Weekend Recap: Easter and Relaxation

This weekend was low key and perfect (for the most part...glass half full folks!)


Friday I had the day off so that morning I visited the doctor; to establish a primary doctor here in Jax, but also to get a few symptoms checked out.  The appointment didn't go very pleasantly, but I did really love this doctor!! To cure my blues, I headed to the mall. Now, I am not usually one for retail therapy. I feel guilty speaking money so I don't get much joy from it. Anyway, I scored some awesome deals so I didn't feel as guilty. I got six maxi skirts, 5 pairs of sandals, 1 pair of heels, and 1 pair of wedges. I also got a few tops and I finally found some jeans that fit well!!!!; tight in all the right places and plenty long. Huge win!!  (The best part?  Everything was under $150!)  

I picked up my new meds, went home, took them, and felt pretty crappy so I did nothing all night. Which is what my body needs these days.



Saturday was gloomy so we ran some errands (and I got to wear one of my new skirts) and then worked around the house.

Our pendant lights above the island are always in everyone's way when we entertain. Naturally, we congregate around the island to eat the food, but that means these damn lights are blocking each other's faces. We kept saying we're going to raise them and we finally did. And by we, I clearly me Nick. I just took pictures. And prayed he knew what he was doing when cutting those wires. He's still alive so it's safe to say he did know. We now have lights that won't interfere in conversations and they're still functioning!

(My model showing the various heights and demonstrating how they block your face.  The one on the right has clearly been raised already.  This is the "halfway" finished photo)

Nick also replaced a few outlets in our house (thankfully the ones behind our night stands) with these bad boys! 

At night, I find myself wanting to charge my phone and iPad, but also use my light. Without an extension cord or a bulky multi-plug adapter, I can't do that. Now I can!!!!!! Huge thanks to my ever handy husband!!
Lastly, we replaced ALL the light bulbs. Our house has the generic incandescent light bulbs with (expensive) day time energy efficient light bulbs. The recessed lighting, the vanities, the ceiling fans, overhead lights, pendant lights. They all got new bulbs. It's crazy how the color of the lights really changes the look of the house!! I love it!!!

That evening we went out to dinner with some friends. It left me feeling gross (a side effect of my medicine is nausea until my body has adjusted) so we headed home where I pretty much went straight to bed.


Easter Sunday we woke up and looked inside our Easter baskets. We don't go all out, but apparently that's the thing now. Did you know Easter is now a second Christmas? Or maybe it's always been this way and I was just deprived as were my friends and cousins.  
Anywhooo...we looked inside our baskets...

The Easter Hubby got me wine (seems to be his tradition), the movie Saving Mr. Banks (I've been asking for it since I saw it in theaters), and lots of caramel Cadbury Eggs. And by lots, I mean 50. He knows they're my favorite, but sadly I can only get them at Easter therefore he gets my stocked up.  Now to restrain myself and only consume one a week until spring!!!
Nick received candy, pistachios, a jigsaw puzzle (because he's a nerd like that), two water guns (because we're children and I thought a water gun fight would be fun), and a new purple Under Armour shirt. He is obsessed with these shirts, and he also complains he has nothing to wear to my Relay events. Now he doesn't have to wear the same purple RL polo over and over again.


After baskets, we went out to an early lunch, did a little shopping (am the only one who seems to run out of all their toiletries and makeup at the same time, making those trips so expensive?!)
Once we got home, we attempted some family photos with the pups.  Those never really produce great photos.  They dogs look pissed or sad, we are obviously forcing them into the photos against their will, and because we're busy trying to keep the dogs still and looking at the camera, one or both of us inevitably end up looking stupid.

(I swear, we are not that couple that color coordinate.  I wanted to wear my new skirt and this was the only shirt Nick had clean lol)

After the family photos, watched Mary Poppins, dyed eggs, and then ended the evening watching Saving Mr. Banks (Nick hadn't seen Mary Poppins in probably 10 years and he hasn't seen Saving Mr. Banks at all.)

Of course I had to torture my dogs a little bit more with the bunny ears for my own entertainment.
Vino played the part well!

"Look Ma!  Iz a weal bunny wabbit!"

As always, I missed my family.

Even though my cousins and I range in age from 20 to 32 years, Grandma still makes us Easter baskets and sends us on an Easter egg hunt. It's a tradition I love and greatly miss. I will never outgrow those fun family traditions. I'm thankful for such an amazing family to miss but dammit!, it's hard!!
I wish I had been home to visit Grandpa.  I'm happy my brother sent this to me, but seeing his name on a tombstone still takes my breath away and makes me sick to my stomach.  

What's really hard is seeing this photo:

Grandma with her grandkids. I hate that I'm not in the photo. Now that Grandpa is gone, I can't help but wonder how much longer we have with her. I now realize we aren't invincible and her time with us is limited. I want to be there, making memories, and capturing photos like this to preserve those memories. I can think of Christmas photos with my grandparents just two Christmases ago. Its a photo of grandpa, grandma, and us grandkids...minus my brother because he was at his in-laws. There's another with Grandpa and his "boys", with Ben also missing. Thankfully we had another Christmas for Ben to partake in these photos, but what if that was the last?? Those are the thoughts I have. Morbid, but honest. I always hurt when my family is together, because they're the bombdiggity, but also because I don't know if it could be the last {insert holiday/family function} with Grandma.  Thankfully we have technology so I'm able to "see" and talk to them whenever I want.  It helps but it's just not the same as actually being there :(


I don't want to end on a depressing note, so I'll say that despite my homesickness, all in all, it was a good day.   I'm gearing up for a very rough two weeks so a chill day was much needed.  But it's just two weeks.  I can do it.  .....I think.