Around Here: Week 20 2022

 {May 15-21st}

Me, Carly, the twins, and Wyatt

Naming... Carly's bubbas (what we call stuffed animals) with her, and loving the process.  She has some very particular types of names she likes. Any food names (Marshmallow, WaffleWolf); names of animals we already know or love (Molly); and especially names that end in the "uh" sound (Bluah, Mollah). 

Celebrating... my parents' 40th anniversary. (Well, actually, I'm a terrible daughter and I didn't celebrate or even get them a card, but I am definitely proud of them for the family they've created in their four decades and for all they've been through and overcome together. 
I love you, mom and dad!!!

Attending... Wyatt's game while Josh took the twins to their baseball game on Monday.  It's hard when there are two games in one night, but it's also kind of nice because then we have more evenings to be home during the week. 

Also attending book club.  I am so thankful for those girls and our monthly check ins with each other.  I love hearing about their wins and losses, and discussing books with them as well.  I always walk away feeling more filled than I was when I showed up. 

Taking... care of sick kids this week and only subbing a little bit.  One of the days was in my favorite- a first grade class- the day of our school BBQ. It was a really fun day. Gosh I love all those little kiddos! Luckily I equally love taking care of my kiddos when they are home sick.  They rarely need me so intensely as they did when they were little, so taking care of them when they're sick- snuggling, providing water, medicine and cool washcloths- feels like a sort of homecoming. Like back to our roots together, when I spent multiple hours of everyday holding them close, tending to their whims. 

Loving... Carly's drawing of our family that she brought home from school.  She said she ran out of room for Josh (sorry babe!) but I really liked how she had the twins drawn, so close together and similar in size. I also love our hair, and how the boys are all wearing baseball hats. So cute, all those details. 

Enjoying... my lilac tree in bloom.  I have always loved lilacs, and we planted three plants from my Aunt Barbara at our first house. When I drive by, I can see that those tiny plants are now taller than the backyard fence, and full of blooms.  It kind of pinches my heart. 
Luckily we planted one our first year here, and it's finally growing and blooming.  It makes our patio smell divine. 

Spending... some of my days at home blogging.  I cannot seem to stay caught up this year. Sigh. Oh well. I'll never give up. I've been doing it for thirteen, nearly fourteen years and it's such a happy place for all of us to visit.  To reminisce about memories and to be reminded of things we've forgotten. 

Snapping... a picture of Wyatt in his new Crocs from my mom and just loving him.  He's just such a character, and so sure of who he is. For instance, his "You axolotl questions" shirt- a lot of kids his age might not want to wear something so nerdy, but he loves it. He is able to laugh at himself and I really look up to that character trait in him.  I could be more like that. 

Eating... some yummy homemade cookies with a cream & Kahlua on Saturday night and oh what a treat that was!!

Reading... The Last Thing He Told Her, which was fine... but not amazing.  And I also started reading Lois Lowry's book Willow Tree to the boys at bedtime, since they finished Harry Potter with Josh. (We trade off bedtime duty.  One of us puts the boys to bed, and one of us puts Carly to bed, so now Josh is on Carly duty and I'm on boy duty.) The book I'm reading is about the Spanish Influenza and it's been fun to draw comparisons with COVID during discussions with the boys.
I am also reading The Enneagram Made Simple by Ashton Whitmoyer-Ober.  I love her Instagram page and am fascinated with all things enneagram since it has explained both my tendency to overpack and my anxiety to me. 

Annoyed... at the peanut butter recall that Jif had.  I had to throw out three jars and I wasn't able to get a refund because two were from Costco (which isn't in our town) and the other was from Winco, but I don't have the receipt.  Grrrr...

Cheering... for the twins at their baseball game Friday night. I love watching them play so much.  Logan rocks first base, and Jack pitches.  I especially love when they play together, with Jack pitching and Logan on first.  They are magic. I'm that crazy mom cheering and embarrassing her kids on the field. Haha! They just make me so proud.

***

My sweet grandparents:

I love this picture someone snapped of them at Senior Meals

*

***