6.23.2024

Around Here: Week 21 2024

 {May 19th-25th}
































Carly's scar over her eye is healing beautifully!
Soon I don't think we'll be able to see it at all!
Feeling... loved and seen when Josh called me outside to see a rainbow. I just love that he knows me so well that he knew I would want to abandon anything I was doing at the moment to rush outside and see a beautiful rainbow. I love you, Jubilee. 

Noticing... how when Carly's hair is in a messy bun, I feel like I get a glimpse of teenage Carly.  Gah. Time is a thief. 

Subbing... for my friend Mr. Z on Monday; my student teaching mentor Ms. Betes for a few hours on Wednesday and the whole day Thursday; and  a fellow kindergarten teacher Mrs. Francisco on Friday. I love being at work. It gets me out of the house and I love the kids so much! It just continues to be so sad to be at school, though, because we are all so frustrated about the financial situation in the district and the loss of these amazing teachers and many of our futures. It's confusing, to be sure. It felt especially sad this week as I had to turn in my keys and that had a desperate sense of finality to it. Sigh. 

Grateful... that Logan did such a nice job cleaning the microwave this weekend. Now the fridge and microwave are both sparkling clean! 

Noticing... as Jack did his hair in the mirror next to me that he is so much taller than me! So I asked Logan to snap a picture and gosh... I just can't believe this man-child is my sweet baby Jack Jack.

Facing... a day off on Tuesday which was hard. I ended up blogging and reading, trying to make the most of it, but it was sad to be home knowing that next year will likely be similar. 

Attending... Wyatt's final play off game, which after an undefeated season, they lost. Oh it was so sad. Kids were crying and so disappointed. Thankfully Wyatt had fully enjoyed the season with his dad and brothers coaching and wasn't devastated by the loss. I was proud of Josh's coaching and that he bought the boys pizza and cupcakes to celebrate. So thoughtful.  I was also super proud of the twins. They showed up at every practice, every game, giving their best attitudes and support, cheering on those little boys and being role models for them. It was incredible to witness as their mother. And finally, I am so proud of Wyatt. Our little Super guy, just giving his all, cheering on his teammates and running his heart out stealing bases... gosh, what a season!

Laughing... as Carly pulled out a tooth and asked me if the "You-fairy" (meaning she knows that I am the toothfairy) was going to remember to show up and leave her some money today. Bahaha! Then, of course, the "You-fairy" forgot, so she taped her tooth on the treasure box in her room, with a note that said, "I need money, please toothfairy." Hahah! 
Lucky girl woke up to $5.

Enjoying... a rainy day at home reading and it felt so nostalgic, like my days growing up in the Pacific Northwest. 

Dealing... with bad customer service while trying to get new parts for my CPAP. Unreturned phone calls, an argumentative worker in person... geez. I was so relieved to finally have my stupid nose pillow when it was all said and done. 

Snapping... a pic of Carly and her Birknestock twin, Mrs. Cox.  These two together are a hoot. They will yell, "Twinnnn!" down the hall to each other every morning at work. Then put their cute little sandaled feet next to each other. Love it!

Facing... Carly's sound sensitivity in the classroom and in life.  She has a life skills student who joins her classroom and when he's agitated he can get incredibly loud and Carly ends up wanting to leave the classroom, and I am not okay with that. The classroom should be her safe space.  In addition to human noises (crying and screaming especially) she is really triggered by alarms: cop cars, fire sirens or smoke alarms... the poor girl is so overwhelmed (to the point of tears) when the audio input is too much. Thankfully her classroom teacher is amazing and we are working on some measures to help Carly.  

Arriving... home to a haircut in progress. Jack's best friend Ainsley was cutting his hair and while I was glad since it's gotten so raggedy, I am also nervous because Jack wants to dye it and then put stars in it. 

Baking... cookies after school Friday and enjoying some cookies & a good book on the porch. Ahh, such a lovely way to start the weekend. 

Relishing... a weekend Readathon where I read as much as humanly possible and it was heavenly.  I listened to the end of The Bright Edge of the World (which I have read before and love! It takes place at Fort Vancouver, which is where I grew up, and there's also a trip to Alaska... so it's right up my alley) and I listened to First (a book club pick about Sandra Day O'Connor. It was informative but not super fun) as well.  I also read a few chapters of Field Notes for the Wilderness and read The Smell of Other People's Houses in full, front to back. Another book about Alaska and it was so good! Then I started Greenwood, which reminds me of Damnation Spring a little bit. 

Dyeing... Jack's hair blonde blonde for him. He looks so fresh and handsome and I'm so sad he's going to put a design in it. (That said, Josh and I agree that letting him do what he wants with his hair is an easy yes since it doesn't hurt anyone. So we're letting him do it, even though we don't love it.)

Loving... the Thanksgiving feast Carly set up for her American Girl dolls.  I want to attend that meal!

Suffering... facial spasms along my jawline from the stress of everything and trying to stay in the moment as they're occurring and not borrowing trouble imagining it's from a tumor or something. #healthanxiety

Spending... most of my Saturday reading and then also running to Walmart and making pizza and cookies for the kids. Summer is coming, and I cannot wait!


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On friendship ending:








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Around Here: Week 20 2024

 {May 12th-18th}





"I wish I could have you forever"... I can't even. She's too sweet for words. 


#1 She's talking about when she split her head open on the ax


I love that she's on a stool to be as tall as me.




Wyatt's art is so good!!! That honeycomb!

Teacher Carly
So too cute for words.



Carly keeping a "bad guy" from stealing her with corn cob holders. Bahaha!

Said corn cob holders.













Enjoying... being celebrated for Mother's Day. I felt so very loved.  Knowing that Carly is my last elementary baby, I am cherishing every handmade item... Time is just a thief and I can't believe that the boys are done making me collages or handmade cards with their classmates. 

Thankful... that Carly's eye looks amazing. (see this blog post to read about her accident) It's healing absolutely beautifully.

Subbing... this week on Monday & Tuesday for one of our kinder teachers that I hadn't subbed for yet this year, and oh-my-goodness, her class was challenging. I gave her mad props when she got back. She's amazing. Honestly, being in there was giving me BD (behavior disorder) flashbacks from the early 2000's when I worked in the SLC at Lincoln Elementary School. 
Also subbing... in third grade for a couple hours and loving those kids. They are all so sweet. And on Friday I got to go sub in my student teaching classroom and oh my goodness, it felt like coming home! I just adore those sweet little babes so much! They are such a fun group, so loving and silly! And the best part was that I got to do the jog-a-thon with them. So I walked with my little kinder besties, dancing along to the music and collecting confetti from the confetti cannons as we went. It was just so fun! 

Bringing... Carly to school to on my subbing mornings and loving how she has made an effort lately to wear cardigans and her "Cunningham" lanyard and a bag instead of a backpack so she looks like a teacher. She's just my little mini-me and I love her to pieces. 

Spotting... Carly in the hallway at school finishing up testing and feeling so proud of my little hard worker. 

Heartbroken... that our school districts' financial failings resulted in over 100 teachers being rifted (let go for next year).  For our elementary school that meant around 10 teachers were not given renewed contracts for the 2024-2025 school year. In addition to sadness for my friends and colleagues who are such good teachers, I am also sad for myself because this means that it's incredibly unlikely I will have a job next year. And having just graduated... this is a huge disappointment. 

Watching... Baby Reindeer, which was oddly charming and very entertaining, as well as The Asunta Case, which was wildly disturbing. 

Reading... The Secret Book of Flora Lea and listening to the Moon of the Leaves, which is about a small native village in Canada post-apocalypse.  

Relishing... my first day off work with no homework on Wednesday this week. I am so behind on life, but I made sure to make time to read on the porch and enjoy a show while eating Subway with a side of Crumbl cookie. It was so insanely lovely.

Attending... games for Wyatt and feeling so proud of that kid. He has really improved in every area. Batting, hitting, running... Way to go Wyatt. I just adore you and you're so amazing. 

Cracking up... at Carly. Okay, let me set this up for you: Carly is finally old enough to run off and play independently at her brother's baseball games.  But since she hasn't really done this before, I had a little chat with her about what to do if someone ever tries to steal her. I told her to scream super loud and fight. Unbeknownst to me, from that conversation forward, she brought corn cob holders with her to every game.  When Jack found them in her bag and asked why she had them, she performed this whole ninja move where she pulls the corn cob holders apart (they insert into each other so no sharp part is exposed when they're stored) and proceeded to attack her fake assailant. Oh my god, we were laughing so hard. This girl. She is so tough and unexpected. Then she drew a diagram of how she would react if she were being stolen.  The bad guy ends up yelling for his mom. Bahaha!

Melting... at a video my sister sent me of her daughter Sweet P singing. She's a year old, and her little baby voice singing a melody is just too much. I could just eat her up!

Listening... to Harrison Butker's speech and feeling incredibly triggered.  While I have been, for the last thirteen years, a very traditional wife, I don't want that to be the only option for women moving forward. If that is their calling, fantastic. It should be an option. But if it's not, I don't want them to think they are less worthy or valuable.  It was disgusting to me. 

Making... pizza and cookies on Saturday night and cleaning the fridge as it cooked. You know how gross the fridge must have been based on the fact that both my teenagers noticed I had cleaned it when they got home. Haha! That masters degree life had me putting a LOT on the back burner, and it feels so good to finally be taking care of my home again. 

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Motherhood Memories
34 weeks pregnant with the twins

June 6, 2008 :: Jack & Logan

Two weeks old :: Jack & Logan

Four months old :: Logan, Great Grandpa Jerry & Jack

Wyatt Nathanial :: June 15, 2011

I had worried so much that my heart couldn't love Wyatt like I loved the twins.
I was wrong. 

Last baby :: January 24, 2016

Carly May :: Such a dream

My sister and mom at her first birthday

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Josh sent me a video with Richard Dawkins in it, 
and it just really resonated with me. 


Bahahah! 

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