Monday minute by minute

Well, I didn't intend on writing tonight but as I set up my new laptop I am instructed to not shut it off until this program finishes doing it's thang. So what else can I do while I wait?

Today was a pretty busy day! It started with lots of laundry and vacuuming. I also had to clean up all of Scarlett's 1st Easter hoopla-leftovers! She got a very big basket filled with lots of new clothes for summer and some toys and books and a bunch of other "ditties". Thanks, Grammie! She loved it all... and so did I. It was so fun to open. I hope everyone had a nice Easter!

Gregg is on vacation this week so while he took the dog to the vet (just a booster shot, no worries) I worked around the house. We had a lot of errands to run today and some tax refund money to spend! My mom watched the baby while we ran out to such favorites as Target, Best Buy, Chili's for a little lunch, Building 19 in desperate hopes that we'd find a new living room rug, (which we didn't) and last and certainly least Walmart. Because Walmart is seemingly the only place left on this planet that carries my humidifier filters.

One of the many great purchases of the day? Scarlett's new Zany Zoo! I've had my eye on it for a few months now ... she seems to love it so far - and so does Brody ...

Do the hustle ...

Easter. One of the three days of the year that has become more about hustle and bustle and less about lasagna and leisure. Yes, that's right, I view most holidays in terms of my mother's cooking and how long I can keep my PJs on.

As kids, my brother and I always had the pleasure of staying home in our pajamas for the holidays. We could sleep in if we wanted to. My brother never did, he always had to wait for me to rise and shine. We excitedly opened our presents (or Easter baskets) with our favorite holiday music, movies and specials on the television. Our parents enjoyed their slow cups of coffee. We took our turns showering and primping and awaited our dinner guests. After dinner we were able to play with our toys, watch a movie, play a new game or take that infamous nap that follows a large holiday meal. Occasionally on Christmas night we would go to my Godparents' house for a visit. Ahh, those were the days.

When I got married everything changed. You inherit another family. You learn to make compromises. Marriage is give and take. For the first few years my husband and I didn't even have dinner together. He went to his sister's house and I went to my parents' house. We would meet up later in the day. We eventually worked out a plan that would allow him to eat dinner with his family and I was able to have my favorite meal alongside my family while we are under the same roof and traveling in one car. It wasn't quite ideal as we had to hurry back and forth and essentially watch everyone eat while people asked us, "Why aren't YOU eating anything?" Nevertheless we were together, visiting our loved ones, scarfing our lasagna if you will.

Once Miss Scarlett came along I was sure I'd get my wish - to stay home on the holidays. We have double wall ovens and plenty of counter space. I have no reservations about cooking my mother's meal here. We would welcome visitors later in the day. It didn't work out this time. We went to my sister-in-law's house for one o'clock. Her husband was running around like a lunatic trying to finish all of the side dishes while grilling lamb and taking a shower. It was quite an accomplishment! My hubby had his holiday meal of ham and all the fixin's and then we watched our nephews and the rest of the young'ns chaotically (and adorably) run around during their annual egg hunt. Scarlett took just a mini nap, maybe twenty minutes and we were off to Grammie's house. I had my holiday meal - including my favorite, Eggplant Parmesan while Gregg fed the baby her din din. We reconvened in the living room for the first annual, thirty minute Easter-basket-opening ceremony. My mom went a little overboard! She was just so excited to do it. She can't help herself. S has lots of new summer clothes and a few new toys and even some sunglasses and shoes! Thanks, Easter Bunny. :) The one thing I was really looking forward to was finally having coffee and dessert with my mother and grandmother. It's just something from my past that I really miss and haven't been able to coordinate it in about nine years now. This year fell through as well. We were too full from eating dinner late and I had to get the baby home for her bottle and night-night time. Oh well, maybe for Thanksgiving... or Christmas.

The holidays are always wonderful when we get to spend time with family, eat good food, have a few laughs and enjoy ourselves a little bit more than we do on the day to day. I just want to slow them down a little bit. I want to take some of the agenda out of them and just relax in our home. A couple of cocktails, a hunk of coconut custard pie ... you know, the little things. Plus, not having to haul three meals for Scarlett and her favorite toys and gear would be nice too. We'll see about Thanksgiving! Hope you all had a nice Easter with your loved ones. Here are some of our pics ... sorry the ones of Scarlett Bunny are blurry, I couldn't help uploading them though, they're so cute!

Monday: minute by minute

Monday, April 2, 2012.

Also known as EASTER BUNNY DAY!!!! (and my father's 62nd birthday)

Today I decided to partner up with Grammie and take Scarlett to see the good ole mall Easter Bunny. We've seen him in nearly everyone's family pictures across the state. The dingy yellowy costume that makes him look like he's been hidden away in somebody's cellar all year long just waiting for this week to make his appearance. His crafty straw hat complete with fake flowers. And his classic purple flowered dress. Ohhhhh wait, that's right, he's a GIRL. I always forget that. I just always thought of the Easter Bunny as a boy. The same way I tend to call all cats "she" and all dogs "he". Oh well. Either way, Scarlett enjoyed her first of many meetings with MISS Bunny.

The perfect sweetie outfit for Bunny-viewing

Sitting up like such a big girl 

(after tipping over and hitting her face on the carseat - Mama's fault - no marks, no tears)

Scarlett meets Madame Bunnyface McTilty-hat

Success!! (minus the fact that you can't see but three inches of her outfit)

After our festive, holiday event we had a little shopping to do at Target. I naturally needed baby wipes because pretty much any day of any week I could be in need of baby wipes. I wanted to also get this mesh feeder/teether that my friend Vanna told me about. Her daughter, the BEAUTIFUL miss Sydney was born just about three weeks earlier than Scarlett so she usually does everything just before us - I get the tips and reviews haha. So I found one ... 

  

I think Scarlett will enjoy this inventive alternate banana-eating experience. 

I also picked up some little puffs for her to try...

I'm thinking she'll enjoy those too.

And I got my Star-Wars obsessed nephews a couple of little things for Easter...

It's been a productive day and will continue to be as I call At(and)t and demand better rates. Wish me luck with that. There's always a huge rat-race that ensues with them. Last year my best friend, Kim, called them - pretending to be me - and got six months worth of awesome discounts. She's the miracle-worker when it comes to getting what she wants from people. Me, not so much. It's like I have a perpetual "kick-me" sign on my forehead. Here goes nothin'.....................