Around Here Week 35: 08/28-09/03

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

photo cred:  Deanna Maurer

it must be September! (only 25 days until Violet's birthday! LOL)

photo cred: Coach Joel

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 632+ hours (of 1000)
We snuck in a family walk one afternoon just around our yard/forest (we call it 'the tree stand loop') and Red can walk the whole thing on his own two legs. At my big, beautiful oak tree on one of the corners of our property there were like 25 or more monarch butterflies all swooping about looking for a place to rest for the night. It was so lovely and wonderful - exactly what all of our tired souls needed - a little time outside with the sky way up and the ground under our feet and butterflies flying all around us. 

Reading 1000 Hours Outside by Ginny Yurich and Glow Kids by Nicholas Kardaras. It was a slow reading week because we are still getting into the groove of the new school year and also, exhaustion.

Figuring out homework/studying. Since we are officially into school, the homework has made its way home. Thankfully (good Lord bless our children) our three biggest kids need pretty minimal reminding to get their stuff done each week. We have no amazing managing system to share (sorry) we just set a strong standard that the kids are in charge of themselves and are expected to get their stuff done, study, and know they can always talk to their teacher. We are here to help if they need us (or buy the extra stuff for projects) - but they are in charge of themselves when it comes to school work. We aren't expecting any valedictorians but we do expect they do what the teacher expects and they try their hardest. If they can do that - we have no probs, if they can't - well, I bet they'd rather not want your momma to micromanage your afternoon and evenings. So our kids are really good about taking advantage of doing homework on the bus (hah, but for real) and making sure they empty their folders each night. We also hang up reminders on the fridge or add them to my planner - otherwise it's every kid for themselves after Kindergarten! Rust is getting into the groove with support and reminders. So, so far, so good. 

Laughing at Violet's birthday note to herself from herself (most middle child thing ever). But that means it is officially September and we will now hear about her birthday literally every single day for the next 25 days until that sassy, wildling turns 8! 

Calling in support on Wednesday for Grey's game. My mom headed over to our house to get the kids off the bus and relieve Nanny Minnie (thank you Abba!) so that B could pick me up from school and we drove over to Grey's first game/scrimmage for Jr. High at North Star. The game ran longer than we expected so in a last minute clutch move my dear friend Olivia and her son Bennett (Vi's flag teammate) swung by to pick her up for football practice (thank you!!) It's a lot of moving parts everyday, but we are figuring it out and thank goodness for people who pinch in when we are fumbling. 

Being flexible on Thursday when our kids' school had a surprise 'snow day' for a busted water line in the community. They were pumped to get an early start to the weekend (they already had Friday off for Labor Day). But since we had no set plans, B ended up taking off of work and staying home with the whole crew. 

Making arrangements for Friday when the kids had no school for the holiday weekend. Everyone gets redistributed. Grey stayed with Valentines and then ended up sleeping over (thank you Jenn & Joel!), Gem had a sleepover at my parents' house on Thursday night and spent the day golfing and hanging out (thank you Abba & Chum!). Vi and Rust spent the morning with Brandon at the office until Brandon's parents picked them up to spend the day swimming (thank you Pappy & Gigi!). The babies spent the day at home with Nanny Minnie and B and I collected everyone back up at the end of the day! Whew! We definitely get by with a little help from our friends & family. 

Getting (big time) bummer news. Our Nanny Minnie (who we have fallen in love with over the past two weeks) was offered another job that will better suit her family and their needs. We completely understand - we are mommas trying to do what is best for our families too - but we are heartbroken. She has been so good with the kids and just really seemed too good to be true (gah, it was). So happy for her, but so sad for us. Back to the drawing board - we get one more week of Nanny Minnie and then we need to have a new plan in place. Send all the good vibes (and suggestions!) 

Loving our new coffee maker (thanks again Uch & Kev!) The big kids are constantly asking for cappuchinos (or at least creamed & sugared up coffee with frothed milk!) What a difference such a simple upgrade can be to normal life! 

Sprinting through the weeks and then pumping the brakes hard on the weekends. Aw man, by Friday afternoon, it feels like we are rolling home with the wheels off. Luckily the Varsity football game was on Saturday, so we all just got to go home on Friday night and collapse and rest.

Teaching Spanish 1 the song and dance to Los Pollitos Dicen (always a favorite) and teaching days of the week vocab. Spanish 2 did some baseline writing (my favorite!) and reviewed verb conjugations. Spanish 3/4 learned about Tomatina and we had our annual Tomatina with tissue paper "tomatoes." Every class had their Questions & Procedures overview including our active shooter plan. It makes for such an emotional day for me because I get choked up every single period reminding them how I will do anything to keep them safe and how we all need to take care of each other. I tell them that I hate talking about this, but my job is to keep them safe and how I keep them safe is first by making sure everyone knows what the plan is and secondly by being someone they feel comfortable talking to if they hear/see things that make them worried. 

Sporting with the first week of fall sports games! Violet had her first flag football game vs. Meyersdale. She played running back, QB2, and middle linebacker. After she got comfortable with running back and realized how it was going to feel running past/through the other team, she went for it. She ended up running in two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion. Gemmi and the majors cheerleaders did great with the first half time routine debut and the girls are so great about being leaders and responsible on the sidelines. It's hardly work at all to coach them, they did great watching the game and requesting their own cheers for the entire game. Coach Brittany and I are so proud of them! Grey had his first JrHigh football game this week too against North Star. He plays QB1 and Safety. The size difference for boys 7th-8th grade is so extreme (some kids have already started to fill out and and some haven't quite yet) so he took a couple big hits but hung in there. I love watching him and his teammates play. Grey had three afternoon practices, Gem had one practice and Vi had two practices this week. B helped at the Varsity game on Sunday at CV and took all four big kids with him so that the babies and I could chill at home. 

Making chili over noodles, ravioli casserole (the kids love this!), shrimp alfredo, ground turkey tacos, chicken spaghetti casserole, hamburgers and cheddar brats on the grill, and sheet pan kielbasa and veggies. B brought home take out pizza and sushi after the football game on Saturday (he loves me!)

Around Here Week 34: 08/21-08/27

 A glimpse into this BACK TO SCHOOL week that is always a reminder that the days are long but the years are short. 

photo cred: Nanny Minnie

photo cred: Nanny Minnie

LOL, Rusty!

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 613+ hours (of 1000)
still able to squeeze in a couple hours this week despite the madness of the first few days of school.

Reading and finishing Upgrade by Blake Crouch. Finally finished a complete book in about 3 months (good grief!) I picked up and continued 1000 Hours Outside by Ginny Yurich at home and Glow Kids by Nicholas Kardaras during school hours. 

Moving the guinea pigs to school! Toffee and Queen Barb are moved in and cozy and ready to make some new high school friends! 

Checking off our back-to-school traditions. The kids all signed their signature sheets from their baby books and Rusty got to write on his for the first time! I read The Kissing Hand to Rust the night before school (gah, always gets me), and the kids all picked their future profession for their first day of school posters. We had confetti muffins for breakfast on the first day and everyone's favorite dinner that night!

Starting the new school year! We have a seventh grader, fifth grader (last year in the elementary school!), second grader, and a freshly minted kindergartener! Everyone had a great first three days of school and positive interactions with all school personnel; bus drivers, teachers, principals, lunch staff, custodians, and specials teachers. How incredibly blessed we are to live in a community that cares so passionately about our young people. We love you, CT. Thank you for taking care of my precious babies during the school day. 

Deeply grateful for our nanny Minnie! I was so nervous to leave my velcro/pandemic babies for the school year, but Nanny Minnie has been so patient and sweet. By day3 Reddy wasn't even crying during the morning goodbyes! I am so glad the cousins are spending the days together and Minnie has them outside, reading books, and having sweet fun all day long. What a blessing she is to our whole family - I cannot express how grateful I am, truly; the biggest weight lifted off my shoulders for this school year! We love you Nanny Minnie!

Celebrating my 39th birthday! It's not that I hate my birthday, it's that I hate the inefficiency of my birthday (hah), I still have to be my normal speed/self as a mom/teacher/wife/daughter/ sister/friend/human so then everyone making a fuss over me slows me down and distracts me from my normal speed of life. What a freaking brat - I know! So I like little to no big deal because I have stuff to (keep) doing! Truly though, if I'm being more serious about my birthday feelings - I feel love and support the whole year, a day special just to me feels like it's just too much. I am loved so deeply and well and I will never be able to express my gratitude for that.
   Luckily, all my family and friends know and respect this (I am so freaking blessed) and so the love is shown for me all year round (!!) and in little non-intrusive ways on my birthday. B brought me sushi for lunch at school, Abba left me donuts in the fridge for breakfast with a little candle and she and my dad ordered teacher clothes and shoes for me for the first day of school! I received so many thoughtful and meaningful texts and voicemails, lots of hugs (my favorite gift!), a new sleek coffee pot from my sister (we are obsessed), gifts including an awesome new water bottle shipped to me from cousin Heather, and ice cream cake from B to sing on the back porch with the kids. My sweet friends Jenn and Becky took me out for lunch and pedicures on Saturday too - no kids!! I barely knew how to behave, hah! It was the perfect, mostly completely normal day birthday. hahha. thank you all for loving me just as I am. 

Pausing for gratitude for my own momma who did all the work to get me into this world 39 years ago. And then never stopped loving, guiding, and supporting me all the way through my life. xxxo. love you, mum. thank you, happy 39th momiversary to YOU! 

Sensing the start of camo season. It begins with trail cams being checked regularly. Grey caught a doe and two fawns, a turkey and her babies, a fox, and a pretty nice buck on his trail cam this week! 

High fiving B that we did it - hah! We made it through the first day of school, leaving the babies with the Nanny, each having a full time job, both coaching the kids sports (me for Gems' cheer and him for Jr High football and helping with Varsity football) and trying to get through normal day chores and needs of a house of eight people, two dogs, three goats, and a flock of chickens and ducks on 13 acres. We did it!! I mean it was only three days this week, but it's a start and we are going to have to celebrate every freaking mini milestone this year because holy hell; this life we made is a three ring circus, but I love doing the high wire act with you, B. (yes, obviously we are Zendaya and Zac Efron in this scenario #slayallday)

Teaching the first two days of school! Oh man, like I never left. hah! It is great to be back with the students again and teaching content that I love so much. I don't like to start the first day of school boring - so we don't do rules & procedures until we are a whole week into school! The first two days are about making a second language accessible through hand gestures, enthusiasm, and cognates. It's also about building classroom community through dancing Friday tradition and silly games that build confidence and friendly competitiveness. It was a great start to the year (even if I'm completely exhausted and in a full sprint all day between my seven classes totaling 100+ students)  #lovemykids #lovemyjob 

Sporting Violet had two flag football practices this week while Gemma had one practice where we painted our run-through signs for the football games. We switched up the half-time routine to include basket tosses and the stunt groups are pumped and loving it. Grey had practice everyday this week right after school (which has been pretty handy only having to do pick-up). On Thursday night, we all went to the community pep rally held at the high school - the  kids had a great time getting glitter tattoos and face paint. The new elementary school principal was such a great sport about being in the dunk tank! We also attended the Varsity football game on Friday night since it was CT (our kids' school) vs. NS (the school I teach at!) B sits in the box and helps with offense at the varsity games too! 

Making sheet pan kielbasa and veggies, baked sammies on Hawaiian rolls, sloppy joes & mac and cheese, Copycat Olive Garden chicken over pasta, Beef Roast in the slow-cooker with potatoes and veggies, and beef stew with leftover roast. We also ordered in pizza after the football game on Saturday. 

Around Here Week 33: 08/14-20

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

photo cred: Eva

photo cred: Abba

Intentional Outdoor Hours: 605+ hours (of 1000)
So excited to earn over 600+ hours by August, the badge for 600 hours in the 1000 Hours Outside app is my favorite one (lol). I know it helped a lot being home this school year to get so many hours, but I also know that I have been a lot more dedicated to telling the chores to wait and getting outside myself with the kids too this year. Having things outside for myself (and the kids) is also so helpful - like the back porch, the hammock on the back porch, our big swing down at Agnes tree. It does so much good for us physically, mentally, and emotionally to spend so much time in the wide open fresh air. Also, everyone upon everyone is constantly asking us how we are all so tan (LOL). 

Reading Glow Kids by Nicholas Kardaras and Upgrade by Blake Crouch. Really loving reading a fast paced fiction book again - it's been so many non-fiction books right in a row that getting into a story feels great! 

Visiting with family the day after the reunion at our house. Our Forte cousins stopped by before they headed back up north to visit with the chickens and goats. All three of our families include teachers (me, cousin Meg, and both cousins Kyle and Alyssa!) So all the teachers were trying to soak up the last few moments of summer before we become hyper-focused in back-to-school mode. I am so grateful to be part of a teacher-rich extended family!

Full blown back-to-school mode in my mind. There are lists all in my mind, planner, and on random slips of paper all around the house. The backpacks have all been washed (pro-tip: we bought everyone LL Bean backpacks from the start and they are LIFETIME guaranteed and great quality. We've been able to use them year after year! And if we do have any problems with them, we can get a replacement for life!), we are working off of a To Do Before the First Day of School Chore List (meal planning, laundry, shoe inventory, etc), and my last minute Amazon order was placed! 

Loving up on my Reddy a little extra this week. Not only am I stressed about leaving him for the school year, but he also bit through his tongue pretty bad after falling off the kitchen chair and then ran a high fever with the throw-ups this week too. Poor buddy. His fever has been giving him crazy night terrors where he thinks there are buggies in the bed and on him (it's honestly giving me AHS vibes at 3a) 

Well Check appointment for Olive's 15month and she's a perfect little ball of squishy dough! 

Caring for Trixie after her surgery this week. She got two big lumps removed from her chest/belly. She is a tough pupper but we are making sure she is comfortable with pain meds, giving her the antibiotics to fight infection, and checking her stitches to make sure everything is healing well. Poor sweetie girl.

Securing childcare for the babies! Thank goodness. The universe conspired to bring this together, honestly. We are really grateful to keep the cousins together at our house and have a set schedule for Monday through Friday for consistency for everyone. (thank you to Uch who did all the heavy lifting and researching!) Nanny Minnie is available to start on the first day of school and it feels almost too good to be true! We are so grateful. I am hopeful and optimistic that my little Velcro/pandemic babies will transition just fine - even if it takes a few days/weeks/months (?!)

Moving the kids' bedroom furniture around. The kids all asked to de-bunk their beds, so we made some changes and re-arranges to make it work. A little room redo always gives me a pep in my step! 

Studerbabies this week included a visit from a speech therapist and sessions with two of her clients!

Visiting Rusty's classroom at Kindergarten orientation! We are so happy that Rusty got Mrs. McCall! She was Violet's kinder teacher too and she's the sweetest and most enthusiastic teacher; she has a song for everything and it brings me so much joy to know my babies are with her every day! Rust and I each got our own tour (one for kids and one for parents) and then met back up again at the end. He did great and has asked already a million times to be shown on the kitchen calendar how many more days until school. 

Lesson planning and organizing my Schoology site. Like riding a bike - hah! Almost feels like I never stopped doing it at all! Can't tell if that is good or bad quite yet - gulp. 

Celebrating my nephew Wells. My sister Uch and Kevin planned the most beautiful blessing ceremony on Saturday morning at Stackhouse Park. Everything was so intentional and well thought out - I teared up several times; it was truly perfect. I got to choose a reading and I selected this passage from The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow

No one really remembers their own origins. Most of us possess a kind of hazy mythology about our early childhood, a set of stories told and retold by our parents, interwoven with our blurred baby memories. They tell us about the time we nearly died crawling down the stairs after the family cat; the way we used to smile in our sleep during thunderstorms; our first words and steps and birthday cakes. They tell us a hundred different stories, which are all the same story. We love you, and have always loved you. 

Wells, you are so very loved and have always been loved, my darling.
After the blessing, we all met up at Windber Rec to celebrate his first birthday! The kids had a blast playing cornhole, spending time with cousins, and swimming at the pool. Uch & Kev - it was a perfect day. You are incredible parents (happy parentiversary to you two!)

Sporting in fall sports mode mania. Violet had two flag football practices and got her mouthguard fitted just in time for a scrimmage against North Star. She is playing running back, QB2, and linebacker and loving it so much. Gem had two cheer practices this week and the girls' halftime routine is really looking great (so proud of those girls!) Gem is a stunt base and loves her stunt group so much - all day long all she wants to do is practice their stunts, hah! Grey had three practices this week (full pads) and mandatory concussion session too. On Friday night, the boosters and coaches put on the annual ice cream social event for the Jr High and Varsity teams at the fields. All the players and their families enjoyed a meal, made ice cream sundaes and hung out while the players participated in a cornhole tournament.

Making meatloaf and mashed potatoes and veggies (Brandon and I never get any meatloaf even with 2lbs made because the kids eat the whole thing!) Slow-cooker cream cheese chicken taquitos, Asian ground beef over rice, homemade pizza, and chicken parm over pasta. For Wells' birthday picnic, I made cabbage & noodles and pumpkin roll!