SEVENTEEN

 

Matt and I had a date night at Delhi 6. They opened a new location and it is just stunning. My class gave me a birthday gift card, which was such a treat. 

2026 week seventeen

While our street is being repaved, we booked the crew to redo our driveway as well. 

Theo won a bowl of succulents in the school silent auction. Everyone thought they were for me. No, they are for my plant lady son. 

V's last weekend of being 12. She's about to be a glorious teen. She keeps reminding me I only have 5 years left of her living at home. 

V woked tech crew for the school play this year. She had a fun time learning the backstage skills but she said she prefers to be on the stage. 

Quotes

Me- "Oh no, look in the road. Is that a kitty or a sweater?"
Matt- "That's a fun game show..."

SIXTEEN

We got ice cream to celebrate Theo making honor roll! 

2026 week sixteen 

4th grade had a spelling bee. The kids went wild for the final three. I brought the winner a box of candy of their choice. Everyone always wants Nerds gummy clusters. 

Beautiful spring weather has made recess so nice lately. 

V and I started watching Gilmore Girls. She’s definitely hooked. 

 Quotes:

Me- “What are you doing?”
V- “Nothing.”
Me- “what are you reading?”
V- “Oh alright I’m reading The Giver, ok? Are you happy? I hate it that you’re always right about these books! I want to hate the but they’re so good and then I just feel like a loser!”
Me- “Are you going to believe me the next time recommend a book?”
V- “No!”

T- “Why is he just so much funnier than you? Does it make you sad that Papa is just so much funnier than you?”

T- “At recess we’re playing pirates and we’ve stolen the buried treasure but captain Billy Bones doesn’t know. We need to gain his trust so we’re going to steal some of the treasure and pretend we’ve found it to convince him. I have my own mutineers that I’ve been winning over to my side.”

FIFTEEN

 

On Thursday one of my oldest friends, Lauren, came into town for a girls weekend. Our first stop was Creamy Seoul for Korean filled donuts and matcha. 

2026 week fifteen

We left town Friday and stopped in Mabank, TX for Barbecue and boba. 

B4 Bbq and Boba was well worth the drive. Every single thing was better than the last and we just couldn't decide what was best. 

Our ultimate destination was Tyler, TX. We, of course, saw the roses.

Lauren and the roses. 

The rose garden also had the fattest snap dragons we had ever seen. And they were all buzzing with bumblebees. 

This hibiscus looked like it came from a Lisa Frank folder. 

We both decided, however, that the chaos garden was our favorite part.

We walked through a few old houses, and gardens, and antique shops. We did the Roseland Plantation tour which was rather interesting. Seen above is an 18th century fly catcher. 

We stayed in a 150 year old house converted into a BnB. There was so much original stained glass. 

It was just stunning. Mostly we just sat in this beautiful room chatting and laughing and catching up good and proper like. 

The oddest part of our trip was at the end of the plantation tour. A barn in the back of the property houses antiques for sale, and a to-scale exact replica of DaVinci's The Last Supper. 

While I was gone, Theo hung a Texas flag in his room,

and peeled an egg in one strip. And also severed the bottom of three toes... 

Quotes

Me: Theo you need to take a -"

T: "I know! I have to take a shower because it's a tradition or something." 

V: "You should park there."

Me: "That says it's for expectant mothers."

V: "You're an expectant mother. You expect a lot of us!"

T: "I didn't want to tell you but I accidentally licked a pole today."

T: "So do you have the energy to hold me after getting me in trouble?"

Me: "I have a headache."

T: "Oh, so THAT's the problem.'

Me: "Nope. You are the problem."

FOURTEEN

On April Fools day we told the kids we were heading to Harry Potter World the next day. They absolutely did not believe us. They thought we were playing the lamest and most unbelievable prank on them. They ridiculed us all day about our lame prank. The prank was that we were telling the truth and absolutely fooled them. It took quite a bit of convincing for them to finally believey us. But for Easter weekend we did, in fact, fly to Florida to go to Universal Studios. 

On day one we did the park to park pass to get in as much Harry Potter as possible. We rode the Hogwarts Express between parks. 

 

Disappearing to Platform 9 3/4

About to board the Hogwarts Express. 

Entering Hogsmeade

Enjoying our Florean Fortescue Strawberry and Peanut Butter ice cream after the kids got their wands. 

Trying not to curse each other at the Leaky Cauldron after lunch. 

Theo was particularly interested in visiting Knockturn Alley. 

Theo got some butterbeer ice cream and I got a delicious pumpkin juice. 

On Day 2 we explored Epic. It was smaller but the attention to detail was breathtaking. It was actually a beautiful theme park. There were some hiccups with a few of the rides and technical difficulties but it’s pretty new and they’re working out all the bugs. 

The kids rode the Frankenstein ride 8 times while other rides wait times were too long. 

Butterbeer at the French section of the Harry Potter parks. 

Inside the Ministry of Magic. 

Traveling by Floo powder. 

We did a lot of walking. Over 8 miles each day. 

How to Train your Dragon ride. 

Nintendo land was so cool but clearly very popular. 

No one wants to sit by Papa on any of the rides because you WILL get tickled. 

On the beautiful carousel. 

We all rode stardust once but these crazies went back a second time after dark.

V and Matt at ease while Grandpa and Theo contemplate their mortality. This ride was terrifying… for some of us. 

Epic after dark was quite fun. 

On Sunday the kids woke up to an Easter shoe instead of an Easter basket. The kids took turns hiding Easter eggs for each other before taking a long swim.