Our Week - The One with Quarantine, Week 54 (Lots of Baseball and Beach Prep)

Happy Wednesday, y’all!  Last week was full of baseball and beach prep, and today I’m recapping it all!

Monday, March 22 (Day 374 of Quarantine)

Monday was just a typical day – work, laundry, repeat.  I took a little break from working Monday afternoon to take Maui for a walk since the weather was so pretty, and then it was time to pick the kids up from school.

Jacob had baseball practice at 7:15, so I cooked an early dinner at home, and we ate on the back porch before the boys headed out.  Olivia and I spent the evening hanging out together, and I got her to bed a few minutes before the boys got home.  I was pretty far into the book Dear Edward, so I spent a lot of time reading Monday evening… I didn’t want to put it down!

Tuesday, March 23 (Day 375 of Quarantine)

Tuesday was another workday.  I’ve started batch working for the blog, so I’ll spend an entire day writing, photographing, editing, and piecing together to get as much done as I can, and then that frees up a day for me to work on house projects, and other things that are pressing.  I’ve been having headaches and neck strain lately and staying away from the computer some days has been helpful. 

I was really excited on Tuesday because a long anticipated book finally delivered to my house!  I love Emily Ley and I've read all of her books, so I was thrilled when she announced a new one.

Tuesday evening, Jacob had a 7:15 baseball game, so we got homework done and ate an early dinner before heading to the ball field.  Right as we sat down, we started feeling little drops of rain, and with a quick check of the radar, I saw a big mass heading straight for us.  It wasn’t supposed to rain, so it came as quite a surprise, and it was disappointing since we’d already missed so many games this season… two because Jacob had the flu and another because of rain.

Thankfully, the rain miraculously held off until the top of the fourth inning, and once it started it wasn’t too hard.  We played the team that had whooped us in our second game (one of the ones that we missed), so we went into it thinking it might be ugly again, but our boys played SO well, and we ended up keeping the lead for much of the game.  We were up by two at the end of the third inning, and time was almost up in the game (they only play for an hour and 45 minutes, max) PLUS it had started to rain, so we thought for sure they were going to call it and we’d have a win under our belts.  WRONG.

They ended up letting the boys play out the fourth inning and the other team scored five runs and held us to zero, so they ended up winning the game 14-11.  Needless to say, it was an exciting game, but it was also heartbreaking. 

Jacob played so well!  This was only his second B-Ball game ever, so we were eager to see what he could do.  He ended up being walked for his first at-bat, and he scored a run.  It was his first run scored in B-Ball, and it tied the game, so his teammates were going crazy congratulating him when he ran home.  It was just the best thing.

For his second at-bat, he got a great hit to right field for a single – his first hit in B-Ball!  He ended up scoring a run that time, too, and that run gave us the lead, so again, everyone was going CRAZY when he ran home.  I don’t think I’ve ever cheered so loud at one of his games! 

Now that they’re in B-Ball, they’re teaching the boys to “steal” bases when a pitch or catch goes bad, and Jacob stole second base both times – his first two stolen bases ever!!!!  I know it technically doesn’t count as a stolen base when it’s the result of an error by the other team, but it was still exciting to see him doing his thing!

It rained the entire fourth inning, and the game didn’t end until 9:20, so we were all wet and exhausted by the time it was over.  Olivia is always lights out by 8 or 8:15 on weeknights, and Jacob is always lights out by 9, so it was a verrrry late night for both of them.  By the time they got in the bed it was after 10, and they were pooped.  B and I usually head upstairs to get ready for bed around 10, but we had to spend some time with Maui since we’d been gone all evening, so we watched an episode of New Girl and then headed up for a late bedtime for us, too.  Late games are no joke… definitely a downside to B-Ball.

And for history’s sake, it’s also worth noting that the Georgia governor announced late Tuesday afternoon that starting Thursday, March 25, ALL Georgians 16+ are eligible to get vaccinated!!!!  Y’all, I could not have been happier to know that ALL of our loved ones could finally go get theirs!!!!  My mom, dad, brother, and sister-in-law + tons of extended family are all vaccinated already, but my littlest brother hasn’t qualified until now.  He is a Starbucks barista, so he has to deal with the public all day every day, and it’s such a relief to know he can finally go get his vaccine now!  We are getting so dang close to wiping this thing out once and for all! 

Wednesday, March 24 (Day 376 of Quarantine)

Wednesday, I worked all day, made a post office run to ship a HUGE Poshmark shipment (it’s so awesome when someone bundles a bunch of items together!), and then I stopped by my parents’ house to check out an old cabinet that belonged to my Papa John.  My parents are still sorting through all of his and my Nana’s stuff that was in storage, and I was debating keeping the old cabinet because the carving on the front was so beautiful. 

The cabinet is decades old, and unfortunately was in terrible condition… lots of cracked wood, some pieces had been cut off, a shelf was collapsing, and there was lots of staining and other broken pieces.  I know NOTHING about refinishing furniture, so I knew immediately it was a project too big for me to take on, and I passed on it.  I did get to visit with my Daddy for a bit, though, so that made the trip worth it! 

Wednesday evening was b-u-s-y.  I grabbed the kids from school right at 3 and headed straight home.  Brian, Jacob, and Olivia all had hair appointments for Tuesday, but our hair dresser had to postpone until Wednesday, so those were on the schedule.  Olivia typically has dance on Wednesdays, but her class had been moved to virtual for the week, so we just decided to let her skip because after a year with no haircuts, she needed one desperately.

The kids flew through their snacks and homework, and then the four of us piled in the car to see Mr. Jamey at 4:30.  All three of them got their hair cut, and Jamey ended up taking 6-7 inches off of Olivia’s hair… maybe even more?!  She hadn’t had a haircut (not even a trim) since before the pandemic started so it was loooong overdue.  Brian and Jacob hadn’t had theirs cut since Christmas Break, so both of them were long overdue, too.  Everybody left looking great and feeling lighter!

After haircuts, we swung through the Chick-Fil-A drive through to pick up dinner, and then we flew home to scarf it down quickly only to head out the door less than 30 minutes later to get to Jacob’s baseball game.  He had a makeup game from a rainout at 7:15 and he had to be there by 6:30. 

Just as the game started and we got settled in, it started raining unexpectedly yet again.  There was no chance of rain all day, and for some reason it started right as our game started.  We have had terrible luck with baseball games this season!  They let the boys continue to play for about five minutes, but once the rain got harder, they called them into the dugouts to wait it out.  A few minutes later, it stopped completely, and the coaches went out to fix the fields so they could start again, and then it started pouring again right in the middle of it.  It ended up flooding the field, and they had to call it in the top of the first inning. 

We were all really bummed, but on the bright side we saw a rainbow, and we were able to get the kids home, showered, and in the bed by 8:45, so we didn’t have to have two 10 PM bedtimes back-to-back. 

Thursday, March 25 (Day 377 of Quarantine)

Thursday morning, I dropped the kids and came home to get in a yoga workout.  I did yoga a lot at the beginning of the pandemic but fell off the wagon during the winter months.  I LOVE yoga – it really helps to keep me centered and keep my anxiety at bay – so I’m going to try to make it a point to do it consistently… at least three or four times a month.

The rest of the day was spent working, stuffing eggs for our annual Easter egg hunt, and packing for our beach trip.  There was some horrific weather just north and northwest of us all day, and multiple long-track tornadoes touched down throughout the day, destroying tons of homes in Alabama and Georgia, and killing several people as well.  I was so grateful to be just outside that line of storms, and I’m keeping all of the affected families in my prayers.  Many of you reached out to me to check on us, and I just wanted to say thank you.  It really means a lot.  <3 

Jacob’s baseball game from the previous night had been rescheduled for Thursday night, so I cooked an early dinner and we all headed that way.  Thankfully, the rain held out, and they were able to play the entire game.  This one was very long and drawn out, and due to all of the walks by the pitchers from both teams, we were barely able to squeeze in three innings before we hit the 1 hour and 45 minute time limit. 

Y’all, it was the slowest baseball game I’ve ever watched.  Lol.  In the first inning, there was not one out made by either team… all players on both teams were walked, got on base, and scored until the five-run limit was achieved.  Things picked up a little throughout the rest of the game, but man, the majority of it was so slow.  Jacob only had one at-bat, and unfortunately, he struck out.  The other team’s pitcher found his stride and made some really good pitches.

The game ended in a tie, 13-13.  It’s a shame we didn’t have enough time to play the last three innings to see what would have happened.  I guess that’s B-Ball life, though! 

We got home SO late again Thursday night, and the kids didn’t get in the bed until 10, and then B and I headed to bed shortly after they did.

Friday, March 26 (Day 378 of Quarantine)

Friday morning, I dropped my Telluride at the dealership for its first service appointment and B drove us back home where I worked and packed all day.  It stormed all day long, so it was nice to stay cozy inside.  I finished Dawson's Creek and I'd forgotten just how perfect, yet heartbreaking, the finale was... I cried again!

I grabbed the kids from school at 3 and it was time to kick off spring break!!!!  The rest of the evening was spent celebrating the long week ahead with Mexican takeout and margaritas, and then the kids had a Zoom magic show as a reward for meeting their AR goals at school this quarter!  They usually do a big reward for them at school, but they’ve been having to get creative during the pandemic.  Jacob loves magic, so he was thrilled, and both of the kids enjoyed every single second.

After the magic show, we had just enough time to watch the new episode of Secrets of Sulphur Springs, and then we watched another episode of the Star Wars cartoon on Disney+. 

Saturday, March 27 (Day 379 of Quarantine)

Saturday was B-U-S-Y.  There was no baseball because of spring break, but I had a million and one things to do to get ready for our trip.  In addition to washing clothes and packing and beach prep stuff, I also decided it’d be a great idea to clean the whole house top to bottom, wash all the sheets, and tidy everything, too.  There’s nothing worse than coming home from a nice, long, relaxing trip to a filthy house so I always thank myself when I do this.

I made homemade waffles for breakfast and got in a cardio workout first, and then the rest of the day was spent doing aaaallll the things.

We got Five Guys takeout for dinner and ate on the back porch, and then the rest of the evening was spent catching up on American Idol, painting Olivia’s and my fingernails and toenails for the beach, and relaxing after a very long day of cleaning and prepping.

Just before bedtime for the kids, I got a call from my Dad that they had a situation with my niece, and she needed to be taken to the ER.  She ended up being totally fine, and everything is perfectly well with her, but since my parents had to be at the hospital for a few hours (my brother and sister-in-law were out of town), they swung my nephew over to our house so we could keep him.

Since it was nearly bedtime, we set him up with the kids for a slumber party and we kept him all night.  I let him have a bubble bath in our big tub first, and then all of them goofed off until after 10 before finally falling asleep.  That was the first time we've been able to keep him overnight since my bro and SIL don't live in town, and the kids all enjoyed it!

I typically recap Sundays in my weekly posts, but since we left for the beach that day, I’ll recap it with the beach posts instead.

And now for a few current things…

Currently Reading

 

For the month of February, I read Everybody Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People and I LOVED it.  Bob Goff is funny and endearing, and he is incredibly inspiring.  It’s SO hard sometimes to “become love” like he suggests in the book, especially in this climate right now in our country, but I’m working on it one day at a time. 

 

I also read the book Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano this month, and it was excellent.  The story is about the aftermath of a plane crash, and I was riveted from the very beginning.  I don’t make a lot of time to read during this time of year because it’s always really busy for us, but I found myself making the time so I could find out what happened next.  I highly recommend this one.

 

Currently Watching

 

In March, we finished The Bachelor, and we’re also still watching This is Us, Shark Tank, A Million Little Things, Saturday Night Live, and All American + New Girl and The Good Place on Netflix. 

 

I also just finished Dawson’s Creek, and it was everything I remember loving from my teen years.  I had forgotten just how heart-wrenching the series finale was.  I remember seeing the finale as a 21-year old and being peeved at one of the parts of the outcome (don’t want to go into details here in case any of you are watching it for the first time), but after watching it again as an older adult, I realized there was something in the finale that I didn’t notice the first time I watched, and that finally gave me the closure I didn’t even realized I needed all these years.  It was just perfect.

 

With the kids, we’re still watching Secrets of Sulphur Springs on Disney, and we’ve been rolling through lots of movies, too.

 

Currently Listening To

 

In March, I started listening to Emily Ley’s new Simplified podcast, and I also started playing all of our favorite upbeat tunes for spring.  I also recently downloaded a few new songs by H.E.R., Darius Rucker, and Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars’ new collab) and all of them are getting me in the mood for summer!

Happy Wednesday!