Tuesday, April 23, 2024

2024 theme … where did the time go?!

 

Lots of celebrations around here, already this month!  Not to mention, warm days, cold days, rainy days, windy days, crazy days, boring days, and overall just life. Each day. One day at a time.

There was a double rainbow at the end of our street but I could only get 1 in my photo... 

Tom flew to Chicago to cheer up Carl and it also happened to be Johnnie's 30th birthday so there were LOT of shenanigans -- crappy fishing, clay pigeon shooting, dog training, food, parties, family, long talks into the night...it was good to be able to be down there for 4 days.

Tracy celebrate Wendy's birthday, while Tom was in Chicago, with the Americans in Leiden crew at Pizzeria Lola. Wendy had her traditional sausage and I ran into our such very good and sweet and funny friends, Sherra and Rich, who were celebrating their anniversary. Miss them to bits but they say all is good with their boys, just busy.

It was Jimmy's Gotcha Day, and he's been busy making plans ...Plan A -  get off the wait list at Notre Dame - he's been working it hard and has 2 really good alumni reference letters. Plan B - get a job ... He interviewed for 3 very different jobs ... Top 10 law firm (turned them down when they wouldn't let him move his 2nd interview because he was at a Naval Academy Policy Conference). Teach for America (felt awful and it was a really hard to decision to turn them down since they needed a commitment before he would hear from Notre Dame, but it was the right thing to do to keep the door open in the future and be fair to them). Beckett - a non profit religious freedom law firm in DC (this one is going slower but also going VERY well, they said they'd be thrilled if he got into ND and if he does, I think it sets him up for a really good internship next year). Not to mention, he was up for valedictorian and was the only athlete that made it into the top 5. Plus, he's been announcing the baseball games and...of course the coaches and players love his enthusiasm. That kid.... 

Jordan (Heidi's son) did his capstone meal for his culinary degree (getting it while still in high school! impressive). It was fun  to meet all their family and friends and his elevated camping dinner was really good!

Kay is good. Needs to move out by 7/1 so in on the hunt for a new apartment, she seems pretty realistic about what she can pay (knowing she's going to have to pick up more hours) and how close it should be.  She had some scares with bronchitis induced asthma (including 2 ER visits and a hospital overnight) but seems to be cutting back on vaping and trying to get healthy. Its always fun when she comes for weekly dinner, love her to bits.

Billy only has 2 more weeks of school and we are moving him home 5/4. That's just nuts. He continues to try new things (latest was the opera) and seems like he's more comfortable with how to study. He starts summer school 6/3 so it'll be nice for him to have a break and just do TKD, see his friends and work. 

Tracy continues to get settled in the new job and recently was asked to join The Current's 20th anniversary planning committee (mainly because we gave a shit ton of money) and interviewed to be on a city commission. Rumor has it they are going to offer her the DEI commission opening. Not to mention, Bellis continues to do big things and we are onboarding our new ED, Kelly, PLUS a new Director of Ops.  All these are volunteer work but... they fill my bucket and keep my brain busy (which anyone that knows me will tell you is critical to me not driving everyone insane). On top of this, its MS 150 training season so...need to get the bike out, between wind/rain storms.

So... getting ready to move Billy home, celebrate Jimmy's graduation and bring him home, move Kay and then maybe move Jimmy. All in the next 4 months.

Never a dull moment, big hugs, love, and all and only good to all of you!

T














Sunday, March 31, 2024

In like a lamb out like a lion …

Another whirlwind few weeks.  


Jimmy was home on spring break and worked his tail off with law school wait list final details, homework, prep for Teach for America interviews and writing a paper for the Naval Academy conference in 2 weeks. We made all his favorite food and he saw all his friends plus went to church for al Easter prep/services.  Played drums and guitar, cuddled with the dogs and kept us company. All in all, a good week.  The next 7 weeks will be fun, exciting, stressful, and anxiety ridden. Waiting to hear back from Notre Dame, 2 hours interview and mock classroom teaching with Teach for America,  5 baseball games to call, a law firm interview, the undergrad Naval Academy Policy Conference, the last few weeks with his friends, graduation prep, finals, etc.... Hoping he finds a way to be in the moment, enjoy this time, and know that all and only good is coming his way.

We managed to get all 3 kids home on Easter for a take out lunch from Sichun, Kay's favorite place to get Pho. We also took the boys and Jim/Jen Fellows to Cossettas to celebrate Jam's birthday. So fun to have everyone together.

It snowed. A lot. 15 inches in a week, which over doubled the amount of snow we got all winter. We need it! But, it made for a messy week.

Melissa and Andre (big neighbors) got a new dog, Lola!

Our garage is famous not that Kevin Doran (newscaster) came to our St Pats Party - you never know who will be at one of our parties!! 

We went to The Parkway, our favorite place to see music, to see Steve Forbert and ran into Mike and Frankie! This is notable because they live outside Waterloo Canada and, yes, came here just to see the show! (oh, and their oldest Dan is in his final year of law school at St Thomas and just had a birthday plus Frankie is on her way to Spokane for a conference) ... it was a huge surprise and such a blessing to see them there!

We are doing Veg April and Tracy has a list of 28 recipes, some old, some new, to try. Wish us luck!

Sending you all love, peace, sleep, health, snuggles, dogs, good food, great friends, family and all that we have...

xoxoxo

TT


















 

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Time races in to St Pats Day!

 Honest to god, it feels like every day is rather dull and normal and then all of a sudden a full month has gone by! Here are the highlights...including the 21st annual St Pats Day Parade, its of legal age and showed off this year!

A few updates....

Tom is good, smoked 42lb's of pork for the party and we ran out! we also ran out of plates, buns and coleslaw...so it goes, so it goes.

Kay has had a rough month, developed bronchitis and ended up in the ER twice with a bronchitis induced asthma attack. One was at 3:00am, she drove to our house and we called 911 since she couldn't breath. The other was a week later (and a week into meds...) and Tom took her straight from work to the ER, they admitted her overnight and now she is on a complicated 21 med cycle to try and knock this. It was scary but she was a trouper and I'm very proud of how she didnt panic and it didnt send her into a tail spin. If anything she was pissed she had to miss work!

Billy had an amazing spring break in Seattle and his photos are unbelievable. Of course, his favorite part was the all day hike, but they also saw multiple museums, went thrifting and wandered around Pikes Market

Jimmy has had a slight change in strategy for law school, he's wait listed at Norte Dame and Berkley so now he's going to hold out for ND. Now is the time to get in alumni letters of rec and boy did he score a big one, see photo below. He also won French Honor Society and Homeland Security Honor Society. Not to mention a $1k scholarship for this last year of football (not clear how that will work since all the bills are paid but... still meaningful to be recognized!)

Tracy is adapting to her new job and is loving it. Lots of moving around and being in the moment. Needing to retrain my brain!

The dogs are the dogs. Silly and lovable.

Big hugs to all of you!

TTJKB


Slicing pork

Badgers won the BiG 10 by 1 in overtime, Grandpa was over the moon!


Our grand marshalls, Shirley E and her new husband Steve


Only 363 days until St Pats Day! 

Jack G made his presence known and is lobbying to be grand marshal next year



Favorite math day of the year! 3/14


The People Brothers Band was incredible at the Dakota...opened for... 

Mae Simpson Band, what a show!! 



Yes, I was nervous that the fire truck showed up to our party but then they told me Tom invited them! The kids were thrilled! 

Unbelievable Letter of Rec to ND 

He had no idea who Andy Wharhol is but liked the shirt, good taste 



His favorite photo of the trip to Seattle 

Recognize anyone on the poster, giving a WTA kid a head shot! Ha!! 


Friday, February 23, 2024

February is a blur!!

 February is a blur and SUPER random. Our month, so far, in photos.


Billy had his friend over to build a funeral pyre to pay tribute to his halloween costumes... Creeper from mind craft and BMO from adventure land. I'm sure his roommate was tired of seeing a 5'6" Creeper in his dorm room

Grandpa's knee is healing amazingly well! He's back to driving and only using a cane. We have amazing genes.

Kay brought us treats for Valentine's day, they were SO good plus we got really sweet texts from Billy (Love you to the moon and back) and Jimmy (love you too... still deciding on law school ...)

Wendy and Tracy watched the Cross Country skiing world cup at Uteplis and it was so cool/close you could here them announcing it at Theo Worth when you stepped outside. Jessie Diggins took 3rd!!

Rat break out happened and Jimmy's Rats love him! He was a good Dyke, took care of them and really cared about their experience.

He voted in the primary, I don't even want to ask for who...

Tom went striped bass fishing in Texas with the crew of 35 years - it was cold (38) and they raked in a haul! 



Trouble



It warmed up beyond comprehension and now its tic season. urge....

We took advantage of the warm weather to have the 1st neighborhood bonfire of the season!

Tracy started work ~!  9-4 M-F .. no cell phones, no computers ... all hands on. SOOOO different and so far, loving it! 3 min walk to work.

We watched The Taste of Things which inspired Tom to make a new recipe. SOOO good basically seafood pot pie in a pastry puff

We hacked into Grandma's 23 & me and found out that we are mostly north French/soutwest German, Danish and Irish.  Plus, .2% from Kerala. So...random. We talked Grandpa into doing it to so...stay tuned






One of Billy's former teammates made the Olympics!! Congratulations Alasan!!

COVID style V-Day, yes, Tom had COVID. Again....Stupid 2nd graders...




Finally got snow and it was gorgeous!