A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home just this moment.
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| Last school lunch date! B will be at a different school district next year! |
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| Mrs. Roman & Gemma in Kindergarten & fifth grade together |
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| photo cred: Heather |
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 149+ hours (of 1000)
We got all the flowerbeds mulched this week (what a beautiful refresh!) and added some more perennials to my side patio pollinator garden. When the nursery sees us coming, I know they are smiling because I should never be left unsupervised at garden nurseries or bookstores; this is just a well known family fact. All the kids pitched in to help with planting and mulching which left us all with stained hands and sunkissed faces (or burnt to a crisp shoulders - as in Brandon's case, because he doesn't listen to my repeated reminders to apply sunscreen).
Reading and finishing Verity by Colleen Hoover. Full disclosure, I already heard what was going to be the big reveal(s) at the end, so I didn't have that big surprise - but even still the shock value of some of that story and the smut was just not doing it for me. I think I've hit my Colleen Hoover limit for awhile. Still kind of reading Scythe by Neal Shusterman only because I really loved it the first time, but thinking I actually want Grey to read it this summer so we can discuss. It's the last week of school, so unfortunately I'm not prioritizing my reading - but I did snatch up a book to borrow this summer from my coworker/bestie's room - Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk. I also brought home The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman, which has been on my TBR list for literally 10+ years and was stashed in my "to borrow" bookcase at school for students
Visiting the Vorndrans after Violet's Sparks soccer game on Sunday. We had pizza and wings with them and the kids were so happy to play together. You know I carted jerseys all the way to Pittsburgh to wash them at Taryn's house because our washer is out of commission. HAH - it is even more funny because Tare and I mostly send each other memes about laundry on Instagram; so how fitting that I literally come to her house to do my laundry. Ohmi, we just laugh to keep from sighing and crying.
Coming home to the sweetest surprise - remember our washer pump is broke...so while we were in Pittsburgh - who snuck over to our house snatched up four loads of dirty laundry and brought it back washed, dried, and folded?! Yep, I know you guessed it because she's always looking out for me like my fairy motherhood godmomma; Heather! (thank you - still crying about your always perfectly timed thoughtfulness)
And finally, grateful for my handy handsome hubs who installed the new washer pump and got us back up and running!
Listening to marching band versions of lots of music right now trying to get hyped for the upcoming football season and planning, brainstorming, and dreaming all the Tami Taylor dreams of my heart. (shout out to all the Friday Night Lights fans - clear eyes, full heart, can't lose) #sorrynotsorry that I'm this way.
End of the year full blown madness. Last day of Sunday school, Gemma had TWO field trips this week, kids coming home with all kinds of papers/artwork/projects/desk clean outs. We paid for a library book that Rusty left out in the rain (hah, we love you Mrs. Turner!) and he took in his birthday snack for his summer birthday! And Gemma participated with the middle school band in their last breakfast concert.
Having our last school lunch date together. B will be moving to the neighboring school district in July (the same that our children attend). We have had lunch dates together for most days over the last seven years (excluding 2021-22 school year when I was on leave) so it felt like the real closing of a chapter. Loved so much being high school sweethearts with you B, but so very excited and grateful for this next new adventure where I get to be the coach's wife. (#TamiTaylorDreamsComeTrue)
Talking about the fourth dimension with Grey and both of us going full nerd about it. Hah, I love that he and I both have the same kooky brain on things like abstract thinking and connecting dots; real and imagined. I hope we'll always go off the deep end in conversation about weird stuff. (shout out to his math teacher Mr. Kramer for showing the movie Interstellar and bringing this topic into our life this week!)
&...experiencing the fourth dimension this week! I looked through all my books from school to see if there were any I could read over the summer and found The Zookeeper's Wife which I started over a decade ago but never finished. Inside, there was a bookmark that had a note written from my long time friend and soul sister, Stephanie, that she wrote in 2010. It was so sweet and meaningful and actually was the EXACT message that I needed to hear this week while I had some anxiety and self-doubt going on. Like literal exact message, even Brandon was like, "What the heck!?" Through time and space collapsed (over 12 years of it!), the fourth dimension found a way to get that message to me that I needed so much in this moment. (thank you Steph, xxox, grateful for you forever)
Self-caring on the last teacher day of school. If you know me, you are proud of me because I am the last person on the Earth to take a damn minute for me. So after school, I went for a pedicure but it was so packed, I was like, 'no.' So I told myself I would try one more salon or just bail on the idea - but they were open and amazing (Star Nails on Scalp!) and I got a pedicure and had the sweetest chat with a 95 year old great grandma. Then B was delayed on his way home from a meeting, so I stopped at Cliptations to get an eyebrow wax (two self care procedures in one day, WHO AM I EVEN?!) so I really felt ready for the summer (ie. it will be another 9+ months until that happens again, LOL). Then B met me at The Fifth for lunch and celebration drinks. Official teacher summer self-care, can't believe I did it. Proud of me, hah.
So proud of our Roie who was promoted to the middle school this week. Her promotion ceremony was on Thursday night and was so touching (I cried twice!) and B was able to give her a hug and her certificate on stage as a new employee of the school district. My sisters were there to celebrate her that night and then on Friday, I spent the afternoon at the elementary school chaperoning the fifth grade promotion party! Thanks to all the parents who helped plan and were there to keep those kiddos having fun! (big thanks especially to Michelle and Jenn V!) I was glad to be there (I painted faces and coordinated the inflatables - thanks Flood City Party Rentals!)
Thankful for Mrs. Roman (and telling her - so we were both crying at promotion ceremony, hah) who was Gemma's kindergarten teacher and then Gem's fifth grade ELA teacher this year! They started elementary school together and finished it together and even now I feel sentimental about it. Gem didn't have the easiest start to formal learning - Mrs. Roman and I spent hours discussing; on the phone, emailing, and texting about how to best support her. Mrs. Roman was always such a loving, patient, and kind advocate for our Roie. She saw that Gem brought so much value to the classroom, even if she wasn't the best 'traditional' learner. How grateful I am that Gem was able to start kindergarten with a teacher willing to see all her light even when it didn't show up in grades. She celebrated her, tried every darn thing under the sun to support her, and was always there as a sounding board for practice at home. Mrs. Roman, we love you to the ends of the Earth. YOU are what an educator looks like. xxo
Choosing Bridgerton style playlists while I clean up and organize. Calming and catchy.
Volunteering at the Path of the Flood race on Saturday morning. We have supported the same aide station for the past three years; the last one - only a little more than a mile until the finish line. So we blast music and whistle and cheer loud enough to encourage the runners all the way to the end of the straightaway before they get to us (like half a mile long)! My sisters, nephews, Heather, our cousins, and Abba all join in on the craziness with dancing, clapping, high fiving, and homemade signs. It's worth it to get up on the first Saturday of summer at 7a to cheer on those runners. The runners are all so sweet thanking us for being there for the last little boost of enthusiasm to get to the end. One runner was like, we could honestly hear you like 2 miles away - HAH! I am a life cheerleader to my core, so encouraging at races is one of my favorite joys!
Giggling about our Loopy Lou (Olive) who we find regularly INSIDE of the guinea pig cage. We have been moving the guinea pig cage around the yard each day which has been an amazing summer break idea. This way, we don't have to clean poop/hay up constantly and have it stinking up the house. The pigs are so happy to be outside munching on clover and grass all day (plus hay & spring mix). We bring them in each night (predator safety) but it has been such a nice change for humans & pigs. Anyway, Liv can fit through the door. This chick is out of her mind.
Teaching LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL! Whew, the last couple of days are always a whirlwind and a little nutty. I had organized all the things that I need to get done onto a bunch of lists so I can cross them out as I go - but what a list?! LOL. I got all the kids' paper passed back out, strongly encouraged a few students to get in some missing work, and gave lots of hugs, advice, and listening ears as the kids were desperate for the last minute check ins and chats. I got heartfelt notes and big hugs from seniors who stopped in on their last day (still crying about it!)They graduated on Tuesday night and the underclassmen spent 2 hours in school on Wednesday for their last day (we had TWO fire drills?!) and the teachers had to go one extra day (Thursday). Before the end of the school year, I got all grades finalized and my grade levels organized by unit in new folders (halleluiah and a 'you're welcome' to next year me!) I feel really good walking away from school before the summer all organized and cleaned up! (this is the first year this has happened in so many years! In 2020, Covid shut me down then in 2021 I was out on maternity leave, and 2022 was my leave of absence year so someone else put everything way). I'll be able to come into my classroom in August and know exactly where everything is!
Sporting with two baseball games for Rusty. Violet had a Sparks soccer game in Pittsburgh on Sunday, missed a Sparks practice due to hamstring soreness, and she had three (!) AYSO soccer games. Gemma had two AYSO soccer games and a double header summer league basketball game (she's playing up with the junior high girls). Grey had two city baseball games, he returned (finally, oops!) his junior high baseball uniform, and he had a soccer practice for the SHOFCO tournament next week at school. B and I played at Roxbury co-ed volleyball one game on Tuesday and B had football open weightlifting M-Th for the last week of the school year. And can I just say for the thousandth time - we could not do sports without the help of grandparents, aunts, uncles, sports families, and teammates. THANK YOU all so so much.
Making Crockpot Hawaiian meatballs over rice, ordered take out subs for volleyball night, chicken casserole from Heather (THANK YOU!!), pizza rolls and salads, Korean beef and green beans over rice, and ordered in chicken wings & pizza.
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