Around Here Forty-One: 10/07-10/13

A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home just this minute.

Intentional Outdoor Hours:  486 hrs (of 1000)
Up thirteen hours this week, including a hefty nine of those hours coming from Beer Olympics last Saturday.  We also spent a nice chunk of Sunday outside at Grey's very last football game followed up by a concession stand duty.  Grey had another good game and felt pretty sad that it was the end of football season. The weather was rather inconsistent this week - we had glorious low seventy degree days and chilly, windy days in the forties, and even gloomy and rainy cold days.

Reading basically nothing.  However, an email from two of my favorite internet friends Shelly and Ashley about reviving the Inspired Book Club brought some joy and motivation to my reader's heart.  Check out our facebook group page to start reading with us again -My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrick Backman is first up!

Feeling incredibly grateful after another successful year of Beer Olympics (our 8th!) Not many people could say that gratitude is the overwhelming feeling after close to forty people spend a long, very spirited day at their home - but that is what we feel each year after Beer Olympics.  All of our participants and referees are so incredible - offering up help and patience all day.  I'm going to do a full post about, but as always, Beer Olympics is a reminder to us at how lucky we are to have great, kind friends.

Starting a new CCD school year, Grey is in first grade and I'm teaching fourth and fifth grade combined this year.  Booboo and I stole away early Sunday morning (day after beer olympics) and got there a little early to get my room set up and Grey was a big sweetheart helper.  I love our Sunday mornings all by ourselves on our way to and from CCD.

Cleaning up forever after our two girls.  They play so nicely and imaginatively by themselves, but boy does it ever make a huge mess.  They each do about four wardrobe changes A DAY, we have babydolls, diaper bags and purses laying everywhere, and they sneak real diapers, wipes, and baby food jars into the playroom for their make-believe play.

Celebrating our Booboo for his sixth and A HALF birthday.  I realized on Monday morning while driving to work that Grey's half birthday (10/08) had passed without any fanfare for him because it was Beer Olympics day.  So we made up for it on Tuesday with a pumpkin dump cake for dinner dessert and completing a list of things that he decided on doing to celebrate (freeze dance party, writing, jumping on the trampoline, homework, and watching a show together).

Cheering Rusty on as he rolls over this week and chows down - this kid is so hungry! He is cracking up and cooing and gooing and getting to be such a big boy.  I'm going to have to move up a size soon in clothes and I hate the thought of doing it!

Falling asleep super early and not in our own beds this week.  We didn't get to have a restful weekend, so we've been paying for it all week.  Every night this week, B and I fell asleep either on the couch or in a kids' bed during their bedtime.  Hoping we recharge this weekend and get back on a more normal sleep schedule again.

Trying to re-motivate myself to get back into the 21 day fix swing of life.  I recently read a quote that I find inspiring about working out and weight loss.  It comes from a guy who lost over a 100 lbs and he said, "I didn't lose 100 lbs.  I lost 1 lb 100 times" and I love that idea that it's not a huge feat, but rather small steps each day - the same goes for any big goals in life, which is always why I love it so much.

Making chocolate chip pumpkin muffins for beer olympic day breakfast that was easy and on-the-go for running around and getting set up.  We kept it mostly simple with meatball sandwiches, spaghetti & leftover meatballs, and slow-cooked round steak.