Ace is one hundred per cent a Gemini. She loves to try all of the things, but has a really hard time deciding which thing she should try. She was the first to step up and try sushi, Thai food, and Indian food. On the flip side, she takes ten minutes to decide what she wants from a drive-through menu, and once that decision is made, it will immediately change, while you are speaking the order. At least once.

She discovered a love of spicy food, and rivals me in her spiciness! The spicy ramen bowls weren’t spicy enough, so on her request, I picked up a pack with the red label that has the angry chicken on it. We were DECIMATED. None of us regretted it for a second, and it was because of Ace that we tried it.

She’s got a creative streak a mile wide. She paints, she draws, she does creative makeup, she makes bead chokers, necklaces, and bracelets… even bath bombs! The more glitter, the better!

She absolutely loves gaming on the Roblox platform. Her favorite is obbys (obstacle courses), specifically the timed tower ones. Tower of Misery is her all-time favorite of these, and it’s baffling to see how she can be so precise with the tools the game gives her. I’m blown away every time.

I hesitate to mention this, because simply speaking its name may summon it into being. Ace loves… shopping. It doesn’t have to be for anything in particular, but makeup, stuffed animals, and slime give bonus points. You better have a good reason for not letting her push the cart in the grocery store, or making her sit in the car if there’s a makeup aisle or a toy aisle wherever you are.

Ace’s hugs are legendary, and as her Dad, I am lucky enough to be one of the most frequent recipients. When she wraps her arms around you and squeezes, you feel all the good feels. I love my baby girl, and will always be proud of her.

Bruh.

Bro. My guy. My dude. Twelve years old, and schooling me on fighting games, slang, and ESPECIALLY rhythm. Quick to point out that he knows more than me about the Nintendo Switch – and he does – and that things are much better now than when I was a kid – which they are.

Monkey is a gamer. Fortnite, Smash Bros, Dead by Daylight, Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Warframe, Dauntless, Roblox, Minecraft… if it’s competitive, he’s in there, at the top of his lungs, making it happen.

He’s joined the video game club at his school to spread the digital gospel, and is making them in class, to write a few verses of his own. He likes to stream with me, especially if he gets to teach me one of his games, like Totally Accurate Battle Simulator. (Da Vinci tank for life!)

When things get serious, he wants to be in the know. He likes to be informed; he likes to be involved. He’s stepped up countless times when his mother has needed his help, and is vigilant for me not taking enough care of myself. He learned how to make my coffee, even though he doesn’t like it, just to help out. He cooks with me, too, and makes some serious pesto sauce.

In a couple of months, he’ll be old enough to samurai slice CoryxKenshin’s like button with his own account.

I’m proud of him, and I love him, and my world is better for him being in it. I hope he always remembers that.

The consumer nightmare of Black Friday is not something I enjoy, participate in, or really, condone. From the perspective of the kids’ mom, it’s an opportunity to get the kids Christmas/Yule gifts that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. Heck, it’s a way to get stuff for the house that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. And for a long time, we were living so very paycheck-to-paycheck, that I couldn’t argue that.

This year, I had the opportunity to head up north, and spend the weekend with my parents and my brother, instead. I jumped on that like Captain America on a live grenade. I spent the drive listening to my still-way-too-far-behind podcast list, and stopped for Halo Burger on the way. It had been WAY too long. They put actual olive slices on their olive burgers, and not some mostly-mayo might-be-one-piece-of-olive-in-it sauce. AND they will swap out any beef patty with turkey! So I had an olive turkey burger with a side of tater tots, and it was all of the yums!

(Just a quick note here, I am fully vaccinated and wear a mask at all times when I’m in public, unless actively eating or drinking. COVID-19 is still out there, so there is still reason to be safe. At the time of this trip, Michigan had the most cases of any state in the U.S., so you bet your butt I was being as safe as possible.)

When I arrived, the catching up began immediately. We swapped stories, complained about nonsensical TV commercials, talked a little bit of tech, and groused a bit about our various medical conditions.

The next day involved a trip to Suzie’s Brews, some writing, some hanging out with my brother, my sister-in-law, and nephew, and most of all, a birthday dinner for my mom!

My Dad had purchased some truly ridiculous steaks, and we grilled them out in the snow. 1.5 inches thick of tender, marbled steak goodness. We slowly cooked it to medium while Dad and Brother quietly disagreed about flipping often or flipping sparingly. I sipped coffee, breathed in the smell of cooking steak, and just relaxed.

If you know me, you know that relaxing is a challenge to me. Hilariously ironic.

Dad left his on the grill for a bit longer while we let the others rest to somewhere near medium-well. They were AMAZING. Just as good as the conversation, the times spent with my nephew, and the family history that was all around us. The drive back the next day was a little harrowing, as there was some snow and ice, but I made it back okay.

What’s the lesson here? Is it that if you skip Black Friday, you can have great relaxation time with family and high quality steaks?

Maybe.