A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home just this moment. (warning: a lot of pictures in this one, LOL)
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| Vibe check for semi-formal |
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| photo cred: Chum |
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| video still cred: Becky C |
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| photo cred: Kev M |
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| photo cred: Abba |
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| photo cred: Jenn V |
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 71+ hours (of 1000)
Okay - I think I can officially say spring has SPRUNG! gahhhh, the flowering trees and blooms everywhere bring salve to my deeply frozen winter blues. Trees are starting to turn green in the tiniest way and our little daffodils are smiling at me every time I drive up the driveway. We spent almost all of Saturday outside - mowing, playing catch and jumping on the trampoline, weeding, and cleaning up the yard from winter debris. It was wonderful and we all went in late at night tired, dirty, and sunkissed.
Reading and finishing both The Lake by Natasha Preston (borrow from student Ella) a twist at the very end that was a surprise but overall I didn't love it. Really slow and redundant storytelling. I also finished We'll Always Have Summer bnny Hann (borrow from student Lily). It was good to finish the trilogy and I'm still not completely sold on team Conrad, but okay - a little bit better to hear some of his side of the story. Now, I'm waiting on a couple books from my students who promised to share to read next!
Easter bunny visited! We get surprises in little baskets - candy, a book for each kid, and everyone got some slime. What an absolute gift it is to have big kids looking at us whispering 'thank you' over the tops of little kids squealing and delightfully shouting "thank you Easter bunny!" This moment of motherhood stretching across so many ages/stages of kids, what a freaking blessing to be at opposite ends and be able to appreciate and cherish the good and challenging of both sides.
Smiling for Violet who made her First Holy Communion on Sunday morning at Easter mass at St. David's. She wore the same dress the Gemma wore and she looked like a little angel. She was really excited and so proud. The ceremony was beautiful and special and what a blessing it was to have it on Easter Sunday morning! Rusty's kindergarten class helped with the opening songs and the youth ministry gave all the kids cards with wind-up butterflies inside to open and the kids all giggled and shrieked with joy! Abba, Chum, Gigi, Pappy, Kuma, Uncle Buck, Uch, Kev, Kitty, Wells, and Heath were all there too!
Easter Celebrations at Aunt Lisa's house. After mass, we spent the afternoon eating delicious food and celebrating so many good things: Violet's first Holy Communion, Grey's birthday, cousin Amy's birthday, cousin J's birthday, and cousin Rebecca's baby shower! Aunt Lisa had an egg-bert station set up (planting grass seed in hollowed egg shells - it was our grandma's tradition) and it was the perfect day for an Easter egg hunt!
Playdates multiple times this week. On No School Monday, we hosted three friends at our house: Hannah and Adilia for Rusty and Evaley for Violet. They all played so sweetly together and truthfully we barely saw them as they went from one activity to the next running all over the yard, making books, and jumping on the trampoline while Grey spent Monday morning on the stream with Chummie fishing. Rusty and Violet both took the bus after school on Friday to the Cable's house for a playdate - which ended up in a sleepover for Violet (thank you!) and Gemma spent most of the afternoon/evening at Abba & Chum's house on Friday. On Saturday, Gem and Vi spent most of the day at Pappy & Gigi's house playing and helping clean up Mimi's yard for spring.
Orthodontist consultation for Gemma on Monday! It went well, but we are waiting on a few more teeth to grow in before we make any decisions. Checking back in again this summer.
Mom of teenage boy hack: I screenshot some images of semi-formal options and put them in a collage to text to Grey. This both gave him some options of what does a boy even wear to a dance and also helped give him some control over what I looked for to buy for him. He's date had sent over her dress, so I knew at least color - but didn't know how else he wanted to go in terms of 'vibe' (hah). As a text pic, he also could have sent it to his date if he wanted her help, but he ended up knowing right away what he wanted and decided to surprise her.
Ladies, GET YOU A MAN who doesn't just buy you flowers in a vase, but a flowering tree, digs the hole, and plants it outside your kitchen window so every time you look outside you feel a burst of joy and peace. We took the babies to Stuver's Nursery on Tuesday and picked out a bunch of stuff to bring home and spruce up the landscaping for spring. The flowerbed off the side porch is going to be a bee/butterfly metropolis. The seedum inspired me from last summer, so from the suggestion of Jesse at Stuver's nursery - we'll be heading back every few weeks to get a different annuals that blooms at various times all spring-summer-fall so there are always blooms for the insects in that flowerbed. I'm so excited!
Osa made a visit to the vet this week. 6 months old, 61 lbs.
Meeting with the prom committee and our venue on Wednesday afternoon. We hashed out most of the details and set a price point for our budget. It is wild that we are only three Saturdays away from Prom now! But I am feeling pretty confident that all will be ordered/organized/done in time - I have great helpers in our junior class president and secretary - bless those girls! (love you Marissa and Libby!)
Hosting semi-formal pics at our yard on Friday night. A group of Grey's friends and their parents stopped over before the dance to use our view as a backdrop and it was so sweet seeing them all dressed up for their first semi-formal. Gabe's mom (and my friend) Jenn V took photos to share with all of us and my sister Tasha stuck around to see her nephew/godbaby hit this milestone (crying forever). What a privilege to watch my babies grow up. Motherhood - what a trip!
Teaching only ONE day this week! We had spring break stretch all the way through Wednesday and it was glorious. I was at school on Thursday and then called off on Friday when poor Miss Emma was sick. You know what, I'll take it - it was a gorgeous day and these past 2 weeks had wiped me out! Now only 30 student days until the end of the school year (can hardly believe it...but also thank goodness)
Sporting with two baseball practices for Rusty and his baseball pictures on Saturday morning, Violet had two AYSO practices and two Sparks practices for Violet (if I said it once, I've said it a hundred times - thank goodness for the Feathers family who have become her main transportation to Sparks practices!) Gem had two AYSO practices and Grey had two baseball practices and two games for junior high (I was in charge of pre-game snack for one of the practices and sent along turkey sticks, string cheese, granola bars, and apples). Brandon started his open gym football lifting this week Mon-Thursday evening and is getting a decent turnout. Off season matters!
Grilling out on Monday night because it was beautiful! We had hot dogs, cheddar brats, and grilled vegggies. This week we also had sloppy joes, baked spaghettis with leftover meatballs, homemade pizza, shrimp tacos, nacho dip, and take out pizza (thank you Uch & Kev!)
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