Refreshing

Family Vacation

I did not have high hopes for our family vacation.  Being completely honest, though it's great to spend time with family and the kids it has always been exhausting and for lack of a better word - HARD.  This time around it was different.  We were different.  The kids played and played without complaining of boredom.  I read books and spent time talking to other adults not just staring at my kids for hours on end while they swam at the pool.  I took more than one walk on the beach and we just ENJOYED each other's company.  It was pretty heavenly and by far the best family vacation yet. Though the twins still claim Disney as the best -- to be that is nowhere close to this fabulousness.  I don't think that I am going to do 5 things I am grateful for though I have been craving to sit down and feel a bit of gratitude.  For this post I am just going to share some pictures and a few words and thoughts.  My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude and I can't wait to go on vacation with these families again. 

Yes, I wore this shirt during the second half of the week.  It SAVED my skin.  I loved it more than I imagined I would. Also, so grateful that the boys had these shirts all week.  It saved hours of sunscreen agony.

One mimosas morning I realized that all the kids and the adults were in the same room.  That NEVER happens nor did I have faith that it would happen again.  I made us all get together for a picture.  I am sure you can imagine the groaning BUT so happy that I get these shots.  Trust me - later - we will be so happy to have them.  

Our shrimp dinner in the room was AMAZING.  Holy hell it was so good.  Mike and I talked about how we should of done that every night.  So good and inexpensive.  After dinner all the adults sat on the patio talking while the kids were in another room playing and watching a movie.

Jack killing a donut during mimosas in the morning.

My beach buddy.  In the morning I would save all the seats for our group and a few days he would come and hang out with me.  I LOVED this time on the beach.

Food Truck dinner at Seaside.

walking to get ice cream after dinner

our view - the waters were a bit rough when we first got there but quickly slowed down and cleared up

My obsession with Rosemary and Alys beach continued to grow on this trip.  Mike and I were able to get out for a food and bar crawl during lunch one day.  I was in heaven with smiles from ear to ear.

The donut truck in Alys Beach did not disappoint.  I am so glad that we made this trip.  Alys beach has changed so much.  The playground that the boys remember is completely different though the develops worked to retain some of the old memories - like the hill.  This was a perfect day.

Mike ended up getting this for me as a congratulations present for my new job.  It's hard to tell from the picture but a super cool octopus wine holder from NEAT.  

This is why you can't make amaze balls drinks at home.

pizza dinner with the family.  We waited FOREVER but all the kids were insanely well behaved.

our beach neighbors offered to take this picture of us reading.  Since we were down on the beach together every morning before the rush she thought it would be a cool picture.

Storm coming in on our last day in town.

Last week

1. Mike is getting a Jeep

Ohhhh how time moves quickly.  I have such a clear memory of buying the Honda and all of the drama that went into the purchase.  Walking onto the car lot would make me cry.  I was in a transitional place in my life and it all felt overwhelming and I hated it.  I learned a lot about the process and what to do and not to do.  A few years later we sold Mike's Jeep to buy the van.  Ironically I remember that very well too and Mike never lets me forget how he showed up and we ended up getting the car that night.  It was very traumatic for him.  This time around I have stayed off the lot and let Mike work through the drama himself.  Saturday afternoon I went to the dealership with Jack (in his pajamas) and he ended up walking away without a car.  After much negotiation and a few compromises we should have a Jeep on Wednesday.  Grateful that I was able to stay out of the transaction and leave it up to Mike.

These pictures are NOT from the car that he is getting but instead Jack and I spent time exploring all of the cars in the showroom. 

2. Games with Friends
On Saturday night we headed over to Tasha and AJ's house.  The kids kept themselves entertained the entire time while the parents played games upstairs.  I was crying because I was laughing so hard.  Grateful for a great night out of the house AND the kids slept in the next morning.

3. Father's Day
This year we were lucky enough to have the twins for Father's Day morning.  We hit up the donut shop and kept with our yearly, Donuts with Dad, tradition.  I am so grateful for both of these dads in my life.  They have both helped me raise these young men and I am forever grateful. 

 4. Broadripple
Since the weather was not ideal for the boat we decided to walk around Broad Ripple and have lunch.  It was great to celebrate Mike and all of his hard work and love towards our family.

5. Walks
The other night Jack ran the entire way home from the fish bridge.  You would think that might make him tired but nope, he stayed up and continued to play with the neighbors until it started to get dark out.  This night we actually caught lightening bugs!

6. Pain Pump
My mom received her pain pump this week!!  So glad that she finally took this step.  It was an emotional few days but I am hopeful that this will help her quality of life.

Be done and play

1. The pain pump test was successful

This is a picture of mom waiting for her test injection.  The doctor was putting dilaudid directly into her spin.  It took him a minute to get it correctly so I was able to snap this of her while he was out of the room looking at imaging.  That was Tuesday.  Today is Thursday and we are headed for her to get a pain pump this afternoon.  I am so excited.

We spilled her entire coke while waiting to go back to the doctor.

2. Another quote
The last time I posted just a quote I stole off Instagram my husband asked me if I had ulterior motives. Like sending a hidden message.  Clearly the word escapes me right now.  But, anyways, nope.  I just like these quotes and in 10 years I think it will be interesting to see the words that I appreciated at the time.  Hope that makes sense.

And I am not saying this is me - though that would be pretty wonderful

3. Jack's ankle is getting better
At swim on Tuesday I noticed that Jack's ankle was infected.  YIKES!!  Thankfully we have Kara in our lives. I sent her this picture, she called in a prescription and after swim we headed to Meijer to pick it up.

 This is our cart at Meijer.  By the time we got there I was starting to hit my wall of exhaustion.  I think that you can look into my cart and see that I wasn't making solid choices.  We got home around 715.  I had candy, vodka and spaghetti for dinner.  It was amazing.  Mike promptly sent me to bed and I fell immediately to sleep.

 4. Almost done training
uuuughhhhhh I want to be grateful.  Actually, I am super grateful that i have someone to pass of my projects to and to train.  I worked hard at setting all of that up.  But I am mentally over CHVH so it makes my day more challenging than it needs to be.  Just because of my head.  The thing that I makes me super grateful is that I am able to leave so much right now for all of my mom's appointments and still "work from home."  I am glad that all of this was not happening in July.    And grateful for Kristin to have her shit together and take over!

 5. Hostas don't need to be watered
Oh my gosh.  My hosts are getting HUGE.  HUGE.  I wonder if I posted a picture when I first moved these plants from the back yard to the front.  I am grateful that I never need to do anything to care for these plants.  They are just resilient and grow.  It's the best.

don't mind our 2 year old mulch and our weeds.  Also, the hose is directed to the garden.

5.

1. Clean desk
Mike cleaned off his desk today including the rolling shelves underneath.  It is freaking amazing.  I might just keep them empty for a few months.  Hopefully I don't have to do much work from home AND I have started to slow down the toothpaste train.

2. Clean linen closet
This morning I was able to take a few minutes to clean out the linen closet.  Holy moly it felt good to throw crap away and organize what I had.  I found 5 year old xanax and valium from my parents and my personal pain pills from Jack's c-section.  Yes, I kept them.  Who knows when I will have a mental break down and need some magic.  LOL

3. Fixed garbage disposal
Today I got home from a wedding shower and Mike informed me that our garbage disposal was broken. Since I can't fix a garbage disposal I left him to do the dirty work while I went to the gym.  When I got back it was fixed!

4. New podcast
I started listening to a new podcast called Up and Vanished.  I only listen while I am working out and usually these stories make my time at the gym go by quickly.  Grateful for a new mystery.

5. Winning euchre
Last night Robyn and Tony unexpectedly stopped by and we played a few hands of Euchre.  Tony is super good BUT the girls pulled through with the win on both games.  Also, Mike and Tony were a bit tipsy and hilarious.  It was great to sit around and laugh.

i think that is three days in a row

 1. Last day of baseball
Today is our last day of baseball.  We have to leave in 30 minutes for our last game.  Well hopefully it's our last game.  If Cameron and Owen ever read this -- I am sorry.  I loved watching you play but three hours of kids standing in the field becomes tough on my anxious soul.

UPDATE:  The boys WON their game today.  This was only the second win of the season so it was pretty fun to watch.  That being said....baseball is not over. 

Last night before Mike left to take SBJ home to bed.  I was there until 920pm

 2. Anne was at baseball
Jack loves Anne and last night he would not leave her alone.  It was sort of fabulous.

3.  Jack hit the ball twice this game

This morning Jack was able to hit the ball twice without using the tee.  His baseball season has actually been pretty fabulous.  Having friends at the game is always so much better.  We knew lots of the parents and our coach was great.   

 4. Gourmet lunch
We finally finished our Hello Fresh box for the week.  It was an insanely great lunch.  Much better than I anticipated.  Mike was able to cut the lawn while I cooked and did the dishes.  Jack played with the neighbors.  I think that we are going to pause our subscription and try to do some of the meals on our own with click list.

5. The usual
When I sit down and think of the things that make me grateful I always come up with the same things over and over..... My husband, the crazy boys, my health, my home, fresh food, sunshine, spin class, yoga, evening walks, prosecco, nachos, craft beer......and I know you, my reader (Mike), would probably like me to switch it up a bit.  So I am going to try.  BUT - goodness knows I am so freaking grateful for the usual.

Fingers

1. Brunch with grandma

I worked from home on Thursday so I decided to take my mom out to breakfast with the twins.  It was pretty fabulous to just sit and talk with them.  

 2. Time with Owen
Owen asked if we could have some time to just spend together.  Since I was working from home on Thursday we decided to hit up Top Golf.  It was a lot of fun to just be with each other.  We have the same skill level and by the end we were actually starting to hit the goals.  I should do this a lot more often.

3. Date with Mike
I topped Thursday with a last minute date with Mike.  He bought us tickets to see Bryan Callen downtown and Helium.  He also arranged the sitter and did all the driving so I could drink.  It was beautiful out so we sat outside at Harry and Izzy's.  Super grateful for this man.

4.  Flexibility at work

Goodness I am going to miss the flexibility and grace I have at work.  Right now, while my parents are in poor health, it has been great that I can attend doctor appointments that last ALL. DAY. LONG.  Very very grateful.  But let's be honest....I have nothing that I am doing at work right now anyways so it makes it easy to leave.

5.  Pain pump

We FINALLY went to see the pain pump guy and I am hopeful that my mom will have a new pain pump before we go to Florida.  oh. my. gosh.  I am so freaking excited over here.  Hopefully her platelets increase by Monday and then we will be good to go.  FINGERS CROSSED