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| photo credit: Morgan |
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 450 hours (of 1000)
Up only about 9 hour this week. We had a few visits that were outdoors and I made it to football practice once this week and got the sweetest surprise in a pumpkin spice latte from one of my favorites - is there anything like a warm drink that can lift spirits on a chilly day? yeah, no. (so appreciated Loni!) I'm not getting in enough time outside though for just regular life (dog walks, runs, reading outside) and I'm hoping to fix that this week (fingers crossed!)
Reading hardly anything. I got in a few pages of Emma by Jane Austen at bedtime. It was another week of minimal social media which is still nice. I feel pretty out of the loop on what's happening in the world, but nothing a quick check in to the news can't fix, so I'm still liking it. I really would love to be blogging more, but we're just not in the groove yet with our new schedules, so thanks for hanging around despite my inconsistency. xxox
Celebrating birthdays and love all weekend! We birthday party hopped to sing and play and eat cake for Macee, Bennie, and Ivan three days in a row! And Brandon and I headed out to celebrate Sara and Alex at their wedding with my parents and sisters on Sunday while the kids spent the day with Gigi & Pappy and Caleb & Heather (thank you!!).
Surviving our first week of everyone where they are supposed to be. Big kids were in school, B went to work, I went to school, and babies started daycare/preschool. The kids did really great and there were hardly any tears any of the days! I'm making five lunches each morning (thank you Greyson for just eating school lunch, I love ya for it, buddy!) and trying to find a new system for kids' school papers and homework (we've misplaced too many under piles of stuff this year!) But we survived week1, so I'm counting it as a win!
Relieved to maybe have found Greyson's 'sitting' activity. He has never been a big lego kid, nor drawing, nor reading - it's been all throwing, jumping, running, tackling madness since he's been alive. But this past week he became enthralled with tying flies (for fly fishing). He got to spend some time with Kevin checking trail cams followed by quite a few hours of fly tying with him and the Roberts family (thank you guys for all of his new-to-him supplies!!) And then several nights this week, he and Brandon sat up there trying out new flies and reading The Fly-Tying Bible. He's been coming home each day and running up to his fly tying desk before being called down after about 40 minutes for snack&homework. It's been honestly amazing.
Swooning while Gemma announced, "but do you know who my best best best best BEST friend is forever and ever no matter what?" I said, "who's that, Ro?" and she said, "Violet". #sisterscomefirst
Loving Violet's current version of words: 'lasterday' (yesterday); the /s/ sound for /f/ in all the words: soot (foot), sunny (funny), sends (friends); 'no, the real truth' (when she thinks someone is teasing her); 'Bobbies' (Barbies); and 'my high school' (preschool). Her third birthday is only a few weeks away (I've planned nothing yet, yikes) and I can hardly believe this little squishy munchkin is a full blown potty-trained preschooler who has friends of her own (their names are Shelly and Jack! --how about that Shelly?!) I think it's official: my babies grow up too fast.
Earning my first speeding ticket in the mom'est way possible. Ugh. I left school a few minutes too late and was rushing to pick up the babies from daycare to make it to the bus stop on time to get the bigger kids - the whole time thinking, 'I know I'm speeding but I need to get the kids.' and lo and behold, a cop pulled me over. I called B and told him he'd have to head home to the bus stop because now I really wasn't going to make it. Such a bummer but I deserved it and hopefully lesson learned for the year right in the beginning so that I don't get myself into a more dangerous situation with rushing and icy roads come winter.
Visiting our county fair with my parents and sisters and Kevin on Thursday. We go together ever fall and it is such a small town joy. We went through all the animal barns, ate greasy delicious fair food (I had a deep fried ham&cheese sandwich and it was amayzang!) and rode some rides.
Feeling secure in our decision about me going back to the classroom. It definitely makes for a more busy and wild week around here, but I truly love teaching so much. I gave my students a quiz on Friday and as they were all quietly working with heads down doing their best to prove what they had learned about the Spanish-speaking countries, and I just felt overcome with this feeling of pride and love for them. I believe in all the great and decent things they will do in their lives and I feel grateful to be a tiny little part of their journey.
Feeling excited for Grey as he got his long cast off on Friday! He said it felt so good and weird to have his upper arm out and free in the air. The doc said his growth plate and bones are healing perfectly and he should be cast free in two weeks!
Having a special little Friday with my Gemmi Ro. The two littlest kids were sick and stayed home with B until he and Grey had to leave for his cast appt in Hershey. Morgan came to our rescue to watch the littles, so it was just me and her after school. We had a mini date at a local coffee shop for some iced coffee and a smoothie. It was so nice to have some one on one time with her and give her some extra attention, especially since she had no tears and no bellyaches (homesickness) at school on Friday!
Grateful for this huz of mine who keeps me all together even when our life feels like it's spiraling. I read this beautiful caption from Jasmine at Raisingthemartins on instagram and it hit so close to my own truth: "They say that the woman sets the tone in a home, well I suppose the man is the one who goes to the rhythm of that said tone and makes a song out of it no matter how high or low that tone is...there are some things in life that you just can't solve; sickness and pain come. Life gets crazy and hard, stressful, and chaotic. But what I love about marriage and this man is that right in the midst of it he clears a path on a full table to grab my hand and say, 'We are in this together."
Making chicken teriyaki bowls, cheddar beer bread to go with Potato soup (frozen from an double batch last month), and spaghetti. We had some pretty stellar (and easy!) afternoon snacks including kid-friendly trailmix and banana 'cupcakes' with sprinkles.
I am so happy for you that you feel confident in your decision to work. After a week hemming and hawing about choices myself, I can understand how lovely that feels!!!
ReplyDeleteLove that Vi's friends are named Shelly & Jack! Aww!!! (I would totally be her friend if I were her age. She's a PARTY!)
So glad that Gemma is adjusting to school. Wyatt had no tears today (Monday) as well and I was overjoyed! Then imagine my surprise (and joy, and gratitude, and tears) when I got the mail today and there was The Invisible String from YOU! We read it tonight at bedtime and Wyatt was so thoughtful telling me all the people who have strings to us and from us and how amazing that it even reaches heaven. Thank you. Just, thank you. For supporting me from across the country, for making me feel like I'm doing something right, and for knowing how hard it is when our littles are sad. Hugs & hugs.
So so sorry about your speeding ticket. I got my first ever ticket from a red light camera this year. I had sick kids at home and was running to Walmart for more pain meds when I ran the light, not even realizing it. I want to write a letter that says, "I'm so sorry! My kids needed me!" Maybe I could make a copy of that letter for you. ;)
I am inspired by you to make some time for one-on-one dates with my kids. It's hard with four (Four! How do we have four kids?!) to make it happen, but I know how special and important it is.
I hope you have another great week!!!