Friday Is For Friends: Sometimes Sweet

Hi all, Danielle here, from Sometimes Sweet! When Katie asked me to contribute a post here for her Friday is for Friends series, I was really excited. I've loved seeing all of the lovely ladies' fun posts and DIYs.  I thought long and hard about what I wanted to contribute, and then this past weekend, it came to me! My husband works during the week, so weekends are a really special time for us to have fun and connect as a family.  And we take that fun very seriously!  Every weekend I try and plan something exciting and adventurous for us to do, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to share some simple ideas for having a fabulous and extraordinary weekend.

1. Play tourist. We all call somewhere home, but most likely we all haven't really explored our towns and everything they have to offer through the eyes of a tourist.  I bet if you look around, there are a ton of different sights and destinations to check out right outside your doorstep.  My little family and I live in a small, Northern Arizona town that is a popular tourist destination for its beautiful scenery, Old West/Cowboy history, and its small town charm.  I recently visited our town's website and realized there are a million things to do right here that we'd never considered. Hello, haunted tour of downtown! Amazing. And I bet you'll find some pretty neat things in your town or city, too.

2. Make going out to dinner an adventure. If you're anything like us, you probably find yourself going to your same favorite restaurants over and over again.  I do have to admit that I love the predictability of eating at the same places week after week, and really, what's better than having a tamale plate named after you? (Answer: nothing!) But truth be told, a little excitement is good sometimes, especially when you want to have an extraordinary weekend. Why not check out Yelp and try the first restaurant that catches your eye?  Or drive down an out of the way street and pull over at the first place you see? Maybe you've never tasted Vietnamese food, or perhaps you've been wanting to try your hand at the spiciest wings in town...this weekend is the time to do so!

3. Plan a stay-cation. Locals often get great deals on hotels in the area, and a stay-cation can be the perfect remedy to a normally ho-hum weekend. Think big, comfy bed, a pool, and feeling like you're worlds away, when you might be just down the street. There's something fun about little travel size toiletries, room service, and taking the elevator all the way to the top. Sleep in, pretend you're in another country, and just have fun. It's a great, inexpensive way to "escape" without really escaping at all!

4. Take it in. It seems silly that we should be reminded to "take it in," but I know that more often than not I get so wrapped up in doing this or that, that I forget to take a step back and just notice things. Notice the way the clouds make those great big fluffy shapes on a September afternoon, notice how the smell of a tomato vine can take you to a different place entirely. Pay attention to the way a hummingbird seems to float in the air, take time to sit back and breathe, taking notice of each breath, in and out. It's good to slow down, and sometimes for an extraordinary time all we have to do is sit back and relax. Just be. Perhaps this weekend you want to designate a night to "just be." Pull some chairs out back and look up at the sky. Drink tea, and really taste it. Order a slice of pie and eat it slowly, savoring the way the flaky crust compliments the tartness of the fruit. Get an extra-thick milkshake. Catch fireflies, put your feet in the water. Slow down, and just truly enjoy. Whatever you decide to do, I hope it's a good one! Happy weekend-ing, everyone!

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Well, I couldn't end "Friday is for Friends" without including Danielle. She is one of my very favorite bloggers and has been there for me when I needed a little bit of encouragement and perspective. I love that girl.

We are off to spend some much needed "friend time" with some friends before they leave for vacation for a whole month. I'm totally jealous, but in the "happy for you" sort of way. ;) I hope you have a great weekend! xoxo Katie