Our first vacation together as a married couple. (3/18-3/28).

D and I have decided that we're going to try to go down to Florida at least once a year to see his side of the family. I mean, they're my family too now.... oh, who am I kidding? They've always been my family. I know how much he misses them, as they're a tight and loving family, and I figured it's the least I could do seeing as he moved 1,000 miles away from them just to be with me since I had a good job and a mortgage when we decided to get back together.

And dude, am I ever f*cking happy that he made that decision. But still, it does make me feel guilty at times, because he's so far away from them all. So.... we take a vacation down once a year (usually in March) to pay them all a visit. 

(Although, D does tell me that some year they're going to have to come and visit us, because we're going on a damn honeymoon at some point- lol).

We left out on Thursday after work at 6:30 in the evening (even though we said we weren't going to do that again this year like we did last year) and oh boy. Was our trip.... exhausting.

What was supposed to be a thirteen to fourteen hour trip turned into a twenty-two hour trip. Why? Because traffic. I'm talking infuriating, stand still, we're gonna be here for the rest of our lives traffic. We were at a standstill for over two and a half hours in Kentucky alone. And don't even get me started on Georgia. Luckily, we have the van this time around, so we were able to pull over at rest stops and get a little nap in here and there.

And while there were some mishaps along with the trip (ie: D, me, his mom, and stepdad all got a stomach virus.... and I had an allergic reaction to something and broke out in hives literally from my forehead to the bottom of my ass), it was alot of fun and so great to see everybody. I even got to meet D's aunt and uncle that I had never met before, and the people that he worked with for years at his old store. Also, Mitchall took us out to Three Lakes and it was BEAUTIFUL.

We all had a blast with the old school Polaroid camera that D got me for my birthday and proceeded to just spend time together. Although, our ducks bonded so much with my MIL's ducks that we ended up letting them stay there, because I felt like a selfish asshole taking them away from their friends and such a nice life. I still love them, but they're far happier now.

We spent about four or five days with D's mom (and I never had to use that bathing suit, because it was like fifty something degrees at her house until the day we left) and then we spent about three with his dad (where it was ass scalding hot). And let me tell you, we proceeded to get quite the buzz and shoot off fireworks and guns like they were going out of style. (Don't worry his dad lives in the middle of nowhere and nobody was hurt or offended). 

I even got to shoot off a 223 and Creedmoor. But, my very favorite has to be D's 22 that he actually gifted to me after he saw what a good shot I was with it. (I told him I used to hunt, but I don't think he really believed me until he saw it first hand). Seriously, it was his very first gun and he gifted it to little ole me. Hillbilly? Yes. Regrets? Nah.

The only reason that I shot off the Creedmoor in the first place was because D is super scared and absolutely refused to go to theme parks or ride roller coasters and he was so sure that I was "so terrified" of the gun that I'd never shoot it, that he bet me that if I shot it that he would take me to any theme park of my choosing anytime I wanted and ride any and every ride that I wanted. He even agreed that he would go ziplining (I haven't talked him into skydiving.... yet).

What D didn't know was that I was not scared of it, but only intimidated by it. Afterall, it is very intimidating. The joke however is on him, because as soon as he said that, his daddy taught me how to handle it and I shot it.... twice.

And now, not only am I researching theme parks, but he also owes me a horror movie marathon. #MarriageGoals

Our trip back was much smoother than our trip there, but it still took a ridiculous amount of time and we were stuck at a rest stop in Tennessee for over four hours due to a harsh storm. Luckily, like I said, we have that mattress in the back of our van and it's like my body knows it's real home will always be Tennessee, because as soon as we stopped, my bitch ass passed out.

Our pups were more than happy to be back home and I'm pretty sure they missed our bed and thermostat more than D or I ever could. To say the five of us are still exhausted would be an understatement. D had yesterday off from work, but I came back and now we're both dragging ass through this week trying to make it until we can sleep in come weekend time. 

We would do it all over again though, because the time we got to spend with the family and memories we got to make were more than worth it. And we can't wait to see everyone again, hopefully soon (D's mom and stepdad are getting their first round of Covid shots this week and as soon as she's cleared to fly, my MIL is already making plans for a visit), and make even more memories.

I'm not sure what it is, but D and I have been in such a happy mood ever since we left for vacation and even now that we're back. It's like we're in our own little bubble and love each other even more. Call me crazy, but I'd take a million more long ass roadtrips for us to be this content all the damn time. 

With that being said, there will be many more roadtrips in our future and we can't wait to spend it together with our furchildren and see family and friends again.

I now own a bathing suit after like, twelve years. And, oh boy.

With our upcoming vacation only a couple of weeks away, D and I have been slowly collecting the things that we'll "need" for vacation. On this list, was apparently a bathing suit.... for me. D already owns one, a side effect of growing up and living almost your entire life in Florida I'm assuming.

But me? I haven't owned/been in a bathing suit since I was around nineteen years old. Why? I don't really have a reason, except that was the last time I was around a lake or swimming pool. Now though, D's mom and dad have put in a pool at their house and since we'll be staying with them the majority of our trip, D insisted that we needed to be prepared to jump in.

Now, me being the person that I am, I didn't want to make a big deal out of this and I definitely didn't want to go to a store and try on suits (even though I'm pretty sure you can't do that any way, because of Covid?), so I just ordered my shit off of Amazon. And let me tell you what.... thirty-one year old Katie does NOT look as appealing in a bathing suit as nineteen year old Katie did.

Do I care that much? No. Hell, my body is my body and it kind of just does its own thing, BUT I would be lying if I said that I wasn't still self conscious. Even back in the day when everything was toned and placed where it was supposed to be, I was never comfortable. It's not a body image thing I don't think, it's more of a I don't like showing much skin thing. Never have, probably never will if I'm being 100% honest.

I even asked D if it was supposed to look like it does (revealing) and he informed me that it's not revealing at all (it covers more than what most suits do), but that I'm just uncomfortable. He then tried to make me feel better by saying that we'll only be around our family and while that is comforting to most people, I am not one of them. What are the odds I can swim in my suit bottoms and a tanktop? Anybody? 

Whatevs.... in any event, our vacation is just around the corner and while neither of us are looking forward to the actual drive (even though it'll be much more comfortable in our van this year as opposed to a little car like last year), we are excited to see his family and just hang out. Now, if you'll excuse me.... I need to go get drunk so that I will feel more comfortable in a bathing suit. I mean, drinking is totally a healthy coping mechanism, right? RIGHT?!!?!

I got drunk and bought ducks. Because that's who I am as a person.

This weekend, I may or may not have had ALL of the drinks and D and I went to Rural King. And what do they have at Rural King? Ducks.... and chickens and rabbits, but most importantly, DUCKS. Sign that says to stay out of the pen or not, once those little furry creatures got into my line of sight, there was no stopping me.

Meet Murphy and Octavia. The two newest members of the Glisson household. Also, the two tiniest.

Back when we were first together in high school, D and I had adopted Tayder and we had two pet ducks.... Mr. Quackers and Shaggy. I've always had a mad love for dogs and ducks, and while I'm not sure where this love (ie: obsession) came from, the fact that I have all the love is a given.

Sure, we probably shouldn't have gotten another two pets.... then again, that's who we are. And yeah, five pets is a little much, BUT we're also surrounded by love and affection 24/7, so we're both good with it. Of course, this also makes it more difficult to travel to Florida this month, but we'll figure it out. We always do.

So yeah, we're officially those people that can't quit loving and collecting all of the furchildren. 

Our pups are adjusting to it pretty well too. 

Sparkles just stares at them and watches their every move, fascinated that they even exist in the first place. Xur isn't too crazy about them, because he's a jealous little sucker and wants all of the attention. And Tayder? Well, Tayder is Tayder and as long as he gets to do his own thing and doesn't get bothered very often, he's good with it all.

Wish us luck, folks. Because we're probably gonna need it.