One Week Full of All the Things

Things have been SO BUSY. I thought that our delayed start and thus delayed end to the school year (the kids don't get out until June 18th!) might make late May/early June less insane, but no! It's just the nature of the season I suppose, but I do love this time of year and LOVE that some of the people and interactions I've missed over the last 15 months are slowly making their way back into my life. I'm actually back in NY again today- this time in lower Manhattan, my room on the 52nd floor looks directly at the river and the 9/11 memorial which is deeply poignant. The last time I was in this part of NY I was at the top of the WTC with my best friend Sean in September 2000.

I woke up early and did a full workout in my hotel room (haven't missed a workout in 45 days!) and now have 30 minutes before I need to walk to my first meeting, so I'm going to try to bang out a quick update. We'll see how it goes. (Lol, definitely didn't finish, now working a little more before dinner.)

(1) My parents visited on Memorial Day! We were the last stop on their 3-week road trip through the National Parks of the Pacific Northwest. They had an incredible time and we were glad to be their last itinerary item. We canceled their February trip for my birthday due to Landon's positive Covid test, so my mom and I finally embarked on some VERY overdue birthday shopping while my dad remained trapped indoors in the rain with three energetic kiddos.

As always, shopping with my mom is just THE BEST and we hit up the Clearance Dillards hydrated and vaccinated and ready to roll. A few highlights:

“Oh my gosh Rebecca- A GOLD BOOTIE!”

“Oh Rebecca, wouldn’t THIS be fun??! Gold animal print heels? With a black dress? I don’t normally buy things like this.”

“Rebecca, you must keep me focused. I ONLY need a pair of black wedges WITHOUT rope.”

[minutes later]

“Rebecca look what I found!”
“Mom those are not black or wedges.”
“No I found those too see!”
[Unearths another pair of shoes from under her arms like magic.]

Later, in separates:

“Oh look at this! It’s kind of weird, but I like that. It’s sort of my thing.”

Mom, bursts through a clothing rack wearing a very shiny puffer vest: “look what I found!! I’ve never had a *metallic* puffy vest!” [proceeds to wear it for the rest of the shopping trip]

Later, in line for the dressing room:

“I can’t believe I only found four things. This is so embarrassing.”

Even later, in line for the dressing room, again:

Mom: “Do I need this leather snake print corset top? Remember, I’m supposed to be buying retirement clothes.”

In the end, dehydrated and exhausted (only me), we found many perfect items, all with an average price of $9, and had the very best time. And in another year when I’ve recovered, I can’t wait to do it all again.

I was able to find some new tops that are perfect leaving-the-house-wear and will transition to casual-work-wear and I've worn one almost every day since they left.

(2) Landon Got a Phone!

An early 14th birthday present, two weeks before the end of his 7th grade year, but close enough to 8th grade that I feel like we fulfilled the "Wait Until 8th" pledge that our pediatrician, principal, and teachers have all basically begged parents to take. Everyone is different on this and I get it, but we've always been super anti-technology/screen time with the kids and I don't regret a single bit of abstinence or days (years) of delay. Every time we let the kids watch TV during the week or more than usual on the weekend, they are significantly less pleasant human beings to us and each other. It's an extraordinarily annoying bit of cause and effect that has yet to change.

I feel some trepidation about the phone, but don't mind the time to continue shaping his relationship with technology as he moves to high school and beyond. Social media remains a hard no (he hasn't even asked) and I'm grateful for the fence posting we're doing before we get to all this with the girls.

I also love that he can text me real time updates about his life while I'm away again in NYC. Updates like the fact that Milo somehow escaped the house and was found basking on the front porch, just watching the world go by: "He looked so happy mom."

You know, the important stuff.

(3) Landon's 7th Grade Athletic Awards Ceremony!

This was on Tuesday? I think? He won the Best Jumper award for track and that was exciting. I remain just so proud of him for trying all the sports this year, including two he'd never played before, and I will never forget him watching a football game on TV with James the night before tryouts so he could learn the basic rules and positions.

(3) Landon's Dramatic Injury at the District Track Meet!

Two days later we were at the District Track Meet, me in a new shopping-with-mom shirt, Cora in my sunglasses, and everyone ready to cheer on our Lanman in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays and the Long Jump!

Except, 70 meters into his 100 meter relay leg, sprinting his heart out in the very first event of the meet, he suddenly shot up in the air and then almost went down. He hopped his way to their anchor, passed the baton, and went down on the track. He told me later all he could think about was getting the baton to his teammate. He left the track in a golf car, was diagnosed with a pulled hamstring by the trainer, and scratched his events. He watched the rest of the meet from the stands, cheering on his teammates and icing his leg. We remain very proud of him and his hobbling is getting a little better each day.

He had to miss a fun school event on Friday - the first bit of middle school normalcy in a weird 1.5 years, so my sister sent him some $$ for a treat and of all the options in Fort Worth, he picked Chick-fil-A. And then, encouraged by my confirmation that he could order ANYTHING ordered and ate every bite of: one fried chicken sandwich, 12 piece nuggets, large fries, large lemonade, and ice cream cone.

(4) Claire Turns 11!

We got back from the track meet very late Thursday night and prepped our traditional birthday party table before collapsing in bed. For the first time ever Claire got to celebrate her birthday at school and nothing could be more exciting for our school-loving girl in her last year of elementary school.

She got to bring donuts to her classmates and then go shopping with me after school. We were trying to find her a dress for her Elementary School Graduation but it is very hard to find clothes for an 11-year-old who is still a girls size medium/large but really wanting clothes a little more grown-up than the Children's Place and Target kids' section. We did walk by Bath & Body Works and immediately had to stop inside which brought back ALL the memories of my own middle school shopping trips with friends.

And we eventually lucked out at TJ Maxx with a very cute dress she is VERY excited about (that was $7.99 which made me excited too). Landon's gift arrived just on time when we got home - something very sweet and thoughtful that she absolutely loved, but while he can apparently spend an hour searching for the perfect gift, he CANNOT handle the hug she wants to give him when it arrives. #TeenBrothers

Since it was a Friday night and James didn't have any lessons, we decided to go out with the birthday girl, who IMMEDIATELY picked hamburgers, so off to Hop Doddy we went.

With homemade chocolate cupcakes and the birthday song back at home.

(5) The Cats Will Not Wear Party Hats!

As is tradition, Maggie proudly wore her party hat for Claire's birthday.

(The face of a dog who knows the mean cat is making fun of her.)

Having already learned that Moose is a no on the hats, we thought sweet, chilled out, chunky Milo might be game.

But NO.

Hard no. Needed much comfort to get over the horrors of the attempt.

(6) Claire Gets a Birthday Pool Party!

So last year Claire got a kitten, but this year she got the other thing she'd been waiting years for - a glow stick pool party with friends!

Landon got one at age 10 and now she got hers at 11 and it was everything she wanted it to be.

(7) We Attend the Gymnastics National Meet!

The US Nationals were in Fort Worth this year (like everything, originally scheduled for 2020) and on a whim, after the realization that we'd never taken our children to a sporting event, I purchased tickets for the senior women's finals.

And they LOVED IT.

We were right in front of the uneven bars and arrived early just as Simon Biles was warming up. She is so freaking incredible.

The GOAT

It was so fun.

We got home late, went to bed, and in the morning the kids were off to school, James was off to a day full of lessons, and I was off to the airport.

And Maggie went right back to bed.