Around Here: Week 50 2024

 {December 8-14th}

Eve from Alaska: The Last Frontier shared this.
It's so beautiful!

Date Night!!!
Dashy & Snowflake enjoy a child-free evening...

Barbie & her sister provide baby-sitting services.

Carly: Look mom. I made an array.

Maybe AI could be fun...

Loving... Carly in her sparkly boots/guitar era. I want to be as cool as her when I grow up. 

Subbing... Monday through Friday in Carly's class while her teacher was out of town with family. I was so happy to be in there, hanging with my girl, and teaching the students. We're working on multiplication and it's so fun to teach. 

Melting... when Carly asked to make my lunch for me.  Then she put a toothpick with an olive in it! She is just too much. 

Attending... counseling Monday after school. I am going weekly right now because things have been so hard and heavy in our house. There are things I would love to share here, because us mamas have to stick together, but it's not my story alone. These hard things are layered and challenging and heartbreaking, and talking to someone about it all helps me feel a little less alone and a little less crazy.

Thankful... Josh was able to take Tuesday off to take Logan to see Dr. Diamond to start the ADHD diagnosis process.  Wyatt, Logan and Jack have all met with other behavioral health counselors, and we've tried getting them diagnosed with paperwork from a teacher and me, but it wasn't substantial enough, so we've got to dive a little deeper. This was Logan's introduction meeting with Dr. Diamond, where they discussed how ADHD shows up in his life and how it's impactful. From there, he will move onto IQ testing just like Wyatt. 

Celebrating... with Logan that he officially has a girlfriend. He finally asked Elyssa out and she said yes. He told me by coming to lay on my bed while I read in my reading chair. He just scrolled on his phone for a while. Then he said he wouldn't be talking to anyone else any longer. He and Elyssa were official. When Jack moseyed in a while later, Logan told him as well, and Jack told Logan to open up his notes app and write down the date in there so he'd remember the day. Logan opened his app and said, "Good shit. That's good shit." And I have to tell you, it was just the most tender moment, and I had to keep myself from crying about it. Just the way Jack shared his knowledge of dating with his brother... I don't know. It was really sweet. 

Feeling... proud of Jack for attending counseling on his own at a new place. I cannot imagine how hard that is- to start a new counselor in a new place all on his own when he's not feeling his best- but he did it. He's doing it. And I am so damn proud of him. 

Loving... the snoman pancake Carly made with dinner one night, complete with arms and eyes and buttons. She's so precious. 

Happy... for Josh that he was able to go see Tosh live with his brother and able to go spend some much  needed time away with my sister's husband and his parents. He said he had the best time and was able to really relax for the first time in a long time. He works so hard for us and rarely takes a day for himself (even his Saturdays are spent with his brother working on cars or projects that need doing for either us or his brother or mom) so it makes me happy when he can let loose and have some fun. 

Finding... that our boys don't sleep when Josh is out of town. They were a mess for all the days he was gone. Their sleep is rough anyway, but their security when Josh isn't here is lessened and they were a wreck. Poor boys were so happy when he got home so they could finally get some rest. Haha!

Taking... all the kids with me to Wenatchee on Saturday so Carly and I could attend the Nutcracker with my mom, sister, and nieces. Thankfully my dad didn't mind being in charge of the teenage boys and the baby (Sweet P is one and a half). They had a good time with cousins, and Carly & I had a wonderful time at the Nutcracker. It was magical to watch and reminded me how much I enjoy theater and performances. The clothes, the lights, the feeling... I loved it. Then we took them all out to dinner at Red Robin and it was just the loveliest time. Good food and our fancy clothes made it just feel really special. (Thanks mom & Roxanne for making that happen! It was such a sweet memory!)

Reading... All My Mothers, The Snow Child, Codependent No More and It Didn't Start With You. Trying to get through at least a chapter per day of each. 

Breaking... our hearts listening to one of Carly's little friends talk about wanting an Elf on the Shelf so badly. She was literally in tears talking about wanting one, and when I showed up at school, I understood why. Literally every morning I subbed this week, the kids all came in talking about "My elf did this" and "My elf did that", so she was feeling really left out. But I 100% understand parents not wanting to do it. It's a huge pain in the ass. Hah! Thankfully, she ended up getting one, and I've never been happier for a kid than I was that day. Hahah!

Grocery... shopping with Wyatt. He didn't want to go (who does?!?) but he went anyway and I was so grateful. He's just the best. He's so funny and willing to put up with me and all my questions. I just adore that kid.

Receiving.... holiday kits from Aunt Julie for Carly. There was a foam snowman kit (complete with stick arms and buttons and black top hats, and there was a window cling kit with sparkly paint you use to create the cling inside the different form shapes (snowflakes, gloves, etc.). We don't deserve you Julie. You're the best!

Opening... lots of packages as Christmas gifts keep rolling in. This week I got the Scholastic books I ordered for Carly (Baby Sitters Club graphic novels) among other things.

Loving... this stage where Carly is big into journaling. She is constantly carrying around either her song-writing notebook or her journal, and I am so grateful. I know she'll enjoy looking back on those just like I enjoy it. I have two from when I was 8, like Carly, and they crack me up. One entry talks about how my brother is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo rude. Hah! Another is about my birthday party. I love seeing my handwriting and what I thought of things back then. 

Laughing... with Carly at all our Elf on the Shelf's shenanigans. He and his wife and kids are just too cute for words. 

***

My husband

Excuse me while I cry some more.