Around Here Fifty-Two: 12/23-12/29

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

Intentional Hours Outdoors:  510 hours (of 1000)
Snagged another hour this week on a long walk with the two big kids and the dogs.  It was a beautiful, albeit chilly day and we got some fresh air and our bodies moving.  We walked all the way to the road back by 'the forest' and the kids ran and jumped over the stumps and rocks.  Gosh, it was such a reminder of how much good wide open space does for all of us and had me reflecting a lot about my goal for increased outdoor time this year - and what that might mean for next year too.

Reading and finishing The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins and picked back up again where I left off a few weeks ago in My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell you She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

Celebrating Christmas!! We buzzed around for four whole days with lots of hugs, good food to eat, presents to open, Baby Jesus birthday candles to blow out, laughing, dancing, game playing, and even some wrestling thrown in there.  Whew, it was so much fun and so busy -but always a reminder of the love that surrounds us on all possible sides.  I've been fielding the question "Is Santa coming?" from Violet since December 20th and it still continues at least once daily.

Welcoming a new addition to our family; Greyson's hamster, Spike.  Pappy and Gigi took Grey to pick him out on Monday afternoon and the three big kids are enamored with him.  He is a sweet little tan and white hamster that lives in Greyson's room in his new cage.  He's already proved to be quite an escape artist and Brandon and I found ourselves...

Staking out half the night for Spike to show up following his cage escape after less than 24 hours in our home.  Good grief.  Grey woke up on Tuesday morning and came into our room and said, "I don't think Spike is in his cage..."lo and behold, he wasn't.  So we spent Tuesday morning and half the night listening and setting up makeshift schemes to find him (including: plates of food, stuffing towels under doors so he couldn't get into various rooms, and even trying to let Bullet on the pinch collar sniff him out - but all he found was a half eaten Poppy Seed roll in the playroom!)  At around 11:30p on Tuesday night while Brandon and I were snuggled up and fully asleep in the hallway, Bud awoke with a start and claims that Spike was standing on his hip, looking him the eye.  We both scrambled up and flicked on the light but Spike had already disappeared by then.  About fifteen minutes later (and one child size recliner disembowled), Spike ventured out again to the hallway and we were able to scoop him up in a toy bin and return him to his cage, thus now secured by bungee cords.  #lawdhelpme

'Grounding' our two big kids TWO DAYS in a row this week.  Grounding for them means they get restricted to their rooms for the whole day and can only get out for meals and the bathroom.  On both days they got in trouble for using things that weren't theirs and for things they aren't intended like standing on top of Sheila outside with the indoor blankets and pillows laughing and dancing when they were supposed to be cleaning up so we can find Spike....not kidding, this is my motherhood).  When they asked what they were supposed to do while grounded in their rooms, I shouted, "Read books or stare at the ceiling and be bored!" hhahhha.  They both ended up falling asleep on the first day (which is probably exactly what their bodies needed) and on day two they were allowed out of their rooms to go to Daddy's basketball game - but were not allowed to have any snacks from the concession stand (which is near physical pain to them).  We've been doing better each day since then about asking before using things that aren't theirs and cleaning up one mess before moving onto the next mess.  Baby steps, friends. #worstmomever

Easing back into normal routine life again at the slowest pace possible.  Everyone's sleep schedules are still all out of whack (no school bedtime isn't helping any), new gifts are still needing to find their correct place in the house, laundry is getting done at a snail's pace, and decorations are all still hung as we remain holiday cheermeisters until Orthodox Christmas on January 7th!  This little bit between Christmas and New Years always has me feeling untethered - I think it might be one of the reasons I love New Years and planning so much.  We are all in need of a fresh restart.

Making our Christmas eve spread for the grandparents - we had cheesy sausage balls, wedge salad dip, mini hotdog wreath, and twice baked potatoes with broccoli & cheese.  And ever since Christmas, it's been a whole lot of leftovers reheated and a Taco Tuesday, an awesome Thai fried noodle meal, and a picked up Pizza because we needed a break from the holiday-food.