meeting friends...

My day started out bright and early - I was excited to head to Sandy to meet my friend Laura for the first time in real life!  In case you don't know, Laura and her good friend, Deneen, are visiting Utah because Deneen is a lucky-duck and won the Golden Ticket contest held by CK!

Anyway, we met at Starbucks at 9:00 -- my very first visit to Starbucks.  I had a Vanilla Bean Frappacino {without coffee, of course} And here's how clueless I am...I didn't even know it was a cold drink...but let me tell you...it was absolutely delicious - it's a good thing there aren't any Starbucks close by, because I would want one of these yummy treats every single day.  (Thanks, Laura!)

We visited for a couple of hours - Laura is super sweet and unassuming and so modest about her talent...just like I knew she would be!  Deneen is passionate about her family and her work - so fun to meet her too!  After our early rendezvous, we headed over to Chili's to meet up with a bunch of fun girls for lunch.  Seriously - I had no idea what I'd been missing by never having met these girls in real life.  Of course, several of them, I already felt I knew through "working" with them in the scrapbook industry, their published layouts, and of course their blogs.  And every single person I met was kind and funny and fun to be around.  It was a fabulous afternoon!  Here's a group picture the waitress took for us...

Shaunte, Jennifer, two of Deneen's cousins (I'm so sorry, I can't remember their names...Deneen, help?!?), Wendy, Deneen, Laura, Brenda, and blurry me!

And a photo of Laura and I taken by my new friend, Brenda, who I sat by at lunch and I am so glad I was able to get to know her! 

{Holy crud, I look huge standing next to little Laura!!}

It was such a fun lunch - something I don't do a lot of...and I really should...so so fun!