And another party

This was a weekend filled with parties.  Tonight was the 4-H Christmas party.  They had a taco bar, and gift exchange.  It was fun, fast and filling.  Always a good night if you can eat tacos and I didn’t have to cook.   

Yesterday, at Evie’s birthday party, Madison and Andrew made an announcement.  I am so excited about it!   I cannot wait to meet my new grandkid this summer!!!   It was sort of funny, I was running the vacuum. Andrew  comes up and hands me the sonogram photo.  I was like oh where did you find this?   Wait a minute WHAT?  Haha.  I’m a little slow but I’m super Elated.  

A day for Evie

Today we had the long awaited birthday party for Evie.  She is turning 4.  So wild how fast the last 4 years have gone!   To say that this kid was excited would be a major understatement.  She was on cloud 9.  We have been planning, buying unicorn stuff, worrying about a piñata and demanding that people sing “we don’t talk about Bruno” instead of the birthday song for weeks and weeks.  I’m not sure why my grandkid hates the birthday song, but we were told NOT to sing it!   She is so funny!  And opinionated.   And not afraid to speak her mind. I love her so much!  She is a true gift to our lives. 

This evening, the girls went to the zoo lights with Mallory.   They had a ton of fun.   It was a good day.  Early to bed for everyone tonight.  

Fun times

Harper’s birthday falls amid all the Christmas stuff.  As usual, we just decided to do something a little bit early.  I asked her what she wanted to do.   She said slumber party.  Easy enough.  Then she invited one friend over.   I asked her if she wanted more?  Nope.   I asked what she wanted to do while her friend was here. Nothing.   I asked a million questions and didn’t get an overwhelming sense of excitement from her for any of my suggestions.   So I did what I do.  I ordered pizza.  I bought the  junk food.  I drug out some crafts that I had intended to do with my RE kids, but they decided to not have class in December so they were just laying around here.   Now I am just watching some tv and letting them do their thing.  Kids are funny.  We have a house full of stuff to do.  They are sitting beside each other looking at their phones.   They are happy, not fighting, not complaining and giggling at stuff they are looking at.   Who am I to judge?   I love that Harper has a friend who likes her low key hanging at home personality.  

You know who doesn’t hang out at home?   This one.  He works a lot, and when he’s not at work, he hangs out with 3 kids.  John, Chayt and Liv.   They go out to dinner about 4 nights a week.  Does he bring me back anything?   No he doesn’t. Because he is a putz.  Just kidding.  I enjoy him.   He is fun to give crap to.  

I didn’t get any official birthday pictures of this kid, but today he did send me some photos from a recruitment photo shoot, so I am counting them as his birthday pictures.   And holy cow I am overwhelmed with a desire to enroll at LSU!  In all honesty, I feel a little envious of the green grass and leaves in the background.   

This girl makes me laugh every day.   Yesterday at lunch, she got very sad.  Then she said “I wanted to have a baby sister, but my dad doesn’t have a magic baby stick!”   We were having lunch with the mayor, and I thought he was going to choke to death on his lunch.  

Today, as we were eating, we were talking about her birthday party tomorrow.  I asked her if Poppy was invited.  She got the ornery grin and immediately said “yes Poppy, you are invited but there is no farting allowed!”  She is a hot mess.  I just love her.  

A saga of birds.  A few months ago, I rehomed my parrot. It was a hard decision for me, as I really liked him.   I decided I could have a different, quieter bird and I found Rico at the humane society.   Rico had a terrible accident involving our stupid cat.  I still do not know how he got out of the cage, but one night he flew across the room. Before I could stand up, the cat had him.   I was sick.  That left us with just Lisa, the yellow parakeet I bought to keep him company. For a few weeks, Lisa was living all alone, but I noticed she seemed lonely.  She was spending all her time looking at herself in the reflection in her food bowl.  She rarely sang anymore.   On a whim, I decided to get her a new friend.  This week, Saige and I stopped off and purchased this pretty little white headed blue boy.  We named him Lonnie.  Today, as I was cleaning the kitchen, I noticed they were sitting together and Lisa was singing again.  I’m hoping for no more bird tragedies.  

We have a busy weekend coming up, but my usual mantra of thankful for the weekend seems adequate for tonight’s theme.  

Cameron’s birthday

Today is Cameron’s 23rd birthday.   Of course we didn’t get to spend the day together, but I did face time him.   He was a little worked up over a paper he had due.  I helped him with some suggestions - which I’m sure he incorporated right away after we hung up.   

Cameron said that he and Lauren were celebrating by going to a semi-pro hockey game.  I’ll make him a bunch of French dip birthday dinner when he’s back in a couple weeks.  I miss Cameron (and Lauren).   I am thankful for technology though.  I am proud of the work he is doing, and for the work he is putting into his master’s degree.   I am sure when he is done, it will be worth all this effort.  

Today I was thinking about Cameron.  When he was a little kid, probably 4, he went out to play and came back absolutely covered in mud.  He came through the door, smiled and said “spank me if you need to, but I sure had fun!”   How do you discipline that?   You don’t.  Which explains a lot. 

Happy birthday Cameron!   We love you!   

Just like that

Just like that,  our younger crowd of kids are growing up and making big kid decisions.  This weekend we managed to finally find a car for Quincy.   Of course, we haven’t officially purchased it yet, so I hope I’m not jumping the gun here. Our friend owns a car lot and has helped us more times than I can count.   I hope this will be a sweet little car for Quincy, and will be safer than the last car.   Also, hoping like crazy that it lasts for a few years.   Tomorrow, we work out the purchasing details.  Fingers crossed it will work out.  

Just like that, the Thanksgiving decorations were tucked away and Christmas appeared. We waited until Sunday dinner so that Evie could help us.    It was a little chaotic, and we are definitely not done, but it was a good start.   

I am thankful that Preston and Saige are both feeling better.   Preston had stomach flu, Saige had a severe headache and nothing else.   The cold/flu season is already off to a terrible start this year.  The nursing shortage is real, from experience I have had first hand recently.   Hoping for no more sicknesses here this year.   Knocking on wood.  Drinking more water.   Spraying the Lysol.   

I believe I turned a corner today as well.  Feeling completely back to normal, no more weird side ache, and the tired/groggy fog has lifted.  Just in time for returning to work 

Because just like that, the weekend is over.  I’ll never understand where the time goes, but I’m thankful this weekend was mostly relaxing.   Upcoming this week - must. Start.  Christmas.  Shopping.  

Gettin un-stoned

We are having a low-key weekend this week.  Yesterday, I had surgery to remove the stent and offending kidney stone.   It was a pretty easy procedure, and I was able to be home by mid-afternoon.   Aside from being tired and a little groggy, I am feeling good and super happy to have that little chapter of life closed.  I have to stay on antibiotics for a few more days, and then I’m good as new.  Honesty, for something so minor, it became sort of a major ordeal.  I’m thankful to come out on this side of the dirt.   Zero out of 5 stars. Do not recommend.   

I am thankful for my husband for helping out and being my chauffeur.   

Cameron thought he found some tickets to the big 12 championship game for this weekend.  He made arrangements for his old roommate to pick Preston up and take him down.  He had arranged to stay with a cousin of Lauren’s.  And then the tickets fell through, and they had to cancel.   Preston was a little sad.  Thursday night, at the time they were supposed to be driving to Texas, Preston came down with the stomach flu.   He still isn’t feeling the best.   I think it worked out good that he is home instead.   We are watching the game.  Not as fun as being there in person I’m sure!  

This week we also threw in a leaking water heater, crazy issues with the end of the water project at Jim’s work, a cortisone shot in Jim’s back,  completion of a rehab project at my work, and car shopping with Quincy.   I am thankful that we have a couple days of down time to reconnect with sanity.