Nicely, that was a really refreshing break from actuality during the last couple of weeks! Every thing has been SO totally different round right here. I am nonetheless under no circumstances used to Noah not residing right here anymore. Jerry’s work schedule modified drastically, however he had every week off after which an extended vacation weekend. Having him dwelling rather a lot and Noah gone rather a lot has been such an enormous change.
I want I might say that we did all types of enjoyable issues whereas Jerry was dwelling, however we really simply loved our down time at dwelling. Like I mentioned in my earlier submit, we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve with the boys and their girlfriends.
Noah gifted me this welcome mat that has a black cat on it and says “Welcome, peasants.” I believed it was humorous when Estelle laid on it–her eyes look practically an identical to those on the mat. And if she might discuss, she would completely be sarcastic like this.
Rose, Noah’s girlfriend, works at Panera (not the one from my unhappy avocado story, fortunately). After I first met her and requested her about her job, I discussed that I used to like their salt bagels. They have not had them in a very long time, however they have been so good! She mentioned that they have been discontinued just a few years in the past.
Think about my shock, then, when she gave me these for Christmas!
Six salt bagels, made only for me. She knew how a lot I preferred them, and her supervisor really made these for her to offer to me. She additionally gave me their authentic salt bagel magnet that they used to show the worth. It was a singular and excellent reward. Ava, Eli’s girlfriend, gave me a pitcher that has “Greatest Bonus Mother” on it (if Duck wasn’t on my lap proper now, I would rise up and take an image of it). I really like Ava like a daughter and her reward made me really feel good.
Nicely, I wasn’t making an allowance for that the “greenback retailer” does not actually exist anymore. We have now Household Greenback, which is mainly costlier than Kroger. Then there may be Common Greenback, and most issues in there are about $5. Lastly, there may be Greenback Tree–that is the greenback retailer I used to be speaking about. It was $1 per merchandise, however now it is $1.25. Nonetheless, not dangerous for what we have been doing.
Since I hadn’t specified which retailer, nicely, the joke was on me. Jerry went to Common Greenback (fortunately, he solely purchased just a few issues there; the remaining he purchased at Greenback Tree). Eli went to Household Greenback as a result of it is the closest to our home. His complete was $110! My jaw dropped when he instructed me that. I virtually determined to take all the things again earlier than he’d even wrapped it, however he’d put thought into every of the items so I simply chalked it as much as a lesson learned–be particular when speaking concerning the Common Household Greenback Tree. (That is what Jerry and I began calling the trio of shops.)
Exchanging the Common Household Greenback Tree items was enjoyable! It was attention-grabbing to see how nicely we knew one another (favourite snack, drink, shade, and many others.).
The day earlier than that, we might gone to Brian’s home as a result of Luke and Riley have been there. He invited my dad and mom, Nathan, and my household to return over within the morning and watch the children open Christmas items. I miss having little youngsters like that on Christmas morning! It was enjoyable watching them get so excited.
Riley is tremendous into “mini manufacturers”. They’re ridiculous–teeny tiny toy variations of precise model objects you’d discover in a grocery store–and SO costly for what you get. After we took her to Barnes & Noble one time she picked out a mini manufacturers merchandise; it contained 5 items and I feel it was $10. Each is concerning the measurement of the tip of your thumb and it is only a piece of plastic.
Anyway, Brian had really discovered an enormous container of them on Fb Market and he obtained her somewhat toy retailer for them. She was tremendous excited and wished to play with it immediately. After I helped her open it, there have been SO MANY PIECES to place collectively, together with a web page of tiny stickers that needed to go on the plastic items. Brian is fortunate I like placing issues collectively as a result of I spent (actually) nicely over an hour assembling this retailer!
After Christmas, Jeanie and Shawn got here in from the higher peninsula for a few days. Jeanie and I walked all of the canines (she has three basset hounds, and I’ve Joey). Then we ran just a few errands–nothing thrilling, however it was good to spend time along with her one-on-one since we by no means actually get to do this.
There was a really massive Lions (soccer) recreation on Saturday and I am positive for those who comply with soccer in any respect, you heard concerning the shitshow that it changed into on the finish, haha. The Lions would have gained however the referee made a foul call–EVERYBODY agreed that he’d screwed up–and they misplaced. Lions followers have been so indignant as a result of it was a vital recreation.
On New 12 months’s Eve, Luke and Riley came visiting for the afternoon/night. I hoped that my different niece, Shelby, would have the ability to come too, however she had different plans. Eli went to a celebration on the golf course the place he’d been working (they’re closed now for the season), so it was simply Jerry and me with the kiddos. We instructed them we have been going to have a “social gathering” to ring within the new 12 months.
My mother was going to be taking them dwelling (to Minnesota) early the subsequent morning. (She has flight privileges although Brian, so she will be able to fly with them and hand them off to Becky on the airport in Minnesota.) She did not need them to remain up late, so Jerry and I pulled up the Instances Sq. occasion from 2022 to observe the ball drop–hahaha! At “midnight” we shot confetti cannons in the lounge and the children liked that.
They have been SO humorous all day due to all of the issues we might do, they simply stored eager to run on the treadmill. And at their ages, they wished to one-up one another with their velocity. If Luke did 5.0 mph, Riley wished to then run at 5.5. After which Luke wished 5.6. And so forth. By the point my mother arrived, they have been operating at 7.1 mph, hahaha. I want I liked the treadmill like they do!
Within the afternoon, I obtained a cellphone name and was SHOCKED (in a great way) to see it was Del–my boss from Curves once I labored there from 2003-2005. Despite the fact that she’s a lot older than me, we have been shut pals. I hadn’t talked to her in most likely 10 years, so once I noticed her quantity on my cellphone, I used to be excited to listen to from her. We chatted for some time and it was good to catch up, however there may be approach an excessive amount of to compensate for, so I steered we get collectively and discuss some extra. It was nice to listen to from her.
The easiest a part of the break–probably the spotlight of the year–was when Jerry obtained to point out Luke and Riley the Ghostbusters film for the primary time. Jerry is obsessive about Ghostbusters and he’d been ready for them to be sufficiently old to observe the film with out getting scared. He even busted out his proton pack and goggles, haha.
I can not even describe how giddy he was when the children have been instantly within the film. They began asking him all types of questions concerning the ghosts, so he took out an enormous Ghostbusters ebook that he has. It comprises all types of trivia and behind-the-scenes information. Luke really instructed him to carry on a minute, then he grabbed the distant management and paused the film so he did not miss something. That was once I knew he was genuinely fascinated.
My coronary heart was completely melting whereas I watched them with Jerry. I have never seen Jerry that excited in at the very least a 12 months! He does not know anybody who’s into Ghostbusters (I’ve watched it with him a few occasions, and I even wore a Ghostbusters costume for Halloween in 2022, however I would not name myself a “fan”) so he does not get the prospect to speak with one other massive fan. When the children have been asking questions a mile a minute, he was thrilled to get to inform all of them about it.
It is sounds foolish, however seeing that interplay was the PERFECT option to finish 2023, which was most likely essentially the most tough 12 months we have had in our whole marriage. (I do not imply that our marriage was struggling; we simply needed to cope with SO MANY stressors all 12 months, in addition to the second half of 2022.) It was utterly heartwarming to observe the children exhibiting a lot curiosity in Ghostbusters and Jerry being ridiculously glad to observe it with them and reply questions.
And at last, we spent the day yesterday planning out some objectives for 2024. I’ll do a separate submit with my objectives for the 12 months (I am *that* one who nonetheless does resolutions), so I will not get into it right here.
The final couple of weeks have been busy sufficient to maintain from becoming bored, however we additionally had sufficient down time to chill out and watch motion pictures and simply get pleasure from some laziness. Right now, it is again to actuality!
