17 + 7

They had their senior portraits taken last week. I didn’t cry! So proud of myself.

17 and a half

Don’t forget to take the monthly pic before we leave for the airport, I told myself. Okay, I forgot. Don’t forget to take the picture before we drop the boys off at my sister’s. Okay, forgot again. Thanks to Aunt Jenny for getting a pic of the boys before the day was out!

We had a busy week in Virginia between my niece’s graduation, four college visits, and an MLS game, but it was a lot of fun!

(To answer your questions, no, they don’t want to go to the same school and they want to study Sport Management or similar.)

Junior year, over and out

Just like that, junior year is over. They’ve gotten taller, their hair has gotten messier.

It was an eventful year for our family, and since I have neglected to post much, I’ll just go over it all now.

I was on sabbatical August through October, which was fun. I traveled a bunch. To Canada, Florida, Virginia, and Chicago. My friend had a baby. My mom and Larry moved to The Villages. I redid the upstairs bathroom. The boys turned 17 while I was in Turkey for work. Oliver got his driver’s license. We went to Florida for Christmas. In January my brother’s house burned down in the wildfires. I turned 50. Kiki came to visit. We took family pictures. It snowed here. A lot. The boys did some extras work on a movie. I went to Virginia for Kiki’s 50th. George got mugged. I went on a cruise. George’s dad died. I got some new tattoos. I learned I’m probably going to need shoulder surgery.

So while a lot of good things happened, a lot of terrible things happened as well. I am hopeful for the next year, even if the world is a dumpster fire. We are going to Virginia next week for Emily’s high school graduation and we’re going to visit some colleges. I am going to England for work in July and Kiki is meeting me there. It’ll be our first time there together in almost 25 years. Maybe Linus will get his driver’s license (no rush!) In September we’re seeing Pulp again. In October I’m going back to Singapore for work. Somewhere in there I’m likely going to have that shoulder surgery. The boys will apply to colleges. They’ll decide where to go.

And then the house will be empty. Okay, I’m done thinking about the next year!

17 years, 5 months

It’s flying by. Too fast!

17 years, 4 months

Posted on time! Woot!

It’s been a hell of a week – George got robbed half a block from our house at 8:45 in the evening last weekend (he’s okay, just battered and bruised – nothing broken), plus lots of other random crap. I’m happy to say that I’ll be on a cruise ship with a friend for the next week. The boys only have one week of school before spring break, and I think we all just need a break.

17 and one quarter

This year, Mardi Gras fell on the fourth. Mardi Gras Day starts early, so we took this on our way to take the ferry across the river at about 8:30am. However, once we got there, the boys learned their friend wasn’t coming, so they went home. Just as well. I’m pretty sure I would have embarrassed them if they’d come along.

(I was Sally O’Malley because I’M FIFTY. Somehow I managed not to throw my back out stretching and kicking.)

17+2

Again, taken on the right day, posted late. I had to get the pic first thing in the morning, because they had a soccer game 3.5 hours away and didn’t get home until after midnight. But they won the game! Now onto round 3 of the playoffs. This is very stressful.

I kind of like the light crocs/dark pants and dark crocs/light pants symmetry going on here.

17+1

My birthday celebrations started this weekend, so I’m a little late posting, even though I took it on the right day!

17 years!

I am in Istanbul right now, so George had to take the picture, which is why you can’t see their feet. I can’t believe my tiny babies are 17! SEVENTEEN. I can’t wait to give them hugs tomorrow night!

16 years, 11 months

Gah! 17 in a month? 17 sounds so old! Blah.

And I’ll be on a work trip for their birthday, which makes me sad. Oh well.

Back to work! (Sabbatical recap)

I will not say the past three months flew by, because they didn’t. They passed at a reasonable speed. I feel like I’ve been away for a long time, and I’m actually ready to go back. Or, at least, I’m not sad to be going back. No matter how much one might love one’s job, not working is still infinitely better. Especially if you’re still getting paid.

(Background: we get 3 months off paid every five years. My last sabbatical was Dec 2018-March 2019.)

First, we went to Baton Rouge where I discovered how good I am at golf and we had dinner with my aunt.

Then, I took a short trip to Canada to hang out with friends. We went to Schitt’s Creek!

My flights were all forked up getting home, but I got to spend a night with Kiki in Virginia!

Which made me a bit late taking the boys’ 200th monthly pic, but we got there.

Then I spent some time getting the boys’ car from their grandparents. (They very generously gave it to them.) I had to transfer the title, get it towed to a mechanic, etc etc.) And now I don’t have to drive to school to pick them up every afternoon! Yay!

I got another tattoo.

I spent some time with Kiki in Virginia. We went to a little town called Sperryville and went on a foggy hike and ate at a fancy restaurant.

Then we went on a quick trip to Chicago to see Pulp (again.)

There was a hurricane threat, and then I went to Florida with my mom and stepdad. I drove a U-Haul. I got to experience The Villages as well as see their new house. And sit on a lot of sofas.

I organized and got rid of stuff and did other random things around the house.

I made things. I got an iPad so I could learn to draw. Still working on that, but there are lots of fun Procreate tutorials out there.

I took the boys to an LSU game for an early birthday present (courtesy of Grandee and Larry)

I saw Johnny Marr in concert with friends.

I snuggled my friend’s new baby.

The boys started in another vaccine trial. I saw friends. I went on walks. Ziggy was cute. I made ice cream. Got a heated jacket for soccer. I sent 200 postcards. I early voted.