T-Minus 5 days to vacation!!!!

I know it's Monday, I know I am supposed to be grumbly about returning to work after a long weekend.... but I am so psyched for our vacation to Chicago, that I don't care! D and I leave on Saturday morning for 5 blissful, wonderful, awesome days of vacation. It is my first real vacation since before cancer, so I am bouncing off the walls with excitement.

The weekend was pretty great. Friday night I met up with Erin and her cousin Kate (who incidentally is from Chicago, and responsible for helping me with many planning aspects of the trip) for margarita happy hour. As the night progressed, we met up with more people, returned to Erin and Stephen's house, and I played my first game of beer pong ever. I know, I went to Rice, how in the world have I not played beer pong before? I think beer pong is a dirty, dirty game. I mean, you bounce ping pong balls across a dirty plank of wood, and if you miss, they land on the floor or in a bush or some other equally yucky location. Have you ever taken a look at the water cup you dip the ball in at the end of a game? It's gray and murky. Disgusting!

However, I managed to put my feelings aside and play. I honestly don't remember if we won or lost, which probably means I was 14 sheets to the wind, and I didn't care. Luckily, sober boyfriend came to the rescue to drive us home.

I spent Saturday morning helping to pick up the last of my grandmother's things from her house and move them into storage. And then..... Nell came to town!!!!!!! Nell has been one of my fabulous best friends for over a decade now. She is getting married in a couple months, so she came in town to deal with some wedding details. She spent the night at my house and we went to dinner with Libby and her new boyfriend, and then hit up the 'Quis.

I am way too old for the Marquis. But every once in a while, with the right group of people, it can be fun.

Sunday was another awesome episode of Sunday Funday featuring water balloons. Yaaaaayyyyy water balloons. (sarcastic snicker) I'm just glad young kids don't have better aim.

Tonight my mom is taking D and I out to dinner for an early celebration of my birthday since she will be leaving town on Wednesday, and we are leaving for Chicago before she returns. I turn 26 one week from today! My sister asked me yesterday if I still got excited about birthdays, and I gave her a big "hell yeah!". I will for the rest of my life be grateful for every birthday I get to have, every experience I have along the way, and every candle I get to blow out.

And I will enjoy every single delicious bite of steak tonight at Fleming's. :)