ELEVEN

The look on Salem's face when we agreed to watch the cousin's horse-sized dog. He's at least 13 hands high. 

2026 week eleven

We wanted to try out some Nepalese street food as a snack before dinner but the restaurant hadn't even opened yet. On a whim we went to Quickie Crab in Lewisville. It was probably the best seafood/cajun we've ever had. The crawfish were phenomenal. Also in our boil we added ramen as one of the sides and it was a surprise how incredible it was. We highly highly recommend this place if you like cajun. V got fried alligator and Theo got catfish and both were A+. 

Matt made another insect sculpture. This is one of his boss as a beetle on the keyboard with his Bulls hat, iced coffee, and limited edition sneakers. 

This was our kitchen before Matt started to repair the ceiling and replace the lights. 

After with a smooth ceiling, free of cracks, and nine can lights. 

We dropped the boys off for hair cuts and we got Korean donuts and strawberry matcha. 

We went to the St. Patricks day festival in Old Town Lewisville. The kids were so excited when there was a wrestling match. They were quite disappointed when they realized that it was staged. 

On Monday we got to tour the Denton County Courthouse. The County Judge gave us a tour and hosted a long Q&A that was very informative. The boys all got a Denton County "challenge" coin and a first aid kit. 

Theo got to pound the gavel after this. 

After the tour we got quesadillas at a quesadilla restaurant. Everything was simple and good. We were very impressed. 

Poor Matt, meanwhile, was having the work trip from hell. He was supposed to leave Sunday afternoon, but Chicago and DFW were having extreme wind conditions. The flight was delayed multiple times until they were on the plane and attempting to take off and then was abruptly canceled. He got the next flight he could, Monday morning 7 am with a 6 hour layover in Cincinnati. We got the the airport the next morning barely on time, terminal changed, packed security lines, etc. He got to Cincinnati and the flights to Chicago were canceled so he rented a car. But the agent accidentally booked it for SEPTEMBER! He met another coworker at the airport and they did eventually get a car and are now driving through this to make it to Chicago. 

Quotes:

Theo- "Yesterday I was a bitter pill..."

Me- "Yes, actually."

Theo- "...that was impossible to swallow."

*Listening to Yellow Submarine* Theo, quietly to himself- "But why does it have to be yellow?"

V- "The Hunchback of Notre Dame doesn't really seem like it was meant for kids..." 

TEN

 

Theo has been enjoying Xeno. He likes to let him explore on his lego ship like a sea beast. 

2026 week ten

While Veronica is never without a book in her hands, Theo is a rather reluctant reader. He enjoyed Harry Potter but will not re-read anything. I was so happy when he just gobbled this book up on a recommendation of a friend. 

Orange Cake. One of my favorite winter desserts.

Orange Cake (Adapted from Mimi Thorisson)

15 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1 Whole Large Orange

3 Large Eggs

1 cup Sugar 

1/4 cup Orange Flower Water (can omit if you must) 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a Bundt pan with some butter and coat in a dusting of flour. Tap out excess.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. 

Puree the whole orange (cut into chunks, leave the rind on) in a food processor.

Whisk together eggs and sugar until light in color and fluffy. Mix in the pureed orange, fold in the flour mixture and then the melted butter and the orange flower water. 

Pour the batter in to the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean 40-50 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack completely. 

Before serving, drizzle the cake with the tiniest thread of honey all over and dust with powdered sugar.

It is great on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream.

Quotes:

Me to Theo- "Your hair looks really nice today."
V, simultaneously -"Ew it smells like crap in there."
Theo to me -"Flatter doesn't work on me."
V thinking Theo is talking to her- "That WASN'T a compliment."

NINE

A fun thing we have in my class is some lego sets that correlate with the literature book we're reading. 

2026 week nine

Most of them are just mini figs, but the kids always enjoy seeing the next ones come out with each book. 

We spent some time making treasure maps in class this week. On Thursday I called the kids up one by one to put a wax seal on their maps. 

V found these eye patches at Grandmas house and has been taking every opportunity to wear them around the house to see how much she can still do "blind". 

On Friday afternoon, Matt took the kids up to Oklahoma and left me behind. They played in the pasture with the horses and goats and chickens. 

They absolutely love getting to go see their cousins in the country. 

I was left at home alone. I worked in the garden enjoying the first signs of spring.

I cleaned the house Friday night and it stayed clean all weekend. I rode the scooter to a friends house and my bike to the grocery store. It was a glorious break from sounds and requests and side quests. I'm grateful for Matt taking the kids up there so I could have some time alone. 

It wasn't all just a selfless act though. Matt and Melvin went to see Nine Inch Nails while they were up there. So it was a win for everyone. 

Last breakfast alone: Full English outside with the birds and the blossoms.

Quotes:

"I needed to poop really bad but I daren't go there! They only have 1-ply toilet paper!" -Veronica, after leaving grandma's house.

EIGHT

 

On President's Day, Theo and his scout den went to the waste water treatment facility to learn about our local water supply.

2026 week eight

Sometimes teachers are accidentally twins. 

We got to celebrate Lunar New Year in the fourth grade for a big curriculum day. In my classroom we learned some Tai Chi and how to use chopsticks. The kids also learned how to paint some Mandarin characters and they made paper lanterns. 

At the end of the day we brought them into the gym for a surprise of Lion Dancers! It was so neat. Everyone had such an awesome time. 

Funyun lunged out of his cage to eat his mouse and I just had to sit and wait until he figured out his life before I could close the doors again.

On Saturday, Theo and I went to see some of his classmates in a local production of Frozen Jr. Musical. It was so fun. The kids did a great job and had so much enthusiasm. 

Quotes:

T- "I hate soup. Soup poop."
Me- "You don't hate seaweed soup."
T- "Most soup is sad. But seaweed soup isn't. Seaweed soup is a miracle."
*later* "It really is a miracle."

SEVEN

 

Happy Valentine's Day from these weirdos. 

2025 week seven

We took the kids out to a Valentine's breakfast at a local diner. 

It started raining really heavily on Saturday morning but the chickens just stayed out getting soaked anyway. 

Theo gave Lil' Elvis a fancy hairdo. 

Then they just stayed outside getting wet and swinging and screaming. 

We took Theo to Repticon so he could pick out a snake. He's been saving up for one for a long time. 

He picked a wood boa -similar to a ball python in ease of car, life span, etc. but quite a different face shape. He named it Xeno. 

SIX

 

On the way to school. V propped open her book so she could read at the stop light. She is rarely to be seen without a book open.

2026 week six

For example: Our school had to have an emergency evacuation to the next door church, when I found Veronica, there she was with a book. It wasn't even her book apparently, she just procured it somehow during the evacuation.

Bonus photo of Pickles.