around here: week 23 2021

 {May 30-June 5th}

{Me, my brother Dalton, and my sister Roxanne}
[just missing our little brother Dallas]

Beyond grateful... for my husband who did not hesitate when I asked if I could leave him all weekend (Thursday to Monday) to see my friends who were traveling from Florida and New York to see their mom. After originally saying yes to two nights, he ended up encouraging me to take four nights and include a visit to my grandparents at the coast. He is just the best man. 

I am also grateful that I came home to call the chores done (he even wrote them all out on the blackboard like I do every week) and the kids swimming in the pool. 

Waking up... Sunday at my grandparents house and hitting the road pretty quick.  I decided to break my drive up, and stay the night at a hotel in Vancouver, turning a 6+ hour road trip into a 4 hour one. 

Sitting... on the beach for a while before I headed back to town.  It was just what my soul needed after a whirlwind weekend. 

Perusing... Barnes & Noble (my favorite! I miss having a book store so much!), grabbing Subway for dinner in the hotel room, and swinging by Bed, Bath and Beyond.  

Spending... time reading, writing in my journal and watching Friends reruns in my hotel room.  I really enjoyed having a night to myself before heading back home Monday.

Joyfully... being reunited with my family.  I am so glad to be home with them, and so grateful for the unconditional love they show me.  They accept me exactly as I am, and I belong with them.  I came home from my weekend away with a renewed passion for my role here, and feeling that I am so vital to our life here. 

Welcoming... Pride Month in with a cute photo shoot of Carly in my favorite swimsuit of hers (she has a ridiculous amount of swimsuits) eating a rainbow lollipop from Aunt Julie & Aunt Erica. 

Visiting... Wenatchee for dinner with  my brother Dalton who was staying with my parents for a few nights.  It was so good to see him, and have him see all his nieces and nephews.  (My Carly was born on his birthday) 

Vaccinating... the twins with their COVID-19 vaccines and feeling grateful that they could get them.  Jack hates needles, so I was proud of how well he did. 

Planting... my dahlia tubers that had sprouted in the backyard along the fence, and putting up a little fence edging to try and keep Grady out of my flower beds. 

Smiling... when Logan put Smart water (my favorite) in the cart as we grocery shopped for me to have later.  I love when my kids do something thoughtful.

Swimming... after I got all hot & sweaty planting my dahlias.  Josh and Samuel were in there, and they said it was almost like bath water (so warm!) so I joined them, and I was so glad I did.  I never regret getting in the pool.  I love swimming.  I'm just a fish!

Craving... some down time after my trip away and a busy week visiting my brother, gardening and grocery shopping.  I am just exhausted! 

Watching... House of Cards with Josh.  I love when the kids are down and we have enough time to watch an episode or two.  It's fun to have a show we love, and to guess what they will be up to next. 

Taking... the kids back to Wenatchee this weekend (despite feeling like I would rather stay home with my butt on the couch) to attend The Apple Blossom Festival Carnival with my parents and sister's kids.  Gosh, we ended up having the best time! I even went on a few rides, and enjoyed an elephant ear. (My favorite! Yum!)

We made so many great memories, laughing together and being brave enough to go on certain rides.  It ended up being the easiest time I have ever experienced with our 8 combined kids, and it made me really feel the SWEET side of their bittersweet growing up.  
We never lost a kid or had a tantrum.  We were able to wait in lines, practice patience, and be kind to one another. It really was so lovely.  

Impressed... by my sister's cake making skills (yet again- *see Carly's birthday cupcakes) and loving the "campfire" theme she did for the twins.  She baked candies to make the candied flames and was so creative in every detail. 

Loving... my niece little Lulu.  She has the sweetest disposition and is so beautiful.  I can't wait to see who she becomes!

Thankful... for my friendship with Shana, that we have each other to give advice and listen, and that we make it a priority to spend time together every week.  Shana has really taught me how to be a better friend.  To have the hard conversations, to love each other well, and to make time for each other.  
Love her!

***

I love all these messages about loving our bodies 

and living our lives in them, 

not for them. 

***

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

***