A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home just this moment.
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| photo cred: Jenn V |
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 97+ hours (of 1000)
Hopefully the last week of yo-yo weather here in western PA. We had beautiful, warm sunshine then dipping down below freezing for a few nights, then cold drizzling misery, then back up in the sunshiney hotness. At this point, I'd just love some consistency truthfully. We are still trying to get outside as much as possible and taking those beautiful days for everything they are worth.
Reading and finishing Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. She is such an incredible writer and I really enjoyed reading the book and soaking in all her beautiful descriptions, prose, and word choices. I excitedly started reading The Midnight Library by Matt Heig which was suggested to me by my dear friend Loni. I knew I couldn't start it until I was completely done with my last book because just from the instagram reviews - I'm probably going to gobble it up whole.
Exploring the woods behind my parents' house with the kids. Those woods are so magical, just like a remember from my childhood days. We spent so much time in the woods (my sisters, my neighbor Krista, and I). There are huge boulders, lots of fallen trees for balancing, moss everywhere, umbrella plants, a little stream that runs the whole distance - it is just so magical.
Putting together color-coded May & June calendars for all the grandparents and aunts with the kids' schedules on them. Baseball games, soccer games, spring concerts, field trips I am chaperoning, end of the school year, vacation, two kids' birthdays, and B and my summer volleyball league. This is such a wild few weeks with literally all the things happening at one time, but then it cracks wide open and summer swallows us whole in wide open, lazy, sunny, warm bliss.
Loving on Livy a little extra this week. Poor little thing is teething something fierce which for her means not only teeth pain, but severe diaper rash too.
Feeling overwhelmed by all the things I need to do in all the categories of life that need done. When this happens, I fold up a piece of blank paper, label all the categories and just write the top 1-5 tasks that need done in that area for me to feel better. Right now, my categories included: chores, Team Studer Mom, this blog, the prom, teaching next school year, childcare next school year, end of this school year, and self care/mood boosting. Then I get to work on those specific tasks- because the only way out of a mountain of crap to do is to figure out which way is up and START CLIMBING, girl.
Finalizing prom guest numbers! Only 2 weeks away and all the order forms are in. It's hard to believe that we are so close after all those months of planning! Continually grateful for my co-advisor Brenna, my junior class pres Mariellen, the whole prom committee crew who make me laugh in our Instagram group chats daily, and our high school secretary Rae Lynn for saving my butt weekly.
Moving the duckies outside. The have grown so quickly - even faster than baby chickies, I swear! - and they were ready to be released. We even had them cooped up in the indoor cage with the baby chicks for a few days this week due to the freezing temps at night, they were all ready to get the heck out of the house (ME too!)
BUT THE FARM IS ON HIGH ALERT because the fox is holding us all hostage. It snagged more chickens this week and I saw it stalking the ducks through the yard on one of the foggy, rainy days. Like all the way into our yard - I ran out and started screaming like a crazy lady and scared it into the pasture where it turned around and we had a stare down. We are leaving Bullet out for almost the whole day to protect the yard and birds, but he is an old man (13 years old!) so his eyesight and hearing isn't what it used to be - he's doing a pretty good job though.
Enjoying a visit with Kitty when she stopped by to get extra hugs and good wishes before she heads out for the Pittsburgh Marathon. Uch came right at the same moment to pick up Wells so it was a full on sister and cousin-palooza.
Major fangirling at the North Star musical on Friday night. I took Gem and Violet and we loved watching the production of Crazy for You. My students did so good and I was overwhelmed seeing my seniors up there for their last show of high school. Gahhhhh, love those kids so much.
Soaking up that sunshine with a GMS slushie on the back porch with Brandon on Saturday afternoon. Gosh, it was all my summer hopes and dreams giving me a little sneak peak of that wonderful summery haze!
So very proud and happy for our Miss Hannah; our personal Mary Poppins, who graduated on Saturday from college. She is now a certified teacher in the state of PA and I am so overwhelmed with pride and gratitude that she is in our lives and in the lives of our kids. Any school would be so very lucky to have her as a teacher - she is truly the very best. We love you Miss Hannah!
Driving out to Pittsburgh with five of the kids to spend the night at a hotel with Uchie and Wells so that we will be in town and ready to cheer on Kitty at the marathon! The kids were so excited to have a surprise road trip and hotel sleepover, especially the indoor pool! B and Grey stayed home for the animals but also because they were in a fishing tournament this weekend with Pappy too!
Sporting with two soccer practices for each players in our house (Gem, Vi, and Rust) while Grey had three baseball games including Opening Day at our home field on Saturday. Grey was asked to lead all the teams in the Little League pledge and he did a great job on the mic. I was in the concession stand for opening day (God bless all those mothers working concession stands in all the youth sports!) Other than that, Brandon had a youth football board meeting.
Making kielbasa and haluski, creamy Italian crockpot chicken over noodles, Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes, cheesy baked ravioli, chicken tacos, and pizza burgers on the grill.
Keto check in: not losing any weight this week but still going strong and feeling a lot different in my body. Non-scale victories are my favorite anyway, so who cares. We had some good eating this week too - shrimp alfredo over zoodles, blackened tilapia and cheesy cauliflower, chicken tacos on romaine leaves, and so many Brussels sprouts (is there such a thing as too many? I would say never).
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