Around Here Week 09: 02/26-03/04

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

Gem reading to Rusty's Kinder class (photo cred: Mrs McCall)

typical: frost on the ground and a middle school boy in shorts

photo cred: Miss Emma

photo cred: Mrs. Doyle

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 17+ hours (of 1000)
this weatherrrrrrrrr. pick a season. it's warm and sunny then it's rainy and gloomy, then it's freezing with snow flurries, then it's warm enough that the kids don't think they need shoes and coats, then it's so windy we can barely walk outside without fear of blowing away. My outdoor numbers continue to creep up but barely because I need sun and warm. 

Reading and finishing (finally!) 1000 Hours Outside by Ginny Yurich. Then I started The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys and finished it! It was our pick for books & brews book club and it was a 500+ pager, but I really enjoyed it. Historical fiction just blows my mind with the amount of research it would take to bring it to life truly. I really liked it. I keep thinking about one of the adult characters (Ben) encouraging a younger character (Daniel) to take the chance and do all the things because "as they say, it's later than you think already" and maybe it's because I'm turning 40 this year or it feels like the kids are growing so fast (our baby is going to be 2! our oldest is going to be a teenager!)...but that line has stuck with me and it's inspiring me to be brave and do all the things.

Dress up week for Dr. Seuss at the elementary school. I love adding layers of madness into our already chaotic days (just kidding; I know, I know - #daysarelongyearsareshort )

Adjusting our cellphone rule. Our rule has always been 8th grade and we felt like we were going to make it and then our 7th grader went and grew up a little bit and came to us honestly and openheartedly about compromising and getting one early. He was genuine and not sneaky and we discussed it in depth as parents and also with him. We compromised on an older model used phone and that this would be a trial period. No Snapchat/social media and being really reflective and aware of screen time. We are being open and honest too about our own struggles with phone addiction and the urge to scroll. It's a learning process and I said to B that holding hard to the rule just because it is a rule isn't going to do us any favors in building a relationship with our son. He came to us maturely and was willing to compromise and learn - so we need to be willing to fortify our relationship with this young person rather than just forcing rules just because we said so. Tale as old as time: it was about a girl…just goes to prove that it's never going to go like you planned; we parents have to be always ready to adjust and readjust to get through it with as much as the trusting and loving relationship in tact. (good luck out there!) 

Major life decision! After weeks of deliberation and weighing all the options and talking about it until we are dizzy - Brandon has accepted a new path for work and now I feel like I can look at my planner for the rest of the year with clear eyes, full heart, can't lose (#iykyk)

Really tired of Dude (our male goat with the giant horns). He's been acting aggressively towards Brandon when he brings the food into the pen and B has had to flip him onto his back three times this week. B doesn't want me or the kids going in there at all because Dude is just too big and his horns are too big. So that means all the goat farm duties are put on B right now which just makes everything more challenging. We are trying to think of a solution, but Dude might have to go. 

De-scaling our coffee pot. Because sometimes it just needs done - and here's your reminder if you need to clean yours (lol). 

Attending the 5th grade promo meeting. Our Gem will be celebrating the end of her school career at the elementary school this year (eek!) so we are in the works of planning the ceremony and party for May. Grateful to have so many awesome parents and families in our district that lead and volunteer for cool events for our kiddos. (thanks for being our fearless leader on this project and lots of other things Jenn V!!)

Unpacking & sorting the Junior Class popcorn fundraiser. My juniors sold over 1000 bags of popcorn (!) which was amazing, but then that also meant that for half of the day Thursday, the prom committee and I were in the auditorium unpacking them all by flavors and reorganizing them by student order. Counting, re-counting, and triple checking that everyone had what they needed. It was a crazy and exhausting afternoon, but my students were so good and focused. We got it all packed up and sent home with kids before the end of the day!

Celebrating Gemma with a Mall party; like we did in the 90's! I loaded up Lucille with 10 of her friends (including Violet!) We headed out for the hour drive towards Altoona Mall with the music playing and the kids all laughing and teasing each other goodheartedly. At the mall, we met up with my Katie and her Sophia. We lagged behind while the hoard of our 10&11 year olds migrated from store to store. They window shopped, smelled every candle and lotion in Bath&Body Works (lol), bought pretzels from Auntie Anne's, found best friend necklaces in Claire's, and all squeezed into the photo booth. All the 90's vibes, baby! After the mall, we went to Bestway pizza for food and cake. Bless Kate for coming in major clutch and saving the day a million times (picking up the cake, pulling tables together before we got there - so thankful for you!! love you xxo) Then it was another hour drive back home. It was fun and weirdly educational with everyone using their own money, doing math in their head, speaking to store cashiers, and ordering their own food at the food court (hah!) 

Hosting cousin Caleb for a sleepover at our house. #cousinsmakethebestoffriends

Teaching the second novel in Spanish 1: Brandon Brown Quiere un Perro. We read chapters 1-4 and worked through some comprehension puzzles. Spanish 2 had a citizenship experience with snacks and then did Baseline writing so we can continue to see growth in their writing and then they started the documentary Which Way Home that we watch before reading our next novel. Spanish 3/4 watched McFarland, USA movie so that they can complete a past tense movie review project after. It is a great movie (available on Disney+) 

Sporting with a machine pitch baseball practice for Rusty, and Violet had a soccer practice for her travel Sparks team. Gemma had two playoff basketball games for her East Hill league which then finished out their games up there for the season. Greyson had a pitching practice and a jr high baseball open gym (regular practices start next week!) B and Grey attended the two Varsity basketball games this week as they are in the playoffs! 

Making sheet pan chicken fajitas, fried noodles, tacos, chicken and gravy over mashed potatoes, chili goulash, pierogies, and B and Rusty made chicken wings on Saturday. I also made a batch of rice krispy treats with m&ms! Keto is still going well and I'm feeling positive about it - not starving all day; energy increase, no heartburn at all, definitely getting more water everyday, but could always use more. I started Keto this year for our school weightloss challenge, but I'll probably keep it up because it just makes me feel so much better.