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Category Archives: Friends & Family

I’m a comeback queen, y’all!

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Tonight was my pseudo-upline’s Dominion Virtual Awards. I didn’t get to attend (because I didn’t pay)…but look at what I qualified for?! COMEBACK QUEEN RETREAT! Just 21 people out of maybe thousands?! WHAAAAAT?! I was floored when my friend Breesy sent this screenshot to me!

And remember the awards I mentioned I technically achieved but didn’t get my own certificate because I didn’t pay to attend? Well, they made a one-time exemption with virtual certificates—and my name wasn’t on it (I did it myself!) but here they are!

Personal Volume Court (this means selling a lot)
12 consecutive months SeneSeller (this means ordering $1500+ every month)

Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way! I never imagined this little side gig would turn into this…

Neighbor jam session!

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Owen decided to play his sax on the front porch. There was no one out to listen to him but he didn’t care.

The next thing I know I hear an electric guitar…and look out to see this. I was at once happy (that they figured out how to play together safety) and sad (that they had to).

They played for probably two hours. Katie was sitting with a sign asking for donations to buy sanitizer for people who don’t have any. (So later we had a talk about that being a wonderful idea but how could we make it better. We landed on donating to the school’s food drive.)

I’m going to be counting rainbows.

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Cleaning out my work armoire on this dumpster fire of a still-sheltering-at-home/first-official-day-of-distance-learning Monday, I found this lovely gift from a friend that got hidden away. I figure now is the best time to open it and get to work remembering everything I have and am grateful for.

To that end, as I was standing thinking about the journal, a really great song came on Alexa so I started crazy dancing which got Katie dancing which eventually even got Owen dancing!! We must have sounded like a herd of elephants to Tom working downstairs in the office, because he came up you see what the hell was going on.

Show me your drunk face v2

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I innocently started a Facebook group to continue the drunk face thing…and we had a mini explosion. Over 100 people joined and a fair amount of them have posted!

Most are my friends (from all times and areas of my life—going back to high school classmates and my first internet friends from 1997 to family members and of course Tivo peeps) but others are inviting people, too!

It really isn’t a drunken fest—it’s more a show me what you’re drinking but I just thought the original sounded funnier.

Who’s in for the epic party of 2020?

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I’m already thinking about our Saturday dinners we can’t have and our awesome Back to School BBQ that will likely not happen…so get ready. That’s all I’m saying. RSVP NOW. Depending how long this shiz really goes on and depending what happens with Tom’s work sitch…we may also add a Housewarming to the mix. Who’s in?!

Show me your drunk face!

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Since everyone was getting on the virtual event bandwagon, I did as well. I scheduled an event on Facebook called Show me your drunk face and invited just about everyone I know:

After our first week of self-distancing and homeschooling I think we’ll all need a drink or six. Come share your poison in a photo or live video!

I wasn’t sure how well it would go over but figured what the heck. So imagine my surprise when people started posting anf posting and kept posting and kept posting… It was a success! I even went live a time or two, a bunch of us did shots at the same time, and it was really fun.

What really surprised me, though, that people kept posting even after the event was over! Like days later! So, stay tuned for what happened later…

Owen’s first solo scout camping weekend—Day 2

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“This was a full tub of sanitizing wipes — Proof we cleaned when we got here.”
“Lunch is now happening, after a bit of knife safety & sharpening skills.”
“Now it’s fire building time.”
“Many fires were made… some made more smoke than flame. One requirement to earn the Fireman Chit card that gives them ability to tend a fire at s Scouting event, Scouts must build a sustainable fire (that will keep burning after you stop adding sticks/fuel to it) that is lit from no more than three matches.”
“Tonight’s meal is either burgers with fried potato wedges, or Chicken Alfredo & salad. Or in some cases… a little of both (due to an abundance of pasta, and that all the potatoes were pitched as that didn’t work out at all.”
“After a fun campfire & s’mores/Cracker Barrel, it’s time for a few more games before bed.”
“Good morning! We ate, cleaned up, and are now working on Totin’ Chip which is learning about how to safely use axes, hatchets, and saws to cut firewood.”

A new bingo night!

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Owen’s school had a bingo night this year. It wasn’t quite the event the elementary has, but we still had fun (we invited Anna and the boys)…and Owen won one of the rounds!!

Initially he chose a gift card for 30 minutes of jumping at a local place but after talking to him and explaining that it would cost us more money to use it (because Katie would like to go, plus we usually go for 2 hours), he asked if he could switch prizes and they said yes…so I guided him to a $20 gift card to a local ice cream place!!!

Another year, another epic box maze!

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Workers going up to take a photo from the top!

And Owen’s teacher was there! I got to talk to her for awhile and get to know her…and then she finally went in with her kids.

I had zero desire to go through it because I know it would kill my back…but then Heidi came over and basically guilted me into doing it (with another friend who was there) so I succumbed to peer pressure.

Yes we’re wearing knee pads.

Katie was our tour guide…and then we ran into Owen!

The view over the top!
A photo op in one of the rooms!
Heidi’s husband was working inside the maze and took this picture as we were exciting over section!
A slide down into a ball pit!
The boys were done.
The insane map of the whole thing!

Note: My back and wrists were so sore on Sunday and Monday that I had to drug myself quite heavily. I knew I should not have given in to peer pressure!!

Gramma Jean is here so it’s puzzle time!

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Tom hates them, Owen doesn’t love them, and Katie likes them but not enough to sit and finish a big one. And I enjoy them…and only do one when my mom visits!

So Owen generally has zero interest in helping with a big puzzle but he was all about the little ones tonight! (The emoji puzzle is from the Bingo Basket Katie won at William Halley ES in 2017!)

Almost done…

These mini puzzles are more Owen’s speed. They are really fun to do.

When Jami texts and asks if you’re free…

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the answer is always ALWAYS yes. 殺 A gastronomic experience unrivaled… And thankfully my mom and stepdad were here so they could watch the kids!!

A quick stop at Binny’s! It’s a huuuge liquor store I’d never been to.

My aisle…getting ready for when I can actually drink one of these again. (I did get some really great looking craft margaritas that I can’t wait to try, too.)A quick stop at Binny’s!
Marcona Almonds
Crab Martini

Trio of Savory Macarons
Whipped Feta and Goat Cheese with Hot Honey
Chorizo and Rice Stuffed Squid
Scallops & Pork Belly on Sweet Corn Puree
A visitor.
Tom showing off his new Sous-V Gun and David taking a test drive. Jami was just a tiny bit worried about her new plates.
Burrata and Burnt Oranges
Roasted Sablefish & Spot Prawn Risotto with Citrus Beurre Blanc
Wild Blueberry Grunt

Street Scenes

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Friends invited us to go to this school benefit that they have had great fun at at the past few years. I had high hopes but it was honestly way too many people for me. And the margaritas were tasty but they were seven bucks each which was way too much.

But first, hibachi dinner.
I wasn’t ready for photo 1 and Tom had no drink for photo 3.  I also got these in color but I won’t bore you with those.