Cousin's Birthday!

 

Another Picture of Twix

 

Basement "Reno"

 Ben: I have an idea, and it solves two problems.

Me: Well, I started out with zero problems and now I apparently have two, so I don't like where this is going.

Ben: What if we take the deck furniture and move it into the basement for our basement furniture for the winter instead of getting a new sectional for the basement?

Me: Please tell me you're joking. I'm really, really hoping you are joking.

Ben: This saves our furniture from the winter elements without having to find a place to store the cushions AND gives us nice basement furniture for free.

Me: So, this is a real thing you are considering, not a joke?

Ben: I'm a freaking genius!

Back Story: For the past year, I haven wanted to convert our basement to a more tween/teen friendly space. I have a friend starting a new organization business, so as her first customer I hired her to come and help me.

We got rid of a lot of stuff- including putting a lot in storage- and moved the cream rug from upstairs to downstairs.

Now I think we have a very cozy space, even if I would prefer a real sectional instead of deck furniture.

Here's before and after pictures. Note: The before picture is REALLY bad. The basement has always been a disaster because it's the one room I just don't care about (until now), but it's even worse because the picture is taken right after we changed out the summer for winter clothes, which always creates a disaster, as evidenced.

Yeah, I know, it's GROSS. But, not any more! Now it's a place we can be proud to show off!

Snow Angel

 Camille: "Mom, remember our tradition of when we get a new carpet we make snow angels?"

We have bought exactly one new carpet since she has been born, counting this one.

Band Concert

 It has been a LONG time since we have been able to see a concert, but finally we were able to see Audra perform again. It was great- her high school band sounds fabulous. Band has truly been a bright spot for her and brought her a lot of joy. It was so great to watch her in her element.

Fall!

 

The kids at recess had a blast playing in all the leaves! This fall really has been spectacular.

Five for Five!

Such a huge sigh of relief! Covid numbers are as high as they have ever been, but now we don't have to worry because we are all vaxxed! There was a mobile bus at Children's Hospital where anybody could go, so after Camille's last game of the season we took her in. She was pretty nervous, but she did great, didn't even feel it, and had no side effects.