Someone grew quite a few inches this year—first day vs. last day!
Owen’s last day of 7th grade!
Author Archives: Jen
Katie’s wake up puppy
Katie was oversleeping on the last day of school so she got a wake up puppy!
You got us. Well played.
Gabby is now an Eagle!
We all traveled to Normal for our neice Gabby’s Eagle Scout promotion! But first, dropping Olive at the sitter’s!
And then lunch, because we were at a Mexican restaurant!
Today’s math lesson!
Road trip + no devices = napping kids
She wanted blue hair so she got blue hair!
We finally did Katie’s Christmas gift! And my friend Amy helped because I’d never done anything exactly like that before! (I could totally do it now, though, after watching!)
And after the shower… plus look how long her hair finally is!!
Unexpectedly delicious.
Yes, she has her head on my desk.
Trying to get some computer work done with Olive crying at my feet so I had to do this.
My baseball boys!
And what Katie does during baseball.
Lots of Olive today!
She SHOULD feel as guilty as she looks this morning…she barked from 2-3am (even after Tom took her out, where she did nothing). Stinker.
Trying to take a work pic and caught her mid-yawn!
Don’t all dogs chew their too-big bully sticks sitting on their personal staircase with their hind legs crossed?
I’ve read 4 books in the past 10 days!
And I’m going to have to create a new 2022 Goodreads goal since I only have one left (I hoped for one a month and I’m already at 11)!
I can’t tell you the last time I read this many books…15 years? Maybe 20? 25?
Yes, more Olive.
A quick Olive nap.
Olive is an escape artist.
Today I came back from the movie and lunch…and she was on the couch (and I had to clean up accidents). We thought it was a random thing but no, when we came back from gymnastics, she was out again.
So tonight at bedtime Tom clamped the blanket over the top of her crate area. Katie happened to go down to get water and…she was out again. Gahhhhhhhh. So Tom put more clamps on for the night and we get to figure out a better/less ghetto solution going forward.
An Olive Tuesday
Katie’s home!
This isn’t going to be fun.
I’m glad they’re taking care of it, but 1) it wasn’t that bad to start with and 2) they really made a huge mess out of our driveway.
I can’t imagine what they’re going to do to fix it. The whole thing looks like this.
Top Gun: Maverick
There was no way in hell I was missing this on the big screen…
My thoughts?
- Holy crap was that good! I wasn’t sure they could pull it off but they did.
- It was more emotional than I anticipated for sure.
- Tom Cruise still has it.
- I got goosebumps more than once.
- I teared up more than once.
- The actor that plays Goose’s son is damn near perfect casting.
- I’m so glad my mom didn’t see it first and tell me I didn’t need to see it because it was “just a bunch of planes flying around.”
- I definitely want to see it again.
That’s how I feel right now, too, Olive…
Since you were barking since 5am and I am NOT a morning person.
This is karma for the empty park on opening day.
Just shoot me. I am in my own personal hell today. A full park. No seats anywhere—let alone in the shade. So I’m stuck in a tiny sliver of shade on a steep hill so that I’m constantly sliding down. And there are ants.
Baseball coaches BBQ
Our welcoming committee (Katie) was dressed and out waiting a good 15 minutes before guests were supposed to arrive!
I apparently don’t know how to make food for less than 30 people.
It was a BBQ so Tom did pulled pork (which requires cole slaw since we lived in North Carolina for eight years), baked beans, and cornbread. Then we added three flavors of smoked cream cheese with three types of crackers, pea and peanut salad, peanuts, cashews, fresh fruit and chips for the kiddos, and someone brought the veggie tray (and desserts which aren’t in the photo).
We’ve rested a bunch today.
I’m training my lap dog!
Outside sun dog activated!
Perfect opening day at the pool!
Basically an empty park (there might be 30 guests here and that’s being generous—I’ve counted who I can see and it’s less than 30), perfect weather for me not going in the pool (it’s a measly 70°!), good music, a new book, and kids leaving me alone… I just wish they served margaritas!
Bikes as teen transportation
Owen wanted me to drive him to a sleepover on the other side of the neighborhood. I told him to ride his bike.
Him: Umm huh?
Me: That’s how teenagers get around.
Him: blank stare
Me: It’s not raining or snowing or cold and you have everything in a backpack and it’s literally on the other side of the neighborhood.
Him: Oooookay, I guess.
I keep trying to get up and do things…
but Olive keeps whining to get on my lap. I’ll allow it since these days don’t last forever.
She couldn’t stay still…
Time to wake up!
And I finally caught her in a big yawn!
And then Owen came home…
And look what she learned how to do today!! Nooooooooo!!!
The evolution of Living Lippy!
Y’all have seen my avatar by now, I assume, since she’s been around since 2018.
Well, I figured four years was long enough to use the el cheapo Fiverr look (which I did love)…so when my friend Joyanne offered to design something new for me as practice for her new business, I jumped at the chance!
And I’m in love! I mean, who doesn’t want to look like a Disney princess?! And of course I still have my trademark margarita…but my hair is shorter and I’ve got a cardigan now (and I’m not quite as slim as I was back then). And yes, the margarita is a more realistic appropriate size!
That said, part of me is sad to give up the old me because it has memories…but we all need to grow and evolve…so in with the new!
This is what Katie considered picked up.
I told Katie to pick up your bathroom before the housekeepers got here. I can’t even.
Oh, and her closet. Filled with clean clothes that she said she already put away.
The boys’ 8th grade graduation!
Owen and Evan had a game afterward and Tom and Owen had to leave right from graduation.
As a school board member, Anna was able to hand her kids their diplomas.
WTHS Referendum Post card party
Today I got together with some new friends for a few hours to write reminder to vote yes postcards for the upcoming Referendum. It’s critical that this passes so the high school gets enough money for a full day of classes as well as extracurricular activities and sports.
