Well, it’s been a while since I’ve shared a family life update, and what better time to do it than now—while I’m camped out in bed with a cold, trying to avoid spreading my germs to the rest of the house. They say moms don’t get sick days, but today I’m calling in “semi-sick-but-still-managing-life-from-my-pillow” mode. So, with a little extra time and a lot of tissues, here’s what’s been going on in our corner of the world.

The Cowboys

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George won’t stop growing up on me and is a JUNIOR in high school. He’s also taking a college class, working part time, and playing rec basketball.

Clark is busy with 9th grade basketball and spending any extra time with friends (he hopes to get to know every single person in his high school).

Paul is in 7th grade and busy with two different basketball teams and travel soccer, any free moments are spent cheering on his friends at THEIR sporting events.

Luke is keeping busy with wrestling and hanging with new neighbor friends and old neighbor friends.

Boys Weekend

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Ted and the boys had an unforgettable weekend together—complete with football, food, and father-son bonding. As an early Christmas gift, Ted took them out for dinner, played games at the Mall of America, and treated them to a hotel stay. The highlight? Sunday’s Vikings football game, which was Paul and George’s first ever! They LOVED it!

Book Launch Party x 2

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I’m so thankful to the neighbors and friends who came to our Turtle Trouble book launch parties! We had door prizes, a live reading, a hot chocolate bar, plus a visit from the illustrator. She created a custom coloring sheet, so we hosted a coloring contest for prizes too.

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Christmas Day Recap

On Christmas morning, the boys came downstairs to find just four presents under the tree—two of which were for Ted. Paul immediately asked if there were more gifts coming. I smiled and told him he’d find out soon.

After breakfast, I sent the boys on a scavenger hunt to find their gifts. Once all the presents were found, I had another game ready to decide who got to open the first one. We alternated between games and opening gifts, giving us more time to enjoy each other’s company.

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While the boys weren’t thrilled about the games (or me taking videos), Ted gently reminded them that participating was a gift to me. And though they pretended not to enjoy it, I could tell they did.

Once the games and presents were over, we had lunch, enjoyed the new gifts, and capped the day with ice skating and sledding in the evening.

The rest of Christmas break was low-key, as the flu made its way through the family one by one.

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School Daze

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Lately, I’ve been making the rounds in schools, reading to kids and teaching every grade from K-12. It’s been a blast—though let me tell you, shifting gears from kindergarten chaos to middle school energy keeps me on my toes. Every day is a new adventure!

One highlight? When I was teaching at a middle school recently, I scored an exclusive invite to sit with the cool kids—the middle school boys—at lunch!

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Minneapolis Date

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Ted and I recently managed to escape for a much-needed date—because sometimes you’ve got to remind yourself that you are more than just your kids’ snack supplier and chauffeur. We explored the Minnesota Sculpture Garden, where we tried to interpret what the sculptures were supposed to be: Is it a deep metaphor or just a giant spoon?

We then walked across the bridge to Gai Noi and enjoyed some amazing curry. It was one of those perfect afternoons where we felt like grown-ups again.

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Wrigley’s Goes to Jail

Wrigley is doing great… aside from one minor run-in with the law.

It all started when I let him outside. Normally, he never leaves our yard, but of course, this one time, he decided to explore—I should add that he wasn’t wearing his collar. Thankfully, a kind neighbor one street over, found our adventurous (and overly friendly) dog. Not knowing where he belonged, she kindly escorted him to the local police station.

Apparently, Wrigley’s charm didn’t stop with our family; he sweet-talked the officers into taking his mug shot and posting it online to see if anyone recognized him. When I got a text from our neighbor asking, “Is this Wrigley?” I ran to check outside. No Wrigley. I asked the boys—no one had seen him. Sure enough, the fugitive in question was our Wrigley… chilling at the police station.

The reunion was equal parts embarrassing and sweet. Wrigley wagged his tail and jumped up to give me a hug, and I gave him a lecture he clearly tuned out.

He’s home safe now, keeping my reading spot warm and probably dreaming about his next “adventure.”

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Turtle Trouble Book Love

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Thanks to each of you who have purchased a copy of Turtle Trouble! I appreciate the love and support. It’s not too late to get a copy for a school, hospital, library, or child in your life! Click here to buy one, or send me a message for signed copies.

If you have a copy of the book – would you please leave an Amazon review (by clicking here)! Every review helps promote the book! Thank you in advance.

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And that’s the latest from our little corner of the world, complete with kids, chaos, and one (now) law-abiding golden doodle. Life will not always be picture perfect, but it’s full of stories that keep us laughing, learning, and sometimes … stopping by the police station.

Thanks for catching up with us! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to refill my tea, grab a book, and see if Wrigley left me any room in my reading spot.

Until next time, stay well, stay warm, and maybe keep an eye out for any furry escape artists!