Intentional Outdoor Hours: 306+ hours (of 1000)
Up 19 hours this week including some swimming and stunting in the pool with the kids and my sister. The weather is still incredibly hot here and the AC has been on the most it has ever been on since we've moved in nine years ago. With no shade, it's pretty brutal by the early afternoon around here. Luckily for us though, our back patio roof supplies were delivered this week (!) It will be a really big project but one that will be so worth it - I.can.not.wait. to sit out on the back patio during a thunderstorm, or in the afternoon reading my book in the shade enjoying the warm weather. Oh, it will be just bliss.
Reading and finishing Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. I really enjoyed it (it was in verse) and this was the second book I've read by her and both were beautifully written YA books.
Researching fly killing methods like a crazy person. The flies in the goat pen are making me nuts (there are so many!) so I've been researching all the web to find the best methods to combat my arch nemesis. Random fact about me: I do not kill any bugs (or any animals) ever. I scoop up bugs in the house and take them outside, I save worms on sidewalks before drying out, the boys know they are not allowed to shoot groundhogs (even though they live in our sandmound) if I am home - I do not want things to die....except flies. I loathe flies and will go on a fly-murder spree when they are in the house. I love spiders because they eat flies - I name spiders and whisper thank you to them and hardly ever take them outside when I find them in the house, I just move them to our house plants (stay with us and kill these flies, I love you is what I whisper to them!) So anyway, we purchased this fly killing trap from Tractor Supply and Grey tried to set it up without reading the directions, and let me just tell you that the fly bait inside (that was leaking all in my kitchen sink) smells like an actual corpse and it lingered for about 3 days. So maybe it would have worked if we would have followed the directions, but good grief - the smell.
Getting hearty eyes when Rusty asked me out of the blue, "When I'm big and I'm the Daddy, who is the momma?" I told him that he will get to choose and he said, "Oh, okay. Then I choose you."
Visiting the vet when we thought Bullet was checking out for good. He woke us up at 3a on Monday morning breathing so rapidly and crying out anytime he had to move the tiniest bit. By morning, he was still laying around, breathing weird (slowly and labored) and refusing to eat or drink. He made every effort to avoid having to change positions. Brandon took him to the vet and he got a clean bill of health but some pain pills because he's old and it appears to be his joints bothering him (he also has lyme's so that makes sense). He is 11 years old, but I swear that dog is going to live to be 20 the way he makes me nuts.
Preparing for our big Sunday event - Gemma is making her first holy communion and Red is getting baptized on the same day. I ordered the sheet cake, confirmed our caterer, ordered Red's baptism outfit after I couldn't find Grey/Rusty's in the attic (oops, maybe donated it), and double checked with my parents about the after party at their house (thank you for hosting!) Gemma has been practicing everyday her reading (she's doing the second reading in church) and then we had a dress rehearsal at the church on Saturday morning to make sure we were all good to go. The kids got their confession done and received their rosaries, communion lapel pins, and custom masks (sewn by a parishioner!).
Buying lots of calamine lotion as Brandon has most of his body covered in poison ivy (arms, chest, stomach, legs). He spent so much time clearing out part of our land last week in the dry weather that the poison ivy must have been kicked up in the dust and just covered him. Gem helped him quite a bit and so she has some spots on her as well (stomach, arms, and face). Poor things are so miserable and itchy.
Starting the back porch roof project this week. Brandon tore out the cement slab that needs replaced and pulled away the railroad ties that were rotting on the retaining wall. Our roof materials are awaiting their time to be used for the project, but for now they are sitting in the backyard covered with tarps.
Rolling my eyes so much at the other huge project I have going on right now - switching clothes bins. Goodness gracious, I hate so much. Last year, in the midst of back to school and pregnant with Red - I stuffed any clothes that weren't working for any kid into huge garbage bags and literally wrote a note to myself that said, "Sorry Tab, I love you though." Ughhhhhhh, I know past Tab that you were busy and pregnant - but this is awful. We got tons of hand-me-down donations throughout the last few months too from friends (thank you!) but also - I have a clothes volcano explosion going on in most of the upstairs room. I need all the bins, and all the time, and all the kids not interrupting or touching piles.
Grateful that Violet got her special day with my parents this week. She loved having one on one time with them and it is always a small blessing to be down one kid at home (but know that they are safe and happy and having fun). Thanks Chum & Abba!
Summer sporting with two rained out baseball games this week!
Making taco turkey salads, cheesy chicken and broccoli over cauliflower rice, buffalo chicken dip with veggie dippers. We ordered in pizza and wings when we had the Garretson kiddos over and I made funfetti muffins and banana bread for breakfasts this week. For our friend's birthday party on Saturday, I made jello shots and haluski.
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