High Five for Friday (7.9.21)

 

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.

Peso

Rupee

Yen

Euro

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. 

Tom's Grandpa Keith

Hallie and Grandma Brenda in the
urgent care parking lot in Madison.

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. 

Still got it!

Happy Friday, friends!

Monthly Medley: June 2021

Reading

This month I devoured The Sanitorium by Sarah Pearse. I admit to being drawn initially to the cover, but thankfully, the story beyond the cover didn't disappoint. Because I don't want to spoil anything, I won't say much about this suspenseful mystery other than that there are lots of twists and turns, and an ending I definitely wasn't expecting. 

I had high hopes for a second book in June, but as I started three and finished none, I think it's time I accept that two-book months just aren't in the cards for me...

Watching

On the television front, Will and I finished Lie to Me and on the recommendation of a friend, moved on to Psych, which I would describe as a lighter, funnier combination of Lie to Me and The Mentalist. The kids and I have also started our annual watching of AGT, though we're already pretty far behind and I don't know if we'll catch up in time to vote in the live episodes. Following shows like AGT was easier when the kids didn't have evening activities during the summer...

Also in TV Land, Hallie and I are struggling to find a new sitcom to watch. We loved Friends, Full House, Fuller House, One Day at a Time, Liv and Maddie, Alexa and Katie, and Man with a Plan. We've watched some/all of Jessie, Bunk'd, No Good Nick, Boy Meets World, and Family Matters, but we didn't like any of them as much as those listed in the first sentence. I want to watch The Bill Engvall Show and Growing Pains with her, but both aren't free, and I don't really want to buy episodes or seasons. Any recommendations for us?

On the movie front, Hallie and I watched the oldie Camp Nowhere as well as the Netflix new release, The Mitchells vs. the Machines. Both were fun and entertaining, though Mitchells/Machines had a little more action and excitement going on. 

Listening To

After hearing it advertised on the radio multiple times, I subscribed to the podcast Missing on 9/11, about a woman who went missing on September 10, 2001, less than 24 hours before terrorist attacks shook the nation. While this wasn't the fastest moving or most intriguing podcast I've ever listened to, it kept me mostly engaged while walking. It also pointed me toward another podcast by the same team, Missing in Alaska, which I plan to try while on the road this summer.

Speaking of road tripping...any suggestions for podcasts to listen to while we're in the car? Will and I both like true crime, though what I'll let him listen to differs from what I'll listen to when I'm alone (think Criminal vs. Crime Junkies). 

Following

My favorite follow this month is Kitten Lady on Facebook. She's an expert on kitten care, and has written books, created online seminars, and filmed hundreds of YouTube videos to help guide new and seasoned kitten fosters and owners through raising their own kitten babies. In particular, I've loved following along as she's been working tirelessly (and I mean TIRELESSLY) to save the life of a sickly little babe named Ferguson. For a glimpse into what Kitten Lady is all about, check out this post about Ferguson's eight-week-old birthday party - when your survival is not at all guaranteed, you deserve an eight-week-old birthday party - and this post (with a link to a YouTube video) about the seemingly increasing number of kittens being born with medical conditions like Pectus Excavatum (which our sweet Mohawk was born with and for which he underwent surgery this month). 

Sweet Baby Mohawk

Trying/Using

At the recommendation of a friend, I tried Garnier Green Labs Brightening Serum Cream. I LOVE my Pure Haven Essentials lotion, but it doesn't contain SPF so it isn't the best option for a morning face lotion...in Texas...in the summer. This product does contain SPF, and it goes on smoothly, feels light on my skin, and has a simple and pleasant scent. I plan to stick with it through the summer (which, here, lasts through the end of October), and may continue using it after that if I see positive results!

Sherry of Young House Love highly recommends Folex for cleaning fabric - think furniture, carseats, etc. - and while I didn't quite believe the hype, I bought a bottle on Amazon. And by golly, if she wasn't right. I forgot to take before/after pictures, but trust me when I tell you that it did a better job of cleaning up spots and stains than anything I've ever used before. 

Wearing

I've written previously about my favorite Athleta shorts, but new colors were recently released so they're worth mentioning again. This one is *chef's kiss*:

At my color session a few weeks ago, I learned that "plum" (because it falls in the cool and bright palette and because winters should wear a pop of color) would be a good lipstick option for me. I stumbled upon this Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in plum, and I love it - it's the right color, at the right price point, and it's also extremely hydrating. I'd love to purchase a second color, but I can't seem to figure out which other shades might fall into the cool and bright category...I'm not very good at identifying my best colors yet! 

Eating/Drinking

I have no new recipes to share this month because our summer evening schedule is in some ways worse than our school year evening schedule - at least one person has at least one activity every evening, which means I'm driving every evening. That doesn't leave a lot of time for experimenting with new recipes. I do have two new things to share in this category though!  

After many years of considering Home Chef and then deciding against it, over and over and over again, in June we finally gave it a whirl. We've received two shipments and tried four recipes so far, so while I'm no expert, I've seen and tasted enough to make an honest assessment.  Positives: tasty food and decent serving sizes. Negatives: lots of shipping/packing waste (some but not all things can be recycled) and more assembly than expected, even for the "easy" recipes. Overall I'm happy, and I think we'll continue receiving a couple of meals every two weeks come August, when everyone goes back to school and we need a little extra help with meal planning!

I'm not in any way sponsored by Home Chef, so I don't have a huge discount code to share like many of the influencers who are currently talking about Home Chef. I do, however, have a referral code, so if you're interested in giving Home Chef a try, feel free to use mine (ERINF660) and we'll both get a small discount.

On the beverage side of the coin, this month friends and I tried - and enjoyed tremendously - Wine Cube's Bubbles Sparkling White Wine (in a can). I like how the box is labeled with the wine's sweetness level, and the cans are the perfect size for a summer beverage. (I think all summer beverages should come in slightly smaller cans so that you can drink the entire beverages before it gets too hot.) 

Feeling Good About

• See Good
• Hear Good
• Feel Good
• Lastly, I've followed Special Books by Special Kids ("Normalizing the Diversity of the Human Condition"), founded by Chris Ulmer and built around his interviews with "people living with a diagnosis with the intention of creating a more inclusive world", for a while now. In June Chris posted a video of his interview with a little boy - probably about Hallie's age - with Tourette's. For those of you who are interested in Tourette's or would like an interesting insight into what Hallie goes through on a daily basis, check it out!

Cheers to summer, friends!

Flashback Friday for the 4th of July

Every year I struggle to craft my 4th of July post. I have trouble putting words together in a way that accurately and adequately expresses both my love for this country and my fear for its direction. I want to commemorate the adoption of our country's Declaration of Independence and celebrate our history, government, traditions, and freedoms. I also want - need - to show respect and support for those to whom freedom has not yet been granted. 

A few years ago, and after a great deal of searching, I realized that the best words to achieve these goals weren't actually mine. The best words to achieve these goals belong to Peter Marshall.

May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.  

These words, they ring true for me. When I talk to my kids about freedom, this is the message I will share.

~

On a lighter note and to end this post, I thought I would share five - ok, 14 - of my favorite flashback 4th of July pictures.

Happy 4th of July, friends!

If you're planning on playing with fireworks tonight, please read the fireworks safety link below. I wrote this post for the Red Cross a few years ago, but the information still rings true. Be safe! Fireworks 411, So You Don't Need 911.