological condensed version of some of our adventures, along with my lame-o couple of pictures:

• Olive Garden and chit chat into the wee hours at Z's house
• Sunday breakfast - crepes!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Begin cutting out our big sewing projects, no time to lose!
• Dinner at my folks' house

• Monday - shoe shopping and lunch with Janice
• Quick trip to Joann's cuz we always need to look at more fabric!
• Homemade Southwestern egg rolls for dinner
• Off to Super Wal-mart for "a few things" and instead run around giggling like tweens for 2 hours
• Tuesday - we made our own omelette's for breakfast
• Hobby Lobby.... MORE fabric and crafty goodness galore!
• Jaime's big request: Costa Vida for lunch
• Spend the afternoon working on all that sewing some more
• Thai restaurant for dinner with Janice
• Browse Pier 1 after dinner
• Wednesday morning - 3 hair appointments

Jaime, Z and I decided to all whack our hair off together

for moral support, of course.

For one of us (ahem, who shall remain nameless)

this day was filled with MUCH trepidation and tears

but don't worry, ended with much happiness!

Does she look amazing or WHAT?

Z's before and after

Donated some AWESOME hair to Locks of Love!

Um, I am a TOTAL JERK

and forgot more before and after pics of the other 2 of us.

I actually went back and had her fix my haircut

a second time (hee hee!)

so what you see here was not styled my fav

and totally not the finished product anyway.

• Straight from hair salon to nail salon for mani-pedi's!
• Lunch out together one last time
• Sewing sewing sewing
• Cosby Show oldies but goodies
• Sent my husband on a never-ending quest for donuts
• Thursday morning - spinach smoothies and off to the airport

Did that go fast to the rest of you??? (We really packed it in) I'm sure if she were to stay 20 days it would never be enough. Yes, it was BLISS. I swear, we need to do it every year. North Carolina is reaaaallllllllllllllyyyy far away.

P.S. Final pictures of our sewing projects are coming!