4.19.2019

Week 16 Around Here {2019}

{Where I'm at in life right now... so much mess, so much magic!}




























Attending... Wyatt's awards assembly with Josh and Carly as he received a Roaring Reader award from his teacher.  He is such a good student and an amazing reader.  We were so proud of him in his big moment!

Single parenting...  last weekend while Josh went out of town with his brother to help my parents lay some flooring at their house.  I was so glad he could help them out, though, it was worth the effort!  Plus once I got the kids in bed, I got to watch whatever movies I wanted on Netflix.  Friday night I watched Private Life, which is about one couple's struggle with fertility treatment (so good!) and Saturday night I watched Her, which was sort of strange, but also made me think about what makes a relationship.  Very thought provoking.  Private Life reminded me, yet again, to be grateful for my fertility.  It's such a blessing to have these kids of ours.

Grocery shopping... with the whole crew on Saturday morning.  They were horrible before we left, angels at the store (seriously, so helpful and kind), and awful once we got home. I'm not sure why that's the way it was, but I guess I'll take it. Sigh.  I have heard a rumor that Grocery Pick Up is coming soon to our Walmart, and I am not exaggerating when I say that that would be LIFE CHANGING. (I know you moms get it!)  The stress of grocery shopping, the twins fighting with each other all afternoon, and then grounding them from movie night pushed me to make myself a drink once the kids were all in bed.  Some days raising them is just so, so hard.  Deep breath.
One day at a time.

Loving... how Jack always mindlessly plays with Carly's hair.  It's such an affectionate, older brother thing to do, and it warms my heart.

Dropping... Wyatt off for a playdate with his best friend from school.  They have been friends all year, always spending recess together, and writing each other notes about how they are so grateful for each other- it's the sweetest.

Tucking... the kids in and having a deep discussion about how to talk back to our "crazy" thoughts.  At night time, the boys often have worries (about intruders, break ins and bad things happening) so we had a big talk about reminding our "worried brains" of all the ways that we are safe in our home and in our lives.  I told them every time we "talk back", we are creating a new path for healthier thoughts.  In this way, these scary thoughts won't persist forever.

Snuggling... up with Wyatt as he struggled to sleep this weekend (as always) and I let him just climb in bed with me since Josh was gone.  We did get good news this week, though!  His MRI was approved by insurance, and should be scheduled soon.  Hopefully the MRI will hold some answers as to why he's waking up so much and why he's having headaches so often.

Crazy grateful... that Grandma Carol & Papa Carl took three of the four kids for the day on Sunday.  She had Carly, Wyatt and Jack while Logan and I got some one-on-one time.  The twins really needed a break from each other, and Logan needed some attention, so it was really perfect timing.  (Thank you!!!)

Catching... up on the blog over the weekend and feeling good!  I love when it's up to date and has all the pictures on it that I want to share.  It was especially fun to blog about spring break (we made so many new memories!) but I've also been sharing a lot about motherhood that's been on my heart and that feels good as well.

Adjusting... the twins' mouth spacers every evening after they had them put in Monday morning by our orthodontist Dr. Feller.  The adjustment causes a little pain each time, and the boys are struggling to eat (and talk), but it should get better with time.  The spacer should help spread out their smile, making more of their teeth visible, their smiles wider, and create less top crowding.

Cheering... at baseball games twice this week, with more coming up.  I was grateful on Tuesday when the twins and Wyatt's games were in the same location so I could pop between the two.  They are all doing so well and I am such a proud mama.  Jack's working on pitching and Logan is doing great hitting.  Wyatt can throw like nobody's business and hits every time he's up. Carly is a great little cheerleader, and as long as I have 172 snacks, she doesn't mind sitting down to watch the game. #momlife Ha!

Reading... Rising Strong, Reading People and Miracle Creek.  I totally geeked out when Angie Kim (who wrote Miracle Creek) commented on my Instagram post about getting her book from Book of the Month club. #booknerdsforlife
Reading People has sparked some interest in me about enneagrams.  I would like to do more reading about them. So if you have any insight, or a favorite book, website or person you follow who knows a lot about the enneagrams, please share!  I cannot decide what I am. My first guess would be a 6 or a 9... but I lack the confidence to know for sure at this point.
I finished listening to Something In the Water which was a great, edge of your seat listen, and moved on to The Incendiaries, which I am enjoying for all the religious talk.  One of the main characters left his church (for different reasons than me, but left nonetheless) and I identify with much of what he says about it. 

Dying... of cuteness when Carly got her glasses this week.  Oh my goodness, she looks so cute!!!  Not to mention, I think she can actually, finally see!!  Every time I see her, I melt a little bit inside.  She's just so precious.
She has done a really good job learning the rules (no touching the lenses; we only take our glasses off for sleep; etc.) and is adjusting super quick.  She's such a good girl.

Laughing... when I opened the boys' bathroom drawer to get the glasses cleaner and found a nerf gun and stocked case of Nerf bullets inside.  #boymom

Breathing in... all things spring.  The tulips, the daffodils, the cherry blossoms, the blue skies.  It is all making me so happy.  This morning as we left for school, Jack stepped out the front door before me and said, "Mom! Come out here! It smells like Rockaway!" (our favorite beach)
I stepped out behind him, and sure enough, it did.  We all just stood in the yard, running late for school, breathing in through our noses, inhaling as deep as we could to take in as much "Rockaway" as we could, before it disappeared.

Receiving... the boys' grades and being really proud of their growth this quarter.  Some grades could use some improvement, but those changes are already in progress, so they are well on their way.

Reading & underlining this (twice) in Rising Strong this week.
I maybe need this tattooed on my forearm:


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2 comments:

Marilynn Raatz said...

Shelly, I love that you take pictures of ordinary life - the kids at the grocery store! I am so happy about my floors - Josh and Samuel are so good to do them. Thank you for solo parenting! The blue skies in Moses Lake are sooo beautiful. The middle - I didn't know it had a name but it is so fitting. Logan called me when he was walking home and told me it smelled like Rockaway Beach this morning. As a Grandmother, I love the middle!

Katie said...

Hi there, longtime reader here. I remember reading a book in high school that I pulled out of a little free library called "Understanding the Enneagram" that I found to be pretty interesting. It had a huge test in the back to determine what number you are and then pages and pages of information about each one. Speaking of little free libraries, if you haven't heard of them, you should look into it. Seems right up your alley! :)