2024.4.28 weekly

I'm going to blog about Italy but I've been really busy since we got back and it's a work in progress. In the meantime, I thought I better catch up on regular life before that gets away from me too.

Stove

We came back from our trip and immediately remembered that a burner on the stove top was broken. Then the kitchen sink faucet started gushing water and the clothes dryer started making weird noises. Nothing brings your back to reality like your house falling apart. Stick went to work fixing everything. Those first few days back were brutal, trying to get readjusted to the time change. Stick was waking up wide awake at 2 am and I was waking up at 4, it took a few miserable days, but eventually we adjusted back to NC time.

Yardwork

When we were gone, everything bloomed green and beautiful, and the yard needed attention. The grass was tall and Bekah took charge of the yearly Spring "fallen tree limbs" project.

A few days after Bekah cleaned up all the tree limbs, we had a big bon fire to burn up all the limbs. We usually do this once a year but for reasons I can't remember, we haven't done it in a few years so we had a pretty big pile. Bekah invited some friends over to roast hotdogs/smores.

Before we left for Italy, I moved several of my perennials to the strip along the driveway because they were getting lost in my zinnia jungle. They look so good, and make me happy every time I drive by.

Spring cleaning

Last Sunday, Stick got out some of our old 72 hour kits and we had a good laugh at all the tiny clothing that we packed back in the day. It's a good thing we haven't ever had an actual emergency since the boys wouldn't be able to fit a single foot into these jeans.

Basketball

Bekah had her basketball team banquet last Monday night. I do not look forward to this event, because while I really like her coach and think he's a great coach, I do not enjoy listening to him talk about the season for 2.5 hours, which is what happened last year. Fortunately this year was only an hour and 20 minutes, which is still too long, but a big improvement over last year.

Bekah got a certificate for being on the JV team and she got a special award for being such a great team player/helper. This isn't an award they typically give out but this year they awarded it specially for her. They mentioned that she was always willing to help, to do all the behind the scenes things that need to be done, like take film, gather up dirty uniforms, carry supply bags, and staying after her season was done to help with the varsity team. It was nice to see her recognized for all the extra effort she put into the season this year.

And because when it rains it pours, Bekah also had her Beta Club induction ceremony this week. Spencer did this a few years ago and I remember it being really loooong. Bekah's wasn't so bad. She has a nice group of friends that joined Beta with her.

Broken nose

Stick had a birthday this week, the big five-four. The kids got him LEGOs, I got him a Ninja CREAMi and I made him the worst apple pie I've ever made. Yay for 54! I don't know why, but I was struggling mightily with the crust, so the pie was already in rough shape but then right before I was supposed to take it out of the oven, Rachel & Co. called to say Happy Birthday and I forgot about the pie. Thirty minutes later Stick smelled something burning and it was the pie. The filling was cooked to death. It's still edible oddly enough, but definitely is the worst pie I've ever made. Fortunately, Stick is making all kinds of fun frozen treats in the Creami so the pie has been mostly forgotten.

Basketball injuries

Stick came home from early morning basketball on Wednesday with a (probable) broken nose due to an errant flying elbow in the heat of a game. If it is actually broken (and I think it is), that will be the third time. Last time, years ago in Draper, also due to basketball, he went to the doctor to get it fixed and had an excruciatingly painful procedure that didn't work. If only the hit this time could have come from the opposite side and smacked that nose back into it's original position!

New job for Bekah

Finally, Bekah worked her first day at the Farmer's Market yesterday. It's a long day, 6:30am- 5:30pm, but she was thrilled to earn $170! It would have taken her three weeks to make that much at the butcher shop down the road, so she's happy for the new job. She had to quit the butcher once school started and she spent all of fall in volleyball and all of winter in basketball. The farmer's market is just on Saturday, so it's a perfect job for her.