TWELVE

 

Spring Break!

2026 week twelve

The kids went with Grandma to the Museum of Illusions so I could have a few hours to do taxes in silence.

They had a great time and walked away with so many cool photos.

Matt finally made it to Chicago and got to spend four days with his team working hard and dining harder. 

He was there for St. Patrick's Day and got to see the river dyed green. 

We spent the week watching old cartoons,

getting fresh haircuts,

watching the dogs play tug-of-war,

picking so much asparagus,

and getting all the garden prepped and ready. 

Matt made it home Friday night very late, and on Saturday we went to the Ft. Worth Stockyards to celebrate my 37th birthday. 

The kids got to see the cattle drive.

And they were thrilled to walk around the taxidermy gift shop. We were there ostensibly to find me some cowboy boots but no luck. We even went into Lucchese to try on the fanciest boots imaginable just for fun. 

We ended our Ft. Worth trip with a bbq lunch at Coopers. 

If you ever see beef ribs on the menu, just get them. They're always worth it. 

Theo left Ft. Worth as happy as can be because he bought an opossum hide. He proceeded to wear it as a sleeve for the rest of the day.   

Cousin play time. Theo was the burrito and everyone had to beat him with pillows. Classic childhood game of "beat up the burrito" I guess. 

V helping Matt finish some kitchen repairs. 

Quotes:

My Siri voice pronounces my friend Sera (Sarah) name like (Serr-ah), V- "Why does Siri say it like that? Wouldn't it be spelled like S-i-r-r-a-h?" I had such a laugh. Only a classical school kid would know the word Sirrah from Shakespeare... 

Watching An American Tale after previously watching Anastasia, Theo- "Is this another movie about the Russian Revolution?"
V, so knowledgeable -"Theo, there were A LOT of revolutions in Russia." 

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.