One
The second half of our spring break was just as enjoyable as the first. We had one "fail" (I'd hoped to take the kids strawberry picking, but when I called the farm that morning to confirm - which they ask on their website that guests do - I was informed that all of their strawberries had died during Snowpocalypse 2.0), but other than that we took full advantage of our last five days off. Hallie had a (masked) playdate with a friend who moved away a couple of years ago but was back in town for a few days; we celebrated St. Patrick's Day by baking Irish soda bread, eating Shamrock cookies, and going SWIMMING (?!) with friends; Hallie had two private dance lessons to help her continue working her way back post sesamoid bone break; we worked in the yard; we watched lots of basketball; and we took our second day trip (more on that in a future post).
We all wished for a second week off, but then we remembered what happened last year and decided we shouldn't wish for such things...
Two
Seven months into fostering kittens, and this big buddy still isn't a fan. I think the pace at and manner in which kittens live life - fast and furious with little to no regard for the environment that surrounds them - along with their unpredictability scare him, and as a result, he prefers to just steer clear as much as possible. That said, he has s...l...o...w...l...y started tolerating their presence. He still doesn't like them, but he hates them less and is less afraid of them than before. Last week we captured this encounter, which ended poorly (such encounters ALWAYS do) but started off so sweetly and lasted longer than any they've had thus far. We continue to hope that someday Tux will find a kitten he loves, and that that sweet baby will officially become a part of our family.
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They all rested together on Will's bed for a while before Crocs started inching closer and closer to Tux. |
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Crocs nuzzled into Tux's back, which Tux tolerated for a few minutes, and then he decided he wanted to rest facing Tux. This didn't go quite as well. |
These two kittens head to their forever homes after being neutered today. We'll miss them, but we're looking forward to our next batch of babies!
Three
Speaking of kittens... Last week my friend Crystal called me with a kitten predicament. From the window of their company's office (somewhat out in the country), they watched a mama cat move three of her babies from a wooded area to up under a trailer they have on their property. I reached out to our kitten rescue, and they headed out to assess the situation and eventually rescued FIVE kittens AND their mama. I was thrilled Crystal thought of me when she needed a kitten resource, and so grateful we work with such a wonderful kitten and cat rescue organization!
Four
Last week (or the week before? Time means nothing anymore) Will's orchestra recorded their UIL concert and sight-reading session in the high school auditorium (because the stage and space are bigger). Parents weren't allowed inside, so I had planned to just drop Will off and then work in my car in the parking lot until he finished up and we could head to soccer practice. Turns out the high school parking lot is an internet dead zone for me - my phone could barely function, and because I couldn't use my phone as a hotspot, my computer could barely function either - so I decided to abandon work altogether and check out the many outdoor sporting events happening on campus. First, I took in an inning of softball from right behind the home plate. The game was a fast-paced one between Will's future high school and its crosstown rival, and I could feel the excitement radiating from the players, coaches, and fans. Second, I headed across campus to the soccer field, where I watched (from outside the fence because I didn't want to buy a ticket knowing Will would finish soon) the senior night introductions and the first quarter of a soccer game.
I'm not all that thrilled about Will starting high school, at least from the "he's getting so old and soon he's going to leave me" perspective. But ever since I left high school, I've loved high school events - games, competitions, concerts, shows - and I'm so excited to have a reason to attend them. I don't want to miss a minute of these next four years, so whenever Will will "allow" me to be there (and probably sometimes when he would rather I weren't there), I plan to show my support...decked out in the gear I'm already purchasing, of course.
Five
That first weekend was quite the bracket buster, wasn't it? Thanks a lot, Illinois and Ohio State... Anyway, here is any update on where all of our brackets stand after the first two rounds of games:
Tom - 38
Erin - 31
Will - 38
Hallie - 36
May the best Ferri win! (Though I'm already out - there's no way for me to win...)
Happy weekend, friends!