Family, Brisket, and Bug bites!

Well, we just wrapped up a week with my mother-in-law and nephew (who has Down syndrome and the biggest heart you’ve ever seen) staying with us — and wow, what a full, fun, chaotic few days it’s been.

To kick things off properly, I smoked a brisket. And when I say “smoked a brisket,” I mean I babysat a chunk of meat for hours like it was my fourth child. Totally worth it—tender, flavorful, and just enough leftovers to snack on at midnight while pretending not to hear the kids waking up again.

We had a magical movie night under the stars, with the three kiddos bundled up in blankets like popcorn-filled burritos. There’s something about watching animated animals on a projector while the night sky twinkles above and mosquitoes turn you into their personal buffet that just screams summer memories. Ferocious little things. I’m still scratching. Knowing that mosquitoes are not an integral part of the food chain and serve no purpose other than carrying disease and making life miserable makes the itching somehow worse.

Wine was consumed. A totally appropriate, adult amount of wine. Okay, a lot of wine. But when there are kids screaming, bugs feasting on your legs, and someone always asking for snacks, a generous pour becomes more of a survival strategy.

Now it’s back to real life: getting Jazmyn ready for school (how is summer alreadyover?!?), and tackling the soffits and fascia on the house. Because nothing says “back to normal” like standing on a ladder questioning all your life choices while covered in paint and mosquito bites.