A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home just this moment.
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 560+ hours (of 1000)
We had a day or two that was warm enough that the babies and I got out in the day. It's always nice to get everyone down to do the farm chores (water/food/egg collection). The little kids love it and Reddy chases the chickens all around and the babies stare into the goats' eyes (hah) while Rusty finds sticks to sword fight invisible ninjas. We walked down the rock pile one day too for the boys to climb and slide which always makes Reddy's naptime easier - thank you nature!
Reading and finishing Beartown by Fredrik Backman. It's giving me hockey version of Friday Night Light vibes (haha, right? Coach Taylor = Peter with his daughter Julie = Maya, and Kevin = Matt and Benji = Tim Riggins...do not even try to tell me the president of the league is not Buddy Garrity. Come on, most obvious one of all!) Some people are diehard Fredrik Backman fans and I'm just meh about him. I've started a few books of his and that I didn't finish, but I really liked this one! I started reading The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson - only two more books to go in the next three weeks to hit my goal!
Watching The Alpinist on Netflix. So good! It made me a nervous wreck but also really super inspired. I loved what Marc Andres' mom said, something like 'what kind of life could we all live if, like Marc Andres, we just did the things we dreamed about instead of being afraid.'
Fascinated by this article from The Atlantic, The Nuclear Family was a Mistake by David Brooks so insightful. (It's a really long article -but worthwhile!- and if you just want the highlight reel, this is a video promo of the concept).
Waking up to candy in the kids' shoes on St. Nicolas Day!
Dancing as a whole family daily as the kids shout out requests on Echo for Christmas jams.
Delighted that my sister took the kids on a special Christmas kindness mission. Kitty took the four biggest kids to Walmart, armed them with a gift card each, and then encouraged them to find someone that they wanted to donate their gift card to in the store. They each had sweet stories to tell about it (they all overcame some jitters about going up to a stranger to give them the card!) Aunt Kitty is the most fun and kind aunt ever! My kids are so lucky to be loved by her. The evening then ended with pizza and tree decorating at her house. Basically, best night ever and I will never, ever, EVER be as cool as Aunt Kitty (but I'm okay with that - she is really the coolest).
Smiling about the girls' interest in Barbies. They seem to naturally rotate their interest in types of playing (school, crafts/art, babydolls, etc) and we've made our way back to Barbies this week. Violet has a huge Barbie house that takes up way too much space in the playroom and they are always filling up the playhouse pool and then Red goes in there and splashes until the carpet is soaked. But I love to see their creativity and overhear the Barbies' conversations and plans. Violet even painted a Christmas tree for the Barbie house out of a paper towel roll and construction paper.
Writing out our Christmas cards, but now if I could only remember to buy stamps. The girls were such big helps and stuffed and sealed them all and even stamped on our return address label. I got all of them addressed out one morning before everyone woke up this week. So they sit ready to go on the dining room table as soon as I can remember to get the postage! Hah!
Resorting to sink baths almost every night when Red hits the bewitching hour and I feel like I've officially lost my mind. Ya know what fixes cranky, destructive kids 10 out of 10 times? WATER.
Enduring the last week of hunting season for the boys....and nothing to show for it. Well, no meat in the freezer - but plenty of hours spent making memories with friends and family in the woods.
Writing a letter of rec for one of my students and having chats with the prom committee about our fundraiser and venue locations.
Sending Grey off with my parents for a weekend sleepover and some always appreciated one-on-one time for him.
Sporting with one basketball game for B, two basketball practices for Grey, and one basketball practice for Violet. Gemma and her teammates spent Friday night at the mall ringing the bell for the Salvation Army and then made signs for the Varsity Girls' basketball team. She is so lucky to be with this group of girls (she plays up with the fifth and sixth graders) and we are so grateful to her incredible coaches for believing in her and pushing her to be her best!
Making kielbasa and pierogies, chicken salad wraps, Hawaiian meatballs over rice, baked chicken, potatoes, and broccoli, sloppy joes, take out pizza, and potato soup in the crockpot. B and I had some delicious Green Chef meals too including Cajun chickpea power bowls, ancho-lime sweet potato bowls, and ginger-turmeric cauliflower over couscous. I also made a big batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and there was enough to freeze some for Christmas!
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