Memorial Day 2026

Memorial Day weekend kicked off with some cool weather that developed into rain for part of the holiday. 

We drove up to Michigan on Friday night with all the kids since Austen and Peyton took off from work and Hailey did not have hockey. 

On Saturday morning, we visited our favorite bakery for coffees and pastries then hit the Meijer for some food staples before returning home for a leisurely day. Tom cut the grass. Austen set up the badminton net.  Peyton studied for finals. We played many games of badminton rotating partners throughout the day. Then as late afternoon approached, I taught Austen how to play Mahjong while Tom and Peyton had their second lesson. Austen became a bit addicted so we didn't get to eat dinner until 9pm CDT. After dinner, we played more games (Quiplash) as a family before calling it a night at 1am. 

We woke up to heavy rain on Sunday. So not much to do but enjoy a leisurely breakfast (I had made an overnight casserole the day before). Austen suggested we play a few more games of Mahjong since he had not won a game yet so we did. Hailey drew and then told us she was meeting up with her friends so we needed to head back home. Plus, the weather was looking better at home than it was up in Michigan so mid afternoon, we loaded up the car and headed back. Austen and Peyton had to work on Monday anyway.

After unpacking the car and since it was really nice weather at home, we grabbed our pickleball paddles and played a few games of pickleball at our club (rotating partners). Hailey's plans feel through so she came too. We ate leftovers at home that night and treated ourselves to Andy's Custard for dessert! 

Monday was pretty low key but the weather was beautiful. Hailey worked on a project with a friend. The older two were at work. So Tom and I decided to play 9 holes of golf. We did a few errands in the afternoon - grocery store and Home Depot then we took the girls to dinner since Austen was still working. It was a good end to the holiday weekend and the last week of school. One more week to go before we officially have a 7th grader, 10th grader and sophomore in college (technically he's been done for a few weeks!). 

Hailey Starts Ice Hockey

For the last several months, Hailey has been learning how to skate. This is because she really wants to be able to play hockey. So after about three 8-week classes of just skating, she finally deemed herself ready to start the Intro to Hockey classes. 

Of course she needed all the gear too which cost us (and her) about $1200! Yikes! I really hope she likes it because this is a very expensive sport! 

She attended her first class (which is on Friday nights which sucks for us) and was in a group of kids from ages about 6-12 so she's one of the older kids. There were three girls about her age in there too as it's coed. She's had about three classes now and she absolutely loves it. I can see how much faster she is progressing using her skates and getting comfortable stopping and starting as well as getting up after falling. She's working on her stick skills and knocking down all the big boys. Maybe she'll do this class for two or three sessions and then move to a recreational program and try that out. 

For now though, Hailey's favorite day of the week is definitely Fridays because she has hockey!

Going for the puck!

Mother's Day 2026

I kicked off Mother's Day the Wednesday before with my own mom. We do an annual spa day and lunch or brunch. We tried to remember how long we've been doing this tradition and I think it dates back to more than 15 years - maybe more than 20 even!

Austen had his last final on Friday and then due to his plans and ours, we agreed to move him out of his dorm on Mother's Day (very appropriate since I spent most of my years as a mom at his games and this is my first in a very long time without one).

However, on Saturday afternoon we found out that his Friday final (which was postponed due to a college platform hacking issue) was now on Monday at 8am so we couldn't move him out til Monday. So no plans with him for Mother's Day except a quick brunch before he returned to school on Sunday morning (he was home for a concert because he was supposed to be done with finals). 

So we went to brunch at my favorite restaurant - Buttermilk. I got flowers (from Austen) and cards. Austen left, and then Tom and I played a quick 9-hole round of golf before picking up the girls and heading to the pickleball courts for some family competition.

After pickleball, Tom grilled some chicken and we ate at home before I taught the girls and Tom how to play Mahjong. 

It was a great day with most of my favorite things (and favorite people). 

Too Many Doc/Dentist Appointments!

Teeth!

I'm swimming in doctor and dentist appointments! For the last month, Austen, Peyton and Hailey have me swamped with figuring out dental and health issues. And, at least for dental, I don't see the end until early June. 

It started when Austen joined us on spring break and I noticed he had a cut on his chin that seemed infected. By the time he got back to school it had developed into a rash. I was worried it was going to turn into impetigo so told him to go to the health center. He did and got some ointment but a few days later, a swab they took came back as a positive strep test too so they had to dose him with an antibiotic too. 

In between all this, Peyton has gotten her braces off but needed a veneer for a peg lateral and then a bridge for her missing lateral tooth. This consists of many prep appointments and last week we thought the end was in site but the fake tooth that was built to spec was a bit lighter than the dentist wanted so back it went. Hoping it comes back a bit darker next time and we are done with that process! We transitioned Austen and Peyton to our adult dentist due to all of these appointments so Peyton had her first cleaning there too where we had to make another appointment to redo a sealant and then she has deep crevices in her teeth so we need to get a cavity filled. 

Next up, Hailey. Took her to the ortho and they called me to the back.  Her lack of brushing caused her gum to grow over a whole tooth and its bracket! They referred us to a periodontist so she could get the gum tissue cut away. Tom took her to that consultation appointment since I was in Champaign with Austen but two weeks later, I had to take her to the real appointment that was more involved than they originally thought - she had a pocket of extra gum tissue hanging from the roof of her mouth and also needed a frenectomy (where they adjust that band of tissue tying the lip to the gum) plus her original procedure. She went home with three sets of stitches and another appointment to remove them plus a rescheduled ortho appointment. 

Austen was home that weekend too and was feeling a bit under the weather that day. Due to Hailey's surgery and a memorial service that I went to, I did not see Austen until early Saturday evening. His eye was pink and he sounded terrible -and felt it too. He went to bed early and the next morning when he woke up, I told him he was heading straight to the urgent care where he was diagnosed with pink eye and a viral infection. Off he went that evening back to school for a busy week with finals and projects and some eye drops and amoxicillin. 

I have my own dental appointment soon and really hope that after June, I don't need to see any doctors for myself or any of my kids for awhile!