#or to unload the dishwasher or to NOT leave my water bottle next to the water dispenser but take it with me to the office.......... i can't

[stellacadente]

theoretically, writing an x on my calendar on the days i take my med so i know when i have to take it next is a great idea bc i keep forgetting if i've taken it the day before or not so i need to write it down somewhere to keep track. in practice tho, i forget to write the x when i take my med. so it doesn't work. so IDK HOW TO REMEMBER THIS SHIT..............

[myckicade]

Prompt: Ok so we all know Coco is touch starved, and would be clingy af in a relationship. What about Coco x wife!reader, while she’s trying to do basic errands/chores and Coco is her shadow?

A/N: I’ve been waiting for this one. I really have. Hee hee. I just adore Coco. <3 . This piece sort of follows the story of the last two Coco x Reader pieces I have written, but it will stand-alone, just fine. And, I swear, these things just have a mind of their own. I can continue to apologize for length, and content, but, in the end... I let the story tell itself. ;) . <3 .

As a warning, I come from Vermont, where we have a plastic bag ban. Last I knew, California was the first state to have one. I don’t know how that would translate to Santo Padre, but… When I mention fabric bags, I mean reusables, and the ban is why. ^^;;;;.

Title: Worthwhile

Teaser: He’s a little rough, your Coco, foul-mouthed, and quick to anger. Untrusting, and bitchier than a woman, on his best day. But, once you have his love, you have it. All of it.

“Okay…” you murmur, slowly, eyes scanning over the paper in front of you. Fifteen items, nothing crazy. Shouldn’t take you more than an hour, tops, and that includes travel to and from the store. “I think I’ve got everything we need… And, specials included your beer, and those little frozen cream puffs.”

Beside you, Coco groans, deep and guttural. “Fuck, I love those things.”

You giggle, but keep reading. Your man is too damn cute. “Feminine products.”

“Do those count as special?” Coco genuinely sounds thoughtful, as he steps up behind you, where you are leaning over the counter top. He wraps his arms around your waist, chin coming to rest on your shoulder. “Kinda’ a necessity, ain’t they?”

Tipping your head, you glance to your husband. Seriously. This man is a treasure. “Why don’t you run for political office?” you tease, pleased when Coco chuckles.

“Yeah, my record’ll look great, on the campaign trail.”

You shrug. “You can tackle pink tax, and tax evasion, at the same time.”

Coco grins, and steals a peck off your lips. “What else you got on there, muñeca?”

“Hmmm, let’s see…” You turn back to your list, tapping the pen against your lips, thoughtfully. Spying the next item on it, you try not to let out another giggle. He’s not going to like this one. “Letty asked if we could have that cauliflower pizza thing for dinner, tonight.”

As expected, this groan is decidedly not from food lust. “Fuckin’ vegetarians. When the hell is she gonna’ get over this shit?”

“It’s just a phase, Coco,” you remind him, for the… Well, honestly, you’ve lost track. It started shortly after the wedding, Letty’s change in diet, and you’re still not convinced the two aren’t related. You’re just not entirely sure how. But, two months in, and she’s still looking healthy, so you won’t send up any alarms. “It’s very popular at her high school, right now.”

Coco scoffs, disgusted. “When the hell’d she start copyin’ other people, anyway? My girl ain’t no follower.”

The words send a shot straight to your heart. He’s a little rough, your Coco, foul-mouthed, and quick to anger. Untrusting, and bitchier than a woman, on his best day. But, once you have his love, you have it. All of it. The love he has for Leticia is the greatest proof. They may carry on like cats and dogs, but when push comes to shove, there is nothing they won’t do for one another. My girl. It brings a warmth to your soul, and a smile to your lips.

You shake it off, enough to formulate a response. “She’s figuring out how to be her own woman. Trying new things.” You shrug, not wanting to make a big deal of it. You were Letty’s age, once, of course. And, a girl, to boot. Some things, Coco just won’t be able to understand. “It’s a process.” He hums, still disgruntled, but doesn’t push out another word. “You want anything else?” you ask, holding up your list. “I’ve gotta’ get going, before I run into the football widows.”

Before you can even take a step away, Coco tightens his arms around you. “You sure you gotta’ go, though?” he asks, leaning in to brush his lips against your neck. “With the house all to ourselves, like this?”

“If I don’t go,” you start, as Coco’s touches gain intent, becoming teasing kisses. Damn him. It feels nice, you won’t lie, but there are other things on your mind, right now. Priorities.

You’re just… having trouble remembering what they are.

Oh. Yeah. Shopping.

“If I don’t go, we won’t have anything for dinner.”

Another kiss, accompanied by a barely-there swipe of tongue. You shiver, and Coco moves his lips to your ear. “We can order in,” he whispers, breath so invitingly warm against your skin.

Oh, this asshole.

“And, what are we supposed to have for breakfast, tomorrow?” you try, again. “Half an Eggo, and a pack of Skittles?”

Coco cuddles you closer, again. “Ain’t you never heard about livin’ on love, baby?” Some of his smoothest work, that is. And, it’s almost convincing. Almost. You can imagine the afternoon ahead, if you give in. Your clothes will come off, and won’t be back on until the last second, before Letty walks back through the front door. By that time, you’ll be too tired to roll your ass off the bed, let alone go grocery shopping. And, you promised Letty you’d talk Coco into that cauliflower pizza.

“Great as that sounds,” you agree, preparing to capitalize on the truth. You ease yourself away from Coco’s stubborn hold, and give him one more smooch, just to soften the blow to come. “I don’t think Letty will appreciate the sentiment.”

A third groan. You must be going for a record. “C’mon, (y/n).” Oh, he’s whining. It’s so cute, it’s unreal. “We’ll find some place that delivers that rabbit food shit.”

Unfortunately for Coco, you’re already grabbing your bag. Lucky for you. You’re still two seconds from giving him what he wants. (He just doesn’t need to know so). “I’ll be back in a while.” God willing. “If you think of anything else, call my cell.” You rush out the front door, and don’t look back. If you see the look on your husband’s face, you know you’re as good as done.

*

Well, what the shit? Coco stares at the front door as it closes, you on the wrong fucking side of it. His arms are at his sides, palms turned toward the ceiling. That went so well. He kind of can’t believe you just walked away, like that. Left him alone, and wanting. In your big, empty house.

He probably should have volunteered to tag along, instead of just chasing you off.

Fuck.

Glancing around, Coco tries to find something to do. Something to clean, at the very least. But, that’s the trouble with having moved in with you, after the wedding, he supposes. Ain’t nothing to tidy up. Not that the three of you don’t have possessions. They’re all just in their proper places. Probably Leticia’s doing, in the end. He’d had a long talk with her, before the move, that she absolutely has to keep her shit where it belongs. Your house isn’t like their house. There aren’t burn marks in the carpet, or gouges in the coffee table. Dishes go in the damned dishwasher, not left to pile up on the counter, or in the sink. Beds get made. Laundry gets folded, and put away. No more wrinkled heaps in the clothes basket. So far, the kid’s been doing good. Real good.

Coco, though? He’s never felt so unnerved in his life.

It was different when he just visited. Spent a night or two, here or there. He’d almost felt at home, then, stupid as it sounds. At home, with the knowledge he wasn’t staying. But, now? Now, the reality has settled in, and he feels so-so… out of place. There’s so much he’s struggling to adjust to.

You have a purified water system installed under the sink, where Coco is used to buying bottled water.

You have a dining room, where Coco and Letty are used to eating on the couch.

You have an extended cable package, whatever the fuck that is.

You kind of have it all, here, certainly by comparison to what Coco is used to. The best of everything. Which really makes him wonder – not for the first time – what the hell you’re doing with a dirt-poor biker for a husband? You’ve had this conversation, on multiple occasions, and you’ve explained yourself, every time. But, this time… This time, you’re not around to give that speech. You’re not around to hold him, and kiss his face, and reassure him in a way that only you can. No, you’re at the grocery store, shopping for Coco, and his kid, which was apparently a better offer than staying home with him.

Oh, nope. Nope, he’s doing it, again. He can feel it. You love him, he reminds himself. You’ve got his ring on your finger, his last name, and – God-willing – his baby in your belly. By choice. All by choice.

Coco takes a deep breath, in. Lets it back out, slowly. Tries not to get sick, for all the nerves coming up to greet him. He wraps one arm around his own torso, free hand moving up to cover his mouth.

Fuck, he hopes you get back, soon.

*

You let out a deep sigh, as you park your car in the garage. Oh, it is so good to be home, at long-last. Talk about Old Home Week. You’d run into everyone, and his brother, at the grocery store. Shopping had taken nearly twice as long as you’d meant for it to, and you just know Coco must be losing his mind, by now. You hate to think about it, in such terms, but, sometimes… Well, sometimes, Coco reminds you of a new puppy. You can’t really leave him alone, without some kind of separation anxiety creeping up on him.

Ah, well. At least he isn’t ripping down the drapes, and shredding the couch cushions.

You blink. Well. That you know of.

Shaking your head, you climb out of the car, mentally preparing to unload armloads of bags. Maybe, if you really, really try, today will be the day you can finally get all twenty bags in, in one trip.

Right. And, shortly thereafter, you can have both forearms set, and casted. Be a real turn-on, in the bedroom.

You’ve managed to grab half a dozen bags, when the door to the mud room opens. “Hey, don’t grab too many!” Letty warns, as she comes hopping down the steps. “Let us help!”

Glancing up, you smile. For having had such a rough start, Letty can be a sweet girl. You know she gets that from her father. “Well, thank you,” you reply, resting a few, fabric handles onto her outstretched hands.

Letty grins, lowering her hands to her sides, before leaning in. “Did you talk him into it?” she whispers, conspiratorially.

You snicker, and whisper back, “He isn’t getting a choice. He’s outnumbered.”

“Yes!” Her hiss of victory is hardly subtle, catching Coco’s attention as he pokes his head out the door.

“You two plottin’ against me, again?”

“Yes,” you and Letty reply, in unison, leading you to erupt into a fit of giggles.

Coco is all grins. “’Course, you are.” He strides closer, he and Letty dancing around one another as she moves into the house. You lean into the car, and retrieve a few more bags. If Coco’s out here, he might as well assist. He’s peering into the car, once you stand back up, and lets out a low whistle. “Damn, (y/n)! You buy out the whole store, or what?”

“Hardly,” you reply, dryly. You hold up your hands, offering Coco the bags. “Here you go.”

“Oh, don’t mind if I do.” Thankfully, your hold on the bags is solid. Instead of grabbing the groceries, Coco’s hands are suddenly groping all over you. One hand is settled firmly at your ass, the other sliding into your hair, at the back of your head. He wastes no time diving in for a slow, deep kiss, and, damn, does his timing suck. He could have at least let you put the bags down, first. The contact makes you tingle, and has you regretting your decision not to stay home. Coco pulls back, after a few seconds, and hums. “Mm. Best delivery ever.”

You can’t help the small snort of amused laughter that leaves your throat. “Good try, Coco,” you praise, easing back far enough to offer him the bags, again. The look of disappointment on his face is just pitiful. “I’m not banging you in the garage.”

He has the grace to mock gasp. “I’d never!” It’s a crock, and you both know it. He looks too amused to be repentant, and you look too aware to be angry. You just raise your hands, slightly, in a third offer. Coco sighs. “All right. All right.” He takes the bags from your hands.

“Thank you.” You grab another load for yourself, rounding the open car door to follow Coco’s lead, into the house. One more trip for each of you, and you should have it covered. So much for only buying fifteen items.

Coco might be right about buying out the store.

*

Watching from the dining room, Coco has a good view of you and Letty unpacking the last of the groceries. Damn kid, she’d thrown him out, about ten minutes prior.

“Less groping, more helping, Coco,” Letty had warned him, after he’d tried to pin you against the sink.

It had been his last warning. Now, he’s been banished. Not the worst thing in the world, not really. Over the last few weeks, he’s really learned that there are some tasks he’s not so fond of. Pruning roses… Yeah, he’s pretty sure you’ll never let him do that, again. And, hey, nobody told him what to fill the bird feeder with. Unpacking groceries goes on that list, somewhere between line-drying laundry, and a streak-free mirror. He’s not sure why. Goodness knows, it makes him feel like a kid at Christmas, most times. Since being with you, though…

Since being with you, he feels like he’s taking advantage of something.

Yes, groceries are a strange place to let that feeling land, but he can’t help it. Coco’s been responsible for feeding himself since before he cares to remember. The only time anyone provided his meals was during deployment, and half that shit barely passed for edible. You, though… You keep the house stocked with more food than he’s seen anywhere, outside of a corner market. Letty always has options to take to school, and there’s a nutritious dinner on the table, almost every night. (Some nights, he actually does win the battle for delivery). If Coco goes on a run, you send him along with snacks for the road. And, yeah, he kinda’ likes that. He also likes the energy bars you picked out for him, last week. Something with cherries, and dark chocolate. He wonders, for a second, if you picked up any more. Come in handy during his mid-week trip outta’ town.

Coco blinks. Then, he does it again, just for good measure. That’s it. That’s what’s so fucking weird about this whole thing.

It’s you.

Okay, no, it’s not you, you. But, it’s you. It’s you, taking care of him. It’s you, seeing to his needs. Letty’s needs. It’s you, being his wife, his partner. It’s you, slotting into the place of role-model for his teenaged daughter. Welcoming them into your home. Not treating it like it’s your home. It’s you, being so fucking perfect for him, it’s taken his mind all this time to catch up with reality.

Coco doesn’t get perfect. Perfect doesn’t want him.

Except, now, it does.

Before he knows what he’s doing, Coco strides into the kitchen. He doesn’t wait for you to put the box of pasta in the cupboard. He just takes it from your hand, ignoring your confused look, as he tosses it onto the counter.

“Coco!” Letty admonishes, but it’s no use. He’s already lifting you off the floor, arms around your perfect backside. The kid gives a long-suffering sigh, he hears it, but pays it no mind.

Nothing – nothing – is going to keep him from holding you in his arms.

Your own arms go around Coco’s neck, and you smile down at him, surprise still lingering in your eyes. “Uhm… Hi, there.”

Coco grins. “Hey, muñeca.” Leaning up, he pecks you on the lips.

“Can I help you with something?” you ask, to which Coco shakes his head. Closes his eyes, as your fingers play in his hair.

“Nah. Got all I need.”

*

Pulling a package of mixed vegetables from the half-unpacked shopping bag, Letty rolls her eyes. You two… God, you’re gross. Coco always has his hands on you, no matter what you’re trying to do. It’s a wonder you don’t carry a damned fly swatter around. Actually, it’s a wonder you ever accomplish anything. He’s always smooching, and smiling, and snuggling at you. It’s disgusting. It’s pathetic.

It’s so damned cute, it’s sickening.

Really, Letty’s enjoying seeing Coco so happy. Like, genuinely happy. Not the false pride he carries around with his kutte. He’s more relaxed, nowadays. He drinks less, and he spends more time at home, both of which mean he’s not hanging around with those skanks at the clubhouse. He eats more, he’s healthier… Nothing to complain about, there.

And, hey, she has no complaints about you, either. You’re pretty cool, all-around. A woman who takes care of herself, and her family, and doesn’t bitch about either one. You’re not using Coco for money, or status, none of the shit she’s always been worried her father would fall into. There aren’t arguments, every night, not even between herself and Coco, as of late. No hostilities, nothing to avoid the house over. Just good dinners, and movies, and a new fish tank in her room. (Okay, so, you’d earned some major points with that birthday gift. She hadn’t actually expected to get one, when she’d mentioned it). For the first time, she understands what a peaceful, happy family feels like. It feels nice. It feels like home.

Glancing back to where Coco now has you perched on the counter top, stealing the most syrupy-sweet smooches… Letty can’t help but smile. Home is A-okay by her.

*

The sound of the air conditioner humming in the bedroom usually lulls you right to sleep. Tonight, it’s just providing you with white noise, a low background track to your thoughts. You don’t mind, not really. It gives you a few minutes to reflect on the day that’s just ended. To plan your day, tomorrow. To weave your fingers through Coco’s hair, and listen to him breathe. That, alone, makes it worthwhile.

Coco has been asleep against your shoulder for nearly an hour, now. Your arms are wrapped around him, comfortably, his own around your waist. You’d urged him up to bed, after he’d fallen asleep on the couch, his head in your lap. He’d snoozed from the middle of the movie, to the end of the nightly news report. Letty had tsked, and complained that no one had any business, whatsoever, in falling asleep during Zombieland. (How he’d stayed asleep was still a wonder to you, both, for how hard you’d been laughing at Tallahassee). With your fingers in his hair, Coco had been blissfully unaware for a couple of hours.

Glancing down, you take in the sight of your husband’s sleeping face. He looks so damn peaceful, the kind you’d outright murder to preserve for him. Coco’s still struggling with sleep, and relaxation, even though you’d hoped it would ease up, once your nuptials had passed. Most of it, you know will never go away. Anxiety doesn’t have a magic wand, or some perfect little on/off switch. And, all things considered, today wasn’t a terrible day. You’d been able to leave the house, with minimal panic on Coco’s part. Granted, it had taken extra time to get the groceries put away, and dinner made, but… You understand, as much as you are able to, that Coco needs the reassurances. It doesn’t cost you anything to carve a few moments from the day, every here and there, to give him what he needs.

Okay, so it did cost you that first batch of pancakes, this morning. They’d burned on the stove, and set off the smoke alarms, when he’d insisted on a dance through the living room. But, Coco loved the song you’d been playing on your Spotify, so there was really no denying him.

Oh, and… Yeah, you’d missed that phone call from the bank, the week before. Your husband had slipped up next to you, on the porch swing, and snuggled you to within an inch of your life. An easy fix, and you still got the business loan, but…

And, sure, you’ve been late to work, on numerous occasions. Coco has a habit of sneaking into your morning shower. And, after that… Well, hell, you own the company. It’s not like you have to explain to the boss that you’re late to your shift, on account of baby-dancing. (Fucking forums).

Point is, you’re more than happy to take care of Coco’s emotional needs. It may take you an extra hour to pay your bills. Daily tidying may have become every-other-day-if-you’re-lucky tidying. And, your ass may have gone numb, tonight, while he slept on your thigh. During which time, you could have loaded the dishwasher. Taken out the trash. Any number of tasks that have been neglected, in the name of Coco. They can wait.

Leaning in, you press a tender kiss to your husband’s forehead, before settling back in, and closing your eyes. Yes, chores can wait. Work can wait. The whole world can hold it, with both hands. So long as you’re around, Coco’s well-being will never have to take the back seat.

*

P.S. If Coco denies it, he’s full of it. He fucking loved that cauliflower pizza. Fucking vegetarians, indeed.

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[enchantedsugden]

i don't care if we're stuck in the familiar

ao3 link

both his sister and stepmother are planning to leave the village and robert talks to aaron about his feelings.

or, my take on what happened just before they got to the bridge and what happened when aaron took his husband home.

___________

He hears the front door slam shut and frowns, he didn’t expect Robert back just yet. He knows his husband, he’s not going down without a fight. He hopes him and Victoria haven’t had another big argument, but he can’t think of any other reason that Robert is back this soon.

He continues unloading the dishwasher, almost waiting for the inevitable frustrated ramblings from his husband the minute he comes through the door of the actual house but it’s Liv who breaks the silence first.

“Rob?” it sounds concerned and Aaron turns around and sees the older man leaning against the staircase, his whole demeanour screaming that he is upset, that something has happened. Aaron takes in the droop of his shoulders, the way he has his eyes closed as if he’s preparing to tell them something terrible, as if he has just heard something terrible.

“Robert” Aaron says, slowly approaching him but his husband suddenly straightens up, opens his eyes that are filled with unshed tears and Aaron feels his heart shatter.

“Hey, what’s happened- did you fall out or-?”

“Can we go for a walk please?- I just need to get out” it’s said in that voice that Aaron has come to recognise pretty well over the last few weeks, it’s a shaky kind of voice, a voice that tells him that Robert can’t say much at a time without breaking down.

Yeah- of course if that’s what you want” Aaron stammers, looks at Liv who gives him an unsure smile.

“Liv, I am ok” Robert says, his voice sounding less fragile and Aaron sees the young girl smile at him. Aaron knows his husband isn’t ok though, feels his heart ache with love against the fact that Robert still wants to reassure Liv.

“C’mon then” he says gently, placing a hand against Robert’s back and guiding him to the door.

   It’s a nice day really, Aaron just wishes the both of them could enjoy it under happier circumstances. He glances sideways, sees his husband staring into the water absentmindedly. His heart feels heavy for the older man, can’t imagine how upset he would be if his mum and paddy had decided to just up sticks and leave the village. It feels different for Robert though he supposes, it had been Diane and Vic who had kept him in the village really, the family he wanted to stay for after being away for so long. If they hadn’t been here Robert might as well left it all behind during the times there had been problems between the both of them. He has grown up in this village and had lost so many family members already. He watches Robert’s face carefully and has to resist the urge to just wrap him up in his arms, protect him from the world.

He had done that earlier, practically had to because it was like his husband hadn’t been able to keep himself upright anymore, his body shaking with the need to cry. It was just near the cricket pavilion when Robert had told him that Diane was moving away with Vic, Aaron not managing to get anything out of the older man before that.

It was when Robert started listing off family members that had left the village, left him, that Aaron really realised that this ran so much deeper. Both of his remaining closest family members were leaving and he knew how much his husband struggled with the thought of being left, being alone, because it reminded him of his past. 

    “Mum, both my mums- dad, Andy and now Vic and Diane and even Seb is not here with us anymore I feel-“

 “Rob, Robert, let’s sit down yeah” he had led Robert closer to the cricket pavilion, so that they could settle on the steps. He had gently guided his husband’s face to the crook of his neck, just letting him cry it all out while Aaron rubbed at his back gently.

 “M’sorry- I really didn’t want to do that.” Robert had said after he had calmed down, looking up at Aaron.

 “What are you sorry for?”

“It’s a bit silly isn’t it? A grown man crying because his sister and stepmother are moving away, they are not even moving abroad- well that’s not the plan anyway.”

 “Robert no- don’t. It’s not silly and we both know it’s more than that isn’t it?. You just said yourself. It’s not silly- it’s not." He didn’t know what else to say, what he could do to make it better. All he knew was that this was really hard for his husband, not just because Vic and Diane were leaving but because they followed a long line of other family members of Robert’s and it was bound to bring up memories.

 He had watched his husband, felt a familiar worry creeping up on him. The older man had really been struggling over the past few weeks and even though he was letting Aaron in, he still wasn’t able to tell what Robert was thinking about every minute of every day. Whether he was beating himself up or taking responsibly for things totally out of his control. Aaron knew that he had to tread carefully around his husband, the whole situation just having gained another layer and he needed to keep an eye on Robert’s mental health.

 “Robert?” he had asked gently, hoping to encourage his husband to say something.

 “I feel guilty for feeling like this because it’s not about me is it? And I am also angry because that scumbag- it’s all him and now Vic feels she has to leave everything behind just like that?”

 “I know” Aaron shushed gently- “but it would be good for her, she’d feel safer. And you don’t have to feel guilty for anything Rob- whatever you’re feeling is valid alright? Of course it’s ok to be upset. Bottling up would be the worst thing you could do.” He had kissed Robert’s head, which elicited a small but real smile from his husband. He had rested their heads together, just letting the silence linger for a bit.

 "Can we go to the bridge? Our bridge” Robert had broken the silence, a slight blush appearing on his face and Aaron had laughed. “Our bridge huh? You sap.”

 “You’re denying it then?”

 “Definitely not.”

     It’s still quiet but Aaron is not too worried, yet. They’ve been standing like this just looking at the water for a while now, exchanging small smiles every so often. It’s what reassures Aaron, a sign that his husband isn’t totally isolated in his own world.

 “It just feels so final if they both go though.”

      They were curled up on the couch. Robert’s head on his chest, bodies pressed together. Liv sat in the chair across,  engrossed in the film she got to pick. He sighs, moves to kiss the top of Robert’s head, who lets out a noise of content. After their talk on the bridge Aaron had offered that they’d go home, watch a film like Liv had suggested earlier, order a takeaway and just have a night in. His husband had accepted and Aaron had been grateful, he didn’t much fancy Robert going off to Vic's again, trying to change her mind and upsetting himself more in the process. He was happy to take care of his husband now, letting him know that he would always have him and Liv, along with so many other people in the village that loved and cared for Robert.

He’s lost in thought when Liv suddenly jumps up and announces she is going upstairs. He realises the film has finished and Robert is starting to fidget next to him.

“Leaving already then?” he grins and Liv says something about wanting to listen to music, having spent enough time with the both of them for a bit.

Robert lifts his head up but only to let it rest against Aaron’s shoulder this time.

“You ok?” he whispers and feels Robert nodding.

“M’yeah- just thinking”

“Wanna share your thoughts?” He can practically feel Robert freezing slightly and then there’s a deep sigh but he waits him out patiently.

“It’s just- the same stuff really. It’s weird that they have been here for so long and I missed out on so much time with Vic, well the both of them really when I left you know?” Aaron nods, they don’t talk about Robert’s time away from the village much. “I feel guilty- I think, because I want them close to me, I like knowing that they are here when I need them or that I can be there for them. But I also know that this is what Vic needs- even though I am not happy about it. And I like the idea of Diane going with her but also not- because that’s both of them gone. But then I feel guilty because I am just being selfish?” Aaron watches him shrug, knows his husband isn’t quite finished yet. He places a hand in Robert’s hair, threading his fingers through the older man’s locks gently. “Diane didn’t even seem that sorry- she really thought I’d understood yesterday. She was just like 'oh yeah sorry Robert but I am leaving too.' As if she was telling me she forgot to get milk. And now I sound horrible and selfish again don’t I?” Robert finished bitterly.

Aaron hated the way Robert was beating himself up constantly nowadays. But he knew from experience that someone just telling you to stop doing it wasn’t enough. He kisses Robert’s head again, considers his words carefully before speaking.

“Robert-“ he says their heads pressed together closely “you have nothing to feel guilty about. Of course you are going to be upset when people so important to you are moving away. Things will change. Especially when you’ve already lost important people in the past.” He places another kiss to Robert’s hair, then one on his forehead. He prays he isn’t upsetting Robert even more with his words but he wants to let his husband know he understands, that he gets why he is so upset and most importantly, he needs to let him know it’s ok to feel whatever he is feeling.

“You’re not selfish- not at all. You know what? You’re one of the least selfish people I know.” Robert makes a noise which Aaron knows is one of disagreement. “Maybe in the past- yeah. But not anymore.” Aaron continues lightly, knows exactly what Robert is thinking. “You care for the people you love so much Robert- and I promise, they know that. Vic and Diane love you, how can they not eh?” Aaron smiles and he can hear his husband scoff slightly a grin appearing on his face. “You know the photo album Diane made for you? She did that because she knows family is important to you Rob- however complicated certain relationships have been, we all know you care so much.”

“Thank you Aaron.” Robert says sincerely, he raises his head and Aaron can see tears in his eyes but his expression isn’t a sad one.

“It will all still be hard I know that” Aaron continues, still has some stuff left he has to get off his chest.  “You aren’t alone alright? You never will be- because you can visit them, and call them anytime. But you also have me, me and Liv and little Seb who needs us for fun weekend plans." Aaron warms at the smile that spreads on Robert's face at the mention of their little boy.

"Plus you’re a Dingle now remember- they are all family Rob and they care so much. So if you ever want to go to them- you can."

“Aaron-“ Robert’s says thickly.

“No- let me say this.” Aaron shushes him. “Being alone, and being left scares you I know that. But I am always here for you and I’ll always be on your side even when you’re being an idiot. It’s not like it was in the past for you Rob- you’re so loved please don’t forget it. I love you so much.”

“I really didn’t want to cry again” Robert says looking up at him, a few tears rolling down his face and Aaron laughs softly “well I don’t mind- c’mere you” he pulls Robert towards him so they are able to have a proper hug.

Suddenly Robert pulls back and looks at him slightly worried. “You do know that I never meant to imply that you aren’t enough or anything when I-“

“Hey no- of course not. And you really didn't” Aaron interrupts, feels so safe in the knowledge that they are solid and have been for a long time now. He is enough for Robert just like Robert is enough for him. “I know how you meant it Rob- I always know” he reassures gently.

   It’s when he comes out of the bathroom and watches Robert already curled up in bed that he comes up with an idea to reassure his husband completely. Tomorrow he will give his mum a ring, bring her up to date and ask her to have a chat with Robert. He will repeat all the things he said today a hundred times over if Robert needs it but he also feels that speaking to someone else he trusts about all of this could really help the older man. He likes Diane, but he knows how she can be sometimes, the way she doesn’t always seem to understand Robert and the last thing his husband needs is Diane dismissing his feelings about all of this. And gosh his mum loves Robert so much, sees it in the way she looks at the both of them when they are in the pub, sees it in the way she frowns in concern when Aaron tells her that Robert isn’t doing too well. He is sure that his words have hit home with Robert, that he is allowing himself to believe them. Robert’s relaxed shoulders and slack face, are evidence of that. A chat with his mum could get him there all the way though and it will show him that his family really is all around him.

 He curls up behind his husband who’s half asleep already. He pulls him to his chest gently, his hand finding the older man’s and squeezing it.

“Love you.” Robert says sleepily and Aaron feels happy and content against the fact that his husband can go to bed feeling reassured and loved.

He kisses Robert’s neck “Love you more.”

[lyatttrash]

Sick Days

A little season 1 lyatt one shot for you all! I wrote this a while ago but never posted it. Lucy is sick and Wyatt takes care of her.

Available of ao3 and ff

“Wyatt stop I fine-d” Lucy assured as she ungraciously stumbled down the metal stairs of the lifeboat. She blamed her clumsiness on the dizziness from reentry, it certainly wasn’t the lightheadedness she’s felt all day. Or perhaps it was dehydration from being in the 1982 August sun all day in the middle of Texas. That had to be it, because Lucy Preston does not get sick. Whatever her reason was for her tumble Wyatt was at her elbow in an instant. He managed to catch her right before she face-planted. His hands caught her around her waist and she tried to ignore the way her skin tingled under his fingertips. She tried to swat his hand away as he brought it up to her forehead. She automatically leaned into his touch and sighed.

“Woah Lucy,” he steadied, “you’re burning up, and by the way when you add a ‘d’ at the end of fine you’re not ‘fine-d’.” Lucy smiled but rolled her eyes at his incessant hovering. She wasn’t sick, it was just allergies or stress, all the wanted to do was just go home and take a nap. Maybe pop open a bottle of wine and put on some trashy television that she loves so much but would never admit. She wobbled a bit as she made her way towards the costume bay, desperate to change out of her god awful 80’s spandex and neon and into her comfortable t-shirt and jeans. She got halfway there when Wyatt appeared in front of her and redirected her, she hadn’t even heard him walk up behind her.

“Hey what-” Lucy protested.

“Nope you can change later, I’m having the doctor check you out.” Wyatt ordered.

“Wyatt I told you I’m fi- I’m okay” Lucy was careful not to use the word fine because her stuffy nose makes her sound anything but.

“Still can’t hurt to get a second opinion ma’am” he smirked and all annoyance Lucy had for the soldier quickly melted away. Damn his smile.

“Lead the way” she conceded. Lucy couldn’t stop the butterflies that erupted in her stomach when Wyatt’s palm landed on the small of her back, gently guiding her towards the medical bay. It was a simple gesture but it made Lucy feel secure.

---

“It’s probably nothing more than the flu” the Doctor informed about three minutes after seeing Lucy and doing basic tests. Wyatt breathed a sigh of relief, it wasn’t anything serious, she didn’t pick up some ancient germs during their trip to the 18thcentury the other day.

“I’m putting you on three day’s rest…no missions” he added.

“Three days!” Lucy squeaked and Wyatt smirked at how wide her eyes got. “I’m okay, can’t I just chug some Dayquil and just call it good?” Wyatt admired her, even when she was sick with the flu she still had to be there protecting history.

“No ma’am, what if Flynn jumps to the 1700’s again, your immune system is compromised who knows what you would catch there.” The doctor scolded, Wyatt clenched his jaw at the doctor’s words, no way would he let Lucy put her life at risk for Garcia Flynn.

“Don’t ma’am me.” She muttered under her breath and Wyatt had to suppress a laugh. He looked over at Lucy and gave her a small wink. His heart beat a little faster at how her faced turned a light shade of pink as she bit her lip and ducked her head. Wyatt stood silently as the doctor went over a few more things with Lucy.

“Come on ma’am,” he teased earning a playful eye roll from the historian, “I’ll take you home, I’ll make you some tea, we can order some soup, maybe watch a movie. Does that sound good?” Lucy smiled as Wyatt helped her off the exam table. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and grinned as she instinctually leaned her head against his shoulder, he had to fight the urge to place a kiss against her temple.

“I’d listen to your husband, some rest and fluids would do you good, that and some cold medicine but you can pick some up at the drug store.”

“Oh uh, we’re not… he’s not…” Lucy stumbled and turned bright red, curling against his chest. Wyatt chuckled at how cute she looked when she was flustered.

“We’re not married.” He finished for her, she gave him a grateful smile. They get called husband and wife on the daily but it never fails to knock Lucy off her game.

“My apologies” he said as he left the room.

“So professor how does soup and a movie sound?” Wyatt questioned as they made their way out of the room, his arm still around her shoulder.

“Only if it’s soup from that deli and can we watch the new Bond movie!” she asked excitedly. Wyatt inwardly grimaced, he really had no intention of ever seeing that movie. Sure it was in his collection when he got home but there was no way he would ever watch it. Watching Bond flirt and sleep with Lucy was too much. Just catching the live version was more than enough. Although only Lucy, Rufus and him know that Lucy actually turned down the spy, that made him feel better. And the way her eyes lit up, he was in no position to deny her anything. He was too far gone for Lucy Preston.  

Wyatt started directing her towards his car when she stopped and turned to him.

“Uh can I maybe change first?” she giggled. Wyatt looked down at his own ensemble of parachute pants and laughed.

“That’s probably a good idea.” He agreed. They walked in a comfortable silence towards the costume deck when out of nowhere Lucy erupted into a fit of coughs.

“Yeah sure you’re fine.” He joked.

“Shut up.” She mumbled

“Make me.” He whispered low in her ear. Lucy felt a shiver go down her spine and she had to duck her head to hide her blush.

---

Lucy unlocked the door to her apartment and gestured Wyatt inside. Wyatt looked around and everything just screamed Lucy, from the stack of books on the shelf to the half dead plants by the window to the colorful pillows lining the couch. It looked so inviting and homey, nothing compared to his bare minimum apartment.

“Why don’t you go take a shower? It might make you feel a little better and I’ll make some tea.” He suggested. Lucy nodded and made her way down the hallway to her bedroom. Wyatt walked tentatively to her kitchen, opening just about all of the cabinets looking for tea and mugs.

“Mugs are in the dishwasher and tea is next to the stove.” Lucy called out in a hoarse voice. Wyatt smiled at how well she knew him.

“I don’t hear much showering going on.” He called back, a playful edge to his words.

“I’m going, I’m going.” She grumbled. Wyatt chuckled and shook his head as he put some water on the stove.

Lucy padded back into the kitchen 15 minutes later. Wet hair, bare face, wearing sweatpants and an oversized hoodie, but to Wyatt she’s never looked more beautiful. His heart ached at how he wished he got to see her like this after every mission. That they would come home together, let their guards down and just enjoy each other’s company. The fact that she was still engaged to what’s his face made Wyatt’s blood boil.

“You were right,” she said as she made her way towards the island, taking a seat at one of the stools, “the steam definitely made me feel better.” She smiled appreciatively as Wyatt placed a warm cup of tea in her hands.

“I ordered the soup as soon as you got into the shower, should be here in ten minutes.” He said leaning against the counter, taking a sip from his own mug. “Before we eat you should probably take this.” He placed two pills on the counter next to her along with a bottle of water. She opened the water and popped the pills in her mouth, wincing as they went down. She got up to go put the water back in the fridge when Wyatt’s body blocked her.

“Wyatt what are you doing?”

“You need to drink all the water… gotta stay hydrated baby doll.” He winked and Lucy was glad she could blame at least part of her flushed cheeks on her fever. A knock on the door called Wyatt’s attention. He accepted the soup from the delivery boy and made his way back to kitchen. He searched around again for bowls and Lucy wordlessly got up to grab them for him. She walked up behind him and placed a hand on his back as she reached up to grab two bowls. Wyatt’s breath caught at the domesticity of the action. He could smell her perfume and body wash all around him and it took everything he had not to turn around and kiss her against the counter top.

“Thanks” he breathed as her took the bowls from her hands, she smiled in response and moved to sit back at the island. He poured the soup and made his way to the living room, Lucy followed as he placed the two bowls on the coffee table, Weapon of Choice already queued up on the screen. As she sat down Wyatt wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, she snuggled into it and smiled. She had never seen this side of Wyatt before, the caring, domestic side. During missions, he’s always in solider mode. Lucy half believed this was all an elaborate fever dream that she would wake up from, alone on the couch. Wyatt flopped down next to her, throwing an arm across the back of the couch. She scooted closer so she could rest her head on his arm, but leaving enough space so he didn’t feel uncomfortable. Wyatt smiled softly at her actions.

As the end credits played Wyatt looked over at Lucy. In her sleep, she managed to make her way across the couch and half onto his lap, using his chest as a pillow. He let out a sigh of content and placed a soft kiss to the top of her head and gently tried to untangle himself from her. He quietly cleared their dishes and brought them to the kitchen. As best he could, he unloaded and put away everything in her dishwasher before adding the new dishes. Wyatt gently scooped Lucy up, careful not to wake her, and carried her towards what he assumes is her room. Pulling back the covers her softly laid her down before running back to the kitchen to grab her some more water and medicine. Returning he put the objects on the nightstand before pulling the covers up over her shoulders. He walked the soft rise and fall of her chest as he brushed a stray hair out of her face. Placing a long, lingering kiss to her forehead he heard her sigh in her sleep and pulled the blanket up towards her face.

He started to stand when she mumbled a sleepy, ‘I love you Wyatt.” Wyatt’s breath caught in his throat and he couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across his face. He walked silently across her room, he was a few feet from the door when he turned around and whispered,

“I love you too Luce.” Deciding she would probably not remember in the morning he vowed to keep their little moment between them.

As the door clicked closed Lucy brought a hand up to her lips and smiled.

[homular]

Create the Kitchen Design of Your Dreams

We've had so many requests for a kitchen tour and that's exactly what we're gonna do today. We're gonna go through everything and this really is our dream kitchen. Enjoy.  When we designed our house we really wanted an open concept. So it goes from the kitchen to the dining room and on into the living room. Everything just flows together which is really great for entertaining and lighting was really important to us because our first house was really dark so we wanted to have huge windows with great daylight and tons of lights in the kitchen. You can never have too many light bulbs in the kitchen 'cause a bright space is a happy place . Alright, let's take a look at our island. And as you can see it is huge . I think it's like 10 feet by five feet. Massive and it takes up a huge footprint in the house so we wanted to make sure that it was super useful. We made good use of every bit of this island.

So on this back side where I would normally have bar stool and let me know if you have some recommendations 'cause it is so hard to find bar stools. So we've got cabinets on this side all along this side starting from here and we've got, we keep our camera gear and things like that in here. Once I get bar stools I'll probably have some art supplies for this kids in here. So cabinets all along this side and then we have camera gear in here along with some of our photography surfaces and all kinds of stuff.

And then another cabinet here where we keep tripods and such. And then everything is soft close which is amazing. It makes for a quiet kitchen. I love that. let's get to the fun part of the island. When we organized the kitchen we thought about how we would be using it. So, we made sure to put in drawers everywhere we could so that you don't have to open cabinets and then dive into your cabinets to find something. Drawers are so much more useful. So, down here at the bottom, we have our casserole dishes and bake ware. Things we don't use quite as often. Then in the next drawer we have, some more bake ware. We've got our salad spinner, salad bowls, food chopper, just minor tools. And then in the top drawer here we have our tools that are useful but we don't use quite as often. So mostly bake ware type things. This is where we keep things like our Thermapen. This is really handy for meats. And then our jar opener, safety gloves.

 You can see those have gotten a lot of good use, and this little doodad that the kids love, so they're always look-in' for that one. Rolling pins and then just general bake ware type things. And I do love this rolling pin though. I can't tell you but, it's my favorite. And this top drawer has my most used tools. So these go to favorites that get used over and over and it's really nice to have these when we're filming or if I need to have something to get to the stove. These are my all time favorites. I've got tons of measuring cups, measuring spoons, and these ones are the best. They're magnetic so they stay together really well. And then we have our fruit scoops. We use this for mango, this one for avocado or kiwi. More fruit scoops and our lemon squeezer. This one's our favorite brand so far. Homular was two different ones and this one is still goin' strong so, that is good. And then we've got our cookie scoops and ice cream scoop. I love these trigger release ones. We use them for everything. And then all of our spatulas and tongs, ladles, more spatulas, the cheese grater gets a lotta use. And of course, a digital kitchen scale. And I'll leave links to all of these things in the notes. And then the next drawer down, we have pots, pans, skillets, sauce pans . Lots of them. And then also in the following drawers more pots and pans and skillets because you can never have too many.

And my very favorite part of the island because I work right here, I do all of my prep here, we film here, I love having this prep sink. It is amazingly useful. I can drain my pasta coming off the stove, I can fill up anything . And then having this water filter on the sink is awesome because it's so much more handy to fill up a coffee pot right here then from a refrigerator. And it's filtered water. The kids love it too. And of course it has the disposal button. So I can just sweep off my mess and dispose of it . Okay, and there is a garbage can right here. So if you've ever wondered where I just sweep my garbage it's not going on the floor. It's going into the garbage can. Here it is. Garbage and recycling. So handy. And then we also have a paper towel dispenser right here. Right where I'm working. It's awesome. And then under the sink we've got stuff, you know. Sink stuff. Nothing terribly exciting. Little step stool for my little one who loves to help me in the kitchen. Hopefully we'll never have to use it. And then up on top we've got our medicine cabinet over here and that's the one that didn't get tidied up. So we're not opening it . And then over here we have our big ol' honkin' bottles of spices because with these you really want the big ol' honkin' bottles . Very well used. Okay, and then we're still moving in. There's not, there's a lot of cabinets and we're not used to this many cabinets so it's gonna take us awhile to fill them up. Okay and then over here, I love this drawer right next to the stove. This is, oh I love having my spices in a drawer and these racks. They are so handy. It's nice to see all of your spices. Easy to find. Makes cooking so much nicer. As you can tell, I'm a spice hoarder.

Here we have bake ware. Cupcake, bake pans, pie pans. All that jazz. And then, whoa. That's empty . Work in progress and then we have cabinets built in on both sides of the stove which we use for cutting boards, drying racks, hot pads. All that good stuff. We've got our huge cutting boards in this one and plastic wrap, foil, things that are used all the time. And now  the moment we've been waiting for. I wanna talk to you guys about my range. It is a beast. It is a fabulous beast .  I love it. Is a Thermador and it's a 48 inch. Huge. It has six burners and a griddle which I've never had a griddle before but it's just so good. It's like a giant skillet that fits all of the things. And then each burner is super strong and I love that they're spaced out so you can fit, you can fit six huge pots on this stove and they're not crowding each other. That is the best and then this little panel light is so cool. It's just, I turn it on just so I can look at it and enjoy it . Okay, I'm gonna try to calm down. And this gigantor oven down here fits any size baking sheet and multiple baking sheets next to each other. And I also love that the racks come out like this so that you can pull out the rack and then lift up your casserole dish so you're not diving into the hot oven for it.  and then it also has this little oven here on the side for smaller things like chicken nuggets. 'Cause I'm a mom that makes chicken nuggets . I know you're judging me, it's fine. I don't care and then the hood above the range is just a dream. It sucks up everything. Like sometimes I feel like it's gonna suck me in there because it's so strong and we actually had to create a vent that pulls air from the outside because the suction is just so strong. Like, I'm not even kidding. It is fabulous and it's not loud either.

That's full strength and it's like, you can feel it. It's good. It has great lighting. I just love this thing. Okay and then also this is something that I have always dreamed of having 'cause it looks cool and it's actually really useful. So this is a pot filler. So when you've to a big heavy pot, like these cast iron ones that I love so much, you can just fill them right on the stove.  I get excited about these things. moving on. To the left of the stove we have some more really useful things. We've got the salt, the pepper, oils, vinegars, vanilla extract.

Things that we use all the time. And then over here we keep our Tupperware, measuring cups and our breakfast bar. So this is our homemade granola and I have a recipe for it on my blog. It is so good and we always stock it at home because we love yogurt parfaits in the morning. One of our favorite breakfasts. Kind of a hodgepodge but, we know where stuff it . And then down here is the practical life stuff. We have our silverware. Easy to grab, easy to reach for the kids. And then we keep all of our dishes in here because the kids can easily put it in here. Our son unloads the dishwasher for us and these plates, I mean they are inexpensive. The Corelle ones but I just love them. They are so handy. They're lightweight. They don't seem to break and I don't know why I'm obsessed with them . And then down here we have all of our mixin' bowls. Our stainless steel ones and then this set because each one is a bowl and a colander so you can strain things or use it as a mixing bowl and we'll have these in our shop too. Super handy and then of course, our collection of glass bowls.

And tucked back in here across from the pantry we have an extension of the kitchen called the butlers pantry. I don't know why. We don't have a butler . But this is where I keep all of my photography props in the cabinets above and below and where we keep all of our small appliances. So tons of outlets on this wall. Also on this wall we have a second oven and this is so handy during the holidays or if you're a food blogger and you do a lot of test baking. So, very useful. And we have a built in microwave right on top of that. We don't use this as often but it has it's place. And then cabinets up here, just random house stuff and we keep our more small appliances down here.

We've got the instant pot, slow cooker, hand mixer and such. Then over here we have our baking sheets conveniently located next to the oven and then we also have some silicone liners for those baking sheets. And now we move on to the sink. My second favorite thing about this kitchen. We went with a farmhouse sink because it was dreamy  and I love these racks inside because they protect the sink and if you're drying something like a big pot it's not sitting on the bottom. They're really convenient. Highly recommend. And then we have the  motion sensor faucet which is, I have a love, hate relationship because like, sometimes I reach over and I'm like That happens a lot. Shoot  anyways we designed this with function in mind. So this is super functional. We have another set of garbage cans right over here. Garbage and recycling bin which is so handy and functional.  so, imagine this. I've got my dirty dish, I scrape it off in here, I rinse it or wash it in the sink and then I put it in the dishwasher which is currently packed with dirty dishes. We're not gonna open that. And then we have our glasses in this cabinet.

[mercedesbarnes]

Much Ado About Takeout

Pairing: Sam x Reader

Summary: Neighbour!AU where you ask Sam for help with your “party” refreshments.

Words: 2,567

Warnings: fluff, mentions of yummy food, Sam Wilson (just look at the gif.  if Sam ever looked at me like that, I don’t know about you but I’d melt on the spot)

A/N: this is my submission for Tay‘s AU Writing Challenge! Thank you Tay for organizing and letting me participate. It’s my first time in a challenge and first time writing Sam, so feedback is appreciated.  Off we go!  I hope you enjoy!

italics are Reader’s memories/thoughts.

(gif found on google images)

Your stomach is audibly groaning when you hastily unlock the door to your apartment. Kicking your shoes off at random, you pick up the television remote and flick to the channel guide, searching for the program title you need: Brooklyn Nine-Nine.  

“Yes, yes I know you’re hungry, we’ll eat soon!” You tell your stomach when it rumbles a fearsome, but empty rumble.

As head chef, you’ve been working nonstop shifts at the restaurant lately.  Last week you had returned from a conference in Europe and since then, you and your team have been furiously practicing the new tips you’d brought back; consequently, you’ve spent most nights eating with the staff once all the customers leave. 

Before you could dine today, though, your co-worker had offhandedly mentioned that the season premiere of the show had aired, and the only repeat would be later tonight, meaning in forty-five minutes from now.  You had rushed home to record it, not trusting Netflix to have the episode up soon if you missed it tonight. After cancelling Sense8 and The Get Down, you and Netflix aren’t on great terms and in protest you’ve chosen its rival, trusty cable, as a replacement.

Satisfied the episode was set to record, you hop over to your kitchen to see what delicious meal you’re going to devour, then frown. Your fridge has nothing but the basics: butter, carrots, water bottles, and a lone egg. Hardly a meal. Surely your freezer has a frozen something….

“Really, Past Y/N? Nothing?”

You shut it with a sigh. Time for Plan B. Your apartment is at the end of the hall; you knock on the door to your left.  No answer--Sam must be out. You head back inside, and picking up your pile of takeout menus, you mentally thank him for insisting you keep them whenever he came over for a marathon.

“You never know when you’ll need one,” he always said.

“I’m a Cordon Bleu educated chef, Sam, I don’t think I’ll forget to cook for myself,” you always replied.

“Call me the day you do, and please order spring rolls.”

Oh, the irony.

Your mouth salivating at the glossy photos on the menus, you dial up the local pizza joint and order two of their largest size, asking for heaps of toppings. Once you hang up, you trace the fancy script of the Thai place not far from your apartment.  You do owe Sam spring rolls…and it never hurts to have leftovers.

To kill time, you text Sam.

Apartment. Come at once if convenient.

You unload the dishwasher and send another.

If inconvenient, come anyway. -S.H.

He’s the one who introduced you to Sherlock, your previous TV obsession. Since you moved in, you two have shared more marathons than you could count; missing Brooklyn Nine-Nine would be a breach of tradition.

On my way -Watson 

After vacuuming the carpet, dusting, and stripping your bedsheets, the doorbell finally rings. You literally run through your apartment in excitement, and the delivery guy, Peter, mirrors your wide smile when you throw the door open.

“I have two party sized pizzas for Y/N,” he squints at the label before his face lights up in excitement. “Oh cool, are you having a party?”

You open your mouth with every intention of responding, no, they’re all for you, thank you very much, until you think about it.

You’re still wearing the shirt with your restaurant, your well-known restaurant, logo.

While you had no issue chowing down on takeout with friends who knew of your profession, explaining the reason why you ordered two pizzas (and Thai food, but he didn’t need to know that) to a stranger would take a whole new level of extroversion and trust and a hassle you just don’t want to deal with. Luckily, your distraction comes in the form of your neighbour.

“Hey, Y/N, some of your mail got delivered to my box.“

Sam walks down the hall, shuffling the envelopes in his hands; he doesn’t notice Peter at first and only looks up, you know, because of the smell of pizza wafting through the hall.

In a split-second decision aided by the excited looks Peter had been giving you earlier, you stop Sam.

“Sam, where are you going?” 

You grab his arm before he can take out the keys to his place, making sure you won’t make him drop the bottle of red wine he’s holding. 

Oh god, I’m doing this. I can’t back down now.

“What do you mean, I live—”

“The party is at my apartment,” you prevent him from going any further, with a pointed look. There is no party, help me out, you urge your eyes to communicate.

Sam looks to both sides before furrowing his brow at you.  “Party?”

“Yes, of course, the surprise party for Riley, remember?” You’re laying it on thick to make him catch on to the act, and the way his expression changes from confusion to amused understanding tells you he does. “Don’t be silly, did you get the address wrong?”

“Hmm...don’t think so. This apartment,” he tilts his head towards his door, totally messing with you, “looks a lot sweeter than yours.”

Peter is thoroughly confused.  “Uhh, so where am I delivering to?”

“My place for our party,” you confirm, smiling sweetly up at Sam. He says his next words while meeting your gaze unblinkingly, and you feel heat creeping up your neck.

“Oh, it’s definitely a surprise party, Peter.”

You step on his foot then continue as if nothing happened. “How much does he owe you?”

“Nah, hostess, it’s your turn to pay,” Sam winces, leaning heavily on your shoulder. You’re going to pay him back of course, you’re just hoping this will show you need his help.

“They’re $30…” Peter trails off, too engrossed in your banter to question anything.

“I bought the decorations, Y/N—“

“It’s my place—“

“I’m the DJ—“

“I ordered you spring rolls,” you murmur.

Sam immediately pulls out his wallet and handed Peter the money plus a generous tip.

“I love you,” he whispers, rubbing up and down your back. The gesture is something he did regularly, however, when preceded by those three little words, it causes your heart to do a happy hop, skip and a jump.

Peter slides the two pizzas out of the warming sleeve and hands them to you, then you bounce into your apartment, the warmth of your dinner spreading to further warm your heart.

Another voice joins the mix and you hurry back.

“I have food for Y/N? Is there a Y/N here?” A dark-haired guy on the shorter side, an UberEATS bag slung over his shoulder, uses a hand to jokingly search for you.  Apparently you are having a party, and it’s happening in your hallway.

“Hi, Luis, right? I’m Y/N, thanks for delivering.”

“No problem, I love delivering, it’s sublime, bro, oh my god. Like, it’s great. I get to drive my car everywhere, and meet all these super fine chicas like you,” he says, punctuating each sentence with a wink in your direction. “Super fine.”

“Thanks,” you reply awkwardly, and pay him. You pass Sam what you owe him too. Even though you might daydream about the idea of a relationship, flirting isn’t your number one strength.

“So how about it, Y/N, would you want to go out?”

“We have to go set up, sorry man.” Sam reaches to grab the bags and you notice the brown paper crunch loudly.

“Aw, okay. I understand.”

“Sam, let’s gooo inside,” you swing your arms through your open door.

Sam doesn’t. You know the episode is about to start, and this justifies your choice to start pushing him.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret: Y/N doesn’t like store-bought banners. She prefers to make them herself. They’re amazing, I wish I could show you the one she made for tonight--”

“He’s a joker, don’t mind him,” you interrupt, struggling to push Sam in your apartment with your back, him still going on about you. Even though you’re using all your strength, Sam barely moves an inch.  Damn his balance.

“She leaves the balloons on the floor. I’ve told her to tape them on the walls and she said no, but what can you do? It’s wild. You get me, guys, I know you do.”

“Bro yeah, I tried to plan a surprise party for my buddy once and had to find somewhere to have it—okay, so first I was talking to my cousin Ernesto who knows how to barbeque, he’s good at ‘quing chicken, but he’s the best at doing steaks, and funny enough not very good with fish. And he doesn’t have, like, a physical barbeque. Weird how that works.”

You and Sam pause, you still leaning on him, and exchange a glance. Like you could read each other’s thoughts, he hugs an arm around your waist and you both start inching inside.

“Anyways he said he can, and he was going to invite his friends to come over too. One of them has a barbeque but then he realized it was broken and he didn’t even have gas, yo, so we wouldn’t able to have it at his place.  What a mess, right? I totally get you.”

Peter is about to walk away from the long explanation when he hears the TV blasting and he cranes his neck to get a better look.

“You guys are watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine? Aw man, I’m working all night but my aunt is supposed to be recording it, I should remind her—okay, I should get going so I can be home faster! Enjoy your pizza!”

You wave and Luis takes that as his cue to leave as well. Finally, you close the door, leaning against it for a beat before migrating to sit cross-legged in front of the TV. Sam tosses you a water bottle from your fridge.

“Man, Luis talks a lot.”

“I know, damn.”

“So is this going to be a regular thing? You hosting surprise parties for our friends?” he asks, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on the coat rack.  

You blush and open the pizza box to hide behind the lid. “It was a split-second decision, sorry about that. “

“No, no, I don’t mind, I just need to know so I can bring streamers and my turntables.” Sam shoots you a toothy grin, flopping beside you and rewinding the episode before choosing a piece of steaming hot pizza.

“I did it because I ordered a ton of food and the kid was judging me!”

“Sure, sure,” he says, nodding, disbelief dripping from the words. “It’s your birthday next week, are we planning a party for that too?”

“We could.”

The episode starts, and you both munch the food and laugh along at the precinct’s antics. Jake and Holt are just too entertaining when they banter, and Gina is a real character. It’s the perfect way to relax, and with Sam’s contagious laughter, your cheeks and abs are burning by the end of the show.

“Y/N, I don’t know why you were worried,” Sam leans back, patting his belly satisfied.  “I, for one, think it’s very impressive you can eat an entire pizza.”

“Me too.  But I can’t very well tell people I work at a fancy restaurant and I eat takeout on my off time. If I want pizza, I should at least be making it myself.”

“Ooo,” he scolds, “what would your boss say?”

“You forget, Wilson, I’m the head chef. I have no boss!”

“A woman in charge, I like it,” he says, and when you meet his eyes, there’s just enough softness in his expression to indicate he’s being completely sincere.

You aren’t sure what to respond; Sam is so smooth.  So, you focus on facts.

“You know my birthday.”

“I do.  I pay attention to my neighbours, you know.”

You frown, wondering if you should know everyone’s birthday. “Huh.  What’s Mrs. Hudson in 4D’s birthday?”

“No idea.”

“I thought you said you knew the birthdays of all your neighbours?”

“I never said all.” One corner of his mouth raises in a half smile, and you bite the inside of your cheek because that look is causing you to feel like you’re going to spontaneously combust in your living room. “Only the important ones.”

You hold his eye contact, your lips curving up, and, now that your stomach is full, you have a moment to think about these butterflies that are sharing the space.

The hole in your heart that throbs painfully whenever you have to work Fridays—aka date night—is a little harder to fill.  You consider yourself married to your work but you can’t pretend an onion ring is your idea of romantic. During your usual round of the restaurant to see if everyone’s visit is pleasant, you must swim through a sea of loving gazes and affectionate touches, and sometimes it’s overwhelming. So many couples.  None are half-you.

Could that change?

You’ve always been attracted to Sam. The first day you moved in he had helped you with all your boxes--such a gentlemen--and by the time your truck was empty, both of you were cracking up about the stories you each told on the trips up the stairs and you couldn’t believe your luck in getting such a great neighbour. That easy dynamic had jumped the line to kindred spirits…one question and it could jump another line.

Sam’s the one who breaks your staring contest, getting up and walking to your kitchen. He returns with two glasses and the bottle of red wine he had been carrying earlier.  He hands you a glass and fills it halfway.  

You thank him, and smile as you take a sip. Sam’s watching your reaction before he takes a drink of his own, and he’s rewarded with your wide eyes when you pull the glass back to study it like you can see the ingredients to show you what makes it so delicious.

“Oh my god!”

“Good? A friend recommended it.”

“It’s really good.”

His eyes crinkle as he smiles, and you’re watching him as he sets the bottle on the table. You’re about to ask if he wants to go to dinner—a proper, non-takeout dinner—when your nerves get the best of you. What if he rejects you? Will you be as close after? The thoughts make you bail, instead picking up the remote. You’re positive you’re blushing.

Sam probably noticed, I’m never nervous around him! Uggghh

“Y/N, I--”

“Mm,” you hum, thumbing through the channels for a movie.  He noticed…

“I—“ He hesitates, you feel him turn to you and he starts again. “You were staring?”

Caught, the nerves return, though you feel calmer when your eyes meet Sam’s warm ones.  Maybe he’ll say yes?  

I won’t know until I ask…c’mon Y/N.

You have to shift on the couch so one knee is bent and the other foot is still on the floor to face him. You’re not sure how to begin, so you just say it before you get nervous again.

“Doyouwanttogooutfordinner?” you say in one breath. You’re about to repeat it, wondering if you said it too fast, when Sam answers.

“Out for dinner?”

You nod. “With me.”

His face breaks out into an ear-reaching grin and the nervous butterflies immediately dissipate.

“I’d love to. Does Friday work?”

“Friday is perfect.”

Now you’re both grinning madly, and if anyone walked in, they’d wonder about you two. He takes your forearms and pulls you in for a tight hug. 

“Oh-um, what were you going to say before?”

“You beat me to the punch, Y/N. I was going to ask you the same thing.”

AHHHH

Yeah, you’re going to combust.  You lean into him and you both settle in to watch the movie, until you remember. 

“Does this mean we’re having another party next week?”

“Yup, just like this one. I’ll call Peter and Luis.”

Tags (open!):  @tatortot2701 @wndas-romanoff @fxckmebuck @langinator @seeyainanothalifebrotha @the-renaissance @secondstartotheright-imagines @canumoveyourseatup-no @winchesterandpie @miraisnotavailable 

[myfrickingstories]

It’s complicated (11)

And here is part 11. Just finished it :)

“Are you ready to tell everyone about our little wonder?” Chester and Grace were waiting outside in the sun for their family and friends to arrive. 

It was mostly just Chester’s family and Hannah and Mamrie of course. Grace fidgets with her fingers nervously.

“Our families will be so happy and proud of us so why am I so nervous to tell them?”

Chester takes Grace’s face in his hands and looks her in her eyes. “Because you always told them you didn’t want kids, because we’re not married yet and that’s a big deal for your family or because this was not planned at all and you still have a cribbing feeling this can go wrong.”

Tears start to form in Grace’s eyes. A single one rolls down her cheek. She wipes it away.

“I don’t want to cry about it. I want to be strong for our little boy or girl.” Grace takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. A smile forms around her mouth.

The doorbell rings making Chester and Grace look up. Chester kisses Grace’s forehead before he stands up to open the door.

Chester walks down the hallway to the door. He picks up his welcome drink before he opens the door.

“Happy birthday Chessy”

“Thanks Mamrie.” He offers Mamrie and Hannah a drink before they walk into the house.

“Hi girls come to the backyard.” Grace had joined them in the hallway.

Grace hugs Mamrie and Hannah closer and takes them to the backyard. Grace is holding her own welcomes drink a non-alcoholic one of course.

“Are you guys going to tell everyone today? Because you’re starting to show Gracie.”

Chester and Grace nod. Grace places a hand on her little bump.

“It’s our plan to tell them but my parents won’t be there today and it would be fun to tell them at the same time.”

“Your mom said she would video call you today. We could do it when she calls.”

“We’ll probably have to stall my parents by then but that’s fine.” Chester places his hand on top of Grace’s hand. “Do you really think they wouldn’t see it before we tell them?”

“Yes I do. Your parents never look at me that well. But I’ll hold in my belly just to be sure.” Grace giggles into her hands.

“Well we’ll have to see it later today when they’re here.”

Half an hour later and everbody is there. Chester’s mom and dad didn’t say anything about the changes in Grace yet but Grace is still nervous about it. Her parents wouldn’t video call for more than 2 hours.

Chester bends down to Grace‘s level and whispers in her ear. “Quit stressing. You’re making it worse for yourself.”

“Enjoy your guests. I’ll keep the drinks and food going to now.” Chester kisses Grace’s cheek before he sits down again.

Grace leaves for the kitchen and starts finishing the first snacks of the day.

Hannah joined her a couple minutes later. “Are you okay Gracie?”

Grace nods. “Yeah just nervous. But excited too.” Grace places the last things on the plates and hands one to Hannah. “Let’s go and feed some people.”

Hannah and Grace leave the kitchen together with the plates with snacks in their hands. They do their rounds before they sit down.

Chester takes Grace’s hand and rubs it slowly. She squeezes his hand softly. They sit like this for a while. Talking, laughing and listing with the small group before them.

When Grace stands up again Chester’s mom joins her. They walk inside together and into the kitchen.

“How are you doing Grace? You seem nervous about something.” Grace shakes her head and smiles.

“I’m just very excited to spreak to my parents later today.” Grace sighs. This is easier than she thought it would be so she continues. “I haven’t talked to them since Christmas.”

“That is exciting indeed. I thought that something was wrong. You’re extra close to Chester and I saw you guys whisper a couple times.”

“It is his birthday today.” Grace winks.

“Right. I didn’t want to know that but have fun together. And be careful please.”

Grace turns to the fridge and get the bottle of water out. She fills up her glass and goes back outside.

Grace had been talking with her mom and dad inside the house for a while when she decided it was time. So she picked up her laptop and went outside.

Chester got the hit and stood off his chair too. Now they stood next to each other looking at each of their guests.

“What’s happening?”

“Quiet mon. You’ll know very soon.” Chester turns to look at Grace. “The honor is all yours.”

Grace looked between her parents and Chester’s. “Well we… we’re going to parents. I’m pregnant.”

A lot of screams and wows come their way. And everybody seemed to be happy for them. Chester and Grace were still holding hands.

Grace’s mom was the first one the speak actual words. “Oh god Gracie. That’s amazing. I wish I was there to hug you.”

Chester’s mom stepped closer and hugged the couple closer. “How far along are you?”

“17,5 week today.” Grace places her hand on her stomach. “We can’t wait to meet him or her even though this wasn’t planned.”

“We’re very excited about this happening indeed.”

The party continued and Grace started to relax more the longer she talked with the people around her. She never knew she would be so happy about being a mom ever in her life.

“Are you going to find out the sex of your lovely surprise?” Mamrie asks the happy couple in front of her.

“We don’t know yet. I want to know so we can decorate the nursery but a surprise would be nice too.” Grace giggles.

“Conclusion we still don’t know. And we have a couple more weeks to figure it out. Before we can find it out.” Chester adds.

Hannah and Mamrie Sit down next to Grace making Chester stand up and sit somewhere else.

“If you do find out, you can have 2 parties. A gender reveal and a baby shower.”

“Girls I don’t need two parties. One is enough for me.” Grace hugs her two best friends a little closer.

“Don’t be a party pooper Gracie. You’re going to get two parties.” Hannah winks. She knows very well that Grace wants two parties but she’s hiding it for her family and Chester.

Chester put down the last things in the kitchen before he goes looking for Grace, who had gone inside a little while ago and had not shown her face ever since.

He finds her on the couch, softly snoring. She’s snuggling a pillow and holding her stomach. Chester bends down and kisses her cheek.

Grace stirs but doesn’t wake up. So Chester leaves her on the couch and goes back to the kitchen to clean up the last of the party stuff. He unloads and reloads the dishwasher with cups and bowls. He puts all the clean this in the cabinets.

[saeranlover]

Could you write some cute saeranmc thing where they're doing things like chores together? maybe with the mess being made all by saeyoung?

Of course! Here you go~ I posted it on AO3 too…

“Okay,Saeran. Let’s make a deal. I’ll take you out to the new ice cream parlour whereyou can have any flavours of ice cream that you want within reason –and without Saeyoung tagging along – if youhelp me out with tidying up the home… Your brother has left this place anabsolute mess in the few days that I’ve been gone and you’ve been locked up inyour room with candy…”

“And I canhave some money to spend too?”

“Is thatwhat you want?”

“Y- Yes…”

“Deal.” Youheld your hand out, a smile on your face. Saeran tilted his head in confusion,until you nodded towards his hand and your own. “When you make a deal, youshake hands on it.”

“O- Okay…”Saeran then took hold of your hand, and did as you said. “It’s a deal…”

The firstchore which you needed to do was to go about picking up everything which neededrecycling. Saeran had a similar grimace to you when he noticed the sheer amountof cans and bottles of Doctor Pepper which decorated the building. “We… have totouch them?” Was what he finally saidafter a moment of glancing around the currently deserted lounge. “Yuck.”

“I’ll… goand grab some cleaning gloves from the kitchen… And a lot of bags to get rid of them in.” You retreated to the kitchenbefore going on your little hunt, leaving Saeran behind with the mess. Hekicked at one of the cans, and was never expecting it to have any liquidremaining in it. Nor did he expect the ants to come crawling out of it.

He made his mind up there and then that itwas a hazard to his health to be living with Saeyoung.

A fewminutes later, you returned, and looked at what Saeran was doing. He had a lighterin his hand, and was… “Saeran, what are you doing?” You placed a hand on hiswrist, and he released his thumb from the lighter so that the flame went out.

“Fucking ants! And it smells really bad in here so I’m lighting some candles!” He then took thegloves off you, and went about continuing to light the candles which were nowon every flat, non-flammable surface in the room. After that was done, heglanced at you with a slightly disgusted look on his face. “Can we limit howmuch Saeyoung has these damn drinks?”

“I wasconsidering giving quite a bit of his supply to Yoosung, so don’t worry, I’malready on it…”

Over thenext thirty minutes, you and Saeran were capable of filling up two largegarbage bags with the cans and bottles, and made sure that before they were putin the bags, that any reminding contents were poured out. That left a room nowsmelling of an odd mix of things such as lavender, cinnamon, and vanilla, withmany old and new drink stains, bugs, and dirt covering the floor.

“Honestly,we need a new carpet in here… Maybe even laminate flooring so that we can justmop up the spills…”

“Yeah. Thenwe can send Saeyoung to do chores in here when we’ve just mopped and we canwatch him slip over.”

“That’s abit mean, Saeran!”

The youngertwin shrugged his shoulders, before smirking. “He gets what he deserves, I say.”

After therecycling of that mass of cans, the next chore was meant to be vacuuming theroom. Saeran was quick to snatch the vacuum cleaner out of your hands, andshook his head. “I don’t like the loud sounds it makes… Can this be one thingthat we get Saeyoung to do when we’re not here?” You noticed the worry in hiseyes, so you nodded.

“We’ll justsweep up a little bit then, and we’ll lock the door when we leave. I’ll makesure that Saeyoung will clean it up then.”

Now therewas a matter of gathering any stray dishes which needed to be cleaned. Saeyounghad (thankfully) been eating normal meals whenever he could since the Mint Eyeincident – for that matter, he’d quite liked taking the reins in the kitchen atleast once every day. His specialty was cornflakes with a splash of milk and a spoonfulof sugar.

Thedishwasher had been quickly loaded, and Saeran scowled at the gunk which youscraped off the plates and bowls. He did like the smell of the dishwasher soapthough, so he sniffed at it for a moment before putting it in and turning thedishwasher on.

There wasstill a huge pile of dishes though… So they were going to have to be washed byhand if this tidying was to be done today. You found an extra pair of gloves towear yourself, before running hot water into the sink and pouring in some ofthe soap in order to clean dishes in there. Saeran pulled one of his gloves offafter a while, and he scooped up a handful of bubbles.

“Would youlike the honour of cleaning some dishes by hand? You can play with the bubbleswhilst you do that. I’ll scrape off any of the old food so you just need to getthe dishes sparkling and clean with the sponge!” You then smiled as you gavethe sponge to him, and he rolled his eyes.

Surprisingly,Saeran was very good and thorough when it came to washing dishes, though hegrumbled when his hands started to turn wrinkly through the hot water. Youlaughed quietly at that, and before you knew it, the top of your head feltdamp, and bubbles began to slip into your line of vision.

“Saeran!”

“You shouldn’thave laughed at me then.”

You leftSaeran in fits of laughter in the kitchen as you ran off to the bathroom tograb hold of a towel in order to dry your hair off. You peered in the mirror asyou did that, and realised that he must have dumped a huge handful of bubbleson the top of your head. You then dried your hair off, and sighed as you slowlyreturned to the kitchen.

And…

The disheshad all been cleaned…

“Saeran, you…finished the job?”

“Yeah. Youwere quite slow with handing me the dishes without food on, so I went and didthis quickly whilst you dried your hair.” Saeran gestured to the pile ofcleaned dishes, before he put on a smile. “What’s next? I’m… quite liking doingthese chores, they’re… distracting from all of the other crap in my life. And Ilike that.”

Cleaningclothes was next, and that was quite a simple task. Put clothes in baskets. Putclothes in washing machine. Turn washing machine. Wait to do next load. Even Saeyoung could do it… when he wasbothered.

Except mostof the clothes which needed to be washed were all of Saeyoung’s disguises. He’dbeen dressing up whilst you weren’t here… fun.

“This is allSaeyoung’s crap… can we let him do this too?”

“Yeah. I amnot… Ugh! Disgusting!” You threw one of the dresses Saeyoung owned across theroom because of the empty packets of Honey Buddha Chips and the dirty boxersinside it. “Honestly! I’m going tohave to teach that child about hygiene!”

After awhile, all of the remaining chores steadily began to be designated to Saeyoung.You and Saeran were laughing as you wrote up a list of chores for him when satat the kitchen table. It was a chore in itself sorting out that list though!

The listconsisted of the following: vacuuming the lounge and making sure that the antsare gone; drying off and putting away the dishes which you and Saeran hadcleaned; unloading the dishwasher and reloading it if necessary; cleaning hismountain of clothes then maybe donating some of the outfits to charity; dustingthe building and making sure that he uses a few fans and air filters just tomake sure that the air doesn’t feel so still; cleaning up around his computerdesk; dealing with the… mysterious stains on the ceilings; and also gettingreplacement parts for the television and some of the kitchen appliances, as hehad been building a few new cat and dog robots with parts from them.

Saeranlaughed when he re-read the list, before he then pulled you over to Saeyoung’scomputers. “I’m going to have all of his devices put on lockdown until we getback. He’ll have no other choice but todo those chores!” Saeran then quickly logged in, and was messing about on thecomputers for a few minutes. He took the list off you at one point, and begantyping up the list. Eventually, he kicked the chair back and smiled at youmischievously. On all three of the monitors was a version of the list which hadbeen typed up, with no way of getting rid of it. “I’ve overridden all of hiskeyboard commands, and synched the lockdown up to our phones. Only when both ofus decide to turn off the lockdown will it deactivate.”

SeeingSaeran look so happy made you smile, so you gently wrapped your arms around Saeranand pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head. He tensed up slightly, butallowed the hug. For that matter, he eventually sighed and returned the hug.

“So… Are westill good with that deal?” he then whispered, looking straight at you withwide eyes. “I… really do want to try some ice cream… and have some of my ownmoney…”

“Yes, Saeran…You deserve it, for living in this mess which your brother calls a home.” Hethen rested his chin on your shoulder, and his fingers dug into your ribsslightly as he tightened the hug.

“Thank you…”He then laughed quietly. “I want to try… the mint chocolate chip ice cream… Andthe strawberry cheesecake and salted caramel. I do want to share some fudge icecream with you too… Or maybe we could get a big sundae with all four flavoursin it to share!” Saeran seemed highly excited as he began to pull you towardsthe door, before flashing a menacing grin at his brother, who was justreturning from doing something outside. “Enjoy the lockdown until you’ve doneyour chores, Saeyoung!”

“Lockdown?”You laughed at the puzzled look on Saeyoung’s face as you got dragged past him,before his eyes widened. “Wait, what do you mean by lockdown?!”

The doorslammed shut behind the two of you, and Saeran burst into hysterical laughter.It was cute… Saeran was just too cute.

[littleblackdomicile]

Can We Live With Smaller Appliances?

Continuing the reveal of our new kitchen, today we share our decision to use smaller, euro sized appliances.  For us, using smaller appliances has been more pro than con!

A Smaller, 24″ Wide Refrigerator and Freezer

Yes, that is correct.  Our new method of keeping things cold, or frosty, is a Liebherr Bio Fresh refrigerator and freezer.  The immediate pro for us, as mentioned in the previous post, is the added space in the traffic area and countertop.  I admit to being a little nervous about our departure from a full size 36″ wide model, while we waited for the trip across the sea for the unit to arrive.  After a week of stocking this little gem, we are converted.  The difference in food freshness is noticeable.  Having refrigerator items higher is a plus.  Now the cons, which we have easily overcome.  If you are a huge in the door condiment user, the limited door space could be a problem.  A pizza box is not going to fit either.  We have always used smaller, glass containers for food storage and found truffle ketchup in a jar at Trader Joe’s that looks charming on the shelf instead of in the door.  We reserve the door for beverages.  A gal has to always have that perfect bottle of wine for her best buds!

The ice maker in the freezer, in the reduced width unit, made me gasp.  Mr. LBD seldom uses ice.  I use it most waking hours and at first thought…oh, no I have made a huge mistake.  The first week, I bagged ice and kept it on hand in the 2nd top drawer.  We’ve never used the extra ice, even when we had 9 people over for a proper social distancing quick dinner.  The two lower drawers are deep and hold everything we need easily.   For the cons, if you are a cook way ahead and freeze lots of things person, you may have to explore containers that accomodate the space.  If you have a slew of bourbon on the rocks guests, you may have to tell them you will supply the booze if they bring the ice!

What’s Better Than One Dishwasher….?

TWO!  In previous homes, we have had the Fisher& Paykel drawer dishwasher units.  Even when we had a house full of kids, these drawers worked well for us.  The drawers can run at the same time, for loads equal to any standard one cavity dishwasher, or independently.  Generally, we use the top drawer daily.  There is less bending to load/unload, and on the eco cycle, this is very efficient.  The racks move to accommodate multi-size dish needs.  Our unit has a deeper section on top for taller items…like those wine glasses from the bottle chilled in the refrigerator!   Besides now never having dirty dishes for more than a day, we also have the cabinets set up so that putting dishes away requires almost no steps.  Perhaps a post on that coming up!?  For the con about using dishwasher drawers, it will take some a mindset change and a few trials on how to load that best suits your needs.  Note: We chose to have cabinet panels on our unit so no messy stainless to haunt us!

Our Beloved Induction Cooktop Returns!

Readers, and friends alike, accept that I am going to push for them to become members in the induction cooking cult.  Going over a year with a standard electric cooking surface only made our desire to go back to induction stronger.  The dilemna…to get the workspace inches we wanted to gain, we needed to reduce the existing 36″ width of the cooktop by at least 6″.   With tape measure in hand, we researched and found that many smaller cooktops simply placed the controls on the front (vs the side) and the cooking surface was nearly the same on the units.  Fisher & Paykel’s 24″ unit’s cooking space was exactly the same as the Kitchenaid cooktop we had.  With 4 individual burners, that bridge to two larger, this compact cooktop meets all our needs.  Instead of gaining 6″, we gained 12″ and in a small 8′ x 11′ footprint this is game-changing!  Cons?  ZIP-ZERO-NONE!  Told you it’s a cult.

Before we move on, let’s talk about the range hood exhaust.  Because we are in a condo, this hood has to be ventless.  The old one, an impressive-look alike for professional chefs, was crap.  The light was like a Christmas bulb and it very nosily blew grease up onto the ceiling.   We chose a Zephyr Tornado Mini and our cabinet company had a box made out of laminate. (yes, laminate that mimics the concrete quartz on the island entirely by accident) Perhaps you can tell by the name how powerful this little puppy is.  The unit is perfectly sized for all the steam coming off the induction cooktop, runs rather quietly, and has two lights with several dim powers.  All for $279.  Is it possible to love a range hood?  For the cons, no different than any other more expensive hood, operator has to remember to turn it on!

Wait…Where Is The Microwave?

Remember that big old microwave in the wall stack of the old kitchen?  We don’t miss it at all.  Again, Mr. LBD and I earnestly discussed how we use each appliance when designing the kitchen.  The microwave is probably the least used in our daily routine and cooking.  Instead of having it on the counter, we chose to have a space reserved in the right, tall cabinet for a small, $99 unit from William’s Sonoma.   98% of the time this set up is working just fine for us.  Once I forgot to leave the door open and baked a pair of potatoes for 11 min.  The heat from the microwave condensed the interior of the cabinets and made a puddle on the floor!  Additionally, the veggie steamer we owned was too large for the smaller unit.  Amazon to the rescue.  For the cons of this microwave set up, this may be inconvenient for high power and mega use.

A Full-Size Oven

Oh we went back and forth on the oven size.  Could we move to a 24″ oven?  Remembering how many 1970 wall ovens we have removed in renovations, I kept saying no.  However, after looking at newer 24″ ovens, we were impressed with the cavity size.   Like the induction cooktop, there really was very little a smaller oven would not accomodate.  Because I am not a baker, I was ready to convert to the 24″ wide under-counter oven.  Again we looked at Fisher & Paykel. In the end, our design allowed for the standard 30″ unit.  The only con to this amazing oven is I have started baking and eating the goodies.

Time To Wash Up

With my aversion to stainless maintenance, our choice of sink was a given.  We’ve used the Blanco Silgrant sinks in several homes.  Maintenance joys with all the cooking we do.  However, to gain the space we wanted for a trash can to the right of the sink, we needed a smaller sink.  Again, 26″ vs 36″ really has not been a problem with the single bowl design.   Next, for the first time, we used the most powerful disposal available on the market.  The con…it’s huge and in a smaller sink base like ours (30″w) it’s a little tight under the sink.  The weight for the faucet sprayer keeps getting caught up and we are working on a solution.  Again, an operator training session needed!  Didn’t our contractor do a nice job with all the connections and electric needs?  There is even a water cop in case we get too wild!

How To Use E-Design While Kitchen Planning

Choosing appliances is an important part of kitchen design.  We always suggest our clients do some research early on to determine what appliances will meet their needs and be within the budget.  Our virtual, E-Design services can help navigate the many appliance choices.  Contact us to learn more!

The Pros & Cons Of Smaller Appliances Can We Live With Smaller Appliances? Continuing the reveal of our new kitchen, today we share our decision to use smaller, euro sized appliances.  

[anneedmonds]

Life Update: The Things I’ll Miss

Angelica: started pre-school in September and has aged by around eight years in just three months. I’ve never seen anything like it. I dropped her off a fine-haired, slightly apprehensive baby, and now she comes back home with all the sass of a teenager after a party-fuelled gap year in Bali.

“Erm, Mummy, you haven’t put my sparkle hair clip on straight! It’s not right Mummy! MUMMY!”

It’s funny; when babies are babies, you can’t imagine them ever not being babies. People say “ooh, watch out, the time will fly!” or “it only seems like yesterday that my twenty year-old was in nappies!” and you dismiss them as the rantings of a halfwit. Yet there you are, three years down the line, still referring to them as your “baby” because it only seems like a week ago that they were drinking bedtime milk from a bottle and falling asleep with their head in their dinner.

I haven’t even compiled my photo album of Angelica’s newborn photos yet. Actually, I haven’t even compiled our wedding album and we got married over ten years ago, so it’s probably no surprise that the baby photos remain unsorted.

So, what with the time passing so very quickly, I have started to make a list of things about babies/toddlers that I don’t want to forget about. Things that – if not written down – I will forget the moment they stop being babies/toddlers. I only have a few things on my list at the moment, but it’s a work in progress. Do add your own thoughts in the comments section so that I can compile one big mega-list.

Things I will completely forget about once I don’t have tiny children:

the way the stair gate lets out an annoying clunk as I pull up the latch, and then the way I have to step over the bottom of the stair gate to get onto the stairs, all without tripping up and breaking my neck. Imagine just being able to walk, unhindered, up and down your own stairs!

the way that all of the plastic bowls in the dishwasher always have a pool of dirty water in them when the dishwasher has finished, which splashes all over your feet when you do the unloading. Plastic stuff harbours a huge amount of lukewarm, greyish dish water, apparently.

the skill involved in leaving a child’s room completely silently – not even the tiniest floor creak or soft brush of sock on carpet. I’m like a bloody ninja, me! I can even pick up things with my feet to avoid having to bend, because if I bend my back might crack and even this diminutive noise might wake the baby. I’d actually be sad to lose this skill when I think about it. Maybe I’ll train up for MI5 once they’re a bit older. Or become a jewel thief, a la Catherine Zeta Jones in Entrapment.

the pure, unadulterated hatred you can feel for another adult when they dare to suggest that they might be more tired than you and/or have generally done more than you.

the pure, unadulterated love you can feel for another adult when they utter the sentence, you sleep in today, I’ll take them downstairs to watch Octonauts.” Never has a sexier sentence been said.

the fact that it takes longer for a kid’s food to cool down than it does to cook it in the first place. 25 minutes to oven cook, eighteen thousand hours to cool down enough for the frantic, hangry child to spoon it into their mouth without scalding the bejeezus out of themselves.

Anything else? Of course, we have nappies, prams and those full-body bibs that absolutely stink after a week and are a pain in the arse to wash, we have sleepless nights and fraught relationships, friendships hanging by a thread and worries over childcare. But anything more obscure that you can think of, anything weird, add that to the comments too.

We’ve all had coughs, colds and general malaise here so I’m not going to linger for long, but apart from the runny noses, rounds of Calpol and Nurofen (them) and Benylin Original (us) everything is fine. Ted is incredibly cute, won’t let Dada out of his sight (can cry for a full hour when Daddy pops out somewhere) and is almost saying proper words – Penguin (guin-guin), Dinner (ninner) and Vroom (er… vroom). Work is manic, and I was going to write a big long piece about how work-life balance seems to be even harder the older the babies get, but quite honestly I think that if I analyse it for too long I’ll end up losing my momentum and enthusiasm. I just need to get to Christmas and all will be fine – although I did say, the other day, “at least I can catch up on stuff over the Christmas break.”

I’ve been trying really hard this year to only work when I’m not with the children so that they don’t see me distracted and typing away or whatever it is that I’m doing. Which is great, apart from the fact that the time away from the children doesn’t quite give me enough time to get everything done.. I get the feeling that this problem and sense of guilt is never going to go away, though – and I really want to enjoy being with Angelica before she starts school next September.

The school thing was a shock – I thought she had another year to go after this one and then school, but no, we are on the home run and this time next year we’ll no doubt be making a costume for her nativity play and feeling all affronted that she only got the part of the starfish/clam/reserve shepherd.

Does anyone else wish they could press pause?

The post Life Update: The Things I’ll Miss appeared first on A Model Recommends.

Life Update: The Things I’ll Miss was first posted on December 3, 2018 at 8:59 pm. ©2018 "A Model Recommends". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at contact@amodelrecommends.com Life Update: The Things I’ll Miss published first on https://medium.com/@SkinAlley

[d-i-y--projects]

29 Products That'll Stop You From Wanting To Kill Your Roommate

Because you love EDM...but not at 5 a.m.   April 11, 2017 -  Jeff Barron

 https://www.buzzfeed.com/jeffbarron/things-to-keep-you-from-wanting-to-kill-your-roommate?origin=bru&utm_term=.ccLyaAnXm#.prOmZvLK7

 We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.

 1. This corner caddy to help keep the clutter down in your shared shower. Promising review: "Put it together in less than 10 min and looks very nice. Plenty of tension to hold lots of stuff." —JT9   Price: $30

2. A privacy bed tent that'll let others know when you reaalllllllllly shouldn't be bothered. Most promising review: "This is perfect for any college student or kid who just likes to have their own quiet space. This is tall enough to sit up in, but a cozy fort-like spot for my daughter to have some quiet space. It blocks out light nicely and is warm and cozy in her room, which can get chilly at night. Windows are also located at the top and bottom of the bed, which serve as doggy doors for us so our labs can get in and snuggle at night." —Jennifer Berkheimer  Price: $129.99

 3. A shower locker for insuring that all your expensive hair stuff is only used by *you*. Promising review: "Wow, I ordered this product as a request for my girlfriend (because we share an apartment with other people) and I expected it to be a cheap thing that can easily be tampered with—boy I was wrong! To my surprise, the locker is very high quality and does the job while looking cool in my shower. We're sharing hers right now, but I'm gonna get myself one and I think it's an awesome gift idea." —E   Price: $39.99

 4. A whiteboard/pushpin board so all your messages and bills stay in sight. Promising review: "Works great for leaving notes, writing down rent information, and posting up bills to show the roommates so they remember to pay." —Stephanie   Price: $19.87

 5. This pair of noise-canceling headphones for those times you need to block out the guests who have outstayed their welcome. Promising review: "The noise canceling on these headphones = amazing. Even without them connected, you can power them on and noise is significantly reduced." —Chris Roberts  Price: $99

 6. Plus a jar of sleep supplement gummies to really help you knock out early for that exam in the morning (even with all the noise).  Promising review: "I saw this product at a local store in the travel section and it works magically: I sleep like a baby. I purchased the mini packs for family and friends. I found a bigger bottle here and must say results are the same, I am able to get adequate sleep to function for school. Excellent product." — Pamela  Price: $13.99

 7. This grooming apron for keeping all those tiny shavings off the damn sink. Promising review: "The Beard Bib has been a godsend for solving our problems (a clogged drain and man hair everywhere on the sink, counter, and floor)! Not only did I purchase one for my bearded babe, but I sent my bearded brother one for his birthday. Both of my beard guys love their Beard Bibs; however, they both said to make sure you securely fasten it around the neck to minimize any stray hairs falling through at the neck. Guys, do your lady friends and loved ones a favor by ordering yourself a Beard Bib today! Now if only they would make one for downstairs manscaping....." —C. Andrews   Price: $29.99

 8. An eco trash can that'll make replacing the bag less of a chore.  Promising review: "I love this trash can. It's so convenient for the bathroom where you definitely need a liner bag. A great way to recycle your grocery shopping bags and keep them out of sight. When you're ready to take out the trash, you simply pull the liner out then shimmy up the next bag and you're good to go. The plastic is very durable and sleek looking. The handles on the two side arms are great too, and make this such an awesome overall design!" —J B   Price: $33.95

 9. A fridge locker to keep your most valuable snacks safe from wandering hands. Promising review: "Solid enough, it has little locking tabs that permanently lock it all together. This isn't for someone who has a criminal trying to steal your most valuable possessions, but it does the trick if someone is picking at your stuff and being inconsiderate. I mean, just be realistic with your expectations. I put mine in the fridge at work because I buy the expensive coffee creamer and nobody wants to contribute, so I'm not sharing, lol." —Ben Couse  Price: $19.95

 10. This smart plug that can be programmed to shut off the lights at night...so that no one can ever forget. Promising review: "Solid enough, it has little locking tabs that permanently lock it all together. This isn't for someone who has a criminal trying to steal your most valuable possessions, but it does the trick if someone is picking at your stuff and being inconsiderate. I mean, just be realistic with your expectations. I put mine in the fridge at work because I buy the expensive coffee creamer and nobody wants to contribute, so I'm not sharing, lol." —Ben Couse  Price: $19.95

 11. These padded latch catchers to stop common area doors from being slammed shut.  amazon.com  Promising review: "Does the job! No more clicking while opening or closing the door." —Amazon Customer  Price: $9.50

 12. A noise machine for blocking out sex grunting through paper-thin walls. Promising review: "I have been using this every night for 2 years. It really has changed the quality of my sleep. I really don't think this is a gimmick at all. As a college student who lives in a noisy dorm, this helps to block out a lot of the noise. I bring it home with me anytime I go home. I love this product so much I even chose this as the topic of a presentation for a sales class I was in. The class loved it!" —Amazon Customer   Price: $44.99

 13. This automatic ice maker so you'll never have to refill the ice trays again. Promising review: "This product works great! We use a lot of ice in our family. Our ice maker broke, so we bought this. It gives us plenty of ice, more than we could use most days. So we started bagging it up and putting it in the freezer. The color is a great complement to our kitchen. I would definitely buy it again if we needed one. It would also be a great gift for a college student. Or even to use in an office." —Tammy Turner  JS / Amazon / Via amzn.to   Price: $89

 14. A bill-splitting app to help sort out who pays what on which bill. Promising review: "Hands down the best app for sharing trip expenses and for recording all your money transactions with others." —smankala  Get it from the App Store or the Google Play store for free.   itunes.apple.com

 15. This magnetic dishwasher indicator to rid you of the clean/dirty dish mystery. Promising review: "We have kept saying that we needed a magnet every time that my husband would unload dirty dishes and put them away in the cupboards!! This solves so much frustration! It has a nice magnet backing for use on dishwashers with stainless fronts, and little sticky circles to use on a plastic front." —Never Too Old To Learn    amazon.com   Price: $13.90

 16. This notepad to let others know when you're down to the last bits of your last grocery trip and it's time to go shopping.  Promising review: "I'm going into my third year of college and have tried so many different weekly planning systems that just didn't work out for me. With this, I can just rip out a new sheet each week and stick it in the front of my binder." —Nicole Harris  amazon.com    Price: $7

 17. A letter rack that'll make it easy to sort through all the mail — it even has little hooks for your keys.  amazon.com  Promising review: "I received this product exactly as shown, mounting hardware included. I am incredibly satisfied. The color is more metallic than the picture can convey, but this product is gorgeous. I have roommates and this solved our mail issue. No more cluttered counters or tables." —Amazon Customer   Price: $14.97

 18. Some Poo-Pourri to keep on top of the toilet, because you really just don't want to be that ~acquainted~ with your roommates.

amazon.com

Promising review: "Really everyone should buy this stuff. It actually works and it makes it waaay easier to live with roommates." —Jeanette Decker

Price: $8.99

 19. This TubShroom for stopping all your hair from clogging up the drain.

amazon.com

Promising review: "Ever since I moved into my apartment, I've had trouble with the drain in my tub clogging. I have long hair, my roommate sheds something fierce, I have a cat that enjoys the finer things in life like drinking water from the bottom of the shower, and a dog that needs regular bathing. I'd been buying liquid drain openers and using those zip line uncloggers for over a year before I finally saw a video for TubShroom on my FB feed. I have to say that I'm really glad I did." —Bonnie E. Morton

Price: $12.99

 20. These color-coded bins to make recycling easier and much more clear.

Simon / Amazon / Via amzn.to

Promising review: "It's a huge pain to recycle at my house, so I just didn't do it. My roommate decided he wanted to recycle and brought two trash cans inside where we put our recyclables: this was disgusting to me, so I bought this set. The house is cleaner and smells better. I think he's happier too, because he can separate and bag them up easier to take to the recycling center." —Honest_Reviews

Price: $39.99

 21. Or if you prefer recycling bags, these will also do the job at a cheaper price. amazon.com

Promising review: "I always want to recycle, but never really got myself organized enough to really do it. Bottles and cans would pile up on my counters, and I was too lazy to do anything with them so I'd just throw them away. I'm one of those people, if I have an organized system to follow and spot to put everything, I'll keep up with it. These bags are a huge help." —Liz Price: $19.95

 22. This door guard that'll help block out sound as well as cold drafts.  amazon.com

Promising review: "Sure glad I got this thing. Though I do not use mine for its intended purpose. While it does stop the draft through the big gap under the door between my roommate's room and my area, what I got it for was to block sound, which is also does very well." —Josh P. Price: $14.99

 23. These reusable chalkboard stickers so there's no question as to what's in that weird jar in the pantry.

amazon.com, Lexi Foster / Via amzn.to

Promising review: "This is such a great value for the price! You get 90 in all different shapes and sizes. It also comes with a white paint pen to write on them! I have been doing so much reorganizing and these really come in handy. So far I have used them on clear containers in my pantry and on storage boxes in my craft closet." —Carson Paige Dickens Price: $7.99

 24. Or a label maker to help you keep track of what's yours.  amazon.com

Promising review: "Awesome product! I have two roommates, and this helps me keep track of which things in our kitchen are mine. Helps me keep everything in storage organized for me. Really fun to use!" —sbisese  Price: $14.99

 25. Some pod detergent to keep in your room (so you don't have to lug the jug back and forth to the washer).  amazon.com / Via amzn.to

Promising review: "It makes laundry in college so much easier, enough said." —Maynor Morales   Price: $19.97

 26. These anti-snoring devices for keeing those z's down to a reasonable level. amazon.com

Promising review: "These nose vents are wonderful. I have been using nose strips, but the glue is so hard on the nose. I decided to try these. I can't believe the difference and the effect these have." —Vonnie  Price: $14.70

 27. And a jar of earplugs for the nights when those devices aren't working.  Amazon Customer / Via amzn.to

Promising review: "As a college student with ridiculously loud roommates who blast rap and electronica music at 2 AM in the morning in party central town, these earplugs are a lifesaver." —Andrew  Price: $8.99

 28. A Nest thermostat to put an end to the temperature wars.   amazon.com

Promising review: "I purchased this thermostat for a home I live in with roommates. It works even better than I thought. Not only can I lock the temperature using the app on my iPhone, but it shows me when someone changes the temperature. I keep track of my power bills as well, and over the last 6 months it has reduced them." —SpeedRacerMann  Price: $247

 29. And a personalized mug that no one else will be able to pass off as their own.   amazon.com

Promising review: "A well designed and great mug. Writing was perfect and delivered intact." —Lady Justice  Price: $11.99

 https://www.buzzfeed.com/jeffbarron/things-to-keep-you-from-wanting-to-kill-your-roommate?origin=bru&utm_term=.rf4DLYdl6#.tqABDzXWe

[survivinglifescurveballs]

It’s that time of year where I get to count down the days until glorious freedom playing in the sun on sandy beaches with the majestic ocean within reach.

6-12 months before

Pick dates

Look at your calendar at home, work, school, consider possible extracurricular activities that will be going on at that time of year, etc. Find a week (or more if you are REALLY lucky) to mark yourself as unavailable.

Find the perfect place

Location, location, location

Are you more of a mountains or beach person? Where do you go when you need to heal your mind, your heart, your soul? Water and trees speak to me. Living in Ohio I can trounce around in the friendship of trees anytime the weather is agreeable, so our family heads to the beach. Occasionally I toy with the idea of a trip into the mountains, but the truth is I am afraid I won’t find the same joy I do oceanside.

Once you have a general idea of where you would like to head, you can begin to look at rental properties, hotels, or bed and breakfasts. Booking early provides the most options. We typically book our condo 6 months in advance. Sites like VRBO and Home Away have been helpful for us in the past.

Amenities

What are the most important amenities on vacation for you? Are you willing to pay more for a few extras or is staying within budget the priority? Is the kitchen stocked with everything you typically use? Choose your price range, number of bedrooms, and all the extras that matter to your family. If you have questions the description does not answer, email the owner or rental company. I have always found them to be friendly and quick to answer.

The single most important part of my vacation experience is the view. I want to have an unobstructed full on view of the ocean. It’s not vacation unless I can wake up and drink my coffee on the balcony/porch listening to the waves crash on the beach while the cool salty air dances through my hair. Outside seating is also a must-have for my husband. The kids need a swimming pool. Yes, they go into the ocean, but they are more comfortable swimming in a pool.

Once you feel that you have found the perfect place show everyone else who is going to see if they are just as excited. They may remember something that you have forgotten. When everyone is certain it’s their dream getaway, Book It! Sign the contract, put the deposit down, then begin the countdown until you arrive.

Insure your trip

Get travel insurance that allows you to cancel your trip and receive a refund. Without insurance you can be stuck paying thousands of dollars for a trip you cannot take due to a health or other personal emergency. When you are planning trips 6-12 months in advance you are really counting on everything working out exactly as you plan. How often does that really happen? Mother nature has lots of surprises (forest fires, hurricanes, landslides, just to name a few).

3 weeks before

Compile a packing checklist and also a checklist of items that will need to be completed before you leave.

Packing Checklist

What you need to pack will depend on where you have chosen to vacation. We head toward the beach every year. The water soothes my weary soul. The age of your children will also determine your packing needs. My packing checklist once included baby baths, playpens, and diapers, where now it encompasses colored pencils (because crayons melt in a hot car), headphones, and iPads.

Traveling with toddlers packing checklist

Traveling with pre-teens packing checklist

Some beach condos come complete with beach equipment (chairs, umbrella with base, boogie/skim boards and sand toys) or included/free beach service. Read the description and clarify before taking up unnecessary space in the trunk. Sadly, our regular condo does not include any of those items. Boogie and skim boards are flat and not needed until you arrive at the beach so they are perfect for putting on the bottom on everything else.

It’s important for perfectionists like me to remember that there are stores everywhere to pick up any items that have been forgotten. Focus on the irreplaceable items like medicines, favorite stuffed animals, or pillows you can’t sleep without.

Food

Will you pack your food and take it with you, will you buy it all when you get there, or are you planning some kind of combination? My husband and I talk about what we would like to do on vacation, do we want to eat out a lot, which meals, which of his favorite dishes would he like me to prepare there. Typically we eat breakfast in our condo. Some mornings it’s just fruit and cereal and others I bust out the griddle for pancakes, sausage, toast, and eggs. Lunch and Dinners are split between being prepared at home and dining out.

When we first started taking vacations I would plan nearly every meal and snack, pack a cooler with ice, and cram everything we would need into the trunk for a thirteen-hour drive. That was crazy! I am a little crazy. Sometimes I can be inflexible, yeah I know, big surprise. Between couponing and purchasing local, hormone free beef, I had a difficult time paying full retail and considering grocery store meat. I have come to the realization that one week of vacation food is just part of the experience, not to mention a lot less to pack, plan, and cram into the car. Did I mention we take a Honda Civic with 4 humans in it for a thirteen-hour drive?

These days I pack a few shelf stable items and my spices. Spices are not cheap and there is no reason to buy a brand new bottle for preparing a few dishes, besides they take up minimal room. Also, COFFEE, check what kind of coffee maker will be available. We have Keurig at home, but most of the condos we have stayed in still use ground coffee brewers. Don’t forget filters! This is an extremely important part of my first morning away. Although, there is always the backup of running to the local coffee shop for your morning joe.

Overnight bag

It takes 13 hours to get to our beach destination and we choose to break that drive up into 2 days.  

Some people may have a predetermined stopping point, not us. We don’t like to be too constrained on where we need to stop for the night. Some trips we make it further than others on the first leg of the journey. It depends on how we are feeling. For example, our last trip to the beach we had car trouble and we did not make it very far at all on the first day. Having a reservation somewhere would have compounded to that stress.

Our family’s preference is to stay at a nice hotel with a pool. We stay at hotels several times a year so I have joined the Marriott rewards club and downloaded their ‘Find a Marriott’ app to my phone. When we are thinking about stopping for the night I open the app and look for nearby hotels with a pool. We are prepared to drive for another hour or so because there may not be one super close that stays along your route.

Once we get to the hotel we do not want to lug all of our bags into the hotel when all we need are a few items for a brief overnight stay. We pack an overnight bag complete with toiletries, swim suits, pajamas, and a change of clothes for the next day.

For the Car

Plan your route and share it with someone who will not be going on your trip with you, just in case. I have found google maps to be incredibly accurate.

Schedule needed maintenance for the car. At the very least check all fluids and tire pressure. Be sure you have an emergency kit in the trunk (jumper cables, basic tools, tire pressure gauge, caution cones, road flare, rain poncho etc.).

How will you and everyone else stay entertained without disturbing the driver? For our family that means iPads for the kids with headphones, a book for me, and full radio control for my husband. In the past, I have packed junk food snacks for the kids, but the result was a backseat mess when we arrived. Now I prefer to stop, get out of the car and eat. Most of the time we stop at a restaurant or a nature rich rest stop for homemade sandwiches.

Drinks are tricky too. You want to keep everyone comfortable and hydrated without stopping every hour to use the restroom. This requires patience, experience, and intermittent reminders about liquid intake. Most importantly, when you stop make everyone get out and try even if they don’t feel the need. Because if you don’t someone is going to need to go just a few miles down the road.

Beach bag

When packing for our trip I pack the beach bag full of the things we will be taking to the beach so it’s ready to go. The beach is usually the very first thing we do when we arrive, sometimes even before unloading the car. A spray bottle of vinegar in case of jellyfish stings is a necessity as getting stung seems to be my annual beach trip tradition. I think in all the years we have gone I have missed being stung only once.

1 week before

Solidify plans to have your mail and newspapers brought in. If you have someone caring for your pets, have them over and show them where they can find everything they need. Make sure anyone needing keys to your home has them.

You may also want to have someone walk your trash totes out to the curb on trash day and return them to the house. Trash totes left unmoved can be a signal to thieves that you have an unattended house.

The day before

A little housekeeping

Oh, the wonderful anticipation is at its peak. It’s easy to get carried away with excitement, but there are a few last-minute things to take care of to ensure you return home to a pleasant atmosphere.

My very first vacation as an adult was wonderful until I opened the door to my apartment upon returning. It smelled like something died in there while I was away. Turns out I had forgotten to take out the trash and left dirty dishes in the dishwasher, ew!

First, clean out your refrigerator tossing or giving away foods that will spoil. After you have eaten the last meal at your, run the dishwasher. Clean out the sink and run the disposal.

Be sure you have plenty of pet food on hand if someone will be caring for your pets at home.

Get all the laundry done and start packing.

Clean all the windows in the car and ensure there are no streaks.

VACATION, it’s finally here!

Finish packing

Road trips are more enjoyable if I am comfortable and for me, that includes being freshly showered. This means most of my toiletries cannot be packed until the day we leave for the trip. When I step out of the shower, I towel dry my bottles and toss them into the toiletry bag.

One last check through the bags to make sure we have most everything we will need.

Walk through the house checking all windows and doors, unplugging everything except the refrigerator (just in case).

The trip

 Check all fluids and tire pressure one last time. Make sure you have sunglasses, directions, phone, and phone charger.

Let your family know you have left and when they should expect to hear from you again.

When stopping for the night I always send those same people the city, state, hotel, and room number of where we are. I know in an emergency they are too far to help, but in the event something happens, they would have an idea of where to start.

Dress comfortably in loose-fitting, soft clothes. Take a deep breath, now enjoy the experience!

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