Around Here Week 14: 04/05-11

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

photo cred: Uchie

photo cred: Tausha

selfie cred: B

photo cred: Becky C

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 53+ hours (of 1000)
The weather has been hit or miss this week. Some days gorgeous, sunny, and warm and other days rainy/misty and downright cold enough for a winter hat. Things are definitely getting greener though! Red and Olive wear winter coats to school and by the afternoon, the puffy coats are shoved into their backpacks with the zippers straining against the load. Sheesh, am I ever anxious for no shoes, no coats, no problems weather. 

Reading and finishing The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett. It was actually funny (I laughed multiple times) and also dark and surprisingly tender (true to the title!) I appreciated the author's note at the end how she was inspired to write the book after every terrible fear she has had after becoming a mother, but also making it funny; because...well, Life. It was excellent (thanks for the recommendation my Katie!) Then I read and finished The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez. My friend and co-worker Elizabeth accidently ordered two copies and gifted one to me because she remembered me mentioning how much I enjoy her novels (the sweetest and most thoughtful - thank you Elizabeth!!) I finished the novel in under two days and loved the characters and the story line. Jimenez is just so good at weaving real problems into a yearning love story. (I like her too much!! I ignore my family to finish the book - hah!). 

Listening to Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser. obsessed.

Celebrating Easter with family! The Easter bunny made it to our house and the kids were excited to check their baskets in the morning. We all got dressed and out the door in time to make it to mass on time (just barely) but had to split up into three pews because there is just too many of us - LOL. Lunch at Abba and Chum's house to be with our Adams family. Delicious food and games and an Easter egg hunt outside. The boys all got to head down to Benscreek to fish and I took a much needed nap on the couch - someBunny was tired, lol, I was zonked out! Then it was to Mimi's house to be with our Studer cousins with another fun game and lots of more delicious food. We were filled to the brim with food, desserts, and most of all love. 

Sending out a prayer for Grey's best friend Reed who got surgery this week. We love you Reedy!

Proud of our 16 year old! Grey's birthday was this week and he passed his permit test! He is thrilled and I am in disbelief and awe. The passing of time is truly incomprehensible. We had a huge table at Tollgate after the baseball game with family for wings on birthday eve and B took him to his driver's test right after school on his birthday. Does your momma still ice baseball threads on donuts for your teammates on your birthday at sixteen years old - yes, Booboo, she does. We had his favorite dinner (Pioneer Woman Lasagna) and I made Tandy Kake to sing at our house. We measured him on the doorframe and it is officially above Dad's original mark. The wonderment of getting to watch your baby grow - cannot believe I get to do this. (love you forever and ever, booboo). 

Passenger princess all the time now that we have a practicing driver. Grey is eager to get in driving hours every chance he can and now that we have someone who has to learn all.the.things, I am reflecting on all the random stuff that I want him to practice while we can talk through it together. We went out for a little night drive this week to practice high beams and back country roads with deer crossing. So many random things that I take for granted now after driving for so long (what to do when the window is fogging up, how to pull to the top of a gravel driveway so you don't spin out, etc) Grey is doing so great though and is a cautious driver who asks lots of great questions. Proud of you, Grey. 

Nova, the cat, got her neuter surgery on Friday and did great through it. He was home by Friday night and wanted all the snuggles. 

Bridal shower with the girls to celebrate our soon to be cousin Becky. The shower was lovely and we got to visit with our girl Gilmore cousins too (who we adore). Becky was so sweet to invite all my girls - even Olive who was so honored to be the tiniest guest there and even won a door prize! Becky and cousin Butter will be married this June and we are all so thrilled for the wedding. B is a groomsmen and Becky asked the girls to help in the morning decorate the venue and hang out with the bridesmaids (they are swooning). 

Time with family and friends. Rusty got to go to his friend Liam's birthday dinner. Violet had Evaley over for a playdate and then hitched a ride with the Feathers to Sparks practice on Tuesday. Grey squeezed in his physical required to take his driving permit test right under the wire thanks to Pappy who got him there in the middle of the school day (thank you Pap!) and thanks to Becky C for letting me know he even needed one (LOL, I'm clueless - grateful for you, my kids' bonus mom!) B and the boys took advantage of no school on Monday to go fishing (naturally) and B took his annual Football Coaches' golf trip on Saturday

Teaching about Spain and started Ferdinand at the elementary school. Expo finished up week 2 of their classes and Spanish 1 learned about location prepositional phrases and got to learn how to play Spoons - Spanish verb conjugation edition. Spanish 2 read chapters 7-11 of Robo en la Noche. We are moving along and I keep glancing back and forth between the calendar and the curriculum map and the assembly/ field trip/ state testing calendars to figure out how we are going to get everything in before the end of the year. Down to the last 7 weeks now! 

Sporting with spring sports crossing fingers everyday that the weather cooperates. Olive and Coach Momma had one 6U AYSO practice. Reddy and Rusty both had one baseball practice. Violet had two 12U AYSO practices and two Sparks soccer practices. Gemma had one Gators soccer practice, three softball practices, and a softball game (our first win of the season!) Grey got a massage from Miss Emma at Peak Performance therapy, had two baseball practices, and two baseball games. Brandon got the youth league boys to their team pictures on Saturday and I got Gem signed up to attend the AYSO Ref training event.  I delivered our youth league concession stand donations (Ranch dressing, paper towels, and coffee) to the fields and I dropped off an assorted chip box and 2 dozen cowboy cookies with another softball mom to donate to the softball fundraiser at Forbes Trail Brewing on Sunday. 

Making ground turkey tacos, Pioneer woman skillet lasagna, instagram chicken with roasted broccoli, grilled burgers with roasted potatoes, sauerkraut and kielbasa in the crockpot. For Saturday breakfast I made banana bread for breakfast. For Easter I made two strawberry sheetpan shortcakes (for Abba's and Mimi's houses). We went out to eat for Grey's birthday on wing night at the Tollgate with family and I made Tandy Kake for his birthday cake and iced glazed donuts like baseballs to deliver to his baseball practice on his birthday. I also made Cowboy cookies for home and to donate to the Softball fundraiser.

Around Here Week 13: 03/29-04/04

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

photo cred: Becky C

photo cred: B

photo cred: Greg R

selfie cred: B

photo cred: Uncle Jonny

photo cred: Stacy S

photo cred: Becky C

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 44+ hours (of 1000)
The green is greening and the birds are chirping and I'm not kidding I literally forgot that birds sing in the spring and summer - that is how long winter has been! Oh thank goodness for a beautiful week as my soul was in desperate need for it. The babies and I took a walk back to the fields behind our house were we know toads like to leave their eggs. We did find toad eggs and the kids were so excited! We can hear the spring peepers and croakers at the baseball field too while at practices. Spring may really be coming (please! please!)

Reading The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett and The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough. 

Listening to Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser because it is the next book for my Lit Ladies book club. It's the Cinderella story but told through a historical fiction perspective of the stepmother. I'm legitimately obsessed and won't stop yapping about it. 

Kindergarten readiness testing for Red and Olive at CT. Brandon took the babies and they did great (and had fun!) Even Violet got to visit with them while they were there (thank you Mrs. Mazz for sending her down to say hi!) And now it's official; they'll be Township class of 2039! Our last two babes will officially be in school and it feels absolutely surreal. Next year, we will have a junior, freshman, sixth grader, fourth grader, and two kindergartners!? A long time ago, I made a Note on my phone that marked out the various ages/grades of the kids all the way up until the babies are seniors in high school. And back then it seemed impossible to imagine the day when they would be in kinder (which meant Grey would be a junior). And holy freaking cow. We are there. Time is so distorted. 

Celebrating our six year old Reddy Sketti! We had a fishing birthday party for him at our house on Sunday. It turned out to be a pretty nice day (a little chilly and windy, but tolerable!). So grateful for the family and friends that show up with arms loaded down with food and drinks to share (Abba made mac&cheese and brought Red's favorite fruits - Uchie brought spinach dip and juice bags - Heather brought fruit and party mix - Mimi made her famous baked beans). We played a funny 'fishing game' with a donut on a string and we sang to Reddy and Mimi; our birthday twinnies: Reddy turns 6 this year and Mimi (his great grandma) turns 88 this year! How incredibly blessed we are to have both of them to sing to each year! On Reddy's actual birthday - our April Fools' baby - Red took mini donuts to celebrate with his classmates and baseball donuts to his baseball team at practice.

Happy Fels Naptha season to those who celebrate. LOL. After every home game (white pants), I ask Grey how bad his pants are and he consistently says, "Uh, yeah. Pretty bad." 

Annual Spruce Creek fishing trip for Daddy! The happiest fella - Gem and I always tease him that he never smiles as big with us in photos as he does in the photos he is holding up fish he caught?! He had a great time and it is always a soul recharge to spend time outside with his best friend Uncle Jonny. The two of them, Yetka and CJ laugh and play their 'reindeer games' the whole time and just get to be goofballs. Grateful for that for him. 

Crossing things off the to do list like a boss! We got our taxes filed and I emailed the schools about opting out of the state testing for the kids (Gem, Violet, and Rusty this year!) Brandon got fitted for his tux for Butter's wedding and I ordered their bridal shower gift. We double checked about what Grey will need to fly this summer to Montana with the Conn family and I got signed up to make food for the softball fundraiser at Forbes Brewery. And we are always having to add money to the kids' lunch accounts...this week it was Red and Olive. 

Attending my favorite mass service of the year - Good Friday. Violet and Gemma both volunteered and it is such a solemn event with the lights progressively turning off and the story of Jesus's last night and day. I sit there and sing with tears running down my cheeks thinking about Mother Mary. 

Impressed that the Easter Bunny came through, even if it was in under the wire this year. LOL, never felt less prepared in my life. B was zonked on Saturday night after the full week of fishing and so thank goodness the Easter Bunny and the tooth fairy showed up in my heart to make the magic happen (we still have at least 2 believers in this house - maybe three, but I'm not entirely convinced about Rusty, I think he humors me and honestly, I love him for that). 

Time with Family and Friends. Chum got the big kids to school on Wednesday morning when B was at fishing camp and took Reddy to baseball practice that day (thank you!) Rusty got to sleepover at his friend AJ's birthday party, Violet had a sleepover at Brookie Lasure's house. Gemma spent the day with Abba and Chum at cousin Janell's baby shower (thank you for taking her!) Grey and Gabe went out to eat and for ice cream with Gina and Leah. We all got to spend time with Bryce and Reed on Fishmas! 

Teaching only two and a half days this week because of Spring Break! We had practice testing two of the days at the elementary school. My expo group finished week 1 and got new vocab for week 2. Spanish 1 learned about the difference in Ser vs. Estar and Spanish 2 read chapters 4-6 in Robo en la Noche. I got registered for the upcoming IUP Methodology conference in late April too - grateful for my co-Spanish teacher Ella who took care of all the paperwork so we could go to the conference again this year - and also for being such a good friend and teaching partner! xxxo

Sporting with two 6U AYSO soccer practices for Olive and Coach Momma. Reddy had two coach pitch baseball practices, and Rusty had one minors baseball practice. Violet had a Sparks soccer practice and one 12U AYSO soccer practice this week. Gemma had one Gators soccer practice, three softball practices, and one softball game. Grey had one baseball practice and three baseball games this week. We got Gemma signed up for her AYSO referee training class too! The girls and I went to Kidsport soccer fields on Saturday morning to volunteer for field clean up and it was such a beautiful morning! We got a lot of stuff done (setting up nets, painting lines, carrying sandbags to nets, etc)

Making hamburgers and hot dogs and veggie pizza for Reddy's birthday party, Teriyaki noodles with chicken and broccoli, sloppy joes with mac&cheese, spaghetti for Sketti's birthday, sheet pan kielbasa tortelini, and chicken and gravy over mashed potatoes. For fishing camp, we had deli sammie sliders and pasta salad. For breakfasts I made french toast, egg sammies, and Sopapilla. For desserts, I made fish and worm cupcakes for Red's birthday party and on his actual birthday, I added baseball lines to white glazed donuts for his baseball practice.