Around Here Week 29: 07/17-23

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

from Abba

from Miss Hannah

Studerbabies Teddy Bear Picnic!

Studerbabies Teddy Bear Picnic

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 492+ hours (of 1000)
I'm actually pretty pumped that I'm already so close to 500 hours and it's mid-July. There have been yeas in the past that I only made it to just over 500 hours for the whole year. Anytime the kids start to get whiny or too messy - we go outside! Even if it is just to the back porch, we head outside and it makes everything exponentially easier for me and more fun for them. It really is the secret to spending summer at home with 7 kids 12 years and under and not completely losing your mind.

Reading How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong and 1000 Hours Outside by Ginny Yurich, although not too much of either. Between Studerbabies and trying to figure out plans for the fall - I feel like my brain (and heart) are in a million different directions and I can't get focused on reading. After a few paragraphs, my mind starts to wander.

Sneaking away to Pittsburgh for a night out. Brandon planned the whole thing (even organized the babysitters, we needed 3!) We had a hotel reservation overlooking one of the rivers, we enjoyed drinks and appetizers at a very cool little spot (Forbes Tavern), then fancy-pants dinner reservations where the food was so good, you had to literally close your eyes while savoring every bite (Monterey Bay Fish Grotto). For dessert, we ordered the Angel Food Grilled Cheese and we damn near licked the plate it was so good. You can take the country kids out to the city, but you can't take the country out of the kids. We slept in until 8a (!) before heading back home, but not before stopping to grab some Mexican food and margaritas (La Fiesta) because when on pretend-vacay, right? (thank you to Abba&Chum, Pappy&Gigi, and Miss Hannah&Gemma for watching all the kiddos so we could enjoy a night away!) 

Closing out the Roxbury volleyball season. We made it to playoffs but unfortunately only the first round. It is always such a fun season to be with our Cats team (two of them are my former students!) And playoff night happened to fall on our teammate, Randy's, birthday! He is our fearless captain who keeps us all together all these years (thank you, Randy!) and since it was his fiftieth, I printed out 50 mini Randy photos and hung them up all over the park to celebrate. We got team ice cream after our game too - we just love these summer Tuesday nights with you guys! 

Free playing and feeling grateful for Studerbabies Farm & Free Play. It was a great week - we had a Teddy Bear picnic event on Wednesday and Summer Night like an 80's kid on Friday night. I posted an introduction on facebook this week too and had so many encouraging comments and shares. I was so overwhelmed and surprised by the reactions, but it has my heart fluttering with ideas and maybe there is really something going on here that I need to keep holding on too. I have been feeling very reflective about my effort when my plan is still to back to the classroom in the fall but then I saw this great image from lizandmollie (a great instagram account, you should definitely follow!) and I felt better about keeping doing what I'm doing. 

art by Liz Fosslien

...But really starting to feel the pressure of the coming school year. Trying to figure out what will be best for all of us between the big kids in two different school buildings (1 in middle school and 3 in elementary) and the babies, and me back to work in a completely separate school district, and all the kids' activities...it's going to be a huge juggle logistically - but also the financial need for me to go back to work full time. It's all very overwhelming so I keep stupidly pushing it to the back of my mind, trying to reason that I'll deal with it once August gets here...and um, excuse me, Tabitha...August is about to be here. 

Phone free for two days due to water damage. Ugh. I was holding both Liv and Wells and my phone slipped out of my hand and directly into a big bowl of water that the kids had been using for water balloons (I mean, come on!) I got it right out and dried it off, put it in rice, and it continued to work for like five hours until it just died. I didn't mind being without a phone (although Saturday was tricky because of kids at different sporting events), but as a mom of six with kids each with activities and practices, and a cheer coach on the verge of the season, and relying solely on my phone for photos....yeah, I needed to find a solution quick.

Visiting the vet for the pups. They are all up to date on their vaccinations and we will continue Bullet on his old man pain meds as he is in his 'twilight' years. He is definitely slowing down, but his bursts of random energy just like he's always done are still present (although he def needs naps afterwards). Trixie's surgery is scheduled for later in August for her belly. 

Taking a dip at the Fiores house after Gem's basketball tournament - whew! How grateful to have lunch and a swim with them because it was hot as Hades outside. Our body temperatures were probably unsafely high until we got into that water - no kidding! Thank you for coming to the event to support our Gemma and then always opening your home (and heart) for us. Love you guys. xxo

Sporting a lot and all over the place this week. Grey had football conditioning on Wednesday morning and baseball practice two nights this week. Then he played in the VEA baseball tournament with two games on Saturday. Gemma and Violet attended open gym for basketball on Tuesday and we picked up Vi's friend Giada to go with us. Then Gem had basketball practice on Wednesday to prepare for her 3v3 basketball tournament at Hoopsfest in Altoona on Saturday. What a cool event - it was really amazing with basketball courts set up all over the street and parking lots with teams ranging from U8 to 40 years and over! It was an awesome day and Gem and her team learned so much. They played up in a U12 league (Gem is 10), so although they took some beatings - it was a great learning opportunity and Gem and one of her teammates, Leah, were young enough to play in that same level for the next two years yet! We are looking forward to it now! On Monday night, we had equipment handout for fall sports for the youth league - so I got to meet and greet a bunch of my cheerleaders and hang out with my co-coach, Brittany all evening. Looking forward to the fall season! 

Making fridge leftover clean out, bbq chicken tostadas on the Blackstone grill, breaded & grilled pork chops, chicken cordon bleu casserole, and frozen pizza. When we got home on Saturday from our basketball and baseball games, I was so touched to see that the grocery fairy visited us and left a pile of groceries on our porch(thank you Heather!! You are so thoughtful and it is so very appreciated - lucky to have you in my life always supporting me and this crazy life!  

Keto check-in bleh bleh bleh. I need to get my act together!