Shannon, Kevie, Jason, Carolin and Vegas

This past weekend, we went to Vegas... you know for the weekend. Like it's a normal thing. It was so much fun. Kevie and Shannon invited us down and we've been talking about it for about 3 years and we decided we needed to quit talking and do. Don't get me wrong - COVID traveling was enough to sky rocket my anxiety but I also knew we weren't going to be crazy with hotel stays and tourism spots. 

 

We left Thursday morning, arrived in time for lunch at Pizza Rock. We had the amazing margarita pizza - the fluffy dough and sauce followed by the melty cheese and the basil waiting to be eaten, it was amazing. We also did the Detroit style but the other was better in my mind. We left fat and happy. We explored downtown a bit and hung out in the art district. It was fun to see the Burning Man sculptures. We took in a few antique shops - which were crazy the stuff. My favorite is the "Let's make it a lamp" aisle. Type writer, camera, water ski, snow ski, carousel... let's make it a lamp. I feel like I need to put things like that in my house... I'll call it inspiration. 

After a craft brew and an impromptu run to Trader Joe's, we headed back to their place - caught up with the dogs and Kevie made a glazed salmon and sticky rice. The best part of the day was at night though - I was in on the secret but Jason and Carolin, his finance, made an appearance. They had flown in from CA to join in the fun. Matt was so surprised - "What the fu(% are you doing here!" We caught up for a bit, made plans for the next day and went to bed - well some of us. Jason and Carolin made their own fun and Shannon finally had to get after Matt and told him it was time to go to bed too - or at least that's what he thought!

The next morning, we headed to the golf course. I hadn't golfed since I was pregnant with Grady and it showed but I had a great time. I haven't laughed that much for so long - it was Kevie, Jason, Matt and I. Everyone was bantering back and forth - there were some good shots, there were some water shots, there was some wildlife, Jason may have had a few DNRs but everyone gave as well as received. It's times like that that I wish we lived so much closer to them and could do that on a regular basis. 

After golf, we headed to lunch at a Chicago-inspired place, Windy City. We grabbed Chicago Dogs, Hot Italians, Corn Dogs, and Hot Beefs and headed back to their place to rest up a bit. Kevie, Matt, and I went down to the strip mall to go through the Columbia store - we took in the Disney store too before heading back to have Kevie's chicken piccata. We had a camp fire and followed it up with the PieCaken. I had wanted to contribute something to the fun but knew that we wouldn't be able to drag food and that it would be fun to share things. This "cake" was serious. You start with a pecan pie, followed with a pumpkin pie, next a spice cake, topped with an inside out apple pie. I ate so much I fricken hurt - bad. 

The following day, we roadtripped and sight saw. We headed to Red Rocks after an amazing breakfast at this little biker (as in cyclist) spot for breakfast called Cottonwood. Matt had a breakfast burrito and I did the pizza. From there we went to this little cactus place - the place that Matt hates taking me to as there's a lot of stuff that could come home with us. It worked in his favor that we only had carry-ons. From there we headed to the park. It was beautiful - like a desert-ified badlands. I would like to take a walk or sit and watch the rock climbers who seemed so far away and tiny. Next, we went to one of Kevie and Shannon's hike spots - Mt. Charleston. Was funny to see snow in Nevada but was an interesting area and the Aspens would be beautiful in full leaves. Snacks at this little Wisconsin space and then headed back for cornhole, fire, puzzle, and drinks. The night ended with Cane's and In and Out and goodbyes because we were leaving so early the next day.

Kevie took us to the airport the next morning at 4:30. While waiting for the plane I reviewed the trip and thought of the teasing, the beers, the laughs, the miles, the food, and the time. We always have a good time with Kevie and it was amazing getting to know Shannon better - icing on the cake was Jason there and meeting his Carolin. It's fun to watch the family dynamics play out including the mannerisms that I see similarities in the cousins and their fathers.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Eleanor played with the kittes - whom both received the name Rosie. Grady rode around with Grandpa. Ainsley cut through her top eye teeth and followed everyone around. I heard about hay bales and on the way home from picking them up, E took a snoozer in the back seat. Her brother and sister picked on her and it seemed that nothing had changed from when we had left. 

MJR and Kevie setting up the chiminea. 
MJR to ALR: Do you see this?
ALR: Yes - it's a large fire tube.
MJR: Right! I want one. 
ALR: I've wanted to get one too - I've been looking at spring clean up 
MJR and Kevie begin dropping logs into the tube.
Kevie laughs: Well, Matt used to be a firefighter so we are covered right?
MJR: There's no kids around - we are fine!
MJR runs hand over fire shooting from tube. 

Mommying, Capitol, Badlands, New Beds

 So.... honest mom admission. Most people hate Monday mornings. I don't. Sometimes it's really nice to go to work and only worry about me. My co-workers don't bite or pinch each other. I get to pee alone and I soak in 1 to three cups of warm to hot coffee. It feels a bit horrible to admit that but sometimes the time away from my children makes my family stronger. They go to their corners of the world where they have their routines and people - places that I don't know how they work or what the schedules are, I don't manage the relationships or their time and it's nice. At the end of the day, we've gotten into the routine where we sit around the supper table and usually E manages the conversation but we share about our day. Sometimes she has people raise their hands and sometimes she determines the order. The girl has some serious leadership and micromanagement skills but for the most part we are all okay with it. 

It's nice to hear about their perspective. E and I talk a bit on the way home about her day and sometimes I have a heads up due to teacher notes or emails about what they are working on but I'm only getting the 30K foot view. Ains day's are a bit jibberish but the girl is a copycat. She soaks so much in and regurgitates it quickly. Grady rocks his fork on the table, Ainsley rocks her. E throws her hands up in the air, Ains throws hers up. Mom taps the table to get everyone's attention, Ains taps the table. Dad puts his head in his hands, Ains puts hers in her hands. 

This past weekend Matt headed to the badlands to do a boys' hunting trip. Being alone with all three

kids isn't as hard as it used to be but I did tell him when he got home that there will be no more of us leaving each other until we only have one struggling on the potty. I spent so much time in the bathroom or chasing people to get to the bathroom or changing pull-ups and then finding where the others had gone, I was a bit tired of that particular room. 

I tried to go out and do as much, especially as the weather has been good. We took the wagon up to the Capitol for a nature walk and stick find. They were so good and listened well. We came home, had lunch and I began to put them down for naps. I got Ains down and when I came out I saw E and G - they had gotten into the dress clothes. It warmed my heart to see them playing and working together. It's these moments when I realize how they see each other. 

Earlier in the week, we did a thing. We got E and G big beds. They were both put in their cribs from day one and have transitioned to lowest setting, toddler roll bar, to daybed. The other night when I came in the room, E's toes were out the rails of the bed. We figured it was time. So while they were at daycare on Veteran's Day, we got the frames set, purchased the mattresses, and made the beds. That night, we didn't tell them. The first one to find the new beds was Ains... she thought it was so fun to crawl up and sit on their big twin beds. G was the next to find - he was excited to yell down and let E know. They were excited about new bedding, new beds, and the changes. It's amazing how much room the beds take up but they fit so well and for the most part have slepts well. Ains gets frustrated when the stepstools are set up as she can't hoist herself up but the most heartbreaking thing was after the bigs looked at their beds, Ains went tearing off to her room to see what she had gotten. We did buy her some panties and she was excited about that but I'm not sure it's quite on the same level. 

Final Final Picnic, Deer Hunting

This past weekend it was a time change - which did nothing for the kids but have night come earlier after they get out of school and daycare. What has really sucked is that the weather has been beautiful - absolutely amazing. So nice that we had a picnic - probably our last one of the year - out on the deck. E and I picked up Arby's and the three sat outside in the crisp dusk. We also did a couple bike rides this past week and it's amazing to see how far E has come. At the beginning of this year, she was on her old bike with the dinge and bearings going out, she took her Frozen bike on well and now is a pedal queen. She keeps up and can even push forward. We need to work on the brakes but that's a task for next summer. 

She's soaking it all in at school as well. We had conferences this week and got school pictures back. This girl and her pictures - it's amazing we get what we do on her birthday sets. Her teacher said she's doing well in so many areas and we can see it. She's writing her name, writing her letters, knows her sounds, counts out, shapes, and sings these songs straight from school. She likes learning and it's fun to see her mind go. We are still working on emotions and expressing ourselves and I feel as a parent this is a tough lesson to learn myself. 

Grady and Ainsley have been rocking it out at daycare. Ains's teacher (Miss Kaylyn) has been working with her as the girl can get angry and doesn't like sharing her fav teacher. Grady is in the preschool room and he has fun talking about his friends - Wailon and Cedric. The two of them headed north this past weekend for deer hunting. E and I stayed behind for work and school but the two of them headed up. On the way north, E and I did a 5 minute stop to see "Anna's castle" and horse. Matt got his deer and he and the family broke it down before we headed home. Was a different hunting season this year, no Remynse uncles - no Kevin. This is the first time since I've known this family for this to not happen. Was pretty quiet as it was just Michele and Randy with Eric and Amanda with a pop in from Bob and Donna. 

ALR comes down from putting G down for a nap.
EER: Grandma and I are coloring.
ALR: You guys are doing a nice job. 
EER: I'm drawing a treasure map, Grandma what are you drawing?
ALR peers over. 
ALR: Eleanor, this is some of the best drawing that I've seen Grandma do.
Michele laughs.
ALR: That looks like a nice house.
Michele: It's a haunted house.
ALR: Oh, I see it, now.
EER: There's a ghost.
Michele: Yep.
ALR: Look at that horse, that's nice.
Michele: That's a cat. 

 

E got a mask from Grandma and determined she had to wear it at night. We went in to check on her and when we turned around, there was G... sleeping. 

Halloween and Grandpa

  

We've been talking about this weekend for the past month in our house. Halloween. Costumes, Candy, Trick or treating. E's costume (which I've had for 2 years) was a unicorn, G was a dinosaur, and Ains was a zebra. They started the weekend off right - at Grandma's house. Eleanor and Grady spent the night there and in the morning, we came out with Ains - who has been teething and not sleeping well at night. We got dressed in Halloween costumes and trick-or-treated Grandma first before going into town and hitting or trying to hit their Aunt and Uncle. That night after nap - they also went out. The wind was terrible... gusts of 27-30mph. G wasn't impressed and wanted to go home after one house - E however was a ROCKSTAR. She was raring to go and ready to hit every house that she could. Ains was okay too - especially when her Dad carried her. It was the first time we've gone around the whole loop. Probably about 1/3 of the houses had their lights on, which was fine - E got to figuring out where and who she could go ring their bells. G was hit or miss. We had a couple rough falls including once when his pumpkin broke and once when he was so distracted by the full-sized candy bar that he missed a step and fell, busting his bag again. Each time he (or Ains) fell, the other two would come up, offer words of support and help fill the spilled candy back into his bag - made my heart warm that they were on each other's team. Ainsley's biggest issue of the night was not the wind or the cold, or that her costume was a little small (as it should be it was a 6-12 mo), it was that her father thought he would help her and hold her candy bucket. "MINE! MINE!"

  

I'm not sure what they liked more... going out trick-or-treating OR waiting for trick-or-treaters to come. E actually sat down at the door one point to watch for them to come up the walk. 

On Sunday, E and I went down with my mom and dad to see my Grandfather. His health has failed so much in the past couple of months and requires a high level of care. He will be admitted into a nursing home on Tuesday, which may be complicated by COVID and visitation restrictions. I decided to take E down for a couple reasons, she would be the calmest there and probably listen the most and may also have the greatest chance to make a memory. She was a trooper and only had to pee 452 times on the way down and back. She packed and read her own books. She was chattery as hell and did not sleep an ounce but we talked her and I. We talked about why Grandpa was sick and what it means when you become old (and sick). We talked about who he was and where he was going. And she gave him a present of a picture she'd color with a note she'd written. She got a bit scared or shy - I'm not sure which but I was proud of her when she went to leave as she wanted to be sure that she said goodbye to him. She had asked questions while we were there... why was he sleeping, what was the oxygen machine - even got after Grandpa Perry that he stepped on the air line. He was happy to see her. I'm not sure if he knew me but he commented on what a pretty girl she was. I thanked her for coming when we left, thanked her for being a good girl. It's tough to determine if I was able to help build her a memory and what that means. 

From my perspective, there are two things that have shifted in my head as I watched this man, who always seemed so sturdy in my mind. I can't remember when I last saw his arms from the elbows up. Like my father, I'd seen his shirt sleeves rolled onto his forearms but to see his biceps made me gawk. The other thing is that he was wearing his wristwatch. He has become so frail that he sleeps the majority of the day and does so in his bed. Why did he need a watch? I understand it has become a piece of him and gave him mental comfort as it may to my grandmother. This man, who has watched time march along beside him never thought he'd live to 70. A couple years ago, we celebrated his 90th birthday. The most fitting thing is that his watch, sitting on his wrist, did not reflect the actual time. As I think back, I'm not even sure if it was ticking even - but to me this may be fitting because this man is not living in this time right now. His mind slips back to harder days where he controlled his destiny versus now where he rides the waves of care and sits in peace. Old age is not for the faint of heart and it never looks like we expect it but it comes for us no matter how long we fight it off. 

Middle school girls come to the door in a random collection of questions. One can hear the mutual admiration between EER, GRR, and ARR and the gaggle. 
EER: I like your costume
Gaggle: AHhhh you are so cute!
Gaggle: Ahhhh a unicorn! I love your costume!
Gaggle (as they walk away): Did you see the tiny one?!

EER gets out of chair to go watch for more trick-or-treaters.
EER puts costume on again... for the 3 or 4th time.
EER begins to stretch - squatting down and even stretching arms.
MJR: What are you doing?
EER: Getting ready for trick or treaters to come.
ALR: Isn't that obvious Dad?
MJR: I didn't realize that this was a prestretching required activity. 

At my grandmother's house, EER finished going to the bathroom and goes to the sink.
ALR: Let's wash your hands.
EER turns on water and looks.
ALR picks up bar of soap and begins rubbing it in her hands.
EER: What is that???
ALR: It's a bar of soap. 
EER: What does it do?
ALR in her head: Obviously we are quite used to liquid soap.