A lot has happened since my last true HFFF post on June 25th, so we have lots to catch up on!
One
We wrapped up a busier-than-expected month of dance classes, intensives, and private lessons; soccer camp and practices; high school bootcamp; vaccine, dentist, orthodontist, and hair appointments; VBS; road trips to Houston; and lots of playing at the park, swimming, and sleepovers with friends. Someday I'll stop writing about how grateful I am that my kids were able to have such an incredible year in the midst of a pandemic, but today is not that day.
We also said goodbye to the Currency babes, who we loved having and who we were so sad to send on when we didn't yet know their futures. (Their adoptions weren't set prior to our departure for Wisconsin, so they had to go from our house to another foster until they find their furever families.) When we started fostering almost a year ago, our approach was very short-term - we planned to foster while we were all staying home, and really had no idea what would happen after that. On our road trip we talked about what we love, like, and find hard about fostering kittens, and when the love and like side of the scale heavily outweighed the hard side of the scale, we collectively decided that bringing these babies into our home is something we all want to continue with come fall.
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| Peso |
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| Rupee |
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| Yen |
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| Euro |
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| Dollar |
* The hard list, for those of you wondering or considering fostering, is short and very manageable. Send me an email if you would like to learn more!
Two
What a joy it was to return to and again support one of my favorite local establishments. I had a fun evening OUT with friends, and came home with two new projects!
I also had a blast celebrating the birthday of a friend - once again, OUT - and getting to see another friend who was visiting from Oklahoma for a few days.
Three
We had a fun-filled (at least in Hallie's mind) road trip from College Station, Texas to Minocqua, Wisconsin planned, but in true 2020/2021 fashion, life happened...
First, Tom's grandfather passed away a few days before our scheduled departure. For a number of reasons we couldn't all four attend the funeral, but thankfully we were able to find Tom a last-minute flight to Iowa so he could visit with his extended family and both attend and play the piano for the funeral. This change of plans - Tom flying north ahead of the rest of us - meant, however, that I had to make the nearly 1,500 mile trek on my own (with the kids in tow, of course, but as the only driver).
Second, after the sudden onset of a GI bug a few hours into the trip, on our second day we had to make an unplanned three-hour stop in Madison, Wisconsin (where I'm from and where my parents still live) so I could visit urgent care. Thankfully my mom found an open urgent care close to the highway, my parents met us in the parking lot of the clinic, and while my mom stayed with me, my dad took the kids to lunch and the park to run off some of their pent-up energy.
There were quite a few times on the journey that both Will and I wished he were a year older so he could have subbed in and given me a break behind the wheel. There were also quite a few times on the journey that both Hallie and I wished she were a year older so she could have safely ridden shotgun for me. (Will ALWAYS falls asleep in the car, while Hallie NEVER falls asleep in the car. Will isn't particularly chatty, but Hallie can chat for hours. Will doesn't take instruction well when it comes to handling my GPS, text messages, music, and podcasts for me, however Hallie will do exactly what's asked of her when it comes to all of these things. She is perfectly designed to be my shotgun...but she's nine months too young and still slightly too short and light for the front seat.) The drive was emotionally, mentally, and physically EXHAUSTING, even more so because I didn't feel well for 90% of it. I shed many a tear along the way, some quietly to myself, some while texting with friends, and some on the phone with both Tom and my mom. But there were also quite a few really fun and entertaining moments, like when Hallie gleefully oohed and aahed EVERY SINGLE TIME we crossed over a body of water, or when we discovered that Will accidentally knows every single word to Matilda the Musical. In the end, I'm proud of my kids for hanging in there with me and continuing their streaks as excellent roadtrippers, and of myself for getting the job done, even when it was hard.
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| Tom's Grandpa Keith |
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| Hallie and Grandma Brenda in the urgent care parking lot in Madison. |
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| Driving into the woods to the Lodge. |
Four
Our 4th of July was low-key but fun. We didn't venture into town for the parade or waterski show this year, but opted instead to stay at the Lodge. We went tubing, watched the hot dog eating competition, baked a 4th of July cake, played with sparklers, and started teaching Will the basics of driving and fireworks safety.
Five
Last but certainly not least, happy birthday to my dad, who turns *some number of years young* TODAY! We actually get to celebrate with him, in person, which is incredibly exciting given how long we waited to see our families due to the pandemic.
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| Still got it! |
Happy Friday, friends!
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