Redux Times Two OR MAA-AHM *eyeroll eyeroll eyeroll*

Quiz time, again. Tucker was up first because he was in the same room. I guilted all three kids into participating cause, you know, Mother's Day.

Tucker, age just shy of 11

Fave TV Show -- The Flash
What is that: -- you don't know what The Flash is? *inaugural eyeroll*
Fave Movie --Waterboy (ah, the classics...)
What did you have for breakfast? -- sandwich, wait.....oh yeah, I had leftover wings.
Fave food -- pizza
Which food don't you like? -- asparagus
When have you had asparagus? Well, there was some kind of ball thingie you gave us...brussel sprouts!
Fave Restaurant -- Hokkaido
Where were you born -- Northport. IDK what the hospital is called.
What do you want to be when you grow up? -- a sports player
Any particular sport? Baseball, basketball, football
Fave Song -- Probably That's What I Like by Bruno Mars
Fave Thing to Do -- play with my friends
Fave Mom? (thinking)...Nanny

Merritt, you're up next!
age 5 years and almost 8 months

Fave TV Show -- Daniel Tiger
Fave Movie -- Frozen
What did you have for breakfast? -- cheerios
Fave Food -- corn
Which food don't you like? -- onions
Fave restaurant -- McDonalds
Where were you born? -- at the hospital!
What do you want to be when you grow up? -- a mom
Fave Song -- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Fave Thing to Do -- play with my dolls and dollhouse
Fave mom? -- You!

And Sweet Lauren, aged 13 years and 11 months like a fine but very tart wine.

Fave TV Show -- I don't know
Fave Movie -- I don't know
What did you have for breakfast? -- nothing
Fave Food -- hamburger
Which food don't you like? -- vegetables
Fave restaurant -- Chick Fil A
Where were you born? -- Tuscaloosa
Okay, but you know it was technically Northport, right? *nod*
What do you want to be when you grow up? -- I don't know
But what is something you may like to do? -- I don't know
Can you just guess something? -- *audible eyeroll*
Fave Song -- um...House of Gold. nonono, Live for Today.
Fave Thing to Do -- sleep
Fave mom? -- You
Okay, but if you didn't HAVE to say that, who would you choose? ...Ms. Angie

See previous quizzes here and here.

I'm Going To Have To Put Twitter Back On My Phone

"Ethics are not political. They’re ethics. And in these unsettled and unsettling times, silence is surely just as ‘political’ as non-silence." -Sandra Boynton

Upon observing that our nation's President prefers Twitter as a mechanism by which to communicate, I am taking it upon myself to reply (in a most sincere fashion) to his tweets that I find troubling or concerning. For instance, this morning, he tweeted that "any negative polls are fake news." I replied that this is a completely irrational statement and I find it concerning that he dismisses disagreement as fake news. As a personal protest, I am going to view Twitter as a personal conversation between myself and the President.

I will let you know when I hear back.

Decisions

"I want my 6 year old birthday to be Strawberry Shortcake," Merritt declared. "Or Sophia. It's a hard choice."

Indeed.

Ultimately, Merritt informed me that she had chosen Strawberry Shortcake. By the end of the evening, she had compiled a list of the things she will need: Pinata, Strawberry Shortcake Cake, Ballooons (sic), Friends, and Goody Bags.

Her birthday is in September. SMH

What's Up Wednesday

Full disclosure: I am ripping this idea off of another blog and I am not linking back anywhere. Seeing it just made me feel like blogging, which I obviously do not feel like doing too much these days, so I'm going with it. I'm not even going to the effort to paste the cute box with the questions. Whatever.

Also, don't expect eloquence. (Also, It is now Thursday.)

What We're Eating this Week: Thus far, lots of comfort food. My granddaddy died last Friday. We drove over on Sunday and had the funeral on Monday. As sad a time as funerals are, there is such familiar comfort in the communion that happens: friends you haven't seen in years coming to feed you physically, emotionally, spiritually. Permission to feel and show raw emotion. That is God.

What I'm Reminiscing About: can't go there right now. All the feels.

What I'm Loving: Dots and Co. game on my phone

What We've Been Up To: avoiding heat

What I'm Dreading: Making good on a promise that I made to Lauren--I agreed months ago that we would go to the midnight release of the new Harry Potter book. That is coming up this Saturday. Oiy.

What I'm Working On: Not picking my nails.

What I'm Excited About: school schedule pick up

What I'm Watching/Reading: Bits and pieces of the Democratic Convention

What I'm Listening To: Taylor Swift CD on repeat in the car.

What I'm Wearing: Flip flops as much as possible.

What I'm Doing this Weekend: grrrr...midnight Harry Potter.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month: getting in to the school routine

What Else Is New: Well, I wrote a blog post...

Holiday

Lauren got a cookbook for Christmas (at her request) and we made a red velvet cake FROM. SCRATCH. the other night. I begged her, "don't you just want to make a box cake?" But we persevered. I had salt, and eggs, but we had to purchase all of the other baking ingredients. Hell, I even had to buy a hand mixer. Funny how life turns out completely different that you expect it. Growing up, I baked cookies from scratch all the time. I could even make biscuits. Real biscuits. Now the few cookbooks I own are boxed up in the bottom of my pantry. Maybe one day I will have enough space in my mind and on my counter to enjoy cooking and baking again. Not to say we didn't enjoy building our cake this week, though. It was an accomplishment.

Christmas was good. It felt relaxed and comfortable. Kids were excited and engaged. Chocolate was consumed. Harry Potter was watched. PJs were worn. And so on.

Today is New Year's Eve. I am in PJs and socks and am alternating between picking up, slowly, and playing with the kids. This year I have taken time to know myself more. It is a slow process. But good.

And though I am not big on resolutions, I would like to strive to meditate more and scroll less. Unplug and be present. Find my voice and keep my words kind. Identify a good moisturizer with sunscreen.

I Don't Have the Brain Power for Complete Sentences

Over the past week:
I went to the library. Not for fun, to work. I went to Starbucks first. It was lovely. Both the coffee and the library.
Saturday I painted. Dawgs blocked the kick for a one-point victory.
Sunday I was productive. I went on a walk and breathed in the chilly air. Outside is good for the soul. I made my way back to the library. It was a gorgeous day.
I am deadline driven and yesterday was the day. At first it was slow. I may have gotten one sentence written in the first hour. (keep in mind that the bulk of the paper was already written, I was just sourcing and polishing, MOM). But after a couple of hours it started clicking. So much that by the time I finished, I thought to myself, "this isn't too bad!" Clicked submit.
Leaving the library, the Quad was lit with luminaries. I stood in the cold and admired it for a minute, breathing gratitude for accomplishing this task that had been hanging over my head. Drove home to a reheated hamburger and a cold beer or three.

For a List With Many Things Crossed Off

Thanks, Mom.