Let me just tell you...

My girlfriends arrived just in time to help me set up for my daughter's high school grad party. The plan was they would arrive on Friday evening and we would have the grad party on Saturday, spend some time lounging on Sunday and then head to Mom Camp on Monday for a few days.

Boy, did they get here right on time and what a great big help they were!

It had been raining for what felt like weeks, but was actually a few days. They had already talked me off the ledge earlier that week because of the rain and where would we have the grad party if not outside?! So, here's the thing you need to know about Minnesota: we have our grad parties in our garages and driveways. It's super fun, and very convenient. No need to rent a space when you have a perfectly good garage. Even if it smells like lawnmower oil or whatever that stench is.

So, we rented tables and chairs and tents and trash cans and table cloths (there's a guy on marketplace who has a whole business just renting out trailers filled with all of these party essentials), and it was all delivered on Thursday. In the pouring rain. Friday, it rained all damn day again. I was freaking the eff out. So was my kid.

The GG's showed up on Friday so we were ready to roll on Saturday. I could not have gotten it all put together without their (and my sister and brother-in-law's) help. But this post is all about the GGs (my Golden Girls, duh).

But, Saturday came and it was so nice and cool outside that I couldn't wear the cute sundress I bought for the occasion. It's still in my closet because it's a bit dressy to wear to the booster meetings... I digress.

It was a fun day, and we worked hard to make everything enjoyable for my kid. And then we took everything down and put it all away, donated the left over food to a neighbor, and my GGs took care of a lot of this.

We went to bed Saturday night knowing we had done a great job.

 

Then Sunday came and three of the GGs went to Paisley Park to pay respects to Prince. As one does when one is in Minneapolis vicinity.

See pictures.

We enjoyed a quiet day at home celebrating Joel for Father's Day and then Monday we got up and went to a second hand store to browse, shop, and giggle. We spent not too much money, ate some good food at a neighborhood lunch spot with bloodies and beers - not to mention the cheese curds because - duh - they are delicious.

Then, we were so excited to get to the pool house we had rented 45 minutes away. Once Krista made it in from NC, we loaded up our vehicles and drove to the airbnb. We enjoyed a nice 4 nights over in Somerset Wisconsin. It was restful and so relaxing.

We had a hot tub, pool, pool table, and a beautiful kitchen all to our selves. We explored waterfalls nearby (30 or so minutes away) followed up by lunch and a stop at the Goodwill.

We spent 4 nights just relaxing, playing cards against humanity, eating snack foods and Lottie made us dinner one night. We went out for pizza and ice cream for dinner once. We just enjoyed each others' company, laughed like only friends who have known each other since school can, and shit talked about people we all know.

If you don't have a group of friends like this - I hope you find your tribe. If you do have these kinds of friends but you don't take trips with no husbands or kids, I highly recommend starting it. These women have become my sisters. I love their families in the same way I love my biological sister's family. I check in with them daily, some times all day long. We have a running group chat and it is insanity in there. But also, loving and supportive.

I can't put into words just how much I love my time with them, except to say that when I'm with them, I'm the old me. I'm the me I've always been, the me I was before I got married and had kids.

These people know the me my husband fell in love with, the me I was in high school and middle school, the me I was at 5 years old. So many versions of me - they've been through them all and have loved me through them all. Every hairstyle change (and there have been MANY of those), every pound gained and lost, every asshole I've dated and the one man who has loved me for more than half of my life - they've been with me, the me who lost her mom at an early age, the me whose father has always been nonexistent in her life, the me who had a child born with special needs, the me who has raised two incredible young adults, the me who is going gray, the me who laughs at inappropriate things and inappropriate times, the me who loves so tenderly and also so incredibly in your face, the me who would fight an army for my friends and family, the me who sees herself as a writer and business owner. The me who has a story to tell.

They've loved me through it all. And I them.

Just look at these photos of my amazing group of friends. I adore them all so much.

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