These are going to be so cute at her medical school graduation

 C hooked Averson up with leftover frogs from a middle-school biology class. Her favorite part to dissect was the tongue, but the lungs came in a close second. I found a section of skin that she saved in her dissection kit. She now has opinions on the quality of formaldehyde. C pondered, out loud, whether he could potentially hook it up to a battery to make it's heart beat or it's legs twitch and I was successful in dissuading him from trying. 

A CrossFitter, a Vegan, and a Runner walk into a bar...

How do you know? Because they won't stop talking about it

Guys? I really love CrossFit. It's pretty ridiculous, but it makes me so happy. And I've gotten both C and Eli to join me, so it's this fun thing we do together even. Eli and I started early in the quarantine because without sports and with our restrictions on socializing (because teenagers aren't known for their good decision making and adherence to rules), he really needed a physical outlet. It became such a fun bonding experience for us and I'll forever be grateful for it. If you're trying to connect with your teenager, I highly recommend taking up a sport neither of you has any experience in and that let's your narcissistic boy flex his muscles a lot. 

Averson likes to play with my phone while she hangs out in the kid area, and sometimes she takes pictures and videos of us working out. It's not pretty, but they make me smile :)

I was thinking this weekend about having to switch doctors since we got new insurance, and having to update my medical history. I've kind of been dreading it, since there are a lot of new and exciting family histories that I'm not feeling super great about formalizing. But I was also reflecting on the fact that I feel like I've kind of got my own stuff dialed in right now, especially as far as my mental health. And so much of it has to do with finding this funny little hobby. For example, the picture above would have sent me spinning six months ago. My knees! My hair! Why does my belly look like that? But now I have a very refreshing sense of remove from it all. What I see now is that I nailed a snatch that day. The next day I set a personal record and deadlifted more than my bodyweight. And then I bragged about it. And last night I dropped my first bar (and it was on purpose!) It feels SO GOOD to be proud of myself for something physical that doesn't have it's root somewhere in self-dissatisfaction. 

Long weekend recap

I think I'm maybe having a bit of a rebound reaction to the new job. Probably more to reflect on that later. But in the meantime, the long weekend was delightful. Saturday turned into a grown-up "Yes Day" after C and I decided that it was time to trade in the lemon of an SUV (I could NOT handle another summer of unreliable air conditioning). It was C's first CarMax experience and as we drove away four hours later in our new pick-up, he was totally flummoxed but 100% converted. That was so much fun, and we had such visions of our new truck adventures, that we went to REI and spent a small fortune on boots and backpacking gear. Thank goodness we haven't signed up for any summer activities since we're committed now to all the hiking and camping. 

On Sunday we packed everyone up to go on a hike that C found in a FB group. It's a series of old train tunnels that are full of graffiti. Given the several extreme heat warnings we received, an essentially indoor hike seemed like an excellent plan. If you're ever in the Truckee area, I HIGHLY recommend doing the Donner Tunnels. They were so cool. The kids loved it, it was downright chilly inside the tunnels, and at five miles total, it wasn't a bad trek. 

Gorgeous views outside too!

These two. I need to get Syd into CrossFit ASAP. 

While I would NEVER encourage our kids to vandalize, theoretically if one were to bring spray paint, it would definitely be a hit

The girls and I ate lunch on the tailgate of the truck, which is my absolute, all-time favorite place to sit (second only to a good stoop.) You can also peek my new, super legit hiking boots. 

On Monday the plan was to lay low and not melt, given the projected temperature of 108 (which really should just read "too fucking hot"). However, I stumbled on to a FB post of a woman selling a big Monstera for cheap and since I've been wanting one forever, but didn't want to pay a lot since I'll probably kill it, I couldn't pass it up. Turns out she was moving and needed to get rid of plants, so I accidentally came home with a jungle. 

Such pretty babies! I hope I don't murder them

And then, because I like to live dangerously, I let Eli go swim at a friend's house. And nearly died in the process. I limped into the gas station on literal fumes. The temp reading here was in the shade. 

All in all, a delightful long weekend. I'm back at the new job today but doing a lot of thumb twiddling because we hit some snags and I can't actually see patients yet. BUT, I'm wearing a new outfit from the Nordstrom Trunk Club and I'm reading a super creepy book and my office is air-conditioned so I suppose I'll make it through. 

Our marriage is legal now

Pro-tip: If you have a kid on your anniversary, you get to celebrate whenever you get around to it. 

If our marriage was a person, they'd be legally allowed to vote and buy lottery tickets now. That made us feel old, so we celebrated by going out drinking and throwing axes with our vaccinated friends. We didn't intentionally buy the White Claws, BTW. Some guy gave them to us out his passenger window. On a school night. The world is weird now. 

 Turns out C is really good at axe throwing. Less good at drinking anymore, but alas...

Apparently we were having so much fun that we didn't get a picture together. So here's one from the crazy hike I forced him to take with me. He's a good sport

 

Syd is Eleven!

 This girl. She’s quirky and thoughtful and intuitive and she has the greatest giggle I’ve ever heard. This past year she’s become an expert on all things TikTok, started stealing my clothes, and found a love of cooking. Her birthday itself was a perfect mix of being the center of attention, but not too much.

Morning!

My new job has normal hours and a shorter commute, meaning I leave right after the boys and right before the girls. How lovely to get to spend my mornings with my favorites (without the stress of having to drop a single one off #intergenerationalhousesFTW!)

 

Mother’s Day 2021

 Mother’s Day this year was perfectly delightful and low-key. C and the kids made breakfast, we ran errands, and then spent the afternoon putzing around the house. I was perfectly spoiled with a subscription to the Book of The Month Club, two new outfits selected by Eli and Syd, and jewelry that Averson picked out. Syd made a quiche for dinner and then the kids and I went for frozen yogurt. I felt very appreciated :)

When the family really understands you and knows you like to make your own coffee

 

I really love sharing Mother’s Day with my mom and having her here. We were so lazy this year, but I love this picture of her and I from Murder-Con pre-apocalypse