January Tidbits

 The worst bout of stomach flu ran through the family and finally made it's way to me. After violently tossing my cookies, I was slicked in sweat from head to toe so I just laid on the cold bathroom tile. Brent found me there and just laid with me for a bit. Then he picked me up and carried me back to bed. 

Bedhead

With the New Year, we move to the 11:30AM time slot while the other ward gets the 9:00AM. This just gave me a bit of a chuckle because that means the other ward will have to shovel. 

Reagan and Doug sent us a Door Dash of Lou Malnati's pizza when Brent, Ireland and I all tested positive for Covid-19. YUM! The pizza that is, not the Covid-19. I was coming off of one sickness and on to the next. I tried a hot bath with apple cider vinegar and epsom salts to ease the coughing. I did salt water nasal rinses. I tried slathering my hands and feet with Vick's Vapo Rub and then putting socks on them. I just couldn't get better. I wasn't allowed to see a doctor in person but I was finally able to get a Teladoc to order me a Z-pack and that made the difference. 

Sydney: Can we read Harry Potter tonight?
Me: YUP!

Sydney: YES! This is my favorite thing about Covid!

Sydney doing an FHE lesson for us!

During Sunday dinner we were talking about the creation of the earth and I asked why the animals were placed before man (when clearly Earth could sustain life) and one of the girls said it was because animals can teach us something. I always thought it was because man is the pinnacle of God's creation, in a way superior to animals. But I like the idea that we could learn from the animals better!

This apron belonged to Gita's great-great-grandmother Birgette Katherine (whom she is named after). Katrina fixed it up for her!

Brent and I got into a heated argument over Taylor Swift's All Too Well. I even Googled "Is Jake Gyllenhaal a jerk? If you find yourself in the same situation, don't Google "Is Taylor Swift a jerk?" It won't help your argument.

We went through goals with the girls. One of Gita's is to have between $50,000 to $500,000 in the bank in the next 10 years. Uhmmmm, I would like that too! 

Me: Gita, why do you have to eat your dinner at such a glacial pace?
Ireland: Actually the glaciers are melting really fast!
having environmentally conscious kids can really be a downer sometimes.

I try to check in on my parents every week. Mom said they were crazy busy and when I asked her to elaborate she told me there were FOUR deer in the backyard! On that same note, Mom did remember to mail The Friend Katrina had found for us. Sydney was missing that one and we couldn't find it anywhere!

Some fresh haircuts!

We snuck off to Taco Bell after dance and interviews at the church. We talked about the possibility of Liesel sharing a room with Gita- which Gita actually prefers. 
Gita: Ireland's always like ' Oooh I'm on my Chrome Book' in a really gruff voice. We joked about how her impressions always include weird sounds. "Make your bed! Aooga! Aooga!"

Me: Gita I have a spicy burp coming- WHAT DO I DO? WHAT DO I DO!?!?!?? She grasped for words like a squirrel who can't decide which side of the road to run to. When I burped really loud she burst into the cutest giggle.

With Sydney's 8th birthday, the girls all now have their very own scriptures in a color of their choice with their names embossed on them. This was kind of a big deal to me- Brent felt they could just use some beater scriptures that have seen better days but I really wanted them to have a nice set. They cost a pretty penny, but are SO worth it to me!

The girls had the day off of school so I watched Encanto with them over my lunch hour. Whitney mentioned how she saw parallels between Maribel's lack of a gift and her infertility. I started bawling and the girls paused the movie to comfort me.

We recorded our own version of We Don't Talk About Bruno.

I took the girls for mani/pedi's and haircuts and they look so much better- especially Gita who's hair was down to her bum. 

I helped Sydney organize her shoes. I told her the Vans need to be together because they are a fmily. The Vans Trapp Family. 

In a moment of reflection I realized why I always end up watching something with a British accent on Sunday's. This habit started when we were in Iowa City and Brent's ride to the bus to Chicago always came around the same time Downton Abbey started.

I was checking Sydney's math homework.
Me: How do you know that's a quadrilateral? *thinking 4 sides, 4 corners*
Sydney: Because I know what a quadrilateral is!

Talked about funeral plans with my sisters. I told them I want a headstone with a QR code that gives anyone who visits a discount to Crumbl.

Rousing this sleepyhead

The girls talked about a time Grandma and Grandpa Nielsen were visiting and they took the truck to Fast Eddie's to be washed. While they were waiting, Mom walked with the girls over to the McDonald's to grab some breakfast. I was so happy to find they have those positive memories of my parents! I asked if they could tell me about any others. Ireland deadpanned: I drove with them for 13 hours. Enough said.

I asked Sydney how she'd be as oldest sister and she said WAY better than Liesel is because she would always play with the youngest sister and not maker her bring her stuff. Sydney said Liesel would be a horrible youngest child because she asks for stuff too much (snacks, her charger, etc). Then she said, "I think Gita would make just an okay, average middle child." Uhmmmm Gita already IS a middle child?

Gita flexing her flexibility.

Liesel won the class competition in the Spelling Bee but was anxious about going forward because she didn't want to do it. I gave Reagan a call who promised if she made Nationals (always held in DC) that she would take her out for chicken and donuts. Liesel asked if Doug would be there too... apparently even better than chicken and donuts. The word Liesel won? Tortuous. You can't make this stuff up!