Adrenaline dump

 Can you cast your memory back to a time when you heard R2-D2 squeal with terror? Not just the sad little beeps of alarm over present or imagined danger, but the trill that actually sounds like, “wooOOOOAH!” Keep that in mind.

I was minding my own business, having my first shower in… you know what, let’s not go there, and may or may not have been singing my jazziest impression of, “I feel good, doo doo doo doo doo doo DOO cha, I knew that I would, doo doo doo doo doo doo doo cha, I feel nice…” as I shampoo my hair. Don’t tell me you don’t sing that when you wash your hair. I know what I know.

Anyway, doin’ my thing, not hurting anybody, when the dang shampoo-and-soap-holding-caddy thing JUMPS off the shower head with NO provocation and scares the bejeezus out of me. I went straight from channeling James Brown to the impending doom shrill of R2-D2.

Thankfully, mercifully, nothing landed on my poor, unprotected toes or my hapless, shampoo suds-covered head. It made so much racket that Liam, LIAM- my oblivious one, asked from outside the door if I was okay. 

Whew. Be careful, people. Its not raining men, but my blood is pumping anyway!

No school, again

Been two days now with no school due to a myriad of reasons including icy roads. Dada pointed out freezy  fog this morning on his way into the office. Temps are ridiculous, so I can’t fault Admin for not wanting kidsicles at bus stops or walking to school. Plus, covid has been working its way through bus drivers which requires some parents to do the drop off and pick up. It’s just life these days. We’ll roll with it. In the meantime, enjoy the freezy photos from the warmth of wherever you may be!

 

Lost in Translation

 Me: Liam Andrew, get your keister over here and make your lunch!

Liam: *muting his headphones* Did you say you got a turtle? Or did I completely hear that wrong?

A snippet of Christmas

I know. It's strange to look back instead of forward, but some of my photos have to go somewhere lest these library trips spent organizing them go to waste. 

Our stockings and the Leons, haha

I blame some Girlfriends. You know who you are.

Nobody makes sugar cookies like Thing One. Still. Forever.

After a small misreading of dates on my part, we did all end up in church clothes and at the appropriate service at the right building at the right time and even on the right day.

 

However, as Aragorn declares, "that is not this day," as you can tell by the number of people in pajamas. My apologies to my more polished family members; I just didn't have the fight left in me to get everyone back into them when they weren't thrilled about their sacrifice in the first place. Can you hear me rolling my eyes? I hope so.

Anyway, we hope that you have managed to take some of the sparkle and magic and love (and not just the pounds) of the holidays into the New Year with you. 

If this year is hard, or you feel like you're at a breaking point, please let us know. We'd love to help. We have room, ears to listen and shoulders to lean on. 

And a new cookie jar. Thanks, Grandmama and PaPa! The Honey Bear knocked our cookie bear off the counter and polished off all the freshly made almond crescents. All of them. The cookie bear had been given to us by Lisa's Grammy way back during our baby shower for the firstborn. Got that kid into adulthood, so well done, good and faithful servant, but man, we will miss you and your distinctive opening sounds that were a dead giveway of sneakage to mom ears. Out with the old and in with the new. RIP Cookie Bear 2003-2022.

 

Happy hump day

Liam cheers, “drink up, me hearties, yo ho!”

He is getting good use out of his mug, handmade by the talented Heidi Jacobs. Right now, he’s enjoying a hot cocoa bomb crafted by our friends at the Lemon Sprinkle Cookie Company. Support small businesses and reap incredible rewards!

 

A little of this, a little of that

Break has felt like a loooong time to me, perhaps because of the trip to Mexico that we sneaked in, and Damon is lamenting that school starts again this week. "It seems like break was two days!" This is what a snippet of ours looked like. More often than not it was spent on various screens and devices, but we have discovered that the Neanderthal poetry game is every bit as hilarious as it sounds while Kids Against Maturity is a LOT of poop references. We have more games to play, so we'll let you know what we think. So far, all thumbs up for the Neanderthal one, and not just because there is a NO stick for whacking team members with...

 

Check it out!

My bag of air had chips in it!

 

My annual plea

 

Just showing off my tiny ponytail, haha!

Happy New Year! 

Lest you think I died during my first ever colonoscopy, allow me to reassure you: they found nothing exciting, everything was normal, and because of my family history of colon cancer they will see me back in five years. Yay! Thank you all who covered me in prayer. Now go make your appointments and get your checkups and wash your hands and don't wear your shoes in the house and take really good care of all of you! You are loved more than you know, so don't put your own health stuff off. Early detection really does make a difference and you are worth it!

"...you're no fun."

 I don't know how your New Year has started out, but I've been fighting the uphill battle of reining in a husband who is interested in just about everything. Yesterday he was lamenting, "you won't let me start blacksmithing, or welding, you won't let me get chickens, or make cheese, or try soapmaking... you're no fun." It's a good thing he was kidding, or he'd never make it to our 23rd wedding anniversary next week.

If you've ever been here, you'd know that we have only one car in our two-plus car garage because the rest is filled with Stuff. We have a shed which holds our riding lawnmower/tractor and more Stuff. We have Stuff in our attic, in our basement, all over our kitchen counters, along the side of the stairs to upstairs, in every room, under most beds. Stuff! 

New Year, new resolutions, new habits. Out with the old. No bringing in the new!