Busy Busy Bee

I love having time to hang out with friends, and basically do whatever I want now that my seasonal job at the mall is over.

Well, now I have a (good) dilemma, and I need your input.

Here's the situation. I basically have three invitations for the weekend of February 5 & 6.


Option #1: A women's retreat. I've gone to this retreat for two or three years now and each year I've had a great time. This retreat is only held once a year, and the reason why I like it so much is because I feel like I can just be myself. That, and it's in the mountains, and it's only $89 total, which includes meals and lodging for both days.

Option #2:Celebrate a friend's birthday. I actually invited my friend Kristen to the women's retreat, and via text message, she told me that weekend is her birthday. Eeeks! I didn't know that. Obviously, I can celebrate with her on that Friday night before the retreat (if I go) or after the retreat, but if I didn't go on the retreat, I could take her out.

Option #3: Go to a baby shower. Yesterday I received an invitiation to a baby shower for another friend, whom I have known since I was 16. We aren't bffs, but we do see each other like twice a year. She's expecting her first child, and it'd be super awesome to be apart of her baby shower. I've been meaning to make plans with her, so this would be good timing.

If I don't attend, I could make plans to give her/the baby a gift, but I kinda hate to miss her baby shower. I've thought about going to the shower and coming to the retreat late, but I'd still miss most of the day, because the shower isn't till 1:30. Then let's say it lasts two hours...that's 3:30, plus an hour to drive to the mountains...that's already 4:30, and the retreat ends around noon I think on Sunday.


So, what should I do? What would you do? How do you handle it when you have too many invites?