Around Here: Week 21 2025

 {May 18th - May 24th, 2025}

{How cool is this tattoo that Logan wants someday?}

Cleaning... house on Sunday. I just love the feeling of a nice reset before we start another week. 

Driving... the boys to the land after they finished their chores so they could hang out for a bit.

Loving... the way that Carly likes to dress up as a teacher. This week she did her nails and wore a lanyard and sweater to look just like a teacher. She's also started doing her own hair occasionally, and it's so precious. She likes to put it in a messy bun and I love it. 

Sending... Wyatt to school this week prepared for SBA (state) testing in math. Carly also had math testing this week (iReady). She didn't do quite as well as she did in iReady reading, but she still did phenomenally. 

Reading... Three Women and The FibroManual and Everything is Tuberculosis. I love John Green and this book of his is so scientific, but still so readable. He has a talent.

Renewing... my library card with Carly and picking up some picture books as well as two chapter books for myself. She got mostly dinosaur books. They're her current obsession.

Subbing... for our Resource teacher for the week and enjoying my time in her classroom.  Unfortunately I ended up getting sick and had to call in on both Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday I had a terrible migraine and missed work, Jazzercise and book club. I got through the day Thursday but was in pretty rough shape. Hence calling in on Friday. 

Meeting... my friend Kori and her boyfriend Karter and kiddos Ethan and Bentley for dinner at Shari's. Oh, man, we laughed so hard and had such a great time despite terrible service and my food never coming. They ended up giving us a complimentary pie because it was such a mess. I stopped on my way home for ice cream to go with it. 

Overjoyed... that my dahlias are starting to sprout! It's always nerve wracking planting my tubers and then waiting to see if they take. 

Rallying... on Friday afternoon to take Carly to gymnastics. I'm grateful I was able to pull it together for Carly's sake. Ugh, being sick is the worst.

Trying... the "finish the sayings" trend that's going around. 
Here are the sentence starters I used:

1. I brought you into this world...
2. I'll give you something...
3. Children should be seen...
4. Go get my...
5. When we go in the store...
6. We're your parents, not your...
7. I love you, but...

Logan:

1. So I can choose what you do. 
2. If you rub my back. Or rub my feet
3. Not heard*
4. Phone. No keys. 
5. Shut up 
6. Friends *
7. No. 

Wyatt:

1. So I can take you out*
2. To cry about*
3. Not heard*
4. Belt*
5. Don’t touch anything 
6. Friends*
7. Not right now 

Carly:

1. So be grateful. 
2. What do you want?
3. Heard 
4. Phone. No keys. 
5. Get a cart 
6. Servants 
7. You stink like farts 

Jack: 

1. So I can take you out*
2. To cry about*
3. Not heard*
4. Shit 
5. You’re not getting anything*
6. Friends*
7. You annoy me

Honestly, they did pretty well! Especially Wyatt!

Spending... lots of Saturday in bed still feeling crummy. A quiet day in bed was just what the doctor ordered.

Trying... desperately to get the twins to quit vaping. I hesitated to share here that they are vaping... but I want other moms to know that if their kids are struggling, they're not alone. Vapes are so incredibly addictive and as a parent so scary because we don't really know what's in them. 
I also share because I sat my kids down (during the pandemic, when they were a captive audience) and we watched at least two documentaries on vaping and the hidden dangers. I told them not to try it. To never even start. And yet, here we are.
    I also share to tell you that you can order nicotine tests on Amazon that are a simple pee dip if your child is also partaking.  Vapes are everywhere. The boys have someone in every single class who has one that they could hit. So even if they don't own one themselves, they are so readily accessible. It has made quitting over the last two years damn near impossible. There have been periods where they aren't actively vaping, but for the most part, they are hitting one at least every once in a while.
    The worst part for me is that Logan's neurologist said she is seeing an uptick in the number of seizures she has seen and they are at least correlated with vaping or dabbing (hitting a weed pen). She's not sure the exact connection, but it's enough to scare me. It's hard, too, because nicotine can be really effective in combatting ADHD and how can I compete with what's happening in their own brains?! 
    But I will persist because I don't want them to hurt their lungs or the lungs of those in our home (I know that if they own them, they're sneaking hits in the house). I told Josh I am so frustrated at the way they are advertised and made appealing to youth. If I could afford it, I would go march on Washington and protest the way vape companies make it so easy for our children to access these horribly addicting chemicals and mechanisms. 
    If you're unsure if your kid is vaping, some signs to look out for are: irritability during family time where they can't get away to hit their vape; using the bathroom more often than usual; burning through money more quickly than usual; a sweet or fruity smell around them; a large rectangular shape in their pockets; and them using a Type C charger (like you would use for a laptop) when their phone takes a different kind of charger. 

Loving... the pics I'm seeing of my parents' foster dog, Patches, whom they are calling Chuck. He's a german shepherd/husky mix with different color eyes, and is apparently the sweetest. 

Enjoying... yummy chicken pizza and cookies for movie night Saturday. 

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My favorite Barbie ever!

This was so nostalgic to see!

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