If you give a girl a death trap

 A couple weeks ago I was sitting outside, drinking my coffee, in what has become my most sacred hour of the day, and I looked up to realize that our patio cover was looking a bit...tenuous. I love this patio cover even though it is old and rotted and when we bought the house, the only thing the owners actually offered to do was tear it down. It's rustic and it reminds me of an old southwest house where everything that comes out of the kitchen tastes like love. But also, a couple years ago a not unsubstantial portion of it fell in the exact same spot that my mom liked to spend her time. So I knew that it was coming. 

That afternoon, I mentioned to C that maybe it was time to pull it down. We've been spending so much time in the backyard, and it's pretty hillbilly to start with (see: the decrepit picnic table being used as a diving board that makes me involuntarily suck air anytime one of the boys steps on to it.) C then explained, in detail, what it would entail to take it down and as is our routine, I then got overwhelmed and decided that it would be in everyone's best interests to hire a professional. So I posted on our neighborhood page "Who can help me tear down this death trap?" and within minutes had multiple referrals. 

But of course! It wasn't just referrals to tear it down. Everyone wanted to bid to rebuild and then I started to feel sad that I wouldn't have any shade in the back yard for the foreseeable future. AND THEN. My pool guy texted to say he knew a guy. I love when people know a guy. 

Two weeks later, we're scheduled to have all the materials for a 280 sq foot, solid roof, faux wood patio cover with incorporated lights, fan, and outlets installed. We committed to a price that we ABSOLUTELY weren't planning on, but luckily I'm leaving my job (surprise for another post!) and my PTO cashout is almost exactly the same amount. So I guess Yay! for not being able to take time off for the last 18 months? And we're (mostly C and Eli) demo-ing the existing one ourselves because we wanted to save money. And I pulled apart the picnic table yesterday so our risk of tetanus is greatly reduced. 

I cannot wait to be able to sit outside in the rain and drink my coffee under a set of twinkle lights. My next task is to figure out what kind of furniture to put under this patio, since I took a saw and a sledge hammer to the majority of what we had. 

But picture a delightful rain falling, while I stay nice and dry

First Days

 I find myself less motivated to update this vintage blog, but at the same time I'm so grateful for it's existence and would be so sad to have it just... stop. I don't really know where I'm going to end up, but in the meantime I do want to capture big events for posterity. Big things like the first day of school! Last year was bittersweet, with everyone transitioning levels. What I didn't realize at the time though was that meant new beginnings for everyone this year. 

First day of 6th and 9th! Averson is thrilled to be their dad's sidekick finally, and it turns out that all of my concerns about moving to a bigger school with kids they didn't know was all for naught. Middle School suits this one quite a bit and they're making new friends almost daily. Sydney gets to ride to high school with Eli's girlfriend (a senior!) and with volleyball has jumped in with both feet. Both girls (and I) are thrilled that our district did away with dress codes this year. I love seeing how they both choose to express themselves. 

It felt weird to only have two kids on the porch, and even more so when Eli came down and asked why he wasn't in the shot. Poor kid was feeling left out so we selfied on the way out the door (him to a babysitting gig since his school didn't start for another week.) 

He started his college wrestling practice a couple weeks ago. It's a different beast, but I am so, so grateful that he's able to continue wrestling a bit longer. He came home from his first practice exhausted but also when I asked if he loved it, he said "I want to do it every day for the rest of my life." 

A week later he went off to his first day as a college freshman! And my sweet boy, who was thrilled to not have to be on campus until noon, asked the neighbor to take his picture for me. This kid. I'm loving watching all my friends on the socials moving their kids into dorms but I am also super grateful that he decided to stay at home another year. . 

T

Theater Kid

Averson decided this year that they wanted to try theater, after an awesome experience with the Fifth Grade play. Our local parks and rec partnered with a local theater company to do a camp, where at the end the kids would perform Madagascar Jr. Averson panicked a little about the auditions, since they included both singing and dancing, but ultimately they got several smaller roles. It was perfect! It was a nice mix of group time and solo time and they ROCKED IT. The performance was this weekend and I legit teared up watching everyone sing and dance during "Move It" (which was admittedly pretty discordant but what're you going to do.) The only way I can describe it though, is that it was like watching the light come on in her. Like all of the sudden she was exactly where she was meant to be. Poised and eloquent and with IMPECCABLE comedic timing, and surrounded by all these amazing little souls who saw and appreciated each other in a really beautiful way. We're all obsessed and now I guess I'm a stage mom. Didn't see that one on the parenting bingo card...

Lew the Lemur

Shout out to siblings who take pictures on the sly. This was Candy Hammernose, the news reporter, and she was HILARIOUS. Also, may have wanted to steal the dress

Such a sweet (and chaotic) group of kids!

 

Happy Father's Day!

We had such a fun Father's Day. It was easy and low key and we spent the whole day together, which is C's happy place. We started off by finally using an escape room gift card and despite my fears, we escaped AND we still liked each other on the other side! Then we treated C to a sushi lunch (big kids are the best!) and a couple hours at the arcade. It was the perfect way to celebrate the perfect dad

 

Everyone's promoting

It's so cliche, but I guess it's cliche because it's true, but man, it goes by quick. This year we had graduates at every level and it seems like it was just yesterday that I was sending these little peanuts off with their tiny backpacks and precious little lunch boxes. 

 

Onward and Upward! Graduation is Fantastic

 He did it! 

First Day/Last Day

First Day

Last Day

This week hasn't felt at all like I thought I would. I haven't had as many "my baby!" moments of nostalgia as I thought I would, but at the same time I'm mourning all the "lasts" right along side him. Last day of Fire Tech. Last lunch at school. Last time picking up his girlfriend in the morning. I want everything to be perfect and I know that's an unreasonable expectation but this kid deserves all the greatest that life has to offer. I'm just so proud of this kid and the amazing human he is. The world is just so, so lucky that he's in it. 

Back in my day

 Sydney asked me last night, with total sincerity, “Mom. When you were a kid since you didn’t have Netflix, how did you remember what episode you were on when you were in the middle of a show?” 

I explained that you didn’t have a choice on the episode, you just watched the next one. She seemed to be tracking until I realized that she didn’t understand the concept of a programming schedule. She was AGHAST when I clarified that shows were only on at certain times, so you had to be watching at 7:00 on a Tuesday if you wanted to see what happened. She kept saying, “But! What if you weren’t home?! You just MISSED IT?!”

I cannot wait to tell her about landlines and answering machines

Friday gratitude

 

I've been in a funk and I've found that when that happens, it helps to be really explicit about the little pockets of joy in my day

These beautiful wildflowers that were growing outside of my office. They're so vibrant and gorgeous and such a stark contrast to my years spent in office buildings and prison yards. And the best fidget ever that C made me for Valentine's day :) 

Last night during my walk the trees were full of peacocks yelling at each other. It was weird and spooky and also kind of magical. Also, they're very high in the trees.

Don't sleep on these cold foam creamers. They're f-ing delightful

My high school senior. He's got less than a month left and while I have some feelings about my baby and all of that, I am just so grateful I get to see him becoming this amazing adult

My favorite traveling companions

 It is not lost on me how lucky I am that I can spend four full days in a minivan with my people and end the trip liking them even more. We went to Colorado/New Mexico in order to see family (and for Eli to wrestle, never miss a tournament!), but the getting there and back ended up being an awesome bonus vacation. Pro tip: Once your people are big, rent a van and commit to getting two rooms.  Game. Changer. 

The pictures are all out of order, so just know that I tried to load them chronologically. 

Going home means that suddenly we're related to EVERYONE. One of C's cousins happened to be on the floor at the tournament so Eli ended up with TWO enthusiastic supporters in his corner. He said, "It's interesting to get coached by someone who's never seen you wrestle before"

Averson and I at the Grand Canyon. I just love her little soul. 

Awe :) 

Petrified Forest National Park

Weigh ins. Eli JUST made it (OMG). Also, I took him to the gym to run on the treadmill and someone thought I was his pregnant girlfriend. So that was mortifying for all of us.

C's all time favorite restaurant. He was SO excited. And it was after weigh ins (hence the smile on Eli's face)

Gramma! I love that they all matched

Grandparents, Parents, and Grandkids. Herding cats. 

Cousins 

We stopped at the Four Corners on the way home. I hadn't been in probably 30 years. The kids loved it!

They kept saying, "It's so much bigger than I imagined!"

The lady who took this kept yelling at her dad (in the red) "DAD! You're in their picture!" I love it so much. Reminds me of my own dad and how he would be so 100% in his own world

Can you even?

Eli was so excited when we stayed at a hotel on Route 66. AND THEN! We woke up in the morning and discovered that next door was a Route 66 museum with a Cars car outside! 

They took so many of these as the sun set. I just love them an awful lot. 

Kitchen Ennui

 I don't know that I've ever had a better reason to use the word "ennui" than I do now. I believe that maybe we each have a certain number of meals we are capable of spontaneously planning and creating and if so, that perhaps I have reached my limit. I just CANNOT with any of it. I don't have any inspiration to plan meals, shop for meals, cook meals, eat the meals. Thank God C hasn't expended all of his allotted meals or my kids would absolutely be subsisting on air fried chicken nuggets, apples, and crystal lite drink mix. 

But seriously. How are we supposed to keep doing this? Do I just stick to the "spaghetti, tacos, grilled cheese, chicken wrap" rotation for the rest of my f-ing life? I feel like this might be indicative of something deeper because I literally cannot muster even the energy to consider meals. I even thought about going back on the HelloFresh/Every Plate thing but... eh. I'm doing this nutrition challenge at my gym, so maybe that will help? I mean, Averson's 11. I still have at least 7 more years of social responsibility and a need to ensure she doesn't get scurvy. 

Am I alone in this or is this one of those "Everyone has it and no one talks about it" things? 

Here's what I've planned this week:

Chicken wraps (with the above mentioned chicken nuggets). That's it. We had them yesterday. Tomorrow's a mystery. Today is (shrug)