Weekend Recap (a week late): Mom, Grandma, & In-Law Visit!!

I’m so bad about posting timely weekend recaps.  But there was no way I wanted to skip out on recapping my weekend with Mom and Grandma so here you go, over a week late.  I had been looking forward to them coming for a very, very long time.  It wasn’t the most ideal time with having two Relay For Life events the next weekend, but I’d sacrifice anything for them! 

The reason for their trip was really for my sister’s fiancé, Kyle.  He was graduating from flight school on Thursday with Family Day on Wednesday.  So they came in the weekend before and spent three days with us before heading to Alabama.

We started the weekend out at Relay For Life of UNF.  Another Specialist (which is my title) was in charge of that Relay and their Survivor Speaker during the Opening Ceremonies backed out.  So Nick and I headed out there Friday night, I spoke at the event, walked the Survivor Lap, visited and walked a few laps with Nicholas.  Then we headed to the airport to get Mom and Grandma.

We spent the weekend eating delicious food (it was nice to have people around that love brunch!!!...which isn't complete without mimosas!)

touring base: Nick showing Mom and Grandma his "office"

hanging out on the beach on base,

(I made Mom put her hand on her hip lol.)

(Nick snapped these and said "It's three generations walking into the sunset!")

 sitting at our pool,

and walking around the town in the evening and hanging out at home (watching Cardinal games of course)

 ^ These shrimp and lobster tacos were AH-MAZING!

 (Mom, I promise one day you'll have human grandkids to cuddle with.  For now, Vino will have to do.)

And of course, we indulged in delicious drinks at every place we visited.

Nick’s uncle and aunt were leaving out of Jax port for a cruise so they flew in Sunday and spent the day with us as well!  We went to a late lunch then lounged on the beach for the day (it was a little to chilly for bathing suits)

My IWYP shirt arrived and "The Good Life" is a life full of love of family and the beach so it was only appropriate to wear it on this day ;)

Afterwards, we went back to the house, had some drinks, shared many stories and lots of laughs.  It was nice having a house full of family.  Our families mesh well and it's as if we've always been one giant family.  To say we're blessed is an understatement.

This relaxing weekend with family is exactly what I had needed before the incredibly stressful week I had.  I wish it hadn't gone by so quickly :(  Despite that, I am very thankful for time with family.  Living here in Florida, we don't get family time as much as I'd like so I'm thankful for any visit, even if it's only a few days.  Thankfully, I have a trip planned home this summer (I have to go home for cancer-related doctor appointments and surgery).  

Those of you who live far from home and are obnoxiously close with your family, how do you cope?  I'm in the post-family time depression right now.  I know it's just a part of military life but that doesn't mean I have to like it!  I have my own ways of coping, but I love hearing how others cope with their homesickness.  

Weekend Recap: Sister Time & Cardinals

I'm so bad about these weekend recaps.  But last weekend just can't not get a post.  It was one of the best I've had in a long while.  Why you ask?  Simple.
Family.

My sister and (almost/practically/pretty much) my brother-in-law came in town.  They live in Enterprise, Alabama where Kyle has been going through flight training with the Army at Ft. Rucker to fly the apache.  (yes, my sister and I are both with helicopter pilots.  Didn't you hear it was the cool thing to do? No?  Well it is.)
Anyway, they live in Alabama.  When we lived in Pensacola, it was only a two hour drive to each other.  It was great.  We saw each other often and life was great!  It made this military life and the homesickness much more manageable with my sister so close.
And it wasn't just my sister and I who benefited from this.  Nick and Kyle have quite the bromance going on.  They love when we get together because Leah and I go shopping, or craft or do our girly thing while they geek out in Call of Duty, staying up consuming Mountain Dew and Doritos until 5am.
Even the dogs benefited from the proximity.  Leah and Kyle have their own two fur babies, Zoey and Rogue.  These two happen to be Yadi and Vino's BFFFEAE (that's "best friends for f***ing ever and ever).  Yadi and Vino don't mind other dogs, but they don't buddy up, wrestle, etc with other dogs.  They're much like they're father; it takes a lot of quality time to warm up to people...or dogs in this case.  But with Rogue and Zoey?  They wrestle and play together every second they're awake.  It has been far too long since we've all been together.  I'm sure it was July.  Which is FAR too long (we humans have seen each other, but it was July that the 8 of us were together.)

But this weekend, we were all reunited.  Kyle is graduating and getting his wings in early April and then they'll be moving to Ft. Riley, Kansas (which makes me a very sad panda).  They haven't seen our house yet, or visited Jacksonville, so they decided to come visit us...one last time.

So what did we do?  Only the thing Nick and I were most excited about when we found out we were moving here....CARDINAL BASEBALL!!!
The St. Louis Cardinals spring training is in Jupiter, Florida.  And this weekend they were playing in Orlando (well, Kissimmee) in the Astros spring training stadium. So we headed down the afternoon.  And it.was.awesome!!!!!  It was packed with Cardinal fans.  I'd say 90% Cardinal fans, 10% Astro fans.

Nachos and beer just taste better at a ballpark.  

 Leah and Kyle practiced wedding poses between innings.

 Wacha Wacha Wacha!!!  Amazing pitcher!!!

I'm pretty proud of these shots below.  Not because the quality, but because that first picture is the pitch coming in and the second picture is the ball going out, after the hit....that went well over the wall for a homerun.

It was so awesome getting to see Wacha pitch.  WACHA WACHA WACHA!

That is Adron Chambers batting for the Astros.  I really loved him last year when he played for us.  We had NO idea he was no longer with us until they announced him at this game!


How freaking cool is this cane?!  Nick and I have decided if we ever need a cane when we become elder, THIS will be the one we get!!!

 And that's a winner!!!!  

Matt Adams, who hit a bomb out of the park while we were there.  He stopped by us after the game to give autographs.  I was so freaking close to him that I could have rubbed that stubble!

The rest of the weekend was normal.  You know, dying our hair...

The pups playing...

Taking Leah and Kyle on a quick tour around base...

Going out to eat (Poe's Tavern), being goofy, and video games...

And game night with friends...(we taught them our favorite, Hand and Foot)

Leah and I also did some bridesmaid dress shopping.  I don't have pictures of that because she took them all.  But we found one we love as do the other bridesmaids (we were texting pics).  I really, really wanted Leah to try on wedding gowns.  It was killing me to be in a bridal store and not have her in them. But she hasn't tried any dresses on yet.  She's waiting for her first experience to be with Mom and Grandma, rightfully so.  Sadly, this means I won't be there and it really upsets me.  These are things that make this lifestyle hard; missing out on important moments.  But at least I got this experience with her.  Gotta keep finding those positives!


And then they were gone.  Way too soon.  Hopefully we'll see them at Kyle's graduation.  Fingers crossed.  The weekend was short but sweet.  Oh so sweet.  Gosh dang, I just love family time!  Now excuse me while I go cry tears of missing my Little Leah and the rest of my family.

Nick's Family Visit

Nick and I were fortunate enough to have his Uncle Scott and Aunt Debbie come visit us for a week!  This was their first trip here and we could not have been more excited!!!!!

For those that don't know, Nick's uncle and aunt are like second parents to him.  His parents are not a part of his life anymore but these two make up for that vacancy tenfold.  We could not ask for any better relatives than these two.  They support us and love us just any parent would.  They go above and beyond what any parent should, let alone an uncle and aunt.  I am so incredibly blessed to have married into a family like his.  So many people complain about their in-laws but I can say with 100% honestly that I LOVE my in-laws!

Their visit seemed to fly by but we made the most of it.  Nick only had the weekends off work but we spent those days touring his base, visiting the National Museum of Naval Aviation, going up in the Pensacola LightHouse (it was our first time up!  And boy is that a workout!  Nothing compared to my leg day workouts!!!!).

Stairs that go up the top of the light house

How would someone survive that fall?!  

The Pensacola LightHouse is said to be one of the most haunted lighthouses in the US.  In the basement, we watched the entire Ghost Hunters episode about the light house.  So neat!  I want to do the Ghost Tour at night here!

Nick and his Uncle Scott in front of the T-6B Texan II, the plane he flew in Primary Training

Explaining about his helo's engine

Professor Nick explaining how the helo works

Nick explaining the areas of his base

Nick and Scott in his helo as he explains it all to him

During the week, Nick's family and I headed to the beaches.  It was really great to spend so much time with them, alone.  We only see them when we go home and it's always so busy.  We're usually around at least five other people so it's not real quality time.  It was so great to spend so many hours, relaxing by the beach, and just talking...hearing stories about Nick's childhood and his family.  I truly cherished these days with them.

Bushwacker of course!

Bud Platinum

Nick had an early flight and was able to join us for the last half of the day.  So of course we stopped for sno cones!

We spent our evenings going out to dinner, sitting at home having adult beverages, and going through old family photos!

Lunch view

Lunch

Nick's family's homemade amaretto, over ice.  Delicious!

Of course we had dinner at McGuire's.  And what's a McGuire's outing without an Irish Wake?

Lunch on the beach

This also happened to be Nick and my first visit here as well!

Wine and delicious spinach artichoke dip!

I had never seen pictures of Nick pre-high school but he dug out a huge box of photos he took from his mother's abandoned storage unit and we went through them.  Um, can you say adorable?!  He hasn't changed much at all!!!!!!!

It sucked saying goodbye to them after such a great visit but we're happy we'll be seeing them in August when we venture home and again in late August when they head back for Nick's winging!  I truly am blessed to have this family in my life!