Around Here: Week 35 2020

{August 23-29th}

Proud... of the twins who are working for my bestie Shana, being the "muscle" as she sorts through her house and garage.  I am so glad they can be helpful to her, and they are so glad to be earning some cash money!! I hope this instills in them a good work ethic and a desire to work hard.  Seeing what it can get you is very inspiring!

Enduring... game after game of "Floor is Lava".  Carly will often call out, "Three... two... one... FLOOR IS LAVA!" and then fling herself up onto the couch or a chair.  I am also constantly finding my couch pillows on the floor (as seen above) used as "stepping stones" to survive the lava floor that is constantly erupting randomly. #momlife

Buying... When Calls the Heart season 7 on accident after hearing from my brother's girlfriend how good it was and then deciding if I have season 7, I need season 6, too.  (Seasons 1-5 are on Netflix!) I plan on re-watching all of them once the boys start school, one episode or two each day during our lunch break, as something to look forward to. I love how wholesome the show is, and often the kids end up watching it with me. 

Experiencing... anxiety when Josh went back to work.  Just knowing that after six months of him home I was going to be on my own with the kids, I was quite overwhelmed.  I know that eventually we will get in a good routine and the anxiety will quell, but for the time being, it sucks. 

Blogging... our weekly Around Here posts to get caught up and feeling good that I'm not too far behind.

Reading... Mindset, The Power of Vulnerability and Men, Women and Worthiness, all on audio this week.  Mindset had an interesting basis, but the book was a bit repetitive. (Basic idea- have a flexible, not fixed, mindset.) The Power of Vulnerability was mind blowing. I think every human on earth should have to listen to it. And Men, Women, and Worthiness was an interesting listen, but not as amazing as The Power of Vulnerability. It's great, cause it's only like two hours, too. 

Catching... up on projects before school starts in two weeks.  It should start September 14th.  The numbers in our area are near 500 per 100,000 and it's recommended they be at 75 per 100,000 in order for schools to open. So I am quite curious how long they will be able to meet in person.  I also wonder if I'll choose to send my kids in person at all this year. (We have a chance to reassess after Christmas break if we'd like to do the hybrid model or send them full time instead of full time distance learning.)

Cleaning... the house and organizing, too, in an effort to get life together and feel like I'm controlling something.  We are deep cleaning and sorting and getting things together to drop at Goodwill.  It feels good to be crossing things off the list, and to have the boys helping while they are still on vacation. 

Having... hard conversations with Josh about work, school and parenting.  We have both been reading Brene Brown audio books and she is impacting us in the best ways.  She calls these conversations "rumbling", and it's quite accurate. You gotta really get to the meat of it, but after you do, it's so, so good. 

Adding... "thankful" to our "best and worst" conversations at the dinner table.  We really want to incorporate gratitude in our daily lives and make sure our kids are as well, so this is our solution to that. Every night we each share the best and worst of our day, and now we are also sharing the thing we were most grateful for.  It's been really sweet to hear what each person is grateful for, and how no one wants to be left out of the conversation or have their turn skipped over. 

Facetiming.... with Wyatt's friend which made him so happy.  They spent nearly the whole time showing each other Matchbox cars, and it certainly wasn't the same as actually playing, but it was something.

Wanting... to share Carly's mama cat and kittens with you.  I ordered this for her maybe a month ago? And I just love it so much.  She loves everything tiny, so I was searching for tiny cats and found it.  The kittens magnetize to the mama's nipples so they look like they're really nursing, and they are all so soft and sweet.  Carly adores them and loves to play with their little magnetic noses. 

Inviting... Alvin to come swim with us one sunny afternoon.  I love how Carly loves him and the boys rough house with him.  It makes me smile.

Mastering... front flips in the pool.  (Well, the kids, not me! Hah! I used to be able to do flips underwater, but now my brain feels too fuzzy afterward.)  And they are working on hand stands and back flips as well.  I love watching them try it. They're so persistent. 

Loving... when I came downstairs and found Logan brushing Carly's hair after a swim.  It was the sweetest.  He was amazed at how tough she is and how many tangles her hair had. #bestbrother

Sending... the kids to Grandma Carol's for the last time this summer and feeling so grateful we had that respite each week.  What a blessing.

Purchasing... bowls from Walmart that bring me ridiculous joy.  They are Pioneer Woman stoneware bowls and were on sale (in store only) for $1.55! They match my colorful Fiestaware plates & bowls and are so convenient for snacks for the kids. 

Thinking... thoughts about my body after listening to half of Jen Hatmaker's book Fierce, Free and Full of Fire.  These quotes really stood out to me:

"I do not apply the impossible rules to anyone but myself."

"You have your body to thank for every little thing that you have experienced."

I so identified with her when she said that the impossible rules she took from society (for example: be thin, but curvy) she applied only to herself. I am exactly the same way. I have so much grace for my friends.  When they screw up parenting or relationships, I am right there to lift them back up, saying, "Everyone makes mistakes. It's okay. Try again." But when I screw up parenting, or say the wrong thing to someone, I am most certainly not giving myself a pass. It's for sure something I need to work on. 

A little self compassion would go a long way.

Also, I loved her quote about having your body to thank for EVERYTHING you have experienced. I think I am going to put that one up on the mirror in my bathroom to remind me to be kind to her when I see her and want to point out all her flaws. 

***

And lastly,

a closing thought that I found very comforting 

as I prepare for a school year of unknowns:

"It's dark because you are trying too hard.

Lightly, child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly.

Yes, feel lightly, even though you're feeling deeply.

Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them."

-Aldous Huxley

***

Week 22 Around Here {2019}

Watching... Game of Thrones with Josh.  We are still in season one, so I have to be very careful of any spoilers out there... but I am so happy to have a show to watch with him.

Reading... Beauty (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast) for my neighborhood book club, and listening to The Nest on audio.  Beauty is just alright for me. It's not my favorite read, and The Nest is fun to listen to,  but also not a favorite.  Hoping some of the next reads will be more exciting.

Doing... tons of yardwork Saturday, moving sunflowers from the garden to the side yard.  Wyatt's first grade class grew a sunflower for him at one point during the end of first grade (last year) when he was home sick with super bad asthma and we brought it home, planted it, watered it, and it grew to more than six feet tall by the end of summer.  Well, we never cut it down and the flower was the size of a dinner plate.  All those seeds eventually fell out, planting themselves in the fertile garden below, and voila! we had TONS of tiny sunflowers growing there this spring.  We wanted to grow more than just sunflowers, though, so most of the self-grown sunflowers had to go.
Wyatt's Grandma Carol came and got some to plant on her land, and we decided to move a bunch to our side yard, thinking they would look so cool along the fence when they bloom.  It was a huge project, but I am so happy with the result and just can't WAIT for them to start flowering.

Hosting... Josh's sister and her boyfriend for a few hours Saturday night and having the best time playing Cards Against Humanity. Oh, the laughter.  My sides ached, and I cried from laughter. We needed that good time.  It was just the best.

Taking... Wyatt to his follow up sleep study to see if his obstructive or central sleep apnea have improved since his last sleep study in the fall.  He was so brave this time compared to last time.  There were no tears, no complaining, and he fell asleep so quick. I am hopeful that his obstructive sleep apnea is better now that his tonsils & adenoids have been removed.  *fingers crossed*
We will have results next week.

Spending... Monday at the lake with my parents and sister.  My parents are here to visit for a few days and see the twins play baseball, and my sister tagged along for the day to play in the water with her crew.  The kids had a fantastic time, and I enjoyed visiting with my mom and sister (as I always do).  Our boys (she has two and I have the three) are such a crazy bunch, I love that they have each other.

Eating... rhubarb pie which my mom brought with her when she came to visit. Oh man, it was so delicious (I tried to take a picture, but once it's cut, it just doesn't photograph well. Honestly, it looks a little like snot pie. Hahah!) I even had Josh and Samuel pick up some vanilla ice cream to go with it, and it was so, so good!

Spoiled... by my mom with new pajamas for Mother's Day (the shirt says, "I am enough" Gah! Love!), as well as some bookmarks (with magnets, so the kids will stop losing my page! #momprobs) and a BUNCH of clothes she got for me from Old Navy just because.  It was the sweetest, most unexpected gift, a giant bag of adorable tops and new socks, and the cutest shorts she and my sister thought would be flattering on me. So, so sweet.

Grateful... for the new bikes my parents bought the boys for the birthdays.  They are HARD on their outside toys (scooters, bikes, etc.) and I am so grateful for grandparents who encourage all that activity.  Lord knows I need them worn out at the end of each day. Hah!

Buying... kayaks after enjoying my parents kayaks so much.  We live less than five minutes from the lake, and kayaking is an amazing workout that doesn't feel like a workout.  The boys also loved it, so we decided to get them kayaks for their birthdays as well (which are all in June- the twins on June 6th, and Wyatt on June 15th).  I think it's going to be a family activity that we really enjoy.

Being... so impressed with my nephew Alvin.  He is seriously the most thoughtful person I know.  He showed up at the twins' game (he's staying with Grandma & Papa here for 2 weeks) with birthday cards for the twins (including cash money for them! Lucky cousins!) and a box of Annie's Bunnies for Carly to snack on during the game.  She was a FAN!  He spent the whole game cheering for the twins, and playing with Wyatt, which was just the sweetest.  He is a very patient person, and I was grateful he was there to entertain Wyatt.

Loving... the new adirondack chairs Josh bought me for the backyard.  (I'll have to snap pictures next week.) He got a red one and an aqua one, and they are SO cute!!!  I am really looking forward to many afternoons spent sitting in those chairs reading my books while the kids play out!

Putting... in our backyard garden, finally (!) and feeling so excited about it!  After school Wednesday we threw all the kids in the van and ran over to Lowe's to get what we needed.  We got tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, watermelon, pumpkin, carrots, strawberries & peas.  Wyatt also wanted raspberries & corn, but grandma is growing corn, and raspberries get too out of control, so we told him no. He's very happy with the garden, now that all is said and done (we do a lot of it just for him- he so enjoys it) and I'm so glad.  I also think Carly will be really into it this year.
We've never had success with the watermelon, but they are so darn cute, we keep trying every year. Here's hoping!!

Driving... Carly to Grandma's on Thursday morning for her day with Grandma & Papa, and then driving myself down to the lake for a little morning kayak session. It was seriously the most lovely thing ever.  I listened to a Brene Brown podcast from Supersoul Sunday about The Anatomy of Trust (so good!) and rowed myself all over the lake.  It was so serene and beautiful. I can't even tell you.
The water, the sky, the peace & quiet. I think I'm really going to love this.
And the best thing? The kayak fits in my van (a Honda Odyssey) if I put the back seats down and let the nose rise up over the center console between the front seats. So I can completely load and unload it myself. The coolest!!

Walking... the kids to school and back each day this week, and LOVING the roses that grow in front of one of the duplexes we pass.  The garden is so well tended, I could stand in front of their house forever, taking it all in.  They have roses in seriously every color, plus peonies, lilacs, hyacinth, snap dragons, lilies and even more flowers I don't know the names of.  I feel like they are a gift to me every time I walk past.

***

{I needed to hear this one}