How did it get to be my birthday again?  Seems like yesterday, I was celebrating my 38th birthday, that I thought was my 39th birthday.  And, yet here we are again, but this time, actually celebrating #39.  I can't think of a better way to enter the final year of the decade, than lounging the day away road trip planning,  having an early dinner consisting of peanut butter burgers, AND even staying up late enough for the monologue of SNL.  (Well, some of the ProJac tribe lasted until SNL...)

 Thanks to Mateo for taking the boy boarding.  It's if favorite "family tradition" and there's no question why.

Dessert.  Every single night, I know the question is coming from The Girl.  The sweet sweet girl, who was born with the sweetest tooth I have ever known.  And, 43% of the time, the answer is "yes".  On Dessert Night, a term she has ingeniously coined, our conversations go something like this...

H: MAMA!!!!!!!!!! Is it a Dessert Night??

Me: Yes.

H: YEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

    and she crawls up on the counter to select the items for her "dessert salad"

H: MAMA!!  How many points tonight?

Me: Six.

H: Okay.  MAMA!! Six points for my Dessert Salad?

Me: Yes, six.

Then the selection process begins.  Let me explain.  In the cupboard, there is a stash of candy.  Each candy has a designated point value.  M&Ms are .5 points, Starburst are 2 points, chocolate points vary on the type (mini peanut butter cups 1 point, twix 4 points, chocolate truffles 3 points...)  

Harper has to do the math to create her Dessert Salad.  She is smart, and nails it every time.  No wonder the girl got all 4s on her report card.

The Mister doesn't get enough blog attention.  This was my thought as I watched him this morning, and for the millionth time this month, thought about how lucky I am to have found him.  With AP running the morning routine, it's like a well oiled machine.  (ie: He manages the kids, and I get ready and go to school.)  One of the many responsibilities is packing lunch for the ninja and the gnome.

I have been trying FOR YEARS to get those kids to just eat hot lunch, but nooooo...  they want "daddy to pack their lunch"...  can't say I blame them - as he usually packs my lunch, too.  And looks good doing it.

We Rise Wednesday. #room75 #futureleaders #thankgoodness

Now that KT is cooking a TJ, I thought I would take advantage of my favorite DD and hit up the local brewhouse for a little painting lesson - taught by our very own Andrea Mikla!  I have never attended an event like this, but Kylee has her share of paintings hanging in her hall - so she was more than willing to join me at the Urban Moose.  It was fun - the food was good (Kylee told me), the beer was good (I told Kylee) and instruction was superb, and the paintings.... well, I wouldn't say either one of us will be quitting our day job anytime soon.

Harper's Mystery Backpack Presentation

In November, we were busy making plans to head to DC this weekend for the inauguration.  Then, you know what happened, and that plan was squashed.  But, I wish I would have booked a flight for the Women's March.  It. Was. Incredible.

We had plans to march locally, but the flu bug hit, and the rain poured down.  Bennett was quite disappointed, as he had his signs planned - but I told him that we would probably have lots of opportunities to resist.

And while we didn't get to participate in either historical moment, I did get a message from a long ago friend, who was in DC - and brought me with him.  Gimme a J!  Gimme an A!  Gimme a M!  ES!