My Trip back East

A couple of weeks ago I got to go on my very first "girls' trip." I guess if I think about it I did have a Dastrup girls trip to NYC a while back ... BUT this was my first time getting away after MAX came along and reuniting with old best friends, so I was pretty dang excited about it.

(Side note: I was pretty sad to leave my little Max and starting crying before I even left. I loved talking to him on the phone while I was gone and would recite parts of his favorite books and he would fill in the missing words back to me. So cute. Also he told me "I love you" for the first time! I was so excited to get home and see him ... and then after half a day of being home was thinking maybe I should have stayed away a bit longer?! :) )

The occasion was my friend Erin's wedding in Leesburg, VA. Erin, Robin, Victoria, and I were BFFs our last two years of high school and beyond (Erin was my freshman roommate). So of course I was going to be there! At first Joe was going to come and we were going to combine it with a trip back to MD, but plane tickets are pricey and missing work is pricier. In the end, it worked out perfectly for Robin and I to be each other's dates! She came from Vancouver, WA and we met up in Denver on our layovers so we could fly the rest of the way together. It was SO much fun getting to spend time with Robin! I love her so much. It was great just to catch up and talk about life. She has three kiddos and is a great example of an amazing mom! Plus she is gorgeous.

We got into DC Friday night, got our rental car (a minivan), and then with Robin's great driving and my expert navigating found our hotel (a Hilton) in Fairfax, VA. We got to share a nice king bed. Other than the wedding and seeing my friends, the thing I was looking forward to MOST was getting to sleep monitor-free. (Max still wakes us up every night, and of course morning, on the monitor, and it is completely painful.) It did not disappoint.
So Saturday morning we slept in, then got up to see DC (Robin's first time). We had lunch reservation's at Erins' favorite place Founding Farmer's and we LOVED it. In fact, I am still thinking about the food we had. Two weeks later. That is really saying something.

The rest of the day was a blur of museum-ing (the American History museum) and walking and monument and sight-seeing. And walking. And more walking. It was a totally crazy day in DC what with the IMF conference going on, the 'Worldwide Day of Play' taking place near the Mall, and this huge Library of Congress Book Conference taking place on the Mall. It was swarmed. We were lucky to finding a parking garage for $8 a day close to the White House and make our lunch reservation. Then we walked for hours and hours and hours until our muscles (or in my case, ligaments) couldn't take it anymore!

One of the reasons for so much walking was that I lost my camera and we had to jog back a long ways to look for it, only to not find it and then walk back the way we had come. We only had one day to be in DC and we didn't want Robin to miss the amazing monuments. Especially seeing the Lincoln Memorial, at night! It was beautiful.

By this time it was after 8 and we were starving for some dinner, but we knew we wouldn't find anything until we walked back closer to our car. This proved extremely challenging for some unknown reason. Every way we went guards with huge guns would tell us "This area is closed." For blocks around the White House we got the same message ... and it wasn't a usual thing, "Just tonight, Ma'am" was the explanation. After walking and walking some more and feeling like we wanted to die, we finally found a restaurant that was open and enjoyed some delicious Italian food. Seriously, so good, almost as good as lunch!
By then we didn't have much farther to go to find our parking garage. Problem was, when we got there at about 9:45 we found this:
Yeah, they closed the garage on us. Apparently "all day" means until 6 pm. Who knew?! I was in near hysteria thinking about how much this blunder was going to cost us (taxis, another car rental if we couldn't get into the garage until Monday, fines, etc.) (oh and right after I had lost an expensive camera, ouch) but LUCKILY we called the emergency number and they came and let us in. PHEW!!!!! Major luck!! That about made my night. Also, made me wonder whether Robin and I should be trusted on our own in a big city?!? Perhaps not.
On Sunday morning we went to a bridal brunch for the girls, finally getting to meet up with Erin and V. It was so good to see them! Erin was already glowing and we couldn't wait for the ceremony later that day.

The wedding was outside at an old historic home in downtown Leesburg. Erin's fiance's father is a Reverand and performed the ceremony. She was the most GORGEOUS bride. So stunning. And they are the cutest couple as well. Also, her new husband is pretty awesome and works for General Petraeus, so he was there as well. Not too shabby.

After the ceremony there was a cocktail hour before dinner. We got to hang out with V and meet her boyfriend.

Then there was a lovely sit down dinner, toasts, dancing, etc. It was all beautiful and happy and so much fun.

Oh, and don't forget about the cupcakes ... those were amazing.

At the end of the night Robin and I were just SO happy we had made the trip and were able to be a part of Erin's wonderful day. Having a little break from kids, etc. and a chance to catch up on plenty of girl talk was a nice bonus.

On Monday we headed back to the airport and flew to Denver where we parted ways. (Another side note, I was kind of sad that Denver is not home anymore. But I had to fly on.)
At least I had my wonderful husband waiting for me when I got there. All the wedding festivities made me so happy I married the love of my life over 6 years ago. :)