Our Week - The One with Girls Night, Labor Day, and Swim Fun with Friends

This past week was so lovely.  We got to spend time with family and friends, we got to watch our beloved Dawgs play and win their first game of the season, and we officially said goodbye to summer and helloooo to fall… even though, technically, we know it’s still a few weeks away.  ;o)

Monday, August 30

Monday morning, I dropped the kids at school and then stuck around for a Home and School meeting.  After that wrapped up, I ran a bunch of errands – Walmart, Target, Hobby Lobby, donation drop, etc.  I always try to run all of my errands on the same day of the week so I can knock them all out at the same time so I can have the rest of the week free. 

The rest of the morning and afternoon were spent working in my office and hanging out with Olivia’s Sheepie.  She was able to take a stuffed animal to school as a reward on Monday, but she wanted to bring Pancake (the one my parents gave her when she broke her arm) instead of her very favorite, Sheepie.  However, she was worried that Sheepie was going to be lonely, so she sat her on my desk in my office so I could keep her company all day.  I hung out with her all day, and then I brought her in the car to pick up the kids from school to surprise Olivia.  She was so excited!

After car line pickup, we headed straight to dance class, and then after Olivia was changed and inside, I drove Jacob home.  While I was there, I squeezed in a few daily chores – I unloaded the dishwasher, washed the kids’ thermoses and refilled them, prepped lunches for the next day, and I signed Jacob’s weekly folder as well as Olivia’s daily – so there was less to do when we got home later in the evening.

I don’t like leaving the dance school for too long, so I headed back once that was done and I read in the car until Olivia’s class let out.  B works from home on Mondays, so Jacob was able to stay there, get his homework done, and then get ready for baseball.  Oh, and that reminds me – I don’t think I’ve mentioned that B is actually working from home every day again now because of the spike in Covid cases here.  His boss had them going into the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a while there, but they recently told everyone to stay home again, so he’s home seven days a week again. 

Jacob had baseball practice at 5:30, so B got him there, but just as they arrived, it started storming as the outer bands of Hurricane Ida were rolling in again.  They ended up getting home just after we did, so we made breakfast for dinner, hung out for a while, and then got the kiddos in bed.  But not before Olivia showed us how she's progressing with her splits!

Tuesday, August 31

Tuesday was the worst day for Hurricane Ida.  The last of the outer bands were rolling through all day so it was super rainy all day and windy, too.  After I dropped the kids at school, I made a quick stop at Publix to grab a couple of things we needed, and then I made it home just as the rain was rolling in.

I spent the entire day in my office working, and it was just so cozy.  I’m still watching Friends while I work, and I’m right in the middle of season 6 right now which is just one of my very favorite seasons.  B picked up lunch from our favorite Greek place, and it was a good, productive day!  I even got the chalkboard redecorated!

After I picked the kids up from school, we headed straight home and we had just enough time to get homework done, unload the dishwasher, and prep for the next day before Olivia and I had to leave for dance.  Since B is working from home every day again, Jacob was able to stay home with him again, so it was just Olivia and me.

After I dropped her at dance, I headed to a local home store in search of something specific for my fall décor, and while I was there, the worst of the Hurricane Ida bands rolled through.  It poured down rain and the wind picked up crazily, and, I swear, we got two inches of rain in about 10 minutes.  It was some of the hardest rain I have ever seen, and I wasn’t about to walk to the car in it, so I ended up waiting by the front doors until it slacked off a bit so I could make a run for it.

After that, I went back to dance and sat in the parking lot for the remainder of Olivia’s class, and then she and I headed home to the boys to cook dinner and hang out for the rest of the evening.  There was obviously no baseball and no outdoor playtime due to the weather, so we spent another cozy evening inside.  Jacob drew an abstract self portrait and Olivia did a self portrait wearing her favorite mask.  

Wednesday, September 1

Wednesday morning, the weather had cleared, so after I got the kids off at school and picked up some leftovers from my parents’ house, I went for a run around our neighborhood.  The rest of the day was spent working and drinking my tea out of my pumpkin mug to kick off the first unofficial day of fall!!  

Then after the kids were picked up, we spent the afternoon getting homework done and prepping for Thursday.  Jacob’s baseball practice had been canceled again because the fields still hadn’t dried out from the hurricane, so there was nowhere to be.

My brother had bought both of the kids some models to put together, so they tackled those after homework and got them done all on their own with no help from us.  While they did that, I read for a while.  I have a book from the library right now that has a waiting list behind me, so I have to get it knocked out quickly!

Wednesday evening, I had a dinner date with my friends Jeannine and Jen at Jen’s apartment.  We didn’t meet until 6:30, so I cooked hot dogs and Kraft mac and cheese for B and the kids (their favorite!) before I left, and we watched a little bit of Lego Masters while they ate.  They all headed outside to play after dinner, and I headed out to meet my friends.

I grabbed a bottle of wine and our high school yearbooks, swung by to pick up the pizza, and then headed over to Jen’s.  We had a long, lazy evening in at her apartment, and the three of us had the best time talking, laughing, drinking, reminiscing about grade school and high school, and listening to Taylor Swift, and we had some deep conversations as well. 

I have felt so disconnected from other humans since the pandemic started, so our girls’ night was truly food for my soul.  I’ve been friends with Jen for 30 years (Jen, we’ve been friends for 30 years?!?!) and Jeannine for 25 years, and the three of us + our friend, Becky, (who couldn’t make it Wednesday) were inseparable all throughout high school.  We went to school together, we worked together at the movie theater, we drove around in the same car together, and we spent the night together all. the. time.  Seriously, inseparable.  I don’t think I have any memories from those four years where I wasn’t with at least one of them.  And I can’t even tell you how much I miss those days sometimes!

But anyway, it was just the best evening and I ended up staying out way past my bedtime, so by the time I rolled up at 10:30, B and I headed straight to bed. 

Thursday, September 2

Thursday morning, I dropped the kids and then headed home to get some work done before heading back out to run some more errands that had popped up throughout the week.  The downside to dropping the kids at school at 7:30 is that hardly anything is open at that time, so I sometimes have to go home and wait for a bit before I can go anywhere.

I headed out at 9 and stopped by Hobby Lobby, Marshall’s, Walmart, the gas station, and the liquor store, and then I made it back home just after 10 where I worked until lunch.  B and I had leftovers together, and then I got back to work for the rest of the afternoon.

I grabbed the kids from school at 3, and then after everything was prepped and ready for Friday, I sat down and read some more while the kids did some origami.  They’re on another origami kick so I just ordered another pack of paper for them and they’ve been going to town! 

We had leftover burgers that we’d grilled for dinner, and then after dinner, the four of us got outside in the back yard.  Brian and Jacob practiced hitting while Olivia and I played catch, and once she grew bored, we spent the rest of the time retrieving all of the balls that Jacob was hitting.  Running around after all of those balls was a good cardio workout, too!

He had practice at 7:15, so once he and B headed out for that, Olivia and I played a few rounds of Candy Land and the Pete the Cat board game, and then she got showered and worked on her new novel while I read for a bit.  And yes, yes she is writing her first novel at the age of seven.  Haha.  I just love it, too, y’all.  She even remembered to include a Table of “Contens” at the beginning, an About the Author page at the end, and she remembered to include all of the other titles she’s written in case you want to check out something else by her as well.  It is the. cutest. thing.

After she finished one of her chapters, I got her into bed, and once she was all tucked in and fast asleep, I put some finishing touches on my blog post for Friday and then I headed downstairs to watch Friends until Brian and Jacob got home.

They rolled up just after 9 (I haaaate those late practices), and then Jacob went straight upstairs to shower and get in the bed, too.  By the time he was settled in, B and I had just enough time to grab a bowl of frozen yogurt and watch a few minutes of the Ohio State / Minnesota game before heading up to bed ourselves. 

Friday, September 3

Friday was team spirit day at school since college football was kicking off Saturday, so the kids put on their Georgia best!  ;o)  If you’re not from around these parts, you may not get the whole college football craze, but down here, college football is LIFE and we live for Saturdays! 

After I got the kids to school, I headed straight home to get some work done, and I also got some things done around the house, including finishing up decorating our mantle.  Since we hung that neutral mirror over the mantle, I decided to incorporate my beloved fall foliage into my décor again, but it was a struggle to get it just right.  And I’m still not convinced that I love it.  I snapped this picture about midway throughout the process, but I’ve since tweaked it a good bit.  I’ll be sharing a full fall home tour very soon, so be sure to check back!

After school, the kids played outside, and while they were out there, we saw that this massive spider was over our back door.  B got a ruler, and the thing was almost three inches.  Holy moly.  I think it’s probably the biggest spider I’ve ever seen.  Much as I don’t love a huge spider like that, we knew it was good to have around, so Brian relocated it to another part of our yard with the outdoor broom and that was that.

B picked up Mexican from our favorite place and we poured some margs, and then after dinner, we caught up on America’s Got Talent.  After the kiddos went to bed, B and I watched the new Ted Lasso and one more episode of The Morning Show.

Saturday, September 4

Saturday was GAME DAY!!!!  We got up, Olivia helped me make some homemade waffles with fall leaf sprinkles, and then we turned on ESPN College GameDay.  I sat on the couch sipping cinnamon tea for a couple of hours after that, and then I finally got off the couch and did a cardio workout.  The rest of the morning was spent getting laundry started and getting the usual Saturday chores done, and then we all had lunch. 

The weather was amazing Saturday – sunny, a high of 82, and practically no humidity which is unheard of this time of year – so the kids spent most of the morning outside.  While they were out there, they realized that the same spider from Friday night had found his way back to our house, and he’d built a new web on the outdoor closet door.  Sheesh.  Since he wasn’t in the way, we just left him there.  However, Brian accidentally walked into the web later that afternoon, and then the spider disappeared.

After lunch, the kids went back outside for a bit, and then they did their laundry, while I got showered for the day.  I got in some work time while the kids played video games during the hottest part of the afternoon, and halfway through, we heard the ice cream truck coming down the street.  The kids ran outside as excited as they are on Christmas Day, and they both got treats. 

After all of that, they headed back outside while B went to pick up pizza from one of our favorite local places for dinner, and then we had dinner on the back porch because the weather was just incredible!!  We stayed out there all evening, and the kids ran around while B and I watched football.  It was such a nice evening, and it was just lovely finally being able to spend a lot of time outside without having to be in the pool to keep cool.

We moved inside just before dark and the kids watched a movie upstairs while B and I watched the Georgia game in the living room.  At halftime, we got them in the bed, and then B and I watched the rest of the game.  We played #3 ranked Clemson for our first game, so it was a hard one coming right out of the gate, but our defense was on FIRE Saturday, and we ended up beating them 10-3!!!!  Woo hoooo!

Sunday, September 5

Early Sunday morning, around 3:15 AM, I was awakened with a start at the sound of our driveway view Ring camera chiming because it had sensed some activity.  I couldn’t see anything big on the camera, so I rolled over and went back to sleep. 

We had cinnamon rolls and virtual church first thing Sunday morning (y’all know the drill!  Haha.) and then I spent some time planning the week ahead, making my bi-monthly meal plan and grocery list, watering plants, and doing all of my Sunday tasks.  I also squeezed in a short cardio workout and by the time I was done, it was time for a quick, light lunch.

After lunch, B was outside doing something, and he saw that Spidey had made his way BACK to our house, this time on the other side of the house, and he had spun a web right in front of our Ring camera by the garage.  Y’all, I went back and watched the video from the middle of the night and it was that dang spider spinning his web at 3:15 AM that had set off the motion sensor on the camera.  Lol.  What in the world?!

After lunch, B and the kids headed off to the golf course, and I got ready and went to Publix for my bi-monthly grocery shopping trip.  I typically go first thing Monday morning after I drop the kids at school, but since Monday was Labor Day, everyone was home with me.  I didn’t want to have to miss any time with them Monday, so I figured I might as well knock out my shopping while they were gone. 

I typically haaaate grocery shopping on the weekend because it’s usually a madhouse, but Publix was surprisingly not all that busy, and I was in and out of there pretty quickly.  After that, I swung by my parents’ house to pick up some of the fixings for Sunday dinner since we were eating at our house again.

By the time I got home, got everything put away, and tidied up, B and the kids were already on their way home.  When they got home, they got showered and played video games for a bit, and I got some work done in my office.

Sunday evening, my momma, daddy, Mama Cass, and my littlest bro all came to our house for Sunday dinner.  We grilled some burgers, mixed up some drinks, and spent the whole evening on the back porch chatting and watching the Notre Dame / Florida State game.  Everyone lingered a bit later than usual since we were all off on Monday, and then after they left, we got the kiddos in bed, and B and I watched another episode of The Morning Show.  I’m hooked, y’all. 

Monday, September 6

Monday morning, at 3:15 AM, that dang spider set off our Ring motion sensor AGAIN – like almost to the same exact minute – so I set that camera to snooze for the rest of the  night, made a mental note to get B to relocate Spidey yet again on Monday, and then I rolled over and went back to sleep.  You can’t make this stuff up.  Haha.

I made some blueberry lemon scones for breakfast Monday morning since everyone was off for Labor Day.  It was a box mix that I’d ordered from one of the kids’ school fundraisers and, sadly, they weren’t as good as I’d hoped.  The weren’t bad, but they just didn’t have a whole lot of flavor.  I loooove scones, so now I’m on a mission to find a good recipe to try from scratch!  If you have one, send it my way!

After breakfast, Olivia wanted to do a little science experiment with water and food coloring, so she wrote up sheets for us.  There was a spot to write our name, our hypothesis, and our results.  The cutest!  She acted as the teacher and we conducted our experiment and it was seriously the cutest thing!

After our little science experiment, the kids watched some cartoons while B and I decided what to do for the day.  Just as we were trying (and failing) to make a decision, my BFF Jeannine, texted and asked if we wanted to swim!!  We jumped at the idea, and our kiddos were thrilled… especially Olivia, as she had just asked over breakfast when we’d get to swim again. 

We met Jeannine and her boys down at my parents’ pool mid-morning for a couple of hours of fun in the sun, and the kids had a BLAST together.  All four of them always get along so well and they have the best time when they’re together.  I’ll never not think it’s the coolest thing that Jeannine and I have been friends for 25+ years and now we’re raising our babies together! 

On the way home, we grabbed Chick-Fil-A for lunch, and then the rest of the afternoon was spent tidying up and prepping for Tuesday and getting some work done while the kids played video games.

B mowed Monday afternoon and relocated Spidey yet again, so this time, hopefully he’ll stay away!  I don’t like killing spiders because I know they’re great to have around since they kill other bugs, but my goodness, this guy has been a pest! 

We had a little surprise on our doorstep from Jeannine and the boys late in the afternoon and our kiddos were so excited!  

I cooked vodka sausage pasta for dinner and we had dinner on the back porch.  Some clouds had rolled in, and it made for the perfect cool, breezy evening!  We didn't want to come inside, so we ended up letting the kids play outside until way past time to come in and shower, and then we got them off to bed a little later than usual.  Totally worth it for the extra outdoor time, though!

Happy Tuesday, y’all!