Around Here Week Three: 1/16-1/22

A weekly review of what it's like to live in our home right this second.

singing happy birthday to Dr. King this week during cinnamon roll breakfast

former toy bins...EMPTY.

Intentional Hours Outdoors:  3.43 hours (of 1000)
you guys.  exactly same number as last week because at NO point this week did I make time to intentionally go outside.  I can make a million excuses about hurting my toe (broken maybe?), and being sick, and also it's been horribly cold here (below 20 degrees everyday), but regardless - I didn't and I'm fessing up.  boo on me!

Reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert still for the Inspired Readers book club and started Chapter One in Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover Workbook!

Drinking all the liquids.  I have some sort of sinus situation going on this week and I've been going from coffee in the morning to hot tea in the afternoon and about ten glasses of water throughout the day.  The bathroom breaks are out of control (and the sneezing is precarious with fourth pregnancy status), but I know the hydration should be helping with my immune system, so I'll deal.

Giggling about Violet and her bounds in growing this week.  She's saying more understandable-to-not-just-us words like "up!" and "no, no, no!" and she's understanding so much more.  She's been following verbal directions this week "Go get your shoes" and "clean up the toothbrush."  She's so eager to get big and be like Grey and Gem - it's sad a little and a little nice too.

Preparing for the 100th day of school with Grey!  We organized his collection of 100 things to take in for the celebration (100 mini marshmallows) and we counted by 1's, 5's, and 10's to check and double check the number!  He's been struggling a little with his reading the last week or two as they move into more difficult sight words and concepts ("there" and silent e), but he's not giving up and is still motivated to learn and try.  The end of Brandon and I spelling things out to keep them a secret from the kids is so close to being over!  eek!

Making last minute frivolous purchases on Amazon and signing up for Blue Apron before we dive head first into Dave Ramsey.  I know this is the absolute worst approach into making big changes toward better money management.  I bought two books for myself on Amazon (Dear Mr. You and the Notorious RBG) and FINALLY ordered my 2016 planner.  I also purchased Valentines day and Easter kids books (one of my 100 small things tasks) too because I know those are the kinds of things that are going to be stripped away while we figure out financial stuff.  (again, horrible approach..like someone who's about to go on a diet who downs a box of oreos in preparation..look away, friends!  don't judge me! hahaha).  I also signed up for a Blue Apron order for next week both because it's on my 100 small things list AND because we have been so horrible about going grocery shopping!  The weather has been so cold and either me or the kids have been sick -so I have just refused to go out...so, the food is coming to me next week!  I'll keep ya posted on our reaction!

Planning some upcoming events and trips, which is really kind of my favorite use of creativity, so it has me motivated and really inspired!  I'm planning a baby sprinkle with an aunt for a cousin, helping to organize a special ceremony for a super fan with the our high school alumni association, looking into plans for our summer Austin visit (hello airbnb options!), pin-searching for Gemma's birthday party next month, brainstorming with Uch about her wedding and a bar crawl she's organizing, and thinking ahead to our next AKT & kids playdate in April!

Garbage bagging all.of.the.toys.  I went straight up crazy mom on Saturday and bagged up ALL the toys.  like, all of them.  I had just had enough of asking the kids to put their stuff away and had enough of looking at how much stuff they have and just went total bananas.  Everything is bagged up and closed off in the playroom and the kids have been warned if they sneak in there and touch anything, it's all getting burned ( I wasn't kidding about the 'crazy mom').  I'm giving it at least a month (or two) before we go back through and decide what stays, what needs actually trashed because it's busted, and what gets donated.   My Dad and I are working on playroom organization plans, including a built-in option...so that should help for long term, but for now the kids are doing just fine with the limited exceptions that were left out of the garbage bags (sports balls, a couple baby dolls, a purse for gem and violet, books, and puzzles have been the only exceptions).

Hitting the half way mark in pregnancy!  We're at twenty weeks (banana length baby!) and I'm feeling lots of little kicks from that little boy and we're daydreaming about his name and what he'll be like when he finally arrives.  Even though we're halfway through, it still feels like a very long time until he'll actually be with us.  We're taking it slow, definitely through at least the end of basketball season, and then we'll start to make some headway on things that need done before this guy arrives!

Feeling particularly grateful to be a stay-at-home Mum.  I always feel grateful to be able to do this, of course for all of the obvious reasons:  I don't have to change out of yoga pants if I don't feel like it (!), I don't have a demanding boss (unless you count these little tyrants we created), I have access to do chores all day long, etc.  But this week reminded me that my role as a stay at home parent is also important and valuable for our kids and our family.  Gem has been fighting with a runny nose and slight fever and because I'm home, I know B can go to work and basketball with the peace of mind knowing that she can stay home and get the rest (and massive amounts of snuggling) she wants/needs to feel better.  Because I'm home, I also am available for emergency babysitting for our family and friends, like this week when we got the chance to spend the day with a little sweetheart that our cousins Heather and Albert got called in for last minute foster care the night before.  Sometimes in the busy of life it's easy to forget that what I can do because of and in this role is not just lucky, but valuable too.