it's the little things...

Five!  How is my firstborn so old?!  Well, you are and you're getting super fun.  You are your own person, for sure.  When I asked you what kind of birthday you wanted this year you said "Wonder Woman.  And I want all my friends to dress like their favorite superhero."  I thought that was a GREAT idea so we went with it.  And let me tell you, it was so fun seeing all your friends in their costumes.  The neighbors said it looked like Halloween all over again.  Y'all are the cutest.  This year, I mostly bought the food but spent more time on favors (capes!) and games (superhero training!).  Everyone seemed to have a good time, and the weather held up again this year. I'm also not gonna lie--it was nice to be back in the house for your party. This last year was a challenging one what with us moving all the time and living everywhere but home.  But you and your brother handled it like champs.  You were so well-behaved in...

Pretty lame year on the reading front but things have been a bit hectic.  Perhaps 2016!  Here's the list for posterity's sake: A Lesson Before Dying The Baker's Daughter Notorious Nineteen Takedown Twenty The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox The One and Only Ivan And the usual tons of children's books.  #6 is one, too, but it's a chapter book.  I thought we could read it aloud but it's still a little old for the kids.  I liked all of them. #5 was probably the one I wanted most to not end.  It felt like I needed to know what happened after the final page.  Good sign...

We are finally (FINALLY) at the portion of the program where the progress is something that I care about.  Not that I didn't care about progress before but things like new plumbing don't exactly make me giddy.  I couldn't fall asleep last night (even though I'm sickly AGAIN) because I really wanted to see the progress from yesterday.  Freakin' time change.  The guys were working late and I don't really want to drop by at night.  Them having a heart attack doesn't get me in the house any sooner. So we're looking at the end of the month.  I'm disappointed we won't be in by Thanksgiving but we'll work it out and will be thankful regardless.  I've been told by multiple people that they feel like they're going through this with us.  I take that to mean that they crammed their family in an apartment (and various other places) for nearly a year in solidarity.  No? Ok, fine.  What it really means is they want pics.  Here you go.  Obv...

It seems that right when things are getting really bad and crazy and you want to scream "I can't do this!" that's when they turn around.  Kind of like childbirth. So things are better.  I feel like we may actually live in our house again...something I was doubting before.  I started treating the contractors like I treat folks at work--I badger until I get a response (in a relatively nice way, of course).  It has actually resulted in--gasp--responses.  And I told them that I was going with the more generous part of the date range they gave me during our last big meeting.  So November 13th it is.  Please ignore that that's a Friday the 13th.  We're basing furniture delivery and leaving the apartment on that date so they have to stick with it.  Or else we'll be camping in the backyard, I guess. We've had a lot of progress in the last few weeks.  We have all the walls textured and several rooms painted.  All new doors and trim--all ...

I feel like making it 8 months out of the house before losing my mind was a pretty good run.  We're about a month past that and probably have almost two more to go before we're back in.  I'm honestly thinking of starting a GoFundMe campaign for my mental health care costs.  I try to go to sleep at night but just get angry and think of how I'd go on a tirade Julia Sugarbaker-style.  (Instead of, you know, slightly misplaced anger at strangers in a parking lot.) Also?  I waffle.  I try to calm down and think that none of this is a big deal in the grand scheme of things.  So many people are going through much worse.  At least I live in a safe place.  I don't feel the need to flee my country to bring safety to my children.  We have food and jobs and our general health.  But then I think that if I don't get mad we will literally never move back home.  NEVER.  And I want to scream.  So here's where we are.  We...

I saw this comic strip one time where a dog was complaining that he or she was always good, never great.  I don't know why "good girl" flows so much better than "great girl" but it does so that's what you tell them.  This morning, though, I told her she was a great girl.  And she was. We got Maggie about 6 months after we got married.  We knew we wanted a rescue, and I really wanted a Boxer.  I don't know what it was about her little ad that I liked over the others.  I am so sweet and I just roll with the flow where ever I go. Everyone who meets me says that I am just the sweetest little girl! You see, I was lost...and I got picked up by the county animal control. They put me in a large cage with lots of other dogs...but, that did not bother me...I just waited there because I knew that someone would come and see how sweet I am and get me out. Sure enough, one day a nice lady showed up and got me out of there. She put me in her car and I had a lovel...

Hey, Buddy!  You're 3!  I can't believe my baby is three.  Sigh.  These days you go by a lot of different names other than your own--Buddy, Buddy Bear, Buns, Jojo, Joj. I think Jojo came from the Power Puff girls' Mojo Jojo.  I'd change it to [your name] Jojo.  And then dropped your name altogether.  Daddy calls you Super Son sometimes.  So, Jojo, what are you like these days?  Mostly awesome with a little bit of the whole "threenager" thing sprinkled in.  Oh my, speaking of sprinkles I guess I should start with a story from when we went on vacation in the Hill Country a few weeks ago.  You met your first love.  It was so funny; as soon as we got to the campground, we went to the pool.  You quickly found an age-appropriate little girl to woo.  After we changed, we went to the playground.  There you flirted with 3 sisters.  The oldest one (who turned 14 while we were there) is the person you say you're g...