Category: January 2023

  • January 31

    January 31

    Today has been a day of truths and lies and trying to figure out which is which. And if that sounds like bullshit, it probably is.

  • January 30

    January 30

    I had a very rough day today. Lots of tears, lots of very hard-won personal restraint. I may eat the remaining half a can of chocolate frosting from Christina’s birthday cake tonight. Not sure that solves a single thing, but also not sure I give a damn.

  • January 29

    January 29

    We survived the sleepover. Christina is a little cranky today, which was to be expected. I decided to take a short hike at Losco Park. It’s not the most interesting trail out there, but it’s short and it’s close and on so little sleep, it works. It’s nice to be outdoors.

  • January 28

    January 28

    For some reason I said yes when Christina asked to host a sleepover with four of her friends, never expecting that any of them would actually say yes. All four of them are coming, although only two are actually spending the night. I had to clean the living room and kitchen for the first time since we had to give up our cleaning service and it was so fucking gross. But now it is sparkling. It almost looks like we care. It won’t last, I know, so here is proof that sometimes the house can be beautiful.

  • January 27

    January 27

    Finally a day where I get to sit down and hear myself think. I actually had time to help Robin with her homework and to take a photo before 10pm. I got to have lunch with chorus friends and even managed to create a useful spreadsheet with formulas, conditional formatting, and selective sheet protection that I also managed to share with the rest of my team so they could use it too. I felt like a genius, even if it did take me half the day.

  • January 26

    January 26

    I am literally phoning it in this week, taking photos just to check the box. Life is too overwhelming for more right now. Billy told me we paid off a big loan today – accounting for almost half of our monthly debt payments. That’s huge. We’ve got a somewhat aggressive plan for the rest, but we’re going to do it. Imagine getting a paycheck and getting to keep it for myself! In about two years, that could be us!

  • January 25

    January 25

    No scheduled activities today, but I still seem to have had zero down time for myself yet again. It’s already 10pm and I still have to fold laundry from last week! Gym, church work, work work, drive to pharmacy to pick up prescription that still isn’t ready, clean kitchen from dinner two nights ago, cook dinner, eat dinner, clean up dinner, play Harry Potter with Billy and Christina, pay bills, book cheerleading competition hotels, email teachers, put kids to bed, deposit checks (at least I am depositing and not withdrawing)… Not a minute free and no end in sight. I think that laundry’s going to go another day unfolded.

  • January 24

    January 24

  • January 23

    January 23

    Went back to the gym this morning after a string of mild injuries, then a day filled with work, then scrambled to cook and eat dinner in 45 minutes (unless you make hot dogs in the microwave, I don’t think it can be done), took the kids to cheer practice, led my first-ever NAMI Peer to Peer class on Zoom, put the kids to bed, took out the trash, and now I’m too exhausted to go to sleep. This is the only photo I can manage today.

  • January 22

    January 22

    The girls had an impromptu practice before this morning’s competition, and even though they didn’t pull off one of their stunts in today’s performance, they still improved their score by seven points from yesterday. They didn’t place well because they were in a tougher category today, but still something to be proud of. I think, though, that everyone was grateful to go home after this weekend. This stuff is grueling for everyone.

  • January 21

    January 21

    Cheerleading is so exhausting. I’m sure for the cheerleaders, too. Robin loves it, though, and I love seeing her love something. Makes it totally worth it. Oh yeah, and for the first time ever, they did not come in last place! They pulled in seventh out of ten and earned a banner for the gym. I’m really proud of them. Day two tomorrow. Gulp.

  • January 20

    January 20

    Another cheerleading weekend. I introduced the kids to Outback Steakhouse and they both regretted not ordering steak and mashed potatoes after I got my meal. I’m tired of Orlando traffic, by the way.

  • January 19

    January 19

    Today was a little beyond. It started when someone hacked into one of my accounts and spent $1300 on my stored credit card. Then there was the ER visit for Robin, who somehow managed to get a chunk of wood wedged halfway down her thumbnail and needed it extracted. I don’t know if it was really worth an ER visit, but the urgent care receptionist sent us there, and I know for sure I wasn’t about to try to take it out myself. The thing about today is that it’s still not over.

  • January 18

    January 18

    I started tracking food on Weight Watchers again today. My turkey sandwich was worth half my points for the whole day. At least it tasted good. I can see I’m going to have to work harder at this.

  • January 17

    January 17

    Christina spent some birthday money on a new watch and a four-foot long cat stuffie, and they both arrived today while she was at school. We walked home today and Christina basically ran the last tenth of a mile to get to her package. I made her get the mail and wait for me to put away the garbage can and then started joking around that I hoped I could find my keys in my purse, taking my time ruffling around. Christina went insane and I finally gave in and pulled out my keys, only to find that I actually didn’t have my house key. The keypad for the garage door wasn’t working either. So we went all around the house trying to find a window to crawl through. Christina was in a rage, literally throwing patio furniture across the yard and kicking tables. We finally managed to pry the screen off the kitchen window and get in that way. Thank goodness, too, because I think I might have had to take Christina to the hospital if she had to wait much longer for her birthday gifts.