The Spohrs Are Multiplying

Surfing Sunday 5.02

Heather — Mon, 03 May 2021 03:24:53 +0000

As you all know, April is a crappy month around here. Everything about it reminds me of when Maddie died…so I decided to just “skip” April. Mentally, I went from March straight to May. Did it help? Eh, maybe a little. Twelve years later and it’s still so hard. The day-to-day living gets easier with time, but when the calendar flips to April it’s like every coping mechanism I’ve developed over the years goes out the window and I feel as raw as if it happened yesterday. The little things I do to protect myself (like changing my calendar from March directly to May) might seem silly, but I need every little mind trick to help me cope.

Last month wasn’t all bad, though. Annie and James are continuing to thrive in softball and baseball. Annie hit a grand slam in a game, and James hit two home runs. I’m still managing Annie’s teams, and because Mike is still working from home, he’s been able to be an assistant coach on James’ team. The kids are in school and our county Covid numbers have been steadily declining. I am now fully vaccinated, and Mike gets his second jab this week. The best news is that because we’ll be vaccinated, we will finally get to spend time with Mike’s parents at the end of May. We haven’t seen them in a year and a half, and James is THRILLED that he’ll get to be with both sets of grandparents on his birthday.

Speaking of James’ birthday, several of you have asked me if it’s time for him to choose his baseball team. The answer is YES, since he is turning eight this year, he will “officially” declare his allegiance for either the Dodgers or the Giants. For those who don’t know, when Mike and I first got married we jokingly said that our children would be old enough to choose their favorite baseball team on their eighth birthdays. Annie chose the Dodgers three years ago, and I’m feeling pretty confident that James will do the same – the Dodgers really did me a solid by winning the World Series last year. I mean, when you have two hats in front of you, how can you resist the one with gold piping that says “World Champions?”

(Don’t be dismayed for Mike – the kids both root for his hometown basketball team, the Warriors, which disgusts me but I accept it.) (Also, we really don’t take any of this seriously.)

My two Dodgers fans.

Around The ‘Net

~In Covid’s grip, India gasps for air: ‘If there is an apocalypse, this has to be one’

~A Mysterious Suicide Cluster

~The disturbing tale of America’s cutest “It” dog

~The Milk Box Babies

~Beloved High School Basketball Coach Killed Trying to Rob Mexican Drug Cartel, Sheriff Says

~The Supreme Court Is “Frightened to Death” by the Case of a Foul-Mouthed Cheerleader

~She was hired as a bridesmaid 125 times. Finally, she had her own wedding.

~How an online ‘Lego’ gamer infiltrated the White House press corps

~A Michigan university is offering college students a scholarship to study cannabi

~Suspended 115 Feet in the Air, the World’s First Floating Pool Is Unveiled in London

Fun Finds

~Nordstrom is having a 40% off sale right now, just in time for Mother’s Day.
~These glass bird feeders are the prettiest feeders I’ve ever seen.
~I’m intrigued by these “mimosa sugar cubes.” If anyone tries them, let me know what you think!

Happy Sunday, everyone!

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Surfing Sunday 3.28

Heather — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 03:03:37 +0000

After watching his sister play countless games, James has decided that he, too, wants to be a stud ballplayer. He’s suddenly a little sponge, soaking up coaching and busting his butt to improve every chance he gets. In his first game, he had the game-winning hit and the game-saving play. His coach awarded him the game ball and I don’t think I’ve ever seen James with such a big smile on his face. We are so proud of him and so happy that he’s having big moments. It’s his turn to shine!

Around The ‘Net

~‘A Nightmare Every Day’: Inside an Overwhelmed Funeral Home

~‘It was hell’: How Covid-19 surges played out season by season

~First Covid, Then Psychosis: ‘The Most Terrifying Thing I’ve Ever Experienced’

~America’s Covid Swab Supply Depends on Two Cousins Who Hate Each Other

~Slimy, smuggled, and worth top dollar: Can one Maine entrepreneur break into the crime-ridden global market for eel?

~India’s Newest NBA Hopeful Is a Window Into the Country’s Basketball Future

~Why don’t Angelenos jaywalk? It isn’t because nobody walks in L.A.

~Dick Hoyt, Who Ran Marathons While Pushing His Son, Dies at 80

~Finding the Center

~The Demise and Potential Revival of the American Chestnut

Fun Finds

~I’ve found a new pair of yoga/exercise pants that I LOVE. Extremely well made, they have pockets, AND they’re completely squat-proof (very necessary for me as a coach who squats to warm up pitchers)!
~I bought this cosmetic organizer a month ago and I wish I’d bought it sooner (so does Mike). It’s nice to be able to see my stuff without it being all over the counter.
~I am in desperate need of a new pillow! If any of you have one you love, PLEASE share!!! My insomnia and I thank you in advance.

Happy Sunday, everyone!

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Surfing Sunday 2.28

Heather — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 04:30:09 +0000

The kids are finally getting rec sports back! Annie’s new softball team started practicing a week ago, and James’ new baseball team is having their first practice this week. I’m so excited for both of them to have another bit of “normal” added back to their lives. I’m even excited about schlepping them both all over town for practices and games!

Off to do normal school things!

Around The ‘Net

~The joy of vax: The people giving the shots are seeing hope, and it’s contagious

~Near a “tipping point”: Atlantic Ocean circulation at weakest in a millennium, scientists say

~Trans Kids Belong In Sports Because Trans Kids Belong

~College dropout donates $20 million to the university he couldn’t afford 60 years ago

~A Fairy Godmother to the Vaccine Have-Nots

~HBCUs Are Our Past—And Our Future

~‘The Sky’s Not Even The Limit’: Cancer Survivor To Become Youngest American In Space

~Britney Spears and I Learned the Same Lesson About Fame

~A New Jersey plumber drove to Texas with his family to fix burst pipes and other damage from devastating winter storm

~I was swallowed by a hippo

~Sanford Biggers on the Unlikely Kinship Between Hip Hop and Quilting

Fun Finds

~I have to give a shoutout to these glass phone screen protectors. They’ve saved my phone’s screen so many times.
~I ordered these soap paper sheets so we have something else to add to our hand sanitizing to-go bag. They’re really cool!
~At the beginning of quarantine, I ordered this set of bag sealers and I’m obsessed. I have one in the kitchen to close bags of chips and other foods (which helps me save on ziplock bags), and I keep the other with my craft supplies to keep all my different materials separate and organized.

Happy Sunday, everyone! Stay safe out there!

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Surfing Sunday 2.14

Heather — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 02:02:07 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day! The kids had Friday off from school and tomorrow is Presidents’ Day, so we’ve been enjoying the long four-day weekend. After a terrible few months in Southern California, our COVID numbers are improving and things are slowly starting to open up again. Mike and I are extremely relieved that his parents and my parents have received their first round of the vaccine. Getting an appointment for my parents felt like trying to buy concert tickets, but WAY more stressful. I’d have my computer ready to go a few minutes before the new appointments were released, and then when the time came I’d constantly refresh the appointment website, trying to find two empty spots for them. Mike’s parents actually get their second dose this week! We’re hoping that once they’ve been given the all-clear by their doctors, we can go visit them. We haven’t seen them since Christmas 2019 and we miss them terribly.

Around The ‘Net

~“I Don’t Trust the People Above Me”: Riot Squad Cops Open Up About Disastrous Response to Capitol Insurrection

~Good news about America’s Covid-19 vaccine campaign

~A French Nun Turns 117 After Knocking Down Covid-19

~The Unlikeliest Pandemic Success Story

~Doctors and lawmakers call on FDA to address racial disparities in pulse oximeters

~For 92 years my father buried his feelings. Then he started Zooming.

~Ikea’s Ambitious Plan To Make Its Cheap Furniture Last Forever

~Aliens Must Be Out There

~Can You Sue Your Husband’s Mistress?

~The Mushrooms Will Survive Us

~The Biggest Takeaways From the ‘Free Britney’ Documentary

Getting Healthy

Mike and I were not exactly the most active people during the first half of quarantine, and I have the tight pants and too-small belt to prove it. We decided to get serious about getting back in shape a few months ago. I gave Mike a Fitbit for his birthday and he is obsessed with hitting his step and fitness goals every day. He and Annie go for daily long walks around the neighborhood and it’s become a special time for them. I, on the other hand, need exercise to be fun. James and I will pop one of our Just Dance games into the Nintendo and an hour will fly by before I know it. A couple weeks ago, Nintendo sent me Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm and Exercise to try out (thank you, Nintendo!) and it is so. much. fun. I thought that it was just going to work my arms but I could not have been more wrong. After completing a workout, my entire body has been put through the paces! After two weeks of playing, I can see and FEEL the difference – my stamina is back, my arms feel stronger, and my pants are a liiiiiittle bit looser. Nintendo suggested alternating Just Dance and Fitness Boxing 2, which I did at first but I’ve become so into the boxing that I now do it every day. Mike makes fun of me but I don’t care. It’s way more fun than just regular old walking!

I hiiiiiiighly recommend it for anyone looking to get active but stay safe inside.

Fun Finds

~Annie loves these hydrocolloid pimple patches because they’re shaped like stars. They definitely make pimples cute, and Annie says they work great.
~Target has 20% off furniture through Presidents’ Day!
~Speaking of sales, Anthropologie has 50% off sale items, Cotton On is also offering 50% off sale items, and Nike has up to 40% off. Yay, sales!

Happy Sunday, everyone! Stay safe out there!

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Surfing Sunday 1.31

Heather — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 21:34:12 +0000

My girl is officially 11! It was a far more mellow birthday than we’re used to around here, yet oddly familiar now that we’re almost a year into the pandemic. The big party we’d normally throw was replaced with Zoom calls and socially-distanced birthday wishes. She also got a haircut, which she was very excited about (and it makes her look so much older, wah).

Slow down, time!

Around The ‘Net

~Old Acquaintances Of U.S. Capitol Attackers Are Turning in Their Worst Facebook Friends

~The Pandejo Movement Destroyed California’s Pandemic Progress

~My ‘Long Covid’ Nightmare: Still Sick After 6 Months

~‘But I never smoked’: A growing share of lung cancer cases is turning up in an unexpected population

~How a 22-year-old L.A. native became Biden’s inauguration poet

~This teacher was called to protect the U.S. Capitol as a National Guard member. He now holds class from a Humvee.

~For flight attendants, getting people to wear masks is now one of the hardest parts of the job

~Why swearing is a sign of intelligence, helps manage pain and more

~The Pandemic has Erased Entire Categories of Friendship

~UCLA gymnast Nia Dennis goes viral again

~French team designs ocean cleanup yacht that feeds on plastic trash

~Mystery surrounds birth of eagle ray pups after no males in display for two years

~All The Mouthwatering Food You See In Movies? That’s Someone’s Job.

~Geologist Finds Rare Formation Inside Rock That Looks Exactly Like Cookie Monster on Sesame Street

Fun Finds

~Annie has read all the Harry Potter books, so even though I couldn’t give her a big Hogwarts-themed birthday party, I was still able to bring a little bit of Hogwarts to her with a letter, some themed candy, and a snowy owl stuffy.
~She also asked for a bunch of fidget toys, so I got her this box full of them…I might have taken a few of the toys for myself. What can I say, the infinity cube is fun!
~We also gave her a ring light that she can use during Zooms for school, etc…and Mike and I might borrow it sometimes.

Happy Sunday, everyone! Stay safe and healthy out there.

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Surfing Sunday 1.17

Heather — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 01:43:30 +0000

For those of you who’ve been reading me for a long time, I’m about to blow your minds – on Friday, Annie will turn ELEVEN. I can’t believe it, either! My sweet little baby girl is speeding through life far too fast for my liking. Although, as much as I’d like things to slow down a bit, I’ve loved watching her become her own cool, unique person. She’s a fiercely loyal friend, fantastically creative, and so funny and clever. The last year obviously hasn’t been the greatest for anyone, but she’s managed it with far less complaining than Mike or me. This next year of her life will be a big one – she’ll be finishing up elementary school and starting middle school. It’s crazy to think about her being halfway done with school…and even crazier to know that she’ll be a teenager in just a blink.

Around The ‘Net

~Misinformation plummeted by 73 percent the week after Twitter banned Trump

~Upset by veterans who stormed the Capitol, these vets cleaned up trash the mob left on the streets

~Incoming CDC director: Expect 500,000 COVID-19 deaths by mid-February

~‘My second life’: California nurse walks out of hospital after 8-month COVID-19 ordeal

~Inside Twitter’s Decision to Cut Off Trump

~How a Grieving Sister’s TikTok Campaign for Justice Went Viral — and Led to Her Father’s Arrest

~Yes, It Was a Coup Attempt. Here’s Why.

~The Dream Job That Wasn’t

~This Polynesian Cruise Ship Has a Resident Tattoo Artist

~Bitcoin owners without password watch as wallet worth rises

~50 Famously Misheard and Misunderstood Song Lyrics, Explained

Fun Finds

~Since she’s turning 11, Annie has high hopes she’ll be receiving a letter from Hogwarts…I have it on good authority that there’s an owl coming her way with a tasty care package.
~This powder sunscreen is my favorite thing to use to keep all the scalps in our house from getting sunburned. I HIGHLY recommend it!
~If you prefer the masks that are more contoured (as opposed to the pleated ones), I love these. I have them in several colors, and they are comfortable and gentle on the ears.

Happy Sunday, everyone! Stay safe out there.

This content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means, without the prior written permission of the author.

Surfing Sunday 1.03

Heather — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 01:04:18 +0000

Happy freaking new year! I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season. We are wrapping up two weeks off for all of us, and tomorrow we’re back to school and work. Well, “back to,” meaning logging onto our computers at the assigned times, possibly changing our pajamas before we do so, etc. We had a great Christmas, although we missed our extended family tremendously. I really hope that 2021 is the year we’ll all be together again.

This new year, I especially hope that everyone reading here is safe and healthy and hanging in there. We’re in the home-stretch, the vaccines are coming! I am so thankful for all of you and wish you the best for 2021.

Around The ‘Net

~A family wonders if they should hope a loved one with Covid-19 lives or help him die.

~As a nurse, she knew the daily traumas of Covid-19. Then her father landed in her ICU

~Please take one minute to listen this doctor talk about people attempting to downplay COVID due to its “survival rate”

~‘We called it Voyage of the Damned’: Days of despair on the Grand Princess

~The Cruise Ship Suicides

~The Photos That Defined 2020

~What the Hole Is Going On? The very real, totally bizarre bucatini shortage of 2020.

~The most-read Wikipedia page on each day of 2020

~How a janitor at Frito-Lay invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

~Book lost years ago brings strangers together across the miles

Fun Finds

~I received this pretty sweater for Christmas and now it’s on sale!
~These classic Stan Smith sneakers are on sale, too.
~I gave Mike a Kalimba (aka a finger piano) for Christmas and I just love the calming, peaceful music it makes.

Happy Sunday, everyone! Stay safe out there.

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Surfing Sunday 12.13

Heather — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 03:20:45 +0000

We celebrated Mike’s birthday last week! Like everything else in 2020, we didn’t celebrate like we normally do, but we still made the best of it! We got takeout from a couple of his favorite restaurants, and of course, we also had an ice cream cake. Here’s hoping his next trip around the sun is a lot better for everyone!

He’s Spohrty-Five!

Around The ‘Net

~People are ‘adopting’ health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic

~They had only heard about Covid. Then they returned to society to see its full impact

~How Melbourne eradicated Covid-19

~A 73-Year-Old-Woman Who Should Have Gotten Alzheimer’s, Didn’t—Revitalizing a Search for the Cure

~This Yale-Educated Trucker Is Trying to Make the Olympics at 50—and He Just Might

~Texas School for the Deaf Makes History, Wins 1st-Ever State Football Title

~The Social Life of Forests

~Curious koala sneaks into Australian home and climbs Christmas tree

~Frozen for 27 years, an embryo becomes a Tennessee baby

~Jupiter and Saturn will form rare “Christmas Star” on winter solstice

~The Voyagers Found a Small Surprise in Interstellar Space

~A Newsletter Proposal, in Six Words

~Song stuck in your head? Just hum to search

Fun Finds

~I ordered a “cordless auto hair curler” for Annie for Christmas and I’m having a really, reeeeeally hard time not giving it to her early so I can play around with it.
~Last month, we were gifted Mario Kart Circuit from Nintendo (Thank you, Nintendo!), and we are all obsessed with it. You drive a real (toy-sized) kart around your house that you control with your video game controller. The kart has a camera on it so you can control the kart using the game screen. It’s a trip to see a Nintendo-version of your house!

We’ve had so much fun setting up courses for each other. I highly, HIGHLY recommend getting it as a fun family gift! (Amazon has it, but Target sells it for less when it’s in stock!)
~The kids always give Mike a game for his birthday, but this year they gave him TWO! They’re fun and perfect for quarantine. James picked out this sling puck game, and Annie chose tabletop curling. So far, I am the overall champion of curling, but no one can beat Annie on sling puck!

Happy Sunday, everyone! Please stay safe out there.

This content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means, without the prior written permission of the author.

Surfing Sunday 11.29

Heather — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 00:45:30 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all who celebrate! This was the first Thanksgiving we haven’t spent in Northern California with Mike’s parents in…gosh, maybe 15 years? It was strange and sad to not be with them this week. We tried to make the most of it and went on hikes, rode bikes, and baked. We even decorated our house for Christmas before Thanksgiving, which, if you know me, is shocking information. But like the song says, we need a little Christmas right this very minute, and putting up the garland, tree, and lights cheered all of us up during this hard time.

Around The ‘Net

~Fauci worries Thanksgiving may be the start of a dark holiday season

~The Promise That Tested My Parents Until the End

~Flu Fighters Get a Lift From the Battle Against Covid

~What Facebook Fed the Baby Boomers

~How a Brooklyn Sisterhood of Black Women Became National Power Brokers

~Loneliness and me

~Is it Time to Close Your Pandemic Bubble?

~Couple finds more than 66 bottles of Prohibition-era whiskey hidden in the walls of their New York home

~Why Everyone’s Suddenly Hoarding Mason Jars

~America Just Can’t Get Enough Lysol

~Vanderbilt Commodores Sarah Fuller makes history with second-half kickoff

~Nobody needs a belt when they’re not wearing pants

~Preparing to Spin the Wheel of Fortune

~That Mysterious Monolith in the Utah Desert? It’s Gone, Officials Say

Fun Finds
I’ve finished the majority of my Christmas shopping (yay!), so I thought I’d share some of the fun things I’ve found.

~If you know a comedy fan, Jerry Seinfeld’s new book is the perfect gift.
~I’ve heard rumors about people who like to exercise outside when it’s literally freezing. That’s definitely not me, but these fleece-lined leggings are soft as butter and super-duper warm.
~James specifically asked for “thousands of Milk Duds.” This should do the trick.

Happy Sunday, everyone! Stay safe out there.

This content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means, without the prior written permission of the author.

Surfing Sunday 11.22

Heather — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 01:16:58 +0000

Maddie’s 13th birthday was last week, on the 11th. It’s hard celebrating her birthdays without her, but this year’s milestone was especially painful. She’d be a teenager, her own person with her own interests. Not knowing who she’d have become is, for me, one of the hardest parts of her death. I don’t get to see something and think, “oh my gosh, Maddie would have thought this was hilarious,” like I can when something reminds me of Jackie. I wonder what her teenage style would be like, or what she’d find funny. Would she love TikTok like other teenagers? Would she like to write, like her sister? Or sing, like her brother? Would she love to tell jokes like both of her siblings? I hate not knowing, and I will hate it for the rest of my life.

Around The Net

~‘No One Is Listening to Us’

~‘She Was So Sick’: From COVID-19 Diagnosis To A Double Lung Transplant

~How We Can Stop the Spread of COVID-19 By Christmas

~The Iroquois’ quest to compete in Olympic lacrosse: ‘It’s more than a game to us.’

~1st Black woman named student brigade leader at U.S. Naval Academy

~The Husband-and-Wife Team Behind the Leading Vaccine to Solve Covid 19

~The Pandemic Clarified Who the Kardashians Really Are

~Meet Shameika Stepney, Inspiration to Fiona Apple on Fetch the Bolt Cutters

~Viola Smith, ‘Fastest Girl Drummer in the World,’ Dies at 107

~Dave Grohl, 10-Year-Old Nandi Bushell and One Very Epic Drum Battle

Fun Finds

~If you’re looking for a cozy sweater that everyone will compliment, might I suggest this one?
~I’ve been looking for a lighted mirror to give Annie for Christmas, and I came across this one that’s also a speaker!
~Annie and James love Boba so I just ordered them this DIY kit.

Happy Sunday, everyone. Please stay safe out there.

This content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means, without the prior written permission of the author.