Happy birthday JACK!!!

 Jack Leonard Jedd, the baby whose pregnancy inspired my Listen to Your Mother act, whose birth let me know I could do it unmedicated and live to tell the tale, whose colicky babyhood did not deter us from having 3 more kids because he was so darn sweet right form the jump-- Jack the lifeguard and speech whiz and soon-to-be Bradley Brave-- Jack the excellent and responsible big brother, the kid who takes Annabelle out every night even though he doesn't really like her very much and drives his siblings wherever they have to go and pays for his own gas, even-- Jack with the same loyal friend group for a decade, with political aspirations and law school on the distant horizon and plans to be an AP history teacher first-- that Jack is eighteen years old today!

So, um, what are we wearing right now?

 I know I said the other day that I was shopping for t-shirts, but who even cares because it will be winter here forever, probably.

Here is Minnie at her rainbow loom with Santa over her shoulder and honestly? He should just stay there forever, probably.

Hello from my April Uggs

And my April tights.

And my APRIL FUCKING PARKA

Also my April puffer coat.

**sob**

In other news, I am thinking of trying THESE Quince jeans and maybe hacking off a couple inches for a raw hem. Anyone have them?

Also, how are we feeling about the ballet sneaker trend? I am feeling good but also cannot find anything I like for under $200. Except at Old Navy where they are under $20 and come in lots of colors. Maybe I'll try those first? Anyone have cute ballet sneakers you love? I'd really like silver or pink...

For like 15 years, I was in a FB rgoup called Skirtathon where a bunch of academics across the country wore dresses every April and took pics of ourselves every day. But the group disbanded, and now my spring wardrobe is silly-- all skirts and no cute jeans. NO t-shirts. I must shop, you guys.

Unforch, the only thing I have bought lately (besides books and those Old Navy sneaks in beige just now) is a NEW PHONE and case (as long as I was dealing with Dorothy's, I decided to get one, too). (also pictured: my favorite sweatshirt. That I am still wearing in mid-April because the weather sucks)

.

ANYWAY. Tell me what you're wearing right now and if you're shopping or just making old stuff new again (and if it's the latter, HOW are you doing it?).

why wait? things I am doing RIGHT NOW anyway

 I listened to The Lazy Genius podcast a couple weeks ago, and she was talking about how you can make your home feel the way you want it to right now without probably spending any money on decorating because a vibe doesn't usually require any dollars to achieve-- it's more about making sure you can live comfortably. And I was like oh my gosh you are so right. 

For over a year, I have been complaining that we only have 6 chairs at the kitchen table for a family of 7 and shopping half-heartedly for both tables and dining benches to go with our existing table (we really need to buy new couches for the basement before we commit to any other piece of furniture because one of them is actually broken. But every time we go shopping we think that maybe we should be sending the 15 year-old living room couch downstairs and starting fresh up there and it turns into a whole give-a-mouse-a-cookie thing and we leave empty handed). 

But after that episode, I realized I have 4 more chairs that coordinate with our table in our storage room AND ALSO three more counter stools. Like, those things exist IN MY HOUSE ALREADY. Are they exactly what I would choose if I were going to the store? No. Will they work to increase seating from 10 to 14? YES YOU GUYS. THEY WILL. The vibe I am going for is relaxed and comfy and enough room at the table. I CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.

I actually think the mismatch is cute, and I love the woven bottoms on the extra chairs- they match one of our lamps. I am thinking about putting the other 2 at the head and foot of the table, so we could have 4 and 4, but we'll see (the current head and foot chairs have arms, so they are already slightly different-- I like that). I ended up only using 2 extra bar stools-- they are holding plants right now, but could join the other 4 at the island easily. So, there you go. Seating for all. RIGHT NOW.

On the way to my office the other day, I saw a bunch of happy people working at the coffee shop on the corner by my building and I was like I really need to spend more time writing at coffee shops someday. And then I turned around and went in and got a flat white and spent a lovely 75 minutes before my class working at a crowded coffee shop. I wrote my whole dissertation in coffee shops, you guys. and I miss the vibes.

(unrelated, this gd dance convention/competition website said it would give us schedules on 4/7 and DID NOT and I have 2 kid sports and an 18th bday to plan that weekend)

Also! That random morning was great, but I need MOAR coffee shop time and am going to pencil it in.

I have also started reading 50 pages of whatever I am reading as soon as I wake up. This has been an excellent practice-- I can have a cup of coffee and wake up without getting stuck in the scroll. It takes me about 25 minutes, and then I am ready to exercise.  

To answer Daria's question from comments the other day, I usually do not buy books. But! Lately, I have bought a ton of Audible titles on sale (Judge Stone; More Than Enough; So Old, So Young; Once and Again) and realized I spent about $55 on them **yikes face**.  I have a $15/month Audible subscription, too. I have also started buying or pre-ordering about 2 Kindle books a month ($30), and I have a Book of the Month club membership, meaning I get a book a month for $17. So. Guys. I actually do spend a bunch of money on books. Oops. I do get the majority via Libby (I have 4 cards! For 35 holds at a time! Some of my kids don't ever read, so I took their numbers! And my school ID gives me 5 extras!) or the library. But, most months I spend right around $60 for a couple Kindle reads and my subscriptions.   Not counting my recent Audible sale binge. **another yikes face**

One more thing! That we did  right now anyway: we wore spring clothes on Easter even though we had to cover them up with our parkas. Wisconsin, get it together!

The E.B. booked the boys a tee time, and Harry wore shorts. He is a true Sconnie.

Ben celebrated the slightly warmer afternoon weather by taking Minnie and Cooper to a new barnyard-themed park for kids ages 2-5. Where they played a rowdy game of tag that saw Ben sustaining a major injury dashing to the chicken coop (home base). He fell down and called for Cooper, whom he had just tagged. Cooper thought Ben was trying to trick him into getting tagged again. But no! Ben was really hurt.

Just a sprain! Phew!

 

How I spent my solo spring break

 I watched TV. (Scarpetta and season 1 of Your Friends and Neighbors-- liked them both. Also liked watching TV midday when I was least likely to fall alseep).

Read books. (just a couple-- I was really off my reading game)

Shopped (unsuccessfully) for t-shirts. I need to go to Madewell and Evereve, I guess.

Filled Easter baskets.

Made a weekend's worth of restaurant reservations instead of cooking a single Easter thing (zero regrets).

RESTED in anticipation of a bananas 4 weeks ahead.

A lovely spring break.

Q 2 Reads!

 I had a GREAT time reading a ton of my list of anticipated Q1 books, and I am excited for even more excellent reads in the next few months. Once again, I used the google so you don't have to. Get those holds in, friends-- books are coming!!

APRIL

Most anticipated

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Go Gentle by Maria Semple

American Fantasy by Emma Straub

Favorite Authors

Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell

Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Ghost Town by Tom Perrotta

Romance

The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn

Nonfiction

The Rolling Stones: The Biography by Bob Spitz

Selling Opportunity: The Story of Mary Kay by Lisa Gavenas

Famesick by Lena Dunham

May

Most Anticipated

Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

Favorite Authors

Take Me With You by Steven Rowley

The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff

Our Perfect Storm by Carly Fortune

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Schlocky Thrillers

The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

The One Day You Were my Husband by Rosie Walsh

Nonfiction

Big Time by Laura Vanderkam

Steve Jobs in Exile by Geoffrey Cain

I am Not a Robot: My Year of Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything by Joanna Stern

June

Most Anticipated

Whistler by Ann Patchett

Arrivals and Departures by Amanda Eyre Ward

Land by Maggie O'Farrell

Summer Reads

The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson

Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore

The Guilty Party by Caro Carver

Repeat Authors

The Top of the World by Ethan Joella

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

Someone Else's Husband by Kimberly McCreight

Nonfiction

Cleanup on Aisle Five: Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View from Behind the Supermarket Register by Ann Larson

Lifeguard: A Love Story by Janet Fash

The Wilder Way by Eva zu Beck

Ok: WHAT DID I MISS?

5 on a Friday: Notes from a quick trip to Iowa

Almost as soon as Dorothy wrapped up her first dance competition of the season, we packed up the car and headed to Iowa for a national qualifier dive meet for Cooper. Specifically, the AAU Red White and Blue national qualifier in Waukee, Iowa. On the line? A trip to nats and a chance (if he won an event) to represent the AAU team at an international dive meet in Italy.

Minnie told everyone she was going to Iowa on spring break, which made us all laugh (ooooh a Marriott Courtyard in a Des Moines suburb!). But! Since it was the kids' break, we made it fun for all.

1. We went to the mall a lot. Jordan Creek mall is a retro delight-- Toys R Us! Cinnabon! And also every trendy teen girl store in the world. (Free People Movement, Garage, Altar'd State, AS Revival, Lulu, Hollister, Abercrombie, Aerie and Aerie Offline-- and more that I am surely forgetting. 

Cooper was not as stoked at Dorothy at some of the offerings.

We aren't Christian, so most of the graphic tees did not land, but this store has THE CUTEST frilly dresses. They are typically between $90-120 but you can find them in the clearance section for LESS THAN THIRTY DOLLARS (and honestly they look the same from season to season IMO)

I wish our Free People store had more athleisure because this stuff was CUTE.

OMGGGGGG

Minnie bought eye shadow, mascara, and blush and wore it every day.

Borrowing the Easter Bunny's set up for a pic

Also coming soon! (Dorothy was excited for a second when she saw the sign and then sad)

We spent a lot of time waiting outside dressing rooms

2. POOL TIME. Cooper competed in synchro (just for fun) the first day, 3-meter the second day, and 1-meter the last day. He qualified to compete in Italy by winning 1meter and qualified to nats in both 3 and 1 (and he can bring platform). He won't actually go to Italy because his USA Diving nat qual series overlaps the trip, but he was excited to qualify, and he plans to compete at AAU Red White and Blue nationals in Orlando over Memorial Day.

For her part, Minnie enjoyed the very underwhelming hotel pool except when it was teeming with volleyball players and closed for filter probs (yuck)

my uncle came to watch both days! My aunt and cousin also watched with us on Saturday

3. Lots of food! We went to a restaurant that's been the exact same since my childhood, and I loved every bite.

We also got our favorite dive bar pizza

4. We saw the Iowa capitol!

And also the best park ever

5. We took the long way home

Other things:

Dorothy said this headband was cute, but I am pretty sure she was trolling me (it was really cute on her).

Minnie loved the hotel (the girls and I had a room, and Ben and Coop had a room)

And! she is old enough to wait for 45 mins at a restaurant with no complaints-- or very few complaints.

Dorothy shattered her iPhone, which was kind of a pain. She's been without a phone all week waiting for a replacement, and she is really annoyed because she can't use her beloved Bauble Bar case anymore (it's not sturdy at all-- she has dropped her phone a million times with no consequence but then she got that case and bam! (literally)). I got her a Casely case because she was horrified at the mere mention of an Otterbox. If you have any durable phone case recs, I am all ears. (she fatally dropped it on the bleachers moments after we took this pic)