around here: week 16 2021

{April 11-17th}

Blogging... in an attempt to catch up, but I have just accepted that the blog is always a little behind real life. And that's okay. I am just happy to have these memories, moments and pictures captured here.

Letting... Carly hang out the sunroof while we waited for Josh at the auto shop for his car.  She is just magic, that girl. And I've noticed multiple times this spring that when I photograph her, she has an orb or a rainbow around her. Not sure if that's the angels at work in her life, or the babies I lost before her, but I love it. Makes heaven feel close.

Slowly... falling in love with myself.  Taking pictures when I feel pretty; spending time in my own skin (accepting it as it is); and finding the beauty in all my body are helping me with this self love journey.

Nebbing... Wyatt as needed, which is at least twice a day, morning and night, and sometimes more.  This cold hit him really hard and I feel bad he's struggling.  Thankfully he has only flirted with that 80% peak flow mark, so I haven't had to start him on oral steroids or take him in to be seen. Phew!

Finishing... The Coddling of the American Mind just in time for us to reschedule book club for next week. Ha! (I wrote about the main ideas in the book last week.)  I also read some of What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer.  Man, she really gets it, and I so identify with her work. 

Laughing... at Carly who asks every morning for her milk to be put in a bowl instead of a cup so she can "lap" it up like a kitten. This girl. 

Celebrating... our "dating anniversary" by looking back at high school dance pictures and candids from a photo booth in Long Beach, WA. Gosh I loved that boy and have grown to love that man even more than I thought possible.  Twenty one years, and I still look forward to his phone calls, love holding his hand and am so grateful he's mine. 

Attending... the first baseball games of the season for Wyatt and the twins and FREEZING from the biting wind and cold.  By the last few innings of the twins' game, Carly was BEGGING to go home and I said, "We can't, Carly.  We have to stay here to watch brothers."  She stood up in front of me and said, exasperatedly, "Why do you even WANT to watch them!?!" Hah! The next game we attended was much warmer and Carly entertained herself the entire time playing with sticks she found in the grass under a tree.  She's just my favorite. (Sidenote: Jack's team needed more players and our ex-neighbor Cristian is on the team- we adore him!- and that inspired Logan to go ahead and sign up even though he planned to sit this season out.)

Receiving... the adorable ice cream pop case I ordered for my airpods from Amazon.  Carly thinks it's so cute and I agree!  Plus it looks great with the hand sanitizer holder I ordered from Bath & Body Works.   That little guy is super convenient as well. 

Registering... my baby for kindergarten with zero tears. (Can you believe it?!)  All I have to do now is gather the necessary documents (birth certificate, proof of residence, and immunization records) to finalize before she starts in the fall.  That.went.quick.

Stacking... rocks with Wyatt and making the TALLEST tower before it crashed down. Haha!

Approaching... the end of Grey's Anatomy, and I have to say, it feels like the end of an era. I cannot believe how quickly those 16 seasons went, and how I still miss characters who left so long ago! (Come back, Torres! Come back Shepherd!) I would love recommendations for what I should watch next!

Attempting... to "See The Good", which is harder some days (weeks, months) than others.  This week I made an IG post to list what I was grateful for.  Wyatt's nebulizer, our cats, walks with Josh, Josh blowdrying Carly's hair after her bath so she wouldn't have to go to bed with wet hair, and walks with my friends early in the morning as the sun rises.  Some days it's easy to focus on the LEGOS left on the ground and the dirty socks that are literally EV.ER.Y.WHERE in this house! So I am trying to remember each day to look for the happy blessings that are around me. 

Loving... the cross stitch I ordered from Etsy that says, 

"Y'all gonna make me lose my mind 

up in here,

up in here"

And it makes me smile every time I walk past it. 

Enjoying... an afternoon spent visiting with my sister at my house while our girls played and her baby napped.  It was so fun and a much needed reprieve from my regular daily drudgery. 

Planting... the dahlia tubers my dad brought me from my Grandma Pansy and doing some other yardwork as well.  It feels exciting to be getting the yard ready for spring and summer and outdoor living!

Laughing... until my cheeks hurt at my sister-in-law's house where we all played Cards Against Humanity and met my nephews' new girlfriend.  Julie & Erica, Ethan & Aleya, Samuel & Makayla, and me & Josh ate and talked and laughed until far too late. So fun!

Forcing... the twins to wash my van, which looked so much better when they were done. I have to say, parenting older kids does have some perks. ;)

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Thoughts to consider:

{Josh}

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