TWENTY-TWO

 

2026 week twenty-two

This week felt rather busy. The kids and I spent most of the week on campus moving out of my old classroom and into my new classroom in the middle school. We've started up early morning swim team again this summer and we're all getting used to that new schedule. On Tuesday evening we went to a local concert in downtown Lewisville and saw many friends and classmates and V said she felt like she was in Gilmore Girls at a Stars Hollow event. On Friday we celebrated my niece graduating high school at a big party. On Saturday Matt, his mom and dad, and I went to see Jerry Seinfeld do stand up. It was a really fun evening. It was a good week. 

Also the kids wanted to get a trampoline so they picked in for 2/3 of the cost. 

 

TWENTY-ONE

 

Theo climbing a tree on the last day of school. 

2026 week twenty-one

The ninth graders came in to do a couple dissection demonstrations. 

Matching during carline and looking ready for summer. 

Summer officially starts with crawfish. 

Beautiful Dr. Pepper red crawfish. 

Matthew being a menace. 

Quotes:

Me- "I don't why it bothers me so much but I can't stand it when you roller skate in the house."
V- "Are you just jealous of my gracefulness?"

TWENTY

 

I caught a rare moment of these two just chatting after school while brushing out the American Girl Dolls' hair. 

2026 week twenty

We found frog eggs in the creek at school.

End of Year Awards Ceremony. Theo got A Honor Roll for the year. 

We celebrated afterwards with ice cream.

The whole school had the same idea so V ran into one of her best friends. 

These are the glorious days of dinner outside in the soft green light -even though your mom makes you eat borscht. 

We ended up having an unexpected breakfast visitor when a Blackburnian Warbler hit our window. 

V sat outside with him until he recovered and flew away. 

V is learning the art of practical effects wound make up. It all started with a concerned email home from her teacher when she was drawing bruises on her arms with a highlighter. 

Quotes:

V- "Ahhhhhh! Mosquito bites! They're all over me uuuuuuuuuuuuuugh!."
Me- "You're so pathetic."
V- "I know -but I'm also so delicious!"

V- "You're not my boss!"
T- "But I am your advisor."

At the End of Year Scouts activity Matt caught the turtle that was eating all the hot dogs off the fishing lines. Theo named it "The Glizzard."

NINETEEN

 

Cinco de Mayo was Salem's 6th birthday. Happy birthday to the best of cats. 

2025 week nineteen

American girl re-released their classic dolls for their 40th anniversary. I no longer have my original Kirsten so I treated myself to the new one. The first thing V did was unbraid the perfect braids. Ugh. I have to keep reminding myself: Dolls are to be played with... 

V had her 13th birthday party at the asian food court at the mall. Everone got some cash to go buy themselves dinner or treats. They had a lot of fun using real money and weighing the cost of things. Classic skills. 

It has been such a garden week. With this beautiful bouquet of chard, I made a chard potato gratin to go with our steak for Mother's Day. 

Just thinning a little bit of kale so the melon sprouts can see some daylight. 

Turnips which became a teacher appreciation gift - probably the weirdest one...

On Mother's Day morning, Matt went to a local bagel shop to try their iimitd edition "Alliyum" bagel. Onion bagel with ramp cream cheese and crispy fried onions. It was pretty good and was worth the fact that we all had pretty awful breath for the rest of the morning. 

As a gift to me for Mother's Day, V begged to watch endless episodes of Gilmore Girls. 

Italian almond cake for dessert. 

EIGHTEEN

 

The girl is officially a teenager. 

2026 week eighteen

Veronica turned 13 on Monday. Matt, Theo, and I ate lunch with her in the cafeteria and then we all went out to sushi for dinner. 

Theo had his last baseball game of the season. 

Veronica asked for pony beads for her birthday and has been making complex beaded bracelets. 

Then I taught her the ways of the 90s and 00s middle schoolers and she's been making lizards and other creatures non stop. 

It's not a party unless someone is shirtless on the roof and then vomiting in the street. Wait, both of those were my kid. Sorry. 

The garden is looking extra lush this year. 

It is such a pleasure every time I go outside. 

Our driveway was redone this week by the crew redoing our street. This is the before. 

After. 

Matt and the brothers-in-law all went on a trip to Turner Falls for the weekend. 

Quotes:

Me- "Why is there a belt on the side of the bed?"

V- "You said I kick you when I get to sleep in your bed so I belted my ankles so I wouldn't kick you." 

The kids always get to sleep in the big bed on the night before their birthday. 

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..."