Our Week - The One with a Garden Party and Booster Shots

Last week was a great one, and today I’m recapping all of it on the blog!

Monday, November 15

When we left off last Sunday, Olivia had been diagnosed with strep throat.  We got her started on her antibiotic Sunday evening, and she woke up Monday morning fever-free and with no sore throat!  Woo hoo!  She had to stay home from school Monday, though, just to be on the safe side, but she was cleared to go back to school Tuesday.

When I talked to her teacher to let her know that Olivia was going to be out, her teacher told me that two other kids had been out Friday with strep, so we were at least able to confirm that she definitely got it from school.  Her teacher also said that three other kids (besides Olivia) were out Monday, too, and at least 7-8 more kids were out with it later in the week, so it was definitely making the rounds. 

Jacob woke up Monday morning saying that his throat was hurting again, so we decided to keep him home from school and take him to be tested for strep, too.  He and I went straight to the pediatrician’s office when they opened, and thankfully, his strep test was negative.  Since he had been negative for Covid on Saturday, the doc said it was probably just a little cold and that he could go back to school Tuesday assuming he never started running a fever.

To make things even crazier, Sunday night at 9 PM, I had gotten an urgent text and email from Olivia’s dance school saying she’d potentially been exposed to Covid as someone there had tested positive.  The kicker was that the exposure had happened the prior Monday (six days prior to our notification) so we hadn’t known to quarantine her. 

So, it turns out, we would have had to keep her home Monday even if she hadn’t been sick, because she would have needed to quarantine for one more day.  The CDC and her school both say that as long as a patient has a negative Covid test at least five days after exposure, then quarantine can end after seven days, and Monday marked seven full days.  We had already tested Olivia for Covid on Saturday (five days after her exposure) because of her sore throat and it was negative, but just to be 1000% sure, we tested her for Covid again Monday morning (seven days after exposure), and sure enough, it was negative again. 

I don’t know why we weren’t notified right away after the exposure, but I’m so very grateful that Olivia never got it because the damage would have already been done by the time we found out.  Ugh.  This pandemic is for the birds, y’all. 

Anyhoo, both kids were totally fine all day Monday.  Olivia’s fever stayed down, and her sore throat stayed gone, so those antibiotics definitely worked their magic.  Her doctor at acute care as well as the pediatrician Monday morning both told us that strep usually clears up almost immediately after starting the antibiotic, and that someone with strep is no longer contagious 24 hours after starting it.  And that must be true, because Olivia’s symptoms turned off like a light.  It was just crazy.  I never had strep as a kid and neither of our kids has ever had it, so we knew nothing about it other than the potential symptoms it can cause.

Jacob and I got home from the doc a little after 9 AM, and he and Olivia watched a couple of cartoons while I got some things squared away for the blog since my work day was going to be short and sweet because of the kids being home. 

The rest of the morning was spent playing and reading… both of the kids got in lots of good reading time with their AR books.  After they finished up with their reading, I made lunch, and then after lunch, the kids and I took Maui for a nice, long walk around the neighborhood.  They were bouncing off the walls and clearly needed to burn energy, and the weather was GORGEOUS, so it was the perfect thing to do.  The fall leaves were at their peak that day, so we were happy to soak up all the outdoor time with them.

When we got home, the kids played video games for a bit while I buckled down and got some work done, and by the time they were done, Jacob’s homework had been posted online, so he worked on that and studied some more for the science test he’d missed while he was out. 

After he was done studying, the kids played outside for the rest of the afternoon and evening.  My momma had saved leftovers from Sunday dinner for us, so I stepped out to grab those from their house, and then I came back and got everything reheated for dinner. 

After dinner, we all sat down and watched Olaf Presents on Disney+ that was just released.  Have y’all seen it yet?!  It is so good!  If you’re a Frozen fan, then you know how in Frozen 2 Olaf recapped Frozen 1 in a very dramatic and comedic fashion?  Well, Olaf Presents is him doing exactly that, but recapping all of the other Disney movies.  Each recap is only 3-4 minutes long, and there are six “episodes” in the first season, so you could blow through the whole thing in less than 30 minutes.

Season one has The Little Mermaid, Moana, Aladdin, The Lion King, Tangled, and then the clip of Olaf recapping Frozen 1.  Brian and the kids and I all laughed nonstop the whole time.  It was so funny.

After that was over, we still had some time before the kids went to bed, and the kids requested to watch old home videos, so we spent another hour watching videos from when the kids were babies.  It just breaks my heart every time we do that.  They have grown so fast, y’all.  So fast.

After the kiddos went to bed, B and I caught up on some more TV – we have been so behind on everything!! – and then we went to bed.

 

Tuesday, November 16

Tuesday morning, both kiddos were still fever-free and feeling good, so off to school they went!  I headed straight to my annual mammogram after I dropped them, and I was in and out of there in less than 30 minutes. 

I was scheduled to meet my friend, Becky, at Sam’s when they opened at 10 AM, so I had some time before I needed to be there, so I headed home to grab a cup of hot cinnamon tea and catch up on a few things. 

Becky and I met at Sam’s as scheduled to do some shopping for the hot chocolate bar that we’re having at the reindeer run fundraiser at the kids’ school in December, but we had zero luck finding anything we needed there.  We headed next door to Walmart afterward, where we were able to get everything, and we literally cleaned them out of their bulk hot chocolate.  Haha.  We needed enough for nearly 250 students, so we had to buy a lot. 

After all of the shopping was done, she and I parted ways, and I headed home to work for the rest of the afternoon.  When the kids and I arrived home, they did homework while I got everything prepped for the next day, and then Olivia and I read together for a bit.  Her teacher changes up their reading homework each month, and this month, she’s doing Reading Bingo.  One of the options was to have someone read to you, so we completed that task Tuesday.

At 4:30 Olivia had dance class, but since her class had that Covid exposure, they all had to take class virtually.  She only has one dance class on Tuesdays, so it was a quick 45 minutes, and when she was done, we had breakfast for dinner.  After dinner, the kids played for a bit, and then they got ready for bed.  We watched an episode of The Fresh Prince, and then they went to bed.

I had been feeling a little off all afternoon, and I was worried I might be coming down with whatever the kids had, so I made myself a Hot Toddy and sipped on that while B and I watched The Bachelorette, and then we went to bed a little earlier.

 

Wednesday, November 17

Wednesday morning, I woke up feeling back to normal, but there was still tons of pressure in my head and ears… I think that had been causing some of my other issues on Tuesday.  Not sure what it’s from exactly, but we have been switching back-and-forth from air to heat a lot these last two weeks because the weather has been hot and cold and hot and cold, so I have a feeling that’s contributing to it.  Who knows?

Wednesday, I spent the whole day tackling work, and then I picked up the kids from school when they got out.  For the rest of the afternoon and evening, they did homework and played outside while I went for a run and got dinner ready.  Brian had a tennis match at 6, so he wasn’t around for dinner, so the kids and I ate together and then spent the evening hanging out.  B got home just in time to get the kids in the bed, and then he and I watched a couple of shows and called it a night.

Thursday, November 18

Thursday, B took the day off so he and I could have a day date to go Christmas shopping.  We try to do these at least once or twice every holiday season, and it’s always one of my favorite days getting to spend the entire day with just him.  We dropped the kids at school at 7:30 and then the rest of the day was spent running errands while also squeezing in a yummy breakfast and a yummy lunch together. 

First up, was Starbucks so I could get one of my beloved Peppermint Mochas.  Ugh, just so, so good.  Unfortunately, Thursday just happened to be free red cup day at Starbucks, so the location we went to had a line that wrapped around the building almost two full times, so instead, we drove across the street to Target, and walked right up to the counter at the Starbucks there to avoid all that waiting. 

We headed to Panera next to have a quick breakfast.  We love their cinnamon crunch bagels soooo much, and we hadn’t had one in probably two years.  It was so delicious, and it was the perfect way to kick off our shopping extravaganza. 

Next up, was back to Target to get all of the fun stuff for our North Pole Breakfast + do some Christmas shopping.  We didn’t have a whole lot of luck with gifts for the kids, but we did get a few stocking stuffers as well as some Christmas graphic tees for the kids.  Their school always has an ugly Christmas sweater day and a day where they can just wear Christmas graphic tees, so we wanted to go ahead and grab them before they sell out.  Last year, we waited too long and Christmas tops were hard to find.

After Target, we headed over to a local liquor store that’s just down the street from Target.  We were going to a birthday party Saturday and I wanted to pick up a bottle of wine for the birthday girl, and we also grabbed some new craft beers to try while we were there.  This liquor store is MASSIVE and they had so many beers that we’ve never even heard of.  We were also hoping to grab a bottle of champagne for New Year’s Eve, but they didn’t have the one that we had last year in stock.

After the liquor store, we swung by the library to return a book and pick up a book that I had on hold, and then we went to Walmart to do more Christmas shopping and also pick up a few essentials. 

By the time we were done there, it was lunchtime and we were both starving, so we stopped at Chick-Fil-A to eat.  Neither of us had set foot in a Chick-Fil-A since the pandemic started, and it was so crazy eating inside again.  There was hardly anyone else dining in, so we nearly had the whole place to ourselves.  And if you have a CFA in your area, then you know just how insanely packed they stay all the time.  So, it was a little unsettling seeing the inside so empty.  The drive-through was hopping as always, though!

After Chick-Fil-A, we went to Kohl’s to get some athletic pants for Jacob… he has outgrown most of his, and Kohl’s has the best prices on Under Armour, so we were able to find a couple of pairs for him… and they were on sale, too!  We also grabbed another stocking stuffer for Jacob, and I found another ornament to add to my favorites Christmas tree in my office… a Moscow Mule ornament!!  It is the absolute CUTEST, y’all!

When we were done at Kohl’s, we decided to walk down to the store Five Below.  Neither of us had ever been there before, and I was expecting it to be just like a Dollar Tree or Family Dollar, but y’all, that store is SO good.  Most everything is under $5, so you would think it would all be junk, but Brian and I were shocked at some of the stuff that they had in there!! 

They had Disney Stitch plush dolls that would normally cost $30+ at the Disney Store for just $5!!  And they had gingerbread house kits for $5!!  We’ve never seen those cheaper than $7-$8.  And they weren’t cheap looking either… they were Sour Patch brand, Hershey’s brand, etc. 

The place was basically stocking stuffer heaven for the whole entire family and then some.  We ended up buying several more items for the kids’ stockings, and I think we’re done with those now.  I also found some sports bras that were only $5 and, y’all, they are soooo nice.  I seriously cannot believe they were only $5.  They’re so cute and stylish, they seem to be made well (fingers crossed, we have to see how they hold up in the wash), and they are soooo comfy.  I’m going to wash and dry them this weekend, and if they hold up well, I’m going to buy a few more.  I work out at least 4-5 times every week, so I’d like to have several sports bras that I can rotate so I’m not doing laundry so often.

Anyhoo, the plan was to pop in and out of Five Below really quickly, but we ended up staying in there for, like, 30 minutes.  Haha.  So we ended up not being able to do the last few things on the list, and instead, we headed home to drop all of our stuff before we had to pick up the kids from school.

We had just enough time at home to pull out all of the Christmas gifts and get them hidden away before it was time to drive to the school and get in the car line.  Since B was driving, we brought Maui along for the ride since she could sit in my lap.  When we got in the car line, I rolled down the window so she could stick her little face out, and she looked like she was in heaven, y’all.  She propped her little arms up on the window and breathed in all the fresh air.  I just love her so much.

When the kids got in the car, Olivia asked if we could get Dairy Queen for a snack (she asks this almost every day as there’s a DQ just down the street from their school – LOL), and we finally obliged.  As much as I love a Blizzard, I was feeling blech from my sugary latte and bagel and my fast-food lunch, so I opted out.  That doesn’t happen very often… ice cream is my favorite treat!  Haha.

When we got home, the kids worked on homework while I put away all of the other purchases we’d made.  Olivia is doing that Reading Bingo for her reading homework right now, and one of the squares said to read in the bathtub, so she went and ran a bath and read in there.  She stopped taking baths in favor of showers years ago, and she was soooo excited to relax in the tub.  I didn’t think I was ever going to be able to get her out.  Haha.

We had leftover baked ziti and broccoli for dinner, so I didn’t have to do much to get dinner ready, thank goodness, and B and I had a rare weeknight beer (for him) and glass of wine (for me) with dinner.  Afterward, I got everything prepped and ready for Friday, and Jacob got showered, and then we all sat down and watched an episode of The Fresh Prince together before they went to bed.

B and I watched A Million Little Things after they went to bed, and then he and I called it a night, too.

 

Friday, November 19

Friday morning, after I dropped the kids at school, I met my friend, Becky, in our church’s hall to take inventory for our upcoming school fundraiser.  We wanted to make sure that the stock pots and coffee urns were there to use for our hot chocolate bar.

After that quick trip, I swung by the library to return another book, and then I headed home to work for the rest of the day.  Friday was the kids’ last day before Thanksgiving Break, and I had a million and one things on my list.  I got lots of blog work done, lots of Christmas shopping/sorting done, and I ran a couple of errands, and before I knew it, it was time to pick up the kids.

Brian was at a golf tournament all afternoon, so the kids and I came home to an empty house, and then B got home an hour later.  He picked up Mexican takeout for dinner, and then afterward, we all watched Home Alone 2… yessss!

After we finished that movie, we sent the kiddos to bed, and then B and I caught up on shows.  We finally started the new season of All American.  We’ve been so behind on everything this season!

 

Saturday, November 20

Saturday morning, I made homemade waffles for breakfast, and then we spent the morning working out and getting laundry done like always, and then we started watching the Georgia game at noon until it was time to go to my friend, Jessica’s 40th birthday party.

Her sister hosted an outdoor garden party, and themed attire was requested, so we got all dressed up!  Our school used to do a derby themed fundraiser, so B already had a bowtie and I already had a fascinator, so we were ready to roll! 

The party was outside at Jessica’s sister, Khristina’s house at two in the afternoon, and the weather could not have been more perfect… it was sunny and cool, and just gorgeous.  We were greeted by Jessica’s momma, and she led us to the back yard that had been decorated just beautifully for the party… paper lanterns, a gorgeous picture-taking spot, and perfect Pinterest-worthy tables with the most beautiful tablescapes.

They had the outdoor fireplace going, a champagne and whisky bar, and tons of delicious finger foods, and everyone was all dressed up in keeping with the theme.  We had someone snap a family picture before Jacob’s bowtie and Olivia’s hat came off, and then they ran off to play with their friends.  They had been counting down the hours until the party… they were soooo excited!

The next few hours were spent hanging out with old friends, making new friends, eating, drinking, and having the best time.  We serenaded the birthday girl and ate the most delicious cake from our favorite bakery, and we took lots of fun pictures.

The girls and I even recreated this old picture from our senior year in high school… we were just missing one, and the two girls on the ends need to switch places!

The party started to wind down just before 5 PM, so we dropped a friend off at her house just down the street and then headed straight to Five Guys to pick up dinner.  None of us were starving after snacking all afternoon, but we figured the kids needed some real food in their bodies since they had loaded up on cookies and petit fours and macarons and cake.  Hahahaha.  

After dinner, we all got changed into jammies, we made some popcorn, and we settled in to watch Noelle.  After the movie was over, the kiddos went to bed, and then B and I watched another episode of All American and Ordinary Joe.

 

Sunday, November 21

Sunday morning was virtual church and cinnamon rolls, and then I got some things done around the house that I hadn’t had time to do on Saturday.  I also spent some time planning the week ahead as I always do on Sunday, but there’s not much to do this week other than fun holiday things!  Man, I love Thanksgiving Break!!

My mother-in-law and step-father-in-law didn’t cook lunch, so we had a quick lunch at home before heading out to run a few errands.  First up was Covid booster shots for B and me – WOO HOOOO!  We were so excited to see that they were approved for everyone 18+ last week, and we couldn’t make our appointments fast enough.  It’ll be nice to be well-covered for the holidays.

The first and second times, we went to a temporary drive-through clinic that was done in a large parking lot here in town, but that closed once all of the pharmacies and clinics received the vaccines.  So this time, we scheduled our appointments at CVS, we walked right in, and they gave us the shots.  It was easy peasy, and the kids were excited to finally be able to watch us get shots.  Haha.

After that, we headed to Target to let the kids pick out gingerbread house kits, and then we swung by my MIL and step-FIL’s house to return some of her dishes.  The kids played in the yard while we chatted for a bit, and then we headed home. 

When we got home, the kids got showered and then they settled in for some video game time while I got some work done in my office.

At 5:30, we headed to my parents’ house for Sunday dinner, and my momma made the most delicious taco casserole, rice, veggies, and leftover biscuits from Waffle House.  I mixed up a Winter White Cosmo for Momma and Daddy, Brian, and I shared a bottle of wine, and it was just the coziest night at their house.

My Mama Cass was there, and my littlest brother, too, and we also had the company of my other brother’s Doberman, Toby.  The kids loooove Toby so they were thrilled, and they played with him all night.  He is the absolute sweetest baby, and he loves all the attention, and the kids were happy to give it to him.  And while Toby was getting all of the Jacob and Olivia snuggles, my Daddy was spoon-feeding Maui at the table.  LOLOLOLOL.  That girl is spoiled rotten. 

Since everyone was off Monday, we lingered much later than usual, and we finally rolled out of there a little before nine, got the kiddos in the bed, and then B and I stayed up to catch up on a couple more shows. 

Happy Wednesday, y’all!