High Five for Friday (6.27.25)

 

This week's HFFF post is a little wonky - it includes a few somewhat random shout-outs from throughout the last few weeks, and I had to write it a week early since we've been traveling these last seven days and I intentionally left my computer at home. (More on the trip we've been on in a future post.) Nevertheless, I'm happy to be writing a HFFF post for the first time in quite a while!

~

One

I get Hallie back today! She's been training at Oklahoma City Ballet for the last three weeks, and while in some ways it seems like she just left, in other ways it feels like she's been gone forever. And really, since she spent the first week of summer vacation on a cruise without us, we was only home for about six days out of the last five weeks. We've missed her and I can't wait to hear even more about her adventures.

Right before I left her on day one.

With her roommate, Savannah.
They've had a blast together.

Two

My (very near) future sister-in-law, Kayla, successfully defended her dissertation! We couldn't attend in person - she received her PhD from Vanderbilt - but we were able to watch the now Dr. Anderson's defense via Zoom and she did an incredible job. 

Three

While Hallie was cruising, I took care of our friends' cats. I've done this many times before, but this was the first time since Waffle joined the House family (get it? Waffle House? 😂 ) that he's ever come out of hiding during a visit. I spent A LOT of time sitting quietly on the floor and the couch, waiting for him to feel comfortable with me, and eventually he let me pet him and once he even walked across my lap. There's no feeling like earning an animal's trust.

Teaka (who we fostered years ago, back then she was
named Bob) and I have been friends for a while now.

Four

Will played a pretty awesome disc golf tournament last weekend, winning the MA1 division of Throwing Down the Gauntlet: The Beast's Revenge in one of the more epic comebacks I've seen. 

I wasn't at this tournament, but in preparation for Will's disc golf graduation trip, I've been playing far more disc golf than usual. (And by playing far more disc golf, I really mean walking far more disc golf courses. I throw on occasion, but I'm more of a supporter than a player.) I don't think it's ever going to be my sport, but I do like watching my boy do what he loves.

Five

Happiness Highlights

The ice cream truck came through our neighborhood!!!

Will, hard at work.

Ice cream with (local) dance friends after
their first week of (local) summer intensive.

Ace! (for Tom)

Will had curly hair as a baby, so as his hair grows
longer, Hallie and I are helping him "encourage"
the hints of curls we've seen recently.

If 7am on a Tuesday is the only time you can get together, you
absolutely get together for coffee and breakfast at 7am on a Tuesday.
Miss getting to spend my Tuesday and Friday evenings with these two.

Loving our summer adult ballet classes!

Hallie's sweet Father's Day post.

Happy weekend, friends!

Cruisin'

The morning after Will graduated from high school, Hallie headed off on her first adventure of summer 2025: an eight-day cruise to the Bahamas and Mexico with her bestie, Avery.

How Hallie ended up on this cruise is a long and complicated story so I won't go into all the details here. What's important to share is that 1) she had a fantastic time, and 2) going on this cruise allowed her to be a part of an incredibly special event for Avery's family: the engagement of Avery's older sister, Danielle, to Ryan.

1) Who wouldn't have a fantastic time on a cruise to the Bahamas and Mexico with your best friend?! They stayed up late and slept in and relaxed and played and sunned and swam and shopped and ate and found themselves a bartender who kept the virgin piña coladas and frozen margaritas coming. Hallie took very few pictures (she has storage issues with her phone), but here are a few highlights - in no particular order - that others on the trip shared or posted.

Bridge tour!

It's weird when Life 360 shows you
how far away you are from your kid... 

 

2) Hallie has known all of Avery's family since she was three (well, except our buddy Cullen, but that's because he hadn't yet been born when Hallie was three), so even though she isn't an official House, she adores them all and they have always made her feel like she's a part of their family. Hallie LOVED spending time with both Danielle and Ryan and getting to know Ryan better on this trip, and she can't wait for the next House family celebration...which she'll surely "crash." 

Congratulations, Danielle and Ryan! 🩷

The Long and Short of It: That's a Wrap

 

I've probably forgotten something (or accidentally shared something for a second time), but *I think* this is the rest of the end of our school year all rolled into one post. 

My friends and I are releasing an album, and this will
be the cover. (JK - we're not really releasing an album.
But it we did, this would for sure be the cover.)

Plié has really started to love working in the lab with Tom.

Tom 3D prints personalized "gig 'em" thumbs
for all of his graduating masters and PhD students. 

Another weekend, another disc golf tournament.

With some of my soccer mama friends at the Girls
State Soccer Tournament. (Which we WON, by the way.)

Hallie's choir...

Sweepstakes, baby!

Waiting not-so-patiently for Will to come home.

Will's been dabbling in food presentation.

Popeye loves playing in the rain with Hallie.
He's almost up to his little knees in water here.

Another round of food presentation courtesy of Will.

Watching the sun set on a fantastic dance
year from the dance studio parking lot.

If you're having a hard time justifying a cake purchase,
write "happy birthday" to the next person celebrating on
it. It doesn't need to be their actual birthday, and they don't
need to eat the cake with you - just take a picture and send
it to them, and then you're covered. You're welcome.

Hallie's last day of school.

Junior year, here she comes!

The summer basket tradition continues! (Will got out of school a
week before Hallie, which is why he's asleep on Hallie's last day.)

Summer fun begins!

Will's suit pants, which we bought at the beginning of 
freshman year, busted open DURING graduation. They
made it from the first to the very last day of high school!

Instagram lessons for the grandmas. 

And that's a wrap, on both the school year and on The Long and Short of It series. Thanks for joining me!

I aim to return to my regular posting schedule - Tuesdays and Fridays - next week. That said, we have quite a bit of travel planned throughout the remainder of the summer and I just have no idea how these trips are going to shake out. That's summer for you though, right?