easter.

It has been a tradition for as long as I can remember to have an Easter celebration at Memaw's house. After lunch, all the cousins would be sequestered in a room with no windows, monitored by one of the parents. While we were being held hostage, the adults would hide a myriad of Easter eggs in the front and back yards. The last time we did this as a family, Memaw was still with us and I got scolded for pulling up the shade and peeking outside.

It's a few (or several) years later. The cousins are all grown, and we decided to pick up the tradition again. What's an Easter celebration without an Easter egg hunt at Memaw's house?

The egg-hunting crew, from L to R: Loretta, Tini, Kiel, Jecca, Lauren, Trav, Anita, Nini and Hosh.

I was the unattested winner in volume of eggs. Tini's boyfriend, Kiel, followed me into the backyard in the beginning of the egg quest. He commented on my decision to go for the edges of the two sheds saying, "You hit the gold mine!" I said replied lovingly, "Duh, Kiel! This is NOT my first rodeo." (You can actually hear this in the video if you pay attention closely.)

The following is a video of the beginning of the egg hunt. What you can't see is Tini throwin' some bows... just saying. What you can see is Hosh and Trav's overwhelming enthusiasm. (Ha.)

There was money in some of the eggs and that's what really sparked my fervor in the hunt. (Most of you know that I don't eat candy.) Wouldn't you know it, I got a metric butt-ton of candy...and $1.25 in quarters. =) Loretta found $3 in her eggs, and she offered to buy my bag of candy with her $3 in quarters. Woot woot! I'm rich. A whole $4.25!!! (That should be read "coffeeeeeee".)

(Here's another video purely for your viewing pleasure...you can see me scurrying in the background at the beginning, Tini's lawn ornament discovery and Nini looking around in the "compost pile" that Loretta and I already hit up.)

Lots of family lerv today.

P.S.- Mamba, we missed you tons especially today. Love love love you!!!

happy birthday, sweet T.

(*This post will just barely make it onto your birth day, T. I'm sorry I failed in the birthday department this year. I feel rotten.)

Happy Birthday to one of my dearest friends, Sweet T.

When I think of you, I recall any one of the following moments (or a million others not included in my life-documentation). You are such a precious part of my life. It feels like I've known you for 37 years instead of just 351 days.

Remember when...

...Cameron got pooped on by that bird on the way to the park on the Fourth of July?


..."where's my chalupa?" at Playa Cancun?


...you just wanted to sleep at Belmar when we went to watch the sunrise with George?


...you took me for a ride on your bike/airplane thing and then it broke...but we got to look at that neat dirigible?

...we used to go to IHOP with Jer in the mornings?


...we went to Cam's game and that bee kept bugging George but didn't even come around you or me?


...you were Tanley. (For the record, this might be my most favorite picture of you ever.)
...you and Carl made me do stupid things in the caf and then take my picture?


...we went to the beach and played and sunned and read that book about strange things (and on the way home you found that shell in your suit...which I still have in my car, by the way)?


...we laughed at poor Jer trying to make that bracelet, sang along with Celine and made plans for the new semester?

...Ian pointed the camera at you, said "Do the Jecca smile!" and you came up with this right away? (Priceless.)

Well, I do!!! How could I forget?!

I love you, T. Happy Birthday. <3

weekend review.

I'm back home in VA.

I've done nothing but eat, sleep and sit around since I've been here...but I haven't been back for 24 hours yet, so I'm ok with those decisions.

Here's some pictures from my birthday/graduation celebrations. There were a lot taken, and I'll probably make an album on Facebook. I just don't have the energy at the moment.

Ian, Jecca and Tristan Stanley. I. Love. These. Boys.

Some of my favorite things: Amanda. Dunkin coffee. Cell phone. Necklace from Memaw.


The Fam: Keven, Jecca, Teresa, Mamba and Hosh.

Kisses for Barley. I couldn't have survived this past weekend (or the past few weeks for that matter) without him. [Thank you, Barley.]

Me with Ma and Pop.

At the pub with Pop for birthday dinner.

Most of the Crew: Trevor, Stephers, Sarah, T, Lydia, Me, Barley, Ham, Ninj, Grace, Cam & George.

Vadakin Love. I didn't want to get out of this embrace. There was so much love.

Heri Basement Le-Le Couch Lovin'. This was shortly after we picked up Mamba from PHL, went to Burger King & Wawa and were waiting for the rest to arrive for the party.

EARLY MORNING BIRTHDAY BASH @ the PUB!!! Steph, Trevor, Barley and Me. (My cheeks are really rosy.)

Barley promised to smile for this picture. He didn't, but I love it anyway.

Alright, there you have it. This collection is not all-encompassing by any means, and I'll post more (somewhere) later.

I start back to work tomorrow morning at 9:30am. I'm nervous, of course, but it's not as bad as the last time. I'm ready to dive back into things and distract myself from missing everyone. There are big plans in the works for my near, and not-so-near, future. On the agenda right now: Family Time. Hosh is going out to get the Texas Chainsaw Massacre prequel and we're going to watch it soon.

[Biggest Accomplishment of the Day: Tearing up but not technically crying.]