Around Here Week 10: 03/03-09

 A glimpse into what it is like to be in our family just this moment. 

photo cred: Peyton

photo cred: Jackie F

photo cred: Stacy S (thank you!)

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 12+ hours (of 1000)
The first sign of fake spring this week was incredible. What a boost to my soul! It was short lived (cold rain by the weekend - but I'll take it! 

Reading and finishing Six Years by Harlan Coben. I made it through it but still not a fan of his writing style or storytelling despite several of the writers I admire having positive reviews on the cover of the book. I had no investment in the characters and it all sort of felt contrived. I tried, but he's a no for me. It was a borrow from my friend Sami (thank you!) Then I got started on Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter - it was a suggestion from my best friend's daughter Sophie (thank you Soph!) 

Listening on my commute to Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange, and wow!

Retrieving Osa from some kindhearted Good Samaritans who picked her up on the side of the highway. She apparently was out having some major adventure while half the kids and I were at church and B & Vi were at the basketball game. We came home to texts and facebook tags to a picture of Osa in someone's car asking if anyone knew who she belonged to...um..us. Good grief! Very grateful to our friends who messaged us right away and also to the couple who scooped her up and met me so I could get that crazy pup back home! 

Missing B. He spent 3 nights and 4 days at his annual work conference in Hershey. We all miss Daddy something fierce when he's not at home. And it is always a logistical scramble when there is only one parent/ one driver in the house. Thanks to family, friends, and teammates though - we somehow manage to float back up to the surface. Honestly, how do I do it? NOT BY MYSELF! (bless you: Abba, Chum, Pappy, Gigi, Miss Emma, Miss Baylee, the Feathers family, the Conn family, the Lasure family, Heather, Kev&Uch, Kitty, Kuma, and Mimi for all you did to support us this wacky week - whether it was rides, pickups, dropoffs, check ins, or plain old emotional support - hah!) 

......and most of all, thanks to our own kids; Grey, Gem, Vi, Rust, Reddy, and Olive who all go easy on me when Daddy is away. They are so helpful with chores and trying to be extra patient with each other. My life is easier because you are in it, my babies; easier because you are generous and loving and thoughtful. I am so grateful to get to be your momma. xxo

Just staying afloat. This week felt like a blur because with B gone for three days, a basketball tournament, the official start of baseball practices, and only my second week in a new school; it was enough to just try to keep my head above water. I didn't do much besides work, made food, help with kids' homework, and workout logistics of who needed to be where and how (hah).

Bottom braces for the Roie! She looks more beautiful (how!? seriously) and a big thank you to Abba who got her to the appointment!

Picking up my books at Young Hearts Books & Toys on Saturday. My dear friend, Renee is the owner (as of only December) and she is doing incredible things up there to promote a love of curiosity and learning and her store is truly becoming a real hub for her community. I am so darn proud of her (love you, Renee!) She orders books for the store and sends out the opportunity to the community to place a book order too and I gladly took advantage of it. My book haul was available for pick up and so I took some of our kids and like always - they were obsessed looking (and wanting everything). We confirmed that the Easter bunny shops there (lol) and they brought some of their own money to buy copious amounts of Thinking putty. 

Teaching and settling in at my new school. I'm getting more comfortable with the schedule and the routines - still need lots of prep time to try to get into step with the curriculum, but I'm getting there. I'm trying to stay positive and give myself grace - but geez is it hard to start over in a new place! Please let this be a reminder to give a hug to anyone you know who started a new job, hah! Spanish special at the elementary school started a Capybara Design project (big hit!) Spanish Expo (8th grade) worked through the Somos Unit 2 Corre/Camina unit. Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 each reviewed the unit they were supposed to be learning while their teacher was on maternity leave (key word being supposed to)...but after some check ins, we all agreed that we'd do a week long review and then unit test this week and move on! 

Sporting with a basketball game and a sparks soccer practice for Violet. Gemma played with the Jr High soccer soccer team at a tournament in Latrobe, then had a 6th grade basketball tournament at CV (1 game Wednesday and 3 games on Saturday); her team made it to the championship game which will be played on Sunday. Grey had his last baseball pitching and then the start of baseball practice (5 nights of practice) was this week. He also had a QB training and a pony league baseball practice on Saturday.  We had so much support this week for rides to practices/games - thank you so much Feathers family, Abba, Pappy, and Conn family!

Making Change Your Life chicken, turkey burgers and homemade fries, sheetpan kielbasa & veggies, creamy chicken pasta in the crockpot, take out pizza (B ordered it and surprised as while he was away at the conference!), and tacos and/or taco salads.