Oh sweet muffy and our little morning pretend game just makes me want to freeze time. We pull out all your stuffies from the closet and you set up your famous ice cream shop that they all one by one (sometimes I get to sneak them in pairs) come to visit. I am the voice of each of these characters and by now we have a routine on what flavors they order which is based upon the color of the animal obvi except cookie monster who always gets coooookieeeee.
I love watching you just wrapped up in imagination and am well aware that these moments are fleeting. My precious lil muffin turduckin I adore you!!!
Dada turned 44 and we all sobbed (minus sissy) b/c that seems to be what we do now when anything sentimental happens. Dada was the first to start while he was reading the bday cards and then he opened up this frame and all he could get through the tears was “it’s nice”- hahaha. He was too choked up to get anything else out, and I love him even more for it.
We had breakfast together then cake and then intended to go on a family hike but as always we ran too late so it turned into a Toobs and Momma hike while the others played some bday UF. Dada was on Justin’s team and won the first round (but does that even count) then he went back to his own team and got whipped. Everyone sang him a happy bday at the end and that mostly wrapped up the bday fun.
We got home to a leak under the sink and short rib soup that didn’t quite do what it was supposed to do in the instant pot but was edible so half win.
Dada this bday you have officially lived the same amount of years with me that you have without me and next year you will have lived more of your life with me than without me. You informed me of this the other day and it still baffles me. Time has flown by too fast. What a life we’ve lived and what a life we’re living- so thankful for you and all of it. Looking forward to doing the next 22 years with you and more- just hoping it all goes by a bit slower than the last 22.
Well, here we are, it is the 1st day of the new year and the girls went in to do their annual polar plunge (minus Toobs of course). This year I am going to try and post more videos on here instead of photos since I have the photo books and albums already saved. It has been tricky trying to update here with life lately but thankfully it is due to a happy kind of busy and not a stressful one.
We had an incredible 2025 and I am so thankful! We went to Sao Jorge, Denver, Florida, and Costa Rica. The Lacy’s came to visit us in June. Both sissy and guabs threw a friends bday party this year. We didn’t have to leave the house in August which was a nice change for the summer and our Pico house is still just a vision.
Dada quit his job to start his own business and only 3 months later he was offered a job at a different company that was too good to refuse.
We said goodbye to our sweet Rusty boy in January and now get regular visits from Ghost Rusty. The greatest dog lives on through Toobs imagination and Momma’s voice.
We bought a new Hilux truck that I can finally drive! Found a new family member- Meeeeps! Lulu’s health returned, Flower lost weight and is going on regular walks, and the girls started a new online school that they mainly despise so now in this new year we are working on a hybrid solution.
Hmmm, what else. Sissy and Guabs both drove for the first time, Toobs swam underwater, Dada is almost at 5 muscle ups, Momma and dada went a year without drinking and then had a drink in CR for a few weeks and decided to go back to no drinking. Ultimate frisbee is still going strong and for sure the girls favorite day of the week. Lily and Charlie is still Toobs favorite game to play and they have recently adopted some new siblings that are all taking over my kitchen.
Toobs and momma finished Sweep, Holes, and we are currently reading The Wish Tree. SIssy fell in love with Mitch Albom books and has almost read everything he’s written. Guabsy sprouted up like a tree this year and is nearly the same height as sissy. Toobs went on her first playdate at a friends house with the girls. My little 6 year old hanging with her sissies and 18 yr old bestie. What a crew!
Well, Toobs woke up b/c she has a little bug she’s been fighting so it’s time to get to mom-ing. Let’s see if I can keep to updating regularly like I intend to. Thankful for 2025 and excited for 2026. xoxoxo
While the other half of the family were playing UF, me and Toobs were playing pretend house and having a picnic. We built a little driftwood tree and ran up and down sand hills. When we got home Toobs said the most hilarious thing. We set up an app so the entire family could see everyone’s photos and on her iPad a photo popped up of some Xmas presents I had wrapped in the closet before Xmas. She showed me and said uh oh momma, next year (she pointed at the incriminating photo) “You better watch out, you better not cry”- hahahahahaha. Guess i’ll have to keep that in mind next year.
Don’t worry Toobs, I’ll do it all “goodly” next year. Oooh another favorite Toobism.
Oh my little Too bear you are almost 7 and just lost your first top tooth and oooofffff it is all going too fast. You’re sitting next to me and talking to me right now as I type which you are basically doing all day b/c you are now a little chatterbox. You’re so flipping funny and smart.
We are currently reading The Wish Tree and just finished Sweep. We complained about the book Sweep the entire time we read it and how we will never take sissy’s recommendation for a book again b/c it was slow and boring. Then we finished it and both bawled crying at the end. Literally, we sobbed together.
You think you’re a teenager and last night you did “skincare” with a little headband before bed. I tried to video you but you caught me so I am just documenting the memory.
For Xmas you got everything from My little Ponies to makeup. You are a mix of 7 and 17 (thanks to your big sissies). You still call for me every morning with your Momma, Im awake, I miss you, I love you, and I want bubbbbbaaaaaa. I still come rushing down and sign you a morning song that goes something like this:
Good morning to my muff, my little muff a puff, hi ho the derry O, good morning to my muff. I love my little muff, she does her muffy stuff, hi ho the muffy low, I love my little muff.
Then I say something like this:
How’d you sleep guadaleep, howd you sloop guadaloop?
Yup, and we somehow think this is all normal. Anyways, I started this whole post because I wanted to remember something you say that gets me every time and I don’t want to forget in case one day you stop saying it. When you’re trying to ask “is that ok with you” you always say “does that mind with you?”. Ugh it melts me, and of course I reply, no that doesn’t mind with me. Eeeeek I adore you muffy pie!!!!
Twas the week before Xmas and the girls all hopped on the bus for a bit of gift gathering in Horta. I taught Sabs and Sissy how to use their debit card for the first time and now they are all set for this next “adult” step in life. Toobs got a massive hot chocolate with whip cream and Sissy and I split a mediocre apple pie with a side of paper that was apparently attached to it.
Also the bottom photos are from a diff bakery on a diff girls day that week where Toobs and Sissy struggled to eat the toughest pastel de nata. It rated very low on Toobs pastel de nata chart but luckily a few days later she had the yummiest one in Pico to make up for it.
All these photos were from back when Toobs had two front teeth (one hanging on for dear life)
Wohooo Tic tac to the paddy wak! You were so determined to lose this tooth on your own terms and you did just that! At 5:30am I felt a little tap on my arm and opened my eyes to your big fat wide awake smile and sweet little toobie hand proudly holding your shiny front tooth! You were too excited to back to sleep so we got up together and watched Tall Girl on netflix while you excitedly plotted how you were going to tell the rest of the family when they woke up. One by one they came up the stairs and you gave your newly toothless smile with such pride. You already told Ghost Rusty, Flower, Pico Mountain, Meeps and basically any voice I make that you can speak to. You have been waiting for this day. You told me it is your favorite smile that you’ve had, and you think you look beautiful. Of course you do. Later that day the family had Ultimate Frisbee and you and I went to the Chinese store then walked all the way down to Porto Pim stopping to get your first toothless ice cream treat. It was freezing, you weren’t phased. We arrived at the beach both wearing brand new Chinese store Xmas stocks b/c I was 100% phased.
By the end of the day you were too tired to write the tooth fairy card so you wanted to wait until today to write it. I have a feeling she’s been waiting for this day too and you will wake up to some happy surprises tomorrow!! I love you muffin pie. So thankful to be the one sleeping right next to you, getting tapped at 5:30am and waking up to the sound of your precious excitement. You are amazing. xoxoxoxo
