Week 1 Around Here {2019}

Hahah! #truth

New hair growth mohawk

Josh & his baby sister Margaret

Top Nine Reads of 2018

Our new bathroom!

Unexpected Good Reads

Reading... As Bright As Heaven, which I got from Book of the Month, and Girl, Wash Your Face which I bought myself for my birthday with money I got from my grandma back in November.  As Bright as Heaven is about the Spanish Flu in Philadelphia, and is such a good book!  I really like it.  And Girl, Wash Your Face is a very inspiring, "pump-you-up" read.  I am doing a chapter a day, and it's keeping me very motivated to work on my goals for the new year. Love it!

Meditating... daily using the "Calm" app on my iphone.  It costs (I think I paid around $40 for a yearly subscription) but it is so worth it. I use it when I am having a panic attack, or when I need to fall asleep and my mind is racing. One of my goals this year is to meditate everyday (even if it's just two minutes) so having access to this app is really helpful.  I'm currently doing "21 Days of Calm" which is a different meditation each day, along with helpful advice about how to better stay on top of your emotions. I am loving it.

Sharing... my top 9 books of 2018 on social media, and also sharing my most unexpected good reads of 2018.  I would love to know in the comments what your favorite or most unexpected reads of 2018 were! (follow me on Instagram for more book posts!)

Ecstatic... over Josh and my brother-in-law finishing the main bathroom remodel.  Those two are machines, and I cannot get over how amazing the bathroom looks. It's truly unbelievable. It's also unbelievable that they accomplished what they did in less than two weeks.

Relishing... every minute of a nap Carly spent in my arms.  I can't remember the last time she slept in my arms, so rocking her in her in the rocking chair as she slept while the boys were off with Josh one afternoon felt like a dream come true.  Oh, my sweet baby. sigh.

Enjoying... a Christmas visit from my parents.  They came bearing gifts (holy adored grandchildren!!!) and we had so much fun together!  We went out to eat, went swimming at their hotel, and then bathed Carly in their room since she hadn't had a bath in quite some time with the bathroom remodel happening at our house!  The next day they came over and we played Headbanz, or at least we tried to.  Carly looks at what is on your card, tells you what it is, "Bacon!" and then yells, "You win!" Hahah! After that, they took us all out to eat and then took the boys ice skating!

Loving... the pictures that Julie sent me of Josh and his baby sister Margaret. I always think that Carly looks just like me when I was little (and she does in some pictures) but goodness sakes! Looking at these pictures of Josh as a toddler made me realize that Carly looks a lot like her daddy as well!

Relaxing... for an entire day when Josh took the boys out to his parents land to ride their four wheelers (they got four wheelers for Christmas from Santa!) and I got to spend the day at home with Carly.  I took a bath in our new tub, cleaned the house, read my book, and just enjoyed the peace & quiet.  It was so, so lovely.

Organizing... my "To Read" shelf in the living room and discovering I have 100 books I haven't read.  I couldn't believe I had 100 exactly!  From there, I set a goal of reading 1 book per week this year, so my (conservative) goal is to read 52 books.  But here's the catch- I can't buy any more books this year (barring any from Book of the Month. I am going to allow myself to continue that monthly subscription) so those 52 have to come from my shelves or my library app on my phone (where I listen to audio books).  I hope to surpass that goal, but I also want to enjoy reading, not feel pressure to just fly through books.  I definitely felt that at times last year.  What is your goal this year? Do you have a # in mind?

Growing... my hair back after it all fell out in September after the stress of caring for Wyatt in the spring.  I got on some strong vitamins in October and also started using Monat and am definitely seeing strong growth, but it means that 90% of the time, it looks like I have a tiny mohawk. Ugh. Not cool.  But I know that in another month or two, that will improve (the same thing always happened to me when I had babies) and my hair will be thick again someday.
Using the Monat does take some time- I have to wash my hair twice everyday in the shower, but I can feel the difference in how clean & strong it is.  I also put in the oil treatment overnight once a week, and use lots of product after my shower before I blow dry, but I am really trusting Haverlee that it will all be worth it when my hair fully grows in and is even healthier than before.  I seriously cannot wait.
Between my suddenly terrible adult acne and my ridiculously thin hair, I feel so self conscious these days.

***

I love this quote.

Here's to "the hardships that became our teachers"... 

Yes, yes, yes.

So glad for a new year,
and a fresh start!

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Around Here: Week 52 {2018}

Wyatt made a dolphin out his banana!

#accurate

We are ending 2018 feeling really grateful for a lot of things. 

Knowing... we have figured out (at least for the time being) Wyatt's asthma, and we have kept him off oral steroids through three colds now.  I cannot even begin to express to you the freedom this gives me.  He was coughing today, and I realized that it was not giving me instant panic.  I didn't even realize that it used to do that until suddenly today, a year later, it doesn't. What a blessed relief.

Going... almost two weeks seizure free for Logan.  This new medication seems to be doing the trick, and even if it's not, and he has another seizure tomorrow, we have sure enjoyed the respite.  He had his blood drawn today to check his levels and I am feeling really optimistic about this one.

Finishing... 68 books in 2018, surpassing my goal of 60 (and I may even squeeze in one more book this weekend!).  I wrapped up both Winter Garden and One Day in December this week, both of which I LOVED!  Winter Garden was very reminiscent of The Nightingale, also by Kristin Hannah, and One Day in December was like Love Actually in book form. I literally didn't put it down until I finished it today.  (#sorrykids)

Starting... a new book tonight from Book of the Month (which I am so grateful for this year!).  As Bright as Heaven pulled me in from the first page, and I have a feeling that it will be a quick read just like One Day in December was.

Playing... Headbanz which Dashy (our Elf on the Shelf) brought us during one of his last nights here before heading back to the North Pole.  It was a really easy, fun game to play and I think it will be a big hit here for a long time!

Remodeling... our main bathroom!!!  Josh and his brother jumped in to the remodel full tilt this week and it is so exciting!  They tore everything out, and have already fixed the wall that needed replacing, fixed the ceiling that needed patching (from when our roof was leaking), put in electrical, textured the walls, primer'd the walls, painted the ceiling, put in two can lights above the tub, and put in the new tub & surround.
Up next is paint, flooring and bringing in the vanity. They are truly amazing, I tell you!!!

Decorating... cookies with friends last Saturday and enjoying every minute despite being really sick.  The kids had so much fun and it was so good for us to get out of the house.  Carly ate more frosting and m&m's than any two year old should consume, but #yolo, right?!? Hahaha!  I am seriously so blessed by my friends here in our new hometown and I am constantly pinching myself that these people chose me as their friend.

Resting... not enough in the days leading up to Christmas, as life with four kids leading up to the big day rarely allows for much resting.  I was so sick, sneezing and coughing and wanting to do nothing but sleep... it was miserable!  But I didn't want to give up any of our traditions, so I carried on, knowing that once we made it to Christmas, I could rest.

Laughing... at Carly's new favorite game, which consists of simply running as fast as she can all over the house.  Logan captured a few pictures of her doing it in her diaper (which she is always in because she takes off her pajamas at bedtime so she can feel the "cozy blanket". Hah! I have given up trying to keep clothes on her and am just thankful she leaves her diaper alone.) I love the photos he got of her running.  You can really sense her energetic spirit in them.

Making... cinnamon rolls, fudge, Special K bars, no bake cookies and seven layer salad for Christmas day.  I considered cutting something out, but I wanted to make treats for our friends & neighbors, and just felt it wouldn't be Christmas if we didn't have our traditional cinnamon rolls (we call them cinnamon rolls, but I've heard they are more accurately called caramel rolls) whose recipe comes from my mom's mom who passed away before I was born.  Josh really wanted a seven layer salad, as did I, and Special K bars remind me of my Grandma Pansy, who I was really missing this holiday season (she lives at the coast), so I persevered and made all.the.things. despite how I felt.
It was totally worth it on Christmas day when we stuffed ourselves silly with all the delicious things!

Opening... books and stuffed animals with the kids on Christmas Eve, as is our tradition.  We enjoyed snuggling up and reading new books, especially the twins who got fluffy gray bedrest pillows after loving Wyatt's so much all year.  This is one of my favorite family traditions and one I hope we continue forever!
For Christmas I got Being Mortal, Reading People, Calling Me Home, and It's Not Supposed To Be This Way.  I am so excited to read them next year!  They have all come highly recommended.

Watching... the boys open keys from Santa that were to four wheelers he had parked in the backyard for them.  Their expressions were priceless, especially since they had checked the garage, and seeing no four wheelers, assumed they weren't getting them this year.  Later on Christmas Day Josh and Uncle Samuel took all three boys out to Grandma & Papa's land to ride.  Josh said they all did really well, taking to driving on their own like naturals.  They had so much fun!
Meanwhile, Carly and I cleaned house (which was much needed between the Christmas morning mess and the bathroom remodel) and then took a much needed nap. 
From Santa Carly got a Team UmiZoomi car with Millie, Geo & Bot and she has not stopped playing with it since.  On Christmas day when I got out of the shower, she had set up her favorite stuffed animals with little snacks alongside her new toys.  So sweet!

Cleaning... Carly up after a little snooze on the couch.  I fell asleep and woke up to Josh saying, "Oh, oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Go see your mom!"  She had opened her chocolate orange (which had been in her stocking) and taken it into her room to eat on her pink bedspread.  There was chocolate ev.er.y.where! Her hands, her face, her hair, her bed, her doorknob... What a mess!  But I got an hour long nap on the couch, and all I had to do was wash her comforter and use half a container of wipes on her and her bedroom door, --so I'm calling it a win. Ha!

Giving... my grandpa a book that I saw on bookstagram and finding out he loves it. (Atlas Obscura) Isn't that just the best feeling ever, when you give a gift and it turns out they love it?!? I think that of all the wonderful things Christmas was this year, that was my highlight.  My grandma texted me this picture of Grandpa reading it in his easy chair, and it nearly brought tears to my eyes. I missed them so much this year, seeing this picture on Christmas day made me really happy.

Enduring... all the bottle flipping, all the time.  The boys are OBSESSED.  They watch videos on YouTube and are constantly trying to flip all.the.things.  So I had to make a rule of no bottle flipping in the house.  (After Jack tried flipping a ketchup bottle and Logan flipped the apple juice jug. sigh)  But if I can't find a kid, you can guarantee they are out back or in the garage, flipping bottles to their little hearts content.

Reorganizing... the bookshelf in my room so that all the books are in RAINBOW order!  I have seen other readers do this with their shelves, but have never tried it myself. First, I thought it would be much more difficult to do than it was, and then I wasn't sure how I would feel about it, because I normally organize them based on genre or author... but in the end, I am really happy with how it turned out. It was super easy to do, and I absolutely LOVE how it looks!
Up next are my shelves of "to reads" in the living room!

Watching... snow fall on Wednesday and again Friday.  Friday there was finally some accumulation and my kids were SO happy!!!  They went sledding and had a snowball fight.  Wyatt even tried to build a little snowman for Carly with a celery nose.

Loving... these lazy days after Christmas where there is nothing we have to do, and we just get to enjoy being home together.  Josh is working his tail off in the bathroom with his brother Samuel, but the kids are I are able to just lounge about, worrying about little more than some laundry & dishes.
Next week I will have to start thinking about un-decorating, New Year's Resolutions and all the cleaning that needs to be done, but for now, I am just enjoying the couch and some good books!

***