Around Here: Week 48 2021

 {November 21-27th}

{I finally hung my new Lore Pemberton print from my birthday!}

Thankful... that my parents decided to take Molly and give her a try at their house. I am really hoping it works out because she is a really fun cat, but we just can't have her here eating our clothes any more!  My kids are especially grateful for the opportunity to see her whenever we visit them. 

Watching... the 20/20 episode "Escape from a House of Horror" about a family of 13 children who were held captive and abused by their parents for years. (On Hulu) It was so good, and inspiring. It made me really grateful for my freedom. 

Organizing... the house in preparation for hosting Thanksgiving with 22 people! We'll be having Josh's parents, two of his sisters & their families, his brother and his girlfriend, his nephew and his girlfriend, plus my parents and our own family.  Everyone brought tables and chairs and food, and I also did my baking ahead of time (pies and Special K bars) and on Thanksgiving day I was so grateful I did. Josh tends to do most of the Thanksgiving day cooking, which is such a blessing. He did the turkey, the potatoes, the stuffing and the gravy. I am one lucky girl!

Contemplating... a statistic I read recently about parenting and technology.  According to PEW 2021 research, 66% of parents say parenting is harder than it was 20 years ago with technology being the main factor.  I agree with this completely, and often feel I am making up the rules as I go.  Currently our twins have phones and our little two have tablets.  The boys' phones charge in our bedroom at night.  And they don't have social media yet. They're begging at the moment for SnapChat and right now I'm on the fence about it. I don't have it myself and I don't think I understand it. So if any of you have it, I'd love to hear your thoughts on my 13 year old boys getting it. They claim that that's how everyone texts nowadays.  I am so old. hah!

Loving... our cozy pets.  I snap so many pictures every week that I don't share here.  They just squeeze my heart!!

Enjoying... Carly and Wyatt suddenly playing Minecraft together.  They are just so darn cute, and Carly wants to be able to do everything Wyatt can do. 

Ordering... matching family jammies for all of us on Amazon. (*see below)  We have never had matching pajamas and I'm so excited about it! (I even got a dress for Carly's American Girl doll that matches hers!) 

Arranging... playdates for cousins, swapping Logan & Wyatt for Ferris & Romy.  Jack & Ferris had so much fun, and Carly & Romy were just adorable playing together. I am so proud of how far those two have come and can't wait to see their friendship continue to grow as they grow up side by side. 

Laughing... at the art Carly brought home so proudly from school.  My sister entitled it, "You Know You Have Three Brothers When..." (*see below) and Jack asked hopefully if they were gourds.  Haha! Carly knocked the suspense by telling us, "They're Christmas ornaments with hooks for the tree!" like it was so obvious.

Smiling... when I saw the set up Carly had in her Barbie house of the mama and her daughter, reading books before bedtime. It's my turn to put her to bed now (Josh is reading Harry Potter to the boys since I finished my book with them) and I can tell it means as much to her as it does to me. It's good to take turns, but I'm always happy when it's my turn with whoever I haven't been spending bedtime with for a while. 

Hosting... Thanksgiving and crying as everyone went around and shared what they were thankful for this year.  It was the most special Thanksgiving I can remember and one I am especially grateful for.  (Hence, no pictures of the day. I was just living in the moment, and I'm so glad.)
I did snap a few of Carly's outfit before anyone arrived, and one of her holding the teeny, tiny, oh-so-adorable sparkling cider I found at the gas station that was just her size.  Why do such silly things bring me joy?! 

Talking... about church with some of Josh's sisters after Thanksgiving dinner and feeling so much less alone hearing some of their stories. 

Starting... You Are Your Own after our church/God discussions on Thanksgiving, and HOLY MOLY... if you have left your church or been hurt by your church (especially if you were raised during the Purity Movement) I cannot recommend this book enough. I underlined something on every single page, and have started writing about my own experience with leaving religion (back in 2001) and the repercussions that the Purity movement have had on me. 

Watching... the kids and their cousins make gingerbread houses with Grandma on Friday.  Gustav made a snowball fight; Jack made "art" and the other kiddos made more traditional gingerbread houses. 

Sending... Carly off on her first Daddy/Daughter date.  She had said a few weeks ago she wanted to go on a Daddy/Daughter date and when Josh found out some of his students were in a local production of the Nutcracker, he decided to buy tickets for him and Carly.  So we got her all dolled up (I even curled her hair, which she LOVED) and she and Josh went to see the play, and followed up with ice cream at Dairy Queen. So sweet. I am so thankful for the dad that he is to her. She is one lucky (and loved) little girl. 

Painting... with Wyatt when I got a few hours alone with him.  Josh had the other kids out at the land, and we took advantage of the quiet house.  During that time Jack, Logan and the cousins played hide and seek out on the land, and Jack woke up Saturday with an itchy rash all over his hands, poor kid!  Meanwhile Wyatt and I painted to our little heart's content and then watched a movie.  One on one time like that with only one kid at home is so precious!

Eating... leftovers from Thanksgiving everyday, and pumpkin pie with coffee every morning. Oh so yummy! 

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{Carly's Christmas art: rainbow ornaments}

Good reminder

I got the boys all matching (just different sizes of the same pant)
I got a long john pj set, and Carly got a nightgown with a matching one for her doll!

Looked up my name for fun. I'll take giggly, weird and bubbly everyday!

I was working with Logan on homework 

when Josh sent me this picture. haha! 

I was cracking up because homework is not my favorite. 

(Especially after 2020)

I came across this picture of the twins while scrolling the blog.
It made me think of a few things:

1) I am a badass.  I made them, and kept them alive. 

Sometimes that was really hard.

2) This picture is what comes to mind when people say to me, 

"I always wished I'd had twins." 

It's just so much harder than people think. 

3) The regrowth of my hair after postpartum hair loss was EPIC.

Wow.

4) And lastly: Dang, they were identical. 

Can you tell who's who?

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Around Here: Week 47 2021

 {November 14-20th}

Applying... to be a substitute teacher in our district.  We are in need of more subs, and after signing Jack up for the Athens, Rome & Greek Isles trip next summer, I wanted to help make the monthly payments.  I am nervous (super nervous) both to work again, and to be in charge of a classroom of children, but everyone assures me I will do great.  

Listening... to The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast and being riveted by the story.  I identified with so much of the story that was told in terms of power hungry men, and the lack of accountability for leaders.  It helped me to see the sexist environment I was raised in.  After listening to all the episodes, I found this article by Rick Pidcock, and he shared how the church sees those who left, and how truly wrong they are. He says this, "We're not lost.  We're here. We finally see the hierarchy of your power games. And we're done with it. We've kissed it goodbye."  He goes on to say, "We'll never unfeel what we've felt. We'll never unsee what we've seen.  And because of that, we're free to open ourselves... with a complexity, depth and union that we never had in your hierarchy."

Deciding... we have to rehome Molly.  She ate the neck of my favorite dress this week as it was on the drying rack downstairs and I am just done. I am admitting defeat. I can't keep the kids' bedroom doors shut, shoes put away, socks hidden and sweatshirts hung up, and I also can't afford to lose any more clothes to this weird habit of hers. So I put a post on Facebook and Instagram requesting that anyone who thinks they could handle her to give it a go. (fingers crossed)

Watching... Logan shoot up past me, taller than me quite suddenly.  Jack has been taller than me (and is moreso every week it seems) for a while now, but Logan's growth has been a little more slow and steady. He is thrilled to be taller than me, but I have to admit that most times he or Jack enter the room, it takes me a minute to tell my brain that it's them, and not their dad. 

Giving... myself a shot for the first time in my life. After nearly two months waiting for prior authorization, my insurance finally approved my prescription for Ajovy.  In September I had 13 migraines, and in October I had 11, so I am praying that this injection will at least cut my number of migraines in half. (fingers crossed)

Drinking... coffee again after a long hiatus.  There's just something about a warm, creamy cup of coffee (ahem, mostly creamer) during the cold winter months that can't be beat.  So while I had given up coffee for some time, I have taken it back up again.  I'm only drinking instant, so the caffeine amount is low, and thus far it hasn't resulted in any panic attacks. 

Setting up... little trees in Carly and Wyatt's rooms after we spotted some (plus decor) that was really cheap.  The trees and ornaments for the kiddos was only $20 each, and they're so joyful to behold. Wyatt's is a real tree that was only $9.99 at Walmart and Carly's is a shimmery purple fake tree that was also less than $10. And hers even came pre-lit!

Loving... the sky lately. Gosh I really feel close to God, the world, my purpose, when I take a moment and notice the sky at sunrise or sunset. 

Wondering... what your favorite mantras are as I am compiling a list of mine that I want to put on flash cards to rotate through. A few so far:
I can do hard things.
I am brave.
I can trust my intuition.
I can trust myself. 
I can make good decisions.
I am enough as I am.
Everyone makes mistakes.
I am allowed to have needs.
Whatever happens I can face it.
I am my own. (My body is mine)
I am beloved.
I am worthy of love and acceptance.
I am normal. 
I love my body.

For when I am having anxiety:
I can't stay here forever.
That's not my problem. 
Horses not zebras.

Joining... Mine to Tell  to write on Tuesday and wanting it for all my writing friends. If you're interested we would love to have you join us. It's lead by two of the gentlest, smartest, most encouraging women (Ashmae & Kathy) and we meet once a week to write, plus you get access to their library of writing courses and author interviews. Let me know if you have any questions. I am SO glad I signed myself up for Mother's Day. 

Attending... four parent/teacher conferences on the same day.  We had half days Tuesday through Friday this week, and being the genius I am I scheduled all of my kids' conferences for Tuesday afternoon so we could spend the rest of break enjoying the early days off. First up was Carly, and I cannot say enough good words about her amazing kindergarten teacher.  She literally cried while trying to read a piece about what a joy Carly is to have in class, and I am so incredibly grateful to know my girl is in a place where she is so cherished.  Carly has learned more than I ever thought possible in two and a half months, and her teacher is setting a foundation for Carly's learning that will forever give her an advantage.  Gah. So lucky.  Then we went to Wyatt's conference, where his teacher attended the conference with an empty folder (literally empty). She said she had nothing to discuss about Wyatt, no concerns.  He is an amazing kid, a wonderful addition to the classroom and when he is absent the whole environment feels different. I am so proud of him and so thankful (again) for a teacher who values what he brings to the class. Afterwards I took the little kids to the Book Fair and they each got to choose a book and a trinket, and I stocked up on some books for our Christmas Eve tradition. 
Once we all got home, I scarfed lunch down, and had my online Zoom with all of Jack's teachers.  They said he was a pleasure to have in class, respectful and a good kid.  But they also said he is quite chatty and could totally be getting all A's.  He has the ability.
Next up was Logan's Zoom meeting and his teachers said he is always on time, respectable and a good student. He does what he is asked, but he doesn't always ask questions he has. So we're hoping he will work on that. But I was so blown away by how positively the twins are received by their teachers. I am such a proud mom. 

Enjoying... rainbow bookshelves, and loving how much Carly enjoys drawing rainbows and coloring everything red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.  She's my favorite. 

Feeling... all the feels and having all the heart eyes for my husband who hung Christmas lights for my birthday. Thanks, babe. 

Making... sentences with Carly using her heart word (memory words) flashcards.  The joy on her little face when she reads the words is beyond precious.  I love watching her learn. 

Prepping... tubers for winter storage. And dang if it isn't a lot of work.  Good thing I love the dahlias so much!

Loving... on George. He is just the sweetest, most easy going cat. Especially right now compared to Molly who is the bane of my existence. 

Celebrating... my birthday with a homemade cake, lots of love on social media and roses from Josh.  My day was exactly what I had hoped.

Sending... Carly to school on three different days wearing brown, thinking it was brown day. Haha! I think I finally got it right the day before Thanksgiving. I'm not sure what was happening. 

Hosting... all the friends for the boys this week.  Wyatt had a friend over and the twins had their twin friends over.  We even let Logan and Jack have their first sleepover. They rearranged all the furniture to create the most epic gaming table. I don't think anyone slept more than a few hours, but oh they had fun!! So happy to be helping my kids make these memories with friends. 

And finally, heading... to Wenatchee for a family celebration of my birthday.  My mom and sister are the best party planners.  They let me be as involved as I want to be, and if I don't want to make decisions (about my own birthday or my kids) they will just run the whole show.  It's their magic talent.  This year I suggested maybe doing some art or Christmas decorations, and my sister took that idea and ran with it.  There were wooden rounds that we painted for ornaments, glass balls we filled with paints and shook to create the most beautiful bulbs for the tree, as well as two sizes of blank canvas that we could paint on. It was a crafting feast and I had so much fun!!! 
In addition to an awesome activity, my mom ordered a sub sandwich platter which was delicious (!) and she made homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (all from a recipe her mom used) and it was so amazing. 
They had decorated with pictures from my childhood, including me riding an elephant, which my kids thought was amazing, and me with all the dolls I recently unveiled for Carly to play with. (My American Girl dolls, as well as my OG Cabbage Patch doll, Mary Rose.) 
My niece Romy painted pictures for me, (Funny story- my sister's sons knew that my name wasn't just  Shelly.  That I had a "real" name and Shelly was only the nickname. Ferris was asking Roxanne about it and he goes, "What's Aunt Shelly's real name again? Shelda?" And it stuck. So now whenever they can, they call me Shelda and we all have a good laugh.) And my mom made an elephant Lite Brite picture that I immediately noticed and loved. 
I love elephants. They're my favorite animal. I have loved them ever since (when I was in Alaska) my mom and I both read Leaving Time (and the eBook Novella called Larger Than Life) and were so impacted by the story of mothers and daughters and how those same relationships play out in the lives of the elephants. 
I was spoiled by gifts (a puzzle, yoga pants, socks, real grown up perfume, and even my own OPI nail polish Advent calendar... the list goes on...); the grandkids all got to open their advent calendars and were spoiled with cousin time; and I left feeling so full, so loved and so grateful for this family of mine, and this life I lead.
When I blew out my candles, as has been the case for the last few years, I simply wished for, "More." More of this, more of them, more of us. Cause it's all so good. So very good. 

***

Laughing... at Carly pranking our family by swapping out the real Lawry's seasons salt and the McCormick's cinnamon with Wyatt's mini brands collection.  She thought she was so clever when she asked Josh to reach the cinnamon and he couldn't find it.  

See the tiny Lawry's?
And the tiny cinnamon on the top right shelf?

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