First let me start with I adore my best friends. They are truly some of the best women I know and each of them has had a significant role in making me a better person. We all met in NYC back between 2000 and  2002 before any of us had kids (except for Kristy, who had a 4-month old at the time). Between the five of us we now have 16 children ranging from age 16 down to age 6. We have been through the best and worst moments of our lives together and have seen each other shine and falter time and time again.

We are incredibly different from each other but always seem to find common ground in the love and respect we have for each other. I love them fiercely. I am so lucky to have them in my life.

We now live spread out around the country: Kristy still lives and thrives in NYC, Mckay lives in Vermont (where she grew up), I live in the Bay Area and both Kelly and Carrie live in Southern California, also where they both grew up. All five of us love where we live and try to visit each other whenever we can…but it’s tough because 16 kids and jobs, ya know? SO. We try to plan a Girls Weekend every one to two years and this year we decamped to Rhinebeck, NY in Duchess County where Kristy has a country house. We all fell in love with the Hudson Valley and the beauty of this gorgeous area.

First of all, Kristy’s country house is a feast of color and beauty and creativity. We all watched her create this place of respite from afar and when we were finally being able to be there TOGETHER it was the best. To see a little bit more of the house, go here to see the house tour I did with Kristy last year.

This Girls Weekend was a mashup of LATE nights sitting around talking and playing ridiculous games (so much fun), knitting/crocheting/weaving (Kristy is a prolific and well known fiber arts artist so if you like fiber she is your gal), EATING, photo-shooting, shopping, spa-going, more shopping, more eating, LOTS more talking and going to the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival (a total last minute “let’s see what this is all about” adventure that was totally worth it).

A few words about these next photos: Kristy and Carrie crocheted a monokini for Kelly to wear for our photo shoot because Kelly used to be on “Baywatch” and we get her into a swimsuit whenever we can :). That’s what friends are for!

One of the things I love best about this group is I never have to be a different version of myself. I am completely me, all of the time, the same way I would be with my family at home. Like I said, we have been through a lot together and so all of the layers have been stripped off over the years; we are able to be ourselves and be loved for who we are.

We spent Sunday afternoon in Saugerties and pulled over when we saw this waterfall. Then we continued on to the garlic festival where we ate FOR SURE the strongest garlic EVER. I could smell it on myself two days later. It was pretty extraordinary and really really good.

The Garlic Festival did not disappoint. It was huge and I think we walked for 12 miles.

On our last full day together we recreated a photo that we had taken on the front stoop of Kelly’s apartment back in NYC in 2006. Kristy had it in a photo album and we were all stunned by how young we looked back then. SO much had not happened yet in 2006 for all of us. We were 12 years younger, without many of the children we now have, in different jobs and at different points in our respective relationships. We didn’t know what was coming yet! I guess that is what makes our 2018 recreation that much sweeter. Here we all are together, knit together despite living far apart.

I am thankful for these women and for Girls Weekend. I’m already excited about our next one…:)