2020
December
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Happy New Year!

By • On • In Holidays, Pandemic • 1 min read

Sayonara, 2020!!! Don’t let the door hit you on the way out! lol

2020 will be memorable, that’s for sure. But I think we’re all just so excited to usher in the new year, even while we’re all celebrating at home.

Sure, nothing will really change tomorrow — with the pandemic still ongoing — but it’s at least a symbolic fresh start. And fingers crossed our vaccines will be here soon.

After watching the New Year’s Eve specials (with hardly any people in Times Square) and the fake firework display (no joke!), we are toasting to better days ahead.

Cheers to 2021!

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2020 Bingo

By • On • In Holidays, Pandemic • 1 min read

My friend sent me this — such a funny game to cap off this wild year! I certainly got a lot of squares marked off. Although I can’t believe it’s been all this time, and I’ve still never tried a “quarantini”!

Also in my defense, I did intend on voting, lol. I thought had requested a mail-in ballot and kept waiting for it to arrive, only to discover after the deadline that the envelop was sitting in a pile somewhere. And the thought of going in person to the polls…you mean….around people?!?! Ahhhh!

“Adopted a pet” was another one I was tempted by. Definitely looked up and found some cute animals available on occasion (prompted by Emily! haha) but thankfully never followed through. Our house is already a zoo!

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Christmas rooster?

By • On • In Kids • 1 min read

Remember that time when Jackson wanted to be a rooster for Halloween? And then changed his mind after I bought all the pieces for the costume? And then I missed the return window and was stuck with an unused rooster costume?

Well Jackson apparently remembered, and decided he wanted to dress up as a rooster today. At least we’re getting some use out of that costume now!

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Reflecting on Santa’s visit

By • On • In Holidays, Kids • 1 min read

Santa was all the rage, once he was off our property. Jackson kept talking about his visit from Christmas day.

“But Santa was different,” he said.

Uh oh! Did he notice?! Does he know??

“There was a problem,” Jackson continued. “He didn’t have a beard.” 

I don’t know if it was the mask that was throwing him off, or maybe the cotton ball beard is getting sparse, but Jackson seemed to know something was fishy, lol.

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Socially distanced Santa

By • On • In Holidays, Kids, Pandemic • 1 min read

Santa and his elves stopped by later in the day with an outdoor COVID-safe visit. Jackson was so excited about it — after the fact — but gave side eye while he was here, lol.

Santa also surprised Jackson with his number one wish from his list — a saxophone!

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Scenes from the Pandemic

By • On • In Pandemic • 1 min read

With online shopping exploding during the pandemic, a new Amazon warehouse opened up nearby. Recently I was driving by and a huge fleet of identical vans were all rolling out — one after another after another. It was the strangest sight — like military vehicles deploying for battle!

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Need sleep

By • On • In Kids • 1 min read

I spent forever digging around the freezer looking for my ice cream. I could have sworn I had some left, but couldn’t find it anywhere. Eventually I found it — in the fridge!

Later that night I also realized that my sweater had been on backwards all day.  

Heeeelp!

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How did he do that?!

By • On • In Kids • 1 min read

To my surprise, Jackson turned on Mickey Mouse all by himself. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that he — at some point — had also purchased three episodes.

How do they not childproof that part?!

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Snack time

By • On • In Kids • 1 min read

First he wanted something poppy. Then something flat and crunchy. Then something fluffy.

Jackson: “Hmm, what’s fluffy? Let’s go check the pantry.”

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Can’t fool him

By • On • In Holidays, Kids • 1 min read

Last night Jackson moved the elf — aka the elephant — and hid it himself behind the door in Beckham’s room. This morning when he got up, it was on the table eating a fruit bar.

Jackson: “Who found the elephant behind Beckham’s door? Did someone go in Beckham’s room quietly and get it and put it on the table?”

Me: “Maybe the elf got up and walked downstairs and climbed up on the table?” 

Jackson: “Try again, Mommy. Those aren’t the words.”

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Follow him

By • On • In Kids • 1 min read

Justin commented how it’s so helpful that Jackson thinks out loud. Case in point:

Jackson runs into the bedroom, says, “Daddy’s sleeping. I’ll be able to get his computer in no time!” and then runs downstairs.

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Ouch

By • On • In Kids • 1 min read

Me: “Oooo… that looks so nice. I want to take a bubble bath!” 

Jackson: “But Mommy, you’re too big.”

Me: “You think so? You do have a pretty big tub.” 

Jackson: “It would break.”

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Silly me

By • On • In Holidays, Kids • 1 min read

Our second day of the elf, and Jackson has continued to call it the elephant, haha. But when I called it the elephant, he corrected me: “That’s not an elephant. It doesn’t even have a trunk.”

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Elf excitement

By • On • In Holidays, Kids • 1 min read

Justin took Jackson downstairs in the morning so I missed his first reaction to our new elf. But when I woke up, he ran to tell me he found the “elephant” lol.

I’m not so sure the magical element has really sunk in yet. He then said, “Now I’ll go hide it and you can find it!”

And he keeps asking if we can play “that game” again tomorrow.

It’s no game… it’s Christmas magic!

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Maybe next year

By • On • In Holidays, Kids • 1 min read

Me: “Jackson do you want to frost some more trees?”

Jackson: “I’m really busy. I need to watch my show.” 

At least we finished a few “trees” for our gingerbread house before Jackson’s schedule filled up.

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The elf is running late

By • On • In Kids • 1 min read

Day 2 of Elf on the Shelf aaaaand… I forgot to do it again, lol.

I need to get that thing out of the box right now or it’s going to be Christmas Eve before we start!

I also think I may have been a bit too ambitious with the cleaning idea, too. I told Jackson we needed to clean because the elf was coming, and the best I could get him to do was like four pieces of a toy. And if that’s the best I could get on the first night, it’s only going to dissipate more haha. Worth a shot!

Also Jackson kept asking when the “elephant” was coming. I had to keep repeating, “No, ELF!”

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Rough Start

By • On • In Kids • 1 min read

Welp, today was supposed to be the first day of our modified Elf on the Shelf schedule — our Elf’s debut! — and I already forgot to do it. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

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Pinterest Fail

By • On • In Kids • 1 min read

The idea was to have Jackson make a cute holiday wreath out of handprints — a classic!

However things took a turn when he insisted on red finger paint.

Red handprints chaotically smeared all over a piece of paper? Looked more like Halloween horror than Christmas decor!

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20 questions

By • On • In Kids • 1 min read

Jackson asking for snacks is like playing a game of 20 questions. He’ll describe what he wants without saying it directly. Today, for example, he asked for “something crunchy or something flat.”

The answer? A cookie, lol.

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