12M ~ September 2022

 Pre-gaming before Rock of Ages at the @palacetheatrenh tonight!

12M ~ August 2020

It's only Tuesday. 🥃😬

12M ~ June 2020

Happy Father's Day!  

We had a socially distant cookout to celebrate the Doc, my Dad and my brothers.  We kept is simple with some hamburgers and hot dogs and individual bags of chips!

My gym-mate gave me a sample of some Bushmills she brought back from Ireland to try!

12M ~ May 2020

Day 28: A song by an artist whose voice you like!

The Doc: Oh Well, Oh Well - Mayday Parade

Me: Winter - Tori Amos

David: You'll Be Back - Jonathan Groff from Hamilton

Shaun: Billy Jean - Michael Jackson

Evan: Tiny Dancer - Elton John

I have so many artists whose voices I love, but Tori Amos was another artist that I was obsessed with during the years when music is most influential in forming musical tastes.  No Need to Argue was my favorite album during those years (and as I also stated before, I lovea Dolores O'Riordan's voice), but Little Earthquakes was a very, very close second.  And since I already chose The Cranberries twice during this challenge, I wanted to mix it up and so Tori's Winter was the most obvious next choice.  It's one of my most favorite songs to sing carpool karaoke style!     

Homeschooling Day 34: Virtual Krypto Club

Date night - COVID-19 style. #thirstythursday 🥃

12M ~ May 2020

Day 15: A song you like that's a cover by another artist!

The Doc: All Along The Watchtower - Dave Matthews Band
Me: Simply the Best - Noah Reid from Schitt's Creek
David: Weezer - Take On Me
Shaun: Africa - Weezer
Evan: Smooth Criminal - Naya Rivera and Grant Gustin ft. 2Cellos from Glee

I had a lot of choices for this one and so it was hard to narrow down.  The classic choice would have been Joe Cocker's version of With a Little Help from my Friends, this is probably a rare case where I prefer the cover more to the original and I big puffy heart love The Beatles.  I also had The White Stripes version of Jolene and Fugees version of Killing Me Softly on my honorable mentions list, along with a number of Pentatonix covers; they are all amazing, especially Hallelujah.  But I am choosing this one because it was a big surprise for me.  The original isn't a bad song, but I would definitely change the radio station if it came on the radio because, whatever.   Then I saw this version while binge watching Schitt's Creek one night and bawled my eyes out.  I've been obsessed every since.  I love the stripped down version so, so much.  I also feel compelled to let you all know that if you haven't binged this show yet, you're missing out.

April Homecation:

Today Evan is TEN!  Happy Birthday Evan! Given the circumstances, I think we did a great job making the BIG TEN something special! Special social distanced lunch with Auntie, Grammy and Scottie, a special phone call from his teacher, a special birthday sing a long with friends in the street, lots of cards and signs, take out dinner from El Rodeo and ice cream cake from Arnie's! BEST DAY EVER. 🥳💕😊

Auntie Robyn decorated her car and drove in playing music to surprise Evan!

Social Distancing Birthday Lunch!

We just lit a Yankee Candle for him to blow out! 😂

Special Birthday FaceTime with his teacher! 

Surprise #2 - a gathering of friends on the street to sing to Evan!

Best Birthday Present Ever!

A quick jump in the pool before birthday dinner and presents!

Mum!  I haz prezent?

Whiskey Friday was replaced with tequila Friday on account of the Mexican takeout tonight - from scratch margaritas! 🍹

12M ~ April 2020

Day 8: A song about drugs or alcohol!

The Doc: Sober by Tool
Me: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds by The Beatles
David: Molly by Iann Dior ft. Bernard Jabs
Shaun: Tequila by The Champs
Evan: Escape (The Piña Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes

There are lots of great songs about drugs and alcohol.  I was going through some lists and even found ones I wouldn't have even considered like Cough Syrup by Young the Giant and The A Team by Ed Sheeran. Other songs worth mentioning are Semi Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind, Rehab by Amy Winehouse or Gin & Juice by Snoop Dogg.  But I had to go with Lucy, I love all things Beatles and they were heavy in my play list rotation back when I was in high school.  I used to borrow my Dad's albums and play them on my record player, while hitting record on my tape deck so I could have my very own Greatest Hits.

Homeschooling Day 25: It's Friday. Another week is in the books. 🍻 We continue to mix things up over here using all available spaces as the mood strikes. Evan had fun doing a virtual scavenger hunt with his class.

It's Whiskey Friday y'all! Manhattans tonight! 🥃 Cheers!

12M ~ April 2020

Homeschooling Day 19: Shaun wasn't exactly thrilled to learn that he would be "stuck" with another quarter of Art (he was supposed to have Health but the school opted not to change schedules while at home). I was just happy that he managed to get his assignment done without too much of a fight. I think it helped that he was able to do the assignment digitally and he didn't have to draw or use clay. 😂😂😂

Homemade garlic knots!  SO GOOD!

Thirsty Thursday!

12M ~ April 2020

Happy Easter! 🐰🐣

He was so excited about getting this book dug right into the Dog Man book!

David and Evan helped make some Easter desserts!

David made a Cadbury Egg Triffle!

Evan made candied popcorn!

We are missing all of our family today, but we still had to get dressed up for the traditional holiday picture.

And we still made ham, although it was definitely scaled back a bit since it was just the 5 of us.

12M ~ April 2020

Whiskey Saturday...because whiskey Friday is no longer enough. Also I found the cocktail book I got from my friend for my birthday while deep cleaning today and decided I deserved this spectacular treat.

This is called The Kingpin According to the recipe description it says: Japan meets Kentucky in this salted caramel Old Fashioned. 🥃 Cheers!

12M ~ April 2020

Homeschooling Day 15: Everyday is pet day when you're doing school at home, but today Evan had a virtual pet day with his whole class! 😻

It's Whiskey Friday! 🥃 Charlie opted for Knob Creek neat and I stuck with my new favorite, the Moroccan Old Fashioned, minus the orange peel (I didn't have one)! Sometimes you just gotta work with what you got! Cheers!

12M ~ April 2020

A pretty nice little Saturday, I'm going to watch my sourdough starter grow, clean up the office so Charlie can use it for work, make some bagels, stuff like that. Maybe do some laundry, I don't know, I don't know if I will have time. 🤪😂

King Arthur Water Bagel recipe for the homemade bagel making win!

They might now look that great - but they taste amazing!

OK. So we're doing Whiskey Saturday too. Don't judge. 😂🥃 I was told to try a Boulevardier. So when in Quarantine. 🥃🍸🥂

12M ~ April 2020

Homeschooling Day 10: We survived another week. 👍🏻

While I am loving all the kitty snuggles...this whether is for the birds. It's like a cruel joke...as if being quarantined wasn't bad enough. I'm not impressed Mother Nature. 🙄😒☔🥶

Homeschooling Day 10: Shaun took a Greek God personality test this morning. He got Poseidon. So he's now dubbed himself...Shaunsidon. 😂

Whiskey Friday - Moroccan Old Fashioned. A copycat from a drink we had at Campo Enoteca in Manchester. Back when we could go out to restaurants. Remember that?! 😭😭😭🥃🥃🥃 This is probably one of my new favorites. It requires a specially made simple syrup using cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, star anise and cloves. YUM.

12M ~ March 2020

More purging and cleaning happened.  Today we cleaned out the storage room in the back of our closet.  We got rid of the baby changing table that has been collecting dust in that space since we moved in, but not without one last picture of David on it. It was the changing table that was a part of his nursery!

Whiskey Friday had to be moved to Whiskey Saturday on account of Charlie being on call last night. Coffee Old Fashioned for the win! 🥃 I will make some adjustments next time I make it though (as in it needs more bourbon 😂).