She has gone so far as to resolve to only live and work near a bus stop. Public transportation will save her from getting behind the wheel!
Except it really won't.
Because Megan is going to college and I'm doomed to drive to the high school every morning.
I'll be danged! That girl needs to get her license!
So she did her day-long test in October (almost 4 months ago). Then we let 4 long months pass with no driving at all. I would have that sinking feeling every couple weeks when I remembered that I was dropping the ball and Laney might be living by the bus stop, after all.
Finally, we set a goal and decided we'd drive 3 times during the week and then treat ourselves to a movie on Saturday. I was hopeful that we'd be able to get on the freeway by the end of the week.
And she did it!
Yes, there was a little snafu involving a two lane roundabout. I may have raised my voice to save our lives and the bumper.
But we are back on the road....literally.
She successfully merged into freeway traffic half a dozen times and learned to go through the drive thru, all in one day.
It turns out that was the first time ordering for herself as well!
There are stretches of my life that are busy and interesting and engaging in a way that would make a puzzle out on the coffee table unnecessary and forgotten.
But there are weeks and often months that feel like that puzzle is the only thing keeping me together.
It's solvable, ya know?
There are so many things that don't feel that way and sometimes what I really need is just to experience some measurable progress....
...on anything....even its just the patch of blue sky in the right corner.
Since November:
And for a bonus...I'm removing all the side pieces after doing each puzzle and putting them in a ziploc baggie for future me...because I have a feeling she's gonna need it.
It's fair to say I've let a few things go as the kids get older. Little traditions and extra silliness that made their days a little bit magical.
Everly is still a kid, though. She benefits from all the big stuff we do and the experiences that we can provide now that we have a little more time and money.
Lion Chaser 3 times a week?
I rest my case.
But those little magical things live on in her memory and come up in conversations like ...."I sure wish I could run through the streamers on my birthday morning .....*dreamy sigh*.....that was always the funnest thing and made my birthday feel so special."
Please hold while I set an alarm for Saturday morning and add streamers and tape to the shopping list.
Its a "Friend Year" and that means a party! We had loads to do before her pals arrived so we set out to Walmart to pick up a few supplies, then over to PetCo to select a crested gecko! She chose the climbiest one and named him Dragonfly. Back to Walmart to see if Claire's had opened for the epic piercing of ears....but alas...since Covid, business hours are more a general suggestion. No worries, we zip to the dollar store for some shiny balloons!
We headed to Olathe Pet store to get a Repti-hammock and then to Neighborhood market for ice cream and purified water for the lil' lizard. We still had time to spare so we went to Everly's favorite for lunch, Subway! She ate all the pickles!
We took 4 of her friends out to go ice skating at Park Place ice rink!
I discovered that were it not for the "skate helpers" we would have been toast. How was I planning on helping 5 little girls survive their first time on the ice without concussions or broken butts? I know not.
Soon, they earned their ice legs and they were ditching the ice walkers! Those are for babies!
There was the usual amount of silliness and grumbling. I received multiple requests to take them out to lunch at one of the neighboring pricey establishments. I wasn't born yesterday. All it took was the promise of a QT slushy and I had some very happy girls on my hands.
We were running late to get home in time to meet the girls parents for pick up...these girls executed their QT slushie retrieval with surgical precision. I was impressed....and tired. Did I mention I woke up at 5:30 am to make a batch of sugar cookies that we wouldn't have time to decorate after ice skating?
These things happen.
Mom's were ready to roll and the girls quickly gave her her gifts.
When it was all over, we figured we better head over to Claire's one more time to see if they could pierce this girl's ears. Will future generations someday feel horrified that we celebrated a birthday by stabbing something right through a body part?
Maybe.
But at least we're stabbing her with her birthstone.
And with freshly pierced ears and a cutie pie new gecko in the house (that makes THREE!), she goes to sleep as the newest 10 year old in the hood.
Sunday we celebrated with her fave dinner...Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, broccoli and rolls.
Flynns came over to celebrate with the cutes mini donuts you have ever laid eyes on! And some melty ice cream I accidentally left out on the counter too long...I'm human!
Some moms are so ON IT when it comes to getting family pictures taken.
I just....
CAN'T.
I don't have the special combination of skill and style that make the perfect pic.
DON'T MAKE ME.
But here and there I realize that we are all together for a small window of time and I text my neighbor that we've lived by for 12 years and somehow we really don't know each other but I sew her son's soccer patches on several times a year for free except for the starbucks giftcards she sends over with the poor kid to give me because it feels crappy to do nothing but also weird to pay me...I call her up and ask her to meet us in the cul de sac and snap a few photos of us because, lets' face it, having the camera angle up from the ground isn't a good look for anyone...just take a little peek at our Easter 2020 photo.
Yowza.
And here there are. (I have thoughts...they are coming)
I mean...this one is okay. I hyperfocus on the bottom of my sweater...should I have partially tucked it in?
On the bright side, Mark is looking mighty fine and my hair is having a good day.
These kids...I love them!
The obligatory silly photo...why is it so flipping hard to think of a silly pose? I need to come up with a few go-to options so I don't panic and awkwardly star at Laney's face next time.
And there WILL be a next time. There always is.
And here are the things that I can't stop looking at in this one...
1. Why does it look like I need to pee?
2. Why are Ethan and Megan both holding their hands the same way?
3. Why didn't I turn and face Mark? The balance is off!
4. Why can't I figure out how to be that mom that will know what clothes everyone should wear AND convince them to wear them?
5. Why do I not care enough to make any of that happen?
6. Why do I love these people so much that my heart hurts....I love the matching hands, the bright blue shirts, the belly buttons and the slightly green hair. I love the full party makeup and the camo pants and the 90's sweater. It's all a big part of the super fun grab-bag of Huffordness.
