Around Here Week 10: 03/06-12

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

Intentional Outdoor Hours:  16+ hours (of 1000)
We are taking every beautiful day for all it's worth because, for the love of all that is holy - WHERE ARE YOU SPRING?! 

Reading Free to Learn by Peter Gray and We Are Not From Here by Jenny Sanchez Torres

Smiling about the kids' involvement in children's mass on Sunday. Grey did a reading and participated as an usher, Gemma was an acolyte, and Violet and Rusty sang in the front. It was a beautiful service and always so sweet to see the youth taking lead! 

Taking a trip to the salon with Violet to get her hair trimmed up and a re-part. It looks like she has a sweet little bob now while we wait for the one side of her head to grow out. She rocked (and loved) her haircut for over a year but said she was ready to grow it all out now!

Receiving the sweetest email from one of Grey's teachers that came at a great moment when I was really feeling like I am bombing this middle-school-boy stage. What a blessing it was to hear from another adult some good stuff when the worries feel pretty tall. Thank you always to teachers that help raise up our kids and even more for teachers that find time in their busy days to let parents know their kids are doing alright. (xxoxo)

Zooming with the Elite Blog Academy Workshop webinars everyday this week. It was all really insightful and had me taking notes like a crazy girl. I know I said this before, but my learning curve on all this blog/internet/tech/social/goals has been so huge over the past few weeks - even after blogging for fun for the last 13 years. I have loved stretching my brain muscles so much, but also starting to feel a little burnt out too. I need to find a good balance so I don't lose steam. 

Missing B this week as he had a three day out-of-town conference for work. All our friends and family squeezed in tight though to make sure that we were okay with only one parent home. Miss Hannah stopped by on Wednesday night with dinner and assistance to Violet's diorama project (Bless you, Mary Hannah Poppins!) and Aunt Kitty swooped in on Thursday night for catching up and playing with the kids because she's the very best fun all the time. (thank you kitty!)

Prom organizing slowly picking up. We had second deposit to send to the venue, a virtual meeting to discuss how the fundraiser is wrapping up, and a serious look at our planning timeline for the next two months to make sure we are on track! Thank goodness for my incredible co-advisor Brenna and our junior class committee full of awesome kids. I don't feel stressed at all because those kids are on top of it! 

Touched about the breakfast date that Gemma, Violet, and Rusty set up for Brandon and I on Saturday morning. They made us eggs, toast, fruit salad, and coffee! They even put two wine bottles in a ice bucket for decoration! Gemma made a big poster to hang up and it was so sweet and thoughtful. We ended up sharing all our food with the kids because they didn't make any for themselves and worked up quite an appetite arranging it all (LOL) but it was actually perfect and accurate of our life right now. 

Sporting with a basketball practice and three games at the CV tournament for Gemma. The official close of our basketball season this year! Grey had two indoor baseball practices, and B had his last basketball game this week too. 

Making sheet pan kielbasa, potatoes, and veggies, spaghetti, quesadillas and potato fries, ravioli, and turkey chili. Miss Hannah brought pizza one evening and Uncle Juice brought us wings and fries on Saturday night after Gemma's tournament; how enriched our kids' lives are by the friends who are our family too (thank you Hannah & Jason - we love spending time with you!)