Around Here 10 and 11: 03/04-03/17

A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home in just this wacky, exhausting, messy, wild moment.

a fun Saturday morning experiment with my little scientist about density. Idea came from here.

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 12+ hours (of 1000)
I got a few walks in with the pups these past two weeks as the weather topped out in the high 40's. We are all so, so ready for spring to break - it's been flurries off and on and temperatures in the 30's and 40's regularly. We were lucky to see the horses out behind our house twice now! The big horse is so friendly that she gallops right up to the fence at a pretty high pace that she made me nervous enough the first time that I quick googled "can horses be aggressive to humans?" (answer: not so much unless by aggressive you mean not following directions) The dogs were not fans (Trixie was honestly ready to die for me if need be) but the girls were over the moon and ask to check daily to see if they are out in the field. I know spring is coming - our Robins have the most swollen bellies ever, Violet said, "I don't like those birds with those big bellies!" - but it just feels like it is taking for.ev.er to get here.

Reading and finishing The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - omigosh you guys. Loved it so so much. Gosh, I don't even have words. I looked at Brandon at one point and said, 'I just wish you were reading it too so we could be in this space together and both understand.' #nerdlife  I dove back into The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau and my 100 small things list feels validated and re-inspired. We had our local book club meeting to discuss the Immortalist by Chloe Benjamin and I whipped out all my dogeared pages to share my favorite quotes (because I like to go Full Nerd at book club - HAH). Gemma joined us for book club and it made me feel so proud and grateful that she was witness to see intelligent, kind, thoughtful women sharing food and laughs and talking about books. My Spanish 2 classes have been reading their novels these last few weeks too. It has been a lot of fun using different novel reading/reviewing techniques (thank goodness for amazing Spanish teachers who share their ideas like Martina Bex and Mis Clases Locas) We even made forts to read a chapter (in which Brandon Brown built a fortaleza) in class the other day with the desks, coats, and hoodies - all my FortNite loving students were obsessed.

Giving Grey more freedom in the kitchen and loving getting delicious breakfast. I walked him through the process to make our favorite breakfast casserole and wrote down all the steps. The following weekend, he tackled it totally on his own (using the microwave to heat up the sausage first), unrolling the crescent roll pastry, slicing up the sausage and measuring out the milk!) It was delicious and he was so proud. Little by little I hope to keep adding more meals (and mealtimes) into his repertoire!

Volunteering to be Gemma's AYSO soccer coach with my Dad. I figured I'll be at the field anyway and they needed someone (#heliumhand).  We had our little Coach/player meet and greet evening on Monday and all my little players (U6 so 5 and 6 year olds) were very sweet and I think it will be fun. I'm considering looking into a kid carrying backpack thing because the thought of Rusty management at games makes me want to cry (hah). Any good suggestions for the backpack carrying a 25lb child variety?

Competing in a fitbit Step challenge at work and really feeling motivated from it.  I have been consistently reaching my own 10,000 step goal almost every single day and it's fun to get the notifications all day that I'm only 300 steps behind Jen - or that Renee is right on my heels. I have been taking the 'long way' to and from the office for copies and stopping in the gym for a few laps during my prep or lunch. I can hammer out an easy 2000 steps reading and walking around our dining room table at night too (the competition is legit!)  Between the extra walking and my weight watchers freestyle (semi-obsession), I'm down almost 10lbs already!

Missing Daddy while he spent a few days in Hershey for a work conference. I held down the fort with the four gremlins - and thank goodness for grandpas who were able to come bright and early in the morning so that I could make it to daycare and work on time while they saw the big kids on the bus and finished up forgotten homework or guided reading. I intentionally took it easy on myself and swore off laundry and other

Taking a whole week to recover from Daylight Savings Time. LOL. it sounds like the lamest excuse, but it was no joke that even until Thursday I was dragging.

Living in the UpsideDown (not the Stranger Things version) - the Gemma-does-approximately-500-cartwheels-a-day version. Good grief, IF that girl sees an open space of 2ft wide, she tries to squeeze a cartwheel in. She practices one handed cartwheels, cartwheels off the porch step, front walk overs onto the couch, handstands up against any free wall space. I literally have had to give her timeouts for too many cartwheels (hahahahahahahahhaha, not kidding). I had to force her to stop the other night before bed because she had attempted about 50 front walkovers falling on her butt every single time by saying, "Gemma! Your brain is upside down now - TAKE A BREAK!"

Getting pie'd for Pi Day! The Student Council/News team had a special Pi Day (March 14) assembly and a few teachers signed up to be pie'd in the face from the student drawing. It was fun/funny and then followed by a student pie-eating contest.

Laughing at Grey's #misheardlyrics for Baby Got Back by Sir Mixalot:

I like big butts and I cannot lie
and I can't deny
when a girl walks in with a goat on a leash
I kick her out the door. 

I mean, how, even?

Crafting up our leprechaun trap for this year which included a triple (paper) rainbow and hidden hole with Lucky Charm bait.  Alas, that little mischievous guy got away once again! We also celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday by dressing up the big kids for school - Gem wore Cindy Lou hair and Grey wore a big pink scarf of mine as a Thneed (HAH).

Feeling frustrated STILL with not having it together yet. I'm beating myself up about feeling like I'm flailing every single day between work, kids, chores, volunteer commitments, and personal goals. I know this year will be an adjustment because of working full time after four years sahm, but good grief! I've been at it since end of August - it should be getting a little better, right?! I'm hopeful that with the whole summer knowing that we will be back at the grind in the fall, I will have time to plan and prepare and get things in order. I know many of my struggles have been trying to do what I had been doing as I had be doing it as a sahm - and that's just not physically, emotionally, or literally not possible now as a full time working momma.  Gosh, mommas - i love you all and I'm so right there with you if you end every.single day with an exhausted sigh and an unfinished to do list.

Making chicken tacos, baked meatball sandwiches, porterhouse steaks (B made them) with stirfry veggies (YUM). We bought this delicious Korean BBQ sauce from Aldi and I've been pointing it on chicken, beef, and veggies because it's so delicious.