TG was pretty epic!
Not shown: lots of music (family jam, I did keyboards on Opalite, Margaritaville, and Wagon Wheel), thunderstorm outside (thx, Florida), beautifully cooked turkey (my BIL is a professional chef), lots of family catchup time. I said to Josh that it was the most relaxed I have felt at a Miami Beach Thanksgiving since pre-kids (we went to PHL last year, and the year before that I was on call, and before THAT — well, family events with a kid under 5 are just not relaxing. Or they never were for me!).
Once again I felt grateful to have ‘graduated’ to the current phase of life. The only hard part was seeing loved ones struggle with health challenges. Life truly isn’t fair when it comes to that. One reason to appreciate what we have every day, including our energy and ability to do things.
Assorted Follow Ups
I have a bad habit of missing lovers past (jk, sorry, Opalite is apparently still in my head) of mentioning something and then never following up again. Sometimes it’s because I come up with an idea and abandon it, but other times I just forget to share any follow up.
So, here are two:
MYOPIA MANAGEMENT: Several of you inspired me (in the comments of this post!) to look into myopia management for G & C — both of them have glasses prescriptions that seem to be advancing pretty quickly and it’s genetically my fault (I am -11). So, we went on Weds! The optometrist was great and gave us all of the options. We are leaning towards the MiSight contacts for C (assuming we can convince him to try this – otherwise, the drops) and the drops for G (just not sure she can handle contacts yet). They also offered the hard-contacts-overnight solution but I just don’t see us doing super well with that.
(Insurance doesn’t cover this and it’s pricey – esp when multiplied x 2 kids! BUT I would have LOVED it if someone could have prevented me from becoming as nearsighted as I am so definitely planning on trying to mitigate their progression since these options are out there.)
((A still has good vision! Lucky!!!))
HOLIDAY MUSIC: Working my way through this list in random order!! Because why not. So far, Ariana was just okay (obviously Santa Tell Me is a holiday banger, but the rest of the album was a big meh). Michael Bublé was surprisingly fun to listen to for me, just super classic renditions. And Justin Bieber was almost SOOOO hilariously cheesy that it was good. Or it was terrible. I haven’t decided yet but I’m not sure I’m up for a relisten so we may never know.
TODAY
- start Hanukkah shopping (online, I am not braving the mall on Black Friday)
- see Wicked: For Good!
- probably get some groceries (the only downside to our giant Thanksgiving is that you don’t go home with leftovers — though I did bring home an extra key lime pie which will be consumed at Friendsgiving!)
- not too much else!
12 Comments
What a lovely big family celebration! I keep thinking I’ll do a friendsgiving and then I remember it’s always the second to last week of term and I’m DROWNING! The mypopia mitigation sounds really smart. I had Lasix in my 20s and now just wear glasses at the computer/when I’m tired. I could never manage contacts though.
We’re getting a tree this weekend – and have a pile of Christmas records (bought an ebay bundle) last year to work through on the record player. Anything that’s terrible is going in the donations pile as part of my pre-move downsizing effort.
T started piano last night, and as predicted, loves it. He’s got a few songs in his repetoire already – Yellow Submarine, Chopsticks, and he plays a very sombre The Last Post (he learned at school on the glockenspiel) but doesn’t have any formal training. I think he has a good ear and he’s got these long fingers that feel destined for the piano. School has been rough lately and while I was hesitant to add anything to our plates, it felt useful to give him someplace where he can feel safe and get nice attention.
ooh i’m so glad he likes it already! that bodes really well (it took G a LONG TIME to like it actually but she does now!)
I love it when Hubs and I match – and believe me it is always by accident since he’s not into it.
I want those pies!!! Everything looks epic.
Yes, it’s true that big family parties are a lot easier when the kids get older.
This looks so fun and festive and yes to holidays getting so much more enjoyable as kids get older. Plus, yours are in that perfect season of still getting excited about the magic of these sorts of things AND being able to wipe their own butts and feed themselves. A very nice stage of life!!!
I need to make your key lime pies! They sound so very yummy.
Live Nativity tonight and tomorrow so it will be busy, busy, busy. But, also, I’m hoping fun, fun, fun. I will be exhausted (and Sunday is church + visiting someone in the hospital + away soccer game for our son). But then the biggest commitments are out of the way for us in terms of big Christmas events which makes me pretty darn happy. November has felt nuts!
Ha, that’s funny you guys were matching! And, I didn’t even realize G wore glasses. I didn’t know you could slow the progression of nearsightedness. Yes, it makes sense to do that if you can. I’m just a regular -3 (ish) prescription- I can’t imagine -11!!!
Glad Thanksgiving was so fun! Yes, it definitely gets easier as the kids get older, doesn’t it?
Love your coordinating outfits! And that Thanksgiving was so enjoyable! Ours was, too. The boys were barely around us as they hung out with their big cousins who are 14-20. One of them had his girlfriend at thanksgiving since her parents run a restaurant and had to work so the boys liked having an older girl in the mix, too.
I will be anxious to hear how the drops and contacts work. As you know, we are going to get the special lenses for Paul in January which are $$$ but I would like him to avoid an aggressive profession of myopia. And we can afford it and funded my FSA knowing I’d have to pay for it out of pocket. I can’t imagine Paul being willing to do drops or contact lenses. It’s just a bridge too far for our sensitive little guy.
Our eye dr didn’t recommend the glasses as monotherapy unless you can be really careful about keeping them at the right angle. I bet Paul will be good at that (I don’t think my kids would!)
Yes I don’t think that will be an issue for Paul hopefully. I don’t ever notice that his glasses are off kilter/not on straight!
Hi! We are about a year and a half info myopia maintenance with my nine year old, if you ever want to chat about it!
Michelle, I would love to hear! I have a 9yr old who is at -2.25 w aggressive myopia (after having 20/20 vision at his last checkup two years ago). He got glasses two months ago but we also were recommended the contacts. He went for his first contact lens appt and couldn’t put the contacts in- and basically refused to try again. I keep working at him but if you have direct feedback I would love to hear! None of his friends have had this and there was limited info online (other than the contacts generally worked)
I am a little nervous C will struggle too so Michelle yes any tips welcome!!!!!
Minus 11, my goodness. I had LASIK eye surgery when I was 25 and I think I was -5.25 and -5, and that felt blurry enough. Funnily enough, the thing I noticed the most was that I could see the numbers on my clock radio when I woke up at night! Then I would freak out that it was three in the morning or whatever, and couldn’t get back to sleep. Can’t remember how long that lasted (it was 25 years ago!) but I remember that feeling very strongly.
Margaritaville! I love it.