We got lucky this past weekend with an extra day making it a long weekend visiting the family back home. The weekends are already jam packed, so the extra day was much needed and allowed a bit more time to relax and do some normal running around with the parents.
Mom and I went to the local nursery where she picked out some flowers to plant around the house, which I was able to get for her as a belated Mother’s Day present! Growing up, we always went this local farm to pick out flowers to plant around the house, so it was nostalgic while also realizing some things never change – like this little local green house, the owners, the flowers and the fact that my mom can’t make a decision even when she’s shopping for flowers! But it’s all those little things that never change that made the trip with Mom a memorable one.
With the extra day, beyond the flower shopping, I was able to help mom with some decorating around the house (which she never lets me do!) we shopped a yard sale and we were even able to get all her new flowers planted and ready for spring! B and my dad went golfing, to a golf demo day and up to the local brewery – so they definitely stayed busy, while Mom and I got extra one on one time in.
Another weekend bonus, was we squeezed in a lunch with my bestie Kates and her hubby which is never enough time to catch up but I’m also grateful for the little time we get to spend together because it is all the small moments that add up over time. Plus beyond the company of the two of them we also got to drink mimosas and eat yummy food. Can you say, win-win? 
The second main event of the weekend was celebrating my aunts upcoming 60th birthday with the extended-immediate family. With a lot of my other extended family out of state – my aunt and cousins who live in the neighboring town were really the closest family we had growing up, so we always spent birthday’s and smaller holidays together. And after looking through old pictures with my mom for her gallery wall and seeing a lot of those memories growing up the evening with everyone seemed perfect.
We enjoyed dinner at a local spot with beautiful views while chatting, eating and drinking the night away. After dinner we headed back to my aunts house and celebrated with cake, more drinks and played games that resulted in a lot of laughs and a late night! I love these moments with my extended family because we’ve always been so close and even though we don’t always see each other as much as we’d like – it’s these moments and nights that never seem to skip a beat and I love even more how B fits so perfectly into them.
It was good getting back home – we made sure to bring home Monk’s bread, local BBQ sauce and garage sale find treasures. We haven’t been back since Christmas, so it was definitely a bit over due, although I have a feeling we’ll be making a few more trips back home than we usually do this year!
the bee life 
Great post 🙂