Rowenta

We purchased a new iron to replace the iron we've had for at least a decade--which had white crusties in the steam holes and smelled yucky when heated--also, it really wasn't that great at getting wrinkles out and has probably been used to melt wax paper and beads in childhood art projects. So, on the recommendation of our friend, Jose, Buck picked up a Rowenta when he saw one at Costco. I asked Gabby what she thought of the new iron and she responded . . . "I wrote a poem about it." Ha!! Must be quite an iron if it's inspiring an artistic expression of the written word! :)

Waltzing Lessons

Remember that "learn how to dance" video the girls watched while we were away? I overheard loud instrumental music and repetitive instructions floating down the stairs yesterday evening, and wondered what could be happening on level above me? I discovered Caelan giving ballroom lessons to her brother (the other brother says he "knows how to dance already" . . . Gabby says he "got a cramp in his leg" as soon as they started formal dancing at the homecoming soiree--Idk if that counts as "knowing how to dance" ha!) Anyway, I thought it was a fun way for them to spend their evening, so (though I promised I wouldn't post video), I thought I'd share a few photos as a glimpse of their progress :) I love their smiles!

My Punkin's

These pictures mostly speak for themselves . . . the grimaces are "because it's Halloween!" Idk, I guess that's a thing :) Brennen was an epic photo-bomber, who got photo-bombed himself :) Caelan was expectedly hesitant to get pumpkin goop under her fingernails and actually checked last year's blog post to point out that Graysen carved her pumpkin for her in 2018. I told her, "Put on some gloves and get to work." :)



Because we planned to carve on Graysen's birthday several weeks ago, the pumpkins have since experienced a bit of freezing out on the back deck--which made cutting through their thick rinds a bit more challenging. Also, scooping out the guts proved chillier, but just as messy as usual.

As the warm, fall aroma of roasting pumpkin seeds filled the house (I actually forgot about them a couple of times, but did turn off the oven before we went back to church for the children's ministry appreciation supper that night, whew!) the kids worked on their designs.

Caelan went as simple as she could (but later blinged her pumpkin out with nail polish, gemstones, and tinsel).








Brennen went for a classic pumpkin face design (Gabby insisted on eye brows and gave Brennen a list of potential expressions from skeptical to surprised :)





Gabby carved long after everyone else finished their task, and achieved her typical gourd masterpiece :)





Graysen wanted to carve a Ford Raptor, because that's what Aaron Rogers drives . . . he used a stencil and everything!



And Graysen also earned his very first paycheck--in check form :) Upon turning 12, his volunteer hours at church can now be paid childcare worker hours. So, while I played goofy games with the grown-ups for the children's ministry appreciation event, our four kids took care of all the littles in the church. Each one earned a check, but Graysen was pretty proud to get his. 

Today we took them all to the bank (in karate uniforms, except Gabby, she was dressed all in black like a ninja for costume week at class) . . . four kids with piles of checks to be cashed and deposited, ha! 

Oh, and while--just while--I was at the dinner, the girls got offered an extended pet-sitting job (overnights for a week after Christmas, ummm no, but we can maybe modify), and a tax-season-long nannying gig, added to the babysitting job I was asked about at church that morning, and the nearly $100 knitting order that came in via my phone for Caelan. Plus, Gabby got a promotion to instructor and invited into the Leadership program at karate!! Which means Brennen might be up for her job when he turns 14 in a couple weeks . . .

I feel like an adolescent job opportunity manager--is there a title for that?! 

Testing, Testing!

So, technically the kids would be testing for their third degree black belts about now . . . except I am a fan of taking a winter break each year. This means they are approximately six months behind schedule, but hey--no biggie! We've got all the time in the world ;) They technically only need a certain number of testings as they wait out their required months of training time, but they missed the last one and Caelan missed the one before that, so I thought it was important to get them back into the testing mindset.

I honestly don't know how the boys did it. We were home for approximately 20 minutes . . . the girls left for karate as we were driving into town (Caelan had a teacher's meeting). We all four took turns taking very fast showers, getting dressed, and hopping back into a different vehicle (we set off a bug bomb in the other one, just in case :) and arrived at testing with five minutes to spare. Buck and I were so sore we basically limped to the chairs and flopped into them. An older grandma lady we know (who constantly has foot surgeries and even now is in a boot and on crutches) looked at US sympathetically, ha!

Somehow Brennen and Graysen managed to do all the moves for their forms, weapons, and board breaking. I tried to snap a few pictures, but even clapping hurt my arms :)









Afterwards, Buck sprung for KFC, because I had no idea what to make a hungry group of testers when dinnertime had already arrived. We worked on getting the car unpacked and the laundry caught up, talked with the girls about their weekend, and then pretty much went to bed! (Of course church was the next morning, so another up and attum' was right around the bend :)

Hard Working Weekend

We've been getting up pretty early nearly every day for what seems like every day of the past few weeks. Saturday was no exception :) We tried to leave the house by 8, but felt pretty successful at 9 a.m. as Buck pulled into the gas station for a fill-up. 

In a crazy turn of events--we left the girls home by themselves! Overnight! But at nearly 17 and more than halfway through 15, this seemed okay for 24 hours or so :) They had a blast. They went to choir, shopped for dinner and baking mixes at the grocery store, got to try out the new iron, watched Aladdin and a "how to ballroom dance" video, stayed up late, and took care of the dogs. This was the main reason they stayed home. Our neighbors who usually watch Chauncey for us are dealing with an ongoing flea situation (since mid-September!!). We didn't want any accidental fleas to find their way into our fully-carpeted abode. Similar situation with my mom's house. Although she's going the full-chemical, not messing around with natural remedies route, so we probably had nothing to worry about. Not sure how in-town dogs are picking up fleas, but the crazy weather and maybe an abundance of yard-dwelling wildlife seems to be complicating things for little pets. We certainly didn't want any *big pet* infestations, so the dogs stayed home with the girls and visa versa.

Our first duties upon arrival at my mom's were pretty chill--eat a roast--fresh from the oven, fix up some outdoor lights on a nice fall day, and help hold a nine-week-old baby while more formula was secured at the store. Not too shabby! It also wasn't terrible that mom arrived home with a chocolate birthday cake for the two birthday boys. Whoohoo, frosting!



We started the process of sorting out the things in the garage and in mom's room. Planning ahead for my dad's expected home care season, mom saved bags and bags of hospital gowns and accoutrements. Sadly unnecessary, these added to the pile of *no time to take care of that* that seemed to absorb the summer. As we dug through the pile, we tossed things clear back to my brother's graduation party in May, there's just been too may other things that needed care first. 

I also helped sort through my dad's clothes and shoes. A few things we kept, a few things fit Brennen or Buck, and a lot can be donated to help others. This also gave mom some room to rearrange things in her closet and feel more organized. It can be overwhelming knowing where to start. I was happy to help while mom held the baby :) I will say I was incredibly sore the following two days, a not-so-gentle reminder at just how out of shape I've gotten this summer--it's been stressful! I had muscles hurting that I didn't know existed (and I thought the lake and forest hike of the previous weekend was taxing, ha!)



Buck, the boys, and my brother went to town on the garage. They were able to fill up CJ's pick-up truck with stuff for the dump, which my brother delivered. Before we left, we filled the truck again and a trailer. I'm sure the house is feeling lighter and more roomy already :) Plus, now there's some space to bring items up from the basement to be sorted, kept, tossed, and donated. It was a long day, but a good start :)

One of our planned activities was to catch my nephew's final home football game of his senior year! We also planned to catch the senior night presentation with my sister and bro-in-law, but we were still resetting the garage as the sun did its setting and we missed it. I did get a follow-up pic of Brother Bob with "his" flowers though (really my sister's, she was trying to reheat in the sauna-like bathroom because it was stinkin' cold outside!! :)







I caught up with my friend Melissa, as she walked by with her grandbaby . . . yup, my high school classmate is a grandma. Surely we're not that old yet! I guess her son just got started with his family a little early (like before he got his drivers' license, early). Mel says it's a challenge, but they love the little chubby-cheeked cutie (of course!) and are very attached to him.

Let's see game details . . . I can't say much, because my old eyes were having a hard time finding my nephew's number on the field. If only the big yellow arrow that I can add to my pictures would follow him around in real life! That would be extremely handy for Auntie J ;) Night-vision is just not one of my superpowers, ha! 

Let's see, from Buck's reactions, my nephew played well. He had a lot of hits, and spent a lot of time in the game. Graysen had been commenting how they'd never gotten to see a football game in person (well, since the last time we watched my nephew play a year ago). So he sat in the stands with Maga and his cousin G and cheered Cody on from there! Look at me, helping solve life's little problems ;)



Before we headed home the next day, I pulled more of dad's stuff out of the bedroom closet. Graysen helped Maga sort about 700 pairs of black and white socks. Buck, after 12 years, made friends with Sniffy AND fixed trim throughout the house with his nail gun. And Brennen learned the fine art of hanging wallpaper, as my hours of doing so in childhood came back to me in spurts of remembrance. It is always nice to help finish a project that has been in the works for awhile. We didn't get to my brothers' bathroom, but there are only so many hours in the day--and we had to get home for karate testing!








Graysen says he never sleeps in the car, but I don't know how any of us stayed awake on that ride home--we were wiped out! (Okay, I *might* also have succumbed to the heavy eye lids for a few moments myself, but just at the VERY end of the trip ;)

The Anatomy of a Hug

I thought this needed a series of its own ;) Buck and I have decided we need to hug our kids more often, for the health benefits and all that (science says so). The kids are not totally thrilled with our new endeavor, but we're working on it. Graysen might have been a bit dramatic in his hug receipt ;)

1. Yay, dad cuddle!



2. Maybe too tight?



3. Oh no! Graysen can't handle the hug!



4. Recovery phase, that's better!



5. And everyone is all smiles for the final shot :) I was cracking up when I looked back at the pictures, totally unintentional series of photo memories. I'm sure G$ is much healthier now, regardless :)