Around Here: Week 24 2023

 {June 11- June 17th}

Toddler Wyatt was obsessed with trucks

And stacking things.

He was the most delicious baby.

His tiny chin was (and still is) my favorite. 

Oh how he loved his mama. I don't think any of my kids loved me like he did. 

Carly and her good friend Kamden.
They've sat together all year. 

I always laugh when I pull out this Vodka because at Costco it did not look this big.
But at home it looks like it's the size of a toddler. 

Shadowing... Mr. Brown again for Field Day! What a (hot) fun sunny day! The kids seemed to have a blast and I felt lucky because I got to be at one of the water stations, which of course the kids loved. I loved it because I felt like I was really helpful to Mr. Brown. 

Sending... Carly to school on the last day with her new luggage as her backpack. When I went shopping for Jack's and my luggage for our trip, Carly was with me, and she fell in love with this rainbow suitcase ("I could use it for sleepovers!") so I bought it. (It was only $20) She begged to take it to school so I compromised and said she could on the last day. 

Clapping... so loud when Carly received an award at the End of Year assembly for being "Remarkably Respecful". I am so proud of this girl and how far she has come. In kindergarten she was so anxious, terrified of fire drills and any change to the schedule. Now she knows all the rules and is so much more confident. She's amazing. 

Feeling... so proud when Carly paused her episode to show me the Trans Berry character on Strawberry Shortcake. Carly has a cousin who is transgender and it made me so happy to see a character like that cousin on her show.  I love how it normalizes loving people for who they are and letting them be themselves. 

Grateful... Josh was able to replace the bearings in our dryer so it would stop making that awful squeaking sound that made us all want to move out. I'm telling you, that guy can do anything!

Loving... my watermelon nails for summer, courtesy of my sister. She always gives me the cutest nail sets. Thanks Roxanne!

Kicking off... hammock season by laying in it, reading my book in the sunshine. So lovely!

Another lovely thing... is only taking one class at a time. Holy cow it's so easy! Haha! 

Rewarding... Carly for completing her Xtra Math goals.  She filled in her entire chart with checks for doing Xtra Math (she's currently memorizing addition and subtraction facts) so she got to pick out a toy. She chose the kayaking Barbie, which I love since we're a kayaking family, and she also got a reward for learning how to tie her shoes, so she chose a camping Barbie, which I also love. She is so fun!

Celebrating... Wyatt's twelfth birthday with a new gaming chair, a new bike and some delicious cake & ice cream! How my sweet baby is 12 years old and onto his second year of middle school is beyond me. But I sure do love him. He is sensitive, sweet, funny and comfortable being exactly who he is. You make me so proud to be your mom, Wyatt Nathanial!

Watching... My Unorthodox Life, which is about a mom who left Orthodox Judaism (and her marriage) and is struggling to let her youngest son choose for himself what he wants. It's the not the same, but I struggle as well with what I should and shouldn't allow my kids to do when it comes to church. For the most part we've just avoided it. I would prefer they make decisions about religion and church when they are grown (and maybe out of my house) just because it is all so triggering for me. It's tough, that's for sure. 

I heard this quote this week: "The investment of that trust is the source of the pain of spiritual abuse" and dang if that didn't hit hard. Yes yes yes. 

Listening, as always... on Wednesdays to Dani Austin's new podcast episode of De-Influenced. I just love her!

Laughing... when Josh came in and told me that Jack taught Carly to ride her bike in about two lessons one afternoon. He spent weeks teaching Wyatt and it was agonizingly painful and Jack taught Carly in about twenty minutes. haha! My sister reminded me, though, that he taught one of her boys as well, so he must just have the magic touch. 

Spending... Saturday hanging with Carly again. We were out on the front porch, her riding her bike, and me reading, when the ice cream man came by. She bought herself an ice cream sandwich (for only $3 which felt a lot cheaper than the other ice cream man who sometimes comes by) and enjoyed it on the porch with me. It made me look forward even more to slow summer days. 

***

Interesting to zoom in and read that list if you
have experienced religious trauma. 

Hahah! So good!

Love this reminder for Papa Carl and Grandpa Jerry.

It can be so hard to enjoy the journey,
but it is so important.