A Good Ol' Fashioned Slumber Party!

Mom was talking about how all the kids had been asking about spending the night, so I suggested we have them all at once and make it a slumber party... she liked the idea of having help for that, so we figured out a day that would work for me and for T&C to be there, and we landed on the Monday night after Christmas!  Rach came and joined us for a lasagna + pizza + brownies dinner, then she and Dad stayed at her house that night while Mom and I had the four kids!!

Like most siblings and kids today, they're not known for getting along well and they're big fans of being on their tablets... but happily, we played more games together than I expected, so that was great!  The games included Uno, Among Us (an app game they taught me and Mom), Twister, would you rather questions, hide and seek, and sardines.  Their reactions on hide and seek were super entertaining, and I had fun being the one spinning for them and directing them on Twister, too! lol

 

The second J&K were out, they wanted to take turns spinning for their brothers! lol

The kids and I took a late neighborhood walk with flashlights and phone flashlights at the ready.  It was fun!

This = a screenshot from the Among Us game.  It's like the mafia card game where one person is the Imposter and the others are trying to figure it out.  Kyndal decided we were a team, so she came over and looked at my screen when I was the Imposter... then she let out a huge gasp... then caught herself and casually said, "It's not Lindsey!" lolol  CoolMamma is Mamaw and Bob Rose is Carter... they both accidentally misspelled things, as Carter was going for Bob Ross.  This was somehow funnier to me! =)

We also did some arm wrestling. lol

And there was some reading and tablet time.  Dad gave them a 2am curphew, and surprisingly, they all made it till then!!

 

 

When we were all talking about ideas for what to do that night, Carter mentioned that we could read a verse and then all pray together!  It was unexpected, but pretty awesome that he brought that up.  So we did... at 1am, K sat in my lap as I read the following verses out loud, then I said a prayer for all of them.  I told them they were welcome to pass, but each of them mentioned some prayer requests and they all prayed, and Mom prayed to close us out (and got a little choked up in the process).  It was all special and sacred, and I'm grateful I was there for it!!

Carter slept in Jace's bed, Kyndal slept with Mom, I slept in Kyndal's room by myself, and Tman and Jace slept in the living room.  Mom had a dentist appointment the next morning, so I did eye therapy with Jace, and he was really cooperative and did well!

We chatted about random dreams as they were still in their PJs, then we ate our chocolate long johns when Dad came back with donuts for us! =)

Fun times!!  I left after lunch to head back to Tulsa that day, but I'm glad we did this, and I'm guessing it won't be the last time. ❤💗

A 2020 Christmas Story!

 Okay, I'm totally joking with this gif, but it made me laugh when I thought about it for 2020!

 

 

In fact, the party was fun and good times, starting with our traditional Christmas morning pancakes and bacon!  (Jace decided to take over as chef... Mom warned him multiple times about the griddle being hot... he fussed about how she worries too much... then he burned his arm on it.  Sad day, but the burn was very small and minor.)  Also, his eyes in these consecutive pics make me happy. lol  If I can find the gif, I'll post it later too!

The mini Miss K read me some of her new chapter book (Itty Bitty Princess Kitty) while Jaceman and Mom cooked breakfast and Rach and Dad talked!   (T&C go to Brooke's late Christmas Eve and spend Christmas day with her, so we missed them).  Anyway, Kyndal Faith is such a great reader!  There was a section where they deliberately misspelled words because the character had a French accent (like "Zen we will go to the store and see zem" so I saw that and didn't want it to frustrate her, so I warned her that they were writing that with an accent... and she promptly started reading everything that character said with a crazy accent... hilarious! #preshface

The kids were very excited to bring in our gifts once Rach got back from her morning McDonald's Coke run. lol

❤❤❤

Rach and K in backwards order for their shirts here, and Jace jumping in with the bunny ears. lol

Our gifts were these awesome cups Rach had made for us... love it!!

The kids had lunch with Josh and then came back over for Christmas dinner (dressing, mac n' cheese, potatoes, and McDonald's chicken nuggets). lol  Dad waited in a crazy long drive-through line to get those nuggets, because apparently McDonald's is a very popular Christmas dining choice, which I find very odd and a little sad.

I also got this precious gift from the Miss, who really loves to draw lately!  No offense to the cute smiley cherries, but my favorite thing is the "To Linds-ey From Kynda-l" lol  Blake's girlfriend, Wendy, noticed Kyndal signing the back of her drawings and suggested she put her name on the front so people would know it was her artwork, and she took that advice to heart. lol  I freaking love her!! ❤

 

 

This was automatically collaged by Google Photos, so some important stuff is cut off, but you get the idea.  (The dog was a paint by numbers thing, but she's very precise, and it turned out great!)  I'm thinking she's a natural talent at gymnastics, volleyball, singing, reading, and art... but I might be a tad biased! ;-)

After the kids left, I spent the end of Christmas night eating chocolate cake and watching Die Hard, which felt incredibly appropriate! lol

The day after Christmas, Mom and I went with JoBug and Emily to see Babah at Virginia's.  She's still struggling with some confusion, but making progress physically, and I'm so very thankful she's with Virginia now instead of at a hospital!

After seeing Babah, Mom and Jace did eye therapy while I came over to help Rach and K-Faith color this awesome playhouse she got for Christmas!!

Seriously, how cool is this!?

And on the 27th, BAM, all my Christmas decorations came down. lol  Mom and I did a down-and-back trip to Tulsa that day and took everything down in record time!

Malori sent me this bolster pillow and yoga blankets as part one of my Christmas gift... YAY!  So I took a short restorative yoga class before we left, and the bolster pillow makes a big difference!

 

 

 

Fare thee well, lovely Christmas decorations - I'll see you next October! 

...And best wishes to my vacuum on picking up all the leftover glitter. lol

Christmas Eve Joys!

It may be one of those things where having low expectations makes it seem that much better, but this ended up being one of my favorite Christmas Eves!  (*I think I'm also a fan of things being memorable and unique, like our 2011 breakfast-for-dinner Christmas Eve when Mom was still needing medical care and rest from the wreck and infection.  There were sad elements to it, but it ended up feeling more special to me because it didn't follow our usual pattern. And perhaps because the simple joys are always intensified in years when the shadow of death has been more prevalent.  But there's obviously a lot to be said for keeping traditions, as well, so hopefully we'll get back to all of that next year!!) ❤❤❤

We had a family lunch instead of dinner this year.  JoBug made sugar cookies and then brought over the cookies + icing and sprinkles and such for the kids to decorate them.  She also brought a stocking with little gifts for each kid, which was one of the only things they had to open with us since Mom and Dad and I all went with $$ as the gift this year.  I'll do my best to make more of an effort next year, but this year, it was JoBug for the win!!

The hole she cut in the Ziploc bags was a little too big, so they really piled the frosting on! lolol

It was frosting from Eileen's, so YUM!!

Dad called in Ted's and got it to-go for us for lunch... and Blake and his girlfriend, Wendy, stopped by for a few minutes as we ate chips and queso and enchiladas!  He originally wasn't planning to join the group, but since he got his first round of the COVID vaccine, he decided to come over for a bit, and it was great to get to see him and meet Wendy and get a quick update on his life as a new doctor through this craziness!

We had a very short round of gift opening (the stockings, the $, and this cool IronWorks gift Mom got for JoBug)!

Here's Rach and K-Faith decorating some cookies!  Kyndal wanted to be creative by blending all the colors of frosting - sadly, that just turns brown or ugly green, but it was a lovely thought. lol

JB and Jaceman... please note her "Gangsta Wrapper" shirt, which the kids loved! =)

Mom had us get together for a couple pics... love this one! ❤

That reminded me that I'd wanted to recreate this pic of Mamaw with the kids from 2017, so we got everyone outside and made that happen! =)

Me and my niece and nephews!

JB left after lunch, then David texted me around 2 asking if I'd like to come see the dogs... yes, please!  Jace was doing eye therapy, Carter was playing outside, and Kyndal was Facetiming a friend and coloring with her... so T-man came with me to see the best girlfranz, who were much happier to see us than they look here! lol  The flompy-sues were cute as ever, and Tman and I had a good talk. =)  He told me they had an assignment to write a letter to someone who had impacted their life, and he wrote his to me but had forgotten to bring it home... LOVE him and love that!!  I'll be following up on that and reminding him for sure. lol

When we knew for sure that the kids would be with Josh for Christmas Eve dinner that night, I suggested we see if Bill and Jill wanted to join me and Mom and Dad for dinner.  Then I called The Ranch Steakhouse, and they had one opening left at 8:00... surprisingly, it all worked out pretty last minute and everyone was on board - we had a delicious dinner and a fun talk with the Lemieux fam, as always!  I had to get this masked-up pic of us on our way in to dinner! =)

And a masked-up pic of them on the way out! lol  (I'm very much hoping that this phase of our lives will be over next year, but it felt appropriate to document it while it lasts.)

Last year was our first Christmas Eve without Grandad... and this year was our first without him or Babah (she's recovering at Virginia's house, and we went to see her the day after Christmas).  We were also missing Uncle Mike and Emily, and we didn't have our usual pile of gifts for the kids and our dinner plan with the Parrish fam... but in the end, it was still a really fun and lovely day with people I love and care about, and I'm so thankful for God's grace in that!! ❤

2020 Goals & Lessons Recap

Aww, presh Lindsey partying it up on January 1, 2020... 

we had NO IDEA what was in store!! lol

 

Not gonna lie - I'm pretty proud of myself for the resolutions I did accomplish in the midst of this mess. ;-)

_______

Below is my official 2020 goals list and the results:

1.   Well, not so much on the sending 3 letters per month plan, but I wrote and mailed 36 personal letters this month, and that is definitely a win!!  ...My list included 2 cousins, 2 aunts, 3 guy friends, 9 girl friends, 2 high school friends, 1 family friend couple, 1 mentor/friend, 1 college professor, 1 mom, 1 dad, 1 sister, 3 nephews, 1 niece, 6 Christian authors, aaaand 2 Peloton coaches!  YAY!!!

2.  Part of a message I sent to a friend just over a year ago:  "I’ve talked to a few different adoption agencies this year, and I’m tentatively planning to begin that process toward the end of 2020 unless something drastic changes in the meantime."  

...well played, God! lol

Something drastic DID change, globally.  And it changed me and changed the way I think about the risks involved in becoming a single parent.  This was going to be my final year of taking relatively carefree trips (DC, Disney, and the Alaska cruise)... all of which were, of course, cancelled.  Navigating daycare and school/homeschool/virtual school was difficult for most parents throughout 2020, and I must say I'm thankful I wasn't in that group yet.  I'm not sure what the future holds for me here, and that's okay right now.  I want to walk in courage and love and a sound mind and wisdom... and I'm confident that God will show me what is next.

3. Hahahaha, #illegal.  Honestly, I saw one or two friends a week at work or for lunches or dinners even through the ongoing pandemic.  My year of "connection" became much more focused on texts and letters, but I prayed a lot and learned a lot and did my absolute best to cultivate healthy connections, and I'm super thankful for the close relationships in my life!

4.  My goal was to read 12 books and not to waste $ on books I'm not reading.  I let go of the physical book part of this goal, and I am currently reading book #45 for 2020, many of which were free audiobooks from the library app.  So mission very much accomplished!!

5.  DONE!  (And for what it's worth, I do not recommend the chronological plan... I strongly prefer a bit of variety.  In this reading plan, if the same story appears in Kings and Chronicles, you'll hear it twice in a row.  Or if the same story appears in each gospel, you hear that 4x right after each other.  I did not even start the New Testament books until very late in the year, and I didn't love that either - it's a looooot of Old Testament with no breaks or throwing in a daily Psalm.  So definitely doing a different plan from here forward, but I'm glad I tried this so now I know.)  I have loved my Write the Word journals, though - I highly recommend those - short and simple, with a space for gratitude and writing down prayer requests or things God is speaking to you!

My Top 5 Lessons from 2020:

1.  We are very much not in control.  But our God is, and we matter to Him.  He cares about everyone and everything we care about.

2.  I have undervalued it in the past, but I believe God has gifted me with the ability to encourage others, and I want to take that seriously and love people sincerely and develop my gift and use it well!!  (Romans 12:8-9)

3.  "When people show you who they are, believe them."  An old Maya Angelou quote that I've loved for a while, but it hit me several times this year.  Whether it's friends who are willing to speak difficult truths and then stick by you and cry with you in hard times or people who phrase things well then push you away and keep their distance as you make every effort to grow closer, believe people's actions over their words.  Easier said than done, and I'm definitely still working on it myself.  I want to love well and have grace for people who are extra guarded while still commanding respect and knowing my own worth!

4.  Do not personalize things that aren't personal.  If someone you love is unable or unwilling to love you well, that is their heart issue and not yours.  And it is a reflection of their personal values, not your value as a person.  That lesson is finally sinking in for me in a new way, and I'm so grateful God has been patient and gone out of His way to show me this!

5.  "Self-pity is poison, but movement is medicine!" ~Robin Arzon  I have found this to be especially true in 2020, and I'm extra thankful for the gift of Peloton classes and coaches that have helped me get through this tough year feeling physically and emotionally stronger and more vibrant and capable!!

A Mockey Little Christmas, Part 3

For the past 3 years, this lovely tradition has gotten smaller and smaller. lol  But we'll remedy that when we're out of the pandemic!  We didn't really call this one a Christmas party, but I decided to count it since it was the Wilson fam and we have this pic by a Christmas tree. lol

They hadn't seen the house renovations yet, so I cleaned house and gave them a tour!  Then we went and got Los Cabos to go for dinner... yum!!  After dinner, I chatted with Chet and Karli while Tate watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! 

 Tate was impressively well-behaved and cute, as always!

...and watching him try to open my trash can was adorable!  He was not too sure about it and kept trying to wave his hand without getting very close to it. lol

I don't have much else right now, but just thought I'd document this while I was thinking about it!

Quick fam update:  Babah is doing surprisingly well for having sepsis and COVID, and she was released from Mercy Hospital to go back to Virginia's yesterday.  Mom and JoBug and everyone at Virginia's house all tested negative for it, so that's confusing to me how Babah could've gotten it, but maybe the timeline with her nursing home visit lines up where she could've gotten it there?  Or maybe it was a false positive?  Either way, thankful it hasn't been worse for her and that no one else got it!

 Okay, now I'm off to watch something Christmasy.

Friendiversary & Peloton & More

Twelve years ago today, I met Chet Lee and Sarah Elizabeth for the very first time!!  What a gift they have been in my life...

 

Here's a Friendiversary slideshow with a cutesy Bruno Mars song I just discovered!

 

  

This was a well-timed FB post for me.  I didn't repost it because I don't believe that any person is "toxic" at the most basic level - we're all created by God and loved by Him.  But I believe in toxic combinations -- there are people who are unhealthy for me... and it's an unhealthy part of me that resonates with them.  So this was a good reminder that it's not my job to fix anyone else, but to become the healthiest possible version of myself.  And that's a completely different mindset from trying to fix or save a dysfunctional relationship!

Another good post that I saved to my phone.  I'm tired of people telling me they thought about calling me or reaching out, and I don't want to be that way with others.  When you think something kind, say it!  When you want to reach out, do it!!

This pic was to document the craziness of Laura's office right now. lol  This was at the end of a 2-week period where we didn't have any hearings, but she's having to write minutes and continue the hearings and find new dates and field calls from the attorneys... and her desk and the post-its on her computer screen are out of control!  I took this on my way out to go home as she had just warmed up her dinner and was going to be there for several more hours.  Rough times... I hope things smooth out more and more in the coming months where she will not be feeling so much stress!

Peloton continues to be a wonderful way for me to destress and find joy and strength!  Christmas yoga is my favorite - they have actual holiday-themed classes where they rename all the poses, like reindeer instead of cat-cow, Christmas tree pose, snow angel, treetop angel, melting snowman chair pose, etc.  Makes me happy!

Another lovely way to destress through the pandemic has been food... hence, me not losing much weight despite working out 70 minutes a day 6 days a week for the past couple months now! lol  I made chili and fudge this week... yum!  This = a tasty cheesy chicken spaghetti dish by Sarah (a Magnolia recipe from Joanna Gains).  I tried eggnog for the first time that night - meh, but glad I tried it - the Braums version where I was fairly confident it wouldn't contain raw eggs.  Sarah and Steve and I caught up on life over cheesy pasta and garlic bread, then drank our Braums shakes while watching the first Harry Potter movie! ❤

My main project during work for the past couple weeks has been writing my 36 letters to 36 people who have shaped and impacted my life.  That was a 2020 goal, and the plan was to write 3 per month.  Instead, I wrote them all in mid-December as Christmas letters... but I DID IT before this crazy year ended, and I'm pretty proud of that!!  ❤

My right-side view from the bike every morning - this wall will always make me happy!  It's the TV and mirror and Christmas decor in front of me, and windows into my snow-covered backyard to the left. =)

This = my "Big-Ass Grilled Cheese" and tater-tots from The Mule at lunch with Elizabeth last weekend!!

It snowed on Sunday.  It's been lovely to look at from the cozy comfort of the indoors. lol  Also, still loving my Write the Word journals - I'm using the MinimaList app that lets you create a daily to-do list and cross things off and set a timer on certain items, and these journals have been my go-to for the daily 15 minute quiet time.

Lovely untouched snowy backyard!

Mom and Dad's snowy golf-course and pool view!  I still think it'd be super fun sometime to turn up the pool heater and get in there on a snow day... I know I would instantly regret that when I was getting out, but still... look how lovely, and think of the cute pictures we could get! lol

So it's been quite the crazy week for the women in my family... not sure if I've already written about this, but Babah broke her sacrum a few months back.  She went to the hospital then was transferred to The Timbers nursing home in Edmond for rehab.  They took verrrry poor care of her and didn't get her up or move her around, so she digressed physically and mentally. Which we were unaware of for a while because no one is allowed to visit, and of course, they also didn't help her charge her cellphone or make calls to family and friends.  Virginia and JoBug went to pick her up on a week when Mom was quarantining because of possible COVID exposure from her dentist.  Babah stayed with Virginia for a few weeks, but she was becoming increasingly confused and exhausted, and we thought it might be dementia and wondered if she was just ready to go home now that Grandad is no longer with her.  Mom and JoBug went to see her at Virginia's on Saturday.  Then Sunday morning, she was in a really bad state and they couldn't get her up, so Virginia thought it might be a stroke, and they called an ambulance to come and take her to Mercy Hospital.  They quickly discovered that she had sepsis, a scary blood infection that causes delirium, mental confusion, and extreme fatigue.  They also ran a COVID test, and she tested positive!!  (And Mom and JB had seen her the day before).  So Blake told them to quarantine and then get tested on Wednesday or Thursday of this week.  Mom was tested yesterday and we don't have the results back yet.  Babah is still struggling with some confusion but seems to be improving a bit now that she's on medication for the sepsis - and she' not having any major COVID symptoms so far.  Anyway, what a freaking hot mess!  Not sure what this means for Christmas Eve plans, but we'll take it one day at a time.

An encouraging verse... this is talking about Jerusalem, but technically, that's the people of God, so I think it's okay to personalize it.  I love the imagery of God being a protective wall of fire around me and the glory inside me.

Christine did a 45-minute Pentatonix ride... super fun!!

I do think my workplace and the big tree and fountain are pretty lovely, especially after a snowy weekend!

Kendall's movie buff ride was a lot of silliness, but I loved this part... she did the Love Actually poster board thing during a cool down section as Silent Night played, and I was a fan!

I did my 200th ride on Tuesday this week... Cody's Festive Fantasy XOXO ride!  He is hilarious and such a gem! lol 

Hands down, the best decision I made in 2020 was buying the bike just before the pandemic hit and getting serious about Peloton.  The workouts with Cody, Robin, and a host of other coaches have been life-changing and fun and empowering!!

Part of my Write the Word journal for yesterday... this made me check my heart and think about my motives.  When it's been a while and I find myself wanting to see a friend, it's usually more about my own joy than wanting to strengthen them spiritually and encourage them in their faith!  But I love that idea, and I want to do a better job of prioritizing the spiritual health of my friends and family members, especially the smaller core group that I pray for every day!!

 Here's the Miss K after her volleyball game on Friday the 11th... she got 3 great serves over in a row!!  ❤

That's all for now! =)