Day #350-#351

Saturday was bubbas big birthday celebration. Alli and Frankie went to Target early and picked up some snacks and decorations and then we all worked together to make the day special for our special boy. He came over around 1 and aren’t Delaney and Alli adorable?

He hadn’t seen any WandaVision so the girls excitedly offered to watch with him. 

Papa came over and we all played some Chameleon, Taboo, and Eye to Eye. 

He requested Shepherds Pie for dinner and Better than Shopping Cake for dessert. Easy easy. 

Jeannie came over at 3 and spent the day with us too. It was a fun one. 

He has been “going to leave for the Army any day now,” for months, so he doesn’t want/need any gifts. We bought him a bunch of goodies and gave him a check, because presents are fun to open and checks are always in season. 

Addie is the sweetest. 

A grown up boy! I love him and not his beard.

After papa and Jeanne had left and Matt was... somewhere, we realized we hadn’t gotten a picture of all of us with our birthday hats. I set a timer and snagged this beauty. 

I had stake council at 7 this morning, but had trouble sleeping last night. After all the festivities I developed a case of the “what am I doing here, I don’t know anything and everyone is going to realize and I’m gonna feel so dumb and actually I am so dumb”’s. This doesn’t happen often, but I’ve been feeling pretty humbled lately and this has been building for awhile. I had been a ward relief society president for a long time and I pretty much knew what I was doing. I wasn’t perfect, but I had a handle on it. I am in fully uncharted territory now and when things go sideways, like they do, it is easy for me to question myself and my abilities. So I was tired this morning, but everything went fine. I love counseling in meetings where everyone participates and I felt the spirit encouraging and assuring me and it was a good morning. Hoping to not have anymore cases like that for awhile, but with Women’s Conference hot on my heels and still some things with our Spanish and Deaf Branches to sort out, I just might. And it will all be fine too. This isn’t my gig, it is the Lord’s and I trust Him completely. So thankful these feelings come and go fairly quickly. 

We had in person sacrament meeting that I was late to because of my meeting, so that was stinky, but the meeting was really good. Then our RS/EQ was nice and then nap time was amazing. We planned some things for our trip, papa and I dropped off the last of the shepherds pie and cake to Christian, and Matt made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. We watched a new Disney movie Flora and Ulysses and the parts I saw were really cute. Also, these lucky girls and lucky papa too. 💕

I missed the second half because the last relief society president who hadn’t responded to several requests (and I worried I had somehow offended) finally responded and I jumped at the chance to chat with her. Turns out they had family things and life was crazy and she wasn’t just trying to avoid and ignore us. She was lovely and I am reminded again (again again) that it’s usually not about me. No matter what “it” is, it’s usually not about me, no matter how hard my insecurities try to make it be. 

Day #348-#349

Papa came over yesterday after lunch and took F&D to the park. Matt and I went shopping for new bathroom light fixtures, but Lowe’s didn’t have anything big enough, so we’ll have to order. We got Panera and made it a little date. Delaney decorated for St Patrick’s Day and I really love it when they take initiative and get excited. Then I went to a bonfire and caught up with some girlfriends. 

Just a few more days till we get to see the cute boys!

We super can’t wait. 

Today is Christians birthday and they just declared it Moll Dyer Day. Papa, Matt, and Frankie went downtown to see the unveiling of her rock at its new location. 

I stayed home and painted the bathroom baseboards and doors. 

I scrubbed it all down and moved a shelf we got from a neighbor. Tomorrow Matt will put all the fixtures back up and hopefully we can order new lights. 

That is the last of the rooms to be painted. We’ve still got a downstairs closet and a few touch ups, but the painting of the ceilings, walls, doors, and baseboards if 99.9% finished. Roughly a million hours and 1 surgery later. 

We watched Wanda Vision and The Floor is Lava and had subs for dinner. Tomorrow we’ll celebrate with bubba, so we’re all looking forward to that. 

Day #347

Matt took the girls snowboard/skiing today. The left just after 6 and I got up to help them get out the door. I meant to go back to sleep, but then didn’t. I was supposed to go to the dermatologist at 9 and I had planned to do some birthday shopping after, but there was a frustrating mixup and now I’m going to the doctor tomorrow instead. I still needed to go shopping, and I had a nice morning out. 

My project for the day was to paint the last room in the house - our bathroom. Once I got everything moved and prepped I realized I didn’t have any floetrol and I really like painting with it, so then I ran up to Ace. I didn’t even get started till after 1, and I’m kind of a slow painter, so it took me till 9. There was a ton of cutting because bathrooms are like that and I did the toilet room (painting around a toilet = 😩) and the main bathroom and did 2 coats. Tomorrow I’ll do the trim and doors. I might have another door or 2 still to do, and then just some touch ups. We still need to finish the game closet, so after Matt preps that, I’ll paint it. But mostly just tiny paint projects which makes me SO happy.  

The snow crew made it home at 9:30, tired and happy. 

Lines for rentals! On a Wednesday morning!

It was a beautiful, 60° day. D skied without a coat even. 

Goodbye brown!

A good day was had by all. 

Day #346

Polish and wax, do laundry and mop and shine up. So actually just the laundry part. And I vacuumed. But we’ve been listening to the Disney station on Echo and they mainly play Tangled and Moana songs. 

We field tripped to St. Aloysius Cemetery to try to fill a photo request with Find a Grave. I’ve requested a photo from Illinois and it just feels right to request one and fill one. 

Unfortunately, we looked at every headstone and didn’t find who we were looking for. 

We found the name but the dates were off. 

It was a beautiful day and it was nice to be outside together trying to do something good. 

Delaney was off in her own world, but right near where we’d be leaving, so we hopped in the car and that maniac danced in the middle of the street. She’s such a trip. 

The girls played at the park and I tutored. We had drumsticks for dinner and got the crew ready for probably their last snow trip of the season. I chatted with one of the technology specialists for the stake working to figure out our women’s conference and made some other calls. My arm is still a little sore post-vac but other than that I’m doing great. 🤗

Day #345

The big news of today is that my dad and I got our 1st covid shots. I feel such gratitude and relief, I might have teared up. So grateful and so ready. 

It was a rainy blah day, and we waited in quite the line. It took us about an hour and a half to snake our way through. 

Sweet Kelly at our dentist office gave this to Frankie to hold when she was nervous to get her cavities filled, and Frankie with the heart of gold gave it to papa to comfort him. It’s now hanging from the rear view mirror of the space car. 

We finally made it to the end of the line. The nice national guardsmen asked if I was ready, and bam. Immunized. 

We hung out for 15 minutes to make sure we didn’t have any adverse reactions and then we were on our way. 🙌🏼

We did a bit of shopping and then Alli and I beat team papa/delaney at a round of dominos. I’m cleaning out pantries again and we made a potato masala for meatless Monday. It was both spicy and bland all at the same time, a rare feat that I do not recommend. It had a very strange taste. No ones favorite, but still fine. As I was tucking girls in I realized that I did, in fact, get a shot today. My arm is getting mighty sore and we will see what tomorrow brings. I am fully prepared to stay in bed all day if I have to. 🤷‍♀️😂 

Oh also, I guess this guy 😂 isn’t cool anymore. There’s a big kerfuffle going on about Gen Z letting the rest of us know that side parts, skinny jeans, and this cutie 😂 are no longer cool. I guess I’ve arrived at official non-cool status, though i suspect I’ve been there, or at least knocking on its door for some time. 

Day #344

Stake temple and family history day! I love a dedicated day for family history. I found this awesome newspaper article and picture of my beautiful grandma using her stage name Crystal Cook. 

We enjoyed sacrament meeting from hoke. We’ve switched to half the ward going one Sunday and half the next, and our turn is next Sunday. I bought a bunch of strawberries because they were on sale,  made some hot fudge to eat them as a treat. Matt found a huge one. 

We watched the new Spanish Branch formed, at least the part i could understand, and they haven’t called a RSP yet, so then i was done. We had our Sunday school and then everyone added a memory to family search and did a little indexing. The girls played dress up and made movies and then Delaney pounded ice off the deck and swimming pool. She has always loved playing like this - in dirt, snow, ice - she couldn’t just dig and break and have the time of her life. 

Addie spent some time searching around family search. There are so many cool features!

The temple and family history consultants held a helper meeting, so I logged in to get some help. My moms side doesn’t go back very far, only to my 2nd great grandparents. They were born in Germany, so it makes it more tricky. Lindsay offered to log into a breakout room with me and she explained some different ways to search. We found a great giant (916 pages!) book of German Lutheran church records with lots of my family in it and Lindsay tells me those are very accurate because they were recorded by the people involved and right after the event. I think I found the parents of my 2nd great grandma, but Lindsay is going to help me one day because German is super hard to read. My 2nd great-grandparents Peter Gustav Heinrich Fleischer and Sophie Christine Carstens back in 1881. 

It’s been a good day working on family history and I’m grateful for people sharing their expertise with me. And look at these cuties! I love the matchy matchy!

We had taco salad for dinner and then I had a meet and greet with our newest relief society presidency in the Capitol Hill ward. Their cute new president is a young single sister that works in the senate. She is timid and nervous but willing and hopeful and so sweet. They have almost 400 sisters in their ward, so they’ve got their work cut out for them, but I know she’ll be awesome. Then we met with the Capitol Ward and that was another great meeting. I can’t wait till we can get out there and get to know and really spend time with the sisters. It’s very exciting. 

Day #343

It was a nice Saturday. Addie had a stake youth activity where they met with a ward from Paris. I only heard a little bit, but I think it was a fun and creative way to show unity with our global church. Addie enjoyed it, but said it was a little long. 2 hours is a long time to be on zoom. Then the little girls had a Friend to Friend broadcast at 1. It was short and cute and clever. Frankie tries to act too cool for primary and says things like “I hope I’m in YW before they do another one of these.” But she was in it to win it when they had a drawing activity and I think she liked the whole thing. We each drew a girl praying and they came out really cutely. 

One side note. Addie and Frankie are amazing artists. They always have been creative and have a really great and interesting style of drawing and they love to do it. Delaney has never been as into drawing as they are, and also isn’t quite as gifted. Since we’ve been playing Telestrations a lot, Frankie and Addie must have said something to D, because when I asked her to make a card for someone recently she initially told me she couldn’t because she was a terrible artist. 💔 I know kids will be kids, but this is especially heart breaking to me because I don’t want her to think she can’t create because she’s not as good as someone else. I still struggle with that and I know so many like me that stop doing art all together because somewhere along the line someone told them they couldn’t/shouldn’t. I talked to both girls separately and will just keep working on it. 

I deep conditioned my hair this morning and then got distracted doing other things. There was a water main break downtown, but we’d just had low pressure all day. So I was surprised when i turned on the shower and watched as it slowly went from low pressure to no pressure. Thankfully I hadn’t gotten in yet, but it was pretty unfortunate timing. Water is back on now and still low pressure, but I did manage to get a shower. 

Papa brought over Crabknockers for dinner and we enjoyed a delicious meal together. I made a pistachio pudding dessert. Guys, we’re down to like 15 puddings, and they’re all within about 3 years of their expiration dates, so that’s a pretty big covid accomplishment. We played dominos, only Delaney wanted to be auntie Alli’s partner instead of mine for the first time. They beat us the first game and D had a field day that she beat me 3 times in a row. Then we played again and papa and I won. Then Delaney got distracted by the tv, so just papa, Alli, and I played, and I came off victorious. Delaney was kind of a bad sport about beating me 3 games in a row, so Alli took a pic of me with my winnings on it and I ran down and showed it to her. 😂 she loved my joke. 

And finally, the Finlayson 4. Such a cute little family! We can’t wait to see them in less than 2 weeks!

Day #342

It was still so icy today! Laney and Frankie enjoyed an “Arctic Lunch” and ate on the icy deck. They could break and throw ice all day long. It’s a wonder no ones gotten hurt yet. 

We ventured to papas house this afternoon. The icy trees are mesmerizing, iPhone pictures do them zero justice. It has really been beautiful. 

Matt, Tony, Abby, and Addie de-iced papa’s stairs. In the 12 years we’ve lived here we’ve never experienced ice like this, and his stairs, like everything else, had at least an inch thick layer of ice. 

The girls haven’t seen each other in quite some time, so they ran around and played for as long as they could. 

They slipped and slid all over. 

Sometimes I’m still in denial that these girls are young women. 

I put up papa’s welcome home banner, left him some snacks, and started his roomba. We love our papa and are hopeful he’ll be feeling better asap. 

We watched the latest Wanda Vision and then read about the word of God. We did the activity in the CFM manual where we each looked up a different scripture, read it, then reported back to the group. Now that the girls are older I’ve been wanting to do that for awhile, and this worked perfectly because there were 5 scripture references. Everyone nailed theirs but Delaney, but to be fair she had an Isaiah reference and that’s always difficult. 

Most of Texas seems to have their power back on. Around 50 people have died as a result of these storms and so many houses and businesses have been damaged. Tom and Bonnie had a pipe outside burst, but Tom was able to repair it, but then another one burst in their upstairs bathroom and flooded down to their dining room. Tom ripped out the ceiling and for now it’s not leaking anymore, but they will be added to the thousands of Texans needing to repair. Thankfully Tom’s apartment never lost power, but they’re under boil notice for their water. It’s really a huge mess. 

In covid news, the US is down to 2600 deaths per day, which after having numbers in the 4000’s, is actually improving. Our highest death toll day was 2/4 with 5,077. 495,000 Americans have died from covid-19. These numbers are staggering and heartbreaking. Maryland is currently 39th in most new cases per 100,000 residents, so that’s pretty encouraging. There are several new variants spreading across the US, which is making some suggest double masking. We were talking double masking and our upcoming flight to Montana and Delaney said “I’ll mask up, but I’m not double masking. It’s too much.” That probably is too much for a 9-year-old. It’s all just a lot. 

And finally, in more sad news, a few weeks ago my Uncle Larry passed away. That leaves those cousins without either parent living, which feels so unfair and makes me so sad for them. Then Jim let us know that Sharon’s last living sibling, Uncle Howard passed away a few days ago. He was in his 90’s, so he lived a good long life. But we also found out that his wife passed away back in October. She seemed so young and full of life when we visited with them a few years ago, so that was surprising. And finally, some of my best childhood friends mom passed away from cancer a few weeks ago. When we lived in Germany we lived in a duplex and next door was an American family also with 5 kids (this was pre-Tom days) and just down the street was that families aunt and uncle and their 5 kids - all American, all LDS, and all home schooled. We were all a hot mess and all so much fun. Everyone had a buddy and we had the best adventures together. Those were idyllic and happy days. Sister Bainbridge was the mom down the street, she was good friends with my mom, and we spent many a day at her house. Getting old is weird and I don’t like this part of it, but I’m grateful to know this is not the end. “Death is a kind of graduation day for life. It is our only means of entrance to our eternal lives.” ~Sterling Sill

Day #341

Instead of snow we got an icy mess. Not as pretty or fun, but thankfully we didn’t have to go anywhere. The county cancelled school again, but our little band of merry misfits plugged away. The girls are excitedly banking days for when we’re in Montana. I was able to tutor early since Ruby didn’t have school either. 

Bubba fixed and put together a few things at papa’s and came over here before and after. I told him about Laney’s big domino win against me last night and he wanted to see for himself. He introduced me to Tyler Childers music and we had a fun game. 

We’ve created a monster in this little chic. She beat both of us. Bubba called it beginners luck, but I’m not so sure. Also, if you find a bag of Dot’s Homestyle pretzels, do yourself a favor and buy them. They are so good! I saw them at Target yesterday and decided to try them and they’re already gone. 

We watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and had Home Evening. And that was our icy day. 

Days #329-#331

Saturday, February 6

Johnna invited us to play with her grandsons at the park. They played tennis and then on the playground while Johnna and I visited. 

It was definitely not warm enough to be out without long pants. 🙄

She’s always good about taking lots of pictures. 

D is always up for bunny ears. 

Frankie and Landon have been playing together since there were tiny. 

That day Matt and I had a mini date. We went to the store and dropped off food for a drive at church. Then Alli and I chopped and cooked in preparation for a healthy super bowl feast. 

Sunday, February 7

Sunday was our turn to go to church. It started snowing during sacrament meeting and this is what we drove home in. It was beautiful! Until the car 2 cars in front of us slid off the road and hit the embankment. The car in front of us hit the brakes, and we did too, but kept on sliding. Matt was able to ease into the other lane to not rear end the second car, and then get back into our lane before being hit head on. It was a wee bit scary the rest of the drive home, but Matt is good and careful and never does donuts with me even though I know he’d like too. 

That day was super bowl Sunday. We headed to papa’s at 6 to break our fasts and enjoy our delicious dinner. We had copycat Cheesecake Factory lettuce wraps, roasted corn dip, veggie tray, chicken skewers, 7 layer dip, guacamole, and brownies. We were gonna do strawberry shortcake, but couldn’t find good strawberries. I thoroughly enjoyed the game this year even though the Chiefs lost. I didn’t really care, but you’ve got to root for someone. 

Monday, February 8

The girls just randomly go outside to sled down our front yard ramp. No shoes, no coats, just sledding. 

Delaney enjoyed 7 layer dip while she schooled. 

I took Frankie to the dentist to finish up her fillings. She was able to get laughing gas this day, so it went pretty smoothly. We met the new dentist and she was great. She took everything slowly and explained everything they were doing to make Frankie comfortable. 

Papa for this silly shot of our pajama sledders. They’re nuts. 

And now I’m caught up.