High Five for Friday (10.11.19)

One
Thank you to everyone who wished Will a happy birthday last Friday! We had a great weekend celebrating the beginning of his teenage years.

The tradition of filling the birthday boy's room with balloons while
he sleeps continues. (Thanks to the many dance moms who helped me
blow up balloons while waiting for our girls' dance classes to finish.)

I don't know how much of the decor Will saw when
he stumbled out of his room for practice at 6:20am.

He certainly wasn't expecting everyone to be in the
kitchen waiting to sing. (Tom and Hallie haven't been awake
when I've taken Will to practice even a single time all season.)

Will and friends at the park, where they met on his birthday
for a few hours of playing all the sports and eating all the food. 

Hallie and Will under their new weighted blankets. (Since the kids are
2.5 years apart, each gets a half-birthday present on the other's birthday.
It's usually something smaller than a weighted blanket, but I wanted
Hallie to have one and I scored a good deal on these at Target.)

Three layers of chocolate cake and cherry cream cheese filling,
wrapped in loads of chocolate frosting goodness, per his request.

Happy birthday, Will!

The following afternoon we headed to The Woodlands Resort. (I COULD
NOT keep my eyes open for this pic. This is the best of the many attempts.) 

The kids loved the water slides and the lazy river.

Headed out for a second birthday dinner - you get
two when you turn 13 - at one of the resort's restaurants. 

Two
In between Will's birthday celebrations, we crammed a dance class, a dance rehearsal, a cross country meet, a soccer game, shopping for cleats, and a friend's birthday party into the weekend. Those two and a half days were a little busier than I would have liked - none of us slept enough, and I had a lot of catching up to do when it came to the house, the laundry, and work - but I can't complain about the endless love and crazy laughter.

Three
As a member of the Ballet Brazos publicity committee, I have spent the last two months working hard toward an important upcoming event. (Yes, we're working hard toward Nutcracker, but this high five is about something else. More information about Nutcracker to come, I promise!) Brazos Valley Gives is a community-wide day of giving built around strengthening nonprofits, empowering donors, and building community. We're proud to be a part of this inaugural and eventually annual fundraiser, and we would like to invite you to visit www.brazosvalleygives.org to learn more about both the event and the efforts of Ballet Brazos to instruct, educate, and enrich the lives of young people through the art of dance to share quality classical ballet performances with audiences of all ages.

Four
This is Lucy. Her mama and I are friends, so I have adored little Lu for nearly 18 months - nine months of waiting for her to be born, and nine months of watching her grow into an precious little person.

Lucy loves her mama more than anyone else in the world, and since she was about two months old, Lucy has cried - immediately, loudly, and hysterically - if anyone else (with the exception of her daddy and siblings) tried to hold her or even came to close to her in her mama's arms. So despite the fact that I see her between three and five times a week, until very recently she would not let me near her. But I've been working REALLY hard trying to convince Lu that I am a super fun grown-up (I regularly tell her that I'll bring her cupcakes as soon as she's old enough to eat them), and for the first time last week she crawled across the couch and sat next to me on her own. It was a truly joyful moment.

Five
Happiness Highlights

There was a time when I thought she'd never learn to read
(she followed a brother who taught himself at 4yo, so while she
learned on a perfectly normal timeline, for a while I thought I'd
done something wrong with her), so watching her lose herself in
books still brings me tremendous happiness.

She's also pretty good at reading - and following - recipes.

Halloween decor has arrived!

This might be my new favorite pic of these besties.

Well, this one's up there too. 😂

If you look closely, you can see Hallie talking to the
student volunteer working at the pumpkin patch. When we
drove by, we noticed he had no shade to protect him from the
sun on that 100-degree day. We circled back around, and she
gave him one of our umbrellas (which we keep in the car not
to protect us from rain, but to protect us from sun) so he
could survive his shift. I hope it helped!

Matching in blue for Stomp Out Bullying Day.

Not matching with anyone, but committed to the
cause and the associated attire - that's a lot of blue!

Happy Friday, friends!

Monthly Medley: September 2019

Writing
Nothing new to report here - just chugging along on articles for my usual publications.

Reading
I don't quite understand how it happened, but I finished three - THREE - books in September!

First, The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas. I found the book in the library's young adult section, but it had an interesting (and seemingly adult) premise - five high school cheerleaders all meet their demise in different ways but within a short period of time - so I decided to give it a try. The plot kept me engaged and didn't require me to think much; the writing was even simpler than what I have come to expect in young adult novels, and I cruised through the story in record time.

Second, The Break Down by B. A. Paris. This mysterious novel, about a woman who begins to spiral downward after coming too close a murder, started off with a bang, and after dragging a little in the middle, rapidly picked up speed until its incredibly satisfying ending. I highly recommend it, as well as the third book I read, The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker.

The Dreamers is also a mystery, but not typically so; it focuses on "an ordinary town transformed by a mysterious illness that triggers perpetual sleep". The premise - an illness infecting a large population and making them behave differently - is not new, but the simplicity of the illness in that it caused only sleep and, we eventually learn, heightened dreams rather than violent behavior and/or quickly deteriorating health, kept me genuinely intrigued. There were definitely a few loose ends, but I could overlook them simply because I enjoyed the story and wanted desperately to find out how the book would end.

Watching
After finishing up the current seasons of Kids Baking Championship and America's Got Talent, Hallie and I needed a new show to tide us over until Netflix releases the fifth and final season of Fuller House. We took the recommendation of a friend of hers and started Liv & Maddie (also on Netflix, by way of Disney Channel), and I have to admit, I really enjoy it. Dove Cameron, who plays both title characters, does a fantastic job in her dual roles, and everything else about the show - the quirky but lovable parents, the annoying younger brothers, the unique and endearing friends, and the setting (small town Wisconsin) - reminds me in the best ways possible of the shows I used to watch on television when I was 10 years old. Hallie and I have nearly finished season one, and I'm glad there are quite a few seasons ahead of us.

When I'm not watching television with Hallie, I have been sampling an assortment of this fall's new shows. So far I have enjoyed the new shows All Rise, Emergence, and Bluff City Law but I don't think I'll add Perfect Harmony or Evil to my line-up. I remain a fan of Grey's Anatomy (I can't quit on Meredith), The Resident, New Amsterdam, Modern Family, Bull, FBI, God Friended Me, This Is Us, A Million Little Things, and Law & Order SVU (I can't quit on Olivia either), but I finally ditched How to Get Away With Murder - I just can't follow what's going on over there anymore. What are you enjoying this fall?

Listening To
I know I've talked about the podcast Breakdown in the last couple of monthly medley posts, but this month I listened to season five and am here to officially declare it the best season yet. If you need something interesting to get you through a long drive or a lonely hour on the elliptical at the gym, give this podcast a try!

Next up on my list: The Lazy Genius Collective. I'll keep you posted!

Wearing
I stumbled upon a couple of solid finds at Target this month. First, these pajama pants. I have a similar pair from Banana Republic, but this pair costs a third as much and feels almost identical. Second, these shoes. I've had foot problems for years, so I have no choice but to be picky about the shoes I purchase. Unfortunately, this often means spending more on shoes than I'd like (no $1.99 flip flips from Old Navy for my old lady feet), so I was pleasantly surprised to find that these sandals fit well, provide decent support, and cost what Target shoes usually cost.

Using/Trying
I felt compelled to give Mighty Patch pimple patches a try, even though I had doubts about their effectiveness. I'm so glad I gave them a shot, because they did exactly what they claimed they could/would do. I won't go into detail here because that's gross, but you can read more about them here!

Every night at least two of the four Ferri can be found icing an achy, sore, or injured body part. We had a few ice packs from Walgreens and Amazon, but there were plenty of body parts for which they didn't work because they weren't flexible enough, or moldable enough, or big enough. And then one night Tom came home from an evening out with an assortment of new ice packs - "Comfy Corn Bags", made by the wife of one of his friends. I was skeptical at first, but once I tried them out on our problem areas, I was sold. (I should mention that they can also go in the microwave for those times when heat will work better then cold.) I ended up giving away our four original corn bags to family members who liked using them, so over the summer I purchased four new corn bags in fabrics I love. I also gave one to a friend as a "thinking of you" gift, and have two more in my holiday/present closet, waiting for that time when a friend needs a little pick-me-up.

I highly recommend these corn bags - depending on the fabric you choose, they're either cute or lovely, and they're also well-made, affordable, and effective. Check out the Counting Joy Times Three Facebook page here!

Eating/Drinking
Lots of good recipes to share this month!

• I made this Honey Mustard Brussel Sprout Salad with Cranberries and Pecans almost exactly according to the recipe (I added an extra tablespoon of honey because I thought the dressing was just a little too bitter) and everyone loved it - Hallie ate three servings!
• Tom, Will, and I devoured this One-Pot Ziti with Sausage. I made my own Italian seasoning and doubled the amount, used rigatoni rather than ziti simply because that's what I had in my pantry, and skipped the ricotta cheese on top because while Will now eats and even likes some cheese, it's rough on his stomach in such large quantities. 
• I made this Spicy Chicken Pizza with Tom and Will in mind, but in the end, I ended up eating more of it than anyone else. My only complaint is that when I baked my pizza, the spinach I had topped it with crisped up to the point that it didn't taste (or look) good anymore. I would recommend adding the spinach about halfway through the baking time so it still adds to, rather than takes away from, the recipe.
• This Easiest Salsa Verde Chicken was in fact the easiest, and it was delicious as well. I didn't change anything about the recipe, though I made one addition to the assembled tacos: I topped them with sliced avocado, which was absolutely, positively the right decision. 
• Last but not least, I made Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Cinnamon Swirl Frosting for an event of Hallie's. I decreased the amount of sugar to 1 cup, and used plain nonfat yogurt instead of sour cream. For the frosting, I substituted 1 block of cream cheese for 1/2 of the butter, and used milk instead of heavy cream or half-and-half. I also didn't top my cupcakes with snickerdoodle cookies - I figured the little girls who would be eating these cupcakes didn't need me to push them over the edge to a sugar high. 

Feeling Good About

• Everyone deserves a birthday party at some point in their lives, and this teenager makes sure these celebrations happen for struggling children in her community. 
• 33 high school students were able to go to college because of the generosity of this man.
• This school janitor went above and beyond her job description, and demonstrated just how true the statement "it takes a village" is when it comes to our children.

What's new in your world this month?

Teenager

13 years old. A teenager. It doesn't seem possible.

Will has always enjoyed school and done well academically, and this year is no exception. He takes a full load of challenging core classes, plays the cello in orchestra, and added Spanish as an elective. However where I used to check in with him daily about every aspect of school, this year I have taken a significant step back. I keep tabs on and touch base with him regarding his test schedule, but I completely removed myself from the equation when it comes to everything else. It feels new.

Will has always loved competitive sports, and this year is no exception. He continues to play club soccer, and added middle school sports - cross country now, followed by tennis, basketball, and track down the road - to his schedule. Just as with academics, I have stepped back when it comes to Will's athletic activities. I still attend nearly every game and meet (about 90% of them - Tom covers the other 10% for me while I'm handling dance), drive him to and from practices, and even watch practice from time to time. But he handles his own gear and water, is responsible for replacing - with his own money - anything he loses, is responsible for keeping up with everything he misses in his other classes while traveling for school sports, and keeps track of team meetings, rules, and requirements. It feels new.

Suddenly there are football and volleyball games at which to be dropped off. There are pep rallies and dances to attend. There is more time with friends and less time at home. It feels new.

Even more suddenly, some of his friends are dating. Will is not...yet...but I know that day is coming. It feels new.

There are hard decisions and hard consequences and hard conversations happening almost every evening. Boundaries are being nudged and pushed and broken. There is defiance. And there are SO. MANY. HORMONES. It feels new.

Will's birthday always sneaks up on me. First we're wrapping up summer and getting ready for the new school year, and then we're settling to new schools, learning new school sports and programs, and adjusting to new dance and soccer schedules. September always passes in a dizzying blur and before I know it, October arrives, giving me just 72 hours of warning.

But this one really snuck up on me. I mean, I knew it was coming - last week I accidentally told someone Will was already 13 years old. And I know that when we transition from 11:59pm on October 3rd to 12:01am on October 4th, nothing really changes...except that this year, it feels like EVERYTHING changes, because right now, everything feels new.

All but one thing: Will is such a good kid. He is a confident leader. He is - when it comes to academics and athletics - a responsible, determined, hard-working perfectionist. (He is NOT a perfectionist when it comes to household chores and personal hygiene.) He is independent and self-sufficient, and strives to make his teachers, coaches, and parents proud. He is kind, friendly, and funny, especially in his interactions with younger children. He loves big, and isn't afraid to show his emotions.  

Will is not perfect, of course. (I feel the need to acknowledge this because even though I doubt anyone would fault me for only focusing on the positive in his birthday post, I believe the true picture is important.) He is too hard on himself. He takes games and competitions and arguments too far, and has trouble determining when to "fight" and when to walk away. What starts out as leadership occasionally takes a sharp turn toward controlling and commanding. He has made mistakes - some small, some big - and I know that additional mistakes await us as all that feels new becomes our new normal.

I recently read an article about how parents should, when preparing to send children out into the real world after high school, "let them go before they're gone". I want to believe the author has it all wrong...that I can and should literally and figuratively hold on to my kids until Tom pries them from my death grip on the steps of their college dorm. But if I'm honest with myself, I recognize that she speaks the truth; she knows - probably from first-hand experience - that letting them go before they're gone is the best way to survive our children's eventual departure. And that's why they leave us a little bit at a time, long before the day they graduate from high school. They turn 13, and start spending more time with their friends. They turn 14, and start dating. They turn 15, and become more involved in school sports and activities. They turn 16, and start driving.

Each new development is a tiny step away from us...but also a tiny step toward becoming a happy, healthy, well-adjusted, independent, and successful adult. I've chosen - out of necessity - to think about all of this "new" as a gift from Will. He's helping me adjust, one Spanish test, one football game, one school dance at a time, so that final farewell doesn't break me completely. Thanks, Willie. You're the absolute best, in every way possible.

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Happy 13th birthday, Will. I love you to the moon and back plus infinity times a million with a cherry on top.

Strengthening My Resolve

For the third year in a row, I started my New Year's Resolutions in September and with the intent to tackle one resolution each month, rather than following the more traditional route of kicking off on January 1st and attempting one or two resolutions over the course of the year. I choose resolutions as they come to me and according to what I feel I need to work on as each new month rolls around, and in the name of accountability, I touch base here at the beginning of every month to report back on how the previous month went and share what I plan to work on that month. Here we go!

September Resolution:

How did it go? 
This resolution was considerably tougher than I anticipated. Once I started paying attention to when, where, and how I used my phone, I discovered that I pick it up and scroll mindlessly far more often than I should. I obviously can't "quit my phone" nor can I abandon social media all together (I need it for work, volunteer responsibilities, school communications, sports updates, etc.), so I tried setting a few specific times during the day that I could check in on Facebook and Instagram. I also tried to prepare myself with activities to keep my hands busy when I'm waiting (in the car rider line, for soccer practice to be over) on the kids; I now have a nail file and a book in my car, but I need more solutions here - any ideas? All in all, I'm off to a decent start but I have SO FAR to go on this resolution.

Next up, my October Resolution!

I want to decrease my negative and increase my positive energy and impact on those around me, but simply resolving to "be more positive" will be - I know from experience - too general and generic. I'm fairly certain I complain about summer weather (especially summer weather once fall has arrived) more than anything else, so that topic will be my focus; please feel free to call me out if you hear or see, via the blog, me complaining at any point throughout the month of October. All bets are off come November 1st though...

Did you resolve to change anything about yourself or your life this year? Last month? This coming month? How are those resolutions going?

High Five for Friday (9.27.19)

One
At the end of last week, Tropical Depression Imelda caused a great deal of trouble for many along the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. But she also brought to College Station both rain and a slight decrease in temperature, which together did EVERYTHING to boost my mood. We returned to our regularly scheduled programing - hot and sunny - by Saturday, but that tiny taste of a season other than summerer will buoy me for a couple more weeks.

Two
This week - the last full week in September - is one of my favorite every year...it's season premiere week! All summer I look forward to both the return of my favorite shows and the introduction of new shows to the primetime television line-up. Now if only I could find the time to watch more than six minutes of a show at one time...

Three
On Saturday morning, Tom, Hallie, and I all made the trek to Will's third cross country meet. Neither of them had attended a meet thus far, so it was really fun for me to show them the ropes and teach them what I've learned about cross country thus far. They both ended up having a great time - Hallie in particular, which was a pleasant surprise since she came against her will - and I know it meant a great deal to Will to have all three of us cheering for him along the course.

This was Hallie's one and only opportunity to watch Will run - every other meet was/will be held at the same time as a mandatory dance class or rehearsal. She didn't want to come initially, but once she saw the action firsthand, her attitude shifted dramatically and she wished aloud that she could come to all of Will's future meets.

Waiting for the boys to run past "checkpoint" #2.

Sprinting into the chute at the finish line.

Way to go, Knights!

Hallie did such a great job supporting her brother
that day. (She and I made it back to her dance studio in
College Station just in time for her to change, put her
hair up, and head into her Nutcracker rehearsal.)

Four
Did you know that Friends debuted 25 years ago last Sunday? In celebration, our local movie theater scheduled three showings of four episodes each. My friends, Jenn and Rebecca, and I attended the first showing on Monday night, and it did not disappoint. We have tickets to the second showing tomorrow night as well, but sadly we can't make the third showing next Wednesday because all of our children have all of the activities that night. I have loved Friends since the beginning, and it remains my favorite show 25 years later. It sounds silly, but I can't imagine not having these six characters - along with their celebrations, heartbreak, humor, and catchphrases - in my life.

Five
Happiness Highlights

Will won a gigantic chocolate bar at school It was (and still
is, even after he's eaten a few squares) bigger than his head.

Hallie's hair, after she slept in rags and
spent all day at school. I have hair envy.

Cutie patootie passing the time at soccer.

How is it possible to look so much older in just one year?! 😭
(In case you can't pinpoint the difference, it's his "man neck".)

This made me laugh out loud, probably because
I can picture Hallie saying this during an interview.

Dance is rough on 5yo little brothers. It helps to
dress up in Ms. Erin's sunglasses and watch and
play with her keys and phone. (Cullen and I joked
that we're going to go as each other for Halloween.)

It took almost an entire afternoon (long story), but on Sunday
afternoon we finally crossed "flu shots" off of our to-do list! 

Happy Friday, friends!

Borrowed Words Wednesday: Thank You

I came across this post a couple of months ago, but it has been at the forefront of my mind more than ever these last few days.

To the person who uses metal straws to save fish but consumes animals, thank you.

To the vegan who isn't aware of our homelessness problem, thank you.

To the climate change activists who aren't attentive to fast fashion, thank you.

To the girl who gives her old clothes to the disadvantaged but isn't educated on sex trafficking, thank you.

To the guy who picks up rubbish on his way home from a surf but isn't well-informed about male suicide rates, thank you.

To the people who stand up for horse racing concerns but are uninformed about the cruelty of the dairy industry, thank you.

To the positive instragram influencer who has't cultivated a plastic-free lifestyle, thank you.

To the grandparents who knit for sick children but aren't up-to-date on current race and homophobic issues, thank you.

To the students who stand up to bullying but are unaware of the constant domestic violence epidemic, thank you.

To the peace activists, feminists, stray dog adopters, teachers, volunteers, foster carers, recyclers, givers, doers, and believers, thank you.

We are all on a different path and we all see through different eyes. Current world issues that you are passionate about aren't always what other people are trying to change...and that's okay. It's not everyone's job to save every part of the world, but it is everyone's responsibility to thank every person who is doing their part to save the world. Don't critique, just appreciate. Don't judge, just educate. We're all trying our best. Thank you.

~ Samantha Ronson by way of Amy Schumer

God's Donut

Two nights before my sister and brother-in-law, Jeff, tied the knot, we celebrated their upcoming nuptials with a wedding bar crawl. My family, Jeff's family, the wedding party, and much of our camping family joined in the festivities, and an "epic" night ensued. Here's the funny thing... Only I, and maybe a couple of others, can vouch for the epic-ness of the night, because only I actually remember the night - I was pregnant with Will, so I drank water and lemonade and Shirley Temples and with my clear head kept the crowd in line.

At the end of the night and after I had returned everyone for whom I was responsible to their sleeping quarters, I decided to reward myself. Madison has an AMAZING donut shop called Greenbush Bakery, and while it operates as a typical bakery does - opening early in the morning and selling baked goods through midday - it also caters to students, staying open until 2am so night owls can pop in and grab a donut on their way home from the bars. I needed a treat, so I stopped at Greenbush and picked myself up a cake donut with chocolate frosting and sprinkles and a cinnamon roll. (Anyone else hungry for donuts?) I also bought a wide variety of other donuts so that the crew at my parents' house would have something delicious to enjoy the following morning. 

When I climbed back into the car, Tom, who was dozing in the partially reclined passenger seat, turned to me and asked what I had purchased. Knowing his favorite flavors, I gestured with one hand that I had bought blueberry donuts and then gestured with the other hand that I had bought coconut donuts. He smiled, closed his eyes, and through his daze replied, "put your hands together, Erin. Now that's God's donut."

Despite my state of exhaustion, I burst out laughing. To this day our family still jokes about God's blueberry AND coconut donut, and how it's a shame no bakeries actually sell this specific treat.

For Tom's birthday this year, we decided to surprise him with a very special birthday cake. We started with a dozen blueberry donuts from Greenbush. I made a coconut glaze and toasted a mixture of sweetened and unsweetened coconut, and then we dipped each donut in the glaze and topped it with the toasted coconut. After the glaze had set, we stacked the donuts into a cake-shaped structure, added candles, and voila!

God certainly knew what he was doing when he invented donuts, this kind in particular.