Around Here Week 16: 04/19-25

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

selfie cred: Uchie

photo cred: CTHS

photo cred: Maria G

photo cred: Becky C

photo cred: Tribune Democrat

photo cred: Tribune Democrat

photo cred: SASD

photo cred: Uchie

photo cred: Uch

photo cred: Uchie

photo cred: Uchie

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 79+ hours (of 1000)
The chill in the air is holding on - I wore a winter hat to Gemma's soccer game and I was wishing I would have worn my winter coat too! Blairy's birthday party was a maybe for awhile because the weather was rainy and cold (thankfully it cleared up in time!) And then somedays it is beautiful sunshine and I'm filled with hope that the season is changing over - I even laid in the front yard reading my book with Nova to bask in the sun. Only to have my heart broken when the next day is cold again. 

Reading Lost Man's Lane by Scott Carson and The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough

Listening to Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser

Looking ahead into the next few weeks and making sure all my t's are crossed and i's are dotted in my planner because holy cow it's about to get even more wacky around here. AYSO soccer games will start with baseball and softball still going strong. Add in a mix of end of year concerts, assemblies, field trips, spirit days, mother's day, birthdays, Gemma's confirmation, and a bachelor party weekend. Yeesh, hang on to your horses, Tabitha! 

School projects underway this week: 

• proofreading Gemma's senior high student council essay
• proofreading Violet's jr high student council essay
• Grey attended the track meet to do his video production assignment taping
• I created activity packets for the kids to do while they are exempt from state testing
• Violet had scrabble practice after school once this week
• Olive had snack day!
• B had a school board meeting
• Reddy won the coloring contest in Pre-K, first place!

Snacks with someone special for Red and Olive at Maple Ridge. Chum, Pappy, and Aunt Kitty all got to have snacks and make crafts with the babies for a while in the morning. They were so proud to have them there! 

Dazzled by our Gemmi who attended her jr high semiformal dance. Uchie came over to do her make-up (God bless and thank goodness because I am basically no help at all in that department). I attempted to do her hair but quite honestly, Gem is just better at it herself so I provided the enthusiasm and photography (LOL). Uch and I took her over for photos at Zolina's house and all the kids looked so great all dressed up. Gemma went with her good friend Abram and he was such a good sport at all the different poses and photos I requested (hahha - thank you Abe!) The dance was fun (as reported by the kids!) and then B and I transported most of them in Lucille the Studermobile to Chili's for the post-dance dinner and then to Zolina's house for the post-dance hang out. Sometimes I just cannot believe we get front row seats to our kids' lives unfolding! so so grateful to be their momma. 

Outdoorsmen and their equipment all over this place. The fishermen were at it again on Sunday at the Wilmore fishing tournament (B, Grey, The Conn Twins, Rusty, and Reddy). How lucky we had a double sleepover with the Conn boys; our bonus big brothers! Pappy took Grey and Rusty turkey hunting on Saturday for youth day too (they saw some and Rusty took a shot, but no luck!) 

Celebrating our nephew Blair's 2nd birthday. The party was at Tia's house and we had good enough weather for rockets and playing outside! Blairy picked baseball and grass cupcakes for his cake and I was honored to make them for him. (this sweet fella boy is obsessed with the Sandlot and it's so cute it's unbearable. like literally hurts me with the sweetness). It was a perfect night with family and all the cousins running around and playing for the Blairykins. 

Time with family and friends. Olive and Red had the best day ever when they got to sleepover at Uch and Kevin's and then spend the whole day with their cousins while Miss Emma babysit everyone (five kids six and under! She's the best nanny ever and we are so lucky to have her in our lives - we love you Miss Emma!!). Rusty had a playdate at his friend Logan's house (while all the big siblings attended the semi-formal). Violet had a sleepover at Evaley's house and got to go out to eat with the Moores after her sleepover with Uch, Kevin, and the boys. Gemma slept over Zolina's house after the semi-formal and we hosted Abigail and Amiyah at our house on Thursday night so the girls could do their nails for the semi-formal (they turned out beautiful!) The Moores and Pappy came to hang out on Friday night to catch a glimpse of Gemma before she was off to her dance and we played and shot off rockets (hahaha, Uncle Drip - a professional). 

In international news this week, the US has decided to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Does this effect my family right this second? No. But will it have global and eventually local effects, yes. Also, like wtf? I bought a rain barrel kit because we've had a barrel here for a long time to turn into a water collector and now is a good time as any.

Teaching during PSSA testing week! I had a small group for ELA testing at the elementary school (3 days) and the other days, we were watching Ferdinand. My Spanish Expo 8th graders also had state testing, so we took it easy doing our last week of learning the classroom objects vocab. Spanish 1 started their pre-novel work about Mexico and Cenotes before we read the last novel of the year. Spanish 2 worked through Somos Unit 16 about La Guerra Sucia - but it was a wacky week for them with many students out for the last period of the day due to track, softball, and tennis. On Friday, I had a substitute because Ella and I spent the day at the Methodology conference at IUP. 

Sporting with two 6U AYSO soccer practices for Olive and Coach Momma. Reddy had one coach pitch baseball game. Rusty had two baseball practices and Violet had two 12U AYSO soccer practices, two Sparks soccer practices, and one Sparks soccer game. Gemma had two softball practices, two softball games, one open gym for basketball, and one Gators soccer game. Gemma also attended a six hour training to ref for the AYSO season on Saturday (!) Greyson had one baseball practice and three baseball games. B had a meeting with the football coaches to plan the 7v7 alumni event, attended the college signing event with the football seniors going to play sports next year - Congrats Baker, Barty, Brennan, and Burnie! We are so proud of you!! We all waited patiently to hear the final vote on the Shade co-op (they will stay with us! Yay!!)  I worked with Jenn V to plan and organized the upcoming baseball tailgate event and I organized and sent the full spring sports schedule to our family and friends.

Making bbq chicken sammies, homemade stromboli, buffalo chicken dip, chili, chicken/ broccoli alfredo, Korean beef over rice with green beans. For desserts I made cake box chocolate chip cookies and I made pumpkin roll at the request of Violet's friend Brookie for her birthday on Friday (love you sweetie pie!). I made baseball and grass cupcakes for Blairy's birthday party! 

Around Here Week 15: 04/12-18

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

photo cred: Becky C

Hug machine money raised! Way to go Violet & Ella!

photo cred: Mrs. Roman

photo cred: uchie

selfie cred: Gemmi

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 69+ hours (of 1000)
Mowing! Weirdly happy to get on the tractor for the first time this season. The kids and I are very attuned to the smell of cut grass. Randomly while driving someone will shout out, "SMELL THE GRASS!" while we all take exaggerated inhalations. 

Reading The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough and Lost Man's Lane by Scott Carson

Listening to Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser

Reluctantly grateful for living in PA's winter. No one complains and whines about it as much as me...I literally regularly ask, "Why do we live here?" when it is March and still snowing and freezing. But honestly, this week is why. Because only when we are finally out of the snowing and blowing and the blooming trees are gorgeous, and the grass is long enough to be mowed for the first time, and the breeze has the warmness of spring, do I realize there is so much darn natural beauty and I have been starved enough for it that I can actually appreciate it. Reddy and Livy had their hands out the windows in the car shouting, "This is my dream life!!!" and yes, gosh. it is. 

Both vehicles went in to have the winter tires switched out and get a little tune up. It is always a little hectic trying to juggle when the cars are at the shop. Grey hates to drive Lucille the Studermobile (the 12 passenger van) to school and he absolutely never thinks it's funny and B and I tell him that Lucille will be his car when he gets his driver's license. It is endlessly funny to us though. 

Big week for Violet as she was captain for the reading competition (they did not place this time but still had fun), she also was part of the school news announcements (her and her friend Jayce have such a blast being goofballs on there), and she and her friend Ella raised enough money through a dress down fundraiser at school for a hug machine for the special needs classroom!! This girl is insatiable in life and I both love and fear that as her mom. On Saturday, we attended the PA Maple Festival to see Violet's quilt on display in the quilt competition! She earned second place in the children's division! We walked around the Maple Festival with Kuma, Kitty, and Bryan and got to try Spotza. 

God Bless GameChanger. honestly. I can't be in more than one place at once (um, hello inventors - how have we not figured this out yet for moms?!) but I can stay up to date with three of my kids' games at one time in spring sports season and I am so grateful for that! I was cracking up this week when I got three separate requests in gamechanger to approve the 'aunties and uncles' of Grey who were all local friends. Each separately mentioned to me that when they went to sign up to follow our Varsity team, they searched the list of players and thought, "Oh, I can be an aunt/uncle of Grey!" Hhaha, YES!! I will always joyfully accept encouragers as our sports family! And lots of fans are following our Varsity baseball team as the boys continue to go undefeated! 

Burst of panic when after five days from the surgery, Nova started to act very lethargic and stopped eating. Of course the internet made it worse by suggesting maybe he was on the brink of death. Brandon took Nova in to be checked out on Thursday and they determined that he was dehydrated and gave him Subcutaneous fluids and he was back to zooming around and eating again in 24 hours. 

Rusty took his baby book in for show & tell so the night before I spent some time adding new photos and details into his book to get it fully up to date. Updating the kids' baby books is a task on my 100 small things list this year - so I was happy and glad to do it. Such a squeeze to my heart though to look back through the book and all those photos of my Rustman. my Mr. Handsome; then and still. 

Signed off on the state testing exemption for the kiddos at school. 

Fishbrains. These boys in my house. All they can think about is fishing - especially the youngest boy Reddy who is absolutely obsessed with fishing. Reddy begged enough on Sunday, much to Grey's joy, to get some time in the creek at the girls' soccer games (God bless my husband who packs all the fishing gear up!) Saturday was an all day fishing tournament at Wilmore which Brandon, Grey, the Conn twins, and Pappy all headed over at 5a to get started. Reddy got to go over at lunchtime to hang out at the creek too (the only thing he could think about all morning!) 

Time with family and friends: Reddy got some time in the dugout with Pappy when he was volunteered by me (oops!) to help out at the game. Reddy was so excited though and said, "I'm going to tell all my buddies,' you see that old man? that's my Pappy!" Hahhha, the sweetest! Rusty went to his friend Brody's birthday party at Slinky's Action zone. Rusty and Violet both took the bus to Abba and Chum's house on Monday and then Chum got them to and from their practices that night while Brandon and I were both tied up in other things (thank you!!) Violet got a sleepover at Uchie's house and Gemma got the afternoon with Abba and Chum and went out to dinner with them and had Peyton over for a playday on Saturday (they made brownies!). Grey had a double sleepover at our house with Bryce and Reed (all the kids thrilled because they are truly bonus big bros to all of them) for two nights in a row for the fishing tourney.

Teaching and watching Ferdinand in my elementary school classes. We are reviewing all the Spanish words that are in the movie (even though it is in English - we still get lots of Spanish words, and not that you're listening for them it's like your in on the jokes! They have been having fun listening for them and shouting them out when they hear them). Spanish Expo took their map test at the end of the geography lessons this week. Spanish 1 closed out their location preposition phrase week and worked on their photo assignments. Spanish 2 finished Robo en la Noche and took their final book test. 

Sporting with one 6U AYSO practice for Olive and Coach Momma. Reddy had two baseball games, and Rusty had two baseball practices. Violet had one Sparks soccer practice, two 12U AYSO practices, and one Sparks soccer game. Gemma had three softball practices, two softball games, and one Gators soccer game. Grey had two baseball practices, two baseball games, and attended the school board meeting and delivered a speech at the podium to support his friend and teammate Eddie in our football co-op. Brandon also attended the school board meeting for the co-op and gave a speech at the podium - thank you to Becky C who sent pictures, videos, and messages to keep me posted on the meeting while I was at Reddy's baseball game (grateful for and love you!) I got Grey's baseball fundraiser turned in, washed a million uniforms, added money to the kids' venmo cards for post-game food, and braided lots of hair for game days. 

Making meatloaf with roasted potatoes and carrots, copycat Olive Garden chicken pasta, sheet pan chicken fajitas, sloppy joes and shells & cheese, chicken/ biscuit/ veggie casserole, smash burgers with roasted potato fries, and take out pizza. For dessert, I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies