A glimpse into what it is like to be in our family just this moment.
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| photo cred: St Davids Youth program |
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| selfie cred: Gemma |
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| selfie cred: Abba |
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| photo cred: Uch |
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| 13 year difference! |
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| photo cred: St Davids Youth |
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 10+ hours (of 1000)
We had a few sunny days (not very warm but at least not too windy and cold) so we got outside and even ventured down to the storage container and snagged some bikes to bring up to the blacktop. The farm was so happy for the sunshine; probably the chickens most of all. I lugged down two more Christmas tree donations (thank you to those who are still donating!) and the goaties were so happy! But unfortunately, the weather took a drastic turn for the worse later in the week and we got blasted with a cold, windy, ice storm. Winter will just not let up this year.
Reading and finishing The Martian by Andy Weir and then B and I watched the movie together too. Crazy how much gets left out of movies from book adaptations (like 3 big events in this one?!) The movie was good (B really liked it) but I was a "I read the book" snob about it because it was fine - but missing all the important details and science-y stuff. Next up is my book club book What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon and already I can tell it's going to be incredible. I had to pause and savor the words already on page 4!!
Listening to The Telepathy Tapes Podcast and it's so fascinating. I sobbed my way through episode 9 on my way home (!!)
Grocery trip with Grey who was easily persuaded with a promise of a Shamrock Shake (hah). He was helpful and patient as we headed out to two stores to get all our supplies for the week. Grateful to have him for the heavy lifting, but more so for the extra one-on-one time with my biggest kid. We chatted about his hopes for a car (only a little over a year away now!), school and basketball, and I told him about some poor choices I made when I was his age (funny now but pretty flipping dumb then). He laughed and couldn't believe it. Tete - remember when we stole my parents' car at 14 years old when we were supposed to be babysitting our younger siblings and took it for a joyride down the street and then got a flat tire!?!?! good grief - thank goodness our teenagers are smarter than we were!
Personal in-home flute concerts now that Violet got her instrument! She only knows how to make a few tweets (hah) but we are excited for her to learn some songs to bring more noise to our house....it's so quiet around here always! LOL.
Staying home from school. Red and Olive spiked fevers on Monday night (ugh, nighttime fevers for the kids give ME sleepless nights) and so I called off Tuesday last minute (also a very big stressor for me) when I also felt feverish and we are all dealing with congestion and gross coughs. The sicknesses going around both school districts are rampant, so I knew just being home and trying to get extra rest and fluids in would be helpful for all three of us. Proud of myself for doing the hard thing for me (calling off) because it was best for us.
Reddy's parent teacher conference and had a great chat with Red's wonderful preschool teachers. It is always so fascinating to get a glimpse into the kind of kids our kids are when they are not at home. Not surrounded by their siblings who hold them pretty tightly in the birth order that they were born. Red and Liv especially as the babies of the family; it is so hard for me to imagine them out there unbound by us spoiling the living crap out of them (hah!) Thankfully, Reddy is thriving in preschool and got a great report of being a good friend and a focused student; learning his letters and getting better at writing every day. Proud of that fella out there being a big kid and finding his own path in the world. (thank you and God bless those preschool teachers - we love and appreciate you!)
Impressed with Violet's art submission. She sketched out a Native American headdress and then used red, black, and white mosaic pieces to fill in her design. She was super focused and got it all finished within two days! I helped her glue a little when her hands got tired (hah) but she did the whole thing independently and I love watching her creative mind work. Speaking of Violet's art - she and Aunt Kitty had a dinner meeting about her starting a little side business drawing pet portraits for people. You can follow, like, and request a portrait at her aunt-managed Instagram account here: fronk.makes.memories (thank you Kitty for always supporting and encouraging my kids' dreams. we are so lucky to have you as ours).
Lots of little loose ends this week that got tied up (thank goodness). Olive had a dentist appointment and snack day! I confirmed Gemma's next ortho appointment. Valentines plans are underway for the elementary school classes, preschool classes, and I turned in the paperwork for the elementary Someone Special Dance. Violet volunteered at St. David's on Saturday morning to help prep the ham pot pie for the Soup sale and Gemma had her confirmation class meeting on Sunday.
A first time taking the bus to Abba and Chum's house! My parents moved into the school district earlier this year and have been renovating their house (from the studs!) and this week, the meatballs (rusty and violet) took the bus home and got dropped at their house! They got to spend the early dismissal hanging out and being grandparent spoiled (the best kind of spoiling) before Grey's basketball game that night. Thank you Abba and Chum!
The germssssssss. It is a cesspool over here. Reddy stayed home from school all week (thanks Pappy for keeping him one day) and Olive was mustering through but with a snot nose. Speaking of snot noses - that's pretty standard for everyone. But Brandon started to take a turn for the worse (coughs, body aches, sinus) and by Thursday afternoon was coughing so relentlessly we were all ready to just strangle him out of kindness (LOL). He called off on Friday and then Gemma was hit next and stayed in bed from Friday night on until the doctor confirmed...Flu A has entered the chat.
Feeling very much as I read the headlines and watch the news and scroll the feeds....like I've already read this book and spoiler alert: it doesn't go well.
Teaching only 3 days in person this week: I took a day to stay home with my snotty, coughing preschoolers and then Thursday was a virtual day (ice storm!) Elementary expo continued with the review vocab Bingo Game. My eighth graders finished week 2 in their expo class with a lot of writing and listening. Spanish 1 started conjugating present tense regular verbs - so exciting! Spanish 2 read chapters 4-6 of El Ekeko.
Sporting with two swim practices for Rusty and Violet had a Sparks soccer practice. Gemma had her Gators soccer practice, two basketball practices, and one basketball game. Grey had three basketball practices, two basketball games, Brandon attended the SAFCA dinner with Coach Chad and two of our football players who were honored (congrats Baker and Dawson!) and locked in the date for the football offseason kick off event.
Making creamy beef and noodles, sheet pan chicken fajitas, crockpot stuffing pork chops, Korean beef over rice with broccoli, chicken alfredo pasta, buff chk dip with veggie dippers, For breakfasts, I made chocolate croissants on the day I called off and French toast on the FID day. For desserts we had dbl chocolate cookies at home, I made a batch of peanut butter / oatmeal / chocolate chip cookies, and for the school "souper bowl week" potluck I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
Sourdough update: my first proper sourdough loaf (she's a beauty!) and a loaf of raisin cinnamon bread. The bummer is none of the kids like the bread. LOL forever (only so I don't cry)...I am still on a mission to find a bread (or pastry? or discard use?) that the kids love that makes it worth it to keep taking care of this starter!
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