Checking In

Big things are happening and announcements are coming (I accidentally jumped the gun with a post a few weeks ago, so for those who caught it, it will be back on Tuesday!) and it's hard to post when so much of what is going on involves this new thing but life does continues on in the in between.

I took the kids to Hamilton as their Christmas present and they LOVED it. We're back to watching the Disney Plus version regularly and singing every word of Helpless and Satisfied in the car when we drive anywhere.

Bass is such a beautiful theater and I'm so glad the kids were able to experience it!

James met us for a fancy dinner downtown after the play and we tried to get the kids to order steak but Landon couldn't get past the prices and ordered two kids pizzas "for less than half the price TOTAL mom" instead. He also just got a new ski jacket because he's in MEN'S SIZES now and he is delighted by the "tiny armpit pockets" that are actually airvents.

Claire continues to swim and now has play rehearsals and soccer practice. She loves it all.

Cora finally has an after-school nanny to play with her when school gets out instead of a mom who is working and says "just a minute" while never actually meaning it.

Home office updates continue. My new rugs arrived last week- the pets approve (and me too).

We got another snow storm last week (or the week before? who even knows)! Thank goodness it was nothing like last year's true snowpocalypse, but it was enough to shut down schools and businesses for a few days.

My kids have now officially reached an age where they saw no reason to go play in the snow when they could stay inside all day where it was warm. "Texas isn't supposed to have snow mom," said Landon. "I'll just wait until we're in Colorado. It's supposed to be cold there."

A massive fort was built and lived in for two days.

Maggie was the only child to touch the snow, and that was only becaus I wouldn't let her go potty in the house, but she could NOT BELIEVE I would force her fat little toes onto the freezing cold wno. She's only barely forgiven me.

One crazy family member embraced the frigid temps and got in his swim workout in our backyard pool when the Y closed. He is completely insane, but I love him and his swimmer self very much.

Meanwhile, I'm a certified yoga instructor with at least 3 yoga mats in this house and I didn't roll one out once. Snow days are meant to be spent on the couch with fuzzy blankets. Assuming there are any left after your children built their giant fort. (There were not.)

Last week (pretty sure this actually was last week) I drove to Austin for dinner with a bloved mentor and an overnight with one of my dearest friends. It was a lovely mini getaway followed by a visit to San Antonio to check in on my three remaining grandparents. I got to have lunch with my Grandpa Jim in Assisted Living. He was delighted to have a guest and I got introduced to many of the other residents. I remain so very glad I can see my grandparents as often as I can.

I then met my other Grandma and Grandpa at their apartment to take them over to Assisted Living for an evaluation for a transfer. We've entered a tough phase of life and my grandma is declining quite rapidly. It's been hard, and obviously isn't my story, but I'm glad I was able to be there to help drive them over to the building and meet with the head nurse and then drive them back. But it was hard, so hard to see the differences. To see my grandpa want so badly for my grandma to answer the questions right and show the spark she needs to be a candidate for transfer. To see them hold hands and show such love for each other, even as she's less and less herself.

My mom was able to come visit me overnight a few days later to squeeze in a pre-birthday shopping trip. We were quite restrained, selecting only the most perfect of items, and walked out of our clearance Dillards with less than 5 things between us. I'm very proud.

I can't believe I turn 39 this Friday. I spoke to a professor friend's law school class a few days ago and it hit me that I started law school 17 years ago and I've been a practicing lawyer for 14 years. And while it really is the "practice" of law because it is always changing and you are always learning, it is so nice to sometimes realize why yes, I know the answer to that or I've seen that before. I know things! Many things! Even if Milo is unimpressed.

Speaking of unimpressed, our weather jumped 50 degrees after our snow storm because of course it did and Maggie refused to come inside because the sun felt so nice and I'd made her get her toes so cold just a few days before. And because she called my bluff when I told her she had to come in, I went and got some sunscreen for her scar and sat on the front porch watching her for 30 minutes.

Life may be hectic (did I mention we are also renovating our bedroom and backyard? it's not like this house is also my office or anything), but it's always nice to take a moment to make your bulldog happy.