Around Here Week 19: 05/08-14

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

outdoor baby, LOL

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 149+ hours (of 1000)
Spring sports, eating outside, time in the hammock reading or snuggling kiddos that roll in and out and time at the farm. We scored big time hours this week and I am hungry for summer days of eight to nine hours outside for childhood, wildhood freedom. 

Reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow. Just got started this week, but liking it already. So beautifully written! 

Feeling cherished on Mother's Day. My mom and dad surprised us by coming to mass which was great since the kids participated too; Grey even read! Mum and I each got a little potted flower! Then, I got to read outside on the porch with my coffee (heaven) and we spent a lazy day outside all together. B had a lunch date with his momma and he came home so happy and contented to spend some one-on-one time with her. It was a perfect holiday.

Really pleased with our Red Rider wagon (thank you Wells for my mother's day/Tia gift!!) It is perfect for transporting kids, folding chairs, diaper bags, blankets, and whatever else the kids threw in the car to the soccer and football fields. I'm kind of obsessed.  

Loving all my yard flower bouquets. I have mason jars all over the house filled with beautiful kid-picked dandelion, blooming tree branches, and other assortments of wild flowers the kids have found around our yard and in the woods near our house. How lovely our home looks with jars and jars of blooms. 

Saying a silent prayer, "Dear Lord, please be with the girls in the sixth grade class at CTMS today. They are going to need you." when Grey wore dress clothes for his Bizworld presentation as CEO. Good grief, he looked so handsome and - believe me - I have 23 years experience in thinking a Studer boy is cute as heck. So, I'm sorry girls but all my love and strength to you! 

Swinging by a local playground (Greenhouse park) one day this week when everything kept going wrong (broken glass, a forgotten trumpet that needed dropped off, cranky babies and mom). The kids played on the playground for a little while and then we went to scope out the water rescue training that was going on at the Stoneycreek river. There were state park employees participating in a training about saving others and themselves in moving water. One of the very kind and patient rescue trainers came over to explain to Rusty about what all was going on and all the cool parts of his uniform (a knife for cutting a rope or through debris! a whistle for calling for help! a helmet for protecting his head! a blinking light for the dark!) We watched and cheered on the trainees as they worked through the various obstacles - it was so fascinating. That little trip really turned our morning around; sometimes all you need is to be willing to reset. 

Cleaning out Sheila (our van). Unbeknownst to me, the kids left their unfinished ICE CREAM (!?!) in the third seat cupholders. Feels good to have it done, but it was gross to get there. 

Hanging up our tree swings. Our hanging straps arrived from Hearth Song so I was able to get our platform swing hung in Agnes (my tree soulmate in the pasture) and the huggle pod (we call it a Trolls home) in the other wild cherry tree. I ordered an extra hanging strap and now I'm in the market to find one more swing to hang up. The platform swing has been a huge hit with the kids (and me!)

Chaperoning Gemma's fourth grade field trip to the Somerset Historical Center. It was actually a really interesting day learning all about what life was like in our area in the pioneer days. Holding the knowledge in my heart about ancestors and all the struggles to just make it so that someday I could be here and our kids could be here - it blows my mind and bursts my heart (I've written about it here). While Gem and I spent the day together (so grateful!) B stayed home with all the babies! 

Releasing our Painted Lady butterflies. A favorite seasonal tradition around here! (we order our caterpillars from Insect Lore)

Watching Grey umpire his first game! He was asked earlier this week (thanks Steph!) and he ump'ed his first game on Friday night - a machine pitch game! He enjoyed it and made $25 (cool big kid!)

Cleaning the chicken coop and removing the winter sides. Reddy wanted to help B and I wearing work gloves and everything! The coop looks (and smells!) so much better. Happy to have that spring chore done! 

Building the goats a playground! B did most of the work (like 95% of the work) and we made it out of pallets but the goat kids are happy - so are our human kids who climbed and played spies on it alongside the goats too! 

Sporting with lots of soccer and baseball games. Two soccer games each for Rusty, Violet, and Gemma. Gemma is doing a great job being a leader and encouraging her teammates; I am so impressed with how far her team has come along already in just the second week of games. Grey had two baseball games including a night game under the lights at Westmont!

Making meatball sub sammies (in the travel crockpot on Monday night with back to back games from 5:30-10:30p!), baked potato fries, veggies, and kielbasa, Copycat Olive Garden chicken in the crockpot, sloppy joes, church picnic grilled chicken, and homemade pizza.  For afterschool snack one afternoon, Rust and I made double chocolate chip muffins too. 

Keto check in: bleh, starting the week with a 0.6lb gain. not getting discouraged though, I know it is a journey and it will be a long road; trying to give myself grace and patience. This week I made ground turkey cabbage dumplings dipped in soy sauce (felt so fancy but actually easy and so delicious!). We also had shrimp and zoodles, grilled cabbage steaks, Keto broccoli & cheese soup with cheesy breadsticks, and chicken/bacon/ranch on low carb wraps.