Around Here Week 10: 03/07-13

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

Intentional Outdoor Hours:  12+ hours (of 1000)
Getting some much needed outdoor time this week in the forms of evenings in the yard and holding Red's hands as he chases the "bock bocks" all over the yard and visiting the goaties. The dogs and I got a little walk in and it is truly amazing what a little fresh air and movement can do for my brain and soul! We even had dinner on the patio this week (ordered in pizza!) and I met B and Rusty at the track for lunch one day this week to just soak up the sun during the school day and catch a breather. 

Reading Balanced & Barefoot by Angela J Hanscom. I can't stop myself from talking about how important active free play is, especially outside that I'm even starting to annoy myself (hah). It really is so important and I've been finding myself getting frustrated (and sad) about how far we have come away from that notion as a society. How we as parents have become some accustomed to overscheduling our kids with activities and trying to pinsearch our way to the next cool activity to entertain them - when really we need to just let them be and imagine outside and on their own. If you ever want to talk about this for literal hours - please know I am here and willing. HAH. 

Sending out only a few invites for Red's first birthday (gulp, how already?) and feeling so grateful to host a double birthday party for him and Mimi who share the same birthday (April Fool's day) only 82 years apart! 

Figuring out Rusty for the week as his daycare was having some heating issues. So he got to spend a day with each set of grandparents (thank you!), two days at work with Dad, and one afternoon at home with Aunt Uch (thank you!) He loved getting special time (and 'skipping' school) but it's always a little hectic when our normal schedule is off. 

Noticing the start of spring slowly coming our way. Brandon and I woke up to the sound of our mourning dove this week and knew right away that it was a good sign that spring is a'comin.  The eggs are piling up from our chickens who are back to free-ranging everyday again and Polly has been hopping the goat fence to get to the side pasture again for some free range life while the rest of the herd moves through the goat pasture instead of staying near just the shelter and upper corner. 

Listening to the baby girl's heartbeat at my regular bi-weekly check in. All seems well for the both of us at 29 weeks and now it's just the long (uncomfortable, waddling) third trimester to the finish line. 

Facetiming with my besties who were on a little weekend getaway together. I stayed home since traveling anywhere right now with this belly, all these kids, and a full time job seems like my personal Mt. Everest - but I was so grateful to get to see their faces and laugh together and stalk their pictures and feel happiness for them to be together. AKT plus kids this summer!! 

Giving Gem a busy week by accident, although she didn't mind. She had a playdate our house with Gina. Miss Hannah was here for tutoring with her for three days and then she had a dentist appointment on Friday (two fillings!) and got to have a sleepover at my parents house that night! (thanks for taking her to the dentist, mum!) My dad took her for new sneakers (thank you!) and she needed a women's size 8...do you hear me - size 8...that's MY size. I've officially made it to the motherhood milestone of being able to share shoes with my daughter - and she's NINE years old. 

Soaking our seeds from Annie's Seeds on Saturday. We timed it so that they can soak for 24 hours and then we will plant them on Sunday morning. 

Dropping off our taxes which is always a task I'm grateful to knock off the to do list. 

Sporting with the final two basketball games for Grey's season (it was a great one!) He also had two indoor baseball practices, B had a football board meeting, and B took all the kids to the baseball fields on Saturday to work on field clean up! 

Teaching only 4 days this week since we had an Act 80 day on Monday. For the rest of the week, I had Brandon Brown chapters 6-7 in Spanish 1 which also included small group verbal presentations! Spanish 2 finished their novel Esperanza (hooray!) while Spanish 3 completed their mini fluency unit with Los 3 cerditos and started a Quinceñera mini unit before their next book. Spanish 4 finished the El Que Se Enoja fable and completed the assessment piece. We had an early out on Friday, so I was able to get my Mandated Reporter Training completed for both the certification and for the Act 48 hours (double win!) 

Making homemade pizza, baked chicken, ground beef tacos, mac and cheese, and buffalo chicken dip. We were lucky to get dinner at Mimi's one night this week while we waited out Brandon's basketball game. As Rusty (and all the kids know), Mimi makes the best food. I whipped up a batch of cake mix cookies (our favorite and so easy!)