Hoosier Hospitality

We had a chance to share our home again this weekend, and we loved it. When we bought this house, I was excited to have a guest room, but I had no idea how very much I would love having the opportunity to host friends until we did it for the first time. And now I get excited every time we have a new chance to play bed and breakfast.

This time, our guests were friends of mine from my college days. They live in Illinois and were one of my first stops on my post-desert vacation in the fall of 2010. (Here and here and here are some peeks at that trip.) I had SO much fun with them, I went back a few months later to help Jenna celebrate her birthday! (Here, here, and here are those memories.) Then I got married, and Jenna (by then a mom of two) and her family didn't get to come to our wedding or reception, so the fall after we got married, we drove up to spend a weekend with them! (Here, here, here, and here - a peek at that weekend.)

Fast forward five years...and we haven't seen them in that time. We haven't met kids 3 and 4. Sigh. But fortunately, Frog and Jenna are the kind of friends that keep up via text and social media and don't get weird about years that pass without seeing each other in person.

Also fortunately, they went to a conference in Ohio this past weekend, and we were the midway point on the trip. So they came to our house on Thursday night, stayed the night, and headed on to the conference Friday. Then they came back Saturday night on their way home, stayed the night, and went home Sunday.

I had so much fun prepping their room. I wanted it to be a great retreat for them, since this was a chance for them to have time alone, sans kids.

 A little snack basket, anniversary card, and set of Would You Rather questions to keep them entertained on their drive.

 Since Frog's nickname is, well, Frog, I put my frog themed Valentine's decorations in their room.

 Coffee and hot cocoa in their room in case the kitchen was too far to walk. I mean sometimes, it just is.

When they arrived on Thursday, I had white queso chicken chili, cornbread, and sugar cookies waiting.

We spent the whole evening talking, catching up on (you know) the last five years, and telling so many stories.

Friday morning, Ryan had to get to work, but I got up and made this Dutch pancake recipe and hung out with Frog and Jenna for the morning before they headed on to their conference.

When they came back Saturday night, I had Greek Chicken Hummus Wraps waiting - and since it was our monthiversary, I also made Double Chocolate Raspberry Brownies for dessert.

We took them to see Cross America, and then we came back to our house and watched movies!

Sunday morning, they went to church with us before they headed back home. It was fun to have them in our row!

Bed and breakfast fun has ended until the next round of guests, but we sure had fun. And we miss our friends already!