2021 - January - May!

I can't believe how long this post has taken me but welcome to the new normal!

Firepit and pups with friend and neighbor, Laura!

For the first time since things shut down the previous March, we headed out to Trader Joe's. It was Sunday morning so we thought it would be a little less crowded and we wouldn't have to wait in line. It was wonderful to be back but when we came out of the store, it was SNOWING! We couldn't 

Kirby barked at every stray snowman we'd pass!

Facetiming with Great and Mimi!

Fun with neighbor pup, Winnie.

The most appropriate gift and mug for 2020/2021!

Such a patient pup!

Celebrating Alex's birthday! 

Allie and I brought our "Jane" watching out to the firepit!

The BEST co-worker!

And then the freeze came! 

And then the snow!

The kids were worried about Kirby's paws...Jake's old soccer socks to the rescue!

At least the snow had some purpose!

"Sno-vid" was no joke. So many people were without power and heat. While we were extremely lucky to have only lost power for a few hours, it was hard to see so many struggling. We did what we could to help our neighbors without power but it was so rough for so many.

Kirby found the sunshine even in the snow. 

The snow melting left a lot of mud and 

a very dirty dog!

Celebrating Dorry's birthday!

Handsome guy!

The caption says it all. And it's fake nails. 

Kirby's sister, Zelda, came over to play!

First visit to Dallas since Covid! We missed our people!

We still had Hanukkah gifts that had been waiting to be given. Including socks for Pipi with Alex's "disapproving face" on them!

Allie loved Brenna's workout room and was the inspiration for us getting an elliptical machine. 

We left the house! Abe Lincoln was a bonus but leaving the house was a miracle!

Pipi and the pups!

We didn't take a ton of pictures mostly because it was so good to be in person and together in one place!

Fun to meet friends out again!

We miss Jake playing soccer but it was fun to see him try something new. He has track in his blood, Alex's grandfather was a runner who qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Germany but wasn't able to go because he was Jewish. 

In April, my organization held it's annual conference after having cancelled twice. While I was gone I got this sweet "proof of life" picture. Everyone, Kirby included, was in good hands with daddy.

During my conference I got to give away a car! I'm not a car person but it sure is fun to buy one when it's not your money! 

Time with the BFF who very sadly moved with her family to outside of Nashville! Allie was devastated when she got the news but we're excited to visit hopefully soon!  

I'll miss her mom too!

Bar mitzvah preparations are underway and we are getting excited. Part of the getting ready included a photoshoot of Jake. It was so fun for me to watch him interact with our photographer, Ginny and to look. like. such. a. teenager!  

More about the bar mitzvah here.

We took these pictures at Mayfair Park with their family of Peacocks was beautiful and I can't believe I had never been there.

There were other BIG bar mitzvah preparations happening at our house as well! Here is the "before" of our backyard! 

The "before" quickly went to this!

Then the real demo started!

Framing for essentially 3 slabs!

Next came the concrete trucks. I felt like a 5 year old boy. Concrete is COOL!

More to come on that but (thankfully) after the cement was poured it rained for what felt forever!

Here is said elliptical. Of course it hasn't been used nearly as much as was promised! 

Mother's Day flowers for Great and happy mother's day to all the amazing moms in our life!

I was on a staff meeting and with Kirby's help, accidentally broke one of my favorite coffee mugs. It was a paint your own pottery deal and I made it in December 2000 after the Ducks lost to the Beavers in the Civil War and I was still mad about it the next day. The mug I made said “Go Ducks” and had little duckies all around it. When it fell of my desk, as I attempted to keep the dog quiet during my staff meeting, I was so sad. Probably as sad as when the Ducks lost in 2000. But then on Mother's Day, as I was brought coffee in bed, it was served to me in this perfect mug. Thank you Alex for being so thoughtful!

This was certainly exciting! Jake getting his first Covid shot. He was fully vaccinated in time for camp!

My first flight since January of 2020. Santa Fe for work. Crazy to be in Santa Fe with none of the Brott Family in town. Good thing I get to see them in a few weeks!

We managed to find a basketball league for Jake. It was a mess but he was glad to play (sort of).

Everyone loves the thera-massage gun, even Kirby.

Allie had an unfortunate incident with a dog that she was trying to give some love to who wasn't having it. It's a good friend's dog and he's super sweet, he just wasn't in the mood for a hug. After the initial shock (and some antibiotics) I was thrilled that Allie's take-away from the ordeal was that she hoped she'd have a scar because that's kind of cool!

Steel beams for the structure of the covered patio!

Welding is also very cool!

Coming soon: A roof!

Other Bar Mitzvah preparations included shopping which doesn't seem to be either child's favorite thing. 

New day, new project. New fence!

It's hard to not do a before/after on the fence! We needed a new fence when we moved in but didn't prioritize it until now!

What a school year! 

We were ready to be done and wrapped up school right before the big Bar Mitzvah weekend!

And we have paint! Full disclosure, they were painting Saturday morning before the Bar Mitzvah! 

House is ready too! I didn't do a good job of photographing it but we painted the inside of the house to and found a few pieces of furniture. Let's do this Bar Mitzvah thing...

Read all about it here: