I was taking care of Anna’s animals for a day and their newest cat, Ash, gave me lots of loving. Kai also got his face in there, too.

I was taking care of Anna’s animals for a day and their newest cat, Ash, gave me lots of loving. Kai also got his face in there, too.

But it’s so cute!

Culver’s for lunch and Oberweis for dessert (to support the Woodland PTA 50)!!










Someone grew quite a few inches this year—first day vs. last day!

Katie was oversleeping on the last day of school so she got a wake up puppy!



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!








Road trip + no devices = napping kids

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!!




Trying to get some computer work done with Olive crying at my feet so I had to do this.



And what Katie does during baseball.


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?




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?






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.







Katie’s home!



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.

There was no way in hell I was missing this on the big screen…

My thoughts?
Since you were barking since 5am and I am NOT a morning person.

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.


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).








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!



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!!!