Life Lately | February 2024

Well this will be different. Last week, I decided resolutely not to put Duke's face on the internet anymore and since my life revolves around him and our activities together, that really slims down what I share here. You can read about my hysteria at a water park here, but in the meantime, it's inspired me to switch up the template for these "Life Lately" posts. 

How was your February? We stayed busy, hoping it would stave off the imminent winter wall (it did not) but overall, it was a nice month around here. Spring is coming! 

On to February, this our nation's month of loooove. 

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February Highs and Lows - 

Highs: I started taking magnesium before bed because I read it helps with sleep and mood. I don't know about the latter, but I am SOLD on the sleep properties. I've been sleeping so well lately. I've also been working on a small vanity project that's bringing me so much joy to work on every night. 

Lows: I gave up swearing for Lent and it is going very mediocre. Heck just doesn't do the job. 

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Standout Moments from the Month - 

The first order of business was to celebrate my Oma, who turned 90 this month. I forgot to take pictures and I'm so regretful of it, but she had a full party in which she was the queen holding court. Lots of family was there of course, but I thought it was especially nice that she can fill a room with people I don't even know. To have such a full life at 90 - I'm inspired!

Back to that water park. My sister and her family visited the Great Wolf Lodge which is roughly 20min from my house, and listen, if I'm willing to crash her anniversary on Mac Island, a good 3 hours away, you know I'm packing my swimsuit when she's this freaking close. 

Valentine's Day. We order a couple pizzas most years, piling together on the couch to watch something v romantic like Shark Tank, or maybe last week's episode of SNL. 

Really lovely sunny days just fill my office so nicely. I can deal with winter, so long as I can also get some sunshine. The dogs bask on the rug at my feet. It's nice. 

Speaking of sunny days, the weather warmed up to truly weird temperatures last week. 

Tuesday was 65º. Wednesday was a snow day. One day I was wearing flip flops in the yard, the next we had a fresh and full layer of snow. Weather is weird, ya know. I spent the day working from home while Duke pushed hand written notes under my office door. Once, he marched in wearing Christmas jammies and a full scuba mask, just completely unironically. 

He also alarmed me by sneaking down the stairs in this get-up. It was maybe 5:30 and I'm putting down my first cup of coffee when I spot this out of the corner of my eye. Dude almost got a mug thrown at his face, but I restrained myself to a loud shriek. 

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February Consumables

Books:

I reread To Kill a Mockingbird this month. I had a real book hangover afterward, which is weird because it wasn't the first or even second time I've read the book. But I am the oldest I've ever been, and that's making me soft. I'm also a parent for the first time, and that's making me more in line with Atticus than Scout. I was surprised how much differently I read the book this time. I really appreciated Atticus's patience this time, but thought, man you trust people a little too much. I wonder how it'll go down in another decade. Will I ever get to a point that I sympathize with Aunt Alexandra?!

I'm currently reading Demon Copperhead, which is similarly about completely unearned injustices. Damon is a kid in the foster care system in Appalachia. His mom recently died from an Oxy overdose and his dad drowned mysteriously before he was born. Listen, nothing about a child in foster care is a happy story, but this is a fairly clean version and any child abuse is told rather than shown, which for once, I can appreciate as it makes it easier to stomach. We start at Damon's birth and I'm currently at his 7th grade year. It's good, I'm enjoying it a lot. 

I also read The Green Mile (Stephen King) and Such a Fun Age (Kiley Reid). Five stars to Steve, three and a half to Kiley. 

Food:

When I'm in GR, even if it's for 10 minutes, I always make a pit stop at Crumbl. The cookies are damn expensive, but they're good. Duke and I run through the parking lot and share bites in the car immediately and the cookies are so freaking big, Ryan spend the next few days chipping away at them. They're spendy, but if you figure it's a few days worth of experience, I think it's worth it. 

I spent a night at my sisters and packed this little party bag. Spicy Ranch Waters are my drink of choice, but I've been really into Mom Waters since my sister in law brought up a 6 pack at Christmastime. Sandy is my favorite, closely followed by that B, Karen. 

The cashier took note of an obvious mom (child clinging to cart is a dead giveaway) buying Mom Waters and asked me if my name is on any of the cans with a laugh. Not yet sir, but just give it 10 years. I read an interesting and funny article about how the names I grew up with are becoming the Susans and Nancys and Sharons of my youth. Example: See this tweet. Haha, can you imagine a kid now hearing Jennifer or Jessica or Ashley and they're envisioning a middle age lady, the same way we did with ol' Michelle and Brenda? It makes me literally lol. 

As far as media consumables, we've been watching the heck out of America's Funniest Home Videos and Alone, while keeping up with our old Shark Tank standby. 

I'm still binging the Bad on Paper podcast and I've made it to 2020. It's honestly a little traumatic listening to the hosts live through the earlier part of the pandemic again. 

Thoughts on Texas Hold 'Em? I'm talking Beyonce of course. I can't get into it, but I've always held out for the best and brightest of her Destiny's Child days anyway. 

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Last picture is my favorite - a real bluebird month. 

How was your February?