Since you all asked, and because I love to take pictures, I thought I’d share the highlights (and maybe a few lowlights) of a weekend visit with FatBridesmaid.

Since she tweeted a few days ago that the only thing she had in her fridge was wine, I had to branch out from my usual housewarming gift. I ended up getting her a beautiful (Christmas wrapped!) gift set from Lush.

After coffee and lunch at Take the Cake (dude – best. cupcake.ever), we headed to Ikea. Nathan and I hadn’t ever been to an Ikea before. (We’re small town peeps, okay?) We debated shelving and different shelving and butcher blocks, but ended up with only a small bag of baby little spoons and baby little bowls. For yogurt and such.

We watched a little tv while we hung out before dinner with Nikki and Chris. I just love this tv room setup. The couch was so comfy and the mirror covering the fireplace is so cozy!

Dinner was an awesome shrimp salad that reminded me of Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish and a hot, coffee drink + spirits. So yummy. (How in the world did I take zero pictures at dinner? How did you all let me get away with that?)

We get back to the house and FB shows us the guest room.

I mean, she inflates the guest room. What you don’t hear is Nathan’s “Woman, make my bed!” comment. And what you don’t see is that she puts a BEDSKIRT on an inflatable mattress. I mean, is that classy or what? (I don’t know if Nathan was puzzled or amazed here. And notice the beautiful piano. She’s going to play beautiful Charlie Brown Christmas music as soon as she gets it tuned.)

She then made the mistake of introducing her to her arch-nemesis: the possum.

Sleep was nice. Coffee and CBS Sunday morning were nice. And her bathmat is hilarious. (“Claaaasic FB.”)

Nathan chilling with the local paper…

Me putting on my makeup in the cute floor mirror…

Here’s a close-up of the dishes on the kitchen wall behind me. The green and cobalt are beautiful. I love this girl’s sense of style.

Although we dreamed up hilarious things to do with the possum while she was in the shower (hang him from the ceiling fan, put him in the dryer or the freezer, etc)…

We left him in his home, knowing he was guarding hers. He is so underappreciated.

Speaking of the washer and dryer we thought of putting him in…I know her space is small, but really? And his friend is already in there! Somebody help!

Lunch? Melt. Magnetic poetry. Resulting in several rounds of “That’s what she said!!”

FB and I had the same lunch: the Monkey Melt. Somebody smack me now.

We visited Create and Barrel (Nathan’s first time – not mine) and the Container Store (where I spent under $12 combined, thank you very much). And our last foodie stop: Yagoot. Real frozen yogurt – tang and all. So so yummy. And guilt-free.

My last first? Anthropologie. I found SO many things I wanted, and things I’ll want 10 pounds from now. But so many things made us think of Lorrie! (Go say hi to her in her second home, or at least go see the cute pictures of Oliver the bunny!) These gloves were so her!

We made it home in an hour and a half. Nathan finally stopped sneezing. And we are settled back in our own home. That now feels much bigger.

All in all? I think my eating went very well with being out of town. The only snacks I had was coffee before lunch yesterday and a banana before brunch today. We walked a lot yesterday and I’m getting ready to go for a run right now. So I am very pleased.

And FB? We love her! I can’t wait to go back next month!

Thanks so much for having us, Friend!