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1,000 Subscribers

I’ve had a “soft” goal for the Weekly Thing to get to 1,000 subscribers and it got there today! Plus it is fun that Buttondown sends a note like this.

Email notification from Buttondown congratulating Jamie Thingelstad on reaching 1,000 newsletter subscribers.
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We watched Ralph Breaks the Internet tonight and everyone liked it. I loved all the various references to different websites. Wish there would have been a blog or two though! 🍿

Movie poster for Ralph Breaks the Internet showing a large animated man in an orange shirt with a small girl on his shoulders amid a colorful internet cityscape
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Tammy and the kids took their new Christmas Ice Skates out for the first time. We went to a frozen pond in Pamela Park. Everyone had a great time! ⛸🤩 Me? I’m not so comfortable on ice skates. 😬

Three people in winter gear pose on a frozen outdoor skating rink, all wearing ice skates, bare trees visible behind them.
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I always like the fireworks on the Apple Watch on the New Year. 🥳

Apple Watch face showing fireworks animation in teal and pink bursting across the clock display near midnight.
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Kicking off our family New Year’s Eve with a French 75 and getting the fondue started! 🥂 Sinatra, Brubeck, and the New Standards are on shuffle. 🎶

Two French 75 cocktails in tall flute glasses beside a La Marca Prosecco bottle, Fever-Tree ginger ale, limes, lemon, a jigger, and a cocktail shaker on a white marble counter with a lit Christmas

Fondue is our tradition for New Year’s Eve. Cheese Fondue to start.

Cuisinart electric fondue pot filled with melted cheese on a colorful table, with bread cubes in a green bowl and sliced apples nearby

Then the Tenderloin fondue.

Cuisinart electric fondue pot with hot oil and six fondue forks with colorful handles arranged around the rim, seen from above

We also play Clue every New Year’s Eve. This year Mazie won!

Clue board game in progress with character figurines on the board and a filled-in detective notepad in the foreground near the Conservatory space.
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Tyler completed his LEGO® Nintendo Entertainment System™ project in just three days! He got very focused on it and worked through all 2,646 pieces. The finished project is very cool. The cartridge slides into the console and presses down just like an original Nintendo does. The controller feels normal sized in your hand and the cable disconnects.

LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System set on a wood table, including the NES console, controller, Super Mario Bros cartridge, and a retro TV displaying a Mario level scene.

The TV was a big part of the project and it operates like a track that you turn a handle and it moves. Mario is on a slide and bounces around on the course as you move it.

LEGO retro television set displaying a Super Mario Bros scene with Mario jumping over platforms, pipes, and a Goomba enemy

Here is the scene before going into the TV.

LEGO Super Mario Bros. level scene laid flat on a table, with a LEGO NES controller and console visible in the background.

See console done and beginning.

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Making some more Things 4 Good Candles tonight. All candles made with 🔥 and ❤️. 😊

Large dark pot on a gas stove with a smaller metal pitcher of golden liquid wax inside it, viewed from above.Block of white candle wax partially unwrapped from paper, with a knife and small wax shavings on a plastic-covered surfaceFreshly poured soy candles with wooden wicks cooling in frosted glass jars on a white countertop, with finished labeled candles in the background.

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Lucky enjoying her 1st Birthday with one of her favorite bones! 🦴 🐶

White fluffy dog chewing a bone on a red corduroy dog bed with a stuffed animal toy beside her
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I finished my LEGO® International Space Station Christmas project. This was a fun LEGO to assemble. 🛰

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Tyler is making great progress on his “biggest ever” LEGO® project. The Nintendo Console, Super Mario Bros cartridge and the Game Controller are assembled and look cool!

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I took the top off to show how the cartridge action works.

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