A glimpse into what it is like to be in our family just this moment.
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| when Violet eats chicken wings, hah |
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| photo cred: Ashley P |
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| photo cred: Uch |
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| photo cred: Uch |
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| photo cred: Uch |
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| photo cred: Abba |
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| photo cred: Jackie F |
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 10+ hours (of 1000)
The winter is wintering in the rudest way possible. Hah. Just snow, wind, and ice all the live long days. The animals are hanging in and dealing with it (better than me and my whining!) I said to B this week that I either need us to not be sick or for the weather to warm up: I cannot do both sick and cold because I am slowly slipping into psychosis. #sendsunshine
Reading and finishing What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon. Perfect and I loved it so much. It was historical fiction from 1920's (my favorite!) and I learned so much about the revolution period in Ireland. Beautiful writing, gorgeous ancestral connection and family tree building, and the deep connection love story. I adored it. My book club will be meeting about it next week but I can't be there - so I'm literally typing up notes for my friend Renee to share on my behalf (Haha, thank you!) I started The Push by Ashley Audrain and I'm already buzzing through it.
Listening to and finishing Funny Story by Emily Henry. It was cute and I enjoyed it. Brandon and I started listening to Things we Hide from the Light by Lucy Score on the ride home from Berkeley Springs, so I guess I'll be finishing that. (I do love me some Knockemeout characters)
Germ house continues. Gem was knocked from the Flu A and her and B struggled all week trying to get back to life. She even missed both of her last basketball games which broke her heart, but she could barely walk from the bathroom back to her bed without dizziness. She watched the games over the internet and cheered for her teammates though. Rusty was next to go down and he stayed home from school on Wednesday to try to rest from the fever and sore throat.
Superbowl at our house with Pappy and without Grey (he celebrates at the Valentines house every year - thank you for having him!) Pappy brought pizza and wings and we made appetizer foods. We are Swifties but we were cheering for the Eagles this year. First, they are a PA team! Second, Jalen Hurts with his handsome face and his full female management team - okay, we see you! Third, we love a good underdog story! I also kind of think that the best relationship building comes out of supporting each other through losses of life - so Tay and Trav, the growing is good! hhahah, like they know me or something - but I'm rooting for them!
Valentine creating. I made Valentines on Canva and got them printed. Rusty and Violet cut them and we all worked together to slide the single pixie stick into them with the message "Let's stick together, Valentine" Reddy and Olive practiced writing their names on their valentines and everything got packed and sent to school on time for the parties. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times - I loathe elementary school valentines parties (and Halloween parties). The trinkets ?! The spending on things that literally go from backpack to trash can?! I had 65 students in total that would be receiving treats from my children...I'm sorry, I cannot budget in $3 worth of treats for 65 children?! Ya'll are getting a single pixie stick! Bah humbug, I said what I said.
Another phone user in the house! With Gemma's 13th birthday looming next week and our mini getaway this weekend, I felt fully ready to give her the phone a week early. She was so thrilled. We went together to the Verizon store with her handmedown iPhone SE to make sure everything was set up correctly and then she called and texted her way home to let everyone know she officially (finally!) had a phone (she was one of the last 3 kids in 7th grade holding out!) Her favorite first text was from her big brother (it was the middle finger emoji which made her cackle hysterically #brothers). It has already been a daydream in girlhood to text with her. My sisters are over the moon to text with their niece. Getting a phone in our house is not taken lightly and we have front loaded so many conversations and expectations and modeling. If you get a phone, it's because we trust you can handle the responsibility and we will be here to support you and answer questions and give you grace as you navigate this very tricky world of addiction device. (our rules are no social media until 14, we don't use Life360 so you better get good at communicating, no phone scrolling in cars, no phones when you're speaking to someone, don't text, comment, or post anything you wouldn't be willing to say in person to your grandmother, try to be like the people you think have responsible phone usage, and remember what it feels like when you are with someone who acts like their phone is more important than their time with you...don't be that guy).
Mammogram done! I called to schedule it and they had an opening for the next day! Nothing like a mammogram for Valentines day - LOL. All looks good and glad to have it off the to do list! GO GET CHECKED, mommas!
Someone Special Dance with Violet and Rusty! B and I were happy to be dates and everything looked amazing (bravo to our friend Onara who was the lead PTA mom on this - you are awesome!) The kids had a great time and it was good to catch up with some momma friends too.
Volunteering at Violet's 4th grade class Valentine party. I took a half day on Friday to be there and I was glad to get to spend time with her and her classmates. I ran the Twister station and everything went smoothly and the kids had a good time. Always a huge thank you to the class moms who take on these events and get everything donated and organized - bless you!!
Valentines day. We don't go too big on the holiday, I just feel grateful that I get to hug and kiss these sweet faces; my little loves. B gifted flowers to our daughters and I got our sons chocolate. How lucky can a girl be to have 7 valentines?!
Mapping out the logistics of the weekend and calling in the village! Every practice, event, meal, and important chore (pets!) was covered in a long list that went to family and friends who were ready and willing for duty. Sleepover at Aunt Uch's for the youngest four, meals provided for Grey and Gem by Pappy and Miss Heather, Sleepover at Abba and Chum's for everyone but Grey. Valentines dinner for Gemma with the Hunsbergers and Birthday party for Violet's bestie Jacey with the Feathers. Thank you everyone for helping us get away this weekend!
Weekend mini getaway to Berkeley Springs, WV just me and B. We stayed at the Dove's Nest that was beautiful and relaxing. Everything was so organized and intentional - we even got a little welcome bag with snacks and farm fresh eggs! We didn't get there until late Friday night because of Grey's rescheduled basketball game and I slept half the way despite trying to convince myself that I could stay awake (B knew better and kept telling me to just relax already?!) We got there around 11p and then slept so much. It was snowy and cold outside on Saturday and we were happy to stay in and sleep and cozy up with a book (me) and basketball games (b) and eat the food we brought (bagels, bacon, shrimp alfredo!) It was incredibly relaxing and I took so many naps and a very hot shower and even a bubble bath! We stopped in Berkeley Springs to do a lap around the neighborhood and then had lunch at The Canary Grill (delicious!) on the way home. It was a perfect weekend away with this handsome, kind hearted man that I have loved for so long.
And yep, still feeling like I've already read this book. Like a version of this book many, many times in many different versions. Trust - none of them go well.
Teaching with some Spanish valentines at the elementary school and the kids are making the sweetest messages for their moms! It was also "show" week for the 4th and 5th graders, so they were all very happy to watch another episode of LegendQuest (we watch it every 4th class together). My Expo group finished working on their geography unit and took their map test this week. Spanish 1 finished their AR/ER/IR conjugations and took a big test - they did very well and I was so proud of them! Spanish 2 finished reading Chapters 7-9 of El Ekeko and did some flipping the perspective with verbs.
Sporting with a mixed up week due to weather and illness. Rusty had two swim practices and Vi's soccer Sparks practice was cancelled due to weather. Gemma missed her last two Jr High basketball games due to Flu A (she was so sad but watched the games online and cheered while coughing and laying in bed - poor girl). She did get to be announced at the Varsity boys' basketball game though and made it to her Gators soccer practice on Sunday. Grey had two pitching practices, three basketball practices, and one basketball game. I attended the Baseball booster meeting, got all the paperwork done for the soccer travel teams, submitted the basketball banquet paperwork, and got the money in for Grey and Gem to play in the annual dodgeball fundraiser.
Making pierogies and hot dogs, taco pasta, bbq chicken sandwiches, sloppy joes with mac&cheese, frozen pizza. For the superbowl - I made Mexican street corn dip, bacon ranch and cheddar potatoes, B made fried pickles, and Pappy brought wings and pizza. I also made some chocolate covered pb bites with team color sprinkles!
Sourdough update: nothing this week. Sabrina sourdough stayed in the fridge this week. She be chillin (lol).
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