January is for Joy, the 11th - 21st

January is for Joy:  Volume II

January 11

We have a sorta unofficial tradition of going to happy hour on Fridays at Red's Table.  It is 0.9 miles from our front door, so if the weather is nice we can walk.  They have a decent happy hour menu and we've been going since it opened in 2015.  The entire wait staff knows us, knows Arthur, and they are extremely nice to us.  So nice that, on this particular day, they sent us home with a free slice of amazing cake!  FREE. CAKE.  We were so surprised that we didn't catch on the first time the server brought it and so we sent it back, forcing our actual server to sneak it into the to-go bag with the cheesy macaroni that Arthur miraculously didn't finish.  How nice is that?!

January 12

I've been wanting a quality turntable for a while now.  We remodeled our basement over the summer and it's slowly turning into an awesome kid space for Arthur.  However, I'm also carving out some adult space with a high-top pub table and stools, our treadmill, and...the turntable will be the next thing to round out the adult-ness.  (Not that I don't fully intend on digging out my old Disney records that I knew by heart by the age of 9, but...)  After researching for such a thing the only way I know how (asking my dear friend Cyrus who is my most talented audiophile friend), I settled on one that ended up being worthy of the "family chip-in gift" for Christmas.  I then bought high-quality speakers (I'm so proud of myself for not cheaping out on those - I usually do, resulting in starting all over in two years), and after a quick set-up...we listened to the B side of Abbey Road for the inaugural sound check.  Verdict: Amazing.  Worth every cent.   Come over.  You'll love it. 

January 13

It snowed!  We got dressed!  It took forever.  But it was cute and beautiful out there.  Aren't snow bibs on little people adorable?  

January 14

This one is less joyous and more a tale of bittersweet synchronicity in the air.  My grandfather used to tell me a story of when I was really little and would eat popcorn.  Apparently I was still learning how to share, because the way he told it, he would ask me for some popcorn and I would go to all the effort to painstakingly dig out one kernel and hand it to him.  He'd eat it and then ask for some more, and I would repeat the process of handing him only one.  He loved to laugh at that story.  

Arthur and I were watching Sesame Street this evening and I was snacking on some popcorn.  Arthur was helping himself to the open bag and at one point said, "here, Mama.  For you, Mama."  He reached out his hand and gave me a single piece of popcorn.  It's important to note that this was the first time we'd really shared popcorn, besides once at a restaurant when it was more of us.  Only two hours later, my mom called to share the news that my grandfather had passed away.  I'd like to think that there was some cosmic connection in that moment; perhaps it was my grandfather's way of saying goodbye.  We will all miss him dearly.  

January 15

Seven years ago, we adopted these guys.  Gino (top picture) and Gioia (bottom).  We named them after a recent visit to Italy that previous year.  They are the strangest cats I've ever had (and I've had many) but we still love them.  They are very food-driven and are unfortunately even more skittish now that Arthur is in the picture, so we only really see them during nap time and bedtime.   Arthur loves them and we hope one day they will at least try to return the favor.  Gino can do one trick - he can lift up on his hind legs for a face rub if treats are involved.  Gioia is very affectionate if you are in the bathroom.  Or if it's 4am.  But there are joyous moments and I think anniversaries are important - especially those that expand families.

January 16

I drove to Salem today with Arthur.  I decided to try a new podcast that I've heard good things about - Side Hustle School.  I listened to three episodes (they're short, only about 10-15 minutes) and it's very well suited for me.  If you haven't listened, it's short, sorta journalistic stories of someone who has started their own side hustle.  They share the basic idea of it, about how much money they're making a year doing it, the common pitfalls and successes.  Enough of a taste of it for you to think, "wait...I could do that, probably" in some cases.  The very first one I listened to was about two guys who started a pub trivia business that is now very successful.  I learned about a product they offer that will surely add to the happiness factor of my trivia-talented husband.  Easy gift idea.  And now I have a huge bank of ideas just waiting for me to think about.  I'm just sure I'll figure out how to get paid to do something centered around Daylight Savings Day celebrations - just gotta find that episode.

January 17

If you know me at all, you don't need me to explain how joyous this is.  Thanks Granny for finding a cute Curious George drum!  

January 18

Today was my grandfather's funeral service.  So, not very joyous.  I was originally a little worried about bringing Arthur to the service.  He really loves Pop-Pop and asks to call him every single day, and he's not really able to understand much of what's going on and we didn't want to spur any scary or worrisome thoughts about death so we just weren't sure what to do.  But in the end, I'm so glad we brought him.  He was a joy when it was deeply needed.  Here's a picture I snuck during the final moments of the ceremony.  He was rolling cars, seemed completely oblivious of the somber surroundings, and my grandfather probably loved that he was enjoying the moment.  

January 19

Our son sings songs to his little doggie (stuffed animal) for night-night.  This is a new development.  He sings "You Are My Sunshine" from start to finish, puts doggie in the bed, says "night-night doggie" and "love you doggie" and "sweet dreeeeeeeeams" in the cutest sing-songy voice.  Then he shuts the door and comes to tell us that he did all that, even though we can hear most if not all of it from the other room.  Cue melting.  

January 20

Matt and I caravanned back from Salem today.  Without discussing it, it turns out we both spent part of our drives in separate cars trying to figure out what exact Johnny Cash song they had played at the funeral service.  The minister chose it, after we suggested that Johnny Cash would be an appropriate choice.  Neither of us arrived in Reston with a slam-dunk answer, but had both narrowed it down in different ways and once Matt said some tiny part of what he thought were some of the lyrics, I was able to find it in seconds.  It's "If We Never Meet Again This Side Of Heaven", from the album "My Mother's Hymn Book".  Turns out, the album is 100% great, and now I have more music to add to my to-get-on-vinyl list.  Two heads are better than one - glad I married someone attuned to the same details.  

January 21

I found these printables online for the alphabet.  Though my intention during this time off with Arthur is to have fun, savor the moments, and not necessarily do any sort of intense home-school / get-ahead for preschool, I thought it might be fun to do one letter a week so I feel like I at least tried something.  We color the pictures of the things that start with that letter, we outline the letter in each of the words (he points, I outline) and then I help make it into the little hat.  This is week two (so...'b') and so far he really likes it.  And I like it too.  We're talking maybe 10 minutes, and not in one sitting.  And I can wear pajamas.