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Winter 2026

As we approach the end of February, the Pennsylvania winter is going strong. Here's a quick picture-filled review of the last couple of months.

Christmas was busy and fun. We missed Ricky, who was busy working some overtime as a CNA in the psych clinic to save some money for an engagement ring and other future plans.

On Christmas Eve, Karitza gifted our family a delivery of Chinese food from a local restaurant to be consumed with The Christmas Story playing in the background.

After dinner, we got on our matching Christmas pajamas and watched Surf's Up. I think we might make it a Christmas Season movie in the future. I forgot how funny it is.

We acted out the nativity. One day, our family will experience this tradition without sarcasm or shenanigans.

Hudson is everybody's favorite. I spent a lot of time monitoring whose turn it was to hold, play, or feed him. Of course, I am his favorite. (I am not even making that up!)




Christmas dinner was delicious, thanks to everybody's help. I think Makayla's rolls were at the top of the favorites' list.



We didn't have much snow, but it was definitely cold. Below zero some of the time. This was good for the State College First Night ice sculptures.



Some people in our family really, really like making gingerbread houses. I'm not one of those people, but I do appreciate their creativity.
As soon as we recovered from Christmas, we celebrated Brooklyn's 13th birthday. She invited all of the young women over to make personal pan pizzas, custom drinks, and have a good time.
The January 25, 2026, East Coast snowstorm will go down in the record books. I think we got 15 inches of snow.


I'm under the regular care of a hematologist for chronic iron-deficiency anemia. Now that we know my body isn't great at absorbing iron orally, my iron levels are monitored, and as soon as they drop, I get an IV iron infusion. I think it's helping me maintain healthy hemoglobin size and count, but I still feel tired and achy often. My most recent IV infusion was kind of a challenge (at least the first dose). It took three tries, and I had some disturbing bruises around each puncture site for about 2 weeks.
We're all jealous that Ricky and Emily are pretty much neighbors. Hudson and Uncle Ricky are buds.
One of my flash fiction stories was published in the Penn State University literary magazine. I went to a very awkward release party. I was definitely the oldest person there.

We are anticipating a lovely Spring Break trip to Puerto Rico in about a week. I'm very much looking forward to sightseeing in the sunshine.

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