Happy New Year; Soon Jack Will Turn 16!

At the park working on an extra credit assignment for school. They had to solve a riddle and then go find the location and send in a selfie of them near the location. Jack was the first to turn in the assignment just like the last time!!

We’re so happy to put 2020 behind us and look forward to new beginnings in 2021. Nothing immediate has changed, and we’re still working and schooling remotely and still facing the stress of this pandemic, but we have a chance to make this year as good as we can.

Last year ended with us all doing things in ways that we would never have predicted… school fully online, no winter indoor sports or gym training, no big family parties, and no staples like going to the movies, or waiting in a crowded line to get into a popular restaurant for a crowded and noisy dinner. Everything we did was quieter, more home-based and with smaller gatherings, etc.

We still had a great Christmas, and stayed up to ring in the New Year (albeit with the slightly creepy and mildly deserted New York Times Square broadcast…). We’ve un-Christmassed the house and it’s been back to “normal” for a few weeks.

Until…

Jack’s birthday.!! 🥳🥳🥳

Oh, and this year is the first of the BIG ONEs. 16.

😱😱🥳🥳

The 16th birthday is more important, I think, for girls, because it’s their ‘sweet’ 16 (I wouldn’t dare call this Jack’s sweet 16 birthday haha), but it is symbolic just the same because now Jack will be old enough to get his driver’s permit. And, in the US and Canada, we think this is a cause for celebration! Yikes! I’ve seen my share of teen-related accidents in my town and even in my neighborhood. Not fun! But, there’s no stopping it.

And, Jack’s girlfriend turned 16 in November AND is driving, so Jack has some catching up to do.

In a few months Jack will take his driver’s permit test. The next available opening is in April, so we have some time to prepare ourselves and Jack has time to study. Those pesky questions about how many feet you need to park away from a fire hydrant (10 I believe?) and how many seconds you need to wait after passing someone before you can pull back in front of them (No seconds actually, you have to wait until you can see both headlights first…) are waiting to trip him up.

But, Jack is determined and has been studying already and also quizzing his friends that have already taken, and passed, their permit tests. He should do fine.

Getting a car will be the other fun task this year. Some things have me wishing it would stay 2020 a bit longer.

One of the things Jack got for Christmas was a shoulder bag (cough, man purse). I wasn’t sure he would like it so naturally I bought two! One for me! And it turns out he did like it. On the way to. Ew York last weekend he came downstairs with it sling around his shoulder cross-body style with the “purse” bag part in the front.

Jack: This is so convenient! Look, I have my phone and my air pods and… I don’t have to dig around in my pockets.

me: And that’s why even carry purses.

Jack: I totally get it now! Everything is literally right here!

Hahahaha, how funny. And Jack also got a rowing machine for Christmas, which sits right in the middle of the living room. So very convenient. Right?

Tomorrow I’ll make Jack’s yearly physical exam which always makes us laugh as we remember the horrors of past appointments and worrying about the dreaded “shots”. There is literally nothing on this earth that Jack was more afraid of than getting a shot. Nothing. The day after an appointment in which he did get a shot in his arm, Jack would start crying about the next year and possibility of another shot. I had to calm him down time and time again. This year we drive past his doctor’s office.

me: (pointing) It’s time.

Jack: (looks over and sees the office building) Noooo.

me: Yep, you have to get your physical soon.

Jack: I am not getting any shots!!!

me: I don’t know about that. It might be time.

Jack: Well I’m not getting the finger prick!

(Umm, you know…The tiny one they give you to take a tiny drop of blood?)

me: Geez Jack, that doesn’t hurt.

Jack: Yes it does. I’m not giving any blood. They can just use my blood from last year.

And, there you have it. Though he’s 6-foot 2, he’s still my little boy.

And it will soon be time for me to change the blog header haha. 11 years! Wow.

Thanks for reading.

🙂

Jack fighting Darth Vader at age 2

Jack and his girlfriend on New Years Eve, ready to go-kart!

Weird Thanksgiving 2020

Of course it’s weird, it’s 2020!

Did you all have a happy, albeit slightly different, Thanksgiving? We did!

For the first time ever it was Jack and his dad plus me and my dad! (Jack’s grandfather.) Weird right? Sort of like the island of misfit toys but we made it work. 🙂

We had a turkey fiasco, a mild cranberry sauce issue that turned into a last minute dash to the store, and more food and pies than 4 people would need in a month, let alone one day.

I did most of the cooking (ok all of the cooking) and it took the better part of two days. I didn’t mind though! And naturally, we finished off the meal in under 30 minutes. We are notoriously fast eaters in my family so I wasn’t surprised. We could not even think about having seconds, so in the hopes that we could stay at the table just a little bit longer, I sent Jack up to his room to find an old Madlibs book, where you fill in the blanks with nouns and adjectives to create a wacky story.

Jack ran back down the stairs with a Star Wars Madlibs book and we had some fun with that for awhile. Yes the grosser nouns and weird body parts always make for an interesting story at the end.

We had just finished a story and hadn’t even cleared the dozens of dishes off the dining table when Jack made his announcement.

Jack: Pie.

me: What?

Jack: It’s time.

me: Sure, after we clear this up. (I waved my hand over the table and Jack groaned.)

Jack: That will take forever!

me: Well let’s get moving.

So, we all cleared and carried, washed and dried, divvied up food into containers for the dads to take home, and realized just how small our fridge really is.

Jack looked at me. I raised my eyebrow.

Jack: Pie.

me: OK! Who wants pie??

Apparently it was only me and Jack who would be shoveling pie into our pie holes.

Apple and pumpkin pies, both baked the day before, both with their own issues due to poor planning. Sort of like the turkey and cranberry sauce.

I thought I had canned pumpkin but only had canned pumpkin pie mix. Ew?? I thought I had evaporated milk but only had sweetened condensed! Double Ewww. I thought I had Macintosh apples but only had Cortland… where is my attention to detail this holiday season? Gone!! So I improvised and doctored and made it work. They were both really good and there will be only crumbs left I’m sure.

Today we packed up both our dads and sent them home and forgot to give them pies to go with their many containers of stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, sourdough stuffing, corn soufflé, turkey, squash, rolls and cranberry sauce. No pie!!!

When we walked back in the door today, Jack looked at me. I raised my eyebrow.

Jack: Pie?

me: Yep.

We had it for lunch and then decided to kayak in the Saugatuck River, just because. It was that kind of day.

We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and now get to enjoy the nice long weekend!

And here’s a hint, if you eat all the pie in one day, you won’t have it calling to you for three more days! 🥳😂😇

Quote of the day – In German

Herr Jack: Hör auf zu reden, du bringst mich zum Niesen

😂

Or…

Jack: Stop talking, you’re making me sneeze.

He’s practicing German on the Duo Lingo app and I kept trying to repeat everything he was saying in my most serious German accent.

Jack wasn’t laughing. But for some reason he was sneezing!

And ironically I just started sneezing as I typed this.

Must be the messed up barometric pressure from the incoming storm and tornado warning!!! Gotta go!

😳

My 15-yr-old-boy, what a talker

Said no mom ever.

Grunts are the main mode of conversation. Actually, I would take a grunt, because half the time Jack can’t even hear me talking because of whatever is plugged into his ear. After 3 repeats I have to do the shoulder tap. Blank stare. “What??”

Sigh.

So, mainly we communicate via text even when he’s up in his room. Why bother with all the walking and yelling up the stairs, right?

Well, now Jack doesn’t pay attention to his phone (only when his mom calls or texts, ahem…) actually his dad complains of the same thing so it’s not just me. Anyway, I still crack up when I go back and look at our texts. Is this what you all are going through with your teens? Lol. I mean really.

(That’s Jack’s opinion on the food selection at home)

…

This is me reminding Jack that he MUST answer his parents when they text or call. I mean come on!

And what’s with the horse dude????

…

This one is just weird (well maybe I’m weird too now that I read it through…) and yes this actually happened in an executive meeting. Picture me with my phone flashlight crawling under the table to find (save) a tick! I met it out the side door hahahahaha. Ok so I’m a little strange. But that tuck was more afraid of me. I could see it in his 42 eyes.

But this is about Jack not responding to his mom! Let’s all remember that!!

😂

Not a time for change

There are so many things that have happened in the last few months that it’s hard to believe we are where we are. I mean, today I was in my work office, mainly alone, walking around with a bleach wipe to swab any doors I may need to touch, and wearing a hot and sweaty face mask for protection. I actually paused and thought, geez, last year around Christmas, if you would have said “Hey, in about 6 months, no one is going to be working in the office, everyone will be conducting Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings, your kids will be setup at the kitchen table with a laptop and NOT going to school, you will all be fighting over Purell, tissues, toilet paper and face masks, hahaha.” Would you believe it?

A friend of mine said to me recently as we walked together on opposite sides of the street “Ugh, my masks never stay on. I don’t think I have the ears to wear masks.” Said no one. Ever. Sigh…

I still have yet to create my “COVID Cookbook” which contains the 5 or so recipes that I have MASTERED I tell you, during quarantine. Cooking takes time, and i never have time. Finally I got some time and was able to actually cook. Wowza!  Jack helped me just about every night and he got pretty proficient at some recipes also. Soon he’ll cook dinner all by himself. For me! Muhahahaha.

The other night I made his favorite, Mac and Cheese, home made,  but of course I had to mess it up, just enough right? Is it because I’m back at work? I’m lacking time again and had to sort of throw it together maybe. Yeah, let’s go with that.

Jack: What’s that smell?

me: Mac and cheese.

Jack: Then why do I smell basil?

me: Well, I put some in the cheese sauce, along with some broccoli…

Jack: You know, this is not a time for you to start trying different things. Stick to the basics.

Hahaha. Yep I’m back to the good old just basic cooking. I actually thought it was pretty good. If you like greenish mac and cheese that is.

Happy Quarantine Mother’s Day!

UPDATE! I did get a very nice lunch prepared for me by Jack. Fresh mozzarella Paninis. Yum! He redeemed himself (somewhat haha)

It’s the first time we can say that…eh?

I like the “Friends” style art. So no one told you life was gonna be this way? (Clap clap clap clap)

Yes it’s me entertaining myself this morning. I walked Moca and wondered if Jack would remember it was Mother’s Day. Nope he didn’t.

I came in after my walk and the faint odor of Honey Nut Cheerios lingered in the air. Moca was wagging her tail excitedly but I didn’t see Jack anywhere. Was he even up? Yep I heard rumblings from above.

He came downstairs and was loitering around in the kitchen as I wiped Moca’s paws. My nose was running because ITS SO FREAKEN COLD AND WINDY OUT…

I was sniffling quite a bit.

Jack: Are you ok??

me: Yeah, just really cold outside and my eyes are watering. (NO, I’M CRYING BECAUSE YOU FORGOT ABOUT MOTHERS DAY LOL!)

Jack: Oh. Can I get a hug?

me: Sure…

He gave me a hug, cracked my back (I didn’t ask him to but he’s a giant) and he headed upstairs.

I was wondering if he was going to his room to make me a card or draw me a picture. I would like anything else makes, and he knows it.

A few minutes went by and I could hear him talking. Yep, he was playing XBox. So I went upstairs and peeked in his room.

me: Are you eating any breakfast?

Jack: I already ate.

me: Oh. (Hence the cereal smell in the kitchen) Did you remember it’s Mother’s Day?

Jack: 😳 (Blank stare). Oh. I forgot.

me: Ok I’ll let you figure out what you want to do.

I headed back downstairs and made the yummiest avocado toast with arugula lemon and an egg, on toast. THE best. I also watched a plastic surgery show while I ate. It was heaven haha!

Jack came downstairs.

Jack: How am I supposed to make you breakfast in bed if you get up before me and then make your own breakfast!?

See how he turned that around? Hmmmm. 😩😂😂😃

I hope you all have an amazing Mother’s Day!

Grammar Police, Done Real Good

Disclaimer: I’m typing this with PoBo on my chest as I sit in bed… the laptop is at my furthest arm’s reach away. Be gentle with the judging of typos.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled post.

I know when to use “well” and “good” in a sentence. Really I do.

Question: How are you? Answer: I’m well thanks, how are you?

Though when I’m asked, “How are you?” I respond, “Good, how are you?” Sigh. It’s because EVERYbody does it.

It’s kind of like how EVERYone uses “I” instead of “me” in a sentence because they think they’re using it correctly.

Correct: She went to the store with Joe and me.

Incorrect: She went to the store with Joe and I.

Correct: Jack and I went to the store.

Incorrect: Jack and me went to the store.

I’m not sure why I am off on a tangent with this, but it’s a pet peeve of mine. I was always taught that you need to break the sentence apart to know when to use “I” or “me”. So with the first sentence “She went to the store with Joe and me” you can test it out by saying “She went to the store with Joe” or “She went to the store with me”. See? That works. The incorrect use of “I” in that sentence wouldn’t work because the sentence broken apart would be “She went to the store with I”.

I is always the subject and me is always an object. (haha, me is always an object…lol cave talk.)

I also hate the your vs. you’re confusion, but that’s a rant for another day.

me: Jack go get ready for bed, brush your teeth good.

Jack: You don’t even know basic grammar. It’s “brush your teeth well”.

me: I know that. I’m just being lazy.

Jack: Or ignorant.

me: Sigh.

WiFi’s down. Hold me.

What a great time for WiFi to go down… when there’s not a lot to do but binge watch some favorite shows! Aaahhhh!

Jack was trying to do his math tutoring online and it conked out right in the middle of his session.

Jack: (via text) Mom the WiFi is down. I tried restarting it and it’s not working. Can you call them and tell them?

me: I’m in a meeting right now so you have to call.

Jack: What do I say??

me: Tell them what’s happening. Keep me posted if it comes back up.

(Later, before I left work…)

me: Is it working?

Jack: No, not at all.

me: Try connecting to your phone hotspot.

Jack: It won’t connect. I’m learning piano again.

(On my way home I called to check again)

me: Any luck?

Jack: Nope!

me: Oh man, your whole Xbox life is turned upside down, what are you gonna do? Actually what are you doing right now?

Jack: Laying on the floor behind the couch.

And that about sums up life without internet!

Due to COVID-19 they won’t send any employees into homes to do repairs. Luckily our issue is outside the house and we have a short in the line somewhere probably due to all THE FREAKING RAIN AND WIND WE’VE BEEN HAVING!

Ugh. Come on CT let’s get some nice weather going! I have a few days off!!!

Top 10 Sayings While in Quarantine

Jack has had to expand his activities during quarantine, and only after I boot him off XBox. It’s amazing what can be accomplished when you have the time (or are forced to.) None of these things would have been possible without this virus to keep us home and steadily burning through our boredom activities. One by one. Until you’re scratching around at the bottom of the barrel for something to do.

Here are the top 10 phrases I can recall recently that will give you a glimpse into what Jack has decided to do with his free time.

10.
Jack: Where’s the stand for that old electric keyboard? I’m gonna learn how to play piano!
me: We don’t have a keyboard stand soooo you’re out of luck there.
Jack: I need to go to the bathroom now.
me: And that takes care of that…

9.
Jack: I’m going to check out my legos.
me: Why don’t you pick out the ones you want to get rid of and I can take them to Goodwill?
Jack: Not gonna happen.

8.
Jack: Mom, these plants are NOT gonna grow if you don’t move them into the sun! (he fussily moves the baby squash plants into the patch of sun on the floor like a worried grandpa.)

7.
Jack: Check out the rose I drew for Spanish class. (he shows me a line drawing he did on his laptop, of a rose and a book).
me: That’s so cool Jack. You should color it in.
Jack: No, I like it like this. Now I need to order a stylus so I can do real drawings.

6.
Jack: I went for a run today. Now my heel hurts.

5.
Jack: (helping me cook dinner) This is either really going to be awesome or really going to suck. There’s no in between here.

4.
Jack: Ok ok, cut my hair already!
me: Really? Yayyyy!! (I had wanted to cut his hair after watching a few YouTube videos ha ha)
Jack: Just don’t mess it up…
me: Well, I can’t promise that, but it will be quarantine passable.

3.
Jack: I want to go through all my old school papers.
me: They’re organized in folders by grade, so please just put them back in the right folder and in order ok?
Jack: Um, it’s not rocket science mom.
(later…I look on the floor and the papers are scattered and completely NOT back in the folder where he got them…grrrrr…)

2.
Jack: I’ll vacuum but only if you buy a new one. This one doesn’t even spin!
(I immediately bought a new one on Amazon. Arrives Friday!)

1.
Jack: Oh look! My old drones! (the animals went crazy over this one…)

Bonus:
Jack: Oh, the 3rd episode of the Tiger King is where everything happens.
me: You’ve watched 3 episodes of the Tiger King? It’s really not appropriate Jack…
Jack: … no…?
me: Oh really, no?
Jack: Okay, I already finished the series.
me: Sigh.

I hope you are all not going completely crazy at home, and that all your kids and spouses and animals are still getting along. Jack and I keep our distance, joining up for dinner and maybe some TV. Maybe. PoBo kept trying to sit on my neck while I typed this in bed. Moca is sleeping on my foot. Luna is at the end of the bed looking regal. Jack is… still in the bathroom.

Typical night here! Be safe everyone! In CT tomorrow we now have to wear our masks full time while in public. Praying for this to be over soon.

‘All About Easter’ and 10 Years Of Blogging!

It’s hard to believe that 10 years have passed since my first blog post, on 4/2/10… a few days before Easter on Good Friday 2010.

I almost forgot this momentous anniversary, except I saw a blog post from former co-worker and current consultant Closet Fashionista today and she was celebrating 10 years writing her blog! Go check it out, it’s really addicting if you’re into fashion.

Another blog written by ANOTHER former co- worker which probably started around the same time (though I’m not certain it was within days of our 2 blogs) is: So What Are You Making For Dinner. If you love to eat, or cook, this ones for you!

Now, my silly little blog is only meant for entertainment and journaling my boy’s (ahem) witty convos. He’s still saying sh*t so I’m still writing.

Here’s the first post I ever wrote…

You can click on the link or read it below. Choices!!

…………….

ALL ABOUT EASTER

April 2, 2010

So, the first-ever post started like this.

Jack: Why are we taking the parkway?
me: Because it’s Good Friday and there is hardly any traffic.

Jack: What’s Good Friday?

me: It’s a religious holiday that falls on the Friday before Easter.

Jack: They’re telling a lie because tomorrow is NOT Easter.

me: Well, Sunday is Easter, and tomorrow night is actually when the Easter Bunny comes to our house! (trying to change the topic…!)

Jack: The Easter Bunny comes tomorrow night? Yayyy! (pauses with frown). Wait, is Sunday the day that Grandpa Louie comes over to eat?

me: Yes, he comes over on Easter to eat dinner with us and Uncle John and —

Jack: (interrupting me) But do I get my Easter Basket BEFORE Grandpa comes over?

me: Yep. You’ll have the basket in the morning, before anyone comes over.

Jack: (Sticks his thumb back in his mouth and grunts his approval. Conversation is over.)

…………..

And there you have it… the first ever post from me to you about Jack haha.

Today I gave Jack my first ever full hair cut. Aside from when I cut off his little pigtail curl when he was maybe 18 months old or something. This was full on top to bottom cutting!

me: So, should we cut it now?

Jack: Yeah, sigh, might as well.

me: Alright, get in the bathtub (my hair salon location haha)

Jack: Try not to mess me up too badly. Just take a little off the sides and….

me: Hahahaha! That’s like telling Anna (Jack’s 5-year-old cousin) how to fly a jumbo jet. Do you think I’m gonna retain that! I’m just going in!

(With a tiny baby comb and dull scissors… gasp!)

Jack: You’re not supposed to soak my head with that spray bottle, just make it damp.

me: Moca ate the tip off the bottle, so now all it does is that.

Jack: It’s cold! Go warm up the water!

me: Sheesh Jack, do you ask the barber to warm up the water when you’re with Dad?

Jack: They don’t use ice water.

I wait 5 minutes for the water to warm up and stare at Jack sitting on a chair in the tub, wearing a robe and draped with a beach towel.

He stares back.

me: There. Water all cozy now?

Jack: Ahhhh that’s better.

I start at the back making sections and trying to perform “guides” and such hahaha but I’m

Basically just hacking off pieces as best I can from the memories of watching hundreds of Jack’s haircuts over the last 13 years or so. He was bald until maybe close to age 2 … FYI.

Jack: My neck is tired from looking that way.

me: Well I can’t get around you on that side and I don’t have a chair that goes up and down so you have to keep your head where I say.

Jack: My foots asleep!

(He jerks his leg making me almost lip off his ear.)

me: Jack you have to sit still. Pretend I’m Paula (the hairdresser he sees when he’s with me). Would you jump around and yell in her chair?

Jack: She’s a professional and doesn’t take an hour.

I stare at him. He stares back.

me: Can I continue?

Jack: Please do.

Meanwhile, with every snip, PoBobo is jumping around on the floor trying to catch the flyaway pieces of hair. My bathroom looks like I shaved a Wookie.

(Side note, here’s a blog post about when Jack thought he WAS a Wookie…and possibly other various furry and disgusting creatures haha.)

So, I finished up and Jack was pretty pleased. I measured a few side pieces the way the “pros” do and made a few additional snips. The side is a little weird looking but not too bad!

I hope you all annoyed this trip down memory lane and for those of you that have literally followed us for 10 years…. THANK YOU!!’

Here’s to 10 more 😂😯😯

Actually I’ll let Jack take over the blog when he has kids someday. Omg can you imagine? I hope they are just like him.

HAPPY EASTER ALSO!

Also, two more important things to note… Jack’s oldest female cousin turned 19 today! Happy birthday Victoria!!

And, another one of Jack’s cousins (the Marine) had his first baby yesterday! (Well, his wife did haha.) Happy Birthday Maverick!!

😍😍😷😷