Spring Flings & the Flu, Far-off Places & Freshly-Painted Spaces

Happy Spring dear friends! I've been jotting down post ideas and deep thoughts and I've got all sorts of ramblings simmering in the hopper. 

But. Today I'm paying bills and catching up on laundry and trying to put my painted home back together. 

Instead of deep thoughts, I bring you my life for the past two weeks:

My big ol' family gathered at my parents' place for March Madness {aka March Fatness, due to the overabundance of calories consumed.} 

{Sweet Naomi}

We feasted and wore only elastic waistbands and watched a lot of basketball. My brother made the best banana pudding the world has ever known. 

And then I got sick. {But not from the banana pudding.} A little cold turned into something bigger and I went to the doctor a week ago. Unfortunately the cough medicine that was supposed to help me sleep had the opposite effect. I was as wired as a 4th of July firecracker and missed two entire nights of sleep before we figured out the culprit. Fun. Is what that was. 

All of this went down while my husband's parents were visiting us from Michigan for the week. Happy Easter! Here's the flu to go with your chocolate bunny!

Sick or not, I will forever have a weakness for new Easter duds.

My in-laws are awesome and we had big plans to head to the mountains and enjoy a nice hotel stay while the kids frolicked in a heated pool and the ladies visited the Biltmore Estate. But with my sick self and our middle kid who decided that Spring Break was a fine time to contract the flu, we were home-bound. 

So guess what The Man and his super-amazing parents did? They painted the great room and kitchen, something we've been wanting to do for over a year. 

This room comprises two-thirds of our home and would have taken The Man and me a year to paint. But the three of them taped and trimmed and painted their little hearts out while I did little more than convalesce. 

It still feels like Christmas to me and I am tickled beyond measure by the results. 

{I'm tweaking the decor here and there and will surely be blogging these fun little changes. Stay tuned.}

I was well enough by mid-week to enjoy a date night with my husband while his parents babysat. First stop? The new Anthropologie that opened not so far away. 

I wanted to hide under one of their Parisian, vintagey, overpriced, swoon-worthy sofas until the store had closed and then pretend I lived there. And that I owned all of the clothes. And dishes. And purses. And perfume. Total eye-candy, that store. And they have the most fun books!

So, where am I in this story? My in-laws left last Thursday and I was well enough to pack my bags and leave Friday morning for a trip to the beach with my mom.

We planned this trip a couple of months ago and I'd been giddy with anticipation. She had a conference to attend and she invited me along as her travel companion and because she thought I could use the rest. 

Instead of attending the conference, I indulged in some much-needed R & R. It was such a sweet time, just my mom and me. 

We talked and laughed and shopped and lounged and ate yummy food. I read and walked on the beach and got to watch whatever I wanted on TV. I'm still amazed I came back.

Reality and the regular grind feel like a clunky adjustment this morning. I haven't cooked in a week and a half and I've eaten out more during that time than I normally do in a year. Despite being sick, God has been sweet to bestow such loveliness, kindness, and generosity upon me. I don't deserve his goodness.  

{And let's be honest, freshly-painted walls make Monday-morning reality so much lovelier. Thank you Nana & Papa!}

Oh and it's a HUGE night for the family! Huge. I'm married to the biggest Michigan fan south of the Mason Dixon Line. Our oldest son is the second biggest fan. 

Exhibit A: My front door.

Exhibit B: The main wall of my living room.

Exhibit C: "Go Blue" popcorn. 

That's only the beginning. There is Michigan paraphernalia all over the place. 

All together now: GO BLUE!!!! 

..............................

I hope your Spring is going swell and that you're enjoying some fresh changes of your own. What's been happening in your neck of the woods?