#projectwifey: heatha b's final fling

Heather: she’s been one of my very best friends for as long as she’s dated my brother. (for those of you who know them, you know that’s a really long time.) she’s one of the best people I know, is always up for a good chat and never passes up an opportunity for some quality girl time. I simply adore her!  so when she asked me to plan her bachelorette party I was elated!

she’s not a party girl and really wanted something low key for her special day. her only other request was a trip to a nail salon and a bottle of rum. I was happy to comply. as a type A personality I naturally started planning when she asked…in April. although it was planned for late August, summer was going to be full and I like having a plan. it took me all of a weekend and lots of Pinterest scrolling to settle on the details. everything thing would be very girly.

the invitations read time to drink champagne and dance on the table so naturally shirts had to be made. and if we had shirts we would need tutus. if we had tutus we would need to have beads….ok, this isn’t a if you give a mouse a cookie excerpt but it seriously snowballed just the same.

these were so fun! nothing scandalous or mischievous

around noon everyone arrived, we ate, got ready and went to the nail salon. jell-o shots in hand we barely made it on time for our 2:30 appointment. after that our tutus made their downtown debut.

killing time before dinner, enjoying a couple of cocktails

at dinner we surprised the bridey with gifts, more champagne, cupcakes and a couple games. she was feeling pretty feisty by the time we got her back to my place which was perfect timing for a few fun photo booth type shots. by the time we were done with that we were definitely ready to shed the tutus and watch some chic flicks. there’s just something about eating junk food and watching Patrick Swayze and Jennifer grey nail the last dance of the season that entrances you - the movie is masterful and the soundtrack is absolute 80s perfection! how could it not be watched multiple times in one night?!?

which one is not like the other? ;o) 

it was a fantastic night and I'm so glad I got to be a part of it.  congrats Heather!! I can’t wait for you to finally, officially - be my sister.

it’s an Iowa thing: you may not understand

and neither do I.  the Iowa State Fair is an event that has just never really gotten me all that excited or at least not as excited as it makes my friends and some of my family.  as a kid we simply never went so I suppose with that came some nostalgic appeal which makes going a ‘tradition’. 

regardless of what some might consider an unfortunate childhood (sarcasm implied) it definitely is a worthwhile midwestern summer attraction.  when it’s not a bazillion degrees out it’s actually pretty fun!  it offers everything a person could want: free concerts, fried food on sticks/all food on sticks actually, fresh squeezed lemonade, diverse attractions and shows, plump farm animals, shopping, dancing, impressive people watching, booze, carnival rides and so much more (like excuses to come to work late and a bit hung over on a Thursday and have it be completely acceptable). 

 

we go just once every year and it’s usually on the night of the truck and tractor pull.  my husband isn’t a big fair fan either but he likes going to pulls so this is a ‘fair’ compromise (see what I did there ;o)).  on this night we’ll usually meet some friends and make the most of our limited time.  would you believe we do enough stereotypical fair-going in one night to last us all year?!   shocking, I know!  those nights go a little something like this:

 park, walk 28 blocks to the fair in a sketch neighborhood, pay the overpriced admission for our short 5 hours, walk some more through the varied industries building, get a drink, try to guess which 4-H projects were made by parents,  get a drink, wait in line, eat a corn dog, watch the pull, listen to a band, get a drink, fight the crowd to stare at the butter cow, wait in line, eat again, gawk at overweight animals (reproductive parts on full display!), wait in line, eat dessert, get a drink, and then, when I have achieved the appropriate amount of hardly enviable blackened feet ,we’re ready to call it a successful visit and mosey on home. 

this year didn’t disappoint.  we did all of those things plus some and didn’t even lose our car (well I guess we kind of did) and still made it to work on time the next day.  honestly as a born and raised, cornfed Iowan it just seems like the right thing to do to visit the fair.  and every year I’m glad we went! 

seriously nothing compares!