I tell you what…summer goes way too fast.  It seems like just yesterday that we were gearing up for going to Michigan and now we have already been back for a few weeks. It’s a whirlwind and I love summer and a part of me never wants it to end.  I feel like I’ve already grieved that we are nearly into August which sounds like the end of the summer.  But, boy oh boy, August is a month filled to the brim.  But before I get ahead of ourselves there was a LOT to July…starting with Michigan, so let me recap.

I was beyond ready to get to Michigan.  It seemed like I had a month straight of one thing after another with regard to disruption of my day-to-day routine.  Reese’s end of school, her first week off was only a half day camp, then Brooke’s school was closed the two days leading up to our trip, I was about ready to jump overboard.  But we got our bags packed, set off on an airplane, landed in Detroit, spent one restful night in East Lansing, and then headed up to the cottage for four nights where I felt like I finally caught my breath from everything.  The cottage has the way of doing that to a person. 

I don’t need to go blow by blow of the events of the week but I can summarize a good majority of it.  First up, the cottage.  It’s as if it doesn’t age.  Not in physicality, not in my mind, not in the traditions.  And if you can find something so grand that doesn’t get old ever, you hold on tight.

We did all of the usuals.  Of course we got the boat out almost as soon as we got there.  People took turns going skiing and tubing.  My mom, Allie, Chad, Sarah, Bryan and myself all skied.  Reese got back on the tube for a few times around the lake and conquered her fear from getting thrown off last year.  We spent a lot of time in and by the water swimming, sunbathing, kayaking and paddle boarding.  We went on a few leisure cruises around the lake.  We spent one night floating in the middle of the lake and jumping off and swimming. 

There were many campfires and of course the annual cottage collaborative musical playlist which has become an instant hit with the family.  We went for walks and runs around the lake.  We played some cards and ate some delicious meals:  Sue’s boil, homemade pizzas, burgers and onion rings, Belgian waffles.  We roasted s’mores and watched the fireworks.  The boys all went into town to play pickle ball.  Our family and Grammy and Grandad went into Leroy to Mr. Pibb’s for our last meal at the cottage and had a feast plus massive ice cream cones of Hudsonville on the way out.  And we just enjoyed having one another’s company, although never enough time.

We headed back to East Lansing on the 8^th and returned home to some steamy weather but the promise of the girl’s pink tent in Reese’s room and the toys left at Grammy and Grandad’s house.  I had to work for much of the rest of the week but it wasn’t too bad. 

The girls got to go to a few playgrounds around town, were taken to Mooville to see the animals and get more ice cream, went shopping in a downpour to get new shoes, went swimming at our friend Tom and Pam’s pool, and Reese got to go with Grandad out for lunch and to the new Minion’s movie.  They got used to Sophie and enjoyed walking her around the block.  We broke out the splash pad and the water balloons.  We cooked up steaks one night and got takeout of Zeytoon’s, Lou and Harry’s, Jersey Giant, Charlie Kang’s, and El Azteco for all of the favorite take outs. 

Bryan and I even got one date night out in before he headed back to Seattle two days earlier than the rest of us.  We spent our final day in Royal Oak at Uncle Chad’s house for his neighborhood block party which was really something else with bounce houses, kiddie pools and splash pads, food, a keg of Oberon, a spray tattooist, a Royal Oak fire truck, and more.  The girls had a good time, I died of heat, and then we walked to downtown to get some really delicious BBQ before we left for the airport to head back to Seattle.  Bryan picked us up at the airport and we were all tuckered out from the events and time difference.

Since being back we are in the full swing of summer.  Reese had a week of gymnastics camp in the morning and hanging out with her friend Georgie and a sitter at various pools, parks and beaches around town.  Now Reese is on her second of three full weeks at Galileo, a STEAM based camp in walking distance of us with a bunch of her friends from school and Lottie.  Brooke is back at her school full time and that is a blessing too!  I volunteered at FareStart for a night and Bryan is next up with a shift this week.  I went out for a friend’s birthday and we all went to a friend’s going away party at the lake last week.  Reese is full time in a Level II gymnastics class on Monday nights and loving it.  And I am loving that being the only activity we are signed up for at the time.  I’ve been back at soccer several weeks now and just absolutely loving playing.  Probably more so than any other time in my life.  

We celebrated Bryan’s birthday shortly after coming back to Seattle and it was such a nice night. After taking Reese to gymnastics we walked to the neighboring Tex Mex place called Jackalope for some delicious margaritas and food. The girls were on great behavior and we enjoyed our time at the restaurant. We headed home for angel food cake and his present; a Solo Stove and accessories that I’m excited to start using.

Last weekend we went on a long bike ride to Discovery Park to play at the playground and then hit the UM Alumni Ice Cream Social. 

This past weekend Bryan was on his annual guy’s weekend to Leavenworth so it was just me and the girls Friday morning through Sunday evening.  We went to the spray park and playground on Friday night and then got burgers and fries downtown.  On Saturday we went to the Volunteer Park wading pool with some friends and ended up spending several hours there soaking up some sunshine and then rode the bus to get pizza from Amazon Fresh before returning home.  And somehow I got the girls to go to my soccer game on Sunday morning and they did great and seemed to enjoy themselves enough.  We picked blackberries after, got Wendy’s drive thru on our way home, and then hung out in the backyard until Bryan returned.

These next few weeks have a lot going on, all fun, but a lot to do as well.  I did find out last week that I will have to take the SE Lateral Depth portion of the test one more time as it had a pass rate of 16%.  I wasn’t surprised but it still was awful news to get, especially after waiting over 14 weeks to get it.  I’m feeling better about it all now but not sure yet how or when I am going to start studying again.  Retake of test will be October 10^th.  Yay….let’s not think about that yet.

— 
Chelsea

Growth is the key word around here.  I feel like we are all growing in ways right now, all positively, and that for me is the major theme here in the Miller household as we have officially kicked off summer 2024.  Let’s take a little look at what I’m talking about.

Reese:

• Completed her first year of grade school.  She’s no longer a kindergartener but now a 1^st grader.  We will miss her teacher, Ms. Stoneberg, a lot but it’s great knowing that her cohort is strong and alive.  Witnessing Reese in the classroom makes me a proud mama because she is one of the best listeners and follows directions and gives it her all.  Her teachers always love having her and she has a large group of friends at this point.
• Reese’s first week of summer has been a half day bike camp with Pedalheads and her friend Clara.  It’s been a nice ease into summer as it’s an afternoon camp so she gets to veg out and hang out with me in the mornings and then we will bike together (!) the 2 miles to her camp.  It’s a nice straightforward bike to camp and Reese has been proud of herself for doing it all by herself and has really enjoyed the camp itself.  She’s a very good biker these days.  I’m very impressed with her on her bike.
• Reese has been expanding her taste buds and foods of choice lately.  She now professes that she loves eat, whereas before I thought she was a vegetarian excluding chicken nuggets and bacon.  She still loves both of those but also likes hot dogs, burgers, pulled pork and chili.  She still loves sweet corn as well as cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, celery and edamame.  I realize this is actually quite extensive in the veggie department compared to some peers but Reese generally doesn’t like any of these vegetables sautéed.  And she still has a sweet tooth, very much enjoying ice cream sandwiches, ice cream cones, popsicles, anything Nutella, and gummy candies.
• Reese has been more independent and self-sufficient around the house.  This includes using the restroom, wiping and washing hands, making herself something to drink or sometimes getting her own snack and even cutting strawberries for Brooke on occasion.  Reese has been a sound sleeper and still a breeze for going to bed.  
• Reese has been more into doodling and writing in journals lately.  She’s been working on sounding out and spelling words in her journals and generally just more interested in letters, numbers and so on.
• Reese just got promoted to level 2 gymnastics and the very first (trial) class had her doing so many more advanced skills as well as a lot of strength building exercises which Reese has no issues with.  It was still something watching Reese do lunges, ab extensions, ab holds, box jumps and the likes with girls about a foot taller than her.  I couldn’t have been more proud though, not because of her skill but just how she jumped into each activity and gave it her all.  I kept remarking about just how physically strong she looked out there.

Brooke:

• Brooke is potty training herself.  It all started about two weekends ago, shortly after we brought home a little potty and she started wanting to go commando around the house so we started enforcing the act of going potty regularly.  She has still been wearing undies at home most of the time, and still has a fair amount of accidents, but has also gone on the potty correctly more times than not.  This week I learned that she has been going potty at school the majority of the time too.  She’s received mermaid tattoos the past two days for going potty on the potty the full day.  She’s not yet wearing undies at school but she came home with a tattoo yesterday for going potty at school all day.  I think she is just afraid to poop in the potty.
• Brooke’s appetite is much the same as before so not much growth there but she will put down 2 hotdogs in a go, 3 if I would let her to.  She still loves yogurt, berries, pasta, pizza, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese and peanut butter and jelly.  She will not touch a vegetable, not one.  Like her sister, she also has quite the sweet tooth.
• Brooke is not so fun to put down for bed these days.  She gets wild and ramped up with energy as we near bedtime and then wants to play in bed instead of going to sleep but she also doesn’t want to go to bed by herself so it generally means that one of us is lying down with her for like 40 minutes every night.  We fight over who gets to lay down with Reese since the girls go to bed at the same time together, just Reese takes about 30 minutes less time.
• Brooke has a pretty good hang of her scooter and balance bike and you can tell she has had role models in their use.  She’s still working on steering but she can get moving fairly well on both and seems to really enjoy them.
• Brooke loves to play salon at home with our pretend vanity set and it is really pretty good acting if I say so myself.  She knows how to use all of the tools and how to ask my preferences of things and making sure I do things just right.
• Brooke recently moved up to the preschool room at school with her two buddies:  Madison and Halle.  She’s really enjoyed being with the bigger kids, having more space and new toys to play with.  She now also has a more structured day and more structured activities.  Brooke never has an issue playing with older kids and like her sister, her teachers adore her.
• Like any 2 year old, Brooke will lose it from time to time and it’s like the world is over.  She also likes to say, “Don’t talk to me” and “Don’t count to three” and I’m not sure where she learned that.  Poor Bryan gets on the no list fairly often and she is resilient when she has declared something a must or a hard no.

Chelsea:

• Chelsea is still anxiously awaiting her test results from the last 25% remaining of my SE exam.  The message boards all feel the same way as me so I’m sure NCEES is really having a hey day scoring this exam this go around.
• In the meantime, I just started studying for this California Survey exam that I still need to take to get my reciprocity for my PE in the state of California.  I really thought this was something I could waive with the SE credentials but California being California still requires it.  It’s only a 3 hour exam (I think) and I don’t believe I will have a difficult time passing it but I’m really only allowing myself to study for it for three weeks.  I do need it though because my peer who sits in California will be out on paternity leave in November so I will be needed to help fill that role.
• I was really enjoying not studying.  I’ve tried going through the house in a piece meal fashion to organize, clean, etc.  I have been reading, although Demon Copperfield, which I am currently reading, is such an amazing read but also a seriously long book that is hard to get through when I only have 10-15 minutes at a go.  I enjoyed yard work, I enjoyed working out, I enjoyed literally everything by not having to study.
• I just chopped off quite a bit of hair and love it.  Honestly, I don’t even know if it looks that good but truth be told, I don’t even care because it feels amazing.  It feels amazing not having it all hang on my neck and back.  It feels amazing taking only 2 hours to air dry versus like 10 hours.  It feels so much lighter, bouncier, and healthier.  The damaged ends are gone and I actually feel like I can apply the amount of product in my hair that it needs without using a full bottle in one use.  It’s amazing.
• I’m already grieving that it is almost July.  Summer here really starts so late and is so short, albeit glorious, that I just don’t want it to already be July.  I want summer to last forever and I already feel like it’s going to be gone in a blink of an eye.
• I’ve recommitted to playing soccer and have been loving it.  We have a handful of new players to the team that are younger, fun, and go after the ball.  Between them and the legacy players who are so nice, complimentary, and enjoyable to be around, it’s a good mix and I’m having a good time.  Plus it is just such a good workout, especially since we usually have one or no subs and I typically play center midfield.  The girls and Bryan actually came and watched the first half of last week’s game and that made it extra fun.
• I’m looking forward to planning many upcoming vacations.  We have a landmark birthday next year and two landmark events the year after so trying to look at all of our options and get out there for it.
• At the same time, trying to stay present, I am looking forward to all of the things this summer holds, big and small.  We have a long weekend in Chelan at the end of the summer, a weekend camping trip with friends, SeaFair, and maybe one more camping trip ourselves plus all of the parks, bike rides, and outdoor concerts to look forward to.

Bryan:

• Bryan continues to have a lot of backing and sway at work but is dealing with some more difficult relationships and self-esteems at the same time.  I know he is looking forward to the week in Michigan just to get out of the office for some time.
• Bryan has been on the bike and out for early morning runs or rows lately and I am impressed.  I feel like now that I’m not having to set an alarm and rush around in the morning to make the school bus, I have become a lazy, but relaxed, human being in the morning hours.
• Bryan has a few fun friend events coming up.  He is kicking off the new FareStart Guest Chef Night season tonight as a food runner for the Italian chef from Pasta Casalinga in the market and I think he is in for a treat.  He is going to the Mariners game on Saturday night with David and Phillip as a belated Father’s Day gift from us and then he has a weekend in Leavenworth that the guys do annually at the end of July.
• Bryan is very excited for the upcoming Olympics. He’s also obsessed with these new speakers he just got and apparently they have made him a music man.

Brooke only has one day left of school since her school is out next week and we will be starting to pack our bags for Michigan soon. I cannot wait!

—

Chelsea

As we are wrapping up Reese’s first year in grade school we are wrapping up in so many other areas too.  I’m preparing for the chaos of the summer with camps, no school, and endless fun events but I also feel like we are offloading so many of this season’s past activities and for a moment feel like we have a little breathing room again.  Although it doesn’t actually feel like that all too much.  There is still so much going on.  

We are entering the last week at school, and of course it isn’t even a full week with Juneteenth off for both girls and Reese has an hour early dismissal on Friday.  Last week was Reese’s last swim class and this past weekend wrapped up her first ever dance class with her tap rehearsal and recital that was held at the Shorecrest Performing Arts Center.  It was cute to watch, fun to get dressed up for Sunday, and a well-run rehearsal and show but also added quite a bit of events to our weekend.  We headed out right after the rehearsal to our third year of the Steven’s Carnival which was again great fun and even better executed this year but also the first year that the weather wasn’t absolutely stunning so the rain added to an interesting carnival experience.  We still earned enough tickets for a prize, got some delicious gourmet hot dogs and other delicious snacks, won an item at the cake walk, and didn’t lose a child.  I call that a win.  

And after her dance recital on Sunday we took the three-minute drive from the art center to Briley’s BBQ with Sarah and Lottie to have a Father’s Day BBQ.  Briley’s never fails to impress although I feel like this is the third visit that they were out of sliced brisket for Bryan.  We didn’t leave the restaurant until 8 pm but our family of four still opted to stop at Kamp in our neighborhood on the way home to share two cups of their weekly soft serve flavors of Nutella and biscoff while dancing to their playlist on their patio.  It was a nice and more peaceful ending to an otherwise chaotic evening at the recital and dinner.

Father’s Day began peaceful though with breakfast in bed for the honoree and a scavenger hunt of presents that Reese helped make the clues for.  After that we set out on foot to the peaceful Seattle Play Garden, where the sun came out, we explored, the girls rode their scooters, and then we stopped at Amazon Fresh on the way home for slices of pizza.  This was a lovely morning and afternoon that I would do again.

Continuing to backtrack, we spent Saturday afternoon at the McMenamin’s pool for Georgie’s birthday.  Georgie’s family enjoyed Brooke’s birthday there so much they opted for the same thing and it was once again a hit.  Brooke swam for about an hour.  I think she got a little cold this go around and so we warmed up for a while in the shower before hitting the party room with the rest of the crew.  Brooke meshed right in with the older kids and there was plenty of food and cake to go around for all of the party attendees. 

Reese crashed hard on the way home after all of the swimming and the party…and the Lottie sleepover the night before.  We took Lottie home with us after the carnival for a sleepover.  All three girls were enjoying watching a movie on the projector in the girl’s room.  Reese kept delivering snacks and waters and finally at 10:30 pm we called it a night.  Our two went right to sleep but Lottie struggled for another hour plus to go to bed so Bryan and I weren’t done with kids until about midnight.  And we were exhausted.  We all were exhausted.  I know Reese had a good time with Lottie but Bryan and I were spent.

Fortunately, again moving backwards, Bryan and I were able to have had a date night on Thursday, one we hadn’t had for about a month and desperately needed.  Our date night swap are back in action and we had a reservation at the wonderful speakeasy, Needle in Thread, in Capitol Hill for some delicious inventive and creative cocktails that the bartenders catered to our unique tastes and some really good food featuring steak frites, a spring salad and popcorn chicken.  All of it was delicious but the time spent was the real amazing thing we needed.

So yes, the past week has been a whirlwind of events, we had Brooke’s two besties over for a happy hour last Sunday, we had Maya’s family over for dinner, Reese went swimming with Georgie’s family, park play dates, birthday parties, got out the bounce house and jumperoo, last classes, performances, celebrating dads, etc. but we are in the homestretch of kindergarten and the true start to our summers, weather included, and I think we are ready!

— 
Chelsea

Where do I even start with our long Memorial Day Weekend spent in Arizona with Lon and Trish.  It certainly went way too fast.  I certainly didn’t feel my best self but our days were spent with pool time and family time and fun and all worthwhile. 

We left a rainy, cold Seattle day after our work and school week was over and landed in a very reasonably temped 85 degree Phoenix just after 9 pm the Friday before Memorial Day.  The girls did great on the flight but considering how late it was I was not surprised at all that they fell asleep on the 35 minute car ride back to Grandma and Papa’s house.  We got the girls in bed and spent sometime catching up Lon and Trish ourselves before calling it a night ourselves, at the early hour of 1am, knowing full well that at least one child was not going to sleep in.

And we were right.  Brooke woke me up at 6:30 the next morning and we spent a slow morning while the rest of the house woke up.  I started feeling really lousy Friday night and woke up Saturday morning not feeling any better.   Coffee and breakfast helped and after breaking out some toys in the backyard we decided to take advantage of the relatively cooler temps we were to have to take the girls to the nearest playground.  Reese scootered maybe half of the 1.5 miles but it was hot still and understandably she wanted to ride with her sister in the stroller.  We played at the playground maybe about an hour before Papa came to get us with the car to head back home for lunch of grilled hot dogs and then Brooke was down for her nap.  After naptime, the four of us headed out to Hamilton’s pool to enjoy a swim, Reese got to ride the two big water slides for the first time, and we closed the place out at 6 pm.  We then met Lon and Trish for much-needed Mexican food at Serrano’s in downtown Chandler where we had a great meal and margaritas before heading back home to crash.

Sunday started much the same; Brooke up at 7 am this time, sore throat and aches for me but ready to rally.  Sunday we planned to head to the PERA pool which is a nice perk of being and active or retired member of SRP, which Lon is.  The pool was very quiet for a holiday weekend and we got there shortly after it opened at noon and stayed until after 4 pm.  We brought a picnic of sandwiches and snacks and enjoyed throwing rings and water balls and keeping cool.  From the PERA pool we drove towards Queen Creek to get barbecue at a place Lon and Trish had been a few times called Caldwell County BBQ.  This BBQ place was busy but we were able to get in line to place our order and get our food pretty quick.  After the lengthy swim in the sunshine both girls had woken up from car nap in foul moods but a virgin pina colada did the trick of perking them back up.  We shared the family platter and got to try the brisket, pulled pork and ribs and surprisingly found the pork to be the best of the selection.  Their sides of jalapeno mac n cheese, coleslaw and corn casserole were all great and we had one banana pudding that we shared after we spent at least an hour burning off some of the food playing hide and seek on the grassy lawn.  The venue was cool with several outdoor picnic tables, a few lawn games set up, and a giant projector screen playing an NBA game.  The temperature was perfect at this time of night and we didn’t end up leaving to head back home until 8 pm.  Another quick bedtime for these girls.

Monday and Tuesday were significantly hotter days.  Reese requested to go back to the Hamilton pool to ride their slides again.  We got there much earlier this time, getting there at about 12:30 but the pool was significantly busier being the holiday.  The line for the slide was much longer but Reese still did laps on that and made a friend her age on it.  We then easily convinced her to jump off the diving board and that became the new thing for the next several hours.  At about 2:30 Brooke was tired and done with swimming so I opted to leave with her to put her down for a nap and come back to get the two water bugs later.  Brooke immediately fell asleep in the car but once back to Lon and Trish’s she was ready to play.  I got her a bath before doing so and then left her in the care of Papa while I went to get Bryan and Reese from the pool when it closed at 5pm.  Trish was busy in the kitchen all afternoon making us a delicious dinner of homemade spaghetti, salad and garlic bread and we opened a Novelty Hill Reserve wine to enjoy with dinner.  We had a nice time at home on this night.

For our last full day, and again another hot one, Reese wanted more swimming and Brooke said no to pool time.  Since I was still achy, lethargic, and just not myself I was okay finding other entertainment for Brooke and I.  We dropped Reese and Bryan off at Sunsplash Water Park around 11 am and they proceeded to spend the full day there until they closed at 5pm.  They did all of the rides that Reese could ride, which were many, and had a great time, only stopping for lunch at the grill there and a few turns around the lazy river.  Meanwhile, Brooke and I kept busy going shopping.  We started at Chandler Fashion Place where we walked around in the AC, looked at a few stores but didn’t get anything and then got a slice of pizza from the food market and checked out the old ride on toys.  When I gave Brooke a few options to spend the afternoon her top pick was to get her nails done.  From there we had found a nail salon a walk across the parking lot so we braved the heat to walk there only to be told they didn’t have any appointments available.  We walked back, popping into Yogurtland first to share a small frozen yogurt which Brooke made a real mess of her shirt with but it helped to cool us both down a bit.  We then did call and found a nail salon a few minutes away that took us in.

Brooke loved her first time getting her nails done.  She decisively picked out a red sparkly nail polish and they applied that to her hands and feet.  I got a pedicure real quick in the chair next to her and when Brooke was letting her nails dry she sat on my lap keeping me company.  We left with beautiful nails and next went to Seva’s looking for cowboy boots for me but it was Brooke who immensely enjoyed this.  She is a shoe girl!  They had a kid’s section and she tried on three different pairs of boots, all which were very cute, and donned a cowboy hat and ride on horsey at one point.  She was into but the store was closing and we had to pick up Bryan and Reese from the park.  Brooke ended up getting some snakeskin kids boots that are very cute and she was very proud of them.  Reese, despite playing all day at the water park was jealous of her sister’s boots.  We made it back home and had a quick dinner of burgers on the grill and finished the night with ice cream before all showering and packing our bags for our very early wake up the next morning.

And we do mean early. We were all up at 3 am to get ourselves changed and load up in our Uber to the airport. We had a 6 am flight back to Seattle, landing just before 9 am and Reese was back at school just in time for lunch and Brooke was back at her school to show off her flashy new boots. I managed to work a full day and both Bryan and I were totally wiped by nighttime. The end of the week also included a haircut for Reese and folicking at Madison Park and Beach afterwards and then the Taste of TOPS at Reese’s school Friday night that we stayed quite late for and contributed a pull apart pizza bread for the potluck.

Although we were exhausted from the trip afterwards we had some good times and great memories that we made. Soccer is now over with our last game this past Sunday. It was a rainy game but another win for the undefeated Tigers. Following the game five of the players and their families joined us as a group for the Mariners game vs. the Angels. We had a group of 24 in the upper deck section and saw a great win by the M’s. Following the game we waited in line for the Kids Run the Bases on the field. Being that it was Girl Scout Day at the park there were tons of kids and a pretty good line but I’ve never been on the field and that was a cool experience, although Reese’s mood turned south right as she got on the field so her “running” the bases will forever be etched in my mind as a memorable experience.

Reese has one last normal dance class before her rehearsal and recital, one more swim class, and less than three weeks of school at this point until she is a 1st grader. Where the time goes…

Chelsea

As in lice-free we are.  I was cleared on Monday at my checkup at the Lice Clinic and through fairly regular combing checks we haven’t found anything more in the girls or Bryan’s hair.  Hallelujah!!  I was beginning to worry that this was going to turn into some month-long saga like COVID was for us.  But that doesn’t mean that no other problems have surfaced.  One thing that has surfaced is our sewer surge tank.  Right to ground level!  Right as we were needing to wash every single living thing in our house to rid ourselves of lice did the alarm on our surge tank start going off.  “Conserve water” said Bryan.  “How?” said I.  We did our best attempt and through three visits from our landlord and his handyman buddy they may have finally fixed it’s of today.  They donned full Hazmat suits the other day and drained it completely but that only solved the problem for about a week.  I think as soon as I’d hear that alarm go off I’d be phoning the closest plumber ASAP.  This IS where I am still relieved I am just the renter.

We continue to have Reese’s trio of activities on the weekends and swim class on Mondays.  She actually says swim class is her favorite right now which surprises me but at the same time doesn’t.  It might be the easiest activity since it is right done the street, all of 30 minutes, and then we spend some time playing at Garfield playground afterwards.  Reese also seems to have a great, fun coach this time around and she’s in the most advanced class for this age group but when she turns 6 the levels start all over.  Soccer has still been a lot of fun and when I asked all of the girls to show me their speed in the game last week it seemed to light some fire under Reese.  She really picked it up on the field and seemed more determined to defend, kick, and run fast.  We only have two games left.  We also only have one month left of swim class and dance class and I will be very happy to get to summer with only one activity on our precious weekends.  Never signing her up for more than two activities again.

I’ve been back to Reese’s school to volunteer for math stations and that is actually a lot of fun to help with.  I am getting to know the other kids in Reese’s class better and understand their routine better.  It was funny hearing one of the boys this past week say, “I am so excited and ready to be a First Grader.”  I thought that was so cute.  We are also more or less starting a park meetup at the Madrona Playground on Friday afternoons.  I picked up Reese and Georgie from the bus stop that is right at the park yesterday and about six of their classmates later joined them.  It was a lot of fun just next time I need to make sure that Brooke gets to partake too.  Most all of the kids have younger siblings so Brooke would fit right in.

I’m reveling in not having to study for however much longer this is going to last.  I feel like I need to get myself set up with some interesting hobby to spend even 15 minutes in everyday but in the meantime I’ve been doing the spring cleaning I wasn’t able to do before April, going through clothes, organizing all of the bathrooms with new organization, I got new dining benches for our dining table, slowly trying to declutter some since I think it makes me feel so much better.  I’ve also been trying to read, something I so enjoy, however, right now I am trying to read the parenting book “Good Inside” by the famous Dr. Becky.  I follow her on Instagram and have taken away a lot of the messages she has on discipline, connecting with kids, behavior issues, etc.  I’ll get back into reading for just fun soon.  I did get to attend my first Yelp Elite event in a long time thanks to Bryan coming home early on Monday and taking the girls to swim class for me.  With Yelp I got to try a Thai street eats restaurant in Fremont which was delicious but also just nice to get out of the house and normal grind and meet new people.

Bryan and I have been pretty good with date nights lately.  We did our normal date night swap with our friends last week and got some great wine and pizza downtown at the new Ethan Stowell restaurant in the new Convention Center.  Then yesterday we did something different and fun by going to a Flamenco concert at the Fremont Abbey, where I used to volunteer years ago, after grabbing some delicious drinks and Japanese skewers and sushi at a newish hotspot called Secret Fort.  Still to this day I am mesmerized by Flamenco guitar and dance and it gave me all the good feels last night.  I definitely have the travel bug right now and this helped but didn’t help if you know what I mean.  Antonio Rey was absolutely amazing and being in Fremont Abbey makes me think and reminisce about our wedding too because the venue is so similar to the Old Art Building in Leland.

We have replanted our hydroponic system and it is just about ready for harvesting to start.  We tried to plant some flowers out front and will see how those do but also have a few herbs that have started out alright outside and just need to be replanted.  Bryan pressure washed the backyard last week and I’ve been trying to make some progress in the yard to get it summer ready.  It’s getting there.  We did dine outside last Sunday for Mother’s Day dinner with Sarah and Lottie.  Like usual, Seattle delivers us amazing spring weather to make us think we are officially in the warm season and then presents us with a day like today that is a high of 53…but we made the most of it with a very fun birthday party at Polly’s house tonight that the kids thoroughly enjoyed.

Less than a week and we will be in sunny Arizona!

— 
Chelsea

As in lice-free we are.  I was cleared on Monday at my checkup at the Lice Clinic and through fairly regular combing checks we haven’t found anything more in the girls or Bryan’s hair.  Hallelujah!!  I was beginning to worry that this was going to turn into some month-long saga like COVID was for us.  But that doesn’t mean that no other problems have surfaced.  One thing that has surfaced is our sewer surge tank.  Right to ground level!  Right as we were needing to wash every single living thing in our house to rid ourselves of lice did the alarm on our surge tank start going off.  “Conserve water” said Bryan.  “How?” said I.  We did our best attempt and through three visits from our landlord and his handyman buddy they may have finally fixed it’s of today.  They donned full Hazmat suits the other day and drained it completely but that only solved the problem for about a week.  I think as soon as I’d hear that alarm go off I’d be phoning the closest plumber ASAP.  This IS where I am still relieved I am just the renter.

We continue to have Reese’s trio of activities on the weekends and swim class on Mondays.  She actually says swim class is her favorite right now which surprises me but at the same time doesn’t.  It might be the easiest activity since it is right done the street, all of 30 minutes, and then we spend some time playing at Garfield playground afterwards.  Reese also seems to have a great, fun coach this time around and she’s in the most advanced class for this age group but when she turns 6 the levels start all over.  Soccer has still been a lot of fun and when I asked all of the girls to show me their speed in the game last week it seemed to light some fire under Reese.  She really picked it up on the field and seemed more determined to defend, kick, and run fast.  We only have two games left.  We also only have one month left of swim class and dance class and I will be very happy to get to summer with only one activity on our precious weekends.  Never signing her up for more than two activities again.

I’ve been back to Reese’s school to volunteer for math stations and that is actually a lot of fun to help with.  I am getting to know the other kids in Reese’s class better and understand their routine better.  It was funny hearing one of the boys this past week say, “I am so excited and ready to be a First Grader.”  I thought that was so cute.  We are also more or less starting a park meetup at the Madrona Playground on Friday afternoons.  I picked up Reese and Georgie from the bus stop that is right at the park yesterday and about six of their classmates later joined them.  It was a lot of fun just next time I need to make sure that Brooke gets to partake too.  Most all of the kids have younger siblings so Brooke would fit right in.

I’m reveling in not having to study for however much longer this is going to last.  I feel like I need to get myself set up with some interesting hobby to spend even 15 minutes in everyday but in the meantime I’ve been doing the spring cleaning I wasn’t able to do before April, going through clothes, organizing all of the bathrooms with new organization, I got new dining benches for our dining table, slowly trying to declutter some since I think it makes me feel so much better.  I’ve also been trying to read, something I so enjoy, however, right now I am trying to read the parenting book “Good Inside” by the famous Dr. Becky.  I follow her on Instagram and have taken away a lot of the messages she has on discipline, connecting with kids, behavior issues, etc.  I’ll get back into reading for just fun soon.  I did get to attend my first Yelp Elite event in a long time thanks to Bryan coming home early on Monday and taking the girls to swim class for me.  With Yelp I got to try a Thai street eats restaurant in Fremont which was delicious but also just nice to get out of the house and normal grind and meet new people.

Bryan and I have been pretty good with date nights lately.  We did our normal date night swap with our friends last week and got some great wine and pizza downtown at the new Ethan Stowell restaurant in the new Convention Center.  Then yesterday we did something different and fun by going to a Flamenco concert at the Fremont Abbey, where I used to volunteer years ago, after grabbing some delicious drinks and Japanese skewers and sushi at a newish hotspot called Secret Fort.  Still to this day I am mesmerized by Flamenco guitar and dance and it gave me all the good feels last night.  I definitely have the travel bug right now and this helped but didn’t help if you know what I mean.  Antonio Rey was absolutely amazing and being in Fremont Abbey makes me think and reminisce about our wedding too because the venue is so similar to the Old Art Building in Leland.

We have replanted our hydroponic system and it is just about ready for harvesting to start.  We tried to plant some flowers out front and will see how those do but also have a few herbs that have started out alright outside and just need to be replanted.  Bryan pressure washed the backyard last week and I’ve been trying to make some progress in the yard to get it summer ready.  It’s getting there.  We did dine outside last Sunday for Mother’s Day dinner with Sarah and Lottie.  Like usual, Seattle delivers us amazing spring weather to make us think we are officially in the warm season and then presents us with a day like today that is a high of 53…but we made the most of it with a very fun birthday party at Polly’s house tonight that the kids thoroughly enjoyed.

Less than a week and we will be in sunny Arizona!

— 
Chelsea

Yes, you read that correctly.  Our life as of the past several days has been one of lice.  We were enjoying our weekend, despite the rainy and cold weather, when I was getting Reese’s hair ready for her next event and took a second look.  She has such baby fine and light colored hair that I thought I saw something on her scalp and sure enough I did.  I then took a look at Brooke, same hair as Reese’s, and even with her short hair she also had some.  OMG.  Gross me right out the front door.  We moved into immediate plan of action.  Wash all of the things.  Figure out the appropriate treatment which fortunately Sarah and Lottie had been through this a few months back so I just asked her instead of Google.  Ready. Set. Go.  

The remaining hours of our weekend went more or less undeterred from the events we already had scheduled but now I was moving in lightning speed around the house grabbing everything I could that needed to be washed.  I think I did about 10 loads of laundry this weekend.  That also means that I had to make three beds, fold all of the things, wash all of the jackets, backpacks, etc.  We got our sous-vide bath out to sanitize brushes and the like.  Amazon wasn’t moving fast enough for us so I drove over to Sarah’s to grab her two extra bottles of Nix and once home on Saturday night we did a treatment on all of our heads and then spent the evening with the girls watching a movie and us performing laser focused work combing out the girls (and mine) hair for nits.  It took hours and we didn’t get the girls down for bed until 10 pm.  We were both so exhausted but we at least felt better about the status of the girl’s hair.  My hair is so thick that one was a bit more of an unknown.  

To conclude this saga, I had to tell the teachers at both of the girl’s schools.  I also made an appointment for myself to go to the Lice Clinic on Monday to get my head checked out.  They found more so my checkup turned into a treatment and I was feeling a lot better mentally and physically by the time I walked out of their door.  I have also sprayed furniture, bike helmets, and other things around the house.  We will continue to comb out the girls hair this week and next to make sure we don’t find anything and I will get checked out again on Monday to make sure I am still cleared.  What a journey.

But we’ve had other things going on as well.  Lots of other things since the last time I wrote.  My two activity limit has quickly been exceeded and will continue to be until the end of the school year so we are just buckled up for this ride and will never do it again!  Reese currently has gymnastics, dance, and soccer on the weekend and swim on Monday.  By the time Tuesday rolls around I can’t wait to breathe.  I think Reese will be fine when dance is over and she absolutely loves swim but we will break for summer and soccer will also be on break for the summer.  Gymnastics we just restarted but she loves it so much that we don’t mind having this one activity continue year-round.  And I’ve really enjoyed coaching her soccer team this time around.  The girls seem to really enjoy being out there with each other, we have a few ringers that really make us a pretty good team, and all of the parents are very invested and supportive.  It’s been a lot of fun.

It’s also fun not studying during the day.  Work has been fine and steady.  I’ve been able to get back into Reese’s classroom to volunteer and will try to every other week or so until the end of the year.  We’ve had a meeting with her teacher to talk about her progress.  We’ve had Girl Scouts.  I had my annual doctor’s appointment.  We took advantage of a free Parents Night Out with our neighborhood church and went out with a bunch of other parents to Bottlehouse which was a good time.  And we have a bunch more events on the horizon.  

Bryan was out all last week to a work conference in Novi, MI.  We sure did miss him but were able to keep ourselves sane and entertained, spending a long time at the park each evening and not making it back home until after 7 pm.  Bryan enjoyed his trip, getting to know some of his coworkers better and generally being surrounded by smart people at this conference, but the trip also took it out of him too, as a work trip does.

The cool weather is subsiding and we should have beautifully sunny warm weather for the next week or so and I am here for it!

— 
Chelsea

Ahh…now I get to take a bit of a break.  I am done sitting for both of my exams; I passed the first one but the one I took this week I won’t have results for 10-13 weeks.  And I’m not sure how likely it is I passed.  I gave it my all…again, but what a darn difficult test.  I have lots of feelings about the test; things I would have done differently considering time, strategy, etc.  This exam format was all new so taking it in the past wasn’t really all that helpful as it was like a whole new exam.  And one that I didn’t particularly like.  But now I am working on not thinking about it for the next 2-3 months and then we will go from there.  I only have 25% left of this darn exam before I never have to take it again.  Or maybe I’m already there but I just won’t know that for weeks and I can focus my mind elsewhere in the meantime.

We ended up having an enjoyable spring break at home.  Both girls went to Brooke’s school on Monday and Tuesday and both seemed to really enjoy being there together.  I think Reese liked being the oldest there and had no complaints whatsoever, and Brooke seemed to enjoy Reese there as she kept asking after Tuesday if Reese was going to come back to her school.  It was adorable (and easy) dropping them off at the same place and also great getting them in the afternoon together.  We had Reese’s eye doctor checkup and all things are looking like her glasses are really helping her and Reese tolerated the appointment so well that we headed over to the Seattle Center to play at the massive playground there that Reese loves so much.  Brooke had a good time too until she got clunked next to her eye by the big girl swing she had been swinging on.  She’s fine but it left a surprising mark next to her eye.  We picked up Halal Guys on our way home which was a nice treat and a sighed a relief at being done with this dreaded eye appointment.

Then Wednesday and Thursday Reese went to her Kids Club Camp spring break days and had a great time with her buddy Clara and Brooke reunited with her nanny share duo of Katie and Maya plus another toddler for a trio.  It all worked out.  Reese had a field trip to Alki Beach where they got ice cream, played on the beach, and Reese seemed totally amped up from it all.  They also walked up to Volunteer Park on Thursday so I think Kids Club was a 10/10.  Brooke seemed to settle in just fine with the nanny share group, although it was either from that time or just her being a 2-year-old that she has been especially sensitive, moody, and irrational ever since.  It’s probably age, I remember Reese like this too.  But there have been a fair share of Brooke meltdowns lately and a lot of being upset with how I’ve done things for her or done things wrong. “No mama!”

Friday we all took the day off to do something fun together.  We had thought of going spring skiing but also wanted to do the sledding hill and that wasn’t an option and the magic carpets are now closed for the season so instead we headed down to Southcenter for a long morning of jumping and playing at Defy/Sky Zone, thanks entirely to a mystery shop.  Both girls had a really good time and burned a lot of energy off.  Reese definitely enjoyed the zipline the most throughout the day while Brooke jumped on the trampoline and seemed to enjoy the toddlers area quite a bit.  

The entire weekend presented beautiful weather so we set out for a long bike ride to Discovery Park in Magnolia with the girls on Saturday afternoon.  We packed snacks and our picnic blanket and had an enjoyable ride, although those girls sure are getting heavy to pull.  It was beautiful out but the wind was super chilly and both Bryan and I were freezing in our bike clothes at the shaded playground in the park.  The girls enjoyed playing but we kept taking turns trying to warm up in the sun.  Fortunately, Sunday was a lot warmer day and equally beautiful.  I got to play soccer down the street at the Arboretum.  Our team not only played well but we also won, a rarity!  After that success I picked up the rest of the crew to head to Reese’s game over in Wallingford.  Her team also played really well, had a great turnout of players, and also won their game.  It was such a beautiful afternoon that we headed over to the Wallingford Playfield to play for a while after the game and enjoyed dinner of dumplings and noodles that Bryan picked up for us a block away from, get this, Dumpling the Noodle.  Dinner was delicious and the girls (and us) were happy.  

We’ve continued Reese in swim classes and she is really progressing with her swim skills.  She’s in the most advanced group now and really working on kicking, pushing off the wall, starting to use her arms, and jumping into the pool independently.  I’m so proud of her, especially as I witness 1 in 4 kids refuse to even get into the water.  We will finish out this session that just started, break for the summer, and then once she is 6 she will be in leveled swim classes.

This week was one I wasn’t looking forward to with the exam and really pushing through the last few days of study.  But I did it.  Brooked managed to have a rare terrible night of sleep Tuesday night leading up to my exam but I was at the exam center with plenty of time to get my Starbucks treat and look over a few notes.  The exam was fast and furious for the full five hours.  I left the exam center in somewhat of a mental fog and went straight to get my nails done.  Even by the time I got home at 3 to meet up with Bryan to go get a celebratory drink at happy hour before getting the girls, my mind was still equal parts racing and mush.  The cocktails certainly helped and Bryan is such a good support with everything.  

Thursday was my first day without studying since the beginning of February, and it’s nice.  Even with work being busy I’m feeling like a weight is lifted.  I’ve reselected books from the library to check out and have been catching up on laundry and other things that have been on the back burner. 

Bryan got to meet up with one of his favorite retired coworkers, Mark, who met him from brunch in Madison Park on Saturday morning and then the girls and I met up with them at the playground afterwards. And we had a night out yesterday for the annual fundraiser for Reese’s school. We had such a good time! We really feel like we have an amazing group of fellow parents at the school and after the prom themed auction, which was very well done with dinner, drinks, even boutonnières for purchase, our large group headed out to a bar to continue the party. Today though, we are paying for it.  Bryan’s paying his dues with taking the girls to dance right now and I’m next us with coaching a group of girls on the soccer field this afternoon.

Getting older is so fun…but at least I don’t have to study!

— 
Chelsea

April has entered, Easter has come and gone, and one exam is in the books.  Hopefully to never be taken again…but I might not know the results until June.  The flowers are blooming and smell wonderful.  The light is staying out later, but I’m sleepy early anyways.  We’ve been able to hit some parks after school which is wonderful.  We had one weekend that was really very quiet and restful at home aside from having friends over for dinner two nights in a row.  Then we had Easter weekend which was not as restful but still memorable and lots of fun.  

Reese is full swing in her activities right now and has kept us pretty busy the past two weeks.  She had her last swim class of the winter session, her March Girl Scout meeting, dance class, and her one and only soccer practice the other night before the games, and games-only, season began on Sunday.  Brooke is really great about tagging along and helping out with most all of Reese’s activities.  She has enjoyed kicking the soccer ball around, playing at the park and other activities when she is allowed. It will be quite the jungle when she starts her own activities but I’ve already set my limit to two weekly activities per kid otherwise I will go insane.

Like I said, Easter weekend was filled with fun activities.  We went to Lottie’s school on Friday night for their Japan Night celebration.  All classes of all grades performed for the parents and there were six stations set up for kids to participate in various Japanese-themed activities to get a stamp and get a prize at the end.  Both girls tried their hand at all activities, dressing up in kimonos, calligraphy, chopstick skills, etc.  Lottie did great in her performance and ironically we know two of the other kids in Lottie’s class through their parents so we got to catch up with them, one being an old coworker of mine and the other being one of our Ragnar teammates.

On Saturday of Easter weekend, we walked down to Madison Park for their Easter egg hunt and celebration.  We got there right at the start and a good thing we did otherwise we would have missed the egg hunt, we were first in line for the facepainting before the line became an hour long and we were able to snag some of the complimentary coffee and pastries they had set up before those disappeared.  They had live music, a real Easter bunny which Brooke kept a very close but distant eye on, and a few craft activities.  After the egg hunt we moved on to the playground to alternate between playing and eating their candy.  We met up with three of Reese’s friends and classmates and we met up with Brooke’s best buddy from school for some playtime on the playground, then relaxing on the beach of Lake Washington in the glorious sunshine before walking back for a slice of pizza from Pagliacci’s, Brooke’s nap, and to spend the rest of the day at home.

And for Easter Sunday, after Reese’s dance class, we headed up to Luis and Carina’s house for a big Easter lunch, another Easter egg hunt and for the kids to play.  Lunch was great with contributions from everyone.  Luis made a leg of lamb.  I brought some homemade rolls and a salad and deviled eggs.  The kids were very well behaved at lunch and then resumed play before the hunt started.  All kids got a bunch of eggs but Reese and Eliana, being the oldest, definitely landed the most eggs in their baskets.  We sang happy birthday to Eliana with Polly’s amazing sheep cake and then we headed back to our house around 2 pm.  After Brooke’s nap at home we gifted the girls their Easter baskets from us with a few little toys and then a new bigger scooter for Reese, gifting Reese’s scooter to Brooke and now they each have a purple scooter with matching streamers.  We took the scooters for a ride down to the park to play for a bit before heading home and spending the rest of the night watching a movie and having pizza.

Last week flew by.  We didn’t really have any afterschool activities until soccer practice on Thursday so I was able to get my last bit of studying in before my test on Wednesday.  I think my test went well.  I really had no idea what to expect with the computer based testing and at a test center but that all went fairly smoothly.  I was there for over six hours, 5.5 hours of pure testing my brain power, a short 20 minute break in the middle, and it took about 30 minutes to get me checked in, for them to take my photo and scan my palm in each time I entered and exited the exam room.  My brain was fried and has been ever since.  I had just a purely difficult time even sitting at my computer to work the rest of the week.  Thankfully the next and final portion is just under two weeks away so I have a little time to recover and study some more for that.  That one is the big unknown to me because the format of it changes so much now that it is computer based.  I’m not feeling as good about that one but maybe by the time it gets here I will be.  At least this time around I will know what to expect of the testing facility and the codes and references that will be provided to me.

And to kickstart spring break Reese got sick, in our bed. She was well enough for dance class Saturday morning but then spent the rest of Saturday lethargic and out of it on the couch. And I spent all of Saturday with loads of laundry. Fortunately she woke up Sunday feeling much better and was able to participate in both our soccer game and Clara’s birthday party at her old friend Seattle Gymnastics Academy. Reese misses it and I do too and think once dance is over she’ll be back at it. The party was fun and well run but no one had more fun than Brooke who was allowed to be on the gymnastics floor too, had a one on one coaching session by one of the coaches and then got to have pizza and cake alongside the big girls at the end of the party.

I do feel like some weight is off of my chest with having one done.  We have spring break this week so it’s a bit of a different week for all of us but I think it will be a good one for the girls.  I’m very glad that alas spring feels upon us.  And getting these exams out of the way now makes me feel like I will truly have summer back to my own wishes.  Hopefully!

— 
Chelsea

I was hopeful that at the time of my last post Reese was getting better on her own but alas, Reese had to take that Friday and Monday off school, would seem to feel better and then hit another wall, fever spike, and she’d be low energy again.  This went on all that weekend.  She made it through dance class but couldn’t make it through a friend’s birthday party at the climbing gym.  While I was delivering a meal and meeting Polly’s new baby boy, Hugo, Reese’s fever spiked to its highest and her complaint of pain in her ear led to the conclusion of another ear infection and Bryan was able to get her antibiotics that night to start taking right away.  After 24 hours on the antibiotics she was doing so much better and has felt herself ever since, thank goodness.

Last weekend, now that everyone was feeling good, we also got to celebrate beautiful weather in Seattle.  Friday through Tuesday we had temperatures above 60, most around 70, full sun, birds chirping, etc, etc.  It was so needed and we enjoyed it immensely.  We walked to Capitol Hill on that Friday for a TOPS kindergarten meetup at Stoup Brewing where the parents go to drink the kids got to play, and we decided to linger longer and enjoyed some delicious fried chicken and fries from the Impeccable Chicken food truck parked outside.  Both girls had a great time and it was a nice way to unwind from the week with people we continue to get to know better.

Saturday we spent pretty much all day outside.  We tidied up the yard in various ways and then set out with the bike and trailer to our friend Marion’s daughter’s third birthday party in the park six miles north of us.  It was a nice first family ride, we played in the park, had some cake and then headed back home.  Our friends Luis and Carina and their kids came over after the party for an impromptu grilled dinner we enjoyed on our back deck for the first grill of the season.  The kids had a great time playing with each other but the late departure might have been a little too late as the girls seemed past their limit when we finally went to bed.  Bryan and I were also spent from the day.

Sunday was more low-key for sure but we did have dance class in the morning and then just hung out at home for a while where we waited for Sarah and Lottie to come over for a St Patrick’s Day dinner of corned beef, cabbage, carrots and red potatoes.  We hadn’t had a night with those two in several weeks and it was nice to catch up and we again enjoyed eating outside on the back deck again.  We finished the night with Bryan’s grasshopper pie for a touch of green.

Then this week was a week that I had been slightly worried about logistically speaking.  I was asked to go to the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) National Steel Conference in San Antonio for our senior engineering annual team building event.  It’s the time each year we get together for some team dinners, earn some professional development hours (PDHs) and all come together where we all normally work independently. 

I think this conference was a hit and really worthwhile.  The technical sessions were really interesting, both professionally and personally, and well done.  The conference was Wednesday through Friday and I was able to attend pretty much the full day Wednesday and Thursday.  I flew down to San Antonio on Tuesday and was happy to have one night solo before the rest of the team arrived the next day.  I had a great dinner at a place called Corinne, walked along the riverwalk, and then tried to get a good night sleep.  Fortunately, the days didn’t start too early for, being in Central Time zone, and I had only a 15 minute walk to the Convention Center.  The conference provided easy grab and go lunches each day and I got a tasty cold brew from Starbucks in the mornings.  Each day ended around 5:30 pm where I would head back to the hotel to drop off my backpack (we were technically still working so I had to log on and do some projects when I could between sessions) and then get ready for dinner.

On Wednesday night our whole group walked over to Pinkerton’s BBQ for a massive shared family platter of delicious BBQ.  I tried ribs, brisket and pork and they were all good.  We got tons of sides, which honestly were just a side glance compared to the BBQ and not as good and a Ranch Water from the bar which was my first time trying this drink but really liked it.  I was so full from dinner and all of my colleagues were off to bed.  I talked to the family but then decided I was not too full for ice cream and walked down the riverwalk to the Justin’s Ice Cream booth I had seen earlier in the day and got some great Mexican Brownie and Oaxacan Chocolate ice cream.  Now I was beyond stuffed.  

Thursday night our group opted out of the conference block party dinner and had a reservation at Brenner’s on the River for their well-known Texas steaks. This was a length dinner but a great one nonetheless and really good conversation with my coworkers.  The American wagyu filet that I had was delicious, as were all of the sides, the wine, and the bread.  I was again stuffed and really could do without beef for some time.  We went for a walk as a group, which was interesting as it had rained hard while we had been eating and the sidewalks along the river were semi-flooding.  I said goodbye to our team around 10 pm as I had changed my flight to the 7 am CST the next morning to get back home for the girls and had a very early wakeup call.  My flight this morning went as smooth as could be, although I did not get a nap in so I’m tired now.  I enjoyed my few nights away, seeing my peers and a few colleagues from Michigan CEE and Seattle SEAW and having a quick week break off of studying before I enter the homestretch. 

Bryan did amazing with the girls while I was gone and had a very busy week himself.  Bryan was in charge of running a two-day workshop for about 100 people on Thursday and Friday on the Smarter Testing that they have bene looking into and from what I have heard so far, all went really well.  But it was a lot for him to prepare and a lot for him to do on top of being the sole parent this week and I can’t believe he made it work.  We did have to have our sitter come over for an hour each the past two mornings to do drop-offs at the bus and school but that also seemed to work well.

I’m glad to be home.  I’m glad to not have much of anything on the calendar this weekend other than hang out with the family.  And I’m ready to tackle this SE coming up.

— 
Chelsea