Monday All Day

Monday was MLK Day, so the kids were home and spent the majority of it with me.  Some days are better than others, and we really enjoyed this one.  I think the girls had as good a time as I did, but I'm sure they weren't as tired as I was at the end of the day.

Emily was off work, but they needed to go make a decision on their countertops without children and run some other errands, so they dropped the girls off about 10:00, I think.  They brought Hop-Hop - who is a little older than Graysen because he was waiting in her crib when she was born - and a white version of Hop-Hop and their baby.  

I wish I had taken more pictures, but I just forgot.  I was a little nervous about helping them with their school work, just because I haven't ever gone into their portal with codes and passwords - and didn't yesterday.  Their teachers had emailed some assignments since there are so many kids out from snow and sickness lately.

Katherine had only to learn her spelling words, and she pretty much already knew them, so she got 100 on it.  By the time she gets to 3rd grade, she will know her multiplication facts also from hearing Graysen work on them.

We concentrated on 6's since she already knows, 0, 1, 2, 5, 9, 10, and 11 and most of the 3's.  I was so proud of Graysen at sticking with it.  She finds it hard to concentrate sometimes, but we made up all kinds of funny things and ways to remember them.  

I let them watch a polymer-clay-making video while I vacuumed.  They are obsessed at watching this girl, Creative Rachy from Australia, make little figures from polymer clay.  They were pretty helpful at picking up everything on the floor for me.

We had a visit from the children who live in the apartment behind us to play.  Emily and I decided they should just avoid other kids not in school with them, but I did want them to get a little sunshine and running, so I let them play a little bit.

The kids are sweet but are more used to being on their own.  I can't let mine be outside without Mimi's eagle eye, so I got a little nervous at the scooter-riding brother that they tried to run after.  Cars aren't very careful in that alley and are always backing out.  It's hard to see children.  I finally called them in for lunch, and they weren't very happy with me, but they understood, I think.

This is so much better than the past two weeks.  My table looks a little different too!

We have some mystery adventure things from 3 different countries that Emily ordered from Highlights that haven't been done yet.  That sounds exciting to me, but I haven't gotten a lot of feedback from them.

Noreen gave me this beautiful little book and card for my birthday - feather from Mike - and I was not able to write then.  I'm going to try to write in it at least weekly. 

The girls helped me with my planner and filling in all the things that will be happening in the next month.  Graysen will be 9 on the 13th of February, and that's hard to believe.  She'll have a school recognition on the 11th, a little party for their friends' kids on the 12th, and her real birthday is on the 13th.  Then Valentine's Day and another party will be on the 14th.  Busy time. 

I got to knit a little bit while they watched another video in the afternoon.  I'm making some of these Spa Day Facecloths to get back in practice.

These look a lot better than mine.  I need to get some colored cotton yarn!

;

Today it's back to school for the girls and dance for Kate afterwards.  Maybe Gray and I will review her 6's and start on her 7's.  

I finished The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller, and it was so-so.  I made myself finish it though.  I'm in the middle of One Day by David Nicholls, and it's not very good at all.  There is a movie made from the book, so I'm trying to stick with it a bit.

It's Been a Good Week

 I knew it would be an improvement over anything I've had in weeks because of being able to walk up the sidewalk to the mailbox and to the school and not have to bundle up so.  It's so refreshing to stand and have a conversation with a friend and see blue skies and smell the fresh air. 

Tried to do one necessary but not so pleasant thing every day.  Monday was a haircut and taking library books back.  Not really unpleasant, but I never know who I'll get to cut my hair, and there's always the chance of a bad haircut, although I've been going to Great Clips for 3 or 4 years and have never experienced anything bad.  Same Monday, and I can't beat $16 plus a tip anywhere else around here - that I know of.  

Tuesday it was the dentist for that tooth pain I've been having.  It's gradually ebbed some, but I was still not in the mood to be poked and prodded.  Luckily, it's a small practice - one dentist and one hygienist and one receptionist - and it's a happy and friendly place.  I had x-rays which showed nothing bad, and I then had a pretty lengthy cleaning.  Once I told her I haven't had a working right arm in almost a year and that that probably affected my flossing, she made sure she made up for it and found a few deposits in that area.  We think it's probably the fact that I chomped down on a walnut or cucumber and bruised my gum.  Whatever - by the time she was finished, I had not a twinge of pain, no heat or cold sensitivity, and could bite down on things like normal.  I was so happy when I left.  I was not looking forward to any repair or procedure, and my next appointment is in July.  I can't even imagine how July might feel right now.  

Yesterday was just getting the paperwork filled out to donate the Escape to Kars4Kids.  That's what I did with the Rendezvous last year, and I should have a nice tax deduction plus having a quick and easy transaction.  Just don't ever let their ad jingle find its way to your computer or TV.  Most annoying thing ever!

I now have a working VCR and am having SO much fun.  Ryan has been working on getting it attached to my TV since I don't use the TV for anything else, and he finally got it going.  In fact, it came on while he was working on it and showed his wife as a pre-teen in a tiny swimsuit doing choreographed dances in our front yard with her friends.  He was so thrilled, and Emily was so upset, but it turns out he loved seeing that part of her life that he missed.  We can't wait to show him videos of the parents he never met and all the relatives who are no longer living.  It can get a little sad sometimes, seeing how things used to be, but I'm so thankful for the memories.  We'll have to see about getting a few digitized.  

There are 3 high school graduations, 3 college graduations, 1 PT graduation, a law school one, a master's degree ceremony, a wedding, and a 50th anniversary.  Many dance recitals and birthday parties and Christmases and summers at the beach.  

The girls are fascinated at seeing their Mama as a child and are already copying some of her silliest moments!  

They probably can't top having a friend loan her his Porsche for a week for her high school graduation.  Brave friend!

I can't wait to spend some time watching these and traveling back in time.  We have a lot of pictures, but these are the only memories of voices we have.  Seeing my father-in-law squeeze into his World War II jacket in his mid-70s and saluting is priceless.  And being able to hear Mike giving a running commentary on his Christmas gifts just brings a big smile to my face.  

The quality isn't great - probably wasn't even too good back then - but I'll try and get a few of them on YouTube to post here in the coming weeks.  

It's early pickup today, so I need to get busy.  The girls have been extra sweet this week after our not having too much time together and can't stop giving me hugs and cuddles.  They're pushing for a sleepover tonight.  We'll see where that goes.  

Doing Nothing

 I hope Monday starts off as a good week with all the snow melted and above-freezing temperatures.  I'm so ready to catch up on my outside stuff.  I haven't been to the mailbox in a week but not expecting anything.  It will be exciting to see my new Social Security raise, but that's direct deposit later on this month.  

I have an Amazon package that's late but is promised by 9:30 tonight.  Nothing very exciting, just household things I need but not enough to go sliding all over the place to drive to get them.  Emily offers to pick up things, but I have a hard time asking for anything that's not extremely important.  

Since I'm trapped here, I have done nothing but a few housekeeping things, a little cooking, and did finish that Ishiguru book.  It gave me a lot to think about but wasn't wonderful.

My next book on the audio shelf was Where You Left Off by Katie Couric.  I wasn't absolutely certain I wanted to read another autobiography, or tell-all book.  I had read she really wrote some insulting things about people, but after all these behind-the-scenes White House horrors I've read, I was ready for a little change of pace.  At first, it was kind of boring.  I don't remember watching her much on TV.  I get what news I hear by reading and watching the occasional video.  I'm enjoying seeing how things work on a news set and how the politics of the broadcast industry work.  Couric seems a little too smug about how easily things come for her, but I know it took a lot of hard work to get where she is now in the book.  

As of this morning, I've reached the point where her husband has been diagnosed with cancer, and that's sad to read about.  She loves the notoriety of her job and having people recognize her in public, but then she has to fight the awful invasion of privacy that brings.  I'm hooked now and am interested in seeing how her career goes.  I've forgotten and won't Google it.  I do hate to hear how she tosses out embarrassing and/or private things about people just to get a laugh or to sell a book.  No excuse for that.  I guess the part about Matt Lauer will be interesting.

I might see the girls today.  I haven't heard what they're doing.  They've all been sick and at home for a week, but Emily got a negative Covid test, so that's reassuring.  

I didn't take many Christmas pictures, but I'll see what I can find on my camera just to remember.  I found way too many, but it's fine.  I probably have some duplicates too.  These don't even include the trip to Leavenworth and New Year's Eve.

This is a typical Christmas picture around here.  Ryan brought in a poinsettia that I'm trying to keep alive without repotting.  Some little houses and trees that have fascinated the girls.  And multiplication flashcards!

They are also obsessed with filling little candy or clay molds with whatever liquid we have in the house.  Here, they are using pineapple Capri Sun and vanilla soy milk to make little frozen treats.  So much better than just drinking them - and way more messy.

Christmas Eve when the snow was just a forecast.

Noreen brought over some homemade biscotti.  So good.

These cats survived over a week of snow with absolutely no problem.  I did see where one of them, probably Bowie, ventured out on the front porch briefly.  There were maybe 20 paw prints ending up on the mat coming back in.

All dressed up and enjoying the Nutcracker.  Such big girls now.

Setting up the manger and all the people and animals.  They collected angels from the tree and other places and put them in the background, calling that Heaven.

Opening Carol's (CeCe's) ornaments with money inside!

And it begins!

Santa Claus' gift this year was a Gizmo watch that makes phone calls.  I feel honored to be on the contact list.  Now we can talk any time we want to.  Mom and Dad don't need to know everything!

They loved their fairy-catching bottle.  All the fairies have names, and you can keep up to 30 in the bottle. 

I got to catch one too, a little boy fairy.

We always have a picture of Emily and Ryan slaving away in the kitchen while the rest of us play with our new toys.

 

Beautiful dinner - almost vegan, I think.  All the boxes are appliances and equipment having to do with the remodeling.  I think that's the kitchen sink behind them.

The fireplace is not in yet, so there was a little DIY going on.  Emily made the beautiful garlands, and Katherine drew a fireplace and mantel.

This is a shirt, believe it or not.  Graysen demonstrates how this little fox turns into a warm hoodie.

Christmas night fun for Layla and Bowie.  

First day of the snowstorm.

Sleepover dropoff.  No coat but great boots and a bag of homemade sourdough bread.

Letting Mama go home is hard. 

It helps a little bit when you can call and text her for a while.

It also helps to fill up more molds with Capri Sun.

Emily drove me around town to see how other places looked.  So beautiful.  My apartment doesn't look very festive with the wreath down.  I'll have to do something about that.

Driving down my street towards town.

Mount Si showing off the seahorse and Santa boot.

I'm not playing this!

It's a really old game from the 60s that Ryan found for sale.  They don't make it any more.  Still not playing it.

New Year's Eve.

Sweet gift from Debbie!  Graysen read it correctly, but Katherine chose to see "Bestest Mimi."

GO.  AWAY.

I think this is my favorite handmade Christmas ornament.  Perfectly dressed that day for being in a snow globe.