Celebrating Landon @ 5

I woke several times through the night, but each time only briefly. I have no idea why. I didn’t get up for good until almost 8am. By then I felt good. Downstairs I prepped some coffee then washed the few dishes around the sink after remembering that the dishwasher was full of clean dishes needing put away. I wasn’t averse to putting them away, but didn’t really want to fool with it right then.

I sipped coffee at my PC while I downloaded Saturday’s ski photos and read a few headlines. Mindy asked that I bring her coffee and Advil just as I was slipping out the door at 8am. I think it was 835am when I took her both.

I can’t say for certain what time it was when Mindy joined me downstairs but I’ll guess that it was nearing 10am. Jacob was the first kid up. I asked to see his right cheek. It looked a lot better than I thought it might. No bruising at all - merely a flesh wound. I asked Jacob to walk the pug and her graciously did. Mindy had laundry going in a hurry. We laughed at a text from Lindsey asking if she could come over at 11am to start her laundry so she wouldn’t have to finish so late. Nope! Asked her to hold off until 2pm since Mindy was busy doing our own laundry.

I headed out for a run later than I typically would on a Sunday. Thinking it was near 1045am. It was below freezing, but sunny. I added sun glasses to my regular winter garb. I wreaked to high heaven but it didn't make sense to dirty a new set when  I planned to launder my running clothes a little later. Figured I might as well get another day out of them. Like most Sunday’s, I ran just 3 miles. It was a fun, easy run.

Back at home, Mindy was on the war path. Told me she had to ground Jacob after he tossed all his clean clothes about his room when she asked him to put them away neatly. At some point Mindy called a family meeting. Fresh back from my run, I couldn’t sit down at the table, but did participate. Mindy did most, if not all the talking initially, first addressing Bella. Comparatively, she had very little to share with Bella, but went on  about and the few things she’s repeatedly falling short on since our return from Oregon. I think Jacob knew it was coming. He was the catalyst. Mindy ripped into him like there was no tomorrow. Top on her list his back talking and the bullying of Bella. I only added that the minor mischief he’s gotten into at school (twice in the last week) and was spoken to by the principal both times was not a good trend. Of course he wasn’t without words. Wanted to know if they/he could complain about us too. Mindy let him. I could hear him but didn't really listen.

Mindy soon headed up for a shower in preparation for a trip to Target and Colonial Music with the kids, Colonial Music so Jacob could be fitted for various instruments for 6th grade band class. They all left around noon with Mindy still planning to bring the kids back before heading off to the grocery store. I napped in there somewhere but only briefly and from our bed, which is very rare.

Mindy asked that I vacuum while she was gone. But once I was up and showered it seemed to make more sense for me to unload the dishwasher and then make some guacamole. With all the grandkids coming over, vacuuming seemed like a waste of time. I called Mindy while she was out asking if she would add Tostito chips to the grocery list.  I also let her know that I was making guacamole. She agreed but reiterated her intentions to come home before the grocery. However, she did say that she’d likely pick-up the chips at Target since they’re often cheaper there than at Kroger.

Meanwhile, the two avocados in the fridge were a tad overripe but still good. Didn’t take long to whip up guacamole, perhaps 10 minutes. The dishwasher now unloaded and guacamole made, I decided to trim and frame two color 4X6 photos of Timberline that I printed from our recent Oregon ski trip. Mindy & the kids got back just as I was finishing up the framing.

Mindy was quick to show me that she found the double chocolate Krave cereal at Target that I asked for. That made me really happy. Of course she picked up the Tostitos I asked for, too, and we quickly dug into the fresh guacamole. Jacob, however, had other ideas. Much to my despair, he tore open my box of Krave and ended up eating three bowls. I gave him holy hell since it was something that I asked for specifically. Mindy quickly interjected that all the food she buys is for everyone. I held my tongue but was pissed. Felt betrayed even. The pantry is full of crap cereal the kids ask for and then don’t eat. And it wasn’t that Jacob wanted a bowl. Instead, it was that he devoured damn near the entire box in one sitting. I was miffed at Mindy too for her loose comment about what she buys is for everyone. We’ll just have to see how far that extends. A ton of devious ideas swirled in my brain. J

One of the main reasons Mindy went to Target was to get Landon’s b-day gift. She got him an X-box game – a non-violent one. She got that wrapped up in a gift bag in short order.

It wasn’t too long before Lindsey and the grandkids were over, Olivia included. She apparently spent the night with the boys on Saturday night. Lindsey said Ashley was at a funeral or wake and would be stopping by later to pick-up Olivia. As usual, our house got loud and bouncy in a hurry. As planned, Mindy headed off for the grocery store leaving me there with Lindsey and all the kids. Just before she left, she asked if I wanted her to invite dad to join us for dinner too. Sure, why not?

It wasn’t too long before Lindsey asked if she could go tanning. I agreed. The kids played inside and out through most of the afternoon. Mindy was gone only about an hour. I asked that the boys, Rocky & Jacob help carry in the haul. They did just as I asked. I looked devilishly for what I might mass consume that was more geared for the kids.  I thought about putting the 8 pack of Blue Gatorade Jacob likes in my Accord and taking it to work. After all, it’s for ALL of us. And then there’s the chocolate milk. Hmmm?

Mindy picked up three rotisserie chickens to serve as the main course of Landon’s birthday dinner. Of course she also got a b-day cake – white cake with yellow icing. Along with the chicken, Mindy planned to warm some Bob Evans mashed potatoes and gravy.

Dad showed just before the Buckeye basketball game was set to begin around 4pm. I asked him to the basement so he could look at the secondary water meter shut-off valve that’s constantly dripping.  I wanted his thoughts on how to replace it. If I plan to use standard plumbing valves (the solder type) there will be a problem with getting rid of the water in the ¾” vertical pipe feeding the shut-off. Bottom line, the solder will never take as long as water is close. I need to find a way to bleed it dry after shutting off the main. Dad suggested backing off the connection to the main water meter. Said that would allow enough of the water to drain. That made me cringe, because if I can’t get it back on correctly, I’ll have an even bigger mess on my hands. I may check and see if shark bit valves are available, but I’d have to use a pipe cutter to remove the old valve first. I hate stuff like that.

I could only watch so much of the Buckeyes. Despite their decent record and high ranking, they’re not that fun to watch. What little I’ve seen so far this year, I am not impressed with their explosiveness as well as their ability to pull away. Instead, I see a lot of missed opportunities and bone head turnovers.

Mindy called me to help prepare dinner just after halftime, which was more than fine by me. I carved all three rotisserie chickens leaving the carcasses for boiling down later since Mindy planned to make chicken & noodles on Monday. Dinner was served around 515-530pm. By then Ashley was over, too.

Dinner was superb. The chicken was really tasty as were the mashed potatoes and salad. As soon as I got the kitchen cleaned up we did cake, candles, and presents. Landon struggled to blow out the candles. I worry about his shallow breathing. When it came time for gifts, he was very animated. He liked the Xbox game but innocently asked if that was it.

Dad peeled off first, then Ashley & Olivia weren't that far behind. Lindsey, meanwhile, still had a load of laundry in the dryer. They stuck around for at least another half hour. By then I was busy sweeping and mopping the tile floor. Ended up mopping it three times thanks to the neighbors and Bella bringing their muddy feet in through the back door.

As the evening wound down and shortly after Lindsey and the boys left we tuned into Storage Wars, a Discovery Channel program about folks bidding on abandoned storage containers. Word on the street is that the show is fixed. Still funny, suspenseful, and entertaining. Watched for an hour, or until bedtime. Thinking it was 930 when we all headed to bed.