11.28.20 - Kid snippets - Clara's dream

Clara had a dream that she was a superhero who saved some cats from a robot, and she's annoyed at me because I won't find her dream on Netflix so she can watch it again.

11.26.20 - Best parts of the Thanksgiving trip

 It was fun watching the girls get excited about being in a hotel. They were very interested in crossing the elevator buttons, checking out the hotel lobby mirror installation, observing parts of downtown Colorado Springs from our window, and getting cozy in their bed.

I had a really nice time having dinner at The Keg while Miss Kristen watched our children. It was good to get to chat with Jen in particular without having our kids around.

I had a great time every time I got to play Catan. I felt like I was a decent contender and I even won the last game I played which was nice. But even when I don't win, I enjoy it. I like the trash talk and the strategy talk. I'm amused to watch Neil and Emily's dynamic with each other when they are in competition.

I'm really glad we made time to go to the ranch. Jack got to take Clara, Jane, and Jamie on the four-wheeler. And the ghost town is a lot of fun when there's bunch of kids getting excited about it.

At some point both Calvin and Jane were napping simultaneously and I got to get some SPL stuff done which I find so deeply satisfying. Additionally I had a long and very invigorating conversation with Emily planning how to move SPL forward and getting feedback from her. She seemed very interested in helping personally which is surprising and touching.

Matt's cooking for the entire trip was unbelievably awesome. of course is actual Thanksgiving food was amazing and all the more so because you made almost all of it gluten-free. That was so touching and I don't think I will soon forget it. But he also had amazing food for everyone every day before Thanksgiving too. Cinnamon rolls, emoji bread, bacon egg muffins and bacon grease hash browns, etc.

One evening he did pizza night and while people were making their own pizzas and then retrieving them to eat, we were also all watching Moana and that was really relaxing and enjoyable. It's the kind of movie that people of all ages can enjoy.

We also got to do a small version of the taste test and I was able to tell the difference between diet sodas and regular sodas and even the difference between diet Pepsi and Diet Coke. of course we need to have a larger sample set but it was fun and surprisingly emotionally invested lol. Ellen and Rocket were also able to correctly identify Diet Coke so we all took pride in that.

And this might be a small thing but I really liked having Thanksgiving specific outfits for all the kids. And I got at least one good picture of it so there.

11.26.20 - Kid snippets - "Click to subscribe!"

You can tell my kids watch a lot of YouTube because when Jane finishes reciting the ABCs, she says "click to subscribe!"

Pic taken Nov 25, 2020, some Thanksgiving trampoline time

11.25.20 - Joy status: call back services

Call back services so you don't have to sit around on hold.

11.20.20 - Joy status: travel joy inventory

• Calvin slept in, so hopefully he will *not* sleep on the drive to the airport and *will* sleep on the airplane.
• I packed small backpacks for each girl, including snacks, crayons and paper, books, and of course their Kindles. They are excited to have their own supplies to carry. In fact Clara won't take her backpack off even though we don't leave for the airport for about 2 more hours.
• We no longer have to stress about finding an Uber or Lyft with enough capacity for us. Now that we have the Mazda, we can just drive ourselves to the airport!
• Clara can't wait to go to the ranch so she can put more stuffed animals in jail (the ghost town jail Dad built).
• Matt is making Thanksgiving dinner and he got the right supplies to make **all of it** gluten free. Clara will get to fully participate! Means a lot to me.

11.17.20 - Joy status: It's raining

 It's raining. 🖤

11.15.20 - Joy status: Calvin "reading"

When Calvin picks up a book, toddlers over to me, sits in my lap, and waits for me to start reading.

11.15.20 - Kid snippets - elephant diets

Jane is giving me a lecture on elephants. She has informed me that they eat grass, toast, peanut butter and jelly, the sky, and people.

Girls being goofy

11.12.20 - Joy Status: Elephant Love Medley

The moment in Moulin Rouge's "Elephant Love Medley" when Ewan McGregor friggin belts "WE SHOULD BE LOVERS!" Most of the times I've listened to this song have been just to listen to that moment.

11.9.20 - Kid snippets - Clara is a beautiful girl

Clara just exited the bathroom after dawdling at the sink a suspiciously long time.

Me: Did you wash your hands, honey?
Clara: *holding her head and shoulders just so that most of her hair is draped around her neck and over one shoulder*
Me: Clara?
Clara: Mom, I'm a beautiful girl. *holds her hands coyly together in front of her* And I loooove people!
Me: *suppressing laughter* Is that because you have long hair over your shoulder?
Clara: *lost in her own thoughts* yeah.... *wanders back to wash her hands*
Jane: Mom, I love Clara!

11.6.20 - Kid snippets - Jane read stories

The last couple nights Jane has insisted on reading bedtime stories to me instead of the other way around. She's so proud of herself as she sits in the rocking chair and describes whatever she thinks is happening in the pictures. Even does character voices, albeit softly. And I like it because I can just sit and listen without trying to maneuver holding a book while fitting three kids in my lap.

Clara scraped her knee, then informed me that she was bleeding because germs were biting her.

The girls are watching Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving, but I think instead of learning about friendship and kindness, Clara is just learning that it's NOT okay to serve non-traditional food on Thanksgiving.

Photo from Nov 7, 2020 - Clara proudly shows me the fancy drink we made her.

11.6.20 - Joy Status: free geography puzzles

I found some free online geography puzzles including the United States but also the countries of each continent. The girls love them and so I bookmarked the website and now they will go to it on their own just to put together countries and states and I love that I am making them into a bunch of little nerds. Mwahaha

11.3.20 - Kid snippets - Jane orders Amazon

In the last 3 days we have received 2 Amazon packages for things we haven't ordered. And by that I mean neither Jack nor I ordered them, although apparently someone in our house did. *eyes Jane

In related news we have now signed out of Amazon on the desktop.

Pic taken a couple days later at Howe Park

11.2.20 - Kid snippets - political indoctrination

Jack is filling out his ballot and Clara thinks the goal is to say no to every single proposition. So each time he votes yes on something she tries to correct him. Also, he is teaching her to say "No government! You cannot have more money!"

Pic from this morning of everyone adjusting to waking up.

11.1.20 - Kid snippets - "Stay calm!"

Jane: Clawa! The fly is bizzing in my ear!

I told the girls they can't get up from their seats until they eat all their food. They keep discussing the different things they'll be able to do once they eat all their food, which they are not trying to do at all. Some of it I say they will be able to do and some of it I say is a non-starter. For example I'm not going to help them do any painting today. Just now Clara starts to list all the possibilities of their post-eating day:

Clara: So! If we eat all of our food, we get to [starts counting on her fingers] have a piece of candy, paint a turkey-
Me: No we are not painting any turkeys.
Clara: No! I'm just saying all the things!
Me: Yeah but we aren't going to paint anything.
Clara: Stay calm!
Me: [laughing] ok?
Clara: I'm just talking right now!
Clara: Okay. So! If we eat all of our food... [She continues listing things to herself without my unhelpful input.]

Recent autumn drawing Clara made.