Around Here: Week 5 2023

 {January 29-February 4th}

Watching... Alaska The Last Frontier. Gosh I love that show. I am finally up to the most recent season on Hulu, which is during Quarantine. And it's really moving. 

Reading... The Snow Child (again) and listening to The Spare.  To the boys I started The Hunger Games and we are all enjoying it so much. They want me to read "one more chapter" every night, and I am tempted to. haha! The Snow Child is a reread and it was the perfect book for these cold winter days.  It's a very cozy, wholesome book about Alaska and I have loved it just as much the second time as the first. The Spare, written by Prince Harry, is un-put-downable.  I just keep listening, riveted by the talk of his life, the loss of his mother, and his fight against the monarchy for his wife and baby. A quote I loved from his book is: "Is each generation doomed to unwittingly repeat the sins of the last?"

Discussing... Trump as well as the Confederate flag with our boys.  We live in a small town now, and not everyone is as... left wing as we are.  The boys have friends with Confederate flags in their rooms and as such we have had many discussions about what the Confederate flag means and how its underlying racism is not okay.  And about Trump, the boys have heard friends discussing the upcoming election next year and they were saying that some of what Trump did for our country was good. But Josh said that treating everyone like humans is more important than any political wins. Trump's racism and sexism are not something we would want our children to ever emulate, and if that means we pay more for gas or groceries, we're willing to do that. 

Worried... about Wyatt missing a bunch of school.  He couldn't even walk on his foot from the sprain he got playing tag and last week, so he was home.  Then I got him crutches, but those didn't help much since he couldn't seem to figure out how to walk with him. We are giving him through this weekend to see if he can heal up.  The pain is improving, but it's slow progress. 

Swooning... after Josh put the laundry away.  Normally in our marriage that has been my job, but he knows how swamped I have been with homework from my two classes, so he did it. I was so grateful. I think that chores (along with words of affirmation) are my love language. 
Also swooning at the constant shower messages Josh leaves me.  They never get old and never fail to put a smile on my face. 

Creating... a child development matrix for school.  Good night a lot of work and research and time went into that bad boy!

Realizing... that Monday morning late start is my favorite.  The kids don't have to be at school until 9 and 10:15, and that extra hour+ to start the week is just so lovely. 
Also realizing that one of the boys made themselves a sandwich for lunch and forgot it in the fridge. I didn't know who it was, so I left it and they ate it for snack. 

Helping... Carly make her Valentine box.  We executed her idea of an orange cat.  She painted shoebox and I cut out a cat face.  But what made me laugh was the two foam balls she added to that face.  She said they were a "bowtie" but they really looked like unneutered cat balls. Hahahaha!

Living... in my car these days.  I pick up the boys from school, Wyatt, then the twins, then drive the twins to practice, then go get Carly from her school, then sometimes go back to pick up the twins when they're done.  Not to mention the morning run- drop the twins, drop Wyatt, head home to feed and crate up the dogs, then do Carly's hair and take her to school... Oof. The car is my home. 

Grateful... for the beautiful purse my mom got me for my birthday that joins me in the car and holds all the things- ibuprofen, a good book, a snack... anything I could need. 

Waking... up to snow! What in the what? 

Loving... Carly's and my morning goodbyes at drop off.  She gets her backpack on her back, then offers up her cheek for a little snuggle and kiss from mama before hopping out of the car and signing "I love you" to me as she skips off to the double doors. That girl's bounce and light make me so happy. 

Smiling... at the snack Jack packed for Logan.  Most days I pack them a snack to eat as we drive from the high school to their baseball practice, but one day this week I ran out of time and Jack was home sick, so he packed Logan goldfish and a sliver of Laughing Cow cheese (Logan's favorite) and it just made me smile that he knows his brother so well. 

Doing... homework. All day, errday.  It is never ending. 

Making... chicken and dumplings from scratch this week (and using some of the turkey broth I made from our turkey bones at Thanksgiving) in hopes it would give everyone an immune boost as we've had a little bit of sickness running around.  I love making chicken and dumplings (I even make the gravy part from scratch) and honestly, at this point, I love doing anything that's not homework. Haha!

Cherishing... the little notes I get from Carly every night while Josh is putting her to bed. She much prefers that I put her to bed, but she knows that we take turns. While Josh reads a chapter book to the boys, I put Carly to bed; and while I read a chapter book to the boys, Josh puts Carly to bed. So until The Hunger Games is over (that's what I'm reading to them right now) Josh will be putting her to bed. So she has taken to writing me notes asking when my book is over, or telling me how much she loves me, or apologizing for things (like the mess in her room, or staying awake playing). They remind me so much of little Shelly and just squeeze my heart with love for that girl of mine. I still can't believe she's here and I get to be her mom. 

Having... Lulu my niece for a night for my sister who took her big kids to a family roller skating party in Spokane with her husband's side of the familly.  Lu turned two earlier this month and is the cutest little thing.  She is OBSESSED with my sister, so leaving her was nerve wracking (for my sister and me!) but Lu did great!!! She only cried once (when I tried to leave her with Logan for a few minutes) and only tantrumed once (when I took my phone from her- ha!).  The rest of the two days she was here, she was a perfect angel, coloring alongside me as I did homework on my laptop, brushing Carly's Barbie dolls hair, and even helping me make pizza for movie night. She wanted to help with every single step, and it was so much fun to have a toddler again (for a night). Hehe! She went down great for bedtime and her favorite activity was probably playing Play Doh with Carly, Wyatt and me. 

Preparing... my heart for the raising of teenagers, but not quite being ready yet... The twins want to ride in cars with their friends.  They have sophomore friends with licenses. But I am not ready for that, so the answer has been no. And they are STRUGGLING to accept this. But I know too much, I've read too much, and I am not wanting them in a car with a teenager behind the wheel. 

Proud... of Logan's kindness.  He had a friend whose skateboard was broken, so he gave him one of his old decks.  I just love that kids heart. So full of kindness. 

Teaching... you words the kids are using these days.  Truly, part of this is to teach you in case you, too, have teenagers in your life speaking a different language (hah!) but also, I know that someday it will be fun to look back and see the silly ways they expressed themselves.  This week we have "dogs" and "GG".

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