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NOLA mom of identical triplets. Talent Acquisition at Automattic. Enjoy reading and photography and sewing and bookbinding.
  • Driving the Pacific Northwest

    Driving the Pacific Northwest

    8 days, three states, 1200 miles, billions of trees (probably.)

    Lots of pics ahead, including a lot of selfies of me with the boys, because they let me.

    We arrived Saturday evening, and our friends Chris and Stephanie (who are from Tacoma and have a condo there for when they’re visiting) picked us up and brought us to our hotel.

    The next day they gave us a personalized tour of Tacoma, which included Stephanie’s high school, where they filmed 10 Things I Hate About You. I didn’t recreate this scene, but I could have.

    It was a lovely day with lots of scenic views (MOUNTAIN), fresh cherries, and sitting on their balcony. And the boys were able to watch World Cup games. We spent much of the time yelping when we got a glimpse of Mt. Rainier, which was often.

    The next day revolved around the reason we went on this trip, a World Cup game. We gave the boys tickets to a match (Belgium v Egypt) in Seattle for their graduation present. The grownups hung around Seattle during the game, which only the boys went to. We went to a museum and ate delicious food and walked around and had a lovely time. I think the last time I went to Seattle was 1998, so it was nice to go back for a bit.

    Tuesday morning we got up bright and early to hit the road for our drive down to California. Next stop, redwoods! It was a long, long, long drive, but fortunately, the rental place gave us a hybrid minivan so I spent way less on gas than I’d budgeted for. We spent that money on doughnuts, basically.

    We stayed in a lovely airbnb off a gravel road with lots of slugs in the yard (affectionately.) We got there pretty late after a very windy road that made me grateful for once to live in a flat place. It was harrowing (to me, the driver.)

    But it was all worth it because…redwoods!

    We took a lot of pictures of each other to show the scale of the trees. I mean, you know they’re big, but geez!

    The town we stayed in was Crescent City, California, which had a moody coastline with a cute little lighthouse.

    We were up bright and early the next day to hit the road again to go north, up the coast of Oregon. (We took I-5 down to California to get there as quickly as possible.) The drive took forever, mostly because we kept stopping at scenic places (which was the point.)

    Brookings, Oregon (Natural Bridges Viewpoint):

    Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint:

    This one was cool because not only could we get down to the beach pretty easily, but there was this cool path in the sand that you could walk on. I have no idea how it was done, but it took me 11 minutes to do the whole thing. (I’ll spare you the video I took of it.)

    Heceta Head Lighthouse:

    It was getting close to sunset, and I really wanted to see the sunset over the ocean. We stopped just in time.

    Arch Cape:

    We finally made it to the airbnb in Seaside a little while later. It was the cutest house, very maze like. Bummer that we got there so late because we only had one night there. The next day we wandered around the beach and the little town, and the boys were able to watch some of the WC game that was on.

    Our next stop was Portland, but we had to make a stop at Tillamook on the way. Not that it was really on the way, but I wanted ice cream, dangit! It was cute, but v crowded. We did stop at one scenic viewpoint on the way there, but we missed Haystack Rock because Cannon Beach was v v v crowded. Too bad, but at least I caught a glimpse of it while driving.

    We stayed in Portland for two nights. We had breakfast with George’s cousin and her daughter, then I dropped the boys off at a movie so I could go fabric shopping. Before the movie, we went for a walk through the same woods that I did when I went to Portland in August.

    The next day, we had to check out of the airbnb relatively early, but our flight wasn’t until 10:30pm, so we had a lot of time to kill. I decided on a whim to get reservations for lunch at Timberline Lodge (it was Father’s Day, after all) so we spent most of the day at Mount Hood. It was absolutely gorgeous, and a very good last minute decision on my part (pats self on back.)

    MOUNTAIN!

    The Timberline is where they filmed some of The Shining (maybe the exteriors?) and it was a really cool building to explore. The food was good, too, and George inexplicably found a dime under his toast. Weird. Lucky?

    We made it home Monday morning after exhausting flights (and a 2 hour layover at 4:30am in Chicago.) Back to heat, humidity, and NO MOUNTAINS.

  • 18 and a half

    Eighteen and a half! It’s been a busy month, but the boys are definitely enjoying not being in any kind of school right now. As for myself, I go back and forth from trying to soak in having them at home and looking forward to not having to do constant laundry.

  • Graduated!

    A week ago today, the boys graduated from high school. It’s hard to believe it’s over. Now we race to the first day of college in mid-August. Bleh.

    Saturday morning was the Baccalaureate Brunch at school, but it wasn’t really brunch so we went to Parkway for po-boys instead. And then the boys voted for the first time!

    We had a graduation party the Sunday before with friends and family and tacos and a lot of balloons thanks to Aunt Jenny.

    The boys had graduation practice on Monday so the grown ups went to wander around Tulane and have lunch and snoballs. That night we went to Saba for dinner. Yum.

    Tuesday morning Jenny and Kiki and Emily and I got our hair done and had sushi with the boys and then raced home to get ready for the ceremony.

    The ceremony. Of course I cried! But not as much as I feared.

    Afterwards, we went to Outback for dinner. Thanks Grandee and Larry!

    Special thanks to Kiki for coming and helping with all of the prep and emotional support. I needed it!

  • First first and last last*

    May 8, 2026 (LOM)
    img_9925
    August 18, 2011 (MLO)

    How many times, I wonder, have I posted that picture from PreK-3 on this blog? At least 15 times, I’d guess. But today is the last time.**

    I got very teary last night (and alarmed Miles) when I said it was the last time I’d say goodnight before a school night. The last time I’d be waking them up to go to school. (Dangit, I’m getting teary now.)

    There’s nothing to say I haven’t said a million times already. It goes so fast. Where did my babies go?

    Today was also my last day working at the concession stand at lunch. I started volunteering there freshman year with Terry, and then once her girls graduated, I worked with another mom, and this year, with my friend Victoria. Her twin boys have been going to school with my boys since PreK-3, so it was nice to spend the last day of school with her.

    And yeah, I made us t-shirts.

    *I know the title should be “last last and first first”if I’m going to post the pictures in this order but it’s just not as catchy.
    **no promises

  • 18 years, 5 months

    Last week of high school!

  • 18 + 4: the college decision edition

    Huge relief to have these decisions made!

    Even though I would prefer the boys to be out of Louisiana, if they are going to stay in state, at least they’re not going to be too far from me. (Tulane is about a 20 minute drive but may as well be another world.) Miles will be about an hour and a half away, so not too bad. And is it weird that I kind of miss going to Baton Rouge? I think I’ve only been back a few times since my mom and Larry moved away, and those were either for LSU games or LSU visits.

    (And no, before you ask, Oliver and Linus are not going to room together.)

  • 18 years + 3 months

    I figure we have five more of these to do. Five! That’s it! Hopefully by the next one of these, we’ll have a better idea of where the boys will be going next year. We have some ideas, but nothing is set in stone yet.

  • 18 years + 2 months

    218 months!

    Exciting college stuff is happening. Oliver got a very generous scholarship from Tulane, enough that he may end up closer to home than previously expected. No firm news from any other schools for the other two. But things are moving along.

  • 18 years + 1 month

    No, I didn’t stop taking monthly pics when they became adults. Perish the thought! (But realistically, August will probably be the last one. Sob.)

    We went on a little adventure to City Park and the sculpture garden, which is why this month’s pic looks a little different. Thought it would be a waste not to use a pretty setting if we had one available!

    (I did take this on January 4, but I didn’t get a chance to upload it until today.)

  • 2025 in review

    2025 in review

    It was a year of highs and lows, but never have I been so ready for a year to be over.

    (I’m not even going to touch politics or the state of our country but if you know me at all, you know which of the two that falls under.)

    January

    The year started by waking up on New Year’s Day to hear about a horrific attack just across the river in the French Quarter. Lovely.

    A few days later, my friends took me to brunch to celebrate my 50th birthday a few days earlier. And the best part was Kiki came in and surprised me! I burst into tears when I saw her at the table. (In a good way.) It was such a fun day, even though I don’t remember the end of it.

    And then, the day before my birthday, the fires in Altadena destroyed my brother’s house. He and my sister-in-law and niece lost everything. I spent my actual birthday mostly crying. We did have a yummy dinner at an Indian restaurant at least. I got to get as many books as I could carry from Barnes & Noble. Well, my back hurt that day so I couldn’t carry as many as usual. Boo.

    My sister and I set up a GoFundMe for our brother and his family, and that at least restored a tiny bit of faith in humanity.

    We took family pictures.

    And then, on January 21, the most magical thing happened, something that brought everyone* in New Orleans immeasurable joy. It snowed. A lot.

    * I mean, sure, probably there were some people who didn’t like it, but I don’t know who they are. Grinches, I suppose.

    February

    The boys were extras in a movie (that will be released in a few months.) I made a quilt for my brother and SIL. I got a new desk and new ink.

    March

    Mardi Gras. It was fine. I dressed as Sally O’Malley and kicked and stretched my way through the French Quarter. Went to Kiki’s for her 50th. George got mugged outside our house (no pics of that.)

    April

    I went on a cruise with a lovely friend and had a wonderful, relaxing time. Until George called me to tell me his father had passed away that morning. I’m grateful we had visited him a few days before. Meanwhile, I missed my uncle’s funeral which also happened while I was on the cruise.

    I went to the orthopedist because my shoulder was still hurting, and he informed me I’d need surgery and gave me orders for an MRI. But first I’d need to do 6 weeks of physical therapy. Fun.

    Ren turned 50 and there was a clown party! I got another tattoo.

    May

    The boys finished their junior year. One year left of high school?! I’m not ready for this. Start physical therapy. I don’t have many pictures from this month. Ziggy was cute. I made George a shirt. We ate Indian for Mother’s Day. I convinced Miles to donate blood.

    June

    Made another quilt. We went to Virginia for Emily’s graduation, and visited some colleges while we were there. Noticed a weird thing on my arm. Got it checked out.

    July

    Kiki and I meet up in London after my work thing. (At least I documented that already.)

    Finally get MRI. Made another quilt, for a friend’s baby. Volunteered at the SPCA and played with kittens. Got weird thing removed from arm (fortuitously, was hidden within new tattoo.) Participated in first speed-puzzling competition. Realized I’m not as good at puzzling as I thought. Boys took senior pictures.

    August

    Take the boys to University of Alabama for a visit. I go to Portland for work. Doctor says I will need surgery on my shoulder. We schedule it. I buy lots of things. Katrina was 20 years ago.

    September

    Went to Virginia for a Pulp concert. Found out a favorite coworker died. (Enough with the deaths already!) A week before my surgery, I get bloodwork done and it comes back all weird. Platelets super low, weird! Other weird things! Surgery is pushed back a week and goes ahead when platelets return to normal. Mystery. I finish the month in excruciating pain (post-surgery). Shoulders hurt, yo! Kiki visits to help me recover. I spend a lot of time in my new power recliner.

    PS I didn’t really get a robot arm. Don’t tell my mom.

    October

    Spend the month recovering, not working. Evan came for work so hung out with him. Couldn’t pull my own hair back. Couldn’t drive for most of the month. That sucked. Visited LSU.

    November

    Went back to work. Visited Tulane. College application crunch time! Soccer season started. The boys got their first suits, wore them to Homecoming. George and I celebrated 20 years of marriage! God, we’re old. I got an emerald ring and we had lunch at the place we went for our first date.

    December

    The boys turned 18. Went to LSU for another visit. I went to Edmonton for work. So much snow! College acceptances (and not) start rolling in. I saw one of my favorite movies on the big screen. Christmas was lovely.

    2026, you can be chill. We don’t need the ups and downs of 2025, thanks. A less exciting year would be juuuuust fine.

    (I realize I wrote real sentences for January but gave up after that. Seems appropriate.)

  • Adults!

    Today, the boys are 18. EIGHTEEN.

    We went to our usual dinner at Texas Roadhouse last night (they’re supposed to have a game tonight, but the weather is pretty yucky so we’ll see) and they got shoes and socks as their gifts. Yes boys, adulthood is boring.

    And the 17 birthdays prior to this one:

  • London, 2025

    London, 2025

    Better late than never, eh?

    I just want to document the trip to London Kiki and I went on. Our first trip together I think since 2000 or so. Pre-blog!

    I had a conference for work (the same one I went to last summer) and so the plan was for her to meet me afterwards and we would stay on for another several days.

    The trip didn’t start out promisingly – I was supposed to arrive the day before the conference so I could get some sleep beforehand, but my flights were an unholy mess and I didn’t arrive until the morning of the conference, and I was a wreck. I’d had to get a hotel room in Miami for a few hours during the day just so I could get some sleep. A little. But otherwise I’d been awake for two and a half days on maybe 5 hours of sleep total. Whatever it was, it wasn’t enough. But I made it through, got to see my coworkers, had a great conference.

    Karen and I went into London together, then met Kiki at Paddington. We had lunch at a cute pub near the station. I had bangers and mash. Yum.

    After lunch, Karen went to her hostel and Kiki and I found our airbnb, which was fantastic. It was across the street from Battersea Power Station, and even though it was south of the river, it was quite convenient and easy to get around from.

    That evening, we got some groceries and stayed in, since Kiki was pretty tired.

    Saturday

    Took a walk to Camden. Went to see a play with Ewan McGregor (play was meh, but we breathed the same air as him so it was worth it.) Had dinner at a Michelin star restaurant. Forced Karen to come meet us one more time.

    Sunday

    Walked across the river, stopped by our old flat, met a friend for tea at Liberty. Bought some fabric. Bought some shoes because my feet were killing me.

    Monday

    Took boat to Greenwhich, explored the o2, took gondola across river. had lunch at Seven Dials Market (featuring the cheese conveyer belt), went to bookbinding store (thank you Kiki!)

    Tuesday

    Went to Kensington, walked a bunch, did pedal boats, got lunch at Harrod’s, ate at park, Kiki let me go back to book store (THANKS KIKI!) Dinner at Dishoom.

    Wednesday (home)

    Borough Market, ate a bunch. Walked around a bit, went to airport.

    And some more pictures from various days (I can’t remember which, exactly. I know I could figure it out, but if I don’t finish this now, I never will.)

    Hopefully it won’t be 20+ years before we do this again!