Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Family”
How did your week go?
Mine…well, it started well. I escaped with my grandkids for a couple nights at the Hilton by SeaWorld in Orlando — and oh, we had fun. I did absolutely nothing productive (although I feel like playing with my grandkids counts as super productive!) Pool time, sunshine, grandkids splashing around,
Meet my granddaughter Jojo.
Wrapped in a blanket. Cookie in each hand. Hot drink at her elbow. Staring into the middle distance like she has seen things no toddler should see.
This was me. For a week.
I’m not saying jet lag from the Southern Hemisphere is brutal, but I am saying I fully understood Jojo’s survival strategy on a deeply personal level.
It’s still me, Sarah, manning the helm for Susie while she’s off living my dream–sorry, what? Did I say that out loud?
Susie sent me a fresh batch of amazing, magical, wonderful shire photos and it really is as special as I imagined. Check it out!
And if you’ve been paying attention,
So, to simplify, let’s start with this.
We just wanted to go to our nephew’s wedding.
Now, I’m going to add that at this said wedding, our grandchildren would be attending, so that’s important to know.
Now, we’ll back up. One of our family values is to Show Up.
So I spent the weekend on my knees. And no, not in prayer—though there was some of that, too, mostly in the form of “Lord, please let this grout line be straight.”
We finally finished the bathroom floor. FINISHED. As in, hexagonal tile laid, grouted, and looking like something out of a home magazine (if that magazine also featured a middle-aged woman groaning every time she stood up).
I need you to look at this photo.
Sarah sent me this the other day, and I about died. That is my granddaughter. At Sarah’s desk. On Sarah’s keyboard. Looking like she’s about to bang out a three-book deal before bedtime.
I mean, of course this child is already claiming the writing desk.
So…this weekend, I had my first glorious, no-deadlines, no-edits, no-one-needs-anything Saturday. And how do I spend it?
With Gators.
We had friends in town, so we hunted down an Airboat tour! I strapped into an airboat in the Florida swamp, hair whipping around my head, heading out into the swampy murk to hunt down gators.
So this thing happened. See, for years I wanted a blue BMW convertible. And in my head, I felt like my big 6-0 (I don’t want to talk about it) birthday might be the magic birthday. I even shopped around, and found one…but the price was too high. So…I said. Nope. Lord, if you want to give me a BMW convertible,
Happy 2026! I hope your new year is off to a wonderful start!
I just got back from the most magical Christmas in Minnesota with my family, and I have to share this moment with you. My granddaughter (we’ll call her Little Storyteller) decided to regale her cousin Joshua with what I can only assume was the most riveting tale ever told.
I hope you had a lovely holiday season!
We hit the road on December 10th, headed to IA for a family reunion, then up to Minneapolis to visit my brother and his family, then to AZ for an event, and then BACK to MN for Christmas with the family…
…and finally hustled out of town before the blizzard hit back to lovely Florida.