Around Here: Week 35 2023

 {August 27-September 2nd}

My first journal is full of gems like these. 
Also, how much do we love d'nealian?

It's official: Jack is taller than Josh

Attending... Back To School night at Carly's school.  It was so nice to meet her teacher and see her classroom.  Her school has two stories, and in second grade you move upstairs. So it feels like a big transition.

Organizing... our closet, which was the last thing to be sorted upstairs. It feels so good to be starting the school year with the entire upstairs organized. 

Reading... The Five Star Weekend and It Didn't Start With You.  Loving both. It Didn't Start With You is fascinating. It's about how trauma is passed down generation to generation. 

Happy... to have the twins home after they spent the last week house sitting for Grandma Carol, watching her chickens, duck, geese, cat and dog. They had fun, but I could tell they were happy to be back home, in their own beds, surrounded by family. Lots of naps and laying around after not having anyone make them go to bed for a week. Hah!

Loving... Carly's imagination. Currently: destination Hawaii

Sending... the twins and Carly off for the first day of school, all smiles.  

And sending... Wyatt off to school the next day while the twins were home. The funny delayed schedule for everyone makes the first week a little wonky, but also kind of nice because it gently deposits them in school after a summer of freedom.

And finally... sending all four of them to school for the first time on Friday. It was absolutely as lovely as I dreamed. (Moms, amiright?)

Doing... counseling, per usual, which I am always so grateful for.  Some of my favorite things she says include: That must be really hard; What's the goal in doing that?; and You're doing a great job. 

Taking... Logan and Jack to the eye doctor. Logan got contacts. Jack got glasses.  That afternoon Logan had the worst migraine of his life. Normally he throws up and then feels better, but not this time. This time it was a hemiplegic migraine where half his body went numb and he couldn't really get around. I felt awful for him.  

Chatting... with Kari & Kori and feeling so grateful for them. They just get me. We can talk after months of no communication, and we pick up right where we left off. 

Enjoying... banana popsicles which are mine and Carly's favorite. Do you have a random favorite summer treat?

Listening... to the Healing Her podcast. So good! I love Ashley (I follow her Instagram) and her story is so inspiring. 

Working... to finish my homework this week so I can take the weekend off since we're going to see Grandma. It will be my first time visiting the beach since my grandpa passed in January.  I'm nervous. 

Looking... at old journals. It's really mindblowing to me that I have so many. I am currently writing in my 109th journal. Carly was talking about it, and she said, "You're a really good journalist mom." Hahaha. Oh man I love her. 

Doing... my substitute training for bloodborne pathogens and other required trainings for the district. So boring, but necessary. 

Answering... Carly's question: "What does a brain look like?" and showing her.  I so often wish I could crawl inside my kids' minds and look around. Like, where did that question come from for her? 

Signing... Jack up for traffic safety. Dang it's expensive ($550!) but feeling super grateful my parents offered to pay. Thanks Nanny & Papa! Jack is already driving a ton. He's very confident and doesn't scare me for the most part. In Washington state you have to get 50 hours before you have your license. We are at around 500 minutes (10 hours) so we're on our way!

Road tripping... Saturay morning to the beach to see my grandma for the first time since my grandpa passed back in January. The trip was overall pretty smooth. It's so much easier to travel with the kids now than in the past. My parents took care of the dogs for us, so we just had the six humans and the least amount of luggage we've ever traveled with.

Seeing... grandma and her house, which felt honestly kind of empty without Grandpa.  I missed him so much.  His stories, his laugh, and his big hands reaching out for me or my kids as we walked past his easy chair. 

Dealing... with a very homesick Carly as we tried to go to sleep at Grandma's. This girl is a creature of habit and being away from home is really hard on her. Bless her little homebody heart. 

Indulging... Carly's dream of a YES day and doing whatever she wanted. We shopped at Walmart for her and Wyatt (they set a $30 spending limit on themselves) and we made yummy food and got to do lots of screens and stay up late. Lucky kids!

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Do you follow @laurakelleyart on IG?
She's so inspiring & strong.

Have you listened to Ashley's new podcast?
Healing Her is so good, raw and real.