Our Week - The One with Poker Night, Haunted Gingerbread Houses, Pumpkin Carving, Sad News, and a Productive Weekend at Home

Our week was a very productive one and we ended it with some time at home – finally – so we were able to knock out most of Jacob’s science project and various other house projects + a few things on our Halloween bucket list.

Monday, October 23

Monday morning, I dropped the kids at school and then I headed home to get some work done before I had to run some errands and go to a hair appointment.  Errands included Staples and Walmart to do some returns, and then CVS to pick up a prescription.  Unfortunately, the guy who does my hair came down with some sort of bug and he couldn’t meet me, so I wasn’t able to get my hair done.  It was LONG overdue, so I was bummed about that.

The rest of the day was spent getting more stuff done at home, and then I headed to pick up the kids at 3.  We had zero places to be for the rest of the evening after that, so we headed straight home, and the kids got to work on homework.  Jacob also worked on his science project for a long time.

I made tortellini soup and garlic cheesy bread for dinner (plus some fruit, which is standard in our household), and it was so hearty and delicious.  I could eat soup every single day, especially in the fall and winter!

After dinner, Jacob got back to work on his science project, and after my food settled a bit, I headed out for a run.  I got 2.38 miles in and got home just before dark.  The sun is setting so early now, and I love being able to run in those last moments before it dips below the trees in our neighborhood turning the sky various shades of pink and blue and/or pink and orange.  We’ve had some gorgeous sunsets lately.

After my run, I got showered and ready for bed, and then I did a Bible study while the kids finished getting ready for bed.  I hadn’t done one in over a week, so I was itching to get back to it.  Those Bible studies are pretty lengthy time commitments, so they’re harder to squeeze in.  I do always make time for my daily devotional every single day, though.

Once the kiddos were ready for bed, we all watched the rest of an episode of The Amazing Race that we’d started the previous week, and then we got them in the bed a little early since everyone had gotten less sleep over the weekend.

B and I watched some of an episode of Shark Tank, and then we headed to bed, too.

Tuesday, October 24

Tuesday morning started with errands after I dropped the kids at school – the gas station, UPS to do some Amazon returns, and then Target to do some returns as well.  When I got home, I tackled some laundry and then I worked on blog posts for the rest of the day until it was time to get the kids. 

After school, the kids worked on homework until it was time to get Olivia to dance, and then when we got back home, Jacob worked on his science project until dinnertime.  I got in a stair stepper workout and an arms workout and then we had turkey and cheese sliders, chips, and fruit for dinner when B and Olivia got home.

It was late by the time dinner was done, so the kids got showered and ready for bed, and by the time they were done, it was time to get them in the bed.  B and I finished an episode of Shark Tank, and then we watched some of the new episode of Saturday Night Live and then we headed to bed, too.

Wednesday, October 25

Wednesday morning, I had to get up to go to the bathroom before it was time to get up for the day, and when I got up, everything started spinning and I almost hit the floor.  Ugggghhhh.  I haven’t had a spinning episode that bad in a long time, so it came out of nowhere.  One thing I will say is that if I lay on one side for too long and then get up, it does cause me to have spinning issues.  So, every time I lay on the couch or in bed on my side, I have to roll over to my other side for a few minutes to “even things out” and then I try to lay on my back for a couple of minutes, too, before getting up.  That usually keeps the dizziness a little less intense, and I don’t think I did all of that before getting up Wednesday morning. 

I got back in the bed and tried to go back to sleep – it’s never a problem for me – but instead, I lay there worrying about my stupid vertigo and praying that it wasn’t coming back in full-force again. 

By the time my alarm had gone off, I had already made sure to lay on both sides and then lay on my back, and when I got up, I just had my normal amount of dizziness rather than the crazy horrid spinning, so that made me feel a little better.  I did feel a little off all morning, though, and I’m not sure if it was because of my actual issues or if it was because anxiety had settled in because of the vertigo episode earlier that morning.

Sigh.

After the kids were dropped at school, I headed straight home to work all morning, and then I finally got my hair done later on in the morning.  The guy who does my hair has worked at his dad’s salon since he graduated from school and, sadly, his dad just passed away from cancer a couple of weeks ago, so they are closing the salon after 25 years.  It breaks my heart for their family.  I’ve known him since I was a teenager since he was friends with one of my best friend’s parents, and he was a great guy, so everyone is just heartbroken over the loss.  This was the last time I’ll set foot in the salon since this is its last week, so it was bittersweet.

When I got home, I ate a quick lunch and caught up on some blog reading, and then it was time to get the kids from school.  We dropped Olivia at dance in her Halloween costume (and forgot to take pictures), and then Jacob and I headed home.  He worked on his science project for a couple of hours while I tackled some things around the house, and then I made Pizza Joes and steamed broccoli for dinner. 

When we got home, Maui must have slipped out the door when we were getting things out of the car, because about 15-20 minutes after we’d gotten home, I heard a scratch at the FRONT door.  I was like, “what on earth is that?!”  So, I went looking for Maui, and she was nowhere to be found.  I ran to the front door, and sure enough, it was her scratching politely to be let in.  Lol.  Apparently, she had gone on a little adventure in the front yard and then she had asked to come in.

She is never the type to sneak out or bolt when we open any of the doors, so it was very much out of character for her.  It’s also crazy because we’re SO careful to make sure that she is inside where she belongs each time we come and go, so I don’t even know how this happened.  I was so grateful that she made it inside safely, though.  She’s so tiny – only 4 lbs. – so there are many terrible things that could have come along and harmed her – a hawk, another dog, a cat, a car, somebody who wanted to swipe her, etc. 

Sheesh.

We all sat down together for dinner (and I can’t remember what we ate) when Brian and Olivia got home from dance, and then I got out for a run.  I had started feeling “off” in the evening again, and sure enough, my run wasn’t pleasant.  I got really dizzy towards the end, and I ended up cutting the run short because of that and the fact that it was dark out.

When I got home, I got showered, and then we watched an episode of Lego Masters together followed by Shark Tank for B and me after the kids went to bed.

 

Thursday, October 26

Thursday was the only day I didn’t have somewhere to be, so I dropped the kids at school and then literally stayed home all morning and early afternoon until it was time to pick them up.  I completed two blog posts, worked on several others, and got started on holiday gift guides.  Those are always very time intensive since I like to scout out the perfect items each year.  I also tackled some much-needed housework.

At 3, I grabbed the kids from school, and then we went straight to music lessons.  They had the place all decorated for Halloween and each of the teachers had decorated pumpkins, so the kids got to vote on their favorites.

The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent working on Jacob’s science project, getting dinner ready – leftover tortellini soup, and also some steamed broccoli to get a veggie in – and then after that, I headed out for a walk.  I had been a bit unsteady all day again, so I knew a run probably wasn’t the best option, so I opted for a walk (with a few jogging spurts) instead.  I got in my 2.38 miles, and then headed home to shower.

We watched some more of The Amazing Race with the kids, and on the show, the teams had to carry these giant mattresses up narrow staircases.  When they first started and were struggling to get them around the curve, Jacob started yelling, "PIVOT!!" and I don't think I've ever had a prouder mom moment.  Haha.  While he hasn't seen Friends yet, he knows about many of the iconic moments, and I loved that he knew to say that then because it's exactly what I was thinking.  One of the guys on the show eventually went on to start saying it, too, and we were cracking up.

After the kids went to bed, B and I watched The Golden Bachelor before heading to bed.

Friday, October 27

Friday, I worked on blog stuff all day long, B and I got our flu shots, I deep cleaned all of the floors in the house, and I downloaded the new Taylor Swift album (of course)!!  I’m already obsessed with Say Don’t Go… definitely my favorite new track from the vault. 

 

At 3, I grabbed the kids from school, and then we came home to prepare for poker night at our house.  We were supposed to have our usual group, but one of my friends and her fam couldn’t make it due to sickness, so it just ended up being my friend Jeannine and her family and us.  We ordered pizza (one that was pumpkin-shaped), played some games, and then all of us adults sat around and talked all night while the kids played.  It ended up being a fun night!

 

After they left, we got the kids into bed, and then Brian and I watched the movie No Hard Feelings on Netflix.  It was funny and pretty cute, but definitely raunchy… not one to show the kids.  Haha.

 

Saturday, October 28

Saturday, I was thrilled because we had an entire day at home – not a single place to be – and I relished every second of it.  We started the day by sleeping in, making homemade Halloween themed waffles, and watching ESPN College GameDay. 

Then I got in a workout and B cleaned off the back porch to get it ready for fall and winter.  It needed a good sweeping and washing, and all of the pillows needed to be sprayed down.  I also emptied all of my pots and we put those up for the winter.  All the while, Jacob worked on his science project.  It is crazy time intensive (he has to build nine bridges out of popsicle sticks and wood glue) so he has been working diligently on it for weeks.

The rest of the morning was spent doing laundry and tackling our other usual Saturday house chores, and then we had lunch.  After lunch, poor Jacob had to do more bridge-building, and then he and Olivia both showered and got ready for the day.  I worked on some blog stuff for a few minutes in the afternoon, and then I finally cleaned my makeup brushes before showering before the Georgia game started.

Just before the game started, the kids put together their haunted gingerbread houses so they could dry and set, and then they played video games for a bit.  We watched Georgia beat Florida, and while the game was on, I worked on our Halloween dinner menu and a grocery list, I planned out the rest of the year, and I got my planner ready for November, and the week ahead.  It’s going to be a busy week, so I had to make aaaallll the to-do lists.

The kids decorated their haunted houses during the game, and then when the game was over, we reheated leftover pizza for dinner.  After dinner, we finally carved our pumpkin – just in time for Halloween! – and then we all sat down to watch Hocus Pocus 2.

 

Shortly after we’d gotten settled with our movie, I got the call that Matthew Perry had passed away and I was just devastated.  Anyone who has been reading my blog for any amount of time knows that Friends is my favorite show of all-time, and Matthew was my favorite TV actor of all-time.  Chandler Bing and Monica Geller are the GOATs of TV characters, and them, along with the rest of the gang have been my comfort zone since I was 12 years old.  I love Friends so much that I’ve had it as part of my bio on my blog from Day 1, and these weekly update blog posts are titled as a nod to Friends (“The One With”)… Friends is practically part of my identity.

I have always turned to them – especially Chandler (Matthew) – for a laugh when I needed it the most, and Friends has been my “happy background noise” for nearly 30 years.  My family used to make fun of me for how much I watched Friends… I was binge-watching it long before binge-watching was technically a thing. 

I owned the “Best of Friends” episodes on VHS (VHS, y’all!!), and I watched them over and over and over.  Then when the DVD boxed sets of the seasons were released, I bought them as they came out, and Friends was on in my bedroom literally every single second that I was in there for years.  After Friends, I followed Matthew’s entire career, devoutly watching every single one of his sitcoms that came and went (Go On, The Odd Couple, Mr. Sunshine, etc.). 

So, to say I am a huge fan and that I am devastated is an understatement.  I’m even more sad for his family and friends and everyone else who loved him, though.  I’ve mentioned in passing here on the blog that my cousin is married to Matthew’s sister, so his death hits even closer to home for me, since he is family of family.  While I never got to spend a huge amount of time with him, I did get to meet him and spend time with his family at my cousin’s wedding in California back in 2014, and they are all just so very lovely.  We all love Matthew’s sister (my cousin’s wife) so very much and we are grieving for her and her family.  So please keep them in your prayers.

After I got that call from my mom, I was so sad for the rest of the night, so after we put the kids to bed, B and I didn’t do much… we just watched some football since I couldn’t really focus on anything else. 

Watching Friends will never be the same again.

Sunday, October 29

Sunday morning, we got up and had cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and then I did my Sunday things – yoga, sermon, etc. – and then we got ready a bit early and headed out to run an errand on the way to my MIL and step-FIL’s for lunch.  Olivia is dressing up as St. Anne for All Saint’s Day Mass tomorrow, and we needed some fabric for her costume.

Next up, was lunch, and my MIL had baked some cute treats for Halloween that I wish I’d snapped a picture of.  She had baked brownies and then used Milano cookies to stick in the ends as headstones, and she’d written RIP on the cookie headstones in black frosting.  SO CUTE.

After lunch, we dropped something off at my friend, Jeannine’s, house, and then we drove through the rest of their neighborhood to look at a few of the houses that were decked out for Halloween. 

 

It was on to Lowe’s after that to grab something for Jacob’s science project, and then we dropped Jacob off at his friend, WJ’s, house to hang out and study for a science test on Monday.

When we got back home, Olivia played some computer games and I worked on blog stuff, and then after Jacob got dropped off back at home, we headed to my parents’ house for Sunday dinner. 

And now for a few current things…

Currently Reading

 

I’m almost done with The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.  I started reading it alongside Jacob since he’s reading it in class, and I figured it would be perfect for spooky season.  I’ve had it in my reading list for almost a year because Jacob’s old piano teacher had highly recommended it, and although it is nothing like the things I typically read, I’m enjoying it thoroughly. 

 

I’m also still making my way through Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life by Craig Groeschel, but I didn’t pick it up at all this month.  I’ve barely had time to read this month, so this has been on the backburner.  I really do need to get through this one soon, though.  I’ve been reading it since before my vertigo started in July.  I would have gotten through the whole thing back then, but then my vertigo started, and I couldn’t read at all for weeks.

 

I’m also still working my way through The Bible and The Bible Recap. 

 

Currently Watching

 

With B:  This month, we finished season 3 of Only Murders in the Building (which I didn’t love), and we also finished seasons 1 and 2 of Cruel Summer.  Loved them both!  We also started The Golden Bachelor (OMG I love it so much), the new season of Shark Tank, and the new season of Saturday Night Live.  And, of course, we’re watching tons of college football along with ESPN College GameDay every Saturday morning.  We also watched a movie this month (what?!) – No Hard Feelings.

 

With the Kids:  We finally finished America’s Got Talent.  And we started the new seasons of Lego Masters and The Amazing Race.  I’m wanting to get back to The Big Nailed It Baking Challenge again, but we just haven’t had time.  We have also watched several Halloween movies this month with the kids – Hocus Pocus 1 & 2, Beetlejuice, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

 

Alone:  I mostly listen to music, but on Sunday afternoons I’ll turn on a movie for my happy background noise, and that movie is still The Wedding Planner, although, I’ll be making the switch to Serendipity now that the Christmas season is right around the corner.  I’ll probably restart Friends for the 50th time (literally) again soon because a) it’s been a little while since I watched it from start to finish, and b) because I’m missing Matthew Perry so much.  I wish I’d kept track of how many times I’ve watched all of the seasons in a row, y’all.  It has to be dozens.  I can quote most of every episode from start to finish.

 

Currently Listening To

This month has been Ed Sheeran’s Autumn Variations album, all of Phillip Phillips’ albums, and Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) albums on repeat.  Oh, and of course, when the kids are around, we’re listening to our Halloween soundtrack. 

Happy Tuesday, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN, y’all!