Folks, FOLKS – what a couple months it has been. Just when I think, "Wow, I’ve finally got time to dedicate to posting on Cootiehog," I have no time.
I don’t even know where to start, so I think I’ll pick up from my last post and update.
CootieBoy is about to test for his next belt next week. He’ll be doing another board break using a different kicking method, as well as a new TKD "routine," at which point he’ll be a green stripe yellow belt. We upgraded his membership so that he can attend unlimited classes – he is determined to get to black belt and has said that he wants to go to as many classes as they offer. In one bit of sad news, he found out his favorite instructor is moving to Texas in May to open his own TKD school, and someone else is taking over our location. The new instructor is very detail-oriented, which is great, but doesn’t have the same rapport with CB that his current instructor has. CB preens like a peacock whenever his current instructor says anything positive to him. Heck, the instructor complimented him on his recent haircut and CB turned to me with a huge grin on his face.
CootieGirl has had an interesting year this year. She has matured a lot, which I definitely appreciate. We have some good conversations when anything important needs to be discussed, and I get none of the eye-rolling that I used to give my mom when I was 12-13 years old. She turns 13 years old, which is hard to believe. Sometimes I look at her and I still see a 3 year old, but know that I need to treat her like the young teen that she is – someone who is trying to figure out who she is. I’m trying my hardest to teach her NOT to be influenced by outsiders, or by popular culture, or by her friends. I tell her often that I’m raising her to be a strong, confident, independent woman who loves God and her family above everything else. I just hope that message is "sticking" in the hours she is at school or texting friends. Sometimes when I find out that it isn’t, I’m able to circle back and have conversations with her to remind her of the goal, and that middle school is a brief moment in her lifetime, but mistakes can live on forever in today’s world. As I said, I’m fortunate that thus far I’ve gotten no eye-rolling when we’ve had these conversations.
As for me, my walking has been off and on. In February and March I did really well. But in April it has taken a downturn and I haven’t been out nearly as much this month. I took a break from walking outside for a while because the annual Invasion of the Inchworms meant walking ANYWHERE was miserable because the green worms would cover you in an instant. So gross.
I have started on the TARDIS blue scarf – I do a few lines every other day. I tried doing the TARDIS windows and it was a fiasco – so I undid the 25-30 rows I have done and started over. CB mentioned the other day that I need to hurry up so I can start on his Fourth Doctor scarf.
Work continues to go well for me – I’m busy as ever even though I rarely even talk to my boss anymore. She is so busy with her stuff, and doesn’t need my help on it, that my job primarily is to help her team rather than her. And that’s fine, since they need the help for sure.
I’m still obsessed with "Hamilton" and hopeful that CG and I can win the Broadway lottery this summer and win tickets to see it. We’ll see. Another musical obsession in our house right now is 80s music. It’s pretty much the only type of music that CG listens to now, and she takes great delight in hearing a song in public and knowing who sings it. Last night we went out as a family to celebrate our 19th wedding anniverary (!) and the restaurant had 80s music playing, which thrilled her to death.
Speaking of anniversaries, next year is our 20th, and we’re trying to figure out what we’re going to do. At this moment, we’re leaning towards going to Ireland next summer when we can possibly pawn off our kids on my parents for 10-12 days. We’ll see.
In May I’ll be doing a Facebook fast, so I have a feeling posts will increase here at Cootiehog. In fact, I’m thinking about leaving Facebook altogether – it’s just so negative and such a timewaster. Not sure if it’s for me anymore.