Summer 2018 (Weeks 2 and 3) – Swimming Lessons, Yard Sale, & Father’s Day

Whew, what a week!  Between Father’s Day prep and yard sale prep it was a busy one!  The kids were also in their first week of swimming lessons this week, so we were running all week!  Ready for the recap?  Let’s go!

And since I wasn’t able to recap the first two days of the week right before we left for the beach, they’re going to be in this post, too!

Monday, June 4

We had gorgeous weather and the kids were uber excited about their new inflatable pool, so we filled it up and stayed outside all. day. long.  From 10 AM until about 3 PM the kids played out there.  I was able to lounge in my chair and read my book, and I even got my base tan started so I wouldn’t be super pale at the beach.  We even ate lunch outside – turkey sandwiches, Greek yogurt, cheese puffs, and blackberries for the kiddos, and a salad for me!  When we all came inside in the late afternoon everyone was sun-kissed, tired, and happy and we all laid out and watched cartoons in the afternoon.  That evening we played a couple of games of Candy Land and also, since I haven’t been able to get to the gym lately, I went on an evening run after the kiddos went to bed and I’ve been sore ever since.  #INeverRunAnymore

Tuesday, June 5

Tuesday was another beautiful day so we spent the morning in the pool again.  The kids had gotten a little bit sunburned somehow the day before (even though I had reapplied sunscreen twice) so I didn’t let them stay out there as long on Tuesday.  The kids had sausage, cheese, toast, and grapes for lunch and the rest of the afternoon was spent… PACKING!  Woo hoo!  Because it was almost beach time!  Jacob planted a sunflower seed in class at the end of the school year and he has been diligently taking care of it ever since.  We were so excited when it bloomed this week!!  

Wednesday through Sunday were spent at the beach, and I’ll be recapping those days hopefully starting this week!

Monday, June 11

Mondays after vacation used to be just awful… getting up early for work after days of sleeping in, arriving to 800+ emails in my inbox (not exaggerating), and playing catch-up for two weeks.  Well, not anymore!!  This Monday after vacation was a lot more easy-going even though I was still playing catch-up with laundry, unpacking, and house chores.  Monday was spent doing all of those things plus getting organized.  For lunch it was cheese, crackers, and turkey rolls for Jacob, and peanut butter on crackers for Olivia + grapes, blueberries, and fig newtons.  The kids started swimming lessons and they were both really excited.  Jacob picked up right back where he left off last summer – jumping right in and swimming like a boss, but Olivia cried most of the time which I found to be silly since she was just splashing around in the ocean like a mermaid for the days leading up to swimming lessons. 

They both made it through their first day and they were rewarded with snacks on the drive back home.  Olivia recovered almost immediately once we were back in the car, so I don’t think she’s too scarred.  Haha.

Tuesday, June 12

Tuesday morning was spent running errands.  We ran to Target for flip flops and sunscreen since we had exhausted all of ours, and then we went to the grocery store to load up since the fridge and cabinets were pretty bare after vacation.  We made a quick lunch of leftover turkey sausage from the previous evening’s dinner, sweet potatoes, and strawberries, and then it was time to head to swimming lessons.  The weather was looking questionable on the way, and just as soon as we got to Mrs. Joni’s street it started pouring.  We continued the drive to her house and by the time we were there the rain had stopped.  However, just as the kids were about to get in the pool there was a big rumble of thunder so they all had to wait it out.  After 30 minutes of intermittent thunder (but no rain) Mrs. Joni told everyone to just go ahead and go home… lessons were cancelled for the day.  Needless to say, Olivia was thrilled.  Haha.  I didn't mind either, because I was able to do some blog work that afternoon!

Wednesday, June 13

I had a doctor’s appointment Wednesday morning, so I dropped the kids off with my Daddy and headed there.  Once I was done, we spent the rest of the morning drawing and coloring, the kids had chicken nuggets, strawberry Greek yogurt, raspberries, and mini chocolate chip cookies for lunch, and then it was time for swimming lessons.  The weather looked questionable again, but we ended up making it all the way through the lesson with no rain.  And Olivia cried the whole way through again.  Bless. 

Wednesday evening I went to see Book Club with my Momma, grandmother, aunt, and cousin, and we enjoyed it so much!

Thursday, June 14

Another cloudy day… we spent the morning doing puzzles, reading our library books, and starting summer homework (for Jacob).  They asked that we read at least 25 picture books with him and he has to do five “book reports” on them.  Basically he just has to answer one question about each book.  Since he’s way beyond picture books, we’ve been working our way through the Magic Treehouse series (chapter books) instead.  He adores those and Olivia likes them, too!  I whipped up some cheese quesadillas, pinto beans, and blackberries for lunch, and then it was time for Day 4 (or really Day 3 since one was cancelled) of swimming lessons.

Olivia cried the majority of the time again, and I think it’s mostly because she swallows so much water because she won’t keep her mouth closed when she swims.  Bless her heart.  She’s completely fine in the water… until they make her put her face in. 

Friday, June 15

We spent most of the morning crafting for Father’s Day and putting Brian’s gift basket together, and I also spent some time doing last-minute prep for the yard sale the next day.  The kids had spaghetti and meatballs and bananas for lunch and then it was time to get ready for swimming lessons.  Brian got off of work at lunch, came home, loaded up the car with more yard sale stuff, and then he came with us to swimming lessons so he could see the kids’ progress.  Jacob is looking great in the water, and Olivia did much better that day, too.  They grouped her with the younger kids this time (infant – age 4) instead of the bigger kids (5-7) and she seemed to be more comfortable that way.  She didn’t have to jump in as much and I think that made all the difference.

When lessons were over, we went to my MIL’s to drop off the yard sale load, then we headed home, got the kids dried off and dressed, loaded up the car with the last of the yard sale stuff, and then dropped by my parents’ house because they are painting their kitchen and they wanted help looking at color swatches and making a decision. 

I have been feeling a bit under the weather all week and it finally hit me like a ton of bricks Friday afternoon, so I had Brian drop me at acute care after we left my parents’ house while they took the rest of the yard sale stuff over to his mom’s.  Fortunately I was the only one there at acute care so they got me in and out in under an hour.  I’ve had tons of drainage and scratchiness in my throat, a bad seal bark cough (like croup), my chest felt heavy, and my breathing had gotten really scary (I have asthma issues if you're new around here), so they ran a couple of tests – a strep test which was negative and lung x-rays (which looked good – no pneumonia).  Since there were no signs of infection, they diagnosed me with acute rhinitis from my stupid allergies, gave me a breathing treatment and a steroid pack, and sent me on my way.  I started feeling much better Friday evening (aside from my raspy half-gone voice) but we just picked up a pizza and had a quiet night in watching Friends.  

Saturday, June 16

Saturday was yard sale day and unfortunately B had to work (he usually doesn’t work weekends but he’s been working on a big project that’s coming to its culmination so this was an exception) so that meant that I had to have the kids at the yard sale.  Womp womp.  It started at 7 AM, so we were up dark and early at 5:30 AM so we could get over to my MIL’s by 6 AM to get to setting up.  Fortunately my SIL and my niece and two nephews who don’t live in town were here for the weekend, so my niece and nephews hung out with the kids in the house during the yard sale.  I was so thankful because it would have been a nightmare to have them hanging around moping about the fact that we were selling all of their old stuff.  Lol. 

We had a great turnout and the rain held off (even though it was as humid as a rain forest, I swear!), and we were busy busy from 6 AM (setting up) until 1 PM when it ended.   Those seven hours flew by in a flash!  We ended up making enough money ($416.75 for our family alone) to make all of the time and effort worth it, so I was really excited about that, but best of all… OUR HOUSE IS OFFICIALLY DECLUTTERED!!!!  There are still a few minor decluttering projects I want to do, as well as some organizing projects, but all in all, the crap is GONE!  #BYEFELICIA

We still had so much stuff leftover when the sale was done, so we spent the next two hours bagging everything up.  The only stuff I brought home with me were a few CDs that we can sell on eBay and a couple of old paintings that I hand-painted for Jacob’s baby nursery.  I loaded up my car to the brim with bags that I’m going to take to our church for donation, and then when B finally got off of work at 4 PM he swung by and picked up the rest of the bags to take to another donation center here in town. 

After the yard sale madness, we went to dinner with my father-in-law to celebrate Father’s Day and then we went back to his house to hang out for a bit.  All evening it monsooned and we were so thankful that it held off until the yard sale was over!  B and I spent Saturday evening lounging on the couch watching a Netflix original movie – When We First Met – and it was really cute!  We were so zonked after waking up so early that we went to sleep a little earlier for a Saturday night than we normally do.

Sunday, June 16

We awoke to a very dreary Sunday, but the kids and I loaded up the car in our PJs bright and early for a quick drive to grab Father’s Day donuts and a coffee for Mommy to help soothe my throat.  Ugh.  When we got back home B was still in bed, so the kiddos went and jumped in and smothered him with Father’s Day hugs and kisses, and then we all headed downstairs for breakfast. 

After our donuts, we presented B with a basket of some of his favorite things (craft beer, lotto tickets, Snickers, M&M’s, and coins for his coin collection) and then he watched some of the World Cup while the kids and I made a chocolate éclair cake for Sunday dinner.

We headed to my MIL’s for Sunday lunch and to celebrate my nephew’s 13th birthday around noon.  We had meatballs and cheesy potatoes and broccoli and okra from the garden (my MIL’s is the best I’ve ever had!), and cheesy bites with jalapenos from the garden.  After lunch we had cookie cake and opened presents, and then the rain let up long enough for the kids to go out back and pick some blueberries, cucumbers, and zucchini from the garden.

We still had a few more things lingering from the yard sale that we hadn’t been able to fit in the car on Saturday, so B loaded those up to take to donate, and then we spent the rest of the afternoon at home.

Sunday dinner was held at our house since my Momma and Daddy are still in the middle of updating their kitchen, and I kept it simple with baked ziti, salad, garlic bread, fresh fruit, and the chocolate éclair cake that the kids and I had made Sunday morning.  We popped open a bottle of wine as always, and everyone arrived around 6 to eat.  In addition to our usual crowd (my parents, my uncle, my grandmother, my brother and one of his BFFs, and of course, the four of us) we also had my father-in-law over as well. 

It was the best day celebrating all of the daddies in our lives, and we are so grateful for all of them!  I hope you all enjoyed your weekends!

We have a very busy week ahead of us yet again, so I'm hoping I can kick these allergies!  I've almost completely lost my voice now, and that is no bueno when you're at home with two kids all day!

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