Showing posts with label four wheelers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label four wheelers. Show all posts

9.23.2019

Week 37 Around Here {2019}






















"Mornings" by Carly







Reading... Searching for Sylvie Lee on audio and finishing Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.  Searching for Sylvie Lee had me listening every minute I got the chance. It was really good.  Maybe You Should Talk to Someone was good (I loved all the psychology advice and the therapist's perspective #totaltherapynerd) but it wasn't a page turner like I thought it would be.  Just a 3 star book for me.

Shopping... for new furniture on Saturday while our mother-in-law (bless her!) had all four kids for us.  We found a new couch for the living room, a reading chair for my bedroom (swoon!), new mattresses for the boys' beds and a new bedroom set for Josh and myself.  It's white and looks like a sleigh... it's super dreamy!  I've never had a headboard and feel like a certified grown up now. Hah!

Anticipating... the next steps for my in-laws house.  It's been so exciting to watch as their house has been built from the ground up on the land they purchased nearly two years ago.

Hanging... curtains in all the windows finally.  It's really starting to feel homey and every room I walk in puts a huge smile on my face.  I am just feeling so blessed to be here.

Riding... the boys' four wheelers with them after a little shopping with just Jack on Sunday.  I have never even watched them ride their quads, let alone ridden with them.  (Because I know myself- and I knew that if I watched them ride I would never want to let them ride again. Hah!!!) But Jack convinced me to give it a try, and Grandma Carol let me borrow her cute pink helmet.
I think mostly I screamed, but it was REALLY fun!  Jack is the easiest to ride with cause he knew to slow down on the turns and always warned me before he went really fast.  Wyatt is a TOTAL daredevil, and I thought I might die while I was with him, or at the very least end up in the ER having to explain to some reasonable doctor why I thought it was a good idea to get behind the wheel while my 8 year old was driving. I couldn't get off that thing fast enough. Hahah! I would have never guessed that he was such a crazy driver!
Logan was DRUNK with power, knowing that I had no control while he was driving, so he kept going and going, taking me round and round at full blast, nearly tipping us over twice because he had trouble adjusting to my additional weight on the back.  It was an adventure, that's for sure.  These boys are keeping me young.

Weeding... the front yard with my sister while our crazy crew ran around in the house.  The front walk looks gorgeous now and I was so happy to be able to show her our new digs now that we're a little more settled.  (She had last seen it the day we were moving in.)  She brought some great housewarming gifts, too- new glasses and cutting boards- which was so sweet!

Receiving... two more amazing housewarming gifts this week as well.  One from my friend Shana- a set of new snapware for leftovers that is the cutest!  And the other is a set of 8 different colored Fiestaware plates, the medium size, which I have been wanting forever, from my mom.  Thanks ladies!!! You make a girl feel so loved!

Dealing... with a bully with one of my kids and really feeling that whole "Having a kid is like having your heart beat outside your body" quote.
So, so hard.
But we talked with the counselor and some teachers and I think the problem is solved.  At least I hope so.  The kid was name calling (regarding weight) and just really beating our kiddo down.  It was heartbreaking.  I am so grateful my son knew he could tell me and that together we could get it resolved after just a few weeks of it happening.

Getting... sick for the first time this season.  Yuck.  I didn't miss that this summer.  I am so snotty and my eye won't quit watering and I just want to sleep, sleep, sleep.  Logan and Wyatt got sick, too, but no one seems to have gotten it quite as bad as I did.  So this week required a lot of self care- naps, early bedtimes, good food and Netflix.

Shocked... that it's been four years since we found out Babyham #4 was a girl.  I still remember so clearly what life with all boys was like.  I still remember so clearly going into that ultrasound and telling her I wasn't finding out the sex, but if she could write it in an envelope for me to give my sister, that'd be great.  And I will ALWAYS remember the reveal and how my eyes instantly teared up when I saw the pink confetti floating down.  All my dreams of motherhood were coming true.
I had my boys, those three brothers, whom I loved fiercely, and now I would have my daughter, their sister.  A little one to soften our edges and slow down their growing up.  And she has done just that. 

Laughing... out loud when I read the answer to "Tell how you solved the problem" on Wyatt's math sheet.
"I'm smart" he wrote confidently.
I was dy.ing. when I showed Josh and he too busted up.  When Wyatt's big brothers saw they couldn't believe he had the audacity to write that and asked Wyatt what his teacher had said.  He said that she didn't say anything.  But we encouraged him to actually answer the question next time.  Even if his answer was funny.  And true.

Also laughing... when I found Carly's "phone" on Josh's wireless charger one morning after we had walked Wyatt to the bus stop.  When I asked her why it was there she said distractedly, "Oh, it's charging." Like, duh mom.

Discouraged... when I showed up for the twins' middle school open house (having left Josh and the two little kids at home for bedtime) only to be told that it was being run to mimic your child's school day, with bells signaling the end of each class, etc.  When I approached the principal and told her of my predicament (two students/one parent...) she laughed and said, "Just pick one, I guess" like it was no big deal.  Then Jack said, "Yeah, who's your favorite mom?"
There were at least two emails that went out about this, and a paper that went home as well, and none of them gave us an outline of the evening.  If the agenda had been made public, I would have shown up with Josh and we would have divided and conquered.  Instead I found myself trying to meet 14 teachers in 7 time slots and running all over their school like a chicken with my head cut off.  It was very frustrating.  And I know I'm not the only twin mom of sixth graders.  There are at least four of us.  And those are just the ones I know of. #twinmomprobs
On a less negative twin note- isn't it fascinating the size difference between my twins?!? Jack is SO much taller than Logan!  I find it really interesting.  Most identical twins only differ by two inches (at the MOST) in height.  These guys are closer to four inches apart.

Enjoying... my day-long break from Carly on Thursday.  She goes to spend the day with Grandma and I get a day to myself.  This week I unpacked more boxes, getting our room emptied and felt really pleased with the progress.

Searching... for an entry table for our new house, to hold our keys and stuff.  I'm looking for a half round table (like these).

Very happy... with how the twins' room turned out.  They are LOVING it, and despite it being a little cramped, it's actually super functional.  They are in there everyday after school using their desks to do homework.  I love it!
I'm also very happy with our new furniture, which was delivered Tuesday.  The couch is gorgeous (!) and the chair in my bedroom may just be my new happy place!

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6.30.2019

Week 26 Around Here {2019}





{pc: Aunt Roxanne}

























Having... my sister over along with her kids on Saturday.  It was a really fun day, and I was so glad to spend the day with her.  She even curled Carly's hair while she was here with my new wand from Ulta, and Carly looked so darn cute!
I enjoyed loving on my niece Romy & seeing all the kids snuggled up on the couch together watching a movie during movie night.  They're just so sweet together.

Trading... kids on Sunday with my sister.  She got Jack and I got Milo.  We met at the halfway point and swapped kids, then met again in the afternoon to trade back.  Logan & Wyatt had such a great time with Milo, and Jack loved being at Roxanne's sans his siblings.

Sending... Jack for a sleepover at Grandma's.  He was so excited to have some special time with her and Papa, and I think it was just what he needed.

Kayaking... with the kids and Josh while Jack was with grandma.  We had a great time on the water, but it was interesting to see how lost Logan was without Jack there to be his buddy on the water.  They drive each other nuts... but they also depend on each other for entertainment and companionship.

Celebrating... Wyatt's birthday with a pizza party.  We watched a Spiderman movie and enjoyed pizza, Koolaid, cake & ice cream.  Wyatt had a great time, and I think his friends enjoyed themselves, but the best story of the night is this: I had given Carly a little Koolaid before the party started.  Then about an hour later, the boys were all having pizza and I started pouring them cups of Koolaid.  Carly marched her little self right over to the table, jutted her cup toward me and said, "I need more alcohol, mom."
What?!? Somehow she mixed up the name "Koolaid" with the name "Alcohol", and wanted more.  Hahaha!  Then, later that week, we were at the grocery store and as we were cruising down the center aisle of the store, Carly pipes up, "Can we get more alcohol?"
She just can't seem to remember that it's called Koolaid.

Riding... with the kids to the school for a morning play time, and enjoying it so much.  Carly loved riding in the bike trailer, and I felt really good, too!

Spending... some time with my bestie on Thursday, and enjoying it so much.  We got lunch while we were together and had the chance to have so many uninterrupted conversations since we were kid-free (thanks to her mom and Josh).  It was lovely!

Playing... at home is going really well so far this summer, thanks to the boys' "Play List" (a list of all the things they can play when they have free time) and the consequence of weeding when they are naughty.  I had been so nervous for how it would go, but I am happy to report it is going just swimmingly.  They are having so much fun building forts and reading books and I am grateful for the permission my counselor gave me to give them more screen time if I need it to survive.  I always have that little card in my back pocket!

Reading... The Road Back to You (which is about the enneagram), Harry's Trees (which I talked about last week & am still working through) and Love You Hard.  When I finished Love You Hard I started The Prayer Box, which I am loving!  It's about a woman whose landlord passes away, and while cleaning out her house, she comes across a life's collection of prayer boxes.  Through these prayer boxes, she begins piecing together this woman's life story.  It's really good!

Taking... the twins on a bike ride, just the three of us, and having the best time together.  We raced and took turns leading the pack.  When we got home, we all felt great, and I was so glad I had said yes.

Storm watching... with the kids on Thursday night and loving how Carly got out her pretend camera to take pictures.  They loved the lightening and counting to see how far behind the thunder was.

Blogging... my heart out to get caught up on the few weeks I was behind.  I am so glad to be caught up!

Getting... away for a small group get together with the girls I started small group bible study with back in 7th grade.  For over 20 years these girls have been by my side through thick and thin, and it was so amazing to sneak in some time away with them.  We left our collective 13 children with our husbands and had some kid-free time in Seattle, going out to dinner, walking to see the sunset view and talking until 1:30 in the morning!  This time I got to meet Maggie's little girls, and her youngest is Carly's age and just a doll! I wanted to take her home! {swoon!}



{thanks to Tabitha's friends for sharing}

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