Around Here: Week 15 2022

 {April 10-16th}

Thanks for the roses, Jubilee

Cleaning... house with a good, deep clean (all hands on deck) the Sunday after spring break so we could head into the new week (and the last push until summer) with a clean house.  I redid the boys' chore lists and am happy with how they turned out. I will rewrite them and laminate them after this week and then they will rotate chores weekly.  That keeps any of them from getting burnt out on one set of chores, and helps them all learn the different skills.

Shocked... as we had a snow day (a real, legitimate snow day) this week.  Who has heard of a snow day after spring break!?!  We were all so surprised to wake up to snow, and I think it's fair to say we were all quite annoyed as well.  A) we don't want to add more school days to the calendar in June, and B) we are all over the winter weather. Bring on that sunshine!!
Because of the snow, games were canceled the rest of the week because they didn't want the kids playing on fields that were muddy.

Subbing... some half days this week (if you missed it, I am substitute teaching at Wyatt & Carly's school a few times a week to bring in some money and dip my toes back in the work force) and loving a half day.  I get to be social and feel useful while subbing, but I am also able to get some things (dishes, laundry, etc.) accomplished at home.  It's the best of both worlds. 

Hitting... the 22 year mark on our dating anniversary (April 11, 2000 we became boyfriend/girlfriend) and admitting here that marriage is hard.  We had a pretty easy go of it the first two decades.  Really.  We were almost always happy, madly in love, and on the same page.  But as our kids get older, and I begin losing my place as primary caretaker of small children (they just keep growing!!) and we try to navigate later bedtimes, more privileges and a busier schedule, it's gotten harder.  It takes work and choice to keep putting each other first, to work through the hard things, and to remember we're on the same team when we are more like ships passing in the night than ever before. 

Yelling... "bad dog!" more than once this week as Piper moved from chewing only on the ottoman to chewing on the actual couch, and Grady ate half a stick of butter.  You can't make this stuff up! Oh what frustrating, adorable, naughty, loving creatures they are!

Sending... Josh to the twins' practice with Wyatt's baseball blanket that I made last week.  It is so cute, and SO cozy! Tie blankets are the first thing I have ever "made" and I am so proud of them! (My mom bought the material for us after we froze our butts off during Jack's football games back in the fall.  Thanks mom!)

Noticing... that I am aging.  Suddenly it seems.  I hit 35 a few years ago, and since then I am just constantly noticing things (wrinkles, age spots, weight gain, grey hairs). I am trying to focus on the positive- that I am alive- but it's hard when age feels like a frying pan to the face! Hah!

Struggling... to let the boys experiment with their own styles when it comes to haircuts.  I have been giving them haircuts since before Wyatt was born (he has never had a professional cut) and I am limited in my ability.  But when they have asked for different things recently, I am trying to branch out, and stay open minded.  Hair is one area I am willing to let them have their own way.  Even though it's not easy!

Attending... Wyatt's first baseball game with the whole family.  I was so proud of Wyatt!! He got a hit, and he got an out while he was playing first. He has come so far since he started and it makes me happy how much he loves the game. 

Staying... at a birthday party I had planned to drop Carly off at when she became tearful at the thought of me leaving. It made for a busy Saturday with errands to run, food to bake (for easter!), kids to pick up and game night to attend. But we got it all done! And she had so much fun at her friends' birthday. 

Baking... carrot cake from scratch for Easter and planning on frosting them Sunday morning.  They smelled sooo good!

Laughing... so hard at our first game night with family at my sister-in-law's house.  We left the kids home for movie night (they did great!) and Josh and I enjoyed some good old fashioned fun playing games with his sister, brother, nephews and their significant others. The laughter was good for my soul, and I was really proud of Logan for getting Carly to bed with no tears.  There are definitely perks to these kids growing up.

Cherishing... the way Carly says "willn't" instead of "won't".  I have no idea where she got it, but if I say, "You can't put those in the water," for instance, she will reply, "Don't worry mom. I willn't."

Not cherishing how picky she is about strawberries.  She took one single bite from every strawberry in the container and told me they were all "too sour". This girl. {smh}

Loving... how Logan picked some cherry blossoms on the way home from school.  I like to think that I have influenced his ability to notice the beauty around him. 

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