Meet Penelope and related news

Here are some things that have been going on around here:

1. Adam and I got new phones (I named mine Penelope) and my cute and beloved little pink phone case doesn't fit the new phone.  I got a new case.

I love art by Anne Taintor and this case makes me smile because it reminds me that the world would not stop spinning if I weren't here to oversee it.  Or like my dad has often told me, "Don't take yourself so seriously."

In related news, Braeden and Emma inherited our old phones.  (On condition that Emma has to keep my cute and beloved little pink phone case.  She said she would.  For now.) They have been sharing a flip phone. The battery randomly died and the number three didn't work.  They happily programmed each other into their contacts on their new phones and Braeden was excited they can now text each other.  Emma said, "I know!  I always wanted to text you and I couldn't."

I said, "But not during class, right?"

2. Everyone has been messing with their new and new-to-them phones all weekend.  Except me.  I don't really know how.  Adam did show me how to use my thumbprint to unlock the phone.  And that's sort of fancy.

Adam and I were driving and he wanted to show me some of the new features of our phones.  He said to his phone, "Text Thelma and tell her I love her."

I got a text from Adam, "I love her."

I told my phone, "Ask Adam who 'her' is."

Adam got the text, "Who her is."

Clearly Siri needs to learn what I tell our children:  listen to what I mean, not what I say.

In related news, Mark is patiently waiting for his turn to inherit a phone.  I think he's pretty happy that Braeden can go on a mission when he's 18 years old.  He figures that puts him one year closer to inheriting a cell phone.

3. For Braeden's English class, he has had to read and annotate a columnist.  Then he had to write an article in the style of the columnist that he had been reading.  Braeden thought that wouldn't be complete without a headshot.

he looks slightly emaciated because he's wearing his dad's too big sports coat

In related news, Braeden got a haircut Friday afternoon.  (He sort of needed one.)

4. On Halloween, Emma had her last swim meet.  (There was much rejoicing.  By me.)

In related news, Adam and I were at the meet so I saddled Stephanie with Mark and I missed out on all the trick or treating torture fun.  (There was much rejoicing.  By me.)

5.  Braeden had a pack of hungry friends over on Friday afternoon.  I set a bowl of chips on the table and three seconds later they were gone.  There wasn't even a crumb left.  It was astounding.  Later I put a plate of cookies on one end of the table and the boy at the far end didn't get one because they were all gone.  (Don't worry, I refilled the plate...and set it on the other end of the table.) Teenage boys are what you need to have around if you have a lot of leftovers in the fridge.

In related news they, along with Emma, all played Diplomacy.  It is a game Braeden has that reminds me of Chutes and Ladders because it also feels like having a stick poked in your eye--except it takes longer.  The players all need to wheel and deal and form alliances and then ultimately double-cross each other.  Braeden wanted Emma to go into the other room and talk to her about her plans for world domination so he could get her as an ally.  Emma said, "You can talk to me, but in the end I'm going to do what I want."

That is Emma, in a nutshell.

6. Emma and her friend Nesy sang The Star Spangled Banner at the high school football game.  I was nervously gripping Mark's shoulder the entire time (he was close by).  They did a great job.  I'm always astonished by how brave Emma can be.

In related news, our nephew Kain's team was playing against our high school.  We sat with the opposing team, with our family.  Kain's team destroyed our high school's team.  Like Emma said though, we couldn't lose.  Either her high school or cousin would win.  We went home happy.