Around Here Week 22: 05/29-06/04

 A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home just this moment that is the joy of the last few days of school and the start of summer break!

Reddy!

first day vs. last day of sixth grade (Grey & his friend Ivan)

first vs last day of fourth, first, and homeschool pre-K

Reddy!

the sweetest video call from Rusty's godparents & besties for his birthday!

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 241+ hours (of 1000)
Beautiful, sunny, warm days have us soaking up all the outside time. Once we hit summer vacation, it's no screens until after 3p which means the kids are using their own imaginations to bust the boredom; most of the time outside - especially on the trampoline. I am endlessly grateful for the back porch roof that gives us so much summer-loving shade and our hammock out there too. It is a favorite hangout spot for everyone in our family. 

Reading How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong - so many nuggets of inspiration and enlightenment. I'm taking it nice and slow and digesting it all because my brain is going a million miles an hour every time I read a chapter! 

Back porch project working by hanging up most of the tongue and groove - including even finishing the windows with trim. Gem is always a huge help and we had Chum and Pappy stop by to help on the project too. We have a little more work with the electric before we can fully close it in - but what's done is looking beautiful! 

Swimming and singing Happy Birthday to Gigi! We had lunch at Pappy and Gigi's house and lots of swimming! Rusty's loosey goosey tooth that we have been begging him to pull out even fell out in the pool! 

Getting in special time with family. Grey had a sleepover at cousin Caleb's house with swimming and geocaching. Gemma had a sleepover with Aunt Kitty with looking through some handmedowns from Kitty (best ever!), movies, and drinks from the new coffee shop in town (Cafe Dodie!) We got to have two playdates with our cousins Brookie and Bennie at our house with so much trampoline jumping, a diy pool made from a tarp and benches (hah!) and lots of make believe. Rust and Violet got a day with Chum and Abba too with bike rides and silliness with Rusty's new Spiderman web shooter toy! And we got to spend the whole soccer tourney with our cousin/bestie Heather as Caleb was playing in the all-star tourney too. So we snack/meal planned together to lighten the load and spent the day chatting and chasing Red and Olive around. 

Getting set up for Studerbabies farm and free play days which start next week! Including getting our portajohn delivered! (I got one through Scotty's Pottys) Excited to see how it goes!

Shaking my head at Grey who flipped off of his dirtbike and then got back on while wearing shorts and got a big muffler burn on his calf. Poor thing was trying to be a tough guy about it, but it was pretty nasty. Cousin Tausha brought over some first aide bandages because the following day he was to play in a full day soccer tourney at school for charity! The high school trainer (and sweet friend Jenilee) texted me back to let me know she'd keep an eye on him - I was stressing that he'd take a ball right to the burn?! - but he had a great time and it was all mostly healed up by the end of the week. 

Cheering for Violet who received a special mention at the end of the year pep rally for earning 50 AR points, which means she read over 100 books in first grade from March to May. She and her bestie Bria were the only two first graders to do it! 

Loving my Ruggable! Feel free to use my code if you're in the market for a washable rug! Code here. 

Checking off the last day of school for the year! The kids all wrote thank you notes for their teachers and the girls delivered a thank you and some celebratory muffins to our bus driver Rob (honestly the best bus driver ever!) We took our last day of school photos (always such a shock to compare to the first day #daysarelongyearsareshort ) and it is wide open summertime and the livin is easy over here for us! 

Celebrating our new six year old Rusty James! We counted down his birthday for the past few weeks; pointing out the day it was on the calendar and how many day to go until his birthday (and then how many more until his party!) He thinks his birthday is "last" because in our family yearbooks that span September - August it does show up last for the kid birthday layouts - so he takes a lot of martyrdom-pride in holding out until the very end to finally earn another year (oh, my Rustman!) 

Well Checks at the pediatrician for Rusty and Grey on Friday. Both are growing strong and well - Grey is only an inch shorter than me now (eek!) Grey got his second HPV vaccine and when he asked what it is was for, I said, "well, mostly to protect your future girlfriend." and the nurse was cracking up - but for real. 

Loving checking in on the Live Stream on Youtube from the Namib Desert in Namibia! The kids and I are fascinated to see what animals are stopping by the water hole and how they take turns with each other. 

Visiting Kitty and having a blast on the bouncy houses at the summer bash put on by FOR Johnstown on Friday night. The kids were so pumped to do all the bouncy houses (especially the Zip line one from Flood City Party Rentals!) and we scored some yummy food too! 

Spending all day at Gemma's soccer tournament on Saturday. It was a beautiful, sunny day and Gem's team made it all the way to the championship (2nd place!) B and I had such a great time watching her and learning - we've never played soccer, so we are basically dummies and know next to nothing. We learned how to get offsides at the tourney thanks to a teammate's dad (hah). All the parents pull their canopies together and make a big tent city filled with snacks and goodies and chairs for the players and players' siblings. Gem plays center defender on the all star team and she is like an iron wall down there (lots of thanks to her big brother where she learned to not be intimidated!) It is such a long, tiring day but filled with so much excitement and fun. Two more soccer tournaments yet to go! 

Congratulating Grey on a completed Hunter Safety course. He attend the day long session with Pappy and Grey is PA certified to carry his own weapon in the woods and hunt within earshot of an adult. 

Swinging by two graduation parties on Saturday evening - both for my students. So proud of you, Becca and Sarah! I have loved being part of your journey and will continue cheering for you for forever! 

Sporting with two soccer games each for Rust, Violet, and Gemma with their regular AYSO teams. Violet got to play against Gemma's team one time and she was so overjoyed to play against her sister!  Gemma had an all star tourney all day Saturday at our home field (more about that above). Grey had two baseball games and one sanction little league practice. B played for our Roxbury volleyball team on Tuesday night while I was coaching Rusty's soccer team. 

Making baked potatoes and pork chops, meatball sammies in the traveling crockpot on a long night of sports, hot dogs and burgers, spaghetti, homemade pizza, and bbq chicken in the traveling crockpot for the soccer tourney. I made funfetti muffins for the last day of school (first and last day traditional breakfast!), strawberry shortcake for Gigi's birthday party and pumpkin roll for Rusty at his request. 

Keto check in: down 2.2 lbs this week and feeling really comfortable living this low-carb life style. I've been doing dirty Keto/low carb and not really tracking so much which I'd like to do better with that. We mostly just keto'ed the normal food I made the kids this week without making ourselves something different (not eating the bread, using zucchini instead of noodles, fathead pizza dough, lots of lunchmeat & cheese roll ups and almonds). 

Greyson Rudy, 12 years old

Booboo, 
geez, oh man. time is really moving now - you are only about an inch shorter than me, definitely stronger than me, and making strides in maturing in all the ways. It seems impossible the way time works, but here we are - the baby who made me a momma is twelve.

you love fishing and hunting and sports best of all. whatever is in season for sports is your favorite but you'd love to go fishing or hunting anytime. you wish you had a phone; mostly every other kid you know does, but we've talked about all the reasons why we want you to wait until eighth grade and you seem to at least understand our rationale enough to not be mad about it. you are fully self-sufficient at carrying the responsibility of school (homework, due dates, studying, asking for help when you actually need it, and speaking to your teachers) and although no one is expecting you to be valedictorian (LOL) - your grades are respectable and you take accountability for your own work (whether it is great or a bad one) which is what we do expect.  

You despise chores and we have to do a lot of talking about 'doing it right the first time so you don't have to do it again' - and also 'doing the whole job; seeing it through until it is completed.' Although you are always willing to help in the kitchen; making meals, chopping up vegetables, or creating sauces. You are big help too when Dad is working on a project (you love power tools and the immediate gratification of seeing something transformed). It is nice to have another set of strong arms and steady hands when it comes to that (I am grateful to be let off the hook!) You learn best from your grandpas and I will always be grateful for their patience and their handyman lessons for you. 

You made your own money this year. First ump'ing a machine pitch game at our Little League field and then mowing a local lawn once a week. You are learning the true value of money that you've earned through sweaty, hard work and I am hopeful to see you grow out of that 'money is burning hole in your pocket' tendency (fingers crossed!)  

There is no denying that you are our resident teaser. Lord, help us all be grateful for the thick skin you so generously help us grow. Your younger siblings will be stronger, faster, tougher, and wiser because of growing up in a house with you - but good grief, dude. You redeem yourself pretty easily though with the sweetness you bestow to your baby sister Olive and the glorious fake beating you take from Red and Rusty (flying across the room when they play punch you). You make Violet feel like an ally in all your schemes and despite your constant sibling rivalry that stews under every interaction between you and Gem, you find ways to make her smile in little moments. 

Being an athlete is a huge part of your identity. The other day you were talking about someone in your school and you called her, "some emo girl" and I asked if you've ever talked to her. You said no because she's probably weird. And I asked you, "do you know how many people probably call you 'that dumb jock'?" You were appalled and said, "I'm not like that!" and I said well that's probably how that emo girl feels too. It has always been my mission to remind you that you are more than an athlete. But also to help you see and be an example that everyone is all kinds of things if you only take the time to know them. 

the other day after a game you asked me, "Are you proud of how good of a baseball player I am?" and I said, "yes, booboo. You are a great baseball player, but I'm mostly proud of the teammate you are." 

Because Booboo, the thing is you have athletic genes running through your body and, yes, you work hard to be a great athlete, but you also just flat out love to do it. And you have your daddy's coordination cheater codes in your DNA and a mother who played catch with you for endless hours since you were three years old. So being a great athlete isn't the thing that makes me proud. 

• I feel proud when I watch you walk up to your teammate who made an error and give him an encouraging word and pat on the shoulder.
• I feel proud when you make a great play and then high five your teammates and just get back to playing the game with no showboating
• I feel proud when you look adults in the face and have a conversation with them after the game; you thank them for coming and smile and answer their questions with humble enthusiasm
• I feel proud when you try sports that aren't exactly in your wheel house, so it looks awkward and uncomfortable, but you still try and laugh about it (and then end up mastering it which is so annoying just like your Dad, but I'm grateful you were first willing to try something new)
• I feel proud when you are excited to tell me about the game that I couldn't be at because I was at one of your sibling's games - so I get the 'fishing story' version while I watch your animated face and gestures walk me through the important parts of the game (I love hearing and watching you tell me about the game so much that it almost makes up for the guilt/sadness at not always being able to be at every game)
• I feel proud when you have patience with your little brothers and sisters when you play and teach them new skills and encourage them on their progress.
  
• I feel proud when you attend your siblings' games and cheer and clap for them
• I feel proud when you come home from a game whooping and cheering because your teammate and friend had the most amazing play and it was the best part of the game
• I feel proud when you stop to talk and laugh with your opponent who you've played against all the way up through the leagues and sports
• I feel proud when you get in the car and ask Dad what your "aw shit" was so that you can work on fixing that error for next time
• I feel proud when younger kids come up to talk to you at the field or court and you look them in the face and you stop to chat with them
• I feel proud when you help carry a teammate's equipment, or you help clean up after the game, or make a point to thank the refs or concession stand workers. 

I am happy to spend my life trying to help you see that being an athlete is so much more than just being good at the sport. And you are well on your way proving that to be true - how proud I am of THAT. 

You know what is so crazy, you've made it to the age that I can see you having patience with me! You try to have.patience.with.me!! I'm your parent who doesn't know all the 'cool' things and doesn't listen to the 'cool' music and makes up rules that are annoying and is usually a mean mom - but I watch you take a breath and have patience with your old mother. Oh gosh, after twelve years of digging deep into my soul to have patience with you, child, and to see that on your face - hah! 

But, we are entering the long, winding, dark forest of growing up (and raising up) and something about the two of us both looking into each other's face resolving to have patience really gives me hope. Because neither you nor I have any idea in hell how this is about to go, at least we are both willing to try to be patient with each other. 

I read recently an article written by a mother of a teenager where she said something like, "everyone hates the teenage years, but it is my favorite." and I am determined to make that true for me. I want to enjoy your silly jokes, your wild energy, your cartoonishly fast growing body, all your middle school and high school milestones and firsts and lasts (gulp!), your forever misplaced crap, your angsty moody ridiculousness, your bottomless pit of hunger, your frustrations of wanting to be fully grown but your still present need for having a momma in so many ways like you always have needed me. 

I know I'm not going to be part of it all. Gosh, how that hurts my mother's heart because I will always be able to see the baby curve of your cheek when I look at you no matter how grown you get. But I also know that's the thing about growing up. I lose you little by little,
but you find you;
you find your own life and friends and loved ones and adventures and wins and losses and experiences and joy and scared and mistakes and get-back-ups, and lessons and all of it. It is yours.

and there is no greater pride in my life than to get to watch it all unfold for you.
my boy.
my biggest baby.

this will be your last birthday post on the internet because really it's not my story to tell to the world anymore (it probably never was, but that's what you get for having a writer for a mother - sorry). you are on your way to figuring it out and some privacy and consent and buffer should be available through the next few years of wilderness that is growing up. I can't promise I'm going to get it all right (just like I know I haven't in the twelve years before), but I do promise to do my best by you and to love you through it. And to observe and cheer for you (just like I always have - "watch this momma!")

thank you for being a patient guide through motherhood
how grateful I will always be for that
I will love you forever
even when you get bigger than me
even when we both feel like strangling each other
even when we are both taking a deep breath to find patience for one another
my booboo,
I will be loving you,
momma.

Around Here Week 21: 05/22-28

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

photo cred: Jess Z (thank you for sending!)

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 198+ hours (of 1000)
It is full blown summer time and the hours are coming naturally now. Over 22+ hours this week mowing grass, being outside with the babies in the morning and afternoons, and at sporting events. Very close to earning my next 1000 hours app badge of 200 for the year! Why is getting badges/stickers so motivating? Apparently I am still a fifth grader at heart? 

Reading and finishing The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow. It was beautiful and I loved it so very much. Top five favorite books ever (!!) and will definitely be re-read in the future. it was brilliant. I started How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong which I heard about while reading The Atlantic article that I read earlier this year and am STILL thinking about. 

Hiking Yoder Falls with the kids and cousin Caleb. We all needed a little time to explore together and burn some energy on Sunday night - so we headed out in the drizzling rain and had a good time trying not to slip in the mud and leaves (hah). The huge boulders, all the moss, the bright green leaves on the trees - it was exactly what our weary souls needed to calm and get ready for the last two weeks of school. The big kids all got into the water while B and I smiled from the side doing all the parent worry calculations in whispered breaths ("probability of a snapping turtle in there? probability of a broken glass on the bottom?" ughhhh, parenthood - that difficult task of mentally assessing the risk and then letting them do it with an encouraging smile on your face even if you're holding your breath the whole time). 

Starting to get organized for our final Studer's Invitational Beer Olympics - eek! Bittersweet.

Attending (and crying) at North Star graduation. Gosh, this class of kids has been such a joy to teach and watch grow up. They are going to be changemakers and joy-creators, and inventive thinkers, and inclusive collaborators - I am just so blessed to have been a small part of their journey. I can't wait to see all they will continue to do out in the world. Congrats to all the graduates of 2022. 

Getting in all the final field trips. Violet went to Camp Sequanota with her class and Grey had a field trip to a stream. They had raised fingerlings (baby trout) in their classroom, but something happened with the power over the weekend and the water temperature wasn't regulated so all the fingerlings had died from the water temp getting too hot (!) It was terribly sad, but they still did the field trip and learned cool stuff like tying specific knots and how to tell the distance by walking and he had a good time.

Purchasing a Ruggable for our living room! I have been swooning over them for the past few months and I finally just finally did it! I'm so stupidly excited to be able to wash our living room rug after the kids spill all.the.things on it constantly. I feel like with a big family, I deserve this: a washable, beautiful rug (LOL, old lady much? give me this one small happiness in peace!) I ordered the Kamran Cayenne Red in 6x9. If you are thinking of going washable and beautiful - feel free to use my code for 15% off on your purchase! Code linked here

Looking at my kitchen table with my six babies sitting around it with tears in my eyes on a school night when dozens of families in Texas went home to empty kitchen tables. We don't have to live like this; we just need to be willing to put our foot down and demand better for our kids - for all of us. It's going to take a lot more than gun laws, but that seems like the most obvious first step toward a better, safer world for all of us. 

Admiring all our flowers blooming this week. The butterfly garden is bursting with blue flowers and my peonies have 11 buds on the brink of opening. Our gladiolas all opened this week (eek!) and the trees have definitely green'ed all the way up. Everything is looking bright and summery!

Reflecting on a quote from my book How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong. I am enneagram 2 (and a Virgo!) so it is very very easy for me (and beneficial to my soul) to give help but very very hard for me to ask for help. I know how dumb that is, and my poor family and friends who love me so well have just thrown their arms up and done the thing I needed them to do without asking because somehow they read the tired lines on my face and just know (thank you and I love you). But I am trying to be better and this quote has really got my heart stirred up to think about asking for help in a new light that maybe will empower me to overcome my enneagram tendencies. 

"It's okay to ask for help. In fact, by doing so, you are taking part in the divine circle of giving and receiving. While we often focus on what the request means for the asker/recipient, we should remember that giving can be transformative for the helper...By not asking for help when you need it, you are blocking that flow." 

Helping out with Gemma at 5th grade promotion. While the 4th grade moms helped prep the mini reception after the event, our 4th graders handed out programs and welcomed 5th grade families. Gem was proud to volunteer and also congratulate a bunch of her 5th grade friends who are moving on up to the middle school next year! 

Back Porch renovation project'ing. B and the kids cleared all the stuff off the back porch and then our interior tongue&groove and back door arrived on Friday afternoon. Brandon and Pappy installed our new back doors on Friday night (omygosh, is it possible to be in love with a door? because I am I think). Our former back door only had two tiny windows in the very top, but our new door has a half window and the screen door is farmhouse-y and being able to see out into the backyard from the hallway is oddly blissful. Chum came first thing Saturday morning and he, B, Grey and Gem spent the day hanging tongue and groove and installing electrical outlets. Pappy came on Saturday again too and what a blessing it is to have handy parents. (I've said it a million times, but it is the truest). 

Cheering for runners at the Path of the Flood Race at the You in Flood City aide station. Even Olive was getting in on it - standing and clapping while runners came up the road towards us- hah! 

Sending Violet off with Abba and Chum for a sleepover. She got to go bike riding and golfing! So thankful for that special one-on-one time with grandparents - not much better in childhood! 

Attending the first graduation party of the summer - my student Kalena! So proud of her and grateful to stop by her party (Grey, Rust, and Olive came with me) to give her a hug and well wishes as she heads off to the next leg of her journey in life. 

Sporting with two baseball games for Grey, and two soccer games for Gem, Violet, and Rust each too. Gem also had two 10U soccer all-star practices. B and I played in our co-ed summer volleyball league on Tuesday and had such a good time moving and playing with our Cats team. Thankful for my parents who took Gem to her game (and Olive!) so that B, the rest of the crew, and I could head down to play in our volleyball game (thank you!) 

Making spaghetti, bbq chicken sammies, cheese quesadillas, Pioneer Woman's bowtie lasagna, and copycat Olive Garden chicken over pasta. B picked up pizza one night and I made snickerdoodles for the kids. 

Keto check in: back down 0.6 lbs. We had buffalo cauliflower, tilapia with brussels sprouts, Philly cheesesteak bowls, and tuna & broccoli casserole. We are still really loving the Keto no bake style fat bombs (with shredded coconut!)