Week 17 Around Here {2019}

{Carly's first self portrait}

{My guy & his dad}

{Grandma Carol & Carly May}

{He's always playing with her hair. Melts my heart.}

{Uncle Samuel & his biggest fan}

Celebrating... Easter by having Josh's parents and brother over for dinner.  Josh did all the cooking and I baked a carrot cake from scratch with my grandma Beverly's recipe.  Everything was super yummy and the company was really lovely.  The kids loved their easter baskets (the boys all got pens and locking journals- for privacy!) and Carly got a stuffed kitty & a game called Spot It Jr., plus some candy.
They did an easter egg hunt in the backyard, which Carly has replayed every single day since (hiding her own eggs and "finding" them again) which is adorable, and tiresome. Ha!

Baseballin'... four times this week.  The twins had games Saturday, Monday & Wednesday and Wyatt had games Tuesday & Wednesday, so we all got in a lot of game watching, and Wednesday Josh and I had to "divide & conquer"- him taking the twins to their game (he's their coach) and me taking Wyatt and Carly to Wyatt's game.

Watching... Wyatt's sunflower plants grow.  Last year he had one GIANT sunflower that we left all year (through the winter) and it seeded and started to grow baby sunflowers this spring.  So now the garden patch is FULL of little green plants that started as sunflower seeds and are now sprouting up, with the poppped open sunflower shells still sitting atop the plants like little hats. So cute!

Rushing... to school early Tuesday morning when they called me because Logan had gone to the office complaining of an aura (the feeling he has preceding a seizure).  I got there with Carly & Wyatt to check on him, and found that he had maybe already had a seizure (based on his description of symptoms).  So we walked back to his classroom together and I took some notes from a fellow classmate who'd been sitting at the back table with him.
Sure enough, the way his friend described Logan during those few moments leads me to believe Logan did, indeed, have a breakthrough seizure. (After five months seizure free) He came home with me for the rest of the day so I could keep an eye on him, and I put a call in to his neurologist.  She had warned us that with hormones and growing, we could see some breakthrough seizures because he was on the low end of the therapeutic dose.
She suggested we put him on 1,000mg of the Depakote at night and keep on 500mg in the morning.  So that is what we are now doing and thus far, he hasn't had any more seizures. (fingers crossed)

Seeing... my counselor for the first time since mid-February.  I had thought I had more scheduled at the time, but I didn't and by the time I got around to scheduling more, there weren't any openings until now.  I did okay without the visits for a little while, but then it got hard not seeing him every couple weeks.
We talked this week about my inability to see my worth and how I am allowed to have needs.  I think sometimes as a wife and mother, I believe I should be able to pour from an empty bucket.  Turns out, I can't.  Or at least not very well.  I have also noticed that I'm really hard on myself.  When I make a mistake, I say to myself in my mind (and sometimes even out loud) "Mom fail!" So my work this week is to let myself have needs, to allow myself to be human (no more labeling accidents as "mom fails") and to ask for help if and when I need it.

Forgetting... snacks for Wyatt's team on Wednesday, which was a huge test for me, as I had just recently seen my counselor and discussed my recent bout with perfectionism and how whenever I make a mistake I am super hard on myself.  So I took a deep  breath, apologized to the other moms and told them it had been a tough week, and accepted their kind words of understanding.  They assured me a sugary, after game snack was NOT a big deal and that no one was upset.
Normally I would have beat myself up the entire way home, maybe even the whole week about it, but I was determined to accept their easy forgiveness and offer myself grace, so I quickly moved on, telling myself I am "human" and that means making errors. #onesmallstep

Facing... an aggressive dad at the park when our boys all got in a scuffle with each other, as ten and twelve year old boys are wont to do, and he came over looking for us.  When Josh didn't discipline our boys passionately enough to his liking, he wanted to step in for him and things got tense, but Josh quietly stood his ground and the man eventually walked away.  But the whole rest of the evening he kept posturing, trying to get between me and my kids, staring us down... it was incredibly uncomfortable.  But in the end, it was a good lesson for my boys- to not fight with others at the playground; to run for help if others are fighting with you; and that as an adult, that father should have known better than trying to solve problems with yelling, swearing, and posturing.

Attending... a positive parent-teacher conference for Logan that made Josh and I so proud of him.  He has done a complete turn around during this third quarter, getting his name on the Self Manager list; moving himself when his fellow students distract him; and improving all his grades.  It was so great to watch him as his teacher listed off all the ways in which he has progressed.  He was positively beaming.

Reading... Rising Strong, Miracle Creek & The Midwife of Hope River.  I am so excited because The Midwife of Hope River is the first in a series of three, and I love it.  I am listening to it, and it has me doing all.the.chores so I can listen a little more. ;)

Watching... Season Seven of Call The Midwife on Netflix.  Gosh I love that show so much!  (Thanks for telling me the new season was on, mom!)

Losing... my flipping mind with all the bottle flipping Wyatt does. Lord help me.  The constant CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK is mind numbing. Ahhh!

Getting... a spacer put in for Logan & Jack at the orthodontist this week, and adjusting it nightly, to slowly spread out their upper jaw, spreading their teeth (and whole smile really) bit by bit.  It has taken some getting used to in terms of talking and eating, but they have handled it really well.  We also had to get Logan's wire replaced for the second and third time.  The third time was because he lost a tooth that had a bracket on it, and that caused the wire to become loose & start poking him in the back of the mouth at bedtime.  So Josh had to cut it out.  Thank goodness the hygienists at the orthodontists office are so dang patient with him!

Loving... the drive to Josh's parents land.  It's in the country and I always feel so relaxed on the drive out.

Inspired... by so many of the Instagram accounts I follow- Meredith Toering, Morgan Harper Nichols, Tiffany Gray, Laura Bentley, Laura Kelley, and Sherry Duerre.

Laughing... as Carly begged me to "go super fast like Blaze" on the way home from Grandma & Papa's land, and when I told her I couldn't, that if I did the police would get me she responded vehemently, "No they won't! You're a mom!"
Hah! I want to get that in writing!

Thankful... for friends who see me clearly, and love me dearly. I am so blessed by them.  They buoy me up, assure me I am not alone in this crazy adventure we call "motherhood", and encourage me to carry on when life gets hard.  Particularly my book club girls- meeting with them every month brings me such joy.

For a laugh:

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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!

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