Mama's Memories for M: Double Vacations, Parties, and a New Driver?!

Hey M-pop!

So, it's autumn and holiday time again. I can't believe the year is just about done (and, actually pretty much wrapped up by the time I'm writing this)!

Ok, so, moving on. This blog entry will be a hodge-podge of a variety of things, from your life, my life, and our life together. Here we go!

I'll start off with a quick bittersweet story involving your career center. Evidently, there was a sub there one morning and he was an absolute dick to the class, including you. He kept singling you out and throwing his authority around in ways that were ridiculous and uncalled for. While that part of the story sucks, what came next does not. At one point, your other classmates started to stick up for you, shouting things like "You shouldn't yell at them! They are the nicest person in the class!" Wow, huh?! So sweet. Ya know, I was worried about how you would do at a new school this year. Looks like you're doing just fine.

First, my birthday was at the end of September and look what Kelly made me! I can't imagine how many hours it took her to crochet that blanket, but isn't it gorgeous?! So, so kind.

GG approves

Kelly and I also took (her dog) Kevin and Grizz for walks a few times this autumn, always ending up at Fattey Beer for drinks for us all.

For our birthdays, Daddy and I went and did a full moon zipline tour. It was fun, especially because I chose to be the weird one of the group and wear my cow onesie. Moo!

The girls and I went to cheer Marisha on in her 2nd half marathon! This "power boost" sign is a fun one to have at marathons. Trust me.

Our friend Tom's book came out in October and we were able to help arrange a book signing at The Book Loft for him. It was a quick visit but so nice to hang out and spend time with him. So proud of and happy for him!

The Wilkinsons had their Thanksgiving *super* early this year. I didn't even realize it was the official Thanksgiving gathering so I missed the whole thing. But, you got to spend some quality time with your cousins and realized that you have a lot more in common than you expected. I'm so glad you got to have this bonding time together. So important.

holding your cousin Joey's baby, Emma

in deep conversation

For my birthday, the girls took me down to Cincinnati for a Golden Girls weekend at an Airbnb that was modeled after the tv show's set. It was really cool. And of course, we had to dress the part. Haha

Blanche, Rose, Sophia, Dorothy

and we even went bar-hopping as these little old ladies

and whatever this is

Another night, we went to a speakeasy and dressed like flappers. Because, of course we did.

this one cracks me up

For Halloween, I dressed up like a butterfly that had gotten squished and its guts were hanging out.

believe it or not, that's Kelly as the horrifying nun

But probably one of the coolest and most spontaneous things that happened in our family this autumn was something involving peanut butter. Well, sort of. Let me explain. One evening you were hanging out with Memaw and your cousins when your cousin Joey got a call from a friend who'd found a puppy. From what we could piece together, the puppy had been dumped and was running around her friend's woods for at least a week until they were finally able to capture and bring him into their garage. Calls were made but no one else could take him so, fortunately, you called me...and after a quick think, I said "hell yeah!" And the two of you drove this sweet, scared little nugget home. He was hungry, thirsty, covered in 60 ticks, and filled w 3 different worms...but finally safe. And he's been charming us and feeling so much love ever since. His full name has become Uncle Peanut Butter, Full On Phillip, Wilkinson (Google SNL Phillip playground sketch and you'll see)...his jumps and bucking broncos on walks look exactly like that silly character.

exhausted after letting us pick sooo many ticks off him

his first bath

lined up for dinner and not happy with their new sibling

first trip to the vet

the rx abbreviation cracked us up

he loved Bluey when he first came home

and he gets so excited when you come home

loves to climb in my lap when I'm working

patiently waiting for a walk like a good little boy

jammies!

Dad wasn't 100% on board at first, stress at work and then us leaving on a trip in the same week Peanut arrived, but eventually he came around (like I knew he would). Hopelessly in love with him, like the rest of us.

look at those chin wrinkles!

derp

Grizz isn't a huge fan but she's coming around

solving a puzzle together

we got a special leash so we could take all 3
dogs (including Charlie) on a walk together

first trip to Blendon Woods

I love how you can see him getting happier and more comfortable in each of the pictures. He's such a wild and loving little creature.

So, as for the trip that we jetted off to...you, me and Lao Lao headed to Austin to sight-see and visit with Uncles Mark and Matt and their families. We went to Bastrop to visit Matt first, played w Arlo and Birdie, had dinner, played hide and seek, you played soccer with Arlo, and we all had great conversations about all kinds of thoughtful things. It was lovely. Then, visiting with Mark (and his family) the next day for lunch and then a bonfire at his house (where Matt joined us, as well). More wonderful conversation. Watching you hang out and interact and share yourself with everyone and doing it so freely around the fire was so heartwarming to me. And then looking over to see you deep in conversation with Mark about aliens, space, what you think happens when we die, nursing, and all kinds of other things was really moving, too. Watching you hold your own and engaging so thoughtfully, openly, and effortlessly in the group conversation was a somewhat new experience for me as you often shy away from this type of participation. It was wonderful to watch this side of you blossom. These uncles are some of my most favorite people in the world, so to see you gelling so well with them all on your own made my heart sing.

of course we *had* to stop at the Rivian showroom

sitting in your first ever Rivian!
this company is AMAZING, btw

lunch in San Antonio

The Alamo

a beautiful Japanese / Chinese garden in the middle of San Antonio
(it had such an interesting, tragic, and beautiful history)

the Riverwalk

our first trip to Buc-ee's!

group photo with Matt and his family
(too bad we forgot to do the same with Mark)

As you can see from these texts the next morning, we were all feeling warm and fuzzy about our visits together.

Shortly after coming home from Austin, we had our usual Thanksgiving with the Yersavich family.

And after that, I held a Friendsgiving with my ladies.

which also included a Chris pinata filled with all kinds of
fun things to try to lift Kelly's spirits after her breakup with him
(it's turned out to be a blessing for her, but for
a while it was pretty rough)

After Friendsgiving, I hosted a different kind of party with the ladies. A soup slut party, combined with a birthday celebration for Lao Lao. It's getting colder and officially 'soup season' so we all made different kinds of soups and breads and ate and drank until we couldn't anymore, then watched scary movies outside under the stars. I have no idea how we came up with this idea originally, but I also made these matching crocks (using a quote from Marisha) and (Soup Slut) spoons for everyone. If nothing else, our gang is unique, weird, and so fun. Ha.

Of course, more family meals were had this autumn, as well.

breakfasts with Memaw and Papaw

and dinner for Uncle Forge's birthday

A huge milestone for you in particular was that you finally got your driver's license! Passed the first time. Watching you spread your wings with this newfound freedom has been exhilarating. It's like it's unearthed a new level of confidence and openness in you that I haven't seen turned on in a while.

your certificate that you passed (and my ridiculous
celebration brownies for you)!

captured this moment because you just
struck me as so teenager-y here with
your car keys in hand

you were so mad that I snapped this pic

I didn't realize I hosted so many gatherings this fall but here's another one for Marisha's birthday. Kelly made her an Old Gregg cake. A very niche British(?) humor that she loves, but she was so tickled by the cake.

singing karaoke with Grizz

And another outing just before Christmas. So many holidays, so little time.

Along with another year of Santa Paws (aka Lao Lao). The neighborhood is really getting used to and loving this tradition of hers.

And changing things up a little bit for this holiday season, we decided to go to the Bahamas for a winter break vacation. Blue waters, white sand, exploring Nassau together, trying new foods, and drinking fancy drinks while playing games. A much needed reset for us all.

the resort was wildly huge with a giant water feature
in the middle of it where the water was lit ablaze
once every 15 minutes or so each night

you and I snuck out with our pina coladas and played
life-size battle ship one night under the moon

Dad and me in front of the flaming water feature

While we were living it up in the Bahamas, Peanut was at Aunt Kelly's Christmas Camp. He LOVED it. Had so much fun.

Benji is spying on UPB, can you spot him?

singing Christmas carols?

We came home on Christmas Eve, just in time to celebrate and take it easy with family. Peanut may have had an amazing time with Aunt Kelly, but he was also very happy to see his humans and be in his own home again, too.