Around Here Week 44: 10/25-10/31

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

Intentional Outdoor Hours:  524+ hours (of 1000)
Up only 2 hours this week thanks to literally trick-or-treating on Saturday. 

Reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon still forever and ever. This book never ends. HAH. just kidding - it is good but it is taking all the days to finish it. 

Smiling as Redland repeats over and over again a million times in a row, his first word "Dada" B wins again! 

Taking Grey for a cast appointment and x-rays. Unfortunately they saw that one of his fractures still needs some healing time, so back on with a new cast for two more weeks. He was massively bummed but also knows it needs to heal right so he can play all of basketball season - so he made a paper countdown chain and he's hanging in there. 

Feeling relieved that the news is out in the world about Studerbaby #6! We were surprised too and my actual initial response was, "But we already have a baby...?" Who knows which way is up at this point anymore. My midwife and cousin Meg (who is the literal best in the universe) was so patient and reassuring that my uterine wall is going to be fine despite the fact that I just had a c-section five months before getting pregnant again (gulp...but also amazing body of mine- I love you and trust you). Everyone has been overwhelmingly kind and supportive and obviously we've been the butt of many jokes but they've all actually been pretty funny so we're rolling with it. Bring on the Studer half dozen, I guess! 

Seeing our little nugget at my first in-person appointment this week. A beautiful, perfect fast heartbeat (come on old wives tales - give me another girl!) and all looks great so far. 10 weeks and due date is May 24th! 

Saying prayers for our loved one who headed back to the hospital on Saturday due to an infection.

Feeling so grateful for love of long distance friends (hi Ashley! Hi Shelly!) I got very kind and supportive emails in response to our newest babe news and then a very sweet snail mail package. It's regularly baffling to me that we have never met in person, but that I always feel like you are such close friends. Thank you always for your support, encouragement, and kindness through the vastness of the web.  

Giggling about my students' reactions after hearing the news of our next baby. One of my students immediately stood up and went over to my old school chalkboard and titled a chart "Color Baby Name Ideas" hahaha, they know me too well. All week, students added names to the board and actually had some pretty good ones. They are all sweet and supportive. #lovemykids #lovemyjob 

Celebrating Halloween at school for the kids with some mini fall parties and a parade (thank you so much Aunt Uch for going to watch the 10 minute parade - the kids were so happy to see a familiar face in the crowd!) For Halloween this year we had a fisherman (Grey at school), an owl (Gemma), Queen Elsa (Violet), T'Challa/Black Panther (Rusty), and a pumpkin (Red). 

Trick or treating most of Saturday. We went with Aunt Kitty in her neighborhood before Gemma's game, then after Gemma's game we hit Abba & Chum's neighborhood including a nice visit with Aunt Lisa & Uncle Matt, THEN we headed up to Mimi's neighborhood and the kids got to go one more time with their cousin Ariel. Holy chocolate and cheese balls, Batman. We all went to bed with bellyaches, but that's the point of Halloween, right? 

Winter sporting with basketball practice for Gemma and then her first scrimmage! She did pretty good for her first "game" and she really loves it. She wears her Dad's number (swoon) and it's so funny that she's one of the tallest girls out there! I could never imagine such a thing as a life long shrimp! haha!

Teaching Day of the Dead to Spanish 1 which also included watching one of my favorite movies The Book of Life. Spanish 2 worked on reading their novel, El Silbon de Venezuela. Spanish 3 did some pre-reading activities for their upcoming novel, La Llorona de Mazatlán. Spanish 4 completed their Fables unit which ended with presenting a retell of the individual fable that they received. We also had a dress-up week at school and the Spanish Club hosted an incentive morning to celebrate the end of the first marking period on Friday. If students had no missing work and a C average or above; they were able to get out of their morning classes to watch Coco in the auditorium (socially distanced of course). 

Making homemade bagels on Sunday morning (they are so so good and easy from Ginny @1000hoursoutside ). We also had chicken over mashed potatoes, and taco pasta. Miss Hannah brought us Deer meat tacos on Wednesday with brownies (thank you!) and we had dinner at my parents' house on Thursday night after trick-or-treat was rescheduled due to weather.