good-bye comfort zone

and hellooooo Atlanta!

This past weekend I was given the opportunity to visit Lars' mom Peg in HOT-lanta with my sister-in-law Megan. When we planned the trip way back in January it seemed like the first weekend in April was impossibly far away ... but low and behold it came upon us ... and fast. So fast that most people didn't know I was going until I updated Facebook that I was there. Maybe that is because I don't plan that far into the future - I am less of a "what is going on in the next week/month and how can I prepare and plan for that?" but more of a "what is happening tomorrow and what needs to happen tonight before I fall on the sofa and don't get up again?" kind of a girl.

Or maybe I was living a bit in denial that I was going. Not because I didn't want to go (heaven knows I needed a weekend away ... especially a girls weekend in warm weather!), but that I had to get on an airplane. I strongly dislike flying. I start having nightmares and panic attacks at least a month before boarding a plane. I can't even think about the trip itself and the fun that I will have on said trip - my mind merely fixates on the fact I have to get on an airplane. It depresses me how much just the thought of flying deters me from wanting to travel. In fact, while flying back home I think I told Megan that I "am never, ever, ever going to fly anywhere ever, ever again". Now, deep down I know that isn't true. But I really wish I could get over the paralyzing anxiety. Flying puts me way out of my comfort zone.

As does being away from my kiddos. It didn't help that I was at the clinic with Ingrid the day before with a 105-degree temp. I have no clue what that was all about ... and neither did the Doc. But even with no major health crisis happening I was glad to be boarding the plane knowing that she was going to be home with her dad and that help was very close by....

I know how incredibly important being away from the kids is and I look forward to that time with great anticipation ... until the time actually comes. Then I freak out and worry like crazy and try to convince myself that I really don't need the time away and think I should just stay home (just a wee bit neurotic?!?). I have the most amazing ability to think of and fixate on worst case scenarios. If it were a game show, I would be the Ken Jennings of that show. Being away from the kids doesn't come easy for me ... a couple hours I can handle. But two days and a plane ride away? Definitely out of the comfort zone.

But, on to the actual fabulous trip itself. Which is what is was - fabulous. I got to do a lot of this ...

and this ....

and I even got to cross something off the bucket list (how cool is that?)! Lars and I are huge Top Chef fans and have always wanted to eat at a restaurant of one of the top chef contestants or judges (in fact, some day we hope to take a top chef tour in a city with a bunch of restaurants from the top chefs and just eat ourselves silly). Richard Blais, one of our all time favorites, recently won top chef all-stars and though he doesn't own Flip Burger Boutique, he is the creative director of the menu. I highly suggest eating there if you are ever in Atlanta ... especially the fried pickles and Nutella + Burnt Marshmallow milkshake. Yummmmy! Here is a pic of the booths in the restaurant. Get it ... Flip?? So cool!

It was a blockbuster kind of a trip - tons of action piled into a quick two days. We really enjoyed some nice, quality time together ... resting, shopping and eating.... went to the theater and saw an incredible play called Traveling Black .... and the weather couldn't have been more perfect.

Plus we got to have lunch with Dave Horn (who married Lars and me almost 11 years ago!) who was visiting Atlanta for work.

And after a very long 10 hour day of travel back home, I was greeted by a welcome home sign and a sweet message from my sweeties ....

All my stressing out was just that - stressing out. For nothing. The weekend couldn't have gone any better and I really, truly enjoyed myself (as did everyone else). "They" say it is good to get out of the comfort zone and as a person that struggles with it I have to agree. So much that I just might have to do it again. Soon. And I am not saying that next time I won't stress, because I know I will. But at least I will be a bit more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Thank you Lars, Dan and Barbara for taking such good care of my babies. Thank you Megan for being such a great sister and enduring my constant (and I mean constant) asking of "is that normal?" while on all 4 of our flights. And thank you Peg so, so much for your wonderful hospitality and helping me take a trip that I didn't know how much I needed! I am so lucky!

xoxo, the blad pad