Weekending, tracking my dollars again

 Harry came home for the weekend, and we thought he was going to bring a carload of stuff home since neither of us can come to move-out day, and he has way more stuff than he can fit in his car. But he brought home the attache he carries to speech tournaments, a floor lamp, and his winter coats. **whomp whomp**. He was also like WTH guys? You're not coming to move me out? And we were like erm no. That's why we bought you a car. But then we thought about it, and it really did seem kind of crappy. But! Ben will be out of town for diving and then commencement at his college, and Dorothy has dance, so, we are all accounted for. And! Really! It's things like this that help make Harry so awesome, I think. He is managing the pool this summer! Got a raise at work! Has a local political internship in Eau Claire that he asked for/created for himself, and is a delegate to the WI dem convention this summer. And! He has good grades this semester and is taking on leadership roles as rising sophomore in his school clubs. All because of our disinterest/inability to be actively involved in his life!  LOL. But actually, probably that's right. One thing he brought home for the weekend: his adorable girlfriend, so that was fun!!

No photos of Harry, but I did take a photo of this cookie he left in a glass

We took Dorothy and Coop to a high school pool-- Coop to practice for red, white, blue nats and also regional qualifiers for USA diving nats and Dorothy to get ready for summer dive season. Thanks to My Fitness Pal, I managed to cram my rings on my fingers for the first time in forever (I can wear one band, but all 3 has been a no-go). But then the humidity of the pool room made me swell, and I had to stick my hand in the (ailing) freezer to be able to wrench them off.

We furniture shopped all day Saturday and bought NOTHING. We are looking for a new storage ottoman for the living room, but they are inexplicably SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS, so we might just get ours reupholstered? We also looked at coffee tables instead of ottomans, but we like having blankets in there for couch sitting purposes. Then we looked at couches since we need a new one downstairs (one of them has a broken frame from kid hijinks), but then we thought maybe we should move our 14 year-old living room couch down and get something new up-- it was very if you give a mouse a cookie. PLUS ALSO we really want a new kitchen table and chairs or maybe a bench and chairs. We need to have a glass of wine tonight and figure out exactly what we want to buy and in what order. AND! Let's not forget, our fridge (the last OG appliance standing besides our water softener which is missing a part and soon to be repaired) is on its last legs because the freezer only sort of works (we have another fridge/freezer downstairs, so we're fine). So maybe other major purchases will have to get in line?

We did buy a fun lunch out with Dorothy and Cooper (Minnie was at a play date; Jack was at lunch with Harry's gf; Harry was at life guard re-certification (the actual reason he came home)) and then also Kona Ice because it was at the school across the street when we got home from or 4th and final furniture store.

SO. ANYWAY. Easing back into tracking spending because I basically want to buy a whole new house of furniture, speaking of manifesting shit. We had an unexpected expense when Ben accidentally got a bleach-soaked rag all over Dorothy's favorite Scuba, and then children needed shoes (big sale in the Nike app, FYI), but so far, so good. Back on the wagon, homemade coffees and all.

5 on a Friday: Some things about life right now

 1. I have gotten way to good at requesting books. I am getting really popular picks (like the new Abby Jimenez!) the day they release. BUT ALSO, I am COVERED UP in books and am failing at reading them. Bonus! My audible credits are piling up. But! So are my Book of the Month books, and I have yet to crack my Kindle since February.

2. I am on a real calorie-tracking kick, which is not something I have done in forever. I just sort of got sick of eating a ton around the clock and opened My Fitness pal on a whim on my phone, and I have been tracking every day. They key for me is to not worry about going over my limit but to make sure to write it all down anyway-- sort of like tracking dollars.

3. My weighted vest is KILLING my shoulders. KILLING THEM. I had to stop wearing it, and I think it is a posture thing. I am going to wait until my shoulders feel better and try wearing it again in shorter spurts. And maybe getting one that fastens at the waist as opposed to across my chest.

4. The American Girl dolls are experiencing a renaissance, and I am FOR SURE here for it

5. Real talk? I am so so so sick of Ben not being home all week. I mean, he is technically home the majority of the week, and lots of people travel for work and blah blah blah. But! I am 16 years into my pension. And the kids love their lives here. And higher ed is not the most stable place to work right now. BUT STILL. I really want us to live in the same city. Time to manifest that shit.

Wednesday Whines

LOL that headline made me laugh and then cry and then, like, go hide in a closet. I have GOT to be all done with dystopian fiction. Also, I need to dust off ye olde dissertation-- I am thinking in particular of a chapter about vets returning from war and the ways Planned Parenthood pushed a pronatalist (eugenic, if we are being honest) agenda.

SPRING IN WI, am I right?

Annabel got to hang out with Minnie and me for a hot second, but then she ate too many wood chips and had to go inside.

Okay, guys. What the actual fuck am I going to do with my hair? I **think** after summer I am going to cut most of it off to get rid of the weird red that is a result of the Madison Reed stuff I was using and then get a shit ton of bronde highlights to bend the gray in. I almost got a pixie cut yesterday to just start fresh and go gray. Also, I cut my own bangs while I was on the phone with my brother the other day (LOL-- DO NOT DO THIS), and now the shape is WAY WAY WAY off. Blergh.

 

Easter Weekend

 Spoiler: WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!

Minnie wore her bunny ears for two solid days and waited as patiently as she possibly could for her grandparents and the Easter Bunny to show up.

We had dinner at Butterbird Friday night, and by the time we were leaving, there was a line out the door to the street to get it. Listen. I like the food and the vibes, but would I every wait in a line like that for a chicken salad? (No).

Saturday, the grandparents golfed with Jack and Coop

The kids dyed eggs (and their fingers)

And we went to a favorite pizza place whose new downtown location makes Madison look like a city

The Easter Bunny had an Old Fashioned and then some prosecco, so the filling of the eggs for te next morning's hunt was very loosey goosey. Some had $1. Some had $50. Some just had candy. TL; DR even though the bunny left very detailed instructions that seemed to suggest parity, Cooper found 20 eggs with $81 inside, and Jack found 20 eggs with $16 inside. LOL oops. (Dorothy got an extremely random $43, and Minnie went for eggs that rattled, meaning she is rich in Hershey kisses and had $15).

Everyone was cool about it, though, because finding eggs and baskets is just plain fun.

I could not find any salt and pepper shakers for brunch except for my Spode ones. 

And! We served a terrifying cake for dessert:

Minnie probably had the best time-- her bubble machine dreams came true

Tidbits

 Hi! How are you? I missed you! Things are busy over here. April the cruelest month, etc etc etc.

A few things, though!

I got a pair of sweat pants and a sports bra that gives me 2 distinct breasts instead of one terrible looking shelf because the sun! She is up early, and I can't really walk the dog in my jammies anymore since the school across the street rings its bell at SEVEN FREAKING THIRTY, and there are lots of people. I only got a single pair, and they are not cute enough to suddenly be pants I wear in actual public places, so I am still getting dressed. Phew!

Minnie is the cutest runner ever.

Annabel and Dorothy just walk around hugging each other.

Minnie is finally riding her bike, the little dumpling.

I love this hippo.

ChatGPT says this is human Annabel. 

Check out this terrifying Easter donut:

Celebrating with Oreo cake at last!

The Easter Bunny was MUCH ANTICIPATED this year.

HBD, JLJ!

 I have been largely MIA from the entire blogosphere this week because this end of semester rush is BURYING MEEEEE. But today is JACK'S BIRTHDAY!!

He's 17 and celebrating all weekend long (and having a friend thing next weekend). Ben and I will take him out tomorrow (which is the day he gets to open his presents because Ben was out of town on the actual day), and his grandparents are coming for the weekend, which is when the traditional Oreo cheesecake will make an appearance. 

But! In the meantime!

Interim cake

Some decorations

Cake for breakfast is the BEST cake.

And then! A busy post-school, pre-activity dinner with one of his favorite sisters.

And! What good is a mommy blog if you can't find pictures from ALL of your kid's birthdays and post them on Instagram AND TAG YOUR KID?