Around Here: Week 41

Twins are different: Exhibit A 

Feeling... more at home in our new hometown, but also looking forward to a trip "home" at the end of the month for my nephews' birthday party.  I can get around town without GPS (woot! woot!) and have a few friends I could call upon in an emergency. It feels great. Planning our trip home also feels great, knowing we'll get some much needed quality time with those we miss so much!

Petting... our new kitties!  I haven't captured a good shot of George yet as he mostly lives under beds. ;) But I'm hoping next week he'll have ventured out and warmed up to us.  Ramona, on the other hand, is uber friendly and playful.  The boys are all thrilled to have pets and I think once they settle in it will be really lovely for our family.

Preparing... to lead the next two book club books, My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman and Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver.  If you feel so inclined, please visit our The Inspired Readers' Book Club facebook page and join us! We'd love to have you!

Studying... the bible with bible study videos from Beth Moore.  I use this link to choose different studies and am feeling so inspired and comforted by her.

Laughing... alongside Carly as her brothers crack her up. I think I shared five videos of her laughing on Instagram & Facebook this week (#sorrynotsorry) she's just SO adorable!

Worrying... about Wyatt's cough. It's lasted about five weeks now and we went to the doctor this week, and he thinks Wyatt may have asthma. We're working on getting it under control with the nebulizer and some antibiotics in case it's not asthma.  I can't wait for him to feel 100% again.

Loving... Jack's newfound love of writing.  He's pumping out stories, working in the office at the desk like a grown up, and talking about being an author when he grows up.  It's melting this writer-mama's heart!

Attempting... to keep my anxiety at bay. It's manifesting these days (per usual) as health concerns and a rapid heart beat that makes me feel constantly afraid. I'm praying it's just cause #fourkids & stress and that with a little more sleep (and maybe some extra prayers) I'll be back to my old self.  My bigger worry is that it's a seasonal depression thing (with fall coming) coupled with the anniversary of my first miscarriage and that I'm going to spiral down a bit. Prayers & words of encouragement welcome.

Proud... of the twins and Wyatt adjusting so well to school.  They've been in school six(ish) weeks now and our routine feels totally normal.  I love their excitement for new friendships & learning.  I hope it lasts for always!

Struggling... to not compare Logan & Jack. Gosh, for identical twins, they sure are different.  Jack is a super organized student, whereas Logan struggles to stay organized.  Luckily they have found their niches in class and get along great with their teachers, so I have hope everything will turn out alright, even though going through Logan's binder makes me cringe.

Rearranging... the dining room to make it more functional.  I am loving the activity shelf we have in there and the new placement of Carly's high chair, which has it more out of the way than it was.  It's so nice to work in our house and make spaces more user friendly for our family.

Lounging... with an extra day off this weekend.  I think having today off was just what we all needed.  A day to breathe, to get caught up on things that sat undone all week, and to enjoy those new sweet kitties of ours.

Soaking up... all the advice our Mentor Moms gave at MOPS yesterday. Many of their ideas really rang true for me and I'm going to be implementing some changes per their advice.  Mostly the mentor moms encouraged me to look at this stage of my life differently, and it has me appreciating the little things, like Wyatt playing cars on his belly in the dining room.  Or Logan coming out of his bedroom in the mornings with his two favorite stuffed animals tucked under his arm.  Or Jack leaving "projects" (read: gallons of tape & markered cardboard) all over the house.  Too soon these days will be but a memory.  And I'll wish I was back here, with my four children gathered together under one roof.  So for now, I'm going to try & relish it.

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Soap Lake

I knew once we settled in the house that I'd immediately want to start exploring our new area.  Leaving Vancouver behind meant leaving not only loved ones, but also our beloved places.  And I want to find new favorites here in our new hometown.  One of the things on that list, which is growing everyday, was Soap Lake.

Soap lake is a mineral lake unlike any other in the world.  The minerals make the water super buoyant and leave you feeling oily when you get out.  Many people dig down into the water to find a thick, sulferous mud to rub on themselves, touting its medicinal powers.  We did not partake in the mud tradition, but the boys had fun swimming and playing around on the shores.  

Unfortunately the minerals make you more prone to sunburn post-swimming, and the water makes you more prone to rashes, as proven when Logan got home and showered.  Will we go back to Soap Lake? I think yes.  I loved how beautiful it was there, and how close it is to home.  But I didn't love the smell (think rotten eggs mixed with poo) or the way the water felt. 

Overall, though, it was a good day with great memories for us to put down in the books.

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