Saturday socializing

What a fantastic weekend! I got to be an adult for a day (as opposed to a person who may appear to be an adult, but only speaks in baby talk and is routinely covered in drool and sticky-finger residue), and it was exhilarating. For those of you with family or babysitters who live nearby that allow you to routinely drop off your children while you take a mental break, you are lucky.

Both sets of our parents live a minimum of 1 hour, 45 minutes from our house, and I only have one family member who lives in the area (a 30-something, single guy who's lots of fun to hang out with, but probably doesn't want to watch Noah while I run errands).

So, we spend a lot of quality time at home—all three of us. And you know what? It's great. It really is. But, I have learned I need a moment, an hour, a night from time to time with just me, or just David and me. Saturday we got that opportunity.

We zipped down to Logan Saturday afternoon, and left Noah in the spoiled comfort of his Grandma Frazier's house. He was so excited to be in a new environment he didn't nap once that afternoon, but rather played his heart out with Grandma until 10 that night. Whew!

Meanwhile, David and I checked into the Holiday Inn downtown, and walked the mile over to the Arena District to revisit a night from our early dating days. We had dinner at Gordon Biersch (yum!) with my cousin, Brian, and our friends Kristen & Clay M (the couple that's expecting a boy). Then we met up with our friends Dave & Jess W. to watch the Destroyers game at Nationwide. I know we won the game, but I couldn't tell you anything else about it. Jess and I just chatted the night away (or more accurately, I talked her ear off since I was in a beer-buzz happy place).

After the game we all met up again and headed back to GB for one more drink. Most of us split ways at that point for various reasons, but David and I decided to meet up with Brian and our friend, Meg, at Callihan's—a new (one-day new) bar across the bridge downtown. We weren't there very long, and it was nice. It smelled new—not a common fragrance in a beer-spilling, cologne-laden establishment. But it was loud, and a good portion of the crowd was dressed to impress, and I lost my voice trying to have a conversation about the throbbing bass beat.

And I learned something in that moment—I am not a YOUNG adult anymore. I am not old, either, but I am not the let's-go-out-and-tie-one-on-in-clingy-shirts-and-high-heels young adult of my early/mid 20s. Not that I was ever so much into that scene, but I was really out of my element on Saturday at Callihan's. I want the comfort of my backyard, or an easy watering hole with a patio and a dart board... More of a place where you can wear jeans and a hoodie and feel a little dressed up. All I really need is good friends, some great conversation, and a chance to be free of parenting for a few hours from time to time.

So, thanks to all who made my chance at freedom on Saturday lots of fun. It was a GREAT time!