Lunar New Year and a Wild Road Trip.

We celebrated the end of the Lunar New Year at home, stabbing bao with chopsticks and wearing appalling costumes.

The year of the Ox had already been eventful. We celebrated the beginning of the week- a much-anticipated holiday on a year we are doing alltheholidays- in a hotel somewhere in Wisconsin.

Wait. That was after we attempted to celebrate it at the Mall of America, prior to fleeing certain COVID infection for life on the open road.

But not before a mandatory stop at the Prince store.

I had worked like a crazy person all week, with one quick run out to my favorite cross country skiing spot for some death-defying and soul-affirming fun;

while the younger and cooler Niemans enjoyed the Great White North. Despite subzero temps, Ford had a blast catching his first walleye with Grandpa, and Finley baked all the pre-Lent things with Grandma.

I flew out after a long week of work for a President's Day road trip home, which we spent raiding COVID-friendly breakfast bars and enjoying uncrowded hotel pools.

We stopped to skate on frozen lakes in Madison,

to brandish corn dogs and discover Burger King crowns,

to visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,

and to suffer a major Valentine's Day bathroom disaster in a Logan's in South Bend.

It was a road trip for the ages. We made it home jussstttt before the big snowstorm, and in time to squeeze in a Mardi Gras party.

And then, after a few days of catching up on work and flash cards and laundry; plus a birthday celebration that included lots of love and a big fat steak,

Seth headed back to class and the kids and I made another road trip- this time, to the Hudson Valley, to see Sally & Neil's incredible new house,

play "King Kong" and eat cupcakes for breakfast,

and participate in death-defying snow sports.

Visiting our "friends who are family" was chicken soup for the soul. As was- photo of the week- Ford/ 007's discovery of "triangle glasses" and breakfast "martinis."

And F+F's early "Leprechaun Day" celebration. 

I get my vaccine this week. We're all hoping the world will be back to normal soon. Until then, we're enjoying the moments, big and small. 

Snow Days and an Ice Fishing Road Trip.

Things started to settle down, eventually. We found time (largely, thanks to Jayne) to wash the Arkansas dirt off the Subaru,

to catch up on basketball practice and Target runs,

to get long-overdue haircuts,

and to playground-hop and remember how much we hate Monopoly.

And then, because there is still magic in the world, we got a snow day.

For three blissful days, the city was blanketed with snow,

work (sort of) took a backseat,

and the local sledding hill reigned supreme. Devastating injuries notwithstanding.

Also, epic snowball fights were had

following patiently planned sneak attacks.

Plus, a Hawaiian snow princess (x2) took up residence in the yard. 

And we celebrated Groundhog Day.

Seth went straight- literally- from a hospital bed to a nutty road trip to Florida for a kayak bass fishing tournament, at which he placed fifth out of hundreds of competitors while still gulping antibiotics. Maybe not the most medically sound decision, but he was glad to be back in the saddle. Slash kayak.

Our lives are ridiculous, and we continue to be so lucky to have Jayne to hold down the fort

while Seth juggles class and professional angling, and I insist on doing this when I get home, and dragging everyone ice skating. 

Which is wayyy less fun, and more work, than I remembered. Every year.

I have to work this week, and we've decided to take advantage of every second of flexibility this bizarre year provides. So my favorite people took off on the long drive to North Dakota for a week of ice fishing this morning. Earlyyyyyy.

Because #momlife, for day 1 on my own I ran a half marathon, washed all the sheets, cleaned the walls (how did they get so dirty?!), ran errands, and reorganized the office and both kids' closets. 

These guys apparently had the time of their lives, and watched the Super Bowl from their hotel hot tub.

Jayne just sent me a photo of everyone passed out after a long day of driving (Seth would kill me if I shared it), so I hope at least some of you made it to the end of the Super Bowl. Cheers.