Sticks of all kinds

 

From lacrosse sticks to chop sticks we found a simple theme for the weekend.  Grace's HS season opened up with a cold night of play on Friday but ended with some beautiful temperatures for two games on Saturday.  Amy was anointed by the Ghostbird at Friday nights jacket, we never saw it but the coat went straight into the wash when we got home.  I was hoping that it meant she had to lead all the cheers for the season, but I guess our understanding of the omen was different.  Grace racked up some points in all of the games and the team shows promise.  She knows girls on the opposing teams so it is always fun to see their camaraderie off the field and after the games are done. Sunday night was sushi night!  We tried our hand at rolling our own sushi roles and it was certainly fun and clearly easier seen than done.  We filled up fast but definitely plan on doing it again as it seems like a fun group activity and everyone came up with tasty concoctions. Grace was exhausted after the games and work and headed off to get some homework done. Amy, Sophia and I hung out and chatted about 'work' stuff.  It was just a perfect way to end a weekend and Amy and I talked about how cool it could be if as the 'kids' get older,they are able to come for Sunday family meals even just a couple times a month.  As always we will take what we can get, and be happy for the many blessings we have including time with family.

Let them eat Cake!

Signs of spring differ for everyone.  Maybe it is the first robin, rain rather than snow, budding of maple trees...around here it is loads of birthday cake that usher in the changing of the season.  Merrick celebrated his birthday after a ride back home from LaX, but everyone was there to meet us when we arrived.  That first round of cake was a fudgy chocolate tuxedo cake.  We all hung out most of the night and had plenty of laughs.  Friday night we celebrated Grace's 18th and all hit the sushi joint to usher in her adulthood.  Sophia made a quick detour to grab us a vanilla cake on the way home and we all packed in a little more seasonal carb of choice.  Grace had a bunch of friends over on Saturday night for pizza and games.... and there was a vanilla cheesecake that need our attention.  Sunday I drove Merrick home, but Grace was ready to make a coconut cream pie for me when I got back and all the girls were able to be there for some tacos and yes...birthday pie, just to mix it up a little.  Today looking forward to some nachos and  plenty of left over cake as spring is coaxed into being.

Snowmageddon 2026!!

 
Well it had been forecasted for nearly a week before it arrived with predicted snow totals around 30" in our area.  I think we ended up with about 27 inches of fresh snow, and drifts to my thighs with plow marks over my shoulders...it was great! Amy and I had went out to eat on Friday and hit the grocery store for snow day supplies on the way home...essentially mimosas and big breakfasts. Ella had spring break at all of her schools, both college and high school placement so she made the drive home arriving on Saturday just in front of the pending front.  Sophia was already there and the chili was filling the house with the smells of a proper heavy snow day. We played a fun game with our phones on the TV that essentially just picks on each other like a Livingroom random roast. Sophia was going to spend the night, but her boyfriend's plans changed last minute and she headed off to see him with plans of coming back for brunch...the snow storm made other plans and Sunday and Monday had us all hunkered down.  We cooked, snowblowed, lounged, read, puzzled and fed the spring migrating birds that were looking worse for wear.  Sunday morning had about a foot of snow piled up against the garage service door.  Both the dogs looked at it, looked at me, and then went back in the house until I could clear some paths for them.  School was called off by Sunday afternoon, a simple joy that never gets old.  We were all a little shocked and surprised when it was also called off for Tuesday...but it was with good reason. The roads were horrible with several inches of hard packed snow/ice; the warm spring sun helping to create a glare sheet where the only deviations were tire popping potholes.  Merrick came over Tuesday evening for a big butter chicken dinner and then we played a mini round robin chess tournament.  The kids are still way better than I am but it was fun to watch them think through their moves.

Driving the Loop!

 

Well dearest readers it has indeed been awhile since we have spoke and we are already well into March.  In the interim we have had some events, Grace went to the Snowball dance in appropriately freezing temperatures and as been playing plenty of Lacrosse. She is now in the last week of the off season, and somehow she will find time to fit in more practices...We drove a large loop around the State this week as she had a meet & greet with her team for next year.  We meet the other parents, watched the Eagles win handedly against Wesleyan and most important Grace was able to touch some grass on her next home field.  It was good to see her excited about playing in college and some of the anxieties from the unknowns drift away.  She was also able to meet her roommate and came back all aglow so I think that will go well for her too.  We touched base with Merrick and had a few meals together, he joined us for the team dinner (maybe unexpectedly) but was also able to talk to a few of the parents with incoming students and help them understand the campus...and food options from his point of view.  He drove us past his apartment that he has leased for next year as well and it seems to be real nice with a good location. Sunday we headed north through the bluffs and visited Grandprize for a belated birthday meal.  Ella met us there too, so it was great to talk to her and hear her excitement as she is about to switch teaching placements and the interview season starts to ramp up.  We got back on the road for a quite ride home and then some couch time.  Both Merrick and Ella are on break next week so we should get to put some eyes on them again in a short time.

Now the Quite Season

 

The tree came down yesterday, well at least the main tree, and the house is getting put back together from the Holiday season.  It stretched for about 3 weeks this year and was great. EC was early but all the kids were able to make it back for the weekend, boyfriends made appearances too. There was all the normal visits around town and as much food as you could pack into a 36 hour time slot. Grandprize heated up the garage and we all watch the Packer game with Lasagna filled bellies.  Back home Amy and I had two more days of work, but that was a nice trade off for a two full weeks of break.  Ella was home and getting ready for her teacher placement which started today.   Sophia was out of town for Christmas eve, missing out on Spaghetti, pool & pull tabs but she made an early morning drive to make it back to us for Christmas day breakfast and then we headed to TR to continue the Christmas gatherings. All the days and evenings in between...we relaxed, we read, we played games.  It was a great break.  Now the days are getting longer and the schedules are getting quieter for Amy and I, although it is ramping up for the kids.

Da Tree and Tunes

Well we still managed to keep the weekend busy and entertaining.  We meet up with Ella in EC to catch a show and a cool little venue for a 'super group' comprised of the lead singers from 3 other bands we like.  The opener was a great find as well.  We had a nice dinner and a room with a great view of the city.  Sunday we meet up with her and her boyfriend for a wholesome breakfast and then headed home.   Back home with the smell of chicken soup cooking, the trees finally blossomed into a Christmas tree with Sophia, Grace and Amy adding the adornments.  Ornament breakage was minimal and the process was efficient...older kids make it easier and harder and it took a week to just align two of their schedules to pull this year's decorating together.

T-Day a New Way

 

All the thankfulness of each previous year, but we did it differently this year.  Amy, Ella, and Grace all headed east to visit extended family; leaving on Tuesday night to make early flights and ultimately getting delayed by a winter storm for an extra night in Baltimore.  They made the best of the extended stay and found a Christmas market to tour, shop, and laugh.  Merrick, Sophia, and I all had a large thanksgiving day breakfast...we also all decided that is sort of the best way to do it.  Breakfast food is always great, and we had pork served three different ways, you aren't full from previous houses you had to visit and the dishes clean up is quick.  Sophia even left me a pie, but to be fair she needed most everything I had on hand to make it.  It was ultimately delicious even though she arrived with frozen apples. We just left them in the oven longer and it might be my new preferred way to back them.  400 for about an hour and then shut the oven down and leave the pies to continue to back, caramelize, and get a nice crispy crust.  The rest of the week was pretty quite although Sophia and her boyfriend did stop back Friday to play cards and laugh well past midnight.  Again so much to be thankful for including rested and ready to return to work.