Ikea or bust

This weekend I high-tailed it to Schaumburg, IL with Cory's mom and sisters for a last-minute trip to Ikea.

I really, really love them. They are fun and funny and different than me and the same as me and Normal. Capital N. They are sincere and listen to all of my stories. They have welcomed me with open arms, ever since the beginning. They forgive my chronic tardiness. They make life away from my family bearable. They are responsible, in part, for making my life exactly the life that I want. They are a huge reason that I don't ever want to move away.

I think you get the point. I really dig 'em.

That being said.....


They are all currently obsessed with Christian fiction of the Amish genre. I'm sorry, but I just can't do it.

I'm sorry, Wanda.

No offense, Bev.

Really, Wanda, I'm sure life "On Her Own" is one wrought with daily struggle and the heart-breaking consequences of life after a shunning. I'm sure it's a gripping tale. But I just can't do it.

At least I had something pretty to look at:

I wish I had this phone.

Once I wrestled the books from their hands, we shopped and shopped and shopped. I am still lamenting the fact that I did not buy those rusty boxes at Home Goods. And don't even ask about the green Gorel curtains - the exact curtains I have been picturing in my mind for our bedroom.

I definitely did walk away with some good loot. Towels and a crate for the soon-to-be-revealed upstairs bathroom, kitchen rugs, some shoes for Ruby, flip flops for me, a loudly-ticking little clock, a yo-yo table runner and a few other odds and ends.

Then we did what we secretly wanted to do all along.

We ate.

Jamie and I, pre-gorge.

Sherry and Linds. We made them sit together because they matched so nicely.

What other restaurant can make a turkey sandwich and a salad look so dang good? Sherry shared some of her soup with me. Cream of chicken with artichoke hearts and mushrooms.

Roasted eggplant sandwich and free-fries.

Roasted vegetable pizza. With goat cheese.

I wish I could show you what I ordered, but the picture just didn't do it justice. It's called the French Country salad and it is on my list of Top 10 Favorite Salads of All Time. Don't pretend for a minute that you don't keep the same list...

It has roasted beets, caramelized pecans, roasted asparagus, goat cheese and amazing vinaigrette.

I really wish I could show you the picture, but I can't. I got too excited to eat it and rushed through it's photo shoot. Rather than looking luscious and fresh, it looks kinda slimy and dark.

It looks a little freaky.

It looks kind of like this:

Aside from a botched order at P.F. Changs, one bout of extreme carsickness, a faulty I ZOOM pass, a whispering Tom Tom, a mid-range snorer (not naming any names...) and, well, 3 Amish books, it was a ton of fun.

The only thing that would have made this trip better is to have had you with us, Lor. We missed you. Get back up here pronto.