7.1.23

Homecoming 2022 (and another Ellie-ism)

It was homecoming (yes, last October, but better late than never).  I wasn't really expecting Mason to go this year, as he isn't one to fill his social calendar, much less "dress up."  And it never even crossed my mind that Hannah Kate would go.  I keep forgetting that she is in high school now.  Anyway, they went.

Thankfully, Mason just grabbed something already in his closet.  I took Hannah Kate dress shopping.  She had a very specific idea of what she wanted.  Meanwhile, I'm reminding her that she is only a freshman and still has three years left to find the "perfect" dress so let's not set our sights too high.  I do not enjoy clothes shopping for or with Hannah Kate (just being honest).  I always tell her that she needs to be a fashion designer because what she has her mind set on just doesn't exist.  Besides, have you been shopping for a teenage girl lately?  They need to add a few inches to the tops and skirts.  I'm not sure why everything is cropped and shorter than a tennis skirt but whatever.  Anyway.  Besides the fact that everyone was looking for a hoco dress that day, it actually went much better than I anticipated.  We even came home with a dress.  And then she decided about 30 minutes later that she regretted her decision and should've order the OTHER dress in her size since they didn't have it in the store.  Sigh.  But it all worked out.  I was unexpectedly back at the store a few weeks later and decided to stroll through the dresses, totally not expecting them to have it in her size.  But they did!  So she ended up with the dress she really wanted.  She did her own hair and makeup so that was easy enough.

I think she had a good time.  She enjoyed taking pictures and hanging out with her little friend group.

Since she didn't have a "date," her daddy knocked on the door and presented her corsage to her.  Turn the volume up and listen carefully when a certain little sister comes barging through the door, tennis shoe in hand.

That night when we were getting ready for bed, Seth told me he couldn't find his toothbrush.  He had been working out of town that week so I asked him if he had unpacked it from his bag.  He said he did.  I asked him if he couldn't put it in a different drawer (because, you know, it happens).  He said not.  I asked him if he double checked.  He said he did.  I really didn't think much about it because it's happened before.  It's always either in his bag or in another drawer.  I didn't check behind him, but I was certain that's where it was.  In the meantime, I told him I had plenty of brand new toothbrushes and to grab one.

The next night we were in Ellie's room tucking her into bed.  Ellie's room is nothing short of a disaster.  I'm embarrassed to even tell you what it looks like, much less post a picture.  The carpet is many different colors thanks to hair chalk, paint, ink and who knows what else.  No, she isn't allowed to have any of those things in her room.  She has peeled the paint off her wall in a couple of spots.  Her furniture is discolored from tape, stickers and markers.  No, she isn't allowed to write on her furniture.  There is garbage underneath her bed and dresser and in the bins in her closet.  Yes, she has a trash can in her room.  It doesn't matter how many times we tell her to clean her room.  There are piles of stuff in every corner and nothing ever really makes it back to where it belongs.  It's been a battle for years, and it's one I've chosen, for the most part, not to fight anymore.  I can hardly even go in her room because it gives me such anxiety.  Besides, it usually results in an argument.  So, anyway, we were in her room.

When I leaned over to give her a hug, my foot touched something underneath her bed.  In exasperation I reminded her that she was supposed to have cleaned out from under her bed that day.  She quickly jumped up with some excuse about why and how something was left under her bed.  And then she pulled out . . . a toothbrush.  I thought absolutely nothing of it.  If you know Ellie, you would totally expect a toothbrush to be under her bed.  But then Seth says, "That's my toothbrush."

No longer did I get "Why do you have your dad's toothbrush under your bed?!" out of my mouth than I realized . . .

If you heard her in the video ("Mom, look at my shoe."), she's running outside to show me her converse that she is so proud she has just cleaned.  The soles are white again.  Yep.  You guessed it.  She used her daddy's toothbrush to clean the soles of her converse!  I don't even bother asking her, "Why?!"  It's completely pointless.  Again, if you know Ellie, well . . . you know it makes perfect sense to clean your tennis shoes with your daddy's toothbrush!