my good book.

to me, reading a good blog is like reading a good book.

sometimes you connect & just can't put it down.
sometimes you go to the very last page, very last sentence, just to see how it ends (i would never do that. nope.)
& then sometimes, with some books, you only cruise back every once in awhile & take a few peeks. you know, for good measure :)

that's why blogging is so addicting sometimes.
you get wrapped up in these strangers lives..
like a sweet reality show..
& you just hafta come back to see what happens next.
am i right?

well tuesday, some of these strangers became my real-life-see-you-in-person-wow-that's-what-your-voice-sounds-like-i-can-smell-your-breath (phew) kinda friends.

& it was SO GOOD :)

[idk what all this talk about good books has to do with my story. just go with it. i guess what i'm trying to say is these girls are my good book. make sense?]

just a lil' jaunt to bakersfield is all it took to learn:
that lorie is just who she says she is. she's funny & genuine. charming & beautiful. a good mom, & wife. & a sweet cook, too! she loves God & people with everything she is. she's a giver & a talker (just like me) & we definitely could've chatted for-ev-er about nothing & everything. her henry & ben are deliciously cute & spunky. & her house is so adorable. she is so dang crafty (like i had to tell you that) & i walked away totally inspired!

& talia. oh, talia. just as sweet & pure in person as she is on her blog. a beautiful smile that does, indeed, light up the room. & a heart that is so big it spills over in every conversation. oh, & those girls of hers are the sweetest. our girls got along so well. i was sad i didn't make it her house for a visit. i wanted to see it so bad. i guess another trip to btown will just hafta happen soon ;)

& that davi. she's a crack up! she's teeny tiny! & she runs that house full of boys with such grace & wit. when i walked in her place i felt like i was in some kind of dream. i've always admired these girls for their mad decorating & sewing skills, but seeing it in person was another thing! i had to keep telling myself to play it cool when i was looking around at all her pillows & frames (or i would've just started spazzing all over the floor from the excitement of it all. bah!)

olive oyl was h-o-t-t. & i couldn't stop staring at her legs (& coveting just a wee bit). she's funny & honest & down to earth & such a good mom. i loved just chatting with her about life & learning more about her day-to-day. her swee' pea was audrey's favorite. man, that kid is cuuuute.

i even got to meet some new bloggin' friends! alyssa & her sister were too much fun! i got to learn about tofu kabobs & veggie hot dogs! ha! kristen's little girl was a hoot. she wasn't afraid of no'body. hilarious. not only were they gorgeous, they were so easy to talk to. love when you become insta friends just like that :) (umm, how did i not get one picture with you guys in it? & that cute munchkin of yours? lorie did. humpf.)

in short:
[we bbq'd & picnic'd on the lawn, chased around loud, happy kids, ate amazing homemade chocolate cake, stayed up way too late & got up way too early (well, some of us. ha.), ate some yummy chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, & bacon, romped around kern county museum, ate at the famous rosemary's (it was as good as they say!), made some house tours, & all too soon, it was time to go home. boo.]

we had the best time.
a&e never wanted to leave.
i didn't want it to end either.
i wish we were neighbors.
but maybe closer to the beach? ha.

the end.
but it's not!

p.s. lorie takes way better pics than me. & she blogged about it here.