His Shirt is Never Buttoned

Ok, so I broke down in tears at lunch today talking about this being JR's last show.  Thankfully I haven't cried at all during the shows, he just makes me smile too big to be sad.  

The girl who plays Rosie got sick, so her understudy (who just happens to be JR's girlfriend) got to go on Saturday night.  I believe young people call these pictures "couple goals".

You'd Think You Were in Greece

 I've been busy this week getting the lobby ready for opening night of Mamma Mia tomorrow.  

Opening night of JR's last show ever.  

(Of course I'm going to be dramatic about his last dramatic performance).  

The lobby looks great, which I can totally say since I mainly stand around, hold the tape, and say if things are straight or not. 

Week 2

 So we got to see what Jason's heel looks like.

 

He got his stiches out. (The stiches are still in this picture, obviously)

And he got to pick his cast color.  He went with a tasteful blue.

We're a long way from done since the doctor said today it'll be 10 months for a "full recovery". 

Not Done Yet

 I had just thought to myself "maybe the girls are done with wrapping houses" and then we woke up to this.

At least it was a pretty pitiful job.

And also our Christmas lights are now down. 

Sports Pics

 I remembered I never posted Reed's football picture when he brought home his basketball picture. 

 So here they both are.

Speaking of basketball, they've got 3 games left and have won almost all of them this season. 

It's been fun watching Reed play in middle school, but this will definitely be his last year with school basketball. 

 He just won't be tall enough as he gets older...evidenced by this picture. 

A Week In Update

 A week ago today Jason had Achille's tendon surgery.  I guess Jason and I are trying to see who can have the most foot problems/ foot surgeries...and as much as I hate to lose anything, I'm going to give it to him, he definitely wins.

He's been in constant pain and limping for about a year.  He's been putting the surgery off because the recovery is so awful, but he finally bit the bullet and did it.

The surgery was only about 45 minutes, but when the surgeon came out he told me Jason had a "huge" bone spur.  I said, "Oh, so it was really big?" And he said, "It was huge.  It covered his entire Achille's tendon down to his ankle."  Well, that would certainly explain all his pain.

We got him home, and of course, Chloe has made it all about herself. 

But Jason is doing great.  He's not in pain, and he's back in the office looking like this.

He has to be non-weight bearing, so he'll be on his scooter for 4 weeks, and then hopefully he can go in to a boot for the 4 weeks after that.  

And Another

 Reed couldn't stand it that Kyle got a hamster, so he had to get one too. 

So now there are two hamsters in the house again.

Reed named his Stewart. 

In related news, Kyle had to go get a new "non-squeaking" wheel because his hamster runs on his wheel all night and it was keeping him awake. 

Basically, I've lost control of the house.

Bday Presents

 The boys took all of their birthday money and bough fishing "equipment".  At this point I feel like I live in a sporting goods store.

I mean, look at my kitchen table! 

And Kyle bought a new hamster he named "Hammy".  

Which is another thing in the house we totally needed. 

14

 So the little people who looked like this not so long ago

celebrated their 14th birthday on Friday and now look like this.

They each got their own birthday cake and went with Granny Sherry to eat sushi.  

We'll celebrate with them soon! 

Big Winners!

Kyle and Reed drove me absolutely crazy to enter the neighborhood gingerbread house contest. 

They actually did more of it themselves than you would think...mainly because I wasn't in a gingerbread house making kind of mood at the exact moment that they were driving me crazy to make it. 

We found out over Christmas break that they had actually won, and it was actually a pretty great prize. (The real reason they were driving me crazy to do it.)  

They won $100 gift card to the store of their choosing...which was Bass Pro Shop, obviously. 

Fly Tying

 So one of the presents Kyle got for Christmas was a fly tying kit, and he got right to work tying his flys.

And he's already used them to catch fish.

He also used one of Reed's Christmas presents, a hog light, to hunt hogs at night.  Which also turned out to be successful. 

Santa Christmas

Santa left some lovely presents for us.  Kyle even took some pictures to show how "magical" I make Christmas for them. 

Reed's favorite things were his fishing pole stand and his digital fish scale.  (And BTW, he got Air Pods and Ultra Boosts but those didn't make the favorites list.)

Kyle is pictured with a new hat, sunglasses, a fishing chest pack, a fly tying kit, and a new fly rod

And JR wore his new Natty Light cowboy hat and Van Halen T-shirt while I forced him to hold his new Chloe pillow...which she gave him to take to college so he won't miss her. 

 But apparently dudes don't take pillows of their dogs to college, so I guess pillow Chloe will just have to stay home and sit on the couch with real Chloe. 

Game Night(s)

We had lots of forced family fun game nights over Christmas. I can't remember who all won what, but I don't think I won any. 

I know Kyle won Yahtzee after complaining about having to play it, and JR annoyingly won Monopoly and is still talking about it.  

JR is doing his Trump wins Monopoly pose.

I also know JR rage quit Uno (The Office edition) and nobody would play Clue or Rummikub.  

Happy 2022

 Jason and I rang in 2022 at a party while all the kids had friends over to our house.  

It was a fun night for all!