Around Here Forty-four: 10/28-11/03

Friday, November 4, 2016

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













Intentional Outdoor Hours:  505 hours (of 1000)
Another not great week (up 5 hours) and I really can only blame it on my own exhaustion.  ugh, must get out of this funk.  I attempted a walk with the pups and Rust only to be forced back home at the neighbor's house by a thunderstorm (ugh).   We had some beautiful days in the low seventies (!) this week that had us all outside and basking in the sun - as a forecast for a very heavy snow season looms...oh boy.

Reading My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman with our Inspired Readers book club (finally started!)

Finishing up our Halloween celebrations by volunteering in Greyson's class for their fall fest party and parade.  I loved meeting Grey's classmates and getting to chat with some of the other mommas.  And then our kids got to go trick-or-treating Round2 at Mimi's house with our Garrettson cousins and Caleb!  The big kids ran off into the streets while us parents hung back and walked around with Gemma and Violet.  Thankfully the big kids were able to find their way back to Mimi's house as the sun started setting (we were starting to get a little nervous, hah).  Gracie had a sleepover and then we separated half of our candy into a package to be shipped to Operation Gratitude for their Candy for Heroes project!  And our Trick-or-Treat for Unicef change boxes are being filled daily in-house with all of the change we've accumulated through the year in the jar in the kitchen and out in the community with my fifth grade CCD students!

Party-hopping on Saturday.  Grey attended his first ever drop-him-off friend birthday party and had a blast while the rest of us had a mini party for Lainey's third birthday.  Then we spent the rest of the evening at my parents' house for their annual Fall Festivus party.  We all had a great time - so much good food and the weather was beautiful!   Fall Festivus is always one of our favorite fall traditions (thanks Abba & Chum!)

Celebrating el dia de los muertos with my students in Spanish I class by coloring calaveras, making tissue paper flowers, papel picado, and watching The Book of Life in class. bonus for me that it was an easy week in lesson planning.

Trying to get a handle on it, but holy mother-loving Laundry.  Our dryer has been inconsistent for a few weeks now but finally seems to be alright again (thank goodness).  So I haven't felt quite caught up (thanks Abba for doing our laundry more than once through those weeks!) and then add into the mix that I'm switching out winter/summer clothes for Bud and I and also I just had to buy all new pants for Gemma because at 4 and a half she's wearing size 6 pants because she's so tall and Violet has been in a wardrobe-changing phase big time...the piles of clothes are ne.ver.end.ing.  Have you read that post from Bunmi Laditan about laundry babies...or the one about laundry shaming....hilarious. I'm so there, friends.

Speaking of Violet's wardrobe-changing phase - she's naked approximately 80% of the day because...toddlerhood.  I came home from work this week and Brandon said, "Violet's changed four times already and it's not even noon.  Also, pretty sure she's naked and in Gemma's high heels right now so don't be too surprised when she comes downstairs."

Thankful for our new sliding glass door that Brandon and Pappy installed this week.  B has been on vacation all week so there have been lots of little projects getting tied up while he's been home (new brakes for Sheila!)  Pappy and Gigi got the sliding door for us for an early Christmas present (thank you!) and it looks beautiful and shines so much light into the dining room.

Surprised how quickly five months can fly by as our Rust Man is officially five months old.  He is such a hungry kid gobbling down full bubbas, baby oatmeal, and whole baby food containers with no problem.  He loves 'chewing' on anything within reach including our hands, toys, and his own toes.  His favorite activity is talking to someone face-to-face but also like his exersaucer or rolling all over the floor.  This kid - he's the fastest growing one yet!

Dancing one joyous, nervous, excited, happy dance.  details coming soon.

Making garbage bread with leftover sausage from the crockpot for the guys while they installed the door and from scratch brownies for our Witch's brew brownies that the kids helped make to use up some Halloween candy (disclaimer: ours did NOT turn out quite as lovely as the pin. #duh).  I started the 21day fix program up again this week too and it's been going great thanks to having Greek Yogurt, strawberries, and lots of veggies on hand

1 comment:

  1. Rustin's semi-pout lip in the picture with Violet, where he's wearing his ninja turtle costume is killing me! He's so adorable!
    So glad you're reading again. I think you'll love this book!
    The first drop-off party feels like a BIG deal, right? I remember feeling super strange last fall leaving Logan & Jack at their first.
    And the laundry!!! I had no idea. I always wondered how my mom became a laundry goddess (she can get stains out of ANYTHING) and now I know how she became that way-- she had FOUR children. And she did laundry for DECADES. Ha!

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