A glimpse into what it is like to be in our family just this moment.
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| photo cred: SDLP |
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| photo cred: CT Football |
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| photo cred: SHS Yearbook |
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| photo cred: Stacy B |
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 561+ hours (of 1000)
GAH, the leaves they are a'changing - like a lot. Our Somerset county is not humble when it comes to fall so the trees are bursting with so much braggadocious beauty that it is honestly obnoxious. I just drive around shouting, "You're beautiful" at all the trees (not kidding). The golden rod is glorious, the leaves are so bright - it is all so pretty I can't even believe we get to live in a world this vibrant.
Reading Ok, Cupid by Mason Deavers, it's cute and a really easy read so that I can even read up a few pages in the 3mins between classes!
Listening on my commute to The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. obsessed.
Surprising Violet with her 10th birthday party at the Que! I messaged Vi's friends' parents last week with the invite and the request to not even tell their kid until Sunday so they didn't accidentally spill the beans. Thank goodness for them all and their kiddos - no one said a thing, so Violet was truly surprised when she got to our picnic spot and all her friends jumped out from behind trees shouting "surprise!" It was the most beautifully warm fall day and Vi and her friends got to paddleboard (and "fall off") and run through the trees playing Green Ghost, and run wild and free for her birthday. Our family was there too (grandparents, Uch and the boys, Kuma) and it was the most perfect afternoon under the changing leaves. So grateful to celebrate our 10 year old (!!) with a surprise!
A ten year old! Vi officially turned 10 on Wednesday. We had cupcakes with her football team at their scrimmage on Tuesday night. She took ice cream sammies to school on Wednesday to share with classmates and she took more cupcakes to share with her cheer squad at practice that afternoon too. Sheesh! We had 10 balloons in her bed on Wednesday morning and she had surprise cupcakes delivered by Abba!
"National" sons & daughters days this week. Although it's just a silly social media tradition - I do appreciate the reminder to take a photo of my girls and boys together each year. What a dizzying feeling to compare their photos each year and see the changes in their faces.
Recorder concerts each night. Violet is in fourth grade which means she's in her recorder era (LOL). It's Hot Cross Buns all day every day around these parts. B looked at me one night and was like, "oh boy, do I ever love the recorder!" hahhahaha, iykyk.
Getting in some nephew snuggles when we got to watch them on Thursday afternoon while Uch and Kev attended the Jari 50th anniversary gala that Uch planned (proud big sis!) My nephews are the squishiest sweetie pies. We took them to the Varsity soccer game with us since Gemma, Rusty, and Reddy were lining up to form a tunnel for the senior soccer players to celebrate their senior night. Uch and Kev came to pick them up and we had all 13 of us in the kitchen laughing, talking over each other, snacking, and getting shot by nerf guns. It was the literal dream that I try to manifest daily: that they get to be our neighbors someday so it can be cousin chaos every day.
Honored by students and players twice this week! First, I was asked to be at the soccer game from a student for Teacher appreciation night. All the educators were there and none of us knew which student athlete had picked us until the end of the ceremony (such a meaningful message and introduction!) My Spanish 2 student, Raisa, had picked me and wrote me a very sweet message on her card. Then on Saturday, I got an 'award' from one of my former cheerleaders, Allie, for being someone who supported her in her life. (Gemma gave her award last week to our sports trainer Jenilee, it was an assignment from their world cultures class, a yearly tradition from Mr. B!) Her certificate and message was so sweet, mentioning how I was her cheer coach from first to sixth grade. What a gift it is to work with young people - it can be exhausting and frustrating at times of course - but mostly it is an extreme blessing to get the chance to support and encourage young people as they move through their lives. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a small part of their journey of growing up. #lovemykids #lovemyjob
Time with favorites. Violet got a sleepover at Pappy's house for her birthday (dinner, shopping spree included! spoiled girl). I picked up Gemma, Payton, and Colby from soccer practice on Friday afternoon to take them and the rest of my crew to the away football game - the girls take over the playlist and we all eat takeout pizza on the long drive. Grey had two of his besties over on Saturday night to hang out and all three teenagers played on the trampoline with the little kids laughing and being goofy.
Teaching during Hoco week at school! At the elementary school my fourth and fifth grade students finished their Frida Kahlo murals for Hispanic Heritage month. Expo is in week 4 (classroom items). Spanish 1 continued learning about conjugating SER and we did the student favorite activity: Running dictation in the JH gym. Spanish 2 finished watching the movie Canela (they loved it - always well received by students!) and then wrote a summary of their favorite part in Spanish. We did a fun scavenger hunt style unit review too. On Friday, we had a pep rally for homecoming and it is always so fun to participate and see the kids be brave and funny in front of the whole student body. The homecoming court skits/dances were great!
Sporting with two flag football practices for Rusty, Violet had two cheer practices, two minors football practices and a scrimmage at Richland. Rust and Violet had their last regular season game on Saturday at Rockwood. Gemma had two soccer practices and two junior high soccer games this week. Grey and B had team dinner and film on Sunday night, then four football practices and played at Penns Manor on Friday night. B and the seniors visited St Francis Sharing and Caring to volunteer by unloading food donations on Friday morning too.
Making chicken parm baked sammies, church picnic chicken on the grill (thanks B!), baked ravioli (Violet's favorite for her birthday!), and homemade stromboli. We ordered in pizza twice this week! For breakfast on Violet's birthday, I made chocolate croissants. For Vi's birthday party at the Que, we had hot dogs & cheddar brats over the campfire, homemade mac & cheese, and buff chicken dip. I cheated for her party cake and put together a bunch of Walmart's fall cookies, brownies, and donuts on a platter, stuck some candles in it, and called it a win (the kids gobbled it up!)
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