Lauren&Hyrum

It's insane that I flew my 12-year-old to Zurich to see Taylor Swift.  I just want it to be clear up front that I realize what madness that is.  We made dozens of friendship bracelets; we studied footage of the tour and made a dress to match one of Taylor's from Georgia's favorite Era. I made a top that was inspired by my favorite thing I've ever seen Taylor wear.  But, how?  How did we get to a place where we decided "Yes.  Flying to Europe to see a concert." It happened in a MacDonald's play place, very much like the one I'm sitting in, now. Taylor fever was rampant at Georgia's school.  Taylor's birthday was unofficially designated Taylor Swift Day.  Her math teacher was adding to the whole thing by passing out Friendship Bracelets From a Real Taylor Swift Concert.  Because Taylor was touring in the US last summer/fall.  I thought the tour was over.  Nobody was talking about it anymore. But my daughter looked her beautiful eyes into my cute

We were in London for a few days before and after a cruise to Norway.  We still have a 7-year boy, so I was concerned that he would get bored and sleep or complain all the way through shows that we paid for.  So we got tickets to Shrek, I insisted on Lion King (I. Love. This show.), and Hyrum picked Matilda. He loved the book. Shrek was exhausting.  The talent on the show was... blasting?  The songs are ALL epic belters, and all of the actors are epic belters, and there is evidently only so much my body can take of that.  I know.  I was as surprised as you.  The kids fell asleep anyway.  Also there was a full-length belting tap number of sequin-dripping rats.  So... that was a lot. Lion King was disappointing, and I was shocked.  Young Simba was darling and talented, but not up to scratch.  Timon, though.  Stole the show.  And Rafiki.  Holy cats she was so awesome.  Also- and this was the case in Shrek, as well- there was trouble with the sound and we couldn't hear about 30% of wha

 I quiet-quit social media because I was pretty obsessive about doom-scrolling instead of doing other things.   Things I have wanted to say to the anonymity of Everyone:  1.) A new song about ADHD hyperfixations called, "Don't Worry, I Figured It Out". 2.) A video of my dog smelling the fur I trimmed off of him like it is a brand new and highly nefarious mystery that will have him focused until the very moment that he Sherlocks it out. 3.) That mental institutions are run like prisons and that is objectively wrong, and the system is broken. Things I have gotten done instead of doom-scrolling: 1.) Moved a majority of the junk in my room out of the way so we can have the   I can tear the carpet out of my room where it has been brought swiftly to its knees by my aged 4 lb Morkie. 2.) Trimmed my unendingly adorable bull-schnau of his more egregious scraggllies for the purpose of his looking younger, and nothing else.

Oh man, what a morning!  Sometimes stuff just works out so beautifully, and I am so grateful to be in a place at this moment where I can appreciate it.  I need something heavier than a period to finish that sentence, because an exclamation point is the wrong energy. So, I'll bold the period. "... and I am so grateful to be in a place at this moment where I can appreciate it . " Does it... Nah it didn't do it. Anyway, things are just normal.  Gemma was warm enough yesterday that she left her coat at school when she came home, which means she doesn't have it this morning.  We all smell like smoke because Russ burned a cardboard box in the fireplace last night that was big enough that he had to use the poker to keep it inside the fireplace, but in pushing it inside, he pushed the flu lever back and shut it, smoking us all out. It was already so late when it happened that no one had time to shower.  Wyatt had a basketball game last night (we finally won!!!), which mea

Dear Doctor's wives, Someone has to stop you girls.  Look, I like you, and everyone I've heard say this is someone I like, and in some cases, are women for whom I have profound respect. Never say the words, "I was basically a single mom," ever again. Angelfish, we get it.  You have/had to parent alone while he was in xyz part of his education or career.   But a single mom is someone who has the financial burden of raising her child/children, on top of everything else.   Parenting is hard.  Mothering is hard.  Doing it without the physical support of your spouse is devastating.  And you are grappling with student loan debt- we hear you. You are/were parenting alone .  This is different than being a single mom.  The title "single mom" elicits concern because these are women who really are actually doing it actually for real alone. The weight that moms carry is too heavy.  We cannot do it alone.  It is crushing.   But sweet sister, if you have a husband, you

*this post is still unedited*      My friend Janene was taken by esophagus cancer, and I just got back from her funeral. She's my cousin-once-removed, or my dad's cousin, or my aunt depending on how you assign those things. But, she was my friend, too.       My kids went to her preschool, and I saw her 3-5 times a week depending on how many kids I had in pre-school at the time. I saw her more than anyone in my life besides the people I live with. And she was happy to see me every time. I was happy and even excited to see her, but it made me feel so remarkably good to know that she was excited to see me. Her smile, and the way her cheeks wrinkled, reminded me of my grandma Alta, at first, and I felt warm and at home to be with her. But with time, we chatted little bits and talked about this and that, and she became my friend. She was so beautiful. She had pre-school teacher sweaters that she wore for every season and holiday and special event. Her daughters and sisters a