Scenes from the Weekend: Holiday Family Visit(Uncle Adam, Aunt Charlotte, Cousin Riley)

My uncle Adam, his wife Charlotte, and her daughter Riley came up to visit us for the holidays this weekend. They were supposed to come up from Tennessee for Thanksgiving but Charlotte got ill and they never made it. I was sick at that time, too, due to food poisoning. (Note to self: If I ever go back to Trader Joe’s, I need to make sure to bring a cooler. My perishable food that needed to be refrigerated spoiled on me on the 2 hour trip from Indianapolis to Wabash. Stupid mistake. Won’t happen again.) So truth be told, I was relieved that they weren’t going to make it. That would have meant that I would have had to move upstairs into “my room” that’s unbearably cold. Plus, I wouldn’t have been able “to be seen” since I looked like death. I wouldn’t have allowed it. Not sure why I fear to be vulnerable-looking in-front of people but I do.

Unfortunately, for me, I’m going to have to move up there for a couple days since Adam and Charlotte will be in the “guest room”, that is, the living room. Friday-Sunday. Yes, I have been sleeping in the living room for the past few months. Reason being? There is a heater directly beside the couch and I’ve been using it to my full advantage. I let my legs fall off the end of the couch and cover my lower half of my body with one blanket which makes the warm air travel up and spread throughout my body. Then I use another blanket to cover my upper body. It works, judge me.

On Friday:

• After my continuous nagging at my grandmother to get me an electric blanket she finally gave in and got me one. Well, two. One for me to use while I’m upstairs and one for Riley. I’m a happy girl.
• It snowed for the first time since I’ve been here! I don’t like it. Yes, it’s pretty but the fact that it’s cold turns me off. I’m just not well-adapted to this type of weather.
• I’ve been enjoying this hot tea I got at Trader Joe’s a few weeks ago. It smells just like french toast. I’m not even kidding.
• When Adam, Charlotte, and Riley first came through the door.. I’m not going to going to lie I felt immediately judged. Adam said hello. Charlotte and Riley did not. So I kept my distance, and took pictures with my grandfather until we had to go over to my cousin Nicki’s house. I kept having to mentally trick myself because I suffer from social anxiety on occasion. It’s mild anxiety. Nothing serious. I have mental tricks I do like pretend I’m in a video game. It helps me act like myself and not take what anyone says (that’s negative) to heart. I just do me, basically. After 2 1/2 hours of talking to family I hadn’t seen in years, I was beyond ready to go home and hit the sack. It’s hard to get my grandmother out of social situations but eventually she took my word that it was time to go. I came home, took my sleep aids, and said goodbye to Friday.

On Saturday:

• I woke up early-ish, to discover that everyone was gone. I knew they were wanting to go to the YMCA because Riley has to practice for swimming. So I automatically assumed that’s what they did. So I made some wake up juice aka coffee, sipped on it a couple times and starting doing my ab workout. I only got in 10 minutes before they came back. At that moment, I was frustrated because I needed to get in at least 20 more minutes. I went up stairs to do my hair, makeup and as I was doing so Adam came up and told me they were going to the YMCA. Phew! They had just went to breakfast. So after they left again, I ran down, and did 20 more minutes of exercise.
• As soon as everyone came home from last minute Christmas shopping. My grandmother and I went to work with preparing the Christmas dinner. (We figured we’d do a small Christmas with everyone here.) I made a Vegan Green Bean Casserole, Vegan Cranberry Stuffing, Vegan Mashed Potatoes(easily vegan- just don’t add butter or milk into them), and a Spinach Avocado Salad. My grandmother made a Ham, Yeast Rolls, “Regular Green Bean Casserole, and Apple Pie. We also set out an olive and beet plate. I wasn’t really hungry but I ate a little bit of everything I could.(except for the pie, no room left in my belly for that)
• After eating, I helped my grandmother clean up and then we opened up presents. My grandmother got me two Spongelle. Which are body wash infused buffers made with bergamot, lemongrass, sea kelp extracts and olive oil. Awesome! My grandmother actually got me a cool gift. I’ll be putting these to good use. Adam, Charlotte, and Riley got me 4 nail polishes. Black, Blue, Red, and Sliver. Great! I needed some new colors other than black. I love the bag, too. It’s adorable. I love pugs. (and bulldogs, just saying) Lilly is half pug so this bag was a cute idea.
• Charolotte, Riley and I had a "painting party". Which is just us three doing each others nails. By this time I felt more accepted because every one wasn't so uptight. I don't have a picture, but it was nice having some quality family time.

On Sunday:
My grandparents took Adam, Charlotte, and Riley to The Wabash Inn, for breakfast. I was orginally going to go but my uncle Rhett came home earlier on in the night/morning and woke me up from being to loud so I was sleep deprived. My grandmother bought Adam upstairs so I could say my goodbyes, though. I'll miss Adam.. he has always been my favorite uncle.