Ten on Tuesday.

1. I am so far behind on editing my own pictures that a 2016 folder hasn't even been created.

2. It is dreary today, hence the sparkly sunny image of hope up there.

3. Gone Girl, done, good riddance. Not good, not my favorite, back to middle grade.

4. Well, almost. My Name is Lucy Barton came in at the library and since there are about a hundred other people on the wait list for that, I can't very well return it without reading it. And also When Breath Becomes Air is waiting at the library for me. But then, so is Pax, which I may get to read to the kids.

5. Yesterday was the science fair (also good riddance), so if you want to know which bat hits farthest, wood or aluminum, Fisher can help you out. Alla has found an invisible ink recipe to stand behind. I am so very glad we are done with it until next year. As we walked out of the school last night we had to restrain ourselves from tossing the poster boards directly into the dumpster.

6. I'm thinking I need to get to a workout class this morning to get out of my gray funk. Maybe sweat it out.

7. Day 35 of construction: the living room is getting back to normal, and we can now watch TV on actual couches. The bathroom, a lot of progress since last week (we are at day 35), but still not close to done.

8. The newspaper is carrying stories from Twins' spring training and we are eating it up, Fisher and I. We wish we were that warm. Fisher wishes the season would start already. I am remembering summer days when games weren't on TV so he and I would listen to a game on the radio while following the plays on the ipad. I think we remember things so differently when it's been so long, or we long for those days to come back. Probably that happened once and Fisher was outside playing his own game of baseball.

9. I am eager to take Fisher to see the new baseball movie, Fastball.

10. Progressive dinner for this weekend! The Killins family is doing main dish, which I think this time is going to be a baked potato bar, but this is a very loose plan at this point. Suggestions for toppings or sides is welcome!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Weekends are so precious when you're in the middle of a home remodel, not because your house is any less filthy or turned upside down, but because you have two, or on a holiday weekend, three!, blessed days without folks in your space.

2. That said, I'd be willing to let them in my home all next weekend if only they'd finish. I'm literally sitting here next to a wet saw. Watching TV. This picture, unfortunately, was taken before the chaos began (when I probably thought all the things in this picture were chaos!), and alas it has been almost ten days now since I've seen the floor of this room as it is filled with couches. All the couches in one room. Great.

3. After enduring bitter cold last week, we are in the mid-thirties with forty on the horizon. I am not kidding when I say you won't have to look hard to find a Minnesotan in shorts should the thermometer rise over 45. There may even be a  person in my own household digging for shorts on that glorious day, not naming names.

4. This presidential election is ridiculous. We must look like buffoons to the rest of the world.

5. The candidates must be tired, don't you think? I get tired just thinking of all the cities they have to get to, and all the people they have to speak to. Pffft. Give me a book.

6. We had such a lovely lovely dinner on Saturday with Nana and Pappi at Pizza Luce! Let me tell you how nice it is to eat a meal out that is safe for Fisher, not cooked by me, and not coated with dust.

7. After sounding like I was giddy last week about sending the kids off to camp at the same time, during which time Ron and I might actually go on our own little mini vacation (yay 14 year anniversary!), I am now missing them already, and camp isn't til August. What on earth is wrong with me.

8. Almost done with parenting book, which means that I've been hit over the head lots of times with the message about maintaining attachment with my children as they grow older, which I have had every intention of doing but now have reasons. And now I have more reason to not want to send my kids to camp.

9. Have to say, Gone Girl is getting good. Twists and turns and all.

10. In case anyone is wondering, we are now on day 28 of remodel. The majorly dusty stuff is pretty much done, but goodness I am tired of couches in my living room, no furniture in the TV room, only one bathroom, tarps on the floor, filth, people. Yep, I'm sure it will be awesome and all worth it.

Fisher.

These pictures are from our half birthday date in September, let's just clear that up - no arms have been seen in Minnesota since at least October

Last week I got to spend the morning with this kid while we went to his quarterly diabetes check-up.

We always bring books. And notepads and pencils.

It can take awhile. Lots of waiting. The waiting room has zero to do. The exam room is the same.

We read, he draws, we chat.

I don't like him having diabetes. I do like our quarterly scheduled drive to St. Paul.

He is always in a good mood on these days.

He is always in a hurry to get back to school, to not miss math or recess or lunch or gym.

He told his teacher last week that math, recess, lunch and gym are really the only important parts.

He is only 7 and has such ideas. I wonder where he gets these strong ideas.

I am regularly so proud that he is mine.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. It's week four of the downstairs remodel. After last week being pretty much a dead week of delays, and enjoying that peace and a relatively clean house, I think I am ready for the filthiest week yet, because that might mean the end of construction.

2. We had some super disappointed kiddos Sunday night when we made them go to bed after the Halftime Show. Mean Mommy and Daddy.

3. After a couple of relatively mild weeks, even with last week's 10 or so inch snowfall, we are back into the teens with subzero wind chill. Since wind is just about the worst thing to run in, I took myself to a step class this morning.

4. My kids have rediscovered their love of Chex.

5. Book update #1: I am enjoying reading Where the Mountain Meets the Moon to the kids, and Ron's book with them is the second Percy Jackson.

6. Book update #2: I am reading both Gone Girl, and Hold Onto Your Kids, and am learning a few things. First, reading two books at once is not enjoyable for me. Second, neither of these genres is my favorite. And third, I really miss middle grade fiction.

7. In case you love middle grade fiction, too, I'll let you in on the middle grade fiction I'm MOST looking forward to at the moment: Pax. But only because technically it's already out and I'm just waiting on the library to get it in. If time were not a factor, then April will bring us new Kate DiCamillo. New. Kate. DiCamillo.

8. We moved to Minnesota almost ten years ago, so we've had plenty of winters here - mild ones, harsh ones, snowy ones, and years where the snowshoes just sit unused. A rule I created for myself early on was not to complain and not to daydream until March 1st. We're still in February, which is a cold month, long despite its fewer days, still dark, and the snow is hit or miss. But March! From March 1st to March 31st there can be drastic differences! Or not. But the possibility is there. We have had snow days in March. We have dined al fresco in March. The clocks spring forward in March, Fisher's birthday is in March, spring break is in March! This year with all the remodeling going on in here, I just cannot wait to throw open the windows and breathe fresh, not painfully cold air. I cannot wait to sit in lawn chairs and watch the kids climb trees and play baseball. But. I will stop there, because this is sounding dangerously like daydreaming.

9. At this point I will settle for daydreaming about things happening in February, like tile getting installed in our new bathroom and people not being in my house all day long. And having two bathrooms again.

10. Hard to believe but it is about time to sign our kids up for summer camp. Fisher says he's ready for a week away and we're attempting to get Alla on board for camp the same week. Listen, this is probably getting into daydreaming territory, but I daresay it's possible that we might get a few nights this summer where they are both at camp. At the same time. Too early to book a flight?