Around Here: Week 37

Teaching... Jack & Logan how to borrow and carry.

Regretting... that bad curriculum left them a year behind in math.  But super grateful for their can-do attitudes and how quick they are learning.

Crying... as I left Wyatt this morning tantruming in his kindergarten class.  He clung desperately to my leg screaming, "I'm not gonna go! I'm not gonna go!" in his Level 10 Death Scream.  It was equal parts mortifying (I had zero control) and heart breaking (it was all I could do to not scoop him up & take him home). But I did it. Told him he'd have a great day and I'd see him this afternoon.  I got a call a half hour later from the counselor who assured me he was better & settling in fine.  I think being out sick for two days really threw him off his routine and he just misses his mama.  Some extra snuggling will be in order for the weekend! And hats off to all the mamas who have gone before me and survived this.

Spying... Carly's second tooth popping up.  Little one is growing up!

Reading... Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott while I sit in the car pick up line. #momlife

Taking care... of sick kids. Strep, the flu... I am happy to report that as of today, all kids are healthy & the house has been scrubbed down! Whew!

Rejoicing... that Carly is finally sleeping in her crib all night. No more couch co-sleeping!  She's still up three or four times, which is a bummer, but at least she's falling back asleep & letting me go back to my bed!

Painting... the entry & hallway.  They look dreamy!

Decorating... the house finally!  I am so happy to be making this space more homey & beautiful.

Finishing... unpacking the laundry room/office.  Hooray!

Making... a list of books I want for my birthday in November:
Bodies of Water by T. Greenwood
Looking Up by Beth Moore
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
Fervent by Priscilla Shirer
Winter Storms by Elin Hildebrand
Love Warrior by Glennon Melton Doyle
Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
Rising Strong by Brene Brown

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Before & After

This weekend I had a couple of goals.  We are getting to the point where the house is fully livable and we are really feeling settled.  So this weekend my goals were to unpack the office and to decorate the kids' bedrooms. It's fun to be at this point. 

WYATT & CARLY'S ROOM:

Before          //          After

Before Above // After Below

Before Above // After Below

The art above Carly's bed is from my sister.  I love it so much. I am still deciding what picture to put on the other small shelf above her crib.  Wyatt is also still deciding what he wants on his square shelves.  One of my other favorites in their room is the shelf with the world "Linger" on it, above Wyatt's dresser.  Josh's sister Julie made it for me last year (it was my word of the year) and it reminds me to sit a little longer in that rocking chair holding my sweet girl.  

THE TWINS' ROOM:

Can you find Carly?

I'm super happy with how Logan & Jack's room turned out, too.  I am excited to see what they put on their shelves, and love that they have their own bit of space after sharing with both their younger siblings.  Let the home decorating continue!

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Around Here: Week 34

Meditating... on this gem from Eckhart Tolle:
"Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have."

Visiting... the doctor.  Wyatt had an appointment this week, the twins have an appointment next week.  I think it's smart to have an established relationship with their new doctor before I send them off to the germ pool school. ;)

Organizing... all my new bookshelves. Oh the joy that a stack of books can bring!!! (For me, and for the kids!)

Experimenting... with cloth diapering again as a means to save money. So far, so good!  (I had 24 bumGenius diapers left from my cloth diapering days with Wyatt.)

Reading... Home Field by Hannah Gersen. It took me a while to get into it, but I'm enjoying it now.  Only one more book club book left (What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross) and I will have worked my way through the whole summer list!

Exploring... our new neighborhood.  The boys hop on bikes or scooters and Carly rides in either her stroller or my Ergo, and we meander, taking in all the sights.  I'm loving it.

Road tripping... to Wenatchee (to the nearest Target) to pick up shelving for linens and other necessary items that we couldn't find at the Walmart in town. Wenatchee's only about an hour away and a lovely drive.

Looking forward... to fall, thanks to a sweet gift from my friend Ashley that arrived in the mail this week.  A beautiful dish cloth & set of autumn chapstick. Yum!

Enjoying... the dirt pit.  It entertains the boys for hours on end and feels like such a wholesome activity for three little boys!

Watching... the boys collect these strange seed/flower bombs from the neighbors tree.  They took off with a step stool, a grabber, and a plastic bag to collect the ones that dangle over the fence.  Now we have piles of them in our garage.  They look like slightly pokey tennis balls.

Feeling... Carly's new (razor sharp) tooth that finally poked through.  Thankfully she's only bit me a handful of times so far.  Yipes.

Working... on our front yard. Josh mowed the grass and we redid the front flower bed.  It's a small start, but it's a start!  Next up, trimming the roses that are blocking our front window!

Excited... for tonight when my sister & her fam arrive! We have a JAM-PACKED day planned tomorrow full of fun for our collective five boys & two baby girls.  I can't wait!

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