Happy Birthday, Mom!

We managed to snag Mom this year for her birthday. As luck would have it, she was on her way back from a church mission trip (at Biker Week!) and stopped by our house for a long weekend.

I'm sooo glad she did.

Not only did she give us an excuse to celebrate, but also an excuse to have a wonderful weekend together. We dined out at lots of fun restaurants, walked to the market, and generally just enjoyed down time together. After a week of talking with bikers, Mom even managed to sleep in until 9. Woohoo! Victory in my book!

While she was here, she also discovered that our pressure hose will reach our deck, and took it upon herself to clean the entire thing. B came home and was like, "Yes! Did you do this?" I fessed up.

Mom, thank you for sharing your birthday with us! Next year I'll remember that it's hard to blow out candles on a coconut cake without the flakes flying everywhere!

Baby Shower!

At the end of February, I headed off again, this time to Birmingham for a dear friend's baby shower. She's due in May and still wearing her low-rise, prepregnancy jeans. Yes, you can hate her if you like!

B decided to come with me, both out of support (it's a long drive!) and the hope that he'd get some golf in.

We left on Friday after work and headed to Atlanta, where we spent the night, leaving early the next morning for Birmingham. B dropped me off and prepared to hit the links. While he was full-up with the boys, the girls and I had an amazing 7 seven hours together, putting the shower together, celebrating, meeting babies, and generally just catching up.

I miss my high school friends. No matter how many things change, who gets married, who has kids, or how many times we move, they're always a joy to see.

The shower was wonderful and fun, and I hated for it to end, but I met up with B and we raced to my brother's house to shower and get ready for dinner with B's former coworkers.

Sunday morning, we squeezed in a breakfast with my grandma and had a blast over bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches before heading back to Atlanta. We got in just in time to visit some open houses, then crash. We headed back to Jacksonville on Monday morning, totally exhausted and oh-so happy.

Turkey Day!

Back when turkey was a bargain ("It's $.38 per pound!" B said over the phone when he called me), we decided to buy one. For about $8. You do the math.

The plan was to cook it at some point over the winter (thus, heating the house up and making it smell amazing), then freeze slices and pieces for sandwiches, stews, and other favorite recipes throughout the rest of winter.

Unfortunately, no one told me that winter begins and ends in January here in Florida. By the time I moved the turkey from the fridge to the freezer (or, about a week before I cooked it), it was already in the low 70s. The day I cooked the turkey, we opened all the windows, then closed them and turned on the AC.

I charged B with the task of cutting the turkey, because when else could you practice and basically hack at it until you figured it out?

While the end result did happen (I'm betting we ate at least 20 meals off that crazy bird), by the time the freezer was empty, I think we were both thankful that November is still several months away.

The Zoo!

Part of our Valentine's Day present? Two-for-one at the zoo. You tell me, have you ever seen a zoo with a dock onto the river? Florida rocks.

B's favorite? The monkeys.

Mine? Elephants!

North Carolina Visit

After B's parents left and B headed out of town for work for the week (on Valentine's Day!), I packed up and headed to North Carolina for a week of birthday celebrations, Chick-fil-A, and catch-ups with my sister and her family.

I LOVE going to see this family, including latest addition Mr. T there on the left. Someone is always up for a story, art project, or good Disney movie. I was lucky enough to be there when they watched Nana's Valentine's Day present, a DVD of Beauty and the Beast.

Why is this a big deal, you ask? Mom saved all of our movies, the old VHS tapes, and they've been making the rounds. Shockingly, after 20 years of use and hundreds of viewings recently, they've started to wear, namely, they're no longer in color.

Watching the girls see B&TB and gasp when Belle's beautiful golden yellow dress swirls around her on the dance floor? Priceless.

Amelia Island!

What do you do when your husband goes out of town, you don't want to do the laundry, and you're avoiding freelance work? You stay in your pajamas all day, eat spaghetti for dinner, and catch up on blog posts! Lucky you!

In February, B's parents came down to visit one of their old haunts, Amelia Island. They stayed with us for a night, then we headed off for a night at The Plantation, which was eerily similar to Hilton Head (in a wonderful way!).

B's parents used to bring the boys down here a lot and I can totally see why. Granted, it was still cool the weekend they came (a fact I can hardly believe now that's it's 85 here in March!), but we did all the old favorites, including a day trip to Fort Clinch.

B's Mom can still remember taking all three boys there to run off energy. "All I'd hear was, 'Mom! I killed him and he's not dead!', as they ran around with their toy guns."

I'm praying for girls.

We had such a wonderful time with them and have already begged them to come back and try new restaurants we've discovered. We promise, it's warm now! It's safe to come back!

The Plan

B is gone for a full week. My plan? List all the things I plan to do while he's gone in an effort to actually make myself do them:

1) Fold clothes in dryer.
2) Fold sheets still on guest bed from Mom's visit.... two weeks ago
3) Pack away tax prep items
4) Do remainder of laundry
5) Clean pollen off every surface in house
6) Organize new financial docs

So far, the things I've done include read an entire Jodi Picoult book in six hours (oops), make a nice dent in my comfy couch cushion, and read the Prince William wants a groom's cake. Life is good.