To Market, To Market

This weekend I am headed on a girls trip to Canton, TX for the famous First Monday Trade Days.  I have never been before and am SOOO excited for the shopping and for the fellowship with some of my girlfriends!  Imagine nutcracker market, flea markets, craft shows, antique marts and garage sales all mixed together!  Well at least that is what I am imagining after hearing about it from others who have gone.  I have a list of things I will be on that hunt for.....plates, frames, shutters, vintage sports stuff for game room, wood, and some kind of nightstand or occasional table to refinish.  And some vintage sprinklers for my cousin, Sarah, if I can find any!  Any one gone before and have any tips to share?

We will be staying at my friend's Aunt's house in one of the nearby towns.  The last couple of days we gals have been emailing about our plans, who is bringing what food (and drink), and where we may dine out for a meal.  Each email we have exchanged I have just gotten more and more excited about. I am really really looking forward to a low key weekend hanging with my ladies and actually being able to chat without the interruption of the kiddos or having to head home from book club.  Watch out, Canton, here we come!

I think another thing that has really made me excited about it is I just finished the book The Girls from Ames by Jeffery Zaslow.  (he is the guy who co-authored The Last Lecture, another really good book).  It is a non-fiction account of this one group of women's 40 year friendship.  It was really good and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a great read on women, relationships, and life! One of the things the women in the book do is take a yearly retreat together so to speak just to reconnect and relax with one another.  Totally has me wanting to start this tradition.  Let me know if you are interested, friends...let's get this going!  ;-)Would be especially great for my pals who live out of town and we don't get to see as much. 

I am off tomorrow so after that, only a day and a half of work to get through....then let the girl time begin!! :)  Thanks in advance to all the hubbies for watching the babies this weekend so we mommas can play!