My kind of camping

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Now this is my kind of camping!

And we get to wear our fleece feetie pajamas!

I don't have to do laundry, I don't have to cook, there's no dog to shed all over my life, I have floor space to put the baby down and she can't go far - this is heaven!  

We've been in Reading for a couple of days now and I'm super encouraged - I can totally see myself living here!  The hotel is within walking distance of the town's main street and it's so super cute!  Drew has been staying here for several weeks now so the hotel staff knows him pretty well and they knew we were coming.  They all ooohed and aaahed over the baby and everyone has been so nice in welcoming us!  It's very Small Town USA, like leaving your doors unlocked, although I don't know if you can really do that - it just seems that way.  We picked up a costume for Sofia and the shops on the main street are having a Halloween party on Thursday and I'm really excited to participate!  

I really like shops that used to be houses and the main street in lined with them.

We went exploring on Monday but most of the shops were closed.

Also, haute doesn't have an accent.  Just sayin.

There's even a hippie shop!

I've already found two yoga studios too!

And the shopping!  I am loving the no sales tax on clothes!  We have done so much work at Carter's and I've already gotten Sofia two more feetie pajamas - it's a sickness.  Plus, they had coupons for an extra 25% so really how can you blame me!  

Okay, but tonight is the real deal.  We're having dinner with Drew's boss so I have to be on.  I have to be Wifey Extraordinaire and I'm on the verge of vomiting just thinking about it.  Meeting strangers rarely goes well because I get flustered and it just goes downhill from there.  As much as I try to make a smooth first impression, something always happens.  Like yesterday.

Tuesday I got to meet the amazing gaw-jus Katie from Loves of Life.  We met at the Philadelphia Premium Outlets, halfway-ish for both of us.  Of course, the baby had a minor wig-out right before we left, which meant I was flustered, grabbing stuff as we headed out the door, which meant I was running late going to place I'd never been, driving for the first time in a new city.  Good job Desiree.

I got there fifteen minutes late and met Katie in the parking lot.  She is gaw-jus y'all!  Eyelashes to die for!!  And of course her little girl was adorable!  We started chatting right away, which is the beautiful thing about blogging - you have a foundation for conversation which makes things a little easier.  We headed for the Starbucks because I hadn't eaten and I was sure she could hear my stomach growling.  I ordered and grabbed for my wallet.

It wasn't there.

I was standing there, making a fabulous first impression, digging in all the pockets of my diaper bag, not finding my wallet, digging, feeling my face get hot, digging, knowing that it's not there, digging anyway, good god she's going to think I'm such a tool, and Katie graciously stepped in and got my coffee and banana bread for me.  

I am just not good at this.

Thankfully, she brushed it off and we continued walking around, talking.  She's really easy to talk to and super down to earth.  She struck me as one of those people with nothing to hide and it was refreshing.  She's got beautiful clear eyes and when she talked about her husband and her baby, the love and happiness just floated off of her.  I'm so happy she made the field trip for me!

And I found my stupid wallet - it was in my coat in the car, where I'd put it when I took Drew to work that morning.  I'm such a tool.

I'm just hoping I can keep it together long enough that Drew's boss thinks I'm more like Katie and less like me.  Here's hoping!