A Touch Of Tyrell

Brace yourselves.... Everett turned TWELVE. And he's officially taller than me.  He's a really neat kid. 6th grade was pretty interesting for him socially... I think he's finally learning the value (and how to value) friends. It's a work in progress. Sometimes he blurts out rude things without thinking (he gets that from me 😓) and it's caused some arguments and sticky situations. But that's what middle school if for, right?!? To expose all shortcomings and make a complete fool out of yourself... Jake took him and two of his friends to Labrynth (an escape room) and maybe even to the movies. I can't even remember! He's still into video games, his oculus (virtual reality), and youtube. If it has a screen and can entertain you... he's all about it! He's getting a little mustache and is loving being taller than most of his peers. 

I made a fairy garden cake for Roxy's 6th birthday... It turned out super cute! We had a little party with her two friends Harley and Brooklyn. One is a year younger and one is a year older.  It was pretty adorable to watch Roxy open her presents because she just let everyone join in and open whatever and play with it. She's pretty awesome at sharing! She's still our little baby. Still sucks her thumb, has a "green blankey" and "tippie" (one corner of the green blanket that she loops her pinkie through) and has a palate of a toddler. #donettesforbreckfast She loves her barbies, a boy named Gus, youtube videos, and her mama the most!  

Breckie is just a tiny bit obsessed with pigs.... so a piggy birthday is what we had! We made a pig cake... and if you look close, a pig piñata.  We made pig gift bags as an activity AND painted pig canvases that Breckie drew herself.  We also played pin the tail of the pig (that Breckie drew & painted) and we played a game of pass the pig (hot potato). The girls (+ Lincoln) all had a great time and Breckie loved all of the piggy gifts she got.  She's already planning her party for next year!  

I actually meant to title this post Dunes Trip #45 but apparently I didn't hold the shift key long enough to catch the pound sign above the number 3 key.... but wither way, they are both an exaggeration! Jake only had a day-and-a-half between his Idaho trip and dunes trip. He squeezed in as much work as he could before he left.  *This is Kevin... not Jake. (I'd undoubtedly frame it if it was Jake!) This trip didn't start out as successful as the other 344 dunes trips have 😉 The trip to Kanab UT (from SLC) was snowy and slow.  The bikes were totally frozen and covered in dirty ice when they got there. After a long car wash the bikes spent the night inside their airbnb to dry. It had snowed a few inches in the town of Kanab... but surprisingly it snowed even more out on the dunes... about 8 inches!  The first day of riding was completely unsuccessful and a total bummer for the guys. So they changed plans a bit and drove to St. George for the next two days of riding.  ...

Jake has one sister that lives in Utah (April) and one in Idaho (Brianna).  Recently his parents retired and moved to Idaho near Brianna.  And then his oldest sister (Amber) moved there as well. We're super happy and excited to have family SO much closer than we've had the last decade.  Jake learned how to frame houses working with his dad in middle/high school. His dad is building a house for this new chapter in their lives.  Jake spent a week in December helping his dad and then took a 3-day weekend in February to help again. The second time he went, he took the kids so they could spend time with their cousins/aunts/uncles.  Breckie loved crafting with her 18-year-old cousin Arianna, Everett loved gaming with Uncle Michael, and Roxy was attached to (basically twin cousin) Haley all weekend.  Brianna even took them to a farm to see the pigs when she heard that Breckie has a small obsession with piggies! The pigs weren't out because of the cold but they sti...

Valentine's Day is always pretty fun. How could it not be fun with these three! It starts with the tradition of following the trail to your Valentine gift. (P.S. we got a cat. Thats huge news for us. His name is Tiger and he was a stray Aunt Bridget found, nurtured, and then gifted to us.) I didn't take a picture of Jakes... but it included a XL beanie (because he has a massive noggin and all of his other beanies look something like a yamaka on him), a foot cheese-grader thing (necessary for his ogre feet), a large tin of chocolate mints, extra dark Lindor chocolates (he's a big chocolate & chocolate mint lover), and a fun love note.  He left me a pile of my favorite candies (peanut m&m's, the mini Easter Cadbury eggs (yeah, that's how he rolls)), huge bouquet of flowers (that are still beautifully alive), a very bougie (BOO-zhee) puzzle I wanted from a very bougie home boutique store, AND A CAN OF SPAM! because Valentine's day is also my dad's birth...

 I was sitting in the hallway outside of Roxy's new dance class today and was unintentionally eavesdropping on a teenage phone conversation. It sounded dramatic... and I had that happy, grateful moment of gratitude that that part of my life is over. Then on the drive home I had a flashback moment to a camping trip we took with friends when Everett was a baby... and I had that happy, grateful feeling that that part of my life is also over.  The flashback of that camping trip is based off of a photo that popped into my mind. It's of Jake and I on the beach with Everett in a hiking backpack. I had a deep feeling of appreciation for myself for having taken the time to write about and document so much of our life together... a "tangible" thing to help me remember memories. I was so grateful to have this digital journal/book to provide me with memories and reflection on the last dozen years of my life.  Parts of my life's journey I've shared are embarrassing, hilari...