100 small things update 1 {2025}

 Quarter One Update

2. Try Jazzercise

I love it! I tried it and was instantly hooked. I now go religiously twice a week, every week.

5. Quit Amazon

This was prompted by our desire to protest the way things are going in our country. As an added benefit, it has saved us so much money! Honestly, the hardest part has been finding new places for my Subscribe & Save items to be shipped from. But even that just took a little bit of research. I got razors for Josh and the boys directly from Harry's. I ordered dog and cat food from Petco. And my face lotion (I use E.l.f. brand) I just order directly from their website as well. 

6. Get a professional haircut

I chopped all my hair off on Friday (it was halfway down my back) and I'm super happy with it.It's now at chin length. It feels so fresh!

10. Deep clean the boys' bathroom

I got an itch one day to clean their shower and bathroom and I scrubbed to my hearts' content, let me tell you! It was incredibly gross, but also incredibly satisfying. 

16. Start dahlias as early as April

Over spring break Josh and I started my dahlias in the backyard. We even had extra, which I started in pots and will replant somewhere in the front or side yard.

22. Hang kitchen curtain

The kitchen curtains came down earlier in the year to be washed, and I never got them back up. Thankfully Josh is super handy and he got them up after I washed and ironed them. 

24. Sign Wyatt up for baseball

Much to our surprise, Wyatt decided not to play baseball this year. After playing for the last eight years, he's done. It makes me really grateful that we enjoyed last year (with Josh and the twins coaching) so much. 

25. Drop ADHD paperwork off for Wyatt

After getting his diagnosis, his medication, and his 504 set up, dropping this paperwork was the final step. It felt really good to get it done.

27. Schedule Logan's 504 meeting

We were able to meet at the high school for Logan's 504 and asked for only two accommodations- late work exceptions, and the replacement of any work he loses. 

28. Spend Knix $

A while back, I returned a Knix bra that wasn't the right fit. In return, I got a gift card. I spent the money on a second wire-free bra that feels like butter. 

29. Contact Lume re: broken bottle

I ordered three antiperspirant bottles from Lume, and one arrived broken. With a little back & forth with the customer service, they sent me a replacement. Yay! 

34. Register Wyatt for camp

Last year Wyatt went to camp with his cousins for a week. This year he wants to go again, which makes me so excited! It's a screen free week (no phones, no tablets, etc.) and he can't wait to play more games with his cabin mates. 

37. Thank teacher at the high school

The twins have a very special teacher who has really been there for them this year. I bought her a Crumbl cookie and wrote her a note. I am so grateful for teachers (and humans) like her, who create a village of people for my children to lean on when they're outside the home.

38. Update Book Buddy

In an effort to work my way through my To Be Read shelf and be successful at my book buying ban this year, I wanted all the books I own but haven't read yet to be in my Book Buddy app. So I sorted through the shelf, ensuring each book was scanned into the app.

41. Empty & organize book cart

Next to the desk in my bedroom, I have a book cart that hasn't been organized or sorted through after graduation from my masters program back in May of 2024. It was a satisfying job and now I only have things I need on it. Feels so good!

52. Get out my big camera

There was a time when I took my big camera everywhere. But as iphones' quality improved, I found myself using my real camera less often. But I have to admit that I miss it. There's something about carefully capturing a picture instead of just snapping 100 pics on my phone that just can't be replaced. 

55. Buy new running shoes

When I started Jazzercise, the pain in my feet was incredible. I knew that was my sign to buy some new tennis shoes. I got a pair of Pumas that feel like clouds!

61. Learn two guitar chords

Thanks to Carly's guitar lessons, I now know how to play A and E. Woohoo!

70. Family hang out with Nathan & Dunnette

Josh's cousin Nathan ended up getting a job in South Dakota. So our hang out was actually a farewell party at Chico's Pizza. We will miss them and their kiddos so much!

75. Create a laundry schedule

With six people (five of whom wear adult-size clothing) living in our house with an old and sad washer & dryer in the laundry room, getting laundry done each week has been quite stressful. Creating a laundy schedule has helped because now I don't have to guess who needs laundry done, or wake up to Carly telling me she doesn't have any more clean underwear. The schedule ensures everyone gets a turn with the washer and has enough clean undies to last the week!

87. Sort art supplies

When my sister was here weekend before last, I jumped into the second pantry reorganization project that I had been putting off.  It took far less than I would have imagined, and every time I open that door, I am thrilled at how organized it is!

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Around Here: Week 8 2025

 {February 16-22nd}

Art by Daphne {swoon}

Close up of Jupiter. What art!

I made a teacup for Carly

Carly's pottery

When mom says brush your teeth,
but reading is life.

Wyatt's pottery.

My pottery! I made that cute little jewelry holding leaf.

Excited... to get dressed everyday because of shopping and organizing my closet. It's the best feeling!

Receiving... the new key chains I ordered on Etsy. Not using Amazon has been so much easier than I thought it would be! It just requires a little creativity. Etsy was the perfect place to get a new keychain for my mailbox key that can come off the keys, and the perfect place to get a super cute keychain since my old one broke.

Watching... Gabby Petito (so heartbreaking) and Love is Blind and Virgin River and The Crown. Josh and I were dying, mortified and laughing, over Tampongate. (If you follow the royal family and are curious, search up Tampongate and Prince Charles for a full rundown. {shudder})

Loving... the Milwaukie skinny permanent markers Josh bought me at Home Depot. They work so good, honestly better than Sharpie's even.

Celebrating... Valentine's Day three days late, on Monday, when the kids went back to school after their Snow Day Friday. Carly was delighted to celebrate, and even more excited that her friend, who had been gone for a dance competition Friday, was able to celebrate with the class on Monday. 

Delighted... by the facial that Cadence gave me! She is currently part of the esthetician program through the high school, so my facial was only $30, but it felt so good!!

Running... a million errands on Monday trying to get things off my to-do list. I went to the bank and dropped off paperwork at Wyatt's school.

Happy... for Wyatt that he beat Mario Brothers on the original Nintendo (like the first one... the one we all had as kids) after years of playing. 

Meeting... with a behavioral specialist at our clinic to talk about the potential of Carly having ADHD. We answered lots of fun questions during a game we played, and Carly told us that Logan is the definition of cool during this game. Hah- so cute! 

Waking... up coughing every single night and having to go downstairs to make tea to soothe my throat. 

Shocked... when Carly came in with my old American Girl doll, Molly, and her leg in her other hand. Haha! Her leg fell off! I promptly started to research how to get her fixed at the "Doll Hospital" AG company runs. While we're at it, we're going to have them fix up her hair as it's been tortured 30 years and needs refreshing.

Letting... Carly try making Jiffy muffins all by herself and scooping them into muffin cups as well. She' did so fantastic! 

Filling... a cavity with some dental work and deciding after the appointment that I will not go to that dentist's office any more. They are always overbooked and busy, and today I could feel him rushing through my tooth repair. It didn't feel good. 

Dealing... with anxiety and depression in my teens and struggling with the fact that I can't do more to fix it. Sigh. 

Needing... to laugh. Between the stress of parenting and politics I knew I needed to blow off more steam, so I turned on the SNL Anniversary show, and oh my goodness did it deliver!

Focusing... thanks to my sister, on "Observing, not absorbing". It is so much easier said than done, but I have to try because absorbing the emotions and frustrations of everyone around me is depleting me. 

Subbing... for the first time (ever!) in fifth grade, and with my new substitute teaching plan, it went fabulously! We even got to go to an assembly put on by The Reptile Lady, which was so entertaining and fun!

Going... to see The Reptile Lady again that evening. Josh, Carly, Wyatt and I enjoyed seeing, holding and petting so many critters that night! The Reptile Lady made me want both an iguana and a bearded dragon, neither of which I have ever wanted. But they snuggled so sweetly with her, I was like, "I want one of those!" Haha!

Discussing... letting our kids grow up with my counselor. After seeing the Reptile Lady, I was telling Wyatt that it was bizarre to me that in a few short years, our family will just be the four of us (me & Josh, and Wyatt & Carly). Wyatt goes, "I don't want to talk about it!" and then shared with me that when he thinks about the twins moving out he gets really sad. "It'll be too quiet," he said. 
I think I'm in shock that they only have 16 months left under our roof for sure. I mean, they may stay longer, but that's all we have guaranteed. That's wild to me. 
My counselor's suggestion for surviving the heartache of my kids growing up (and someday moving out) is to stay in today and consider what I want to do with the time I have left. My answer for that, for what I want to do with the time I have left, is to enjoy them.  To hang out on the couch after school and laugh with them and their dad. To sit at the kitchen table, eating a meal we've had a hundred times, and ask about their day. To tuck them into bed at night, scratching their backs and ruffling their hair, as I have for thousands of days. More; I just want more. More of this mundane, beautiful life I have enjoyed with them the last sixteen years. 

"Nestled between my husband and sons, who are unfailingly funny and vocal in their opinions, I'm reminded yet again that the things we do together don't have to be particularly meaningful or exalted to be special. In fact, the times I treasure most these days are the unremarkable moments when we simply happen to find ourselves with arm's reach of one another." 

-Katrina Kenison
(The Gift of an Ordinary Day)

Proud... of Jack for going with his Graphic Arts teacher around to all the middle schools to talk about the classes she offers and what they should sign up for freshmen year. He had the best time, and the coolest part was that Wyatt got to see Jack at his school and hang out with Mrs. Robertson, whom Jack & Logan talk about all the time and adore. 

Sending... a Crumbl cookie and thank you card with Jack to give to Mrs. Rob to thank her for being a safe place for my boys to go while they are at school. Words cannot express how grateful I am for her. 

Losing... my voice by Friday and texting to catch up with my sister since I couldn't talk. 

Doing... Carly's nails, hair and makeup before school Friday. It was so fun to spoil her and get her all gussied up. 

Watching... the newest Love Is Blind episodes and loving love. 

Keeping... track personally of banned book and encouraging people to read them. Reading is one of the ways we can resist, and learn more about other people to increase our empathy and belief in their rights. 

"For it seems to me that suffering knows
 no class, or rank, gender, or age
& we, each of us, brave our own darkness."
-Eowyn Ivey

Finishing... Black Bear, Blue Sky, and feeling disappointed by the ending. It was a good read, but it doesn't even compare with The Snow Child or To The Bright Edge of the World in my opinion.

Sending... Jack & Wyatt to Wenatchee for the weekend to spend time with their cousins. Logan was still grounded for grades, so he couldn't go. So Logan went with Josh to the land for the day Saturday, and came home early to game with a ride from his cousin Ethan. 

Grateful... Carly has a neighbor friend to play with and thankful they play so well together. 

Hearing... a door open and close around midnight on Saturday and telling Josh, who thought it was the front door, that I thought it was the pantry. Josh, confident it was the front door, ran down the stairs as I pulled up our camera app on my phone to see if anyone was out there. Sure enough, Josh was right, and Logan had left the house, run across the porch, through the grass, and out to someone's car in the street.

To be continued...

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