February!

What We Did - took advantage of the creepily warm days with some playground excursions. Took the girls to a Taylor Swift Laser Show at the Planetarium. Always several library trips. Had a playdate at the mall.

Inspired by - Art accounts on Instagram 

Watching - I finally watched We are Lady Parts and it was just as amazing as everyone said. Brian and I watched Moonstruck for the first time and baby Nicholas Cage was fascinating and Cher is so beautiful and they fall in love in 48 hours?? A wild ride. We rewatched Plus One and it really might be my favorite romcom made in the last 5 years. We finished The Resort which had good Lost vibes. Also Abbott Elementary is back!

Reading - We Could Be So Good, Sea of Tranquility, Thursday Murder Club, and Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. Did not intentionally read two books about elderly people solving murders, but I'm not mad about it. 

Thinking about - Why am I so tired? Why I am I lightly nauseous? (I am not pregnant) Why does my neck hurt?

Listening to - The newest season of The Neighborhood Listen, catching up on You're Wrong About, and the newest season of Newcomers which is about Batman. (A perfect companion to our recent viewings of the Michael Keaton movies). I have only been listening to Post Malone in the car at the request of Everett, who mostly wants to hear "Sunflower" on repeat. 

Researching - Dr. Marten oxfords, red light masks, the perfect pair of jeans (still looking).

Organizing - Apart from the top shelf of the pantry, NOTHING. 

Cooking + Eating + Drinking - Took the girls out to Taqueria 27 (Norah has been requesting their queso for weeks.) Got more takeout from Facil. Had dinner with Hailey at MakanMakan. I cooked the best dinner with this carne asada, baked potatoes, and corn bread. I've been making more Americanos at home at drinking a True Lemon packet + a collagen packet + ice water for an afternoon drink treat at work. 

Grateful for - Brian has been out of work this month, and I've been very grateful that our financial situation is secure enough that is hasn't been a big deal. Sometimes still driving a 2005 Toyota Camry pays off!!

What the kids are into - We've been playing Mario Kart together on the Switch and Norah and June are really getting the hang of it. Everett is probably a session or two away from realizing he's not actually driving any of the cars and is, in fact, holding an Xbox controller. 

We spent a whole weekend with every stuffed animal out and arranged in different areas of the house because they were running an zoo/doctor's office. An axolotl had babies, they had "playtime" visiting hours, it was a whole thing. 

Magic - Sitting in the kids room after bedtime trying to delegate a fight about a broken pencil and just silently crying because I love them all so much. I know that doesn't sound like magic, but it really was. I wish I could just freeze some moments to come back and visit later because I know I'm going to miss this time so so much. (That doesn't mean I don't get annoyed or frustrated or crave more alone time, but I really am in such a "soaking it in" stage of parenting)

Missing - Motivation? I haven't wanted to do anything this week but read and watch tv. I know that rest is good, but it still unnerves me when I have to really force myself to get needed things done.

 

Looking forward to - Disney on Ice with the kids in March! Friend trip to Moab in April! Kilby Block Party in May! Warm weather, generally!

JANUARY and I'm posting again.

What We Did - The usual library trips, a cupcake store outing, some park time on unseasonably warm days. Went to a concert at Kilby Court and felt so young and also had a crush on every person in every band. The month lasted FOREVER but I somehow didn't do much.

Inspired by - Decluttering, needle felting (I got a kit for Christmas and I'm very into it), going to the Squirrel Flower concert.

Watching - I set a goal to watch 50 movies this year. Started strong this month with the new Mean Girls movie, a re-watch of Barbie, and first time viewing of both Michael Keaton Batman Movies. We had to watch Batman Returns over two nights because the penguin scenes were making me nauseous. I watched all of Colin from Accounts (so good) and we started a rewatch of Brooklyn 99.

Reading - An amazing reading month. I read Terrace House, Bad Mormon, Romantic Comedy, Looking Glass Sound, and Divine Rivals. All bangers. (well, I remain confused about the broad popularity of Divine Rivals, but it provided a lot of great conversation with Ashley, so it still gets grouped with the bangers)

Thinking about - Oof. The failure of our country to do the right thing since like, the beginning. Palestine and Gaza and all of it.

Listening to - Vampire Empire by Big Thief over and over and over.

Dream life - I had a baby and couldn't find it. Horrifying on several levels.

Researching - Needle felting tutorials. Other than that, nothing. My brain wants to be empty.

Organizing - Starting in the kitchen, a cupboard a day. I've already fallen off of this. 

Cooking + Eating + Drinking - We ate at a new taco place when my mom had the kids and we've already gone back for takeout. Their chips and salsa are so so good. 

Grateful for - I'm feeling weird about feeling grateful for things lately. Of course I am grateful, and I have so so much. But I haven't earned any of it. It's just luck that I live here and have all the privileges I do and it feels so unfair that everyone isn't granted the same. 

What the girls are into - 

Norah - Axolotls, Legos, make it mini sets, drawing anime style characters, reading all the graphic novels, her gravity falls game, and her new taylor swift tee shirt.

June - dressing up, drawing, driving the truck, pretending to be an orphaned princess, reading every sign and label she sees. 

What Everett is doing - 

Referring to Brian as "Evie's Dad". Referring to me as Gwen Stacy. Referring to himself as Spidey, Spidey Dad, Gwen Stacey, and Peter. 

Magic - The kids wheeling around suitcases for their game of "World Traveling Veterinarians." Ev goes back and forth between being a companion on their travels and an animal they find. They go to Africa and California and I get to needle felt the whole time. 

Missing - This is the point in winter where summer feels like a thing that's not real. So I'm missing the memory of summer I guess? And sunlight.

 

Looking forward to - I am truly enjoying being done with the holidays, so I am looking forward to, and currently enjoying, just having things be normal and uneventful.