Our Week - The One with Piano Lessons by Jacob, Poker Night, and the Super Bowl

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

Monday, February 6

Monday morning, I dropped the kiddos at school and then I headed straight home to work on blog stuff all. day. long.  I spent about 30 minutes working on other stuff that needed to be done, but I probably worked on the blog for the other 5.5 hours.  I had a very successful day, and by the time my workday was over, I had five full blog posts completed as well as two others half-completed in my drafts.

Monday was the first day that I didn’t take any pain killers since getting my braces the previous Wednesday, and while my teeth and gums still felt a little sensitive, they were in much better shape than they had been.  My jaw tension was also still very much present, but not nearly as bad as it had been either.  The inside of my lip was still really bad in one spot, but as long as I kept it covered with wax, I was good to go. 

After school, we dropped Olivia at dance, and then Jacob and I headed to piano lessons.  Jacob and his piano teacher talk about paper airplanes a lot, so Jacob had made him a paper airplane to keep.  They flew it back and forth for a bit before his lesson since we’d arrived so early, and then they retreated to Mr. Joseph’s room for his lesson.  Jacob happened to see a book of Disney piano music, so I told him he needed to learn Beauty and the Beast for me since it’s my favorite, and they started working on it Monday afternoon.  He played it for me when he got home, and he is just doing so well.

After lessons, Jacob and I headed home, and he worked on homework while I cleaned out the coat closet.  Once that was done, I got dinner ready.  I had made baked ziti a few days before that, so we had those leftovers along with some green beans and garlic cheese bread.

B picked up Olivia from dance, and then when they got home, we ate, and then after dinner, we had a few extra minutes to hang out before the kids needed to get ready for bed.  I sat down with Jacob at the piano, and he started teaching me some of the basics.  I have never learned to read music, and I know nothing about playing the piano other than the songs I learned to play by ear when I was little (Mary Had a Little Lamb, of course, and Joy to the World, among others), so he started from the beginning to teach me about quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, etc. 

I had learned a little bit about the different notes in music class when I was really little, but I remembered absolutely nothing.  Haha.  He also taught me a couple of basic tunes to practice to get a feel for the notes and then he and I played them together.  And that was my first piano lesson with my teacher, Mr. Jacob.  Haha. 

I also recorded him playing Fur Elise from start to finish because he has it down so well now.  He’s only been playing the piano for about eight months, and he has just picked it up like a BOSS.  He actually plays the entire song now without even looking at the music which just blows my mind.  Like, he played for a solid minute, and he knew every single key.  He didn’t make any mistakes.  My brain just doesn’t work like that, y’all. 

After my piano lesson, I headed upstairs to do a quick stair stepper workout while the kids showered and got ready for bed, and then we started another episode of National Treasure.  That show is pretty good for kids and parents alike, so it’s a great show to watch as a family.  We did find out later in the week, though, that the last couple of episodes are pretty intense…

After the kiddos were in bed, B and I watched the newest episode of The Last of Us that had dropped Sunday evening, and then we called it a night.  And I finally feel like I have most of my energy back after a couple of weeks of just feeling exhausted.  I think my body is finally getting back on track after the whole breast cancer scare at the beginning of the year.  It made me so anxious for two full weeks, and my body just exhausted itself with all of the worry, I think.

Tuesday, February 7

Tuesday morning, I had nowhere to be, so I dropped the kiddos at school and worked on blog stuff for four hours straight.  After eating a quick lunch, I headed out to pick up my Momma so we could go donate blood together.

We’re usually in and out in about 30 minutes, but the Red Cross had started using new blood bags and a new system on Tuesday, so they were running slow as they were all learning the new process.  We ended up getting out of there in about an hour, which gave me just enough time to drop my Momma at home and then head straight to the car line.

Donating was easy peasy, as always, and Momma and I left American Red Cross with a nice batch of O- blood that will go to people in need.  Per usual, they were telling us that there is always a huge need for blood, so if you are able, please go donate!

When the kiddos and I got home, they worked on homework for a bit, and then we had to get Olivia to her Tuesday dance classes.  It was sunny and so warm on Tuesday, so we opened the windows and the sunroof for our ride, and it was just wonderfuuuul after all of the rain we’ve been having.

When Jacob and I got home, he played on his computer for a bit and then played piano while I got dinner ready.  I had made Taco Joes a few weeks prior and it always makes a double batch, so I had frozen the other half.  That made dinner prep easy as can be as all I had to do was thaw the meat and then get the sandwiches put together and in the oven.  We had some lime tortilla chips, watermelon, and pineapple with them, too.  And B and I both indulged in mid-week margs.  You’re technically not supposed to have alcohol right after donating blood, but I never have a problem with it, so I splurged and had one anyway since I didn’t have to drive anywhere afterward.

By the time dinner was done, it was time for the kiddos to get showered.  While Olivia was showering, Jacob got me started on piano lesson #2.  He had pulled out his beginner piano book to teach me a couple of songs, and with his guidance, I was able to play Jolly Old St. Nicholas and Old MacDonald all by myself.  I read the notes and everything!  I’m going to take a bow now.  Hahahaha.  His beginner piano book does make it really easy to learn, and I was able to play both songs with two hands.  Each hand plays alone, but the songs do switch back and forth between the two, so that was a little challenging.  It definitely took my full concentration. 

After both kiddos were showered, we sat down and finished the episode of National Treasure that we’d watched Monday, and then once the kids were in bed, B and I started The Bachelor from Monday.

Wednesday, February 8

Wednesday morning, I swung by Target after I dropped the kiddos at school, and I grabbed a couple of things for Valentine’s Day plus a few other necessities.  The rest of the day was spent working in my office and getting stuff done.

After school, the kids and I headed home.  We had nowhere to be for the rest of the evening, so I cooked an early dinner (stir fry – chicken, rice, broccoli, red peppers, and pineapple – and Cheesecake Factory bread) and then we had loads of free time afterward. 

I was able to lace up my tennis shoes and head out for my very first evening outdoor walk of the year because it’s now staying light outside here until 6:30!  Woo hoooo!  I ended up fast-walking for most of it, and then jogging for parts of it, but I was still feeling a little winded from donating blood the previous day, so I wasn’t able to go full-throttle. 

While I walked, the kids played outside because the weather was ahhhh-mazing.  It was 75 degrees and sunny Wednesday, and it was just perfect. 

After I got done with my walk, I got showered and ready for bed, and then the kiddos got ready for bed, too.

Once everybody was in their PJs, we watched an episode of National Treasure together, and then Olivia went to bed promptly at 8.  We usually get them in the bed between 8:30 and 9 these days, and Tuesday evening when I was tucking her in around 8:30, she asked me if she could go to bed early the next night.  I was like, “Uhhhh, yes, of course, but what an odd request.”  Haha.  I asked her why she wanted to go to bed early, and she told me it’s because she hates waking up early so she wants to make sure she goes to bed early enough to make sure that waking up early isn’t as bad.  Haha.  Smart girl.  Hahahaha.

So, Wednesday afternoon, she mentioned again that she wanted to go to bed early Wednesday night.  I asked her what time she wanted to get in the bed, and she said 8, so we planned the evening so that she could get in the bed at 8.

Jacob wasn’t ready to go to bed at 8, of course, so he and I sat down at the piano again after Olivia was in bed, and he gave me lesson #3.  I was able to play a couple of other songs that were a little more challenging than the first two he’d had me play, and I’m sloooowly getting it down.  Remembering which keys are which letters is my biggest problem, but I’m sure I’ll get it eventually.

After piano lessons, I tucked Jacob into bed (yes, he still likes for us to tuck him in even though some nights he reads for a bit after we leave), and then B and I watched some more of The Bachelor.

We ended up going upstairs a little earlier than usual and I read for a bit, and then we turned the lights out a little earlier, too.  Wednesdays are so nice because we have so much extra time in the evening!  More play, more relaxation, and more sleep!

Thursday, February 9

Thursday morning, the weather went right back to dreary/rainy again, so I dropped the kids at school and then parked it in my office all day to work.  I got so much blog work done last week, and it feels SO GREAT.  By the time you read this, my posts are already completed for this whole week + I have one completed for April, and another completed for May!  Yay!

After school, the kids and I headed home to grab snacks, and then we went to the music school for Olivia’s voice lesson.  One of the teachers from the kids’ school was in there waiting during her son’s guitar lesson, so I had somebody to chat with while Jacob read his book.

Olivia’s voice lesson went well.  Her teacher said that they started the song “Maroon” by Taylor Swift per Olivia’s request, and they’re also working on a song from the Broadway version of Beauty and the Beast.

After her lesson, we had to swing by Publix to grab some milk, and then we headed home.  It rained all evening, so the kiddos played on their computers for a bit after homework was done, and then we had dinner – roasted sausage, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and onions, and blueberry muffins. 

After dinner, I got everything prepped for Friday while B did the dishes, and then I got in a stair stepper workout while the kids showered.  After they were ready, we watched some more of National Treasure, and then it was bedtime for them.  B and I finished The Bachelor and then watched some of SNL with Michael B. Jordan (fave!!) and then we called it a night, too.

Friday, February 10

Friday, the Home & School Association put on a “Souper Bowl” luncheon for all of the teachers, so after I dropped the kids, I stayed there for a couple of hours to help set up.  We had sent out a Sign-Up Genius to parents of all of the kids in the whole school requesting at least 25 soups/stews/chilis + toppings + sides + desserts + drinks, and our parents showed out, y’all. 

All of the parents dropped off their soups in slow cookers Friday morning, so it was easy to keep them warm until lunchtime, and we ended up having a huge selection – zuppa toscana, vegetable beef, white chicken chili, potato soup, Thai coconut chicken, chicken and rice, chicken noodle, taco soup, Brunswick stew, several different chilis, and so many more.  The teachers were all so grateful, and I thought it was just the cutest way to kick off Super Bowl weekend!

After we were done setting up, I headed home for a few hours to get some work done, and then I headed back to the school right after lunchtime to help clean up and get the slow cookers cleaned, sorted, and back to the office for the parents to pick up at the end of the school day.

Friday evening, we grabbed Five Guys takeout, and we watched a couple more episodes of National Treasure, and then after the kids went to bed, B and I watched the newest episode of The Last of Us and another episode of Only Murders in the Building.

Saturday, February 11

Saturday morning, I made homemade waffles, and then we all piled on the couch for another episode of National Treasure.  The last couple of episodes of season one are a little more intense than we were expecting, so I was a little worried about the kids seeing it, but they seemed to do okay.  Just a warning, though, if you end up watching it with your kiddos.  I would say it’s probably a bit intense for most kids under the age of 12 or 13, but Common Sense Media suggests that it’s for ages 10+.  Had we known it was going to be as intense as it was, I probably would have held off until they were a bit older.

Anyhoo, after the show was over, the kids headed off to play while I got in a workout and started on laundry for the day.  It was cold and rainy all. day. long.  Seriously, the rain didn’t stop the entire day, so there was no outdoor time yet again whatsoever. 

Instead, the kiddos and I baked a Valentine’s Funfetti cake together, and they did some laundry, and I tackled a few things around the house that I’ve been putting off for a while.  B went to Walmart to grab stuff for our Super Bowl get-together Sunday night, and while he was gone, I worked in my office while the kiddos played video games.

I finally took the time to play around with the built-in movie-maker software that came on my new computer a year ago, and y’all, it is SO easy to edit videos on there!  I was finally able to finish our One Second a Day video from 2022, and I also redid the one from 2021, because I had used different software for that one and it had put a watermark in the top left corner that was huge so it made the video look bad.  I’ve had that on my list for months and months, so I was thrilled that I finally had the time to get it done.  And now that I know it’s so easy, putting together future One Second a Day videos will be simple and fast, and I won’t feel the need to procrastinate next time!

After I was done with that, it was time to get ready.  We had plans to have a poker night with our friends Saturday evening, and we were all excited.  B and I used to play poker a ton before we had kids, but we hadn’t played in ages, so I was really looking forward to it.

The rest of the evening/night was spent hanging out with our friends.  My friend, Jeannine’s, husband cooked a yummy dinner for us – alfredo and lasagna – and after dinner, we all sat down and played poker while the kiddos ran wild.  We played dealer’s choice, and we ended up playing round after round of Texas Hold ‘Em, Five Card Draw, and another one that I can’t remember the name of where the cards are dealt face-down.  I ended up winning a lot of hands, and I magically won all four of the hands that were played face down, so I was feeling lucky!

Meanwhile, all of our kiddos played together and ate all the snacks and watched Netflix and Disney+.  I just love that they all get along so well!  It makes my heart so happy to see them all playing together.  It was such a fun night with some of our faves, and we’re already looking forward to doing it again in March!

By the time we got home, it was nearly 10:30, so we got the kiddos in bed and then B and I watched an episode of Only Murders in the Building followed by a few minutes of SNL before calling it a (late) night.

 

Sunday, February 12

Sunday morning, we got up a little earlier than usual and we had a light, quick breakfast because my MIL and step-FIL were finally able to cook Sunday lunch.  They were cooking earlier than usual, though, to accommodate my SIL’s family since they had somewhere to be in the early afternoon.

After breakfast, I planned out the week ahead, and then I got in a yoga workout before it was time to get ready to go to my MIL and step-FIL’s.  My SIL’s family ended up having to cancel because they were notified they had to be at their event earlier than expected, and my step-FIL was feeling a little under the weather from allergies (yes, the pollen has already started here – EEK!), so it ended up being our family of four and my MIL for lunch.  We hadn’t seen them since January 1 due to sickness and other things going on, so it was nice to be able to catch up with her.  It was a bummer that we weren’t able to see everyone else, though.

 

After lunch, we all headed home and the kids played video games for a bit while I worked in my office.  It was freezing and soooo dreary again on Sunday, so… no outdoor time again.  Sigh.  I’m really ready for spring.

Sunday evening, we had my family over for the Super Bowl and we grilled burgers and hot dogs with all the fixings.  Bless B for standing outside in the cold to grill!  It was originally supposed to be in the mid-to-upper-fifties and sunny when we’d planned this earlier in the week, but it ended up being 45 degrees and dreary and soooo windy, so it wasn’t ideal. 

The food ended up being so delicious, though, and we had a great evening sitting around and watching the game the commercials!  Haha. 

Happy Tuesday, y’all!