Waking Up to the Usual
January 18, 2026 began the same way most sleepover mornings do—kids awake before the adults, noise before coffee, and a house that looked like it had lived a full day before the day even started. Eve and the girls were still over, and while there was still mess and movement, it felt more peaceful than usual. Less frantic. Less sharp.
Maybe I was just getting used to it.
A Battle of Games and Dice
Throughout the day, I spent a lot of time playing Prize Kingdoms, mostly because Eve and I have turned it into a running competition. I'm convinced she's cheating—there's no other explanation. I played far more than she did, even spent a little real money on the game, and somehow she still stayed way ahead of me.
I finished a full deck and earned 2,500 dice. At one point, I was sitting on over 5,200 dice. After nearly ten hours of playing, I still hadn't run out—and still wasn't anywhere near catching her.
It became less about winning and more about the absurdity of it all. Some battles are unwinnable, apparently—even digital ones.
Afternoon Errands and Reset
Later in the afternoon, I drove Eve and her oldest daughter back to their house so they could help her mom clean while I ran to the store. Afterward, I picked them back up and returned home, shifting gears again into dinner mode.
I made homemde tacos and burritos—simple, filling, and something everyone could agree on. After dinner, the kids played for a bit before finally settling down with a movie.
An Easy Evening
Once the house quieted down, Eve and I watched Happy Gilmore 2, followed by I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. Eve is a huge Adam Sandler fan, and those kinds of movies fit the mood perfectly—light, familiar, and not demanding anything emotionally heavy.
After the movies, we spent some affectionate time together before heading to bed. No big conversations. No tension. Just closeness.
What the Day Was
Today wasn't productive in the traditional sense. It wasn't efficient. It didn't move anything forward in obvious ways.
But it was comfortable.
Sometimes that's enough.