Around Here: Week 47 2020

 {November 15-21}

Sweet memory of little Jack from his memory book

Deciding... what to do about Thanksgiving.  We were invited to join Josh's sister and parents... but we want to be smart and careful, which thankfully they all understand, and so we are leaning towards staying home and having Thanksgiving just the six of us. 

Deleting... my social media accounts (both Facebook and Instagram) from my phone. After watching The Social Dilemma and talking to my cousin about how she lives without Facebook, I was inspired to give it up. Josh joined me, and I am shocked at how I feel.  It was like someone said I could quit my job.  The idea of not having to keep up with everyone and everything feels like freedom. 

Grateful... that the twins have started helping make dinners.  This week Jack made enchiladas completely independently, and they were delicious. They are so confident and talented. I'm super proud of them and excited to work my way out of a job when it comes to cooking!

Attending... Wyatt's first quarter conference with his teacher and feeling crazy proud of him.  He is doing incredible.  He is the highest in his class, reading at a seventh grade + level and doing math far beyond fourth grade. It was nice to hear him praised for all the hard work he puts in every single day. 

Replacing... Logan's cast with a fresh one.  Bless our doctor who knew that two weeks was about how long we could stand having one cast. It was funky!! This time he got a red cast. 

Driving... Josh to his vasectomy appointment in Wenatchee, where they were running behind by over an hour.  Thankfully we both brought books to read.  The morning before his appointment, while we were waiting for his mom to come watch the kids (thanks, Carol!) I suddenly got really emotional about the fact that we were ending our baby making.  Luckily, I recognized this feeling, and was able to just let those emotions out.  I cried to Josh, hugging him, and telling him that I really enjoyed having babies with him, and that we made beautiful ones.  Then I called my sister and cried more to her.  I am ready to be done. I don't actually want any more kids- quarantine has shown me that four kids is  at times more than all I can handle. But when I was a little girl, all I wanted was to get married and have babies... and I can't believe that in just over twelve years, that time in my life is over.  It just required some feeling of feelings. 

Celebrating... my birthday Wednesday as Josh recovered from surgery up in our room.  Carly and I made my cake and I frosted it. After dinner I opened my present from Josh and was STUNNED by a brand new laptop. I had no idea he was doing that for me, and am BEYOND excited to be able to blog anywhere I want. I am so blessed!

Attending... book club on Thursday and being surprised by my sweet friends.  They all wore yellow to celebrate my birthday, and told me to go look on my porch.  There was a sash and flower headband, as well as a slice of cake (that was AH-MAZING) and a vase of sunflowers. I have the best friends, and I'm so grateful for them. I also got to see Crystal's baby girl (she had five boys first!) and she was so delicious and smiley!!

Trying... all my new mascara's and loving them! I ordered a super fun mascara gift box (it was on sale from Target for $14.99) that had five different kinds of mascara in it. (Full size!)  So each day I tried a different one. I took pictures of some to share with my sister. I think my favorite is the Honest brand, which came with primer and makes my lashes look amazing!

Taking... Wyatt to meet my mom so he could spend the night at her house and have special time. He had so much fun with Milo and my parents, and I was happy for him to have something special to look forward to.  

Reading... Troubles in Paradise (the third in the trilogy by Elin Hilderbrand) and loving the little bit it had about the Quinn family (from her Winter Street series). I also listened to All Boys Aren't Blue on audio.  It was a shocking book in parts, but so good.  I also found myself still thinking about A Woman is No Man.  What a great read that was! 

Sharing... my October Book Journal reading wrap up.  I didn't read as much in October as I would have liked, but so far, November is going much better!

Watching... Schitt's Creek on Netflix and and This Is Us on Hulu.

 

Finally... deciding how I want to organize the kids' school memorabilia. I got the idea from Instagram a few weeks ago, and ordered the stuff from Walmart. It's a simple system, just boxes with hanging folders, one for each grade and one for birth to 5. I ordered colored folders and separated them so that Logan has green, Jack has blue, Wyatt has orange and Carly has red. It makes it easy to tell whose is whose from afar. I spent Saturday sorting through the kids' stuff and organizing it into grades.  I am so happy with myself. I have wanted to come up with something like this since 2016. So it feels like a real big accomplishment! Plus it was super fun to look through all their stuff.  (I will admit here, though, that the twins and Wyatt have much more extensive infant and toddler memory books than Carly. I mostly blogged about her milestones, not so much got written in her book.)

Finding... my girl name list from my pregnancy with Carly and loving so many of the names still.  Feel free to steal them and use them! (I'm looking at you, Tabitha! ...I'm rooting for a girl this time!)

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