What's in a Name

One thing I really love hearing about is why people decided to name their children what they did. Truly, naming a child is a stressful experience because there's so much to consider: initials, monogram, any weird nicknames, how it sounds with your last name. And if you're a teacher, then there are also so many names that belong to former students, and that brings up a lot of its own feelings. And if all this is not stressful enough, consider that I read somewhere once that when you name your child, you are giving them the name by which God will call them for all eternity. 

Oh, okay, cool. No pressure then. 

Today I thought I would share with you why we decided to name our children what we did, and I hope you will share, too! 

Robert David

Being our first child, this was the first real chance Joe and I had to share with each other what names we liked. As you can imagine, there were names he really liked where I was like "Ehh," and there were names I liked that he wasn't too thrilled about either. But one thing we both agreed on was that we loved our grandfathers. My maternal grandfather is Robert (still living), and Joe's maternal grandfather was David (he has died, and he was a wonderful man). I honestly don't remember exactly how or when we came up with Bert, but one day we just realized that was an awfully cute nickname. We liked that it was uncommon but not weird (because it's not 1950). And we thought it would suit our son more than the more common nicknames for Robert, like Bob or Robbie. The only thing holding us back from this name was that there is a slightly more famous Robert Kraft already. But we love my grandfather more than we cared about that, so Robert David "Bert" it was. 

Henry Joseph

This is probably a good time to mention that there are FOUR girls' names that I LOVE. But then I had to come up with another boy name! This time, along with all the other considerations relating to a child's name, we also had to consider how it would sound with Bert. Once again, Joe and I went back and forth, sharing our suggestions with each other, but nothing sounded right. I can't quite remember exactly how or when, but the name Hank was suggested. We loved how it sounded with Bert, and we also loved that, like Bert's name, it is uncommon but not unusual (again, because it's not 1950). Although Hank was the name we wanted, we also wanted to give him a "real" name and not just name him a nickname, so Henry is his real name. After thinking for a while, we decided to give him the middle name Joseph because Bert's name has such a strong family connection, we wanted Hank to have a connection, too. So we gave him the middle name Joseph after Joe, and we also thought it was fitting because in the Catholic Church, this year is the year of Saint Joseph. 

So there are the stories of Bert and Hank, two boys who are aptly named to spend their senior years drinking .50 coffee at McDonald's at 6 a.m.!

Some funny things:

- While I remember that Bert's real name is Robert, I am not joking at all when I tell you that 99% of the time I completely forget Hank's name is actually Henry. 

- The week we decided to name Bert Robert Kraft was the same week that the first Robert Kraft was arrested for his indiscretion, and the week we decided to name Hank Hank was the week Hank Aaron died. So if we have another child and you're a celebrity with the same name, you might want to watch out! 

Father Jack

Bert says several words that he associates with church: God, “cheech” (church), and Jesus. (I attribute this to divine intervention as well as the fact he was born on the feast day of Saint John Vianney and definitely not to anything Joe and I have done. 😂) Lately, though, when talking about “cheech” he has begun saying another word that sounds like “dack.” Honestly, it sounds like what he says for dog and duck, and I have been struggling to figure out how dogs or ducks fit on a list with God, church, and Jesus.

Until yesterday.

As he was reciting his litany: God, cheech, dack, Jesus, I finally realized … “dack” is “Father Jack” the  outstanding priest at our amazing church, Saint Monica. I love how Bert smiles when he knows we have FINALLY realized what it is he’s been trying to tell us all along: God, church, Father Jack, and Jesus. (In that order, I’ll add!)

Our Trip to the Orchard

For the past two falls, Joe and I have taken Bert to a family-owned apple orchard to pick apples and enjoy the season. The orchard we go to is about an hour north of here, and the drive to get there is beautiful. It was a beautiful day -- not too hot and not too cold -- and we enjoyed our time picking apples, looking at pumpkins, and buying some donuts, cider, and cherry apple jam, too! 

Afterwards, Joe took me to a nearby winery that is special to us. Joe took me to this same winery during my first trip to Georgia in November 2016 after he and I had just started dating. We took a photo that year, then last year we took another with baby Bert standing in the same spot, and this year we took another. The photos are a beautiful reminder of how unexpected life can be. 

We enjoy our annual trip to the orchard for some easy and festive family fun. We hope to make it a family tradition. 

We found an adorable Bert-sized apple for him to snack on!

Can you believe how much this little guy has changed in a year?

Top: this year, Bottom Left: when Joe and I were dating in 2016, Bottom Right: fall 2018 with baby Bert.

Embracing the Season

One characteristic I have is that I really like to find reasons to make ordinary life a little more special. College football kickoff Saturday? I'm there with the pepperoni rolls, homemade spicy queso, and Lit'l Smokies. Memorial Day Weekend? I'll make sure we have hot dogs, potato salad, and beer for a cookout, even if it's just Joe and me. National Donut Day? Let's get a box or three! 

I'm not sure where this all comes from. I didn't really grow up like that, but I think that it has to do with the fact that regular days can just become so ... regular, and it's so easy to do the wake up/work/chores/make dinner routine day in and day out with little variation if we don't try. And maybe even more than that, I enjoy it a lot. It brings me a lot of happiness and joy to have a little something to celebrate, a little something to look forward to, a little something that draws us to the special things in life. 

These pumpkin spice muffins are a Weight Watchers recipe. Two ingredients!

Prior to having my own husband and son, the primary beneficiaries of my need to celebrate were my students. Now I'm not some Pinterest person (ask anyone), so I haven't mastered the handmade crafts or elaborate meals or treats. But what I would do is make sure the Nat King Cole or Bing Crosby Christmas CDs were playing when the kids would come to homeroom or Language Arts class between Thanksgiving and Christmas or print out a March Madness bracket for every kid in homeroom to fill out and hang them on the wall so we could have a little friendly basketball competition in the spring. I used to love doing special themed literature units for fall and Christmas (The Midnight Society being my favorite, but I also did one for sixth graders on urban legends that I thought was pretty cool too!) and setting the stage for those units with candlelight and a campfire video from YouTube. If I look at those things I see just how small they really are and what little time they take -- a CD turned on, a PDF downloaded and printed from the internet -- but they honestly made my life much more enjoyable, and I'd like to think the kids' days at school were livened up a little as well. Now that I don't have middle school students I see every day, things are a little different. Last year's Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas were especially strange as I had a very small baby at home who not only would not appreciate a good episode of The Twilight Zone but who couldn't even, you know, speak or sit up, so asking his thoughts on "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" or "The Gift of the Magi" was particularly boring. 

I have found a kindred spirit in my friend Maggie. Maggie has a sweet 4-year-old boy as well as a baby girl who is about five months younger than Bert. Last year, in that stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Maggie and I were both moms at home with little ones (Maggie was pregnant at the time also), and we would text often to get each other through those loooooooooooooong afternoon hours where it was dark outside, you'd run out of ideas to entertain your kid, and your husband wasn't due home for hours. (HOURS!) Maggie said she thought it would be a good idea to make a ritual for the late afternoon: maybe light a special candle or make a special coffee drink. I immediately realized she was speaking my language, and literally the next day I purchased a particular Christmas candle and Chai latte pods for my Keurig. I'd light that candle and drink the Chai lattes in the afternoons, and it was something I looked forward to daily. I also played the heck out of Nat and Bing for Bert, and we found several great Christmas movies -- like Frosty the Snowman, It's a Wonderful Life, and, my personal favorite, The Bishop's Wife -- on YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. I'd just run those things on a loop all day long, no joke. Joe would come home to the candle, the Christmas Classics playlist on Pandora, and It's a Wonderful Life on TV, being like "Guess we're watching that again!" Yeah, dude, don't touch that remote! 

Had to break out the Edgar Allan Poe coffee mug!

Since I'm not newly postpartum, I have a better ability this year to really embrace the holiday season. Maggie and I are both back in action, in fact; she told me recently that she is really leaning in to the holidays this year, already baking pumpkin pies and doing tons of crafts with her son. I told her I was right with her: this year I am baking all the treats, listening to all the Halloween music, and watching all the spooky shows and movies. In my last grocery run, I bought the pumpkin cookies, the pumpkin spice bread, the pumpkin spice English muffins, the pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls, and the ghost marshmallows. If you drop by my house (please do, I'd love to see you!) anytime this month, please be prepared to be hit in the face so to speak with three pumpkin-scented candles, The Twilight Zone on TV, and some cookies in the oven. Trust me when tell you NONE of this is fancy, it's just special. (I'm being totally serious -- those cookies in the oven are the pre-made Pillsbury ones that have pumpkins on them that you literally just lay on the cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. No one is mixing sugar and eggs over here.) 

We got out our fall decorations on Friday. We were supposed to get them out Thursday, but we (Joe) were dealing with the tree that had fallen in our yard. After dinner Thursday, Joe offered to get the decorations out, and I was APPALLED! I was like -- Joe, you don't just get the decorations out. You GET THE DECORATIONS OUT. You don't just put them out willy nilly as fast as you can at 8:04 p.m. You open the bins, you take your time, you enjoy putting your decorations out. If you know what I mean, you know what I mean. 

A perfect example of embracing this holiday season is my sister-in-law Alex. She is married to my brother (also named Alex), and they are expecting a baby the week before Thanksgiving. They also live in Florida, so they won't be traveling to see family in West Virginia for any holidays this year. The Alexes and Joe, Bert, and I were caravanning (not a word) to West Virginia a couple weeks ago for Alex's baby shower, and we stopped at Chick-Fil-A to eat. We were eating in our cars with the windows rolled down between us, and my sister-in-law Alex mentioned they were listening to Christmas music. My eyes got wide and my mouth dropped open in a huge smile, and I was just looking back and forth between the Alexes and Joe. Alex said that since this trip was essentially their holiday trip this year, she wanted to make it festive and enjoy the music she'd normally listen to if she were making her Thanksgiving or Christmas trips home. YES. (For the record, Joe is not a huge fan of Christmas music. I know, right? He says there are only like 20 good Christmas songs -- I'm like dude, there are 20 good songs sung by Nat King Cole ALONE -- and he only wants to hear them the week of Christmas. What a Scrooge! That is clearly the opposite of me, so we decided to compromise by listening to every single Christmas song ever sung for at least the month before Christmas. :) To be fair about Joe, once, when we were first dating, I remarked how pretty everyone's Christmas lights were, and Joe replied -- and I quote -- "Christmas lights really drive up the power bill." That same Joe just had the idea to buy a bunch of orange lights and string them up outside for Halloween, so there's hope for him yet!) Alex also told me she's had her decorations out since August, and I'm like LEAN IN, Alex. For real. 

I know people have their personal beliefs on how much is too much and how soon is too soon, and it's not the same for everyone. But I think one thing we can all agree on is if any year has ever needed any kind of magic, it's 2020. This year has sucked. We've all spent much too much time worrying about the health of our grandparents, small children, relatives with preexisting condition, and unborn babies; too much time not seeing each other; and too much time stuck at home. If ever there was a reason to find a reason to make something special, it's this year. 

So guys, seriously, light all the candles. Watch all the episodes of The Twilight Zone. (Then watch them again.) Bake all the treats. There's no such thing as "too much." 

May your days be merry and bright. 

Fascinating Finds

I hope everyone has had a good week! Our big plans for the weekend involve watching West Virginia (finally!) play football tomorrow. (We won't be watching Michigan, though!) Also, today is the fourth anniversary of Joe and my first date! We are thinking we might take Bert out this evening for an early pizza dinner to celebrate. (And it sure beats where we were this time last year.) 

Here are some interesting articles and stories I've collected for you this week:

- Here is a link to a beautiful poem about 9/11 by poet Billy Collins. May we never forget.

- These are the most stylish face masks, according to Vogue. 2020 is weird. 

- 16-year-old Dara McAnulty has become the youngest writer ever to be longlisted for the UK’s most prestigious nonfiction award, the Baillie Gifford prize, for his book Diary of a Young Naturalist, which he began writing at the age of 14.

- A new movie adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca is coming to Netflix October 21. It's hard to believe anything could be as good the Hitchcock classic starring Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier (which received 11 Academy Award nominations), but I'll give it a go for sure. You can check out the trailer here. (How terrifying is Kristin Scott Thomas?!)

- Proof that God doesn't always answer prayers exactly how you'd expect! 

- A defense of one of Jane Austen's most exasperating characters. 

- How creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and choreographer Marguerite Derricks use dance to make The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel come alive. 

- The moon is rusting, and it's our fault. 

Some past posts you may have missed:

- The best inexpensive products

- Ongoing book recommendations 

- A book that we could all use

Have a great weekend! 

Summer 2020

I can't believe that we're already at the end of summer. Summer is my most favorite season of the year, and it's hard for me when it goes away. Admittedly, I am ready for the 90+ temperatures to fizzle out to more manageable 70s, but I am not ready to face the winter that is quickly approaching. I also love fall, with the cooler weather, beautiful leaves, great smells, and ... football. As with everything this year, the football season will look completely different, and for Joe and me, we don't know what this means for our lives. Football has been a huge part of our whole relationship (we've been together five college football seasons now), and we are known for sometimes hooking up a second TV in our living room if Michigan and West Virginia are playing games at the same time. With the Big 10 not playing games this fall (insane) and the participating conferences limiting their seasons to conference games-only, things are looking remarkably different, and we have no plan to handle this right now. Yes, we'll still get to see some games, but we all now it won't be the same. Perhaps most depressingly, my mom, aunt, uncle, Joe, and I had tickets to the now-cancelled WVU vs. Florida State game here in Atlanta that was supposed to take place this weekend. I am heartbroken. 

Although our summer, like everyone's, was very different this year, we did have the opportunity to do and celebrate a few fun things between June and now. 

First, Joe and I celebrated our second anniversary June 9. We took Bert and went to an early dinner at local family Italian place near us to celebrate. Instead of gifts, we decided to buy a family pass to Stone Mountain to enjoy it as a family this year. 

Then we had a special Father's Day Weekend for Joe. This was his first FDW with an outside-the-womb baby, and we made the most of it by making Joe a special breakfast, taking him hiking at Stone Mountain, taking him out for pizza, enjoying a special brunch, and making him a special dinner. He is our favorite dad!

Bert got to go to the pool for the first time and seemed to like it okay!

In July we visited Joe's parents at their home on Mullett Lake in Michigan. We were so lucky we had great weather that week and got to enjoy several days out on the boat! Bert was great on the boat, and we all had a really fun time!

Our biggest event of the summer, Bert turned one on August 4! ONE!!! On the day of his actual birthday, Joe and I took him to Build-a-Bear to build a special birthday bear, then we got Chick-Fil-A and had a special lunch in the park, and then we took him to get his first ice cream. I think Bert had a great day! Then the Saturday following his birthday, we had a little cookout at our house for close by family and friends, and we are very blessed that Bert has so many people who could come and celebrate him! He also got his first bites of cake!

I hope that you, too, found some ways to have fun this summer. I am looking forward to a hopefully happy fall! 

Speaking of fall, this fall I will be launching two new regular weekly posts: one on what I'm currently reading and another on fascinating finds from around the internet. Stay tuned, and I hope you will enjoy! 

Happy News

I feel like I've been handling all of this pretty well, but last night I kind of hit a wall. I know you might think that being forced to stay at home wouldn't be that different from my usual life of staying at home with Bert, but it really has been. I found that I've really come to rely on our weekly trips to the library, our Target runs, our random errands, and our walks with our friends. Joe has been home a lot, but he's also had to leave for work still, too, so I've been feeling somewhat isolated, as I'm sure so many people have. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that it's been in the 50s and raining the past few days, but I was thrilled to wake up today to sunshine and a temperature that will reach the 70s today. Indeed, the rest of the week should be mostly sunny and will also be in the upper 60s to the low 80s (!!!), and I truly think that will help. As soon as I could this morning I opened a bunch of windows, opened all the blinds, and lit a springtime candle. I am thanking God that this is all happening when we have the opportunity for open windows, walks outside, and lighter evenings instead of in the depths of December and January. It makes me a little sick to my stomach to even imagine that, so I won't.

I have been surviving by making Bert new foods to try (this morning was his first day trying Greek yogurt, and I mixed some peaches and banana in for him) and working on our house. We have a lot of work to do in both the front and back yards of our house, and we are taking every opportunity to work on it. It just feels good to get outside, to sweat, to feel dirt in our hands.

We have also tried not to watch *too* much news. I do turn it on in the mornings to just check in, and I do try and tune in when there's a White House update, but other than that, I really need to avoid it. There are so many opinions, so many people placing blame, so many people arguing -- it's just too much. And all that hoarding?! Still happening?! Sheesh. Here's what Bert thinks about all that selfishness:

I bet you feel bad now, don't you?

Are you feeling a little down also? I think you might be, so I thought it might help all of us to hear a little good news. I scoured the internet to bring you some happy stories!

1. Some awesome people I know in Huntington have organized a "scavenger hunt" for families in town that can be done from the comfort of their cars. Check this out. Isn't it amazing?

2. Public Relations students at Marshall University hold a fundraiser every spring to help the Ronald McDonald House. Of course, since school is no longer being held in person and every event in the country has been cancelled, they can't hold their normal fundraiser this year. Instead of just going home, doing their online classes, and blaming the virus for their inability to help RMH (which they could totally do!), they are holding an online fundraiser because they are so dedicated to their mission! Check it out!

3. The NCAA has lifted a regulation that does not allow student athletes to use their likenesses for crowd funding. This was in direct response to Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and his girlfriend raising money online for family relief and support for virus victims. Lawrence and his girlfriend, also a student athlete, also plan to write letters of encouragement to those who are suffering. I've always liked this kid a lot (and have shared this video with students in the past), and I'm proud of him for using his fame for good.

4. A student I know from Fatima (who is the nephew of our very own Aunt Sarah and Uncle Drew!) is writing letters of encouragement and love to nursing home residents whose families cannot visit them. How cute is that?! I think I will write some too!

5. Aunt Jena's school is having a virtual spirit week so that students and teachers can connect! Each day is a different theme, and teachers and parents are sharing photos on social media. Although I don't have a classroom this year, I can truly understand the heartbreak of losing students without any notice. I'd be devastated. I think this is a wonderful way to help teachers feel like they still have their babies and help students know they are still loved and supported.

6. Amazing author and illustrator Mo Willems is teaching a daily drawing course for children called "Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems"! He is the creator of one of our favorite books, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. I just read it to Bert yesterday.

7. Bert has learned no new skills and accomplished absolutely nothing, but here's him looking like a Bert-rito!

8. There are so many cool virtual field trips! Check it out:

San Diego Zoo

The Louvre

Mars (seriously!)

National Parks

There are so many more, too!

9. And finally ... I accidentally hoarded bananas. I know, I know. I put 9 of them on my Walmart order. Then the app told me the bananas weren't available, so I found some organic ones that were, blah blah. Long story short: between the time I originally added the bananas to my cart and the time I actually checked out (a day or so later), the bananas became available again. So when I went to pick up my order ... 21 bananas, a mixture of regular and organic. And last week the max you could order was six! The Walmart people probably think I'm insane. I already cut up five of them to freeze and will likely make Jane and Asha some dog ice cream too. I can't believe I did that! Luckily Bert, Joe, and I eat them every day.

I know there have to be more happy stories out there! Will you share some that you've seen? Also, if you need any fun ideas for Language Arts or Social Studies for kids in grades 5-8, please let me know. I'm happy to dig some things out, and it would be fun for me to do!

____

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a book through this page, I may receive a small commission. All the thoughts shared here are my own.

Breakfast With Bert

As of this morning, Bert is up to THREE solid foods he's tried: rice cereal, oatmeal, and sweet potatoes. I shared a little the other day about Bert's first bites of solid food. Let me show you how it's been going since then:

Day 4: Oatmeal for the first time

Okay, this isn't bad. 

In fact, I think I love it! It tastes good AND you can wear it! Let me just stick my hand in there so I can share more of it with my pants.

Day 5: Oatmeal for the second time

Oh, food, awesome! My nose loves it!

Wait ... didn't I eat this same thing yesterday? I think I'll try this bib instead.

You mean to tell me I'm not getting anything different? Well, then, I am QUITE finished. 

Day 7: Sweet potatoes for the first time

What, ma? You made these yourself? I guess I'll give 'em a try.

Excuse me, please shovel those things in faster. I'm so hungry I have to eat my own thumb!

I feel just like my role model, Augustus Gloop!

Basically you either think this is the cutest thing ever, or you are too grossed out by looking at sweet potatoes mixed with drool that you won't be able to eat your own lunch. 

One boiled sweet potato will last Bert for at least 14 meals, so I'm glad he likes it! In the next couple of weeks we'll be trying some carrots and maybe some green beans and avocado too! We'll see what we come up with. 

Beach Bert

I have to share something that I just love. Recently there have been some tough days with Bert where he's been pretty whiny. He turned 6 months old this month, and I think he's growing and his schedule changed practically overnight, so things are just tough for him and for me right now because of all the changes.

One day last week, in the late afternoon, I had just about hit my limit on what I could take in the whining department. Bert was dry, fed, and rested, and we had read and played with toys. He was just pretty much over everything. Frankly, I was too. We still had a while before Joe got home from work to shake things up for us, so I thought about what I could do to prevent Bert from contacting the authorities to demand a new mother or me from jumping out a window.

I decided to put on some music to change the atmosphere. I quickly asked myself what was the happiest music I could think of. And it hit me a second later:

The Beach Boys

I mean, right?! So I quickly pulled up YouTube on my phone and hit "play" on the first Beach Boys song that popped up: "Wouldn't It Be Nice."

Oh man -- you would NOT believe what a difference this made in our day. We went through all the hits and survived the afternoon. When Bad Attitude Bert showed up again the following afternoon, I decided to try it again. I wised up this time, though, and just bit the bullet and went to iTunes and downloaded the Beach Boys Greatest Hits. Did you know you can get this entire album on iTunes for $7.99?! SEVEN DOLLARS and NINETY-NINE CENTS! Worth every penny I tell ya.

This morning I needed to dust our upstairs, so I laid Bert down on a blanket in his room with some toys. Before I left his sight to quickly dust the other bedrooms, I turned on the Beach Boys. Please look at Bert's face when he heard the familiar beginning notes of "California Girls," you know which ones I mean --

We might need to buy this kid some board shorts and a surfboard!

Trips and a Tribute.

Wow! What a busy couple of weeks it's been for us. It seems like we have not a lot going on, and then suddenly -- bam! We have a bunch of things happening all at one time! Does this happen to you, too?

Joe ended up having to go to Tuscaloosa for work a couple days during the week of February 3, so Bert and I tagged along. Unfortunately it was pretty rainy and stormy, and the downtown where we stayed was being ripped apart for all kinds of construction, but we made it work. Bert and I had fun walking around while Joe was working, and then we tried some great places for dinner the three nights we were there. We weren't able to walk around campus like I had hoped, due to weather, but we did get to take a quick drive around! And Bert turned six months old (what?!) while we were there.

Bert enjoying the space exhibit at the Children's Hands-On Museum in Tuscaloosa.

Enjoying the traditional 6 month treat. :) 

Just a random cute picture (if I do say so myself!) that I took of Bert at the hotel.

When we returned to Georgia we had a quick turnaround of laundry and cleaning before we were set to head to West Virginia on Sunday the 9. Joe had work in Lexington a couple days that week, so we headed up to Huntington to visit since it's so close by. We decided not to leave for West Virginia until after the first birthday party of a little friend of Bert's on Saturday the 8th, so imagine our shock when we woke up to this:

Bert's first time seeing snow. He wasn't sure what to think.

"Let me in! Can't you idiots see I'm freezing out here?!"

Wow! My first winter in Georgia (last year) I saw ZERO snowflakes. Not even one flake. We were so shocked to get this much! Needless to say it melted pretty quickly, and it's 64 degrees today, but it was really cool to see that much snow for a hot cold second!

We had a nice time in West Virginia. We went to a mass that was said by the new bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, and he blessed Bert, which was so nice. My mom and dad also joined us for our weekly hike, which we took around Ritter Park on Sunday. I was also able to take Bert around my old school, Fatima, to visit with the teachers and my former students. It was really hard and sad for me to be there in some ways, but I was so glad to see everyone and so glad Bert got to meet them all!

Bert taking a grandparent snooze.

After our hike in Ritter Park.

***

We got back yesterday and are busy trying to unpack, do laundry, grocery shop, clean -- all the things you do after being gone for an extended period of time. We are SO EXCITED because Sarah and Drew are coming to visit this weekend. We cannot wait!!!

***

I know I'm a little late posting about this, but RIP Mary Higgins Clark. I have loved her and her books for many years. I've read them all. In fact, I have almost all of them in both hardback and paperback. You see, my grandmother loves her, and my mom does too. When MHC would come out with a new book, Mamaw would buy it and read it, pass it to mom who read it, and then mom would pass it to me, and I got to both read it AND keep it. Also, Mamaw has been scouring used book sales for years to make sure I have a complete collection.

Not much else going on right now. Just trying to settle back in and counting the minutes till Daylight Savings Time on March 8!!! Hope you're having a good February, too.

A Boy and His Dogs.

The last several posts have been (necessarily) serious, so I've decided to go with something a little lighter today.

We registered for some blocks for Bert. These blocks are plastic and of various shapes, sizes, and colors, so I thought -- great! These will be great first toys for our son. Earlier in the summer I was preparing for Bert by putting some of his things in different bins, and I pulled these blocks out of the plastic holder they came in. I BARELY squeezed one of them, and it let out the tiniest squeak. All of a sudden, Jane Austen came tearing down the stairs and ran right over to me. I realized she had heard this minute squeak from up under our bed (I had just seen her there), and then I realized something else: these blocks are basically dog toys.

Over the past couple of weeks, I realized that I wasn't wrong about those blocks, but I wasn't totally right either.

By that I mean ... ALL baby toys are essentially dog toys. So life is about to get really fun around here.

Think about it ... here is a picture of Bert's play mat thing. What do those toys hanging there look like?

Yep ... dog toys.

Here's an avocado that Bert's supposed to play with. What does that look like?

Yep ... a dog toy.

In fact, here is a photo of Jane Austen trying to share her favorite toy -- hedgehog -- with Bert. Because her toys are Bert's toys ... and more importantly, Bert's toys are her toys!

Clearly Bert is not playing with toys right now, but I can only assume that once he gets older and his toys are on the floor and Jane's toys are on the floor, well ... they will just be "their" toys then, won't they? 😂