The Cunningham Family: Around Here: Week 31 2025

{July 27th-August 2nd}

Carly made the cutest sign to remind those of us inside the house
to not try to exit the doors that had plastic over them.

My candle from Logan

Starting... Sunday on the treadmill. I can feel the stress building in my body with Josh gone at work all day and the responsibility of all four kids landing squarely on my shoulders for those hours. Twice this week I woke up and was instantly arguing with one of the kids. It's exhausting.
At the time, I would have told you parenting them alone when they were young was harder alone (we all assume it gets better/easier as they get older) but the truth is that the stakes are higher and the decisions harder now than they ever used to be and I'm feeling it. I went to the dentist this week and took a selfie in the elevator after getting soaked in a summer shower on my way inside, and I have to tell you, checking out that selfie, all I could think was, "You look rough sister."

Ordering... the Porte & Hall rug I've had my eye on for months. Isn't that the best feeling? When you make yourself wait to get something and finally you get to buy it?!

Reading... about teen emotions and walking away with simply the advice to "be the calm"... as if it were that easy. Nothing can bring out the rage in me (a normally calm, peaceful, people-pleasing person) like a teenager pushing boundaries or arguing relentlessly.

Doing... all Wyatt's camp laundry and marveling at the fact that somehow the the mud he has gotten all over one days' clothes looks sparkly. Like he fell in the mud and then rolled through glitter.

Enjoying... a dinner of fast food from Wendy's on Sunday night as both twins were at work and I didn't feel like cooking. It was lovely. We put on a movie and they ate their french fries and frosties, happy as clams.

Hating... that teens hate having their photos taken so much. Here I am trying to capture what is often the last of something, or a precious memory I want to store away from one day when they're gone, and as soon as I take out my phone or ask for a pic, they're annoyed. Grrr. You know it's ironic that someone who takes as many snapchat selfies as they do that they don't want their photograph taken.

Dying... at Carly pretending to be an old lady at bedtime. She kept calling herself "Granny" and we were laughing so hard at her sassy "Granny" character that she got the hiccups. Hahaha

Reading... Broken Country on the back patio while Carly was in the pool. It's a book about a woman's first love and her current husband. Both stories are so compelling and I want to get to the point where they finally intersect!!!

Walking... Jack through a big mistake he made with his beloved truck. He had worked all day, then took a nap, and then went to hang out with friends. On his way home he wanted to stop and get antifreeze, said the truck was starting to overheat the tiniest bit. I said yes against my better judgment and oh how I regretted it. In his exhaustion, he accidentally grabbed oil and poured that in. He called me freaking out and I tried to talk him into leaving it for the next day when Josh (who was in bed asleep for work the next day) but he wanted to solve the problem he had created. So he got his friend to bring him some tools at the gas station, and he got to work trying to undo what he'd done.
Hours later, around 2 in the morning, he finally threw in the towel and had his friend bring him home. He arrived to Wyatt passed out the couch next to me, and myself awake, exhausted, but too worried to go to sleep before I knew he was home safely. (Thankfully he and Josh were able to flush it out, and there was no permanent damage done. But now we know- All adjustments, big or little, should be done in daylight hours.)

Dropping... Carly at Gymnastics Camp this week and feeling happy for her to be entertained so I can spend some time catching up on the blog. (I have been so behind for all of 2025!!) She had a great time at camp and was *delighted* when her good friend & our neighbor was also signed up for this session of camp. It was also a nice opportunity for me to chat with her mama. I swear as the kids get older it just gets continually harder to make friends and find/make time for myself. After dropping Carly at camp I dropped Wyatt off at a friends house and they had a good time, the mom assured me.

Taking... some time for me while Carly was at camp and going to a coffee shop to catch up my journal and do a little writing. First I got myself lunch out (alone!) and then I started writing. It wasn't quite the vibe I had hoped for, but I did get some writing done, which was the whole point.

Playing... Apples to Apples with Carly and Wyatt and man alive, we were laughing SO hard!!

Making... homemade tortillas for dinner and the delight of the kids! It warmed my heart! Food from scratch is the key to their hearts.

Attempting... to get the stains from Jack's clothes out from the night he was under it trying to fix it at a gas station. Man live are the stains intense. The job wasn't perfect however (!) I was impressed at how much I was able to improve them!

Photographing... mine and Carly's eyes which was so fun. Her eyes are stunning. I love the freckles in hers and the way they aren't one color at all, but many colors.

Melting... when Logan came home from a trip to Wenatchee with a Bath and Body works candle that smells so good. It's like a maple vanilla smell that is incredible. But more than the actual candle, I just appreciate his thoughtfulness. That he smelled a delicious candle at one of my favorite stores (that we don't have here in town) and thought, "My mom would love this. I'm going to get it for her." Swoon.

Recommending... to a local mama online in our Facebook group that if she uses OPI base coat and top coat before painting her nails, her manicure will last say longer. Mine will last up to two weeks if I do those steps.

Joining... the craze and letting Carly watch K-Pop Demon Hunters. She fell instantly in love and that soundtrack plays 24/7 at our house. Luckily the songs are dang catcyy and I don't mind them.

Inviting... Carly's friend Joslyn to come swim at our house on Wednesday. They had so much fun blasting Demon Hunter songs, doing tricks and seeing who could do what faster. I love how well they play together.

Playing... a pool role play (Carly's words) with her after Jolyn had to leave. She likes to pretend she's selling gems (she has pool gems she can dive for) and I play different (usually awful) customers. Then we switch. We always end up giggling and can play endlessly.

Enjoying... my roses and dahlias blooming so beautifully already! It's very exciting because the dahlias will bloom until the first freeze, which is usually in mid-October. So we have months of flowers to enjoy!

Being... crowded out of our house by squishmallows. Haha! Carly has so many. And Wyatt, Jack and I each own one as well. Tell me your house is the same!

Brewing... a cup of sleepy time tea each night at bedtime to try and help me wind down. I bought this one on Amazon after Mothercould recommended it, and I love it. It's a very mellow flavor and actually makes me so tired. I love it.

Choosing... colors and buying house paint!!! We went with a denim-y grey/blue with white trim and a warm, butter yellow door.

Fighting... with Josh about whether one of the kiddos should be in therapy or not, and the next day we came to each other and essentially both said, "I don't know what the right thing is." Behind the fight was just fear. My fear that if we didn't address these issues, they'd cause bigger problems; and his fear that if we addressed them in such a serious manner, we would make the problem actually bigger than it was. In the end, the kid solved it for themselves. They went to two sessions, talked through some issues, and told me they didn't want or need to go anymore. Simple as that. Man, parenting is a heavy task.

Chatting... with my counselor about my binge eating and she suggested that I try to dig into what is stressing me out. Get to the need underneath the coping mechanism, to see if I can attempt to meet that need in another way instead of eating two cups of chocolate chips each night.

Overjoyed... that Jack is finally ungrounded and was able to go boating with a friend. I wish our kids (the collective "our kids", not just mine) could understand that punishing your kids TRULY punishes you as well. And we hate to do it. But we also can't just let you run wild.

Grateful... that our kiddo who has been struggling mightily for almost a year now hasn't had a suicidal thought in over two weeks. He attributes this to a job; being outside and; enjoying some of his freedoms once again.

Watching... Josh and his brother Samuel transform the entire house, painting it the most beautiful greyish blue. They taped plastic over all the windows and doors and painted the edges by hand. Then they sprayed the rest. It is looking SO amazing!!!

Taking... Wyatt and Carly to the movie theater to see How To Train Your Dragon (the new live action version) and it was so good!! We brought candy and got popcorn and slushees and enjoyed every minute. I didn't realize Carly had never seen the cartoon movie, so she was on the edge of her seat. So cute!!

Ordering... Jack more pants. Currently his favorites are Carhartt's which just kills me. How is my baby boy a grown up man who wears Carhartt's?!

Loving... how much Logan loves riding his dirtbike. And feeling so impressed with his photography skills!

Spending... Saturday at Costco followed by hanging at my parents house. Carly, my dad, and her cousin Daphne swam together in my parents' pool and then we celebrated my dad's birthday with cake & ice cream. It was a lovely, relaxing day and I was happy for the time to hang.
I have to also note, I am grateful Wyatt tagged along and went to Costco with me because he did an amazing job pushing the giant orange flatbed cart thing. It looked SO hard, and he was awesome. Thanks, Super!!

***

I wanted to share some motherhood quotes

that spoke to me.

"They only get one childhood.

Don't forget you also only get one motherhood."