Our Week - The One with Summer, Week 6 (Jacob’s Lego Shelves, Swimming with Friends, Golf, and Dinner Out with Family)

What a fun week we had, y’all!  We spent lots of time with friends and family, and we also got tons done in Jacob’s room!  Woo hoo!

Monday, June 27

Monday morning, I was up and out the door to head to Publix.  It’s so nice being able to leave the kids at home since B works from home on Mondays.  I’ve been trying to do all of my errand-running on Mondays and Fridays so the kids don’t have to come with me.  It’s always easier that way for everyone. 

When I got home, I had just enough time to get the groceries put away before I had to leave for the dentist to get my bite guard checked.  If you’re new around here, I grind my teeth in my sleep (hi, I’m Lindsay and I carry all of my anxiety in my face, neck and shoulders), so I have to wear a bite guard which means… semi-annual maintenance.  Boooo.  

On the bright side, I got to see all of the ducks and geese at my appointment.  There's a lake just down from the dentist office, and there are always ducks and geese outside the window... I always feel like an animal in the zoo the way they watch me.  Lol.  And this time there were baby geese, too!  Aw!

When I got back to the house after my appointment, the kids were playing outside, but I rounded them up, and we spent the rest of the morning working hard in Jacob’s room.  We got his Lego sets arranged on his new bookcases about halfway up.  We started from the bottom so we could space things exactly how we needed them so no vertical space would be wasted. 

Brian made mini pizzas for us for lunch, so we all stopped for a break to eat, and then we went back to it for a few more minutes before breaking for the day.  The kids had a few minutes of screentime while I got some blog work done (man oh man was the blog neglected last week!), and by the time I finished working, it was time to head downstairs and start prepping for dinner.

After dinner, we all went for a walk together.  It was a bit cooler last week because of all of the cloudy days we had, and it was nice that it wasn’t blazing hot on Monday evening. 

While the kids got showered, I did another mile by myself, and then we all watched an episode of Walk the Prank together.  Since Jacob’s room was in shambles from all of the cleaning out and organizing, he and Olivia camped out on the floor in her bedroom in their sleeping bags.  I love that they still love to do that.

Once they were in bed (and giggling nonstop), B and I watched some of a Saturday Night Live episode along with some of an episode of Stranger Things, and then we called it a night.

Tuesday, June 28

Tuesday was our usual morning routine – wake, shower and get ready for me, breakfast, morning chores, devotional with the kids, a couple of cartoons for the kids, and blog reading for me, and then we got down to business in Jacob’s room yet again.  We ended up finishing his entire Lego shelf and we started cleaning out his dresser and closet, too. 

We stopped just before lunchtime, and the kids did 30 minutes of IXL summer homework while I got lunch ready.  Afterward, we all tidied up the house, and they had a very short round of screen time before it was time to head out to have some fun with friends!

We met my friends Jeannine and Khristina, and their boys at my parents’ pool at 3, and we ended up swimming with them into the early evening.  The weather ended up being perfect for the pool, and it was just the best afternoon hanging out together.  For the first summer in years, we didn’t have to put either child in swimming lessons, and they are both doing amazing in the water.  Jacob hasn’t had to take lessons in a while, but Olivia did do them last summer.  This year we opted out for her, and I’m glad we did because they’re definitely turning into little fishies this summer without lessons.

Around 6:30, it started getting really windy and dark, and there were storms rolling in, so we packed up and headed home.  The kids showered while I made a quick and easy dinner, and B and I decided to polish off an already half-drunk bottle of wine since it was open from the previous weekend.  Olivia made her bougie ice cream again (LOL) and she asked me to take a picture yet again.

After dinner, we watched America’s Got Talent and I did a stair stepper workout while we did that, and then the kids had another slumber party in Olivia’s bedroom while B and I watched Stranger Things.  Or he watched, and I caught up on social media for the day.  Haha.  The kids were so wiped from 3.5 hours of swimming, that we never even heard any giggling… they went straight to sleep.

Wednesday, June 29

Wednesday morning was the same routine as usual, and then we headed back into Jacob’s room to do some more work.  We ended up getting his desk cleaned out, and then we all had to be at the dentist for our semi-annual cleanings. 

Both kids had great reports – no cavities! – and the dentist told us that Jacob has a TON of loose teeth.  They’re all barely loose (Jacob can’t even tell they’re loose yet), but there are a lot of them, which is a good thing because he is a little behind.  He still has twelve to lose. 

We had to drive right by Chick-Fil-A on the way home, so we swung through the drive-through to grab lunch on the way.  After our bellies were full, the kiddos read for 30 minutes, and then we went back into Jacob’s room to tackle the rest of his dresser and clean out under the bed as well. 

The afternoon was spent tidying up, working on blog stuff while the kids had screentime, and then finishing up cleaning out Jacob’s closet.  After that, it was time to cook dinner, and afterwards, we all stepped outside to take a walk.  We were supposed to go to our church and write big goodbye messages in chalk on the sidewalks for our friars who were leaving the next day, but it stormed all evening there.  The rain ended up staying over that one area, and even though it got pitch black over our house, it never rained a drop.

We kept our walk to only a half a mile because we were right on the edge of the storm and it looked like the bottom could fall out at any minute, but since it stayed dry, the kids grabbed their scooters and rode them around in our culdesac while I walked another mile and a half. 

When we went inside, I did an arms workout, and then the kids performed movies for us that they’d come up with all on their own.  They were about 30 seconds long each, so I don’t think we’d call them movies, but it was cute because they’d made little tickets for us for admission. 

After they were done performing their movies, we finished America’s Got Talent from the night before and then we watched another episode of Walk the Prank before sending the kids to bed… another slumber party, their choice. 

After they went up, B and I watched some more of Saturday Night Live, and the rain finally made it to our house, thank goodness.  We needed it in the worst way, but I was super sad that we weren’t able to decorate the church sidewalks for the friars like we’d originally wanted to.

Thursday, June 30

Thursday morning, I had set an alarm to go to 7:30 AM Mass since it was the last one that our friars were going to do as it was their last day at our church, but since I hadn’t been sleeping well all week, I ended up snoozing and sleeping in.  We had already said our goodbyes and gotten our hugs from them at their party the previous Saturday, so I felt like I had closure. 

Well, I ended up watching 7:30 AM Mass on the livestream, and it turned out, I did not have closure.  I ended up being SO SAD that I missed being there in person, and I was kicking myself all day for not going.  A couple of my friends were there, and they said that it was very emotional, and they all held up signs for them as they left after Mass. 

In all of my life at our church, I’ve never felt more at home and more excited to be there as I was these last four years when we had this group of friars.  They truly brought along so much happiness and life with them when they came, and it was just devastating to see them go.  I’ve never shed a tear over any of our priests leaving, but I sure did cry a ton on Thursday. 

I ended up being in a funk all day and I couldn’t concentrate on anything.  I had intended to spend the entire day in Jacob’s room finishing up, but I had zero motivation, so instead, we left the house mid-morning and headed to Hobby Lobby to try to find some bulletin boards for both kids’ bedrooms. 

We had success there, finding exactly what we needed for both of them, and while I was in Hobby Lobby, they played my very favorite church hymn (On Eagle’s Wings) in the store.  I’ve been in Hobby Lobby a million times and I’ve never really even noticed the music, so hearing that song when I was feeling down was a total God wink. 

After that, we grabbed some new tennis shoes for Jacob since his are falling apart, and then we headed home.  My friend, Becky, called me and she and I ended up talking on the phone for 45 minutes… she had been at the final Mass that morning and she was just as sad as I was about them leaving.

By the time I got off the phone with her, it was time for lunch, so the kids and I ate together, and then the kids read for 30 minutes before doing a short round of screen time. 

They had music lessons at 4, so we headed there next.  I was drowning in to-dos by Thursday, so I brought my planner along and I spent the entire hour catching up on life stuff, getting ready for July, and doing a brain dump.  We’d been so focused on working on Jacob’s room and having fun all week that I’d neglected pretty much everything else.

Olivia learned how to breathe from her diaphragm on Thursday and Jacob rocked his piano lesson, and they’re both just coming along!  It was an hour well-spent for everyone.

By the time we got home, it was time to start prepping for dinner.  B got home a bit later than usual because he’d had a flat tire and had to pick up his car from the shop before coming home, so we had a late dinner of eggs, grits, bacon, sausage, and toast.  Comfort food after a crummy day for me.

After dinner, I told B I wanted to go for a walk/run to try and clear my head, so he stayed with the kids on our street and had another round of bike-riding lessons.  Both kids ended up riding down our entire street again with zero help from Brian.  He only had to jog alongside them to make sure they didn’t fall.

While they did that, I ended up getting in FOUR miles.  I had intended to walk two miles, but I ended up running most of the way, and I doubled my original goal.  My run/walk did seem to do the trick, though, because by the time I got home, I felt like the funk had lifted a bit.

When I got home, we FINALLLLYYYY started the last episode of season one of The Mighty Ducks Gamechangers.  Y’all, we have been watching that show for, like, two years or something and it always gets pushed to the backburner because the kids always say they don’t like it.  Well, we finally finished it last week.  Whew.

The kids had another slumber party in Olivia’s room, and then B watched some more of Stranger Things while I interneted.  Haha.

Friday, July 1

Friday was the usual morning routine at home, and we checked on Olivia's sunflowers per usual.  They're getting SO big, and we're so excited for them to bloom in the coming weeks!

After that, we met my friend, Jeannine, and her boys at my parents’ pool again at 10.  It was cloudy and not hot at all, so Jeannine and I sat by the pool and chatted the whole time while the kids played in the water.  She, too, has been bummed that our friars were reassigned to other churches, so she and I talked that out for the majority of our conversation.  I’m telling you, we all LOVED those guys.  They were truly the best.

Meanwhile, the kiddos were getting in tons and tons of cannonball practice!

Around 12:30, the pool cleaners came down to do some work, so we packed up and headed home for the day.  B was off of work by the time we got home (they let him go early since it was the Friday before a holiday weekend), and we ate a quick lunch at home.  After that, he took the kids to buy fireworks for The 4th, and while they were gone I got showered and ready for the day.  Then I went back in Jacob’s bedroom to tie up some loose ends.  Look at all the stuff we got rid of!

When they got home, B and I got Jacob’s and Olivia’s new bulletin boards hung in their respective rooms, and by the time that was done, it was time to figure out what to do for dinner.  

We ended up opting to go downtown to eat at one of our favorite breweries.  B and I have frequented that place since we started dating, and it was actually the very first restaurant we ever took Jacob to after he was born (he was just a week or two old when we went), but we hadn’t been there since before Covid started which was crazy.

Like many other establishments, they had used the pandemic as a time to remodel, so things looked very different in there.  The food was good, though, and the beer was yummy, and we were all stuffed when we left.

The kids begged to get frozen yogurt from our favorite place after that, so we walked around the block to let our food settle, and then we got our frozen yogurt. 

Friday night, it was a big night for TV as we finally finished the entire series of Walk the Prank, and we finished the last episode of season one of The Mighty Ducks Gamechangers.  We’ve been working our way through Walk the Prank forever, too, and I’m glad to have it done.  It was cute, but it wasn’t my favorite. 

The kids opted for another slumber party in Olivia’s room, but they both ended up getting mad at each other for being in each other’s space, so they split up and headed for their own beds for the first time all week.

Once they were settled, B and I started watching Love Life, season 2, and we’re both enjoying it so far.  We both loved season one with Anna Kendrick, and season 2 is looking to be just as entertaining even though she’s not in it.

After episode one, Brian watched a little more of Stranger Things and then we went to bed.  One of us always goes in the kids' bedrooms to check on them before we go to bed, and I couldn't resist snapping yet another picture of Olivia in her sleep mask.  It just kills me that she wears this.  Lol.

Saturday, July 2

Saturday morning, we were up early again so the kids could take golf lessons.  Olivia ended up opting out, so Brian took Jacob.  My friend Jeannine’s husband brought his two boys to play with Jacob, too, and then Brian and Jacob played an actual round of golf on the course after the lesson was over.

While they were gone, Olivia and I cranked up the 90’s Pop station on Alexa, and she got her bulletin board decorated while I finished up in Jacob’s room.  I got his wall hangings moved around, finished cleaning out everything, and got the donate/trash/recycle piles put away.  But first, a workout!

When the boys got home, we had lunch, and then Jacob decorated his bulletin board, and we got the artwork changed out in his frames.  We swapped his baby pictures for some artwork he’s done over the years and he’s super happy with it now.  All that’s left to do in there now is rehang the ledges over his dresser, but that’s a project for Brian.

After all that was done, I finally got all of the crap cleaned out of my office that had migrated over from Jacob’s room, and I got Jacob’s old bedside table set up as an end table in our front room.  Somewhere along the way, I threw out my lower back, and it was super stiff and sore for the rest of the weekend.  I knew I needed to take it easy after that, so I did just that until it was time to go to Mass.

We got ready and headed to church at 5:30, and it was our first Mass with our new priests.  Both have been at our church before, although briefly, but it was a comfort to know them a bit already. 

We had debated heading out of town to a fireworks show with some friends Saturday night, but the cost to get in was an arm and a leg, so we opted to go out to eat with my parents instead.  We ended up at our usual Mexican place as our first choice was closed for the 4th of July holiday, and just as we sat down, my aunt, uncle, and cousins all walked in!  They ended up joining us, and we had the best night with them.  And Olivia got to take her first bathroom selfie.  Lol.

We didn’t leave the restaurant until almost 9:30, so by the time we got home and got the kids in the bed, it was late, but B and I had just enough time to watch one more episode of Love Life and a tiny bit of Stranger Things before heading to bed.

Sunday, July 3

Sunday morning, at 1:20 AM, I was awakened by the sound of the power shutting off, and I was so confused because it wasn’t storming or windy or anything.  I immediately popped onto our neighborhood Facebook page, and sure enough, there was already a thread with about 20 comments of people saying their power was out.  Apparently, a tree fell randomly out on the main road and hit the power line that provides all of the power to our neighborhood.  The estimated time of restoration was 3 AM which wasn’t bad, but 3 AM came and went, and it was still out.  It got hot as blazes in our house quickly, and the smoke detector in our room started chirping, so B ended up having to change the battery.  Sigh.  At 4 AM, I was still lying there, wide awake, and I heard Olivia rushing through the hall sounding super upset.  She had woken up randomly and her nightlight was (obviously) out, so she freaked out and came in our room. 

She climbed into bed with us which was agony since it was already so hot in there.  She fell right to sleep and proceeded to smack and kick me all night until 6:05 AM when the power finally came back on.  By then, I’d been up for five hours and not slept a wink, so Brian took Olivia back to her bedroom, and I finally curled up and went to sleep. 

I ended up sleeping in until 8:45 and then I made cinnamon rolls.  Just after breakfast, I showered, and then the power went out AGAIN, and we ended up having to trash all of the lunch meat and dairy products again for the second time in a month because of a power outage.  Sigh.

The power came back on just in time for us to finish getting ready to go to my MIL and step-FIL’s for lunch, and we spent the afternoon over there celebrating my brother-in-law’s birthday.  The kids played ping pong all afternoon with their cousins, and we headed home late afternoon. 

The kids and I went to Publix to grab everything we needed for our 4th of July party, and we also grabbed everything to replenish the fridge.  B and I got the fridge all cleaned out and restocked, and then I spent the rest of the afternoon in my office catching up on blog stuff because it stormed aaaallll afternoon.  Kind of a bummer on 4^th of July weekend, but we needed the rain soooo bad. 

Sunday evening, B made a Walmart run to grab a few items Publix didn’t have, and then we had a charcuterie board and Moscow Mules for dinner.  My momma didn’t cook since we all had plans to get together Monday so we had a free evening. 

After dinner, we watched a movie called Jinxed with the kids, and then B and I watched the new Adam Sandler movie Hustle before heading to bed.  I’m not a basketball fan, but I thought the movie was really good!  It was also nice to watch a movie instead of shows!!

Monday was July 4, but since this post is already a mile long, I’ll save that for next week!

Happy Thursday, y’all!