Around Here Week 30: 07/23-29

 A glimpse into our life at just this moment. 

when we get new baby goats and sit in the goat house until 10p swooning over them

photo cred: Onara C

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 408+ hours (of 1000)
Between farm chores, mowing, my birthday walks, and all our swimming this week - I'm just stacking up the hours which is fine by me! Uch and I walked on a gorgeous trail that is a leg of the Applachian Trail (loved the rocks & moss! but most of all the conversation - xxo!) and our hike with the Jurich family to Staple Bend is always a peaceful trail - even in the rain! It was a good week for my outdoor-loving heart. 

Reading Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. 

40th birthday miles: Mile 14 with Gemma (we walked to Cafe Dodie, so actually more like 2 miles), Mile 15 with Uch (actually 2 miles), Mile 16 with Loni (actually almost 5 miles, hah), Mile 17 with Gigi (only .2 of a mile but Gigi slayed that .2!), Mile 18 with Randy (actually 2 miles), and Mile 19 with my cousin Stefanie.

Fall season sports prep this week. I sent in Grey's physical paperwork, I submitted our happy ad for the Varsity football program (we love you Coach Daddy!), and Gemma and I watched about 3 million cheer halftime routines to start choreo'ing the Majors cheer dance. I also completed three copies of the Youth League paperwork for football/cheer, planned out the Football Family preseason potluck picnic, brainstormed ideas for the upcoming football ice cream social, and designed & ordered game night tshirts for the babies from Canva. I know I'm a crazy person, but friends who know my heart - once my brain starts cranking, it's on turbo speed. Just let me live my life. LOL.

Always laughing about how much Olive loves the guinea pigs. It's hilarious the way snuggles and holds them. She truly loves all animals (all our kids like animals, but Liv seems particularly gentle and caring). She is always talking to and petting the dogs, asks everyday to help at the farm, and loves on those guinea pigs like a maniac. She is also our dog person when we are out in public - any dog we see she wants to ask to pet it. Oh, Loopy - we love you so! 

Basketball hoop project with some more leveling of the ground and then switching gears and deciding on blacktop'ing the court instead of cement. In the long haul, blacktop seems a safer and lower maintenance choice even though it was a little bit more expensive. B and I roped off the shape and a company came out to take measurements and we are scheduled for early next week!

Take a friend for a swim at Gigi & Pappy's pool.  Rusty and Violet brought the Cable sisters; Evaley & Adilia, Gem brought Leah, and Grey said the Conn twins; Bryce & Reed counted as "1" friend (hah) and we spent the afternoon at Pappy and Gigi's house enjoying burgers, hot dogs, ice cream cake and so much swimming. I asked the kids to all jump in at the count of 3 so I could get a pic - and they are all so accustomed to my photo-snapping that it took ONE TAKE to get that epic summer photo of them jumping in. Hah! (thank you Pap and Gigi for the perfect old fashion fun summer day!)

Cousin visit in Cranberry with the Burghs. Since B only works a half day on summer Fridays, we waited for him to get home and then loaded up the car and headed out 2hrs to visit with cousins for the day at their community pool. The kids were so happy to swim with cousins and try out the slides and very bouncy diving board. I was happy to hang out with Stef and hug my goddaughter (Mallory) who turned 14 this week (!! time!?) At the torrential downpour, we went back to their house for pizza and more chatting and laughing. Thanks for having us Burghs - we love you! 

Trekking to the Staple Bend Tunnel with the Jurichs who were visiting from Hawaii! Mikey and Shantelle invited us to a morning walk at one of our favorite local spots and we were so grateful they included us in their visit to the mainland (I know how many people they had to see while here - thank you for making time for us!) We brought the donuts and even though it was drizzling, then full on raining (hah!) during the walk - we made it to the tunnel! It stopped raining on the way back and it was so good to catch up with their whole family! Love you guys! xxo

Summer playdates. We spent the afternoon at our house with Carly and her girls visiting the goats and free playing in our giant piles of dirt and stone (hah, upside of backyard projects). On Thursday, we scooped up friends and spent the afternoon swimming at Pappy & Gigi's house. Grey went to Huffy's sleepover birthday party and Rusty and Violet attended the Cable girls' birthday party!

New baby goats! Both our expectant mommas (Jojo & Donut) had their babies this weekend. Jojo had her babies sometime during the day on Friday while we were visiting cousins. She had twin girls (Maple & Willow) and I have been stressing about them since we weren't here for their birth. Donut had her babies right before we got home on Saturday from our walk with the Jurichs - another set of twins; a boy and a girl (Oak & Magnolia). I was stressed for 24 hours about Maple, who seemed to be reluctant to nurse or even have a suck instinct. We even bottle fed her a few times on Saturday because I was so worried she wasn't getting fed. (but spoiler alert - by Sunday morning, she was doing great on her own!) But two new sets of twin baby goats meant most of Friday night and almost all of Saturday was spent in the goat pasture monitoring nursing, making sure the mommas were healing and eating, and generally just worrying like a goat grandma. We had two important parties that we missed on Saturday with goat baby duties - sending my love to the Chipkitis family - what a beautiful family you have made through adoption (we love you!!) and congrats to my student Ava R who had her graduation party (I will always be cheering for you- I am proud to have been part of your journey!)

Sporting with a basketball game for Gemma, Grey had two football conditionings and three weightlifting early mornings. B had two Varsity football conditionings. Youth football and cheer had our equipment handout this week, so Gem, Violet, and Rusty all got their uniform and gear!

Making kielbasa and pierogies, sloppy joes with mac&cheese, spaghetti, no-peek chicken and rice in the crockpot (our kids didn't love it, bummer), chicken patty sammies, and pizza rolls. I made banana oat cookies too and Gemma made fruit dip. 

Whole30 with blackened salmon topped with avocado & purple onion salsa (thanks B!), ground turkey- green beans with cauliflower rice, shrimp & broccoli, and roasted brussels sprouts & onions with shrimp.