Can I Get a 23?

Michael and I celebrated 23 years of marriage. I was 23-years-old when we were married. That means I've been with this guy for half my life. That's 23 years of enduring his flatulence and picking his shorts up off the floor everyday. 

That's a lot of toots and shorts.

Here's the best part: I love him more 23 years later than I did on the day we were married. It's a blessing.

So, to celebrate our tenacity in putting up with each other this long, we went on a date.

First we took a selfie. I look like a drag queen. 23 years really does a number on a person's features.

Then we had a delicious steak dinner and I ate like a walrus.  

Then we went to Home Depot to get a part for the bathroom sink. Can you feel the romance brewing?

Our next stop was Hobby Lobby to buy Christmas cards since they were on sale. The passion is palpable.

Then we ate ice cream and went home. Can you feel the heat?

Even though we didn't do anything particularly exciting or romantic, it was a perfect evening. My favorite thing is just being with Michael. It doesn't matter what we're doing or not doing; his presence is the gift. 

I'm grateful that our 23 years together have brought us closer, and that he truly is my partner in every way. It isn't an easy venture, but we are committed and making it work. Kudos to us.

Happy 23rd Anniversary to my love!   

Oh, Baby!

Ever tried castor oil? 

I tried it for the first time recently. It was dreadful.

When I tipped the cup to my lips, the fragrance alone made my stomach twirl in disgust and I nearly puked.

You might be curious why I was dinking around on a Sunday afternoon drinking castor oil. 

Peer pressure. Don't fall for it, kids.

My niece was doing it to induce labor. I thought she was nutso and scoffed at her naivety. Well, guess what?

She went into labor the next day. Who's laughing now?! (Not my niece - delivering a human smarts a bit)

But now we have this guy in our midst!   

How strange to be a Great Aunt. I held my niece on the day she was born and now I'm holding her baby. It's a bizarre feeling and it's augmented by the fact that I have a 2-year-old. How can I be a Great Aunt AND have a toddler? Either I'm old or I'm young. Which is it?

Perhaps I'm yold.

But I'm also joyful at the safe arrival of my great nephew, and the beautiful expansion of our family.

Welcome to the world, little Buddy!

Halloween!

This year was all Gravity Falls for Halloween. Sissy was Mabel and Baby was her pet pig, Waddles. We couldn't find a reasonably priced sweater so Sissy ended up painting the design herself on advice from my brother. It looked great. I was going to be a gypsy but it turns out my butt is too big for the costume.

I hang my head in shame and sorrow.

Now pass the candy.

But my niece had the best costume of all. She looks like she's about to pop.

We went to our friend's house for pizza and trick-or-treating. 

The weather was nice and we had a stellar time meandering the streets with Baby. We promptly lost sissy and her friends, as they crazily ran ahead without us. 

Sissy ran into another group of her friends while out so they combined together and went back to watch a movie after hitting every house they could.

We took Baby home to assess her haul and put her tired bones to bed. 

Sissy arrived home much later after the movie was over. It was my first time waiting up for my teenager. Weird.

Happy Halloween!

Weekend of Sissy - The Finale

Monday arrived and it was Sissy's actual day of birth. Baby and I decorated her door while she was at school. And then waited and waited for her to get home and see it.

After school we gave Sissy the remainder of her presents. My parents sent her a card and money. I asked her to smile nicely and this is what she gave me.

Now it's immortalized. That's what she gets. 

Mykey and I gave her a Notre Dame Lego set and light kit.

Baby was upset that Sissy wouldn't let her open the gifts and performed her flopping routine. It's a regular occurance.

Sissy had swim practice and then our final hurrah was ice cream before bed.

Whew! What a celebration. Booney is tired.

Happy birthday to my girl!

Weekend of Sissy - Part 2

Our next birthday celebration was dinner with my cousin's family and my niece. Sissy requested her favorite meal - pork roast, mashed potatoes, and rolls. You can't go wrong there.

I also made her a Gravity Falls-themed cake. It was chocolate cake with mousse filling and raspberry frosting. You can't go wrong there. Mykey 3D printed the numbers for the top of the cake and Sissy painted them. 

Her next score of gifts was Lord of the Rings earrings from my niece and a Nintendo gift card from my cousin.

Turning 13 is paying off for this girl! 

Weekend of Sissy - Part 1

My baby girl turned 13. 

It feels like a dream. I remember all 13 years of her life, and yet, I can't believe she was actually ever a newborn sleeping on my chest. 

I love watching Sissy grow and mature, but my Mama heart also aches that her journey is incredibly rapid. 

At 13, Sissy is nearly as tall as I am. Nearly. She is determined to pass me but it hasn't happened yet. She is talented beyond belief. She is artistic, funny, and intelligent. Sissy is loyal and kind to others. She has my Viking rage and is maddeningly stubborn sometimes, but she has good intentions and is truly a joy. I love her. Even when I'm yelling at her.

To celebrate Sissy's transformation into a teenager, we devoted an entire weekend to her. It was crazy and loud and wonderful.

We began with a sleepover with 3 of her friends. They ate pizza, stayed up into the wee hours of the morning, and laughed until they cried. It made me happy. 

Sissy received a solar system Lego set.

And her bestie gave her a Wicked shirt, framed photos, and made a photo collage on a cup of their years of friendship. It was sweet.

Sissy chose to watch Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. One of the characters is death. Sissy spent days prior to the sleepover making a wolf mask and 3D printed sickles so she could scare her friends. After they settled in for the night, she donned her costume, lit up her face with a light projector and roared them awake. 

Welcome to our home.

In the morning, I made the girls breakfast and sent them all home exhausted. 

You're welcome.

They be dancing

Sissy attend the Halloween dance at school with her friends. She had a new costume to wear but instead went with her Renaissance dress from last year. "Any excuse to wear it," she said. 

Hear, Hear.

The 7th graders were combined with the 8th graders for the dance and it was weird that Sissy isn't the little guy in 6th grade anymore. *sobbing noise*

She had a marvelous time and told me that she and her friends held hands and twirled as fast as they could over and over. 

I love that she had the chance to twirl with her friends. 

I would pee in my pants and have an instant headache if I twirled with my friends. Good thing I wasn't invited.

 

Happy Halloween dance!