Around Here Week 6: 02/06-12

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

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 6+ hours (of 1000)
With a couple of sunshiney days that was warm enough that I felt like bundling up the two babies wasn't going to be overly difficult. When we go for walks or play outside right now, I have Wells in the front carrier, Olive in the backpack carrier, and then by the end of the walk - I usually am carrying Red on my hip. I am so daydreaming about warmer days that I can just lay a blanket outside for the babies to crawl around on and we can all just be outside! 

Reading How to Blog for Profit without selling your soul by Ruth Soukup, Free to Learn by Peter Gray, and We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez

Handyman hubby to the rescue AGAIN with the washer motor getting jammed up. Good grief.

Weightlifting in the basement. Grey was so excited to get handmedown'ed Pap's old weightlifting bench and weights. Hey - if he's going to be pumping iron instead of expending that energy on tormenting his siblings? I'm going to go with a big "Heck yes!" 

Laughing with my sister about spirit week madness at public school and then making up a spirit week for the farm school babies for next week. I'm sorry I think I'm so funny, but honestly I laughed for like thirty minutes. I made print out papers and everything for our spirit week and Valentines Party. 

Struggling with these goats - honestly, B and I are both ready to lose our minds with the goats getting out of the fence and pooping all over the patios/porches. With 14 acres to free range, why are they so obsessed with us!? (please tell me you said that in Regina George's voice) B and Gem spent many hours down at the pasture constructing another row of wire above the 4ft fence and hippity hoppity Polly and Jojo literally do not care - out they jumped even over that! 

Creating the girls' class valentines. I used Canva to create an easy, foldable mini card and we filled snack bags with some Lucky Charms. Easy and delicious! 

Decorating heart cookies with the kids thanks to a sweet (literally!) delivery from our dear friend Miss Janell. (thank you!! they were delicious!)

Learning how to do so many new things on the internet because of Team Studer Mom. And while I really do love all the mind growth and expanding my abilities, some days I feel too tired to learn one more thing (hah). I've watched so many super specific youtube tutorials that it is almost comical. Thank goodness for random youtube tutorial accounts who make super specific skill videos! You truly can figure out how to do any possible thing on youtube.

Holding the prom fundraiser with the junior class at school. I spent Friday morning in the auditorium hyping up the students in their 59-minute popcorn fundraiser. They really did a great job and I feel so much relief after seeing their enthusiasm and knowing we are going to be okay for prom planning this year. Love those kids. 

Sending prayers and love out to our local hockey community after learning of a teenage player who died from suicide this weekend. It prompted an important conversation with my two oldest kids about mental health, and speaking to someone when you feel overwhelmed, and how nothing is so big that we can't talk about it and find a way out. Please moms&dads - have the hard conversations with your kids. 

Sporting with Violet's last basketball game of the year- she had so much fun this season! Gemma had two practices and Grey had two basketball games and one night of weight lifting. B had a basketball game too! 

Making ham in the crockpot and then using that ham all week (breakfast side and making a big pot of ham pot pie! Thank you Chum & Abba for the ham AND the recipes!) We also had sloppy joes with mac&cheese, homemade pizza for national pizza day, baked church picnic chicken with potatoes and veggies, and spaghetti with meat sauce.