Coffee shop, Shrimp Scampi and Pool Parties

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This past weekend was one of the best I've ever had. I didn't have set plans, I didn't have anywhere to be, but I was fully in the moment and spent it with people I really care about. It was also one of the first times I didn't feel like the weekend just flew by and I found myself sitting at my desk again on Monday morning way too quickly.
Friday:

I had dinner with a good friend on Friday night at my favorite local restaurant/coffee shop. We talked for a couple hours and caught up on life - work, the future and how adulting is hard. I guess that's how most of my conversations tend to go these days.

When I came home, my aunt, uncle and cousin were at our house to pick up a chair. I ended up talking to my cousin on the sidewalk outside for SO LONG. It was one of the best and most in-depth talks we've had. We also made plans to go to the park the next day for a walk or some kind of exercise.

Saturday: 

Saturday, I didn't have any plans at all and it was perfect. I slept in, did some writing and started watching "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (because I'd never seen it). I picked up lunch for my dad and I at Chipotle and brought it home. My cousin called and asked if I wanted to meet her at the park, so we did. It was HOT, but we enjoyed walking the walk trail/bike path and catching up. I had a lot to catch her up on.

I came home, started watching "Notting Hill" and showered, freshened up...


Then, my friend, Alex, wanted to set up a blog, so he asked if I wanted to come over. We worked on that for awhile, he cooked shrimp scampi and a few of our other friends came over. We laughed, we gabbed, we listened to potential wedding songs, shared ice cream and did I mention we laughed a lot?


I stayed until 11:30 or so, but I was getting tired and we all decided to head out. I hit the hay pretty quickly after I got home.

Sunday: 

Sunday morning, I woke up a bit earlier and started reading/doing some writing in my journal. I love starting off my Sunday morning with a reflective period and easing into the day. 

I ran to Rite Aid to pick up syrup and buttermilk mix, then my mom made waffles for breakfast. We watched our church service on live stream, then I got ready, worked on an article for our local magazine and caught up on some reading. 

Mid-afternoon, I went to Target, got a new "bathing suit" and went to my friend's house, who was actually housesitting for her mom. We cooled off in the pool, we played games all afternoon and into the evening, ate In-N-Out and played more Scattergories. I don't think I've ever played games that long. 

I can't remember the last time I had a weekend to just be. To feel like a kid again and laugh for the sake of laughing, to not have to rush from one thing to the next and to feel free. It's one of the absolute best things and I hope to have a few more weekends like that before the summer is over. 

Every once in awhile you catch a glimpse of those youthful moments - moments you're going to look back on twenty or thirty years from now and wish you could just snap your finger and make it happen. The people you were with. The music you were listening to. The things you were doing. How time just stood still. And this entire weekend was one of those moments for me. 

Oh, summer, you make me feel so many things at once....Nostalgia, simplicity, stillness and you make me want to venture out and have fun. 

That's all for now,
Shelby

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