Easter, a Florida wedding, new job, new car

We've had quite the excitement for April, and just think, there's two more weeks to go.

The events of the month began with Easter and an Easter egg hunt in Bruce and Carole's (Pop and Gram) front yard for Kailey Kate, Cate and Luca. The best aunt and uncle team on the planet arrived to hide the eggs, and help with the search. Bruce also included his now-famous "talking eggs" which said things like, "hey, I'm over here." The girls loved it, and Luca, well, he was content to chew on the sports-themed eggs. Just the other day, Cate walked out in the front yard and wanted to look for eggs again! Some two weeks later. Quite the impression, huh?

Next, Bruce, Carole, Kristi and I set off for Cape Coral, Fla., some nine hours from Atlanta for Jono and Tiffany's wedding. Jono is Bruce's (half) brother. Jono is a police office in Connecticut, Tiffany is a teacher. The wedding was in Tiffany's mom's back yard, which backed up to a fresh water canal. The reception was also in the back yard, and they hosted about 70 people. It was a fun trip, but we were reminded again how many old people are in Florida, especially around Cape Coral and Fort Myers. Friday night, Kristi and I had an appetizer at a place called the Leapin' Lizard and boy, the "outfits" were out of control. We saw the patented octo-genarian socks and sandals get up. We saw the t-shirt tucked into swim trunks. And of course, the 70+ woman with a too-revealing tank top and high heels. I think I even saw some leopard heels. Guess you're never too old to partay.

To start this week, I began my job at Alere as a Communications Coordinator. After waiting for all the paperwork and computer system clearance to go through, I settled into real work on Thursday and Friday. I basically edit and proof letters to doctors and patients on behalf of large corporations and insurance companies. The letters explain services such as a 24-hour nurse phone number, in-home devices that monitor weight and glucose levels and various other things that help with heart conditions, diabetes, COPD etc. It's not that interesting, but I can't tell you the freedom I feel to be able to leave at 5 p.m. and not have to finish a story and stay till 6:30 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. The commute isn't bad. It takes about an hour to go 25 miles. But Bruce showed me an alternate non-interstate route through Roswell, which is more scenic and just about as fast. I work in a 15-floor office building in which Alere occupies four floors. Other companies in the building are IBM, GE and Coca-Cola.

To end the week, Kristi pulled the trigger on a decision she's researched and reviewed for nearly a year. She bought a 2010 Honda Fit, a four-door hatch-back with a manual transmission. She's wanted a stick shift for a long time, but didn't get one for her last car in case she got a job in metro Atlanta because shifting through traffic isn't as fun. She was proud of herself for completing the transaction on her own, even though all the men in the family offered to help negotiate. She got $1,400 for the Elantra, which seemed to surprise most in the family.

Kristi and Cate (2)

Cate and Kailey Kate (4)











Check out the couple in the background. Needless to say, Kristi's got the dancing shoes in this couple.



I love the blue lights on the dash!