Lots of Good News

I have so many things I want to share, and I don't want to forget them all, so for this Friday, a quick brain cleanse with bullets:

• Alex and Kate both got straight As for 2nd semester of their respective freshman years! I mean, this is not a surprise but it's still mighty impressive, and wow, it's fun to be a parent and get to be proud of your kids for being hard workers, and smarty-pantses.
• Kate made the high school JV Volleyball team (tryouts were this week)! This relieves the sting from last year's disappointing result, for sure. It's going to be a fun fall season. I want to remember this, from the coach: She told Kate she was really impressed, that Kate had clearly worked on all the things she told her to work on last year, and she said, 'You proved me wrong.' !! Validation. And commendation because Kate did, indeed, work REALLY hard this year.
• My company hired a new General Manager and he seems nice enough... We'll see. There are some people who "only give him 6 weeks," but I'm hopeful it will be a good change.
• I have been told multiple times what a good job I'm going in my new role. I've had to admit out loud, to both the new manager and others, that it really has been hard. However, I'm starting to feel like I halfway know what I'm doing, and when this higher-up told me he could see that I'm more relaxed, and confident, THAT was a boost of confidence.
• Shawn closed on the sale of his mom's house! Huge weight lifted from him! Of course it's a mix of emotions, selling the home he grew up in. But he has worked so hard on all the paperwork and lawyer discussions and dealings with banks etc., and I'm so proud of him. It's been hard to sit on the sidelines but since I wasn't named an executor, it really was kinda all on his shoulders. 
• My mom's two procedures, a knee injection-in-lieu-of-replacement, and a carpal tunnel surgery, are both DONE and hopefully will be successful for her! Less pain is very much YAY. I'm so happy my sister and brother-in-law got to be with her this week to help her while she recovered.
• I just had a huge win at work, getting rid of a project that was an absolute albatross around my neck - the people affected were agreeable to it and I'm SO relieved.
• Kate was confirmed at church 2 weeks ago, and it was a JOY-FILLED 2 days, with her cousin -- the daughter of her godparents, incidentally -- coming to stay with us and serve as her Sponsor. I would love to write more eloquently about how I felt that night at the church, but I don't know if I can articulate it. We were surrounded by friends (kids and parents from her St. Joe's class of 9 years), a former neighbor and longtime church member who had known her since she was tiny, surprising her with a sweet card, PLUS having family there from out of town... it was a holy moment, indeed. My heart needed to feel that full, and it was so good.
• (And now for a complete shift,) I have done 5 full days of Intermittent Fasting (16 hours fasting/8 hours eating window) and it's not that hard, and I feel pretty good, like it's already a helpful thing for me. The book I ordered about it should arrive today. I am excited to delve a little further, and feel optimistic. The doctor/author seems to know her stuff, and says this way of eating helps not only weight loss, but all the other things as well. It reduces risk of disease, inflammation, blood pressure, etc etc etc. Snake-oil? We'll see, but I'm willing to give it a go.
• The weather has been lovely the last several days! I just had lunch on the front porch with Alex and it was cool, breezy, and I think I'm going to finish my workday here as well. 
• It's about to be a 3-day weekend! I hope you have something fun planned! We don't, really, but I am so grateful already for the day off, and for it being summer!

Cooking, and (More Important,) Eating

A friend of Shawn's had been ordering meals from EveryPlate, so we got a discount from them and opened an account. We've received 3 or 4 boxes, each with 3 meals inside. Mostly we've been only mid-whelmed. Not over- or under. The meals have been fine. (Only one that really didn't turn out well, a potato-corn chowder that I didn't even share with the family. I made it for myself, for lunch one day with plans to freeze it in lunch portions. I think I didn't like it because I didn't cut the potatoes small enough or cook them long enough.) 

Anyway, it's not that interesting, except to note that EveryPlate has the same parent company, or is the same company as, Hello, Fresh, to which we formerly subscribed. EP is supposedly less expensive, and I think that's been true. I do enjoy having to buy less on the weekly grocery store run, when a box is delivered. That's a plus for sure. However, this last time I didn't cook one recipe in time and the veggies went bad. 

Overall it's a thumbs-sideways. I'll cancel eventually and then look forward to the million emails and direct mailers/discounts trying to persuade me to come back. 

I'm not in a season of cooking every night, though, that's for sure! Kate's practice schedule, and Shawn's schedule from Jan - Mar, had us scattered to the winds about 4 nights out of 5 during the workweek. I have bought a LOT of Chick Fil A this schoolyear. And Chipotle. Those seem to be our go-to take-out choices. 

BTW, at Chipotle, I have tried, and like, their plant-based Sofritas. It's tofu, but delicious. I don't care for the amount of chicken those Big Burrito places feel is necessary; it's too much chicken! 

When I was in Germany, I once again ate delicious Schnitzel and Kartoffelsalat. And now I feel I need to learn to make them both, for my kids' heritage's sake.

So, what's been on our menu this week? I'll tell you. 

M - Chick-Fil-A After Kate's May extracurricular: Beach Volleyball! 

T - EveryPlate pork soft tacos. These were good, there just wasn't a TON of flavor. But this was one that called for a long green pepper, which went bad, so I had to use a regular red pepper instead, and that might have made a flavor difference. We did enjoy having soft tacos - usually when I make tacos, it's Old El Paso hard shells (the best!), but these thick flour tortillas were a nice change-up.

W - Homemade Pizzas. Kate and I had EP veggie/BBQ/pineapple Flatbreads, technically, and Shawn had pepperoni on naan. 

Th - Tonight I plan to make White Bean Chicken Chili. Haven't had it in a lonnnnnng time. And I think today is the last day before it heats up significantly (properly! this Spring has been too cold so far!), and chili is for cold weather. 

F - Helpie Selfie or leftovers.

S - Out, in Athens I hope. We're going over there to bring back a first load of stuff from Alex's dorm room. He moves out next week! I can't believe his first year is already done!

Hello and How Are You?

Here it is, nearly MAY! Can you believe it? The past month has been so incredibly full, and I've tried to stay present in the moments, but that has been a challenge with Future Things always begging for my attention. A quick recap: 

• April began with a 2-day trip to Panama City Beach in FL for part of our Spring Break. It was nice! Kate brought a friend, and it was wonderful for her to have that added element of fun; in fact, there were several other of their Georgia friends also enjoying the Gulf Coast, so for her it was really a very social vacation. Even Shawn and I had some friends down there, and we met up with them for dinner one evening. Fun! The condo was adequate, though not extravagant. Slightly bigger than the condo we are used to in Destin, but of course this was in a 30-story tower. Elevator access was our main complaint - we had to wait at least several minutes every time we wanted to go up or down (we were on the 14th floor). But overall it was fine. The sun and sand were delightful and we sat there doing NOTHING, 2 days straight. Five Stars for doing nothing! The water was much too cold, as can be expected in early April in north Florida. 
• The next weekend was Easter, which was weird for all of us. Alex didn't come home. Shawn had left town for a concert the night before, and wasn't home on Easter morning. Kate and I went to Mass and then to breakfast, but it didn't feel right. We made Easter dinner around 5 pm but I was also disappointed with that meal - I bought a Honey Baked Ham but I didn't find it as delicious as usual, and my deviled eggs weren't pretty. At least the lemon icebox pie was good.
• There was a 2-day volleyball tournament halfway across town the next weekend (we woke up at 4:45 both mornings), and then Sunday afternoon I left for Germany!
• The work trip to headquarters was actually quite nice, even though I have things to complain about: 1) I got sick on the way there, sore throat and stuffy nose the whole week; and 2) rainy, cold weather. But otherwise, my colleagues were delightful and I love Bavaria. I also got to meet a distant cousin of mine who is German! My parents had met him years ago when they visited Germany, and so Mom connected us. A little awkward to share a meal with someone you've never met, who's "all of a sudden" related to you. But nice nonetheless and definitely a trip highlight.
• I flew home last Friday, then we had volleyball regionals Sat-Sun, and then Mon-Tues we hosted a national sales meeting at OUR office, oh my! 10 sales reps plus some attendees from Germany! I gave a presentation (worked on it at the airport/hotel last week) and was told it was "inspiring." Ha! Not sure I believe that, but okay, thanks.
• You'd better believe I worked from home Wednesday.
  
  
• Also on Wednesday, I "graduated" from Physical Therapy! 8 weeks and many deductible dollars later, my foot still hurts in the mornings, but definitely less so. I'm going to keep working on lower-body strength and stretching 3x/week, and hope hope hope it fully heals eventually. 

I'm ready to move on to a new month! I can't think critically about much else besides my calendar these days, but would like to share with you:

• what I think about our recent Every Plate meals
• movie recommendations (I watched several during my 9-hour flights!)
• reflections on the kids' first years in college (alex), and high school (kate) - can't believe the schoolyear's almost over!
• what I'm reading (hint: not much)

Maybe there will be time for these things soon. :) 

Coming Up For Air

Hey-oh, blog readers! I have been mired in work-work, as you well know, and we're all sick of hearing/talking about it. This is the first time in a month that I've felt the space in my brain to come here to blogger.com. I finally decided yesterday, after a meeting with yet another manager, that no one wants to hear me whine about this anymore. I can feel overwhelmed, of course! It's my prerogative! But no one (particularly at work) has to know. Just go on about the work, get it done, whatever. Note to my family and friends, I may still want to whine to you once in a while. It's necessary to get it out. 

[Just two quick things, though, for my own memory! Our US manager resigned (he who had just become my immediate manager). And now we're in a transitional period with two gentlemen from HQ in Germany leading the way taking the helm (we'll see if they actually "lead"). And also I am required at a meeting in Germany at the end of April! And no one is offering me any promotion or pay-raise! Dear Shawn keeps mentioning indeed.com. He's right to do so.]

I also read somewhere (and was inspired by) the notion that if you're letting your entire mood be dictated by work, you're giving work too much attention/weight in your life. Interesting. I've been pondering that ever since. Maybe I agree. 

ANNNYWAY.... Kate's golden birthday brunch was a success! She did such a good job, with the help of one friend, planning and executing the day. I loved it. I love that she did it herself, the way she wanted. 

Photo wall! Loved this!

She told them all to wear pink/red :)

Heart-shaped waffles *swoon*

So festive!

I tried to stay out of the way and was mostly successful, although I did require that they remember to cut the cake and sing Happy Birthday, which may not have happened otherwise, they were so preoccupied with taking pictures of each other and then reviewing every single shot. ;) 

In other updates, don't ask about the diet I mentioned, it is stalled. Volleyball season doesn't make for good eating habits, and we have been at sports facilities every other weekend, so. Also I discovered an excellent cookie recipe when I needed to use up the rest of the pink and red M&Ms. Whatever. My V8 still sits in the fridge, ha! 

One thing I've been working on is plantar fasciitis, via physical therapy twice a week. It's interesting. While I love having a dedicated hour of basically working out my lower body, I don't love paying for it - PT is expensive and it's the beginning of the deductible year, ugh. We do squats and bridges, some calf stretching but not as much as I thought, and a terrible situation called "Stool Scoots," where I have to use the power of my heel-to-toe motion to move myself across the floor on a wheeled stool. (It's hard!) Nor do I know that any of it is really helping? I can't tell. I guess the intent is to strengthen all the muscles connected to the foot/fascia, but I don't know. I still wake up with foot pain. Mayyyybe it's a bit lessened since starting PT. Mayyyybe I don't have pain as often when I get up from a chair. I'm trying to pay attention but the therapist today said, "Well, it won't be like magic," so that was discouraging. Why can't it be like magic?! 

Still, it's been a good distraction from work, not that I'm talking about that. ;) 

Oh, another new tidbit! I'm ordering from a meal subscription again. Not Hello Fresh, but its cheaper cousin, Every Plate. We've gotten one box and the meals were mostly thumbs up. Not spectacular, but serviceable, and I don't have to shop for every item and that has been a help. Today I made a broccoli-cheese soup from them, for lunch, which was delicious. 

Celebrating Love and Little Victories

Happy Valentine's Day to those who celebrate it. ;) I know there are those who don't, and who don't like it, especially the commercialism of it. I don't like these aspects:

• that restaurants are so stupid-busy on the day, and the weekends surrounding
• that there's pressure to celebrate it, no matter what (like, nowadays you're supposed to go big on SELF-LOVE if you're not IN love, and I mean... just stop)
• that people are lonely
• that I feel like I'll never live up to how I'm "supposed" to celebrate it

Ugh. But I do love and appreciate:

• many opportunities for chocolate
• sweet words from my husband, who is a GEM and I'm keeping him
• spa gift cards from the same, because he is a master gift-giver, noticing when I complain of aches and pains

Today, we are celebrating with volleyball practice (Kate) and the weekly cornhole game (Shawn)! I have a cookie cake ready and waiting for us at 9:00pm when we all see each other again, minus Alex of course, who's having his first Valentine's Day away from home. We will get to see him this weekend when he pops home for a quick visit (with Ashling). ;) It's her birthday on Thursday. 

And it's Kate's birthday tomorrow -- 15 on the 15th! Hard to believe. We can't really celebrate tomorrow, since it's a school/work day. But she has the week off next week, so she's (we're) hosting a few of her high school friends for brunch on Monday. A Pancake Bar, I believe, is the plan. She has such creative ideas [read: gets them from social media], like making a photo backdrop with 9 heart-shaped balloons, if only I will move two framed art pieces from that one wall in the living room, lol. I hope I don't stifle her with my skepticism. I took a half day so I can help her cook and prepare, and then I fully expect to be hidden away in my room for the bulk of the party, because you know teen girls don't want Mom there watching them! (Will I feel under-appreciated? Yes.)

Since my last post, work has calmed down somewhat, now that January is over. I'm finding a little groove, I hope, but I still don't fathom how anyone expects a company with 1500 retail customers (in the US) to "do marketing" with one person on the marketing staff. Make it make sense. 

Still, some little victories:

• I got the 2023 product catalog finished and published
• I created, with the help of a freelancer, the Spring Invitation, coupon and mini-poster
• I have successfully called and conducted some meetings
• I got the 15 swimsuits to FL for the fashion show
• I got two new salespeople trained
• I got the swimwear sales sheet to the sales team
• I wrote the online descriptions for the new products when the ecommerce team refused to take that task over (!! rude!)
• I have shipped out a ton of FedExes to various people who need them (so much shipping gah), and ordered more FedEx supplies
• I have ordered business cards and nametags for people, and an important document from Global; printed and delivered 
• I have processed invoices for payment

I want to remember all of that for posterity. It kicked my butt. 

Moving on! I'm trying again with managing my diet. I bought V8 so it's Serious. This time I'm using MyNetDiary, the free version, to track calories, because food is the hardest part for me but I don't want to give up carbs or sugar completely. I need to eat what I eat, just be mindful of how much. So far it's going well (2 days in). If I need extra help, I plan to pay for the Premium version for a month or two. At the moment I'm in the "LET'S DO THIS" honeymoon phase. I bought new snacks and lots of vegetables. I'm mad at diet culture but still want to feel better in clothes, lose 10 pounds, for my health and to prevent other issues, etc etc blah blah. 

Right after the Valentine's chocolates and birthday cake, lol. Love to you, my bloggy friends!

Still reeling at work! But some dinner menus to share

I'm taking a short break from work. Ugh, I hate it now. 

Not sure when I'll return to liking it. So far, it's a lot of questions I don't have answers for, doing things I'm not sure I'm doing right, and wondering how I will ever, EVER get it all done. (Answer: Never. You never finish a To-Do list. I know this, and yet I still let it cause me stress.)

But since I'm three weeks in (almost), I'm trying to start letting go of that panicked feeling and make room for my regular life to come back to the forefront. I can't continue feeling like I'm in Survival Mode forever. I can only do what I can do, and it's also important to exercise, drink water, take a minute of quiet, etc.! And to eat well. 

Last night, Shawn thanked me for making dinner after a long stressful day. So kind of him. I am grateful he sees that it's work -- but also, I like to cook. Turning my focus from my laptop to the stove and pantry is a relief, sometimes. Especially when it's a new recipe and I get to concentrate on just that. Something about creating, single-tasking, and um, I just like food. Plain and simple! So here are a few of the things we've been eating and I've enjoyed making.

White Bean Enchilada Soup -- I loved this. Had it again for my lunch today and it was equally delish. It seems like a lot of ingredients, but is actually not difficult. I also cooked and shredded some chicken breasts for the people who don't think it's a meal if it doesn't have meat. ;) My favorite part was slicing up some fresh jalepenos for the garnish. I usually don't do that since I have Cholula and diced in a jar jalepenos, always. But this time the extra effort was worth it.

When I went to Pensacola last week with my sister (! so fun to be all four of us, my nuclear family of origin, together again!), she made Shrimp Tikka Masala for us, and it was To Die For. She got her recipe from a subscription service and it's not currently on the online menu for me to link, but the one I linked is pretty close. Yum Yum I could eat it every day. I mean, anything with Jasmine Rice, am I right? I went right out and bought myself a bottle of garam masala spice, to have on-hand, and I will be making this at home toute de suite!

During one of the MANY days I was in the office over the last few weeks, I heard some coworkers talking about Egg Roll in a Bowl; they had never had it before. I've known about it for years but haven't made it in a while, so that was my contribution in Pensacola. It's yummy every time and feels virtuous! And again: Jasmine Rice. 

The rest of this week it's minimal effort for dinner, and we're going to our one out-of-town volleyball tournament this weekend (Sevierville, TN!), so I won't get to enjoy cooking again for a few days. 

Okay, back to the most pressing To Dos and Emails. 

New Year, New Job?

Oh, golly, y'all, things have been a whirlwind. My manager was let go from the company last Monday. They're not replacing her position. 

Guess who's going to take up the slack? 

I've been through all the emotions already; am probably on my second round of the emotions. Grief, anger, disbelief, curiosity, WHY ME, and overwhelm. I'm trying to get my feet back under me, now that the rug has been pulled and the figurative papers are swirling around my head. Each day is a little better, I guess, but I'm still not thrilled about it. Remember my 2023 goal to "prioritize and organize my work life?" Heh. Thanks, Universe, for pushing that point, ha! Now I have even more things to fit into the puzzle and the daily round. 

She was responsible for all of our printing decisions, and while the main reason she was let go (budget) indicates I'll have to do a lot LESS printing, I'm not convinced of that. I mean, thankfully, I have a secret weapon in printing (Shawn!), my own personal consultant and advisor. But still, this is something I haven't had my hands in since 2008. So it's re-learning about paper and quotes and specifications. Not hard, just not what I've gotten used to.

There's some good in this plot twist, for sure. I've become, over these last years, quite comfortable in a position of "assistant." The last 2 or 3 years, in fact, I really embraced my role and accepted that I was meant to be the "best helper" I could be. It took a lot of pressure off. I would just do the work I was given, and that is fine, that's enough! It allowed me to take my workdays fairly easily, especially with Covid and work from home. I got things done on time, and worked, don't get me wrong. I just allowed myself to "go easy." Now, though, I'm not so much a helper as THE DOER of All things Marketing. The decision maker. The person people have to ask. 

The reason I say this is a good thing is, you know, necessary growth. Stretching myself. Owning my capability to handle it. (Ugh. I'd really rather be the assistant. SO much simpler.) I'm trying to think about, -- and this may be silly, but it helps me a little -- all the 20-something and 30-something women who come into new jobs with all this enthusiasm and confidence, somehow. I'm trying to think like that. To think of this as a brand-new job, one in which I need to impress and be decisive and take charge. Walking in with my hair and makeup perfect, having all the answers, asking the right questions - at least acting like I know what I'm doing, which is what most of the girls do. (I have the little advantage of already having been at the company 14 years.) 

It's so not my personality! But I guess I have to try to make it work for me. Maybe I'll be SEEN, for the first time since I started here (there have always been women above me whose personalities were BIGGER and who, I feel, definitely kept me a background character). That will be different. Can I be the A-student, leader-of-clubs, Dean's List, high achiever I used to be in school and my early career? I mean, I never was a big-time career "success," but at one time I did have that drive to achieve. Whew, it was long ago! Ha! I'll have to dig deep and remember how. 

On the very negative side, I miss my best work-friend. Things are not going to be the same without her.

Year-End Check-In and 2023 Plans

I'm feeling pressured (by myself and myself alone) to post the traditional year-end review. So here it is, in a nutshell (I spent the last week of December doing this reviewing in my paper planner): 2022 was a weird year for me.

• Great: Kate's club volleyball last spring, and the sweet moms I spent so much time with, watching our girls play. 
• Great: Spring band activities. Spring of Alex's senior year in general. Spending more time with those mom-friends.
• Great: Alex's acceptance to UGA in February, visiting campus, him getting the scholarship he expected, etc.
• Not-so-great: Some heavy stress re: Alex's girlfriend that I don't want to discuss, but was really new and frightening for both him and me.
• Great: Both kids doing so well with academic and other achievements and graduating from their respective schools.
• Not-so-great: The extreme stress of Graduation week, with my added Covid diagnosis. I didn't get to have the celebrations I wanted to have for the kids and that made me SAD.
• Not-so-great: The emotional stress of sending Alex off to college, plus alllll the prep it required. I didn't realize it while it was happening but after it was done I realized how much I'd been holding that stress all year. 
• Great: Kate doing SO well in her first semester of high school, making lots of sweet friends and feeling comfortable from the start. 
• Great: More visits to see my parents in 2022! That was a goal, accomplished, by myself and my sister.
• Great: I got myself to some necessary doctor's appointments, including my first colonoscopy. I survived the prep! No more of those for 10 years, wooo!
• Not-so-great: I'm still in some pain, from plantar fasciitis as well as carpel tunnel, and during Christmas break my neck started feeling stiff and my freaking elbow started hurting for no reason whatsoever.
• Great: I read 29 interesting books!
• Not-so-great: You know, November. And the subsequent holiday season. Not just for that reason -- I also felt like I failed in many aspects regarding the "sparkle" of Christmas -- an annual fret, I suppose, but it felt even heavier somehow this year, sadly. Not that we didn't have a nice 11 days of holiday-time, or at least time off from work. It was quiet and calm at home, which is just what I like. Kate had a few social events with her friends, which was exactly what she wanted. But our super-quiet Christmas is not what the world shows me it's supposed to be like -- also WHY do so many people we know take extravagant vacations to the Bahamas, Disney, skiing, or tropical beaches in December? -- and it activates one of my biggest fears, that my kids will leave home and never want to come back here for the holidays because we're too boring. (Probably unfounded, but fear is never very rational.)

Anyway, it was weird. I was glad to bid it goodbye. 

For 2023, my thoughts are once again to be very careful and gentle about the word "goals," but I do have some.

• To be pain-free. Or closer to that. To that end I'm trying to detox from inflammatory sugar again (the holiday cookies got me!), drink more water, and stretch A LOT, including the 30-day yoga with adriene challenge.
• To enjoy this volleyball season even though it's with new people
• To better organize and prioritize my work tasks - ugh, this is killing me right now in our very busy season
• New clothes for me -- Mom gave me some Christmas money and I'm planning to use it specifically on clothes items I need. I don't buy myself new clothes very often and I think it's starting to show.
• To refresh our guest room with new paint possibly, and at least reworking the art on the walls and the leftover "kids' playroom" furniture.
• To add back "weekly cleaning" items on my WFH days -- just a quick swipe-down here and there, or cleaning ONE shower a week, will help me stay on top of this stupid stuff.
• To make PLANS to DO THINGS. Whether just for myself (lunches with friends, moms' nights), or more important, for the family. We mostly tend to say, "Oh, whatever you want to do...." and then end up NOT doing anything. (I also struggle with spending money and "doing things" is often expensive.) This year I want to be more intentional - I almost wrote "forceful" lol - about deciding on FUN things. "Here's what and when we're doing it! Enjoy!" This is going to require a huge mind-shift for me; it's daunting. 
• Just as an example, New Year's Day was shaping up to be nothing very special IMO, and I was starting to feel sad about it. Instead of asking everyone "what should we doooooo," I made a reservation at an Italian restaurant, told the family we were going at 5:30, and we ended up having a nice dinner out! ...and then Cherries Jubilee afterwards, at home. It worked! I feel like I need to take back some of my Mom-Power in this way, more often. "You'll do it and you'll like it." ;) 

Shawn and I went back to work yesterday, Kate starts school tomorrow, and on Friday Alex drives back to Athens (in advance of his trip with the marching band to the National Championship Game in L.A.!!). So 2023 is in full swing. I hope it's a good one for all of us. 

Christmas Party

I want to remember the Christmas party we went to on Saturday night. It was so fun. 

We don’t always have a lot of Christmas party invitations when we celebrate the holidays at home — in Pensacola we do, it’s a party every night there! — but this is one that has been pretty reliable over the years, except for the dumb Covid years. It’s at the home of some St. Joe’s friends from Alex’s grade, and so this year the added fun was that all the college freshmen were home from their first semesters, and in attendance. And they were all so great! To get genuine “hello again” hugs (and handshakes, I guess, for the Dads) from 18-19 year-olds that you’ve known since they were in Kindergarten together, is absolutely, 100% The Best. They didn’t stick around us parents long, but still. Everyone felt festive and relieved that we all made it through the challenge of sending our birdies out of their nests; I felt it physically, a lightness and joy regarding their being with us, at this “adult” party, actually being adults.

There was a moment when I was seated at a round table with my friend Emily, and we were having deep conversations about important topics, but also laughing, and I realized how happy and comfortable I was. Granted, I’d finished my large glass of Cabernet. I was bound to feel good and I do get lovey when I’ve had a drink. 

But nevertheless, it was a very good party. I had made guacamole which was well received. I’d also found a pretty sweater top I forgot I had, that fit me nicely. I didn’t spill anything, ha! Kate had a party of her own to go to (which was a happy coincidence, she wouldn’t have enjoyed this party). It just all worked out perfectly. I’m going to try to remember it when I inevitably feel sad that we’re not doing more socializing over the rest of the holidays. 

Four Days In A Row

Y'all. I had to go to my office FOUR DAYS in a row this week. 

We had visitors from Germany (head office) and all over, and long meetings on Wednesday and Thursday. Bonus: We had 3 days of free lunches, woo! Detriment: These were not very healthy lunches, heh. I didn't mind so much that, as having to get fully dressed, with makeup, and do my hair, every day before 8:00 am! Whew! How did I used to do that every day?! My body and I do not remember at all.

But I survived it somehow, and it is TGIFriday and I am at my kitchen table again where I belong. I am wearing soft pants, I drank my coffee from a Christmas mug this morning instead of a metal tumbler (I dislike a metal tumbler SO much, because I do think it affects the taste), and I have lit a candle in honor of the occasion.

Naturally, I have lots of home-tasks that I would like to be working on today: Christmas loooooms! But December is always a very busy work month, too, ugh. So I'm trying to be focused on my laptop, minus this blog-break (I did two work tasks prior! I have worked)! I guess tonight after dinner (maybe, if I have any energy left) and tomorrow, I will work on the home things:

• Shipping presents to my parents and to Aunt Jane (today! I hope!)
• Making meal plans for the holiday break (Alex is home! Gotta make sure some of his faves are on the menu so he'll long for home when he goes back, lol)
• Shopping for the holiday break, including baking ingredients
• Cleaning the kitchen, before making more messes
• Making Christmas treats/cookies
• Duh, present-wrapping (my closet is a mess of hidden shipments and boxes)
• Addressing Christmas cards, ack, I am so behind on that!
• Getting starting with the guest room overhaul - I would like to rework the guest room significantly over break and that means taking a bunch of stuff to Goodwill or throwing it out

It's ambitious, I know. Maybe I'm crazy. Because we also need to make sure Alex gets his booster and flu shots while he's home, gets his car washed, and he has a couple of doctor appointments while he's here. AND I'd even like to have friends over once or twice, casually, during the break, just so it feels a little festive since we aren't traveling. As much as I want to see my parents and cousins in FL, we did so much traveling around Thanksgiving that I think we all need to have an at-home holiday. We'll see -- Shawn is considering another trip to Savannah while he has days off. I have plans to go to FL in late January, actually, with my sister. 

All's well. It's a busy time of year for everyone, so I'm not complaining. The sun is finally out, here in Georgia, and we have very cold temperatures, which feels right. Merry and bright, as December should be. I want to tell you about this excellent book I'm reading - maybe about several I've read in the past few months - and once I figure out the Christmas menus, that will be fun to talk about, too. Onward we go, with holiday sparkle in our steps! (Yesterday two albums brought me joy: the old favorite, Harry Connick Jr's When My Heart Find Christmas, and the brand-new Kings Return EP, A Merry Little Christmas, plus their version of O Holy Night -- it's incredible. 5 stars for both, highly recommend.) 

Packaged Foods I Love

I started this post before Susan died in mid-November. So I'll post it now as a little buffer. We'll still be feeling the loss through the holidays, of course, and posting normal day-to-day stuff seems disrespectful, even though it's not. But I don't want to just write about something sad. Hard to handle. Anyway... 

That title seems so silly, but I was just eating a snack that I love, and I had something for lunch today that made me say, "That was SO good," to no one in particular (I was the only one here), so here we are.

Harvest Snaps by Calbee is the snack I just finished. Well, I wanted to finish it -- the entire bag -- but I restrained myself, if only so I'll have some left to eat tomorrow. I love their black bean crisps in the Sweet & Spicy Mango Chile Lime flavor. Is that a mouthful or what (lol, pun intended)! They're just so delicious, and they're the perfect amount of crisp, like a potato chip, without being greasy or making me think about my cholesterol. I'm not opposed to the Cracked Black Pepper Pea variety, either, although they seem to leave me with an unpleasant feel on the roof of my mouth, where the black bean doesn't. I wish they weren't quite as expensive as they are, in my grocery store at least. I haven't shopped around to find any bargains or discounts, but I should! I would be happy to get a box of these as a cheap, easy Christmas gift, even, lol. Is that weird? (Also, it is definitely time for Christmas gifts stress.)

StarKist Bold Tuna Creations in the Hot Buffalo flavor are another favorite. NEVER in a million years would I have thought I'd say that, but I do, and I did say, out loud, "That was SO good," after eating it today for my lunch. All protein (and salt), huge, bold flavor, I eat it straight out of the packet with a fork. No need to dress it up, although it's also good over a salad with Ranch or bleu cheese dressing. I'm sure it would make a good, if unconventional, tuna salad. The Spicy Thai Chili and Jalepeno are also yummy, and the Sweet and Spicy will work in a pinch, but Hot Buffalo remains my all-time fave.

I saw this graphic out in Internet-land, with the caption "You can only have two." 

Easy: Star Crunch and Nutty Buddy. I've loved Star Crunch since I first had them at my Aunt's house in 1986, and Nutty Buddy with their peanut buttery-ness are just The Best. My kids and husband would choose Oatmeal Creme Pies, but not me. And I definitely don't get the teens' love for Cosmic Brownies. 

Aldi Southern Pecan coffee is something new I've discovered in the last year or so. It's not overly flavorful, and yet there is something there I can't put my finger on, that makes it better than a "regular" cup of, say, Breakfast Blend. I am definitely becoming an Aldi fan, the more I shop there.

I have to get back to work. Today I'm doing not only my full-time job, but also helping Kate on two end-of-semester projects, while she has a "virtual day" because of the GA runoff election today. So it's crazy. Do you have any particular packaged-food faves? :)

Thanksgiving

I don't owe anyone any explanations, and most everyone reading here already knows this, but it's been a long time and here's where I've been: Shawn's mom passed away. It was sudden, very unexpected. So we've been to Savannah and back again, had Thanksgiving at home, and are going back to Savannah this weekend for the funeral (one thing I appreciate about the pandemic is that it made postponing those kinds of things acceptable). 

It is, of course, still hard to believe she's gone. She was only 76 and we thought in fairly good health. She was certainly still active enough. Last night when I was dishing up bowls of turkey gumbo for our dinner, I had the feeling she should be calling. She always called at dinnertime. We're reminded once again that life is so short, and we never know when our time will come. 

We had a quiet Thanksgiving at home. Alex was here from Tuesday - Friday (he had to go back to play with the marching band on Saturday) and I was proud of myself for getting the meal all ready on time. My tribute to Susan was that I made her dinner rolls ("yeast rolls" on my yellowed recipe card). It was my first time doing that by myself; I had helped her once or twice by rolling them out and buttering/folding over, but I'd never made the dough. I think I need to work on it for the future, but they were edible. I also borrowed -- well, I guess I don't have to give it back -- her Bundt pan and made this pumpkin spice cake, which was delicious and, in my opinion, cake is more enjoyable than pumpkin pie. 

For myself, I'm feeling some grief-like ...uncertainty is the word, I guess. Just like everything is hovering slightly above ground; like gravity doesn't fully work right now. Like I don't really have a handle on our calendar or the day-to-day things, even though I probably do. I wonder when it will all settle? An out-of-town coworker made me teary on Zoom today when she offered to mention Susan in her rosary prayer group tomorrow. What a gift to have people praying for you and your loved ones, and their souls. What a gift it was to know my mother in law. I'm thankful.

Sports Lessons

It's about to be club volleyball season again, so last night Kate and I went to her club's gym for Day 2 of tryouts. It was not one bit fun. 

(Well, I was happy to see mom-friends from last season, but the mood of the room was pretty fraught.)

Our club, for whatever reason, conducts tryouts "from the top down." I don't know if all the volleyball clubs do it this way. On Day 1, this means they begin forming their #1 team, a team at the "national" level that will travel to multiple tournaments outside our immediate geographic area. Kate and I prefer a "regional" team, which plays most of its tournaments in the Atlanta metro, but does travel out of town for one tournament (driving distance). And you can indicate, up front, which types of teams you are trying out for (there's also a "local" level which is exclusively in-town tournaments). 

Of course the very most ambitious girls usually want to be on a national team. Kate wants to, too, but for budget and time reasons, that's out of reach for us. I can't justify spending for plane tickets or gasoline, and hotels, 8 or 9 weekends of the spring, plus a final trip to Orlando in the summer. And I can't just take off work whenever I want to on a Friday to go to these tournaments. So we chose "regional" on the sign-up form. It's still stupid expensive at that level, but at least manageably so.

Naturally then, she didn't get picked for the #1 or #2 teams which are national. On Day 2 they started building the #3 regional team. All the girls rotate around the courts and gyms, playing non-stop while the various coaches stand on the sidelines with clipboards and iPads, making notes. One by one, girls get called over by coaches, and there they receive their offer to be part of a team. 

It's brutal. For many reasons. Number one, and my mind has been trying to formulate this thought all weekend, is that we PAY to tryout -- so we pay for the privilege of hoping that we'll get offered the chance to... pay them more money as a member of a team. Highway robbery, no? 

More important than that, though, is that as your daughter is playing her heart out, trying to show off her very best skills, she's seeing her friends and teammates get called over, while she maybe doesn't. If she's not called early in the day, then she knows she isn't being chosen for the higher level teams, which is discouraging. The later it gets, the worse she feels. And yet she has to keep playing her best. 

Anyway, Kate was the very last of her friends to be pulled last night, with about 20 minutes left of the tryout. She was offered a spot on the #5 team, which to her, means she isn't very talented at all. (I argue this point -- the #3, #4, #5, and #6 teams are all "regional," and so I see them as all the SAME level, but Kate does not.) She isn't on the same team as many of her friends from last year (most of whom got offers for the #4 team). So to her, it was a failure. AND YET, as I keep trying to gently point out to her -- some girls in that gym played until the very end and got NO offer. 

Is this the most heartless of systems, or is it just my momma heart that can't take it? 

I hope that in a few weeks the pain of the tryout will blow over and she will be making new friends on her new team, and they will play well together. Sports, man. They're not for the weak.

The Care Package Dilemma(s)

Something I really want to do, regarding Alex's freshman year of college, has yet to happen: A Care Package Sent from Home. 

I've had it on my mind since before we left him in Athens on August 12. In fact, I had written a little To-Do Item, "Care Package," on the September 1 page of my planner, so I wouldn't forget. I wanted to give him a little time to miss me first, and then swoop into his shiny new post office box with a creatively and lovingly packed reminder of home.  

My Mom sent me a few care packages, particularly during my freshman year. I still have the little ceramic Halloween candle she tucked into the first package along with some candy corns and warm socks. My Mom was also the BEST letter-writer. When she wasn't sending packages, she was definitely sending long, newsy letters on cute, seasonally appropriate printer paper (remember that??), and I loved to receive them, and read them while walking back to my dorm, or on a bench on the quad with fall leaves underfoot (seems too perfect but it was truly a thing I did, and a memory I cherish).

I've also studied our friend Swistle's many wonderful posts about care packages. I started reading them well before I even had a kid in college, of course, and I want to be like Swistle! I did use her lists as a good supplement to UGA's "what to bring" dorm lists, and made sure Alex started out with some Easy Mac, vitamins, his favorite cookies (Chewy Chips Ahoy), band aids, hand warmers for when it gets cold, gift cards, granola bars, etc. 

But the universe has conspired against me, otherwise, and so far I have sent him Zero packages! Not even from Amazon! (And also not from the places that want you to subscribe to their "cards for college" service, and deliver pre-made care packages on the regular to your Darling Son or Darling Daughter. I have mixed feelings about these, but mostly don't believe in them... except when I start worrying that everyone is getting them once a month like clockwork while my kid isn't.) 

The obstacles have included:

• He came home after two weeks, again after five weeks, and a third time after 7 weeks. While I have loved getting to see him, it does sort-of preclude the SENDING of a little giftie.
• We went to see HIM! We enjoyed our first football game in Athens and that, too, negated the need to send him something. 
• Other people have beat me to it! His girlfriend's mom got a package to him last week, as did his Gammy! So now it's another "reset" - I feel like I need to wait to send him anything lest his room be covered up in candy and granola bars! And by the time he runs low on supplies it will be Thanksgiving! 

So I can't win. Have I handed him gift bags of stuff, when I've seen him? Yes, definitely, it being my only option. When we went to the football game, I put candy corn (he likes it), some other Halloween candy and do-dads (a dish to put the candy corn IN), some cough drops and Flonase, and I can't remember what else into a cute bag. When he has come home on a weekend, I've asked if he needs anything before my weekly grocery shopping, and sent him back with a box of Pop Tarts or a 6-pack of Coke. Last night, we saw him for a brief minute -- his marching band performed in Cobb County! -- and I gave him a DampRid refill for his dorm, a Sprite for the bus ride home, a couple of microwave noodle bowls, and a Ziploc of homemade cookies. That satisfied my itch somewhat. 

But I'm really sad that my vision of him being delightfully surprised by a box filled with clever treats hasn't happened yet. 

Not Feeling Writer-y

I haven't felt at all like blogging yet, in October. Still don't. But I want to share, for my 2 and a half readers, that all is well! I just don't feel like there's much to say about it.

We seem to be in the rhythm of our schoolyear now, rolling along as normal. Fall Break got derailed by Hurricane Ian, so instead of our trip to Charleston, we went to Pensacola. Sorry, Sherry!! I'm still so sad about it. But of course we had a nice time with Mom and Dad. Spent a great day at the beach and another afternoon strolling and lunching downtown. (And taking one million photos of Kate in her cute outfit, because that is what 14-year-old girls want to do. I tried not to mind too much, but I'm not sure I was successful; I'm not the best photographer, I was told.) 

Fall has been beautiful here. More sunny, crisp days, please! Yesterday we had cloudy and rainy, which I like, but I think I prefer sunny. 

My few little Halloween decorations are up, and I bought the mission-critical Reese's pumpkins and seasonal Hershey's Kisses. 

I've been going to the office twice a week, and trying to put on makeup and make an effort even if I'm working at home. Ha. 

Lined up for the next month: An appointment with a new podiatrist, then a mammogram, then a colonoscopy. Big fun!

Today I'm making Loaded Potato Soup in the crock pot, and working on a big, mindless photo-sizing project, so that means I'll be able to listen to podcasts while I work. I've been doing a lot of that lately, too. Oh! and watching Abbott Elementary and Derry Girls. I love them both so much! 

Hope you're well!

"Go Dawgs" and "Glory, Glory"

A work colleague of Shawn's gave us 3 tickets to this past weekend's UGA game. Tickets are expensive, I have learned, when a college team is highly ranked and reigning national champion. So getting the tickets for nothing was amazing and we're so grateful. 

We left our house at 6:15 am for the noon game on Saturday. Painful to get up that early, sure, but when we arrived at our parking deck at around 8:00 am, we were definitely NOT the only ones. People were setting up their tailgate tents and tables, I presume they were serving breakfast? Not super clear on that. Next time it might be fun to tailgate but we didn't even attempt it ourselves for our first go-round. The "Dawg Walk" was scheduled to begin at 9:45 anyway, so we were there in time to walk to the student center, get coffee, and then Alex met us and showed us where to stand. 

The band lines up on either side of a walkway and then the players' charter bus drives up, and out they walk, very nicely dressed (suits and ties, or suits and handsome turtlenecks), led by the cutie cheerleaders, of course, and the band plays and it's all very spirited and wonderful!

Then there's the game, itself, even more spectacular. The stadium is enormous, and it was FILLED with fans. It was a beautiful 80-degree day (although it felt much warmer than that in our no-shade seats and we did get sunburned!), with blue skies, lovely breezes every once in a while... and our team won. It was a great game, too -- not the blowout we'd expected, but fun to watch and a little nerve-wracking! There were fumbles and interceptions and highs and lows. 

The halftime show was pretty incredible, too. Band parents live for halftime. :)

Afterwards we made the obligatory trip to the campus bookstore, walked over to let Kate see her brother's dorm room (which hasn't changed at all since we moved him in, lol - we thought he might decorate a little, put up a photo or two on the walls, but no... at least it was clean), and took him to dinner at a nearby BBQ place. 

It was such a great day, a full-on Experience. Alex is happy, doing what he loves. We are newly-minted Dawgs fans for life, I guess, with the t-shirts and hats to prove it. 

And Sunday we were (at least I was) exhausted. 

Onward to this week: Kate's Fall Break. I'm working M, T, W and then she and I are taking a girls' trip to Charleston, SC. (What is with schools these days having SO many breaks?! When I was growing up, it was Spring Break, Christmas, and Summer, that was it. But our school district has THREE week-long breaks, one in September, one in February, and Spring Break in April. Plus a full week off for Thanksgiving. Shawn and I have historically NEVER had enough vacation time to take a trip for all three of those. Yet, some kids do. And our kids know about those trips because of stupid Social Media. It pisses me off, frankly.) I do have some banked vacation time now (Shawn doesn't, bummer), so I booked a hotel, bought us tickets to Sherry's theater -- finally! after 10 years! -- and I can't wait for that. I'm crossing my fingers for good weather so Kate can have at least a little bit of a beach day somehow. Other than that, I'm planning on brunch, some exploring in the most beautiful parts of downtown, maybe a pedicure if we can find a place, and just leisurely girl-time. We won't be there too long, but hopefully it will scratch Kate's itch to be somewhere else, and I know it will at least give her some pretty #vaca photos to post to Instagram and BeReal (eyeroll).

Until then, it's a regular week, but I've got fall vibes (it actually is cooler here): 

S - Chicken and white bean chili.

M - Pumpkin-alfredo ravioli, with salad

T - we'll probably get takeout

W - Foil pack Cajun chicken and vegetables, with cornbread

Happy Monday!

A Morning Walk, and Other Pleasantries

I think there's nothing more pleasant than a morning walk when the weather is nice. And nice, for me, means cool (at least down in the 60s but I don't mind cooler than that) and low humidity. We have that kind of weather this week, hooray! So I just got back from my walk. I saw several hawks enjoying the morning air (I love hawks!).

Equally nice is an over-easy egg on toast, with Cholula and salt & pepper. You can't beat that for breakfast. A poached egg is nice, too, but for me that's a little more trouble. 

A really great workday is the day you can work from home after having to be in the office. This week, we had VIP visitors so it was all-butts-in-seats Monday and Tuesday, but my manager said I didn't have to be there today if I didn't want to, and guess what? I didn't. ;) Today I'm back at my home office, with the windows open and the cats standing watch there, until it gets too warm. 

Another great workday, I just learned, is a WFH day from your (my) parents' house! I took a quick trip last week to Pensacola. Left here Sunday, so we had Sunday night and Monday Labor Day to relax and do nothing, and then on Tuesday and Wednesday, I got up early with the laptop. It was nice! Lovely to just be there and have breakfast, lunch and dinner together. To watch TV together. I tried to be helpful, too, although I feel like I should have done more (definitely should have looked at some health care stuff with Mom, whoops -- next time). I'm going to plan to do that more frequently, I think. Would they like to see the rest of my family, too? Sure. But I think they liked seeing me, alone, just fine. And I sure liked being with them.

Something I've been doing on my WFH days lately, is stopping at 4:00 or 5:00, sitting down with a book and setting a timer for 30 or 45 minutes. Sometimes it morphs into a power nap, other times it doesn't. But usually Kate has just come home from school, so she's having her "chill out" time, too (sometimes she falls asleep) and it's been a DELIGHT to treat myself in that way. Then I'll get up and start dinner. Of course this will change when other activities come into play -- volleyball is about to start up again -- but for now I will TAKE IT. :)

Updates: I think the back extension exercises are helping, and I've stopped doing forward bends, (yes, even the yoga kind). I feel like I have fewer days of outright pain. Is it fully healed? Still no. But I feel a bit better. Shawn is rolling his eyes at me and silently begging me to go see someone. I'm the man in our relationship as far as doctor visits are concerned: I'd rather not. But next up in aches and pains: Plantar fasciitis. I went to a podiatrist once for this problem, and it was the WORST medical experience I've ever had. The guy seemed SO uninterested in helping me, and even seemed like he didn't know what he was doing. But this, my right heel, does seem to be getting worse, not better. Argh. 

Alex is doing great at college. We get to see him this weekend for a band thing (we're going to watch his girlfriend march at her university), so that will be nice. He told me that yesterday he spent a lot of time outside studying. How awesome is that?! 

5 on a Friday

1. The back pain hasn't gotten any better. I've spent the last 2 days deep in the internet, looking up more possible causes and potential solutions. There are a lot of YouTube videos, I can tell you that. My low back aches, um, I would say pretty constantly. It's not sharp pain, it's just always there. I'm still determined to figure it out and self-treat it with the right stretches and care, but I'm not ruling out a visit to a chiropractor or physical therapist in the near future. My theory is that I've strained --over-flexed--  the muscles back there. I do stretch my back a LOT with rounded forward bends, child's pose, and cat/cows; maybe too much. Sitting is also considered flexion, and I have a desk job. It doesn't hurt down through my leg or in my hamstring so I don't think there's any nerve or disc involvement (from what I can read). So this week's remedy is that I'm trying to NOT bend forward, definitely not in the first couple of hours after waking up, and to do more -gentle- extension stretches (superman pose, cobra, etc.) I also bought some Aspercreme.

2. Alex is coming home for a quick visit today. We all have mixed feelings about that, including him -- isn't all the advice to "stick it out," even though it's hard at first? It's been 2 weeks. I haven't posted much about his high school girlfriend (perhaps nothing at all?), but this relates to her. She's attending Georgia State University in Atlanta and they're Trying To Make It Work long-distance. I should probably say no more, except that I will be glad to see him and give him a hug. And that plenty of people, Shawn included, went home frequently on weekends during their college years, and they turned out just fine. I wonder if he's bringing his laundry for me to do. ;)

3. Tonight is the high school Homecoming football game, and tomorrow is the dance! Unusually early. Kate is attending both, with her quickly-made group of girlfriends. I couldn't be happier for her to have found new friends so early on! We bought a dress -- two, actually, that were on sale for $39 each at Macy's -- and she is going to someone's house afterwards. Potential for Shawn and me to have TWO date nights in a row! Having teenagers is awesome. 

4. Jeans: What in the heck is the style this season for moms?? I know there are "mom-jeans" for teens, but I am not interested in that particular cut on my particular middle, thank you very much -- and I don't even know if actual moms are "allowed" to wear them? The only other trend I see is jeans that are very much ripped to pieces, and I'm not doing that either. I guess I don't NEED new jeans... I have a couple pairs I bought last year that are slightly boot-cut and fully intact... maybe it doesn't even matter. However I'm dressed, it's going to be "like a mom" and will be embarrassing. 

5. I can't find a bottled cold-brew coffee that's any good. Kate loves her iced coffee, and I think life would be so much simpler if I could just keep a bottle in the fridge for her, rather than making it hot (we use a Keurig) and then having to immediately cool it down, every day. But the bottled ones I've tried so far taste gross. Can anyone recommend one? 

6. Bonus! I've been reading another fun novel by Jojo Moyes: The Last Letter From Your Lover. It's set in London in the 1960s and starts with a car accident wherein a woman is injured and gets amnesia. Sounds hokey, but it's very well done, and then, surprise, Part 3 is set in present-day! I love this author, highly recommend the book and I haven't even finished it yet.

Hope you have a happy weekend! 

Dinners this week, now with less Alex

We survived move-in day. Actually it was very smooth and well-organized, there was not much acute stress involved! Just that low-level stress and dread when you're about to let your firstborn go off on his own. Ha. One tiny frustration when Alex first tried his room key and couldn't seem to get the door open -- it's a sticky, heavy door you have to shove -- and I thought, "Uh-oh, this is not a good way to start out!" But never fear, we/he figured it out. Some bullet-y notes:

• While waking up at 5am was not fun, the 8am move-in slot was a good call -- fewer people around, fresh volunteers ready to help, short lines, etc.
• It was GOOD that his roommate wasn't there yet, because we could get set up easily, using the 2nd bed area to toss empty boxes and stash things while we got situated.
• It was not so good that his roommate wasn't there yet, for loneliness/homesickness reasons after we parents left.
• On the other hand, maybe that was also good.
• Rolling bins! The school provided these deep, wide bins to take things up in the elevator. We got all of Alex's worldly possessions in one bin (plus a few things carried by hand) and made it in ONE trip! This was amazing. The dorm he's in is 9 stories; elevators are critical! Thankfully Alex is on the 3rd floor and right near a staircase if he's ever in a hurry. 
• We were grateful that a huge rain burst didn't start while we had an open cart outdoors -- it waited until we were done moving in, safely under a roof!
• Making a bunk bed is still a PITA! I remember from the one year I had one, ugh. This is why college kids never wash their sheets and I can't say I blame them.
• It's so much easier to have a BOY, particularly one who doesn't care too much about decor. We didn't even get him a futon, just a mini papasan chair. We saw a lot of dads carrying in lots of extra things, like bins and curtains and rugs and ottomans! We did our best to make Alex's tiny room livable, with a small rug, throw pillow, blanket and bookshelf, but... it still looks like a dorm. He has what he needs. (I do hope he'll hang some pictures on his walls but I left that to him -- it's his room, after all.) These moms who do a full-scale magazine spread for their kids are not letting the kid BE HIS OWN PERSON, in my opinion. Have you seen this crazy dorm-room Instagram account? We don't live in MS, but wow, that makes me want to throw things. People HIRE someone to do these. To decorate a DORM. Insanity.
• We took him to (a delicious) lunch, one last little trip to Target, and then we had to leave. It was as terrible as you would expect it to be, for me. I got so choked up. And could see the tears in his eyes, too. I remember that, being in his shoes. Wanting to be brave and excited, but feeling so nervous at the same time.
• Enough of that. I let the tears fall quite a bit in the car on the way home, but I know he's okay and I'm excited for him. Band camp started Saturday morning bright and early, roommate moved in Sunday and I was able to send a little bag with a couple more things I thought he needed. He's doing it! It's going to be great!

And he isn't coming home for dinner, sob... but that has meant: Seafood and creamy sauces! Alex is not a fan. So guess what? We can eat it as much as we want now, haha!

This week's menu: 

Saturday: Sushi rolls we made ourselves. Used both crab and (cooked) salmon, and they were delicious. 

Sunday: Skinny fettucine alfredo with shrimp, and Caesar salad.

Monday: (takeout)

Tuesday: Baked chicken with this creamy veg casserole (I know, I know, canned Cream of Mushroom is so gauche! But makes a yummy sauce, ya gotta admit)

Wednesday: (volleyball so it's Helpie Selfie)

Thursday: I planned homemade margherita pizza, but I couldn't find fresh basil at either store I went to! Will have to go again later this week (which I hate to do, but sometimes can't be helped).

Friday: is the first home high school football game, and I think we're going! 

Our May-to-August gauntlet of huge life-events has finally become a chapter, closed. I am so grateful for all of it, so glad we had those experiences. And so glad they are now in the rearview. Onward! Go Dawgs! ;) 

Hardest Part

My baby bird is almost ready to fly out of the nest. Of course, he is no baby; but you can't tell the mama bird that. I've been feeling The Sads for sure, mostly when I'm alone. It seems a little more pronounced this morning: only 2 days left, and it is grey and rainy-looking outside. 

There are a few great things about this time, to help me counterbalance myself. My mama friends and I are checking on each other frequently, which is so nice. We're all in this together. We're planning a brunch or wine night after everyone gets settled at their respective colleges; hopefully we'll boo-hoo a little, and then laugh a lot more. There's also this flood of memories: I've been trying really hard to put myself back in the shoes of the new college kid, and remember just how much FUN it was when I was a freshman who had just moved into her dorm. I think my freshman year was my very favorite year, out of four great years (I loved college so much). All shiny and new. Everyone else, too -- no one had an edge, we were all wide-eyed and knew nothing. Meeting people from Ohio, Minnesota, Baltimore, California, Philadelphia. Deciding which ones I wanted to be friends with. My freshman hallmates were sweet and we were pretty close at the beginning. I loved gathering up a group to go to dinner together, and letting our RA take us some of the places we needed to know about for the first time, like the nearby grocery store, or where to get the best frozen yogurt. I loved the newness of classes, and having them in interesting buildings, and walking across a grassy quad in between them. 

So: I'm trying to keep my focus there, instead of here at home, where his room is about to be empty and silent, and I won't need to buy apple juice as frequently because Kate doesn't really drink it. It's weird, those tiny things that will change. The hallway door to his bathroom can finally stay open, instead of how he keeps it closed and locked. His keys won't be hanging on the hook by the garage. There will be plenty of room on the living room couch since there will only be 3 of us.

I remind myself that he'll come back. On every form, his "Permanent Address" still says our house. And my coworker reminded me, 'If he's like most kids of this generation, he may come back after 4 years and live with you again," hahaha. And he may. We told him he's welcome to do that... while he figures out what to do next. 

There's also hope that the day of move-in will be stressful enough that I won't cry too much. This is what got me through his graduation ceremony without a single tear. The chaos of hauling boxes and bins to the third floor should make me too sweaty and tired to be sad, thank the good Lord. 

Anyway, we've arrived at the part of parenting that we never thought would get here this quickly. It is an unsurprising roller coaster of feelings and I'll be glad when the motion stops for a bit. I'll be glad when it's a Sunday night and we can have a somewhat regular FaceTime call with him, and hear about how much fun he's having.

These next two days, though: definitely the hardest part.