Around Here: Week One {2018}

(after school... sigh...)

(baby selfies are my fav)

Enjoying... my parents visit.  They brought Christmas presents for the kids and Josh and myself.  My mom bought me Fiestaware bowls in two sizes, and I have to tell you that those rainbow stacks of bowls make me smile SO BIG when I open my cupboards! We completed a puzzle one night, the three of us (which was so much fun!) and they took the kids ice skating.  Best.grandparents.ever!

Celebrating... Christmas with a lunch at my sister's house.  We had a lovely day with her family and my parents.  The only bummer was that we're pretty sure Logan had another mini-seizure.  He was upstairs playing with his cousins when Jack told us Logan was hurt.  By the time we got upstairs, he was fine, but his behavior the rest of the day was off.

Watching... Sugar Coated on Netflix with Josh, and crossing "Watch 3 Documentaries" off my 100 small things list.  (The other two I watched: Naledi & Born in China, which I loved because it's narrated by John Krasinksi, aka Jim from The Office)

Cutting... sugar & carbs (in moderation) from my life.  Josh has cut them completely, whereas the kids and I are going at a slower rate making our changes.  That said, just cutting soda & candy for me has felt tremendous!  Our goal, really, is simple.  Eat real food. So far, so good!  (As in, I started out weighing 200 pounds and have lost five pounds already! What?! What?!)  The boys used to have cereal for breakfast every morning.  Now I make them eggs and sausage or bacon everyday.  Already we've noticed a difference in Logan's focus and last week he aced a reading test, his weakest area.  I hope it continues to change how we all feel.  We are working hard at not feeling deprived, just replacing our old favorites with new ones, and in that same vein, we have decided that homemade pizza + dessert for movie night will continue on Saturdays so we don't feel so restricted that we drop the diet in six weeks.

Ringing... in the new year in my bed.  I spent many years staying up all night for New Years Eve, and started many years feeling like garbage on January 1st.  So for the last ten years or so, we've gone to bed on New Years Eve.  This year I was really motivated to go to bed early cause I taught at 4:00am on the 1st.

Sledding... with cousins on New Years Day and having so much fun! (Blog post forthcoming!)

Videoing... Carly 1000x per day. I am just in love with her voice, her play and all her words.  She's so fun right now!

Receiving... a new (to us) dining room table from Josh's parents that I am loving.  It has an extra leaf that adds 18" and with that in there, it's so big.  It fits our family so much better than our older, smaller table.  Our old dining room table is in the office, though, acting as a desk/play space for the boys and it's perfect in there. Our life happens around the dining room table (breakfasts, play time, homework time, and dinners) and having this bigger one has brought me so much happiness!

Still... nursing Carly once a day, knowing the end is coming, but too sentimental to quit just yet. I am planning to sell my Ergo though, so that's something right?

Choosing... a word for the year.  "Measure" & making goals accordingly.

Taking... Wyatt to physical therapy to help stretch out his achilles tendons which are stretched too tight after a rapid growth spurt.

Shopping... together as a family for groceries.  It's a pain for all six of us to trek to the store, but it's a nice message to the kids that, as we journey towards healthier eating, we're all in this together.

Tracking... dinners and planning to share them with you all weekly as a means of accountability.

Sending... the boys back to school, and relishing in how quiet the house is without them.  That said, Carly and I are desperately missing her playmates.  She got a bit spoiled over break!

Committing... to "No TV" time while the boys were at school this week.  Before Christmas Break I was in a bad habit of turning on the TV as soon as I got home and not getting a whole lot done.  So I want to try a week or two of no screens in hopes that I will get more done around the house and get more reading in.

Reading... Winter Storms (#3 of the Winter Street trilogy), and when I'm finished I will finally read Hilderbrand's new Winter Street book, the bonus #4 Winter Solstice.  I am also re-reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (this is the third time, I believe) and it amazes me how every time I read it, it teaches me something new.  Two days ago I started Idaho, my January book club pick for my book club here in town, and oh my gosh, you guys, I cannot put it down.

Feeling inspired by... Ashley's Gratitude Journal List from December.  It's so cozy & lovely.

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Meals:

Chicken & brocolli

Burgers & sweet potato fries

Chicken stir fry

Steak & asparagus

Marinated chicken & cooked carrots