TYLER'S BIRTHDAY - 2021

This guy's another year older! 

Tyler had some friends come over for a few hours on Sunday and they all decided to play Uno with college rules for a while. 

After dinner they made oobleck and had lots of fun playing with it. Well, they tried to make it in the individual bowls I gave them, but that quickly proved to be impractical. Devon and Naomi swooped in and saved the day. They dumped each boy's oobleck into a larger bowl, added a bunch more cornstarch and water, mixed it all up, then refilled each boy's bowl with their own portion of oobleck. I was thankful for their help!

One of Tyler's friends happens to be one of Natie's brothers, so the two siblings were able to spend a little time together at the party. I snapped a picture for their mom's benefit, but it's cute and I'm including it here. 

I asked them to all strike a pose after Tyler opened cards and gifts they'd brought. One smiling. 

And one silly, of course.

Next up was an indoor snowball fight, which was a huge hit. No pun intended. They pelted each other for an hour, right up until they left for home. 

It was a fun time with tons of laughter!

Today was about celebrating with family. (The exception being reading all sorts of birthday messages posted on my Facebook page and getting a text from a man at church he's friends with.) He got a text from an aunt, started a birthday greeting text exchange with a cousin who was born on the same date a decade earlier, answered a video call from some bonus Ws, talked on the phone with grandparents in two states, ate the dinner of his choice with me and the sibs, was taken to pick up his free birthday drink at Dutch by a brother and sister-in-law, and spent time opening gifts and cards from various relatives with the Ws.

This is how Silas hauled Tyler out to the car when they left for a birthday drink. There are some things that only big brothers do. This is one of them. 

Tim had to unexpectedly work late, which made a whole family picture unattainable, but I made sure to get one of all the sibs. They have their share of conflict and they drive me crazy at times, but they also laugh together a lot and put thought into gifts they choose for each other. I love that.

 And that was that. The end of birthday fun for Tyler.

** This post contains affiliate links and I'm grateful when people use them. **

LOTS OF FAMILY (& A LITTLE BIT OF FRIEND) TIME

We were in Medford over the weekend and had a great time. Here's a recap.

FRIDAY

Naomi, Tyler, and I hit the road first thing Friday morning. But not before laughing because we'd set the timer for way too long on the camera and were hitting the awkward smile phase. (And I mean even more awkward than my brackets and rubber bands smile already is these days.)

Last year Devon challenged Tyler and a friend to keep their fingers touching the roof for as long as possible on a road trip. They lasted about forty-five minutes. Winner got a pack of gum. Naomi did a modified version for Tyler this time, asking if he could do it for the last twenty minutes of the trip. He did. She gave him candy.

It's been almost a year since Dad and Debra lost everything they owned in the Almeda Fire. Having a rental to live in for the past nine months or so is a privilege that many who lost their homes haven't had, so I'm incredibly thankful a home was available and that their insurance paid for it. However, being able to settle in a permanent place is a huge blessing and I was super excited to visit their new home with two of my kids. It's a fantastic place, filled with lots of natural light. I'm so happy for them as they move into this next season of life.

Our weekend was dedicated to family stuff, but Carol, who I'd invited to stop by the gallery, asked if we could meet for a meal. We couldn't, but we did happen to have a little block of time to squeeze her into. We met up for ice cream at Sweet Cream and had time to visit, both with and without the kids. I've only known her for ten months, but she's one of those people I loved right from the start. She's kind, gentle, a wonderful encourager, and truly cares about everyone who crosses her path. I appreciated being able to share some of my life with her and hear her words of wisdom.

Sidenote: I found out at Dad's that he and Debra know Carol. And they met her eight years ago! I guess I'd never mentioned her name to them and she never made the connection because she didn't know my maiden name. I love small world moments.

My sister, Belinda, is such a talented artist! To spend the evening with her at Art du Jour Gallery during the Third Friday Art Walk was a huge treat. There was a steady stream of relatives both local and from out of town (I hadn't seen some of my brother-in-law's relatives in several years, but we're all from the same town), friends from different parts of her life (it was fun for me to meet them), and people she'd never met before who came and supported her as this month's featured artist at the gallery. I think I'd previously seen all twenty paintings either in her home or on her professional social media pages, but it was pretty impressive to see them all on display at once. I'm so glad I was able to be there for her big night!

She took the next three pictures and passed them along to me because they have me or my kids in them. First, sisters. 

Second, my sister with her son, her niece, and one of her nephews.

Finally, the three Perkins girls.

Some of my friends came to the gallery (two who'd never met my sister, two who met her at Silas and Natie's wedding, and one she's spent some one-on-one time with) and it was good to see them. It was special to see Don and Katy. We'd had a few minutes to visit at my church when they were in town a few weeks ago and thought that was the last time we'd probably ever be in the same place. To see them again for another few minutes was great. I also appreciated Carol hanging out downtown for a while in order to come and Nicole and Brittney rearranging their evening to allow for a gallery visit.

Sidenote: I found out Katy and Ashley recently met, but neither of them knew about the other's connection to me. Now they know! Have I mentioned I love small world moments?

SATURDAY

Ashley, one of my step-sisters, lost the home she shared with roommates in the Almeda Fire last September. It was a horrible experience that turned out to be the catalyst for buying her own home. She's lived there for several months now, but this was my first time visiting.I also got to bring two kids who were seeing it for the first time and another who saw it in the bare bones days right after she got keys. It's perfect for her! It was really cool to see such a huge blessing come from such a huge tragedy.

Tim wasn't expecting to be able to join us for the weekend, but plans changed and he arrived mid-day, and Silas had come down separately. The temperature was perfect and the smoke cleared, so my family, my sister's family, Dad, Debra, and Ashley enjoyed hanging out in the back yard for lunch, floats, games, swimming, a contagious case of the giggles, conversation, and even a haircut. It was a perfect way to spend an afternoon! I'm so very thankful we live close enough to make these family gatherings possible from time to time and that Beep took this group shot of the whole crew.

Later in the evening we had the kids find something to do while Beep, Josh, Tim, and I played Drawful 2 and Fibbage via a TV screen and our phones. Both games were new to me and Tim, but they were easy to learn and made me laugh. I love laughing, but don't do it enough, so ending a fun day by playing funny games was pretty awesome.

SUNDAY 

We joined my sister's family at their church. I cried a bit. I'm thankful for people who are vulnerable about their struggles. I also got to meet more people my sister knows and ran into Loren and Melindsa, a couple I've been acquainted with for probably twenty-five years because we knew a lot of the same people, but haven't seen in at least sixteen.

Sidenote: Melinda recently met my sister, but didn't know we were related because we have different last names. Another small world moment this weekend!

We'd planned on stopping by to see Shon, Devry, and Michael on our way out of town, which turned into meeting them for lunch. The plan was to head home once we were done, but our family traveling in two cars meant the W guys were able to make a spontaneous decision to stay longer. Naomi and I headed out after lunch, but the guys spent the rest of the afternoon together.

I was able to say a quick hello and give a hug to Cindy and Betty after we gassed up for the drive home. Less than five minutes together, but it was still good to see them. 

Three days of important milestones, special people, and positive experiences filled up my emotional tank!

** This post contains affiliate links and I'm grateful when people use them. **

MARSHMALLOWS, PAN DULCE, & GAMES

Our whole family was home for Family Fun Friday this week, so we decided to try out some gourmet marshmallows we recently received. We were given a gift certificate to Mountain Mallow, a small business in Colorado that makes loaded marshmallows, at Christmas, which we supplemented with some cash of our own in order to try all four of their flavors - toasted s'mores, triple chocolate, cookies & cream, and chocolate strawberry. We tried each of the flavors two ways, room temp and toasted. Of course, I had to have everyone strike a pose before we took our first bites.

Silas and Tyler acted tough while they roasted some over a burner. 

Tim and I smiled while roasting some over a candle we happened to have burning. 

Devon and Naomi followed Silas and Tyler's lead by looking tough over a burner.

There were mixed reviews on the marshmallows and it was fun to do something totally random. My favorite flavor was either toasted s'mores or cookies & cream. 

Next up? Monopoly. Otherwise known as Monotony. I joke about it being boring, but have to admit my first time playing the version with a speed die made it more interesting. 

Then I negotiated for a game that required less thinking, along with eating some more sugar. Ridiculous, I know, but we'd planned on getting Miranda's before I knew we'd all be home for marshmallow sampling and I'd have been in trouble with the fam if I'd backed out. And, no, we didn't eat all that. It's been several months since we've been in there, maybe since lockdowns last March, so it was hard for Naomi and I to decide what to get. We just got a bunch, cut them up as we always do so people can have more variety, and will eat the leftovers later.

Final game of the night was What Do You Meme? Family Edition, an easy one that's new to us.

So much food. So much laughter. So thankful for a few hours to have fun with my family.

** This post contains affiliate links and I'm grateful when people use them. **

CHRISTMAS - 2020

I thought last year was as low-key as we could get on Christmas, and I even vowed we'd kick things back up a notch this year, but the reality is this year was even more low-key because we didn't see anyone outside of our family and never set foot out the front door. Food, treats, watching our church's Christmas Eve service a day late, gifts, games, Tim reading The Legend of the Three Trees, Christmas music, messages and phone calls with family, and quite a bit of laughter. Plus a little conflict and tears, because that's real life. 

I'm always taking pictures of everything, but told the fam the only one I was taking today was our usual family picture. But several hours later I busted out an inflatable antler ring toss, similar to this one. Tyler and I were the only Ws who ended up playing and it's a lot harder than I expected, so I felt compelled to document our only successful tosses with a picture. 

It was a good day, both fun and relaxing, but we also had a few other Christmas highlights over the last several days.

On Saturday we watched The Christmas Ships. Those volunteers have been cruising the river for a couple weeks every December for fifty years and I always enjoy the times we're able to watch their parade. 

Tuesday night we drove through Keizer Miracle of Christmas Lights, as well as through some streets of Woodburn. From classy displays to tacky ones, simple to elaborate, Christmas lights are inherently cheerful and I think it's fun to look at them.

I'd decided not to bake this year because we already had some treats for Christmas day. Then I hopped on Facebook Wednesday morning and saw posts in my memories of the cookies I'd made previous years. So, I made a spontaneous decision on Christmas Adam to crank out some goodies. But not before we headed over to our neighbors to check out his most recent LEGO Christmas decor. So fun! Then it was time to don a Santa hat, choose three cookie recipes, and start pulling out ingredients. 

I ended up with thirteen dozen cookies, most of which we distributed to friends and neighbors. I'm glad I chose not to bake this year because I needed to not feel pressure to get more done. I'm also glad I changed my mind and could enjoy an unexpected day in the kitchen that satisfied lots of taste buds. Here's a little glimpse of what we ate - honey & spice, maple-glazed oatmeal, and a new cranberry orange recipe I don't have up yet. 

Finally, yesterday I posted this picture on Facebook of this ornament from a friend and asked people to link their church's online Christmas Eve services. In a season where many people are choosing not to venture out and are missing their tradition of gathering at a church to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve, I thought it would be nice for folks to have some options of services they could watch from home. Several friends shared links and I spent a good portion of the day listening to, singing along with, and sorta watching to four different ones as I went about my day. Not only was it a mood booster on a day of exhaustion-driven emotions, but it was also neat to get a glimpse into a little piece of my friends' lives. 

** This post contains affiliate links & I'm grateful when people use them. **

THANKSGIVING - 2020

As it was for many people, this Thanksgiving was different than usual for our family. Hunkered down at home instead of gathered with extended family, I said I didn't want to make the traditional meal. But I still wanted pie. Duh. I mean, who wouldn't? 

Tim swung by Costco on his way home from work on Tuesday to grab a pumpkin pie, then I baked a cranberry almond apple pie on Thanksgiving morning. I rarely make pie and had never had this kind before, but it sounded simple and good. And it was. 

Naomi made almond whipped cream as a garnish, which just took it over the top. So delicious! I mentioned that it was ugly, which is fine as long as it tastes good, but a friend said to call it rustic. Sounds classier, right?

I had a really hard morning of valid frustrations, unmet expectations that I don't know if were realistic or not, and butter exploding in the microwave. That butter was the straw that broke the camel's back and I flipped my lid. It seems like it's always the little things that finally set us off. I freaked out, cried for an hour, and then moved on. 

Having had such a rough start to the day, it was awesome to have Carol stop by for a quick visit as she passed through town a few hours later. Three of us met her last month, so it was cool to have the other three meet her this month. 

This new friendship has been such a blessing!

We've spent Thanksgiving with my bonus in-laws for more than two decades and I absolutely love that tradition. However, because our group has 18 people, ages 9-99, from seven households in two states, we had to pause our regular gathering this year. That was disappointing, but we were able to Zoom in the afternoon. Not nearly as fun, but better than nothing. Some family members couldn't join or logged in after the picture (which I didn't retake because others had left by that time, so a full group shot wasn't going to happen anyway), but the silver lining was some who live too far away to ever join in real life were able to Zoom with us this year. 

Next up? A game. I recently hauled a bunch of stuff off for a friend who was moving, selling and donating the things she no longer needed. However, I saw a headband hoops game in the mix (different brand, but just like this), so I snagged it for today. My goal was some cheap entertainment on a holiday that's off-kilter. And that's what happened. 

Why are the little Ws smiling?

Because they got to throw balls at their mom!

Only three of us took a turn at donning the headband hoop, but all four little Ws and I took the opportunity to throw things at each other. 

We wrapped up our day with a Thanksgiving meal of tacos. Yes, I said tacos. That's what my people wanted, so that's what we had. Plus, it's 2020 and nothing is normal anyway. Which is why it's fine that my taco was deconstructed.
 

I made avocado dressing Tuesday, cooked a bunch of chicken in the slow cooker Wednesday, threw black beans in the slow cooker yesterday morning, then the boys seasoned the chicken and did all the other dinner prep in the evening. Hit the spot!

Our church's annual turkey bowl that five Ws play in, officiate, or watch didn't happen. No potluck dinner of traditional foods with my bonus in-laws or being impressed at the creative edible placeholders they always make. No spotting Christmas lights as we drive home at the end of the night.

But one friend sent me a picture in the morning of the pie he'd made. Then another friend sent me pictures of her cute kids in adorable Thanksgiving outfits their grandma made for them. Then my sister called to chat. Plus there were all the good things I listed above. 

Weird Thanksgiving, but still plenty to be thankful for.

 

 ** This post contains affiliate links and I'm grateful when people use them. **

RANDOM PICTURES FROM THE FIRST HALF OF APRIL

Just a little glimpse of life during the first half of the month.

4/1 - The little Ws serenaded Papa for his birthday, which was my dad's first FB video chat.

Silas enjoyed seeing the puppet a friend made and wanted to show him.

4/2 - Naomi, Devon, and Silas hunkered down for a game of Monotony ... I mean Monopoly, while I made dinner.

While the bigs played board games inside, Tyler levitated outside.

And flipped.

And was just his cute self.

The day was mostly good, but there was a small amount of time that required being locked in my room with the "first aid kit" my wise husband gave me at Christmas. Emergency chocolate is a real thing. 

Getting a marital pep talk. This one may have been pre-recorded for a group of gals, but Judy's given me countless private pep talks in several areas of my life for many years. Twelve years ago, almost exactly, I sat in on one of her "To Love Their Husbands" series at the church office back when it was in Tualatin. I'd been married to Tim for just shy of nine years at that point and still have a particular point she made all those years ago come to mind on a regular basis. It's good stuff. Not always comfortable or easy, but good stuff rarely is.

Now, coming up on our twenty-first anniversary in June, I've been watching the "To Love Their Husbands" series she's recording during this pandemic. I've been meeting with her for 14 years, which means she knows all the junk in my life. I'm so grateful for her gentle way of validating how women feel and giving comfort when life's hard, while simultaneously pointing a steady finger back to the Lord and kindly calling us out when we need to be reprimanded.

4/3 - Tyler asked me to play a game in a school book with him. He won, of course.

Smiles with Naomi and Tyler.

Silly faces with Naomi and Tyler.

Smiling girls.

Silly girls.

Just hanging out.

The end caps watching The Andy Griffith Show.

The middles watching Ralph Breaks the Internet.

4/4 - Tim cleaned out an old computer that had water spilled on it.

Devon enjoyed some time spent chatting with friends.

4/6 - Streamed church again. Took a picture for social media because our church is adding a stream of pictures at the end of each weekend service to help our church family feel connected while we're all apart. 

All 6 Ws went for a walk after church.

Raise your hand if your family had a vehicle similar to this station wagon at some point. Tim found a car just like the one his family drove out to Oregon in. My family also had one, but it was all white.

 

This goofball ate lunch outside.

Post-dinner walk with just the adults.

4/7 - A friend's been posting a bunch of coronavirus-related memes on Facebook each morning. This particular morning Tyler joined me and read all of them. In case you're interested, she puts those posts on a public setting so anyone on Facebook can get some morning laughs.

Naomi was looking all grown up, so I made her pose for a picture.

We had to throw in a side shot so Pam could see that Naomi was wearing shoes they bought together during one of their outings.

Just some masked man who sent me his picture.

4/9 - I set a goal to not leave home, except for walks, for two weeks. This was day thirteen and I went on a huge shopping trip. New goal? Three weeks. Why did I cave a day early this time? Because I'd gotten dressed. Couldn't guarantee that would happen the next day.

A friend set up a chat for the gals who sit near each other at church. Or sat, as the case may be. And will sit again, someday. Several couldn't make it, but a few could and the rest will join another time. So thankful for a chance to visit with them!

4/10 - The Pampered Chef shirt that turned into jams, my trusty, plaid jams shorts, and two different kinds of slipper socks were my outfit for the day. After pulling an unplanned all-nighter, there's no way I was getting dressed or leaving home on Friday. It's a good thing I went grocery shopping the day before!

Tyler got some happy mail yesterday that included this portrait of him with the friend who sent it. How sweet is that? I snapped a picture of it while he worked on a return letter today.

We started a book while Devry and Michael were here last month, but didn't have time to finish it before they left. Thanks to their awesome grandma's cooperation, we were able to video chat each weekday afternoon as I read whatever chapter was next until we finally read the last chapter this afternoon.

The book was good, but all 6 Ws have also enjoyed the time spent chatting about our days with all three of them, seeing what Devry's created, having Michael show us the tooth he lost, and laughing at all the funny filters they use. And I've loved the chance to visit with Cindy.

I got a message from someone a few doors down saying he was putting some Lego sets in his yard and wondered if our kids wanted any. Naomi and Tyler blitzed right over. "He's amazing!", Tyler shouted as he went out the door, before he even knew what was available. They split the loot with a neighborhood friend, each little W coming home with a set to play with and one to eat. Good neighbors, happy kids!

4/11 - This is the face of a kid who decided to work ahead and finished his sophomore year about thirty seconds before this picture was taken. Way to go, Devon!

** This post contains affiliate links and I'm grateful when people use them. **