Around Here Week 28: 07/10-16

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

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 470+ hours (of 1000)
I don't think I've mentioned it in the last few posts - but just in case anyone forgot, I am deeply grateful for our back porch. Snagging lots of hours outside in the glorious summer days. Our back porch hammock is the best (my favorite reading during naptime spot!) and the kids love playing wiffleball in the back yard (they use old pieces of siding as the bases - LOL). B grilled up steak and veggies for dinner one night and we stood around the picnic table eating it all with our fingers like barbarians while the kids ran back and forth between the wiffleball game and/or the trampoline until like 10p. Oh no bedtime summer, I love you. 

Reading How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and 1000 Hours Outside by Ginny Yurich

Packing up cousin camp and already missing our cousins. It took two trips to get everything loaded up and taken home, but we did it before check out time! Last thing to get loaded down was the paddleboard while we buckled soaking wet swimsuit kids into the vehicles. The kids' first question when we got home from camp was, "When are we going camping next?" LOL, good grief - to be a kid! 

Catching up on a bunch of regular chores we've semi-neglected the past few weeks of summer fun. The guinea pig cage needed cleaned, the laundry was piled to the LITERAL ceiling after cousin camp, the chicken waterers needed scrubbed down at the farm, and the Beer Olympics totes needed moved into the attic. Feels good to check those things off the list, but never fun to actually do them - hah! 

Making note of the stark contrast in how I feel mentally/emotionally when I don't take my B12 vitamin. It is scary how quickly I can slip into awful, negative self-talk and feeling overwhelmed if I experience a B12 deficiency. My dad says that my grandma was the same way, so I am trying to do better to taking it each morning before I have my coffee. I am such a happier wife and mom (and person!) when my brain isn't so clouded with self-criticism and spiraling. (also, nature helps - double boost!)

Finishing up Rusty's last week of Kinder camp! On to the real deal next!

Celebrating a (very) belated birthday for Grey. He likes to wait to have his party in the summer (April is still too chilly) and so, at his request, we loaded up Lucille the 12-passenger Studermobile and our truck- and the flatbed truck that Uncle Kevin brought- with TWELVE 12-year old boys (teammates from all stars) and headed over to the Que to camp for a night. Several of the boys had never camped before but they all did great and had a good time. On the way over to the Que, I told them, "There's only one rule - behave in a way that you believe I would invite you back." And they really did follow that rule, because we had no issues or injuries or bullies! It was really a great time, just tiring because twelve constantly hungry-goofy-loud-energetic kids is a lot no matter how good they are. So happy to have been able to get them all together though - great birthday for Booboo and doubled up as great team bonding! The rest of our kids were elated to join them at camp for a little while on Friday while we made several trips with B's truck to transport all the bikes and camp supplies home. (Big thank you to Miss Hannah who stayed with the rest of the crew on Thursday night). 

High fiving the two biggest girls after their salon appointment with our cousin Mandy. They got trimmed and hair dye and they are loving it (me too!) Thank you Mandy - we are all so happy with how their hair turned out. And thank you Pappy who was salon chauffeur that morning so that I could stay with the birthday crew at the Que!

Visiting with our besties the Fiores at their house. They invited us over for yummy dinner and swimming and catching up and it was exactly what we all needed after some busy weeks of summer hustling. Thank you! love you guys so much! 

Taking an actual nap in the middle of the day with Brandon on Saturday because were just just totally wiped out. Cousin camp, baseball tournaments, birthday party, the Beer Olympics, and all the summer madness of six kids at home all day everyday. The exhaustion hit us big time on Saturday afternoon and when the babies took a nap, we told the kids to fend for themselves and slept for a solid 2+ hours in the middle of the day. Glorious.

Sporting with the close of the West Suburban tournament (Grey's team battled out of the losers bracket to earn second place!) B and I had a double header in our co-ed volleyball summer league and the kids were all so well behaved for all six games (we even stopped for ice cream on the way home to celebrate!) Grey had two mornings of football conditioning and I attended the football boosters meeting on Wednesday night and set up my group text for Majors cheer! Fall sports are already right around the corner and as much as I don't want to rush summer, I can't deny that I love me some football season. 

Making Hawaiian meatballs with pineapple over rice, Copycat Olive Garden chicken in the crockpot, and frozen pizzas. I made buffalo chicken dip for Grey's party along with two pumpkin rolls. We had walking tacos for lunch one day too. 

Keto check in and fully back on track after two and a half weeks of wishy-washy wagon. I am doing fasting until noon everyday (just because it's actually not too hard and makes me feel energized) and then Keto/low carb for the rest of the day. Feeling so much better when I follow the intermittent fasting along with low carb. The Que Classic released their info for their 5K in September and I'm considering thinking of doing it - but I will def need to start walking/jogging again before then.