Last week, I didn’t have much scheduled during the day while the kids were at school, so I got a lot done and we also had some fun time seeing a movie and attending the Arts in the Park event on Sunday! Let’s get to the recap!
Monday, April 20
Monday morning, Jacob woke up with a sore throat and congestion. He’d had a scratchy throat all weekend, but we’ve all had scratchy throats off and on since the beginning of March because the pollen has been so bad, so we didn’t think anything of it. Since his had morphed into a sore throat with congestion, we kept him home from school Monday just to be safe in case he had any germs.
I dropped Olivia off at school, did my grocery shopping at Walmart and Publix, and then I headed home to get the groceries put away.
Jacob felt fine other than his throat, so he watched TV and worked on school assignments as they popped into his Google Classroom. I finished my blog post for the next day, and I started my blog post for the day after that, and that was my whole day.
After school, Olivia and I headed straight home, and I got everything done that I needed to do for the rest of the day – dishes, prepping for the next day, etc. – because we had made plans to go see Project Hail Mary. We all wanted to see it while it was in the movie theater, but it was getting close to leaving soon, so Monday was our last chance. I was worried about Jacob spreading germs, but thankfully, we were able to see that nobody had bought tickets to the movie except for one group of four people in the very back row, so we made the last-minute decision to go ahead with our plan.
We stopped by Chick-Fil-A to eat a super early dinner before the movie, and then we met my Momma there because she’d been wanting to see it, too. It ended up being just us and that other group of four in the theater along with zero other people, so I was relieved because I didn’t have to worry about Jacob spreading any germs. And we put him on the end away from my Momma, too. Definitely don’t want to be responsible for anyone getting sick. Haha.
The movie was over three hours with trailers, so it was very long, but it was really good and we all enjoyed it so much. It was nothing like what any of us expected, though.
Tuesday, April 21
Tuesday morning, Jacob was feeling better (although he had a bit of a cough and some lingering congestion), so I took both kids to school and headed home. I had nowhere to be, so I got to work. I finished my blog post for the next day, and then I took a very short nap because I felt exhausted (again) and I was also having some mild withdrawals from tapering my medicine again. Sigh. This time around hasn’t been terrible, but I have definitely been experiencing night sweats, unsteadiness (pretty severely at times, but thankfully, not too often), that weird eye strain, sensitivity to light, and I had a brain zap one night before bed. I was hoping those were gone forever, but apparently, they are going to happen after every scheduled taper. Thankfully, they aren’t happening as often as they were the first time around.
After my nap, I felt a little better, so I got back to work, starting my blog post for Friday, catching up on blog reading, sending a room mom email to all the parents in Olivia’s class, and catching up on emails.
When I arrived in the car line to pick up the kids, I saw that I had an email from Jacob saying that he needed to stay after school to finish a project for Algebra II since he’d missed school on Monday.
Olivia and I headed home, and I did two Bible studies while Olivia started her final AR book for the schoolyear. I also (finally) finished organizing pictures to post on Facebook from our Disney trip.
We were just getting ready to head back to the school to pick up Jacob when Brian told me that he was leaving work and would grab him, so Olivia and I had a few more minutes at home which we spent wrapping her friend, Maggie’s, birthday gift for her party later in the week.
After I dropped Olivia at dance, I headed home, and the boys were already there. I caught up with them for a bit and then I headed out to walk. I haven’t walked nearly as much this month as I did in March and I miss it! I was able to do my whole route and then I got in a short arms workout before jumping in the shower.
After the kids were showered, we had just a few minutes to watch some more of Armageddon, and then they went to bed. Brian and I ended the evening with some more of The Chosen and then we went to bed, too. Jacob had a bunch of congestion Tuesday night since everything had started draining, so we gave him some cough medicine and put his humidifier in his room, and thankfully, he slept well and woke up the next morning feeling almost back to normal except for a small cough that is still lingering as I type this on Friday. He’s just like his momma… any time I get a cough, it lingers for weeks and it’s so annoying.
Wednesday, April 22
Wednesday morning, I took the kids to school and then headed home to get some more stuff done. On the way home, my SUV rolled over to 100,000 miles! I can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday that I got it, but I've had it for 5.5 years already.
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Starting and finishing my blog post for Friday
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Starting my blog post for Epcot (the Disney posts
take forever)
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Catching up on blog reading
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Responding to emails
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Updating a few more album covers
I also spent some time laying on my neck pillow midday to stretch all the
tension out of my neck and face.
The kids both stayed after school Wednesday to help with campus beautification for Earth Day, so I didn’t have to get in the car line. Instead, I did two more Bible studies and enjoyed a cup of hot tea. And my favorite friar texted to let me know that he was going to be in town in June (as he always is) and we arranged to get breakfast together with my Momma and Grammy Trish. I’m looking forward to that day already!
I had to pick the kids up at 4:30 PM and they both said it was a successful day! They teamed up with other kids to pick up trash all around campus, and they both said that there wasn’t much trash to start (which was great!), but that they were able to get up every bit that they saw.
Olivia had her long dance night Wednesday, which meant she had to eat dinner beforehand, so I told her that we’d pick something up on the way to dance. She requested Chick-Fil-A, and Jacob was excited for that, too, because he wanted a milkshake.
Olivia ate her dinner in the car on the way to dance, and then both kids enjoyed their milkshakes. Olivia then got changed and ready at dance and Jacob and I headed home.
While dinner baked, I watered the indoor plants, I put away a few new purchases, I tidied the house, and then I made cinnamon muffins for the rest of the week for snacks and breakfasts.
After eating with the boys, I headed out for another walk, and I knocked out another short arms workout.
After Olivia got home, she got showered, the kids got in bed, and Brian and I watched some more of The Chosen before bed.
Thursday, April 23
Thursday, I dropped the kids at school, and the day looked much the same as it did on Wednesday. I worked on my Epcot blog post all day and finished it, I unboxed and put away a couple of deliveries, I updated a few more album covers, and I deleted over 1,000 more pictures from my camera roll to free up some more space.
The kids had music lessons after school, and I sat with Jacob. He and Olivia both decided that they didn’t want to do their spring recitals, and although that made me a little sad, I totally respect their wishes. Jacob still doesn’t like getting up in front of people, and I’d never make him do something he didn’t feel comfortable doing. He loves playing the piano and I certainly don’t want to turn it into something that gives him anxiety. And Olivia still hasn’t quite polished The Fate of Ophelia, so she didn’t really want to play it in the recital. Instead, she decided to start learning All Too Well (one of Taylor’s best songs ever – it’s a masterpiece from start to finish) on Thursday, which I’m excited about! ;o)
After music lessons, we all headed home and I did two more Bible studies. I’ve been doubling up when I can, so I don’t get behind. I’d like to finish this Bible study that I’m doing by the end of this year, so I can start fresh January 1, and I know there will be lots of times I won’t have the opportunity to do one later this year, so I’m getting them in while I can!
Once those were done, I restocked a bunch of paper products in the bathrooms that Brian had gotten at Sam’s the previous day, and then Brian and I made breakfast together when he got home from work. Thursday night breakfast for dinner is always a crowd pleaser!
After dinner, I went on another walk and did another arms workout, and then after everyone was showered and ready for bed we finally finished Armageddon. What a GREAT movie, y’all. I probably watched it dozens of times as a teenager, but it had been years since I last watched it, and it definitely stands the test of time. The kids both loved it. And I cried buckets as I always do when I watch that movie. It just hits different now that I’m a parent.
Friday, April 24
Friday morning, I threw our sheets in the wash before I left to take the kids to school and then I had to stop at Publix on the way home to pick up ingredients for a science project that Olivia had to work on over the weekend.
When I got home, I moved the sheets to the dryer, and then I sat down and got to work. On the agenda was much of the same yet again…
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Catching up on emails
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Paying a bill
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Catching up on some things in my planner
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Cleaning out my List Master app
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Downloading some new music
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Starting and catching up completely on this blog
post
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Starting my Animal Kingdom blog post
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Tidying my office
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Updating more album covers
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Putting sheets back on our bed
On the way to pick up the kids from school, I stopped by the library to
pick up a book, and I chatted with my friend, Jeannine, for a bit.
While waiting in the car line, I had a nice surprise. Our old resource officer at the school pulled up next to me in his truck and he jumped out to say hi. He was in the area, so he wanted to drop by. I chatted with him for most of the time that I waited in the car line, and that was nice because the time passed quickly.
When the kids and I got home, I made a heavy snack for Olivia since she had dance for 3.5 hours, and then I did a Bible study before dropping her off.
Brian took Jacob to get a haircut, and while they were out, they also picked up Five Guys for dinner.
I started a blog post for summer break while they were gone, and then I went downstairs to mix up some Moscow Mules for Brian and me. My new glasses had arrived on Friday, so I was excited to use them for the first time, and y’all, they are gorgeoussss.
After everyone was showered and in pajamas, we popped some popcorn and started the movie Legally Blonde. We didn’t have time to finish it since we’d had a late start, but the kids were loving it.
After they went to bed, Brian whipped up some marshmallow Old Fashioneds for us, and we watched the newest episode of The Testaments followed by some more of The Chosen before heading to bed.
Saturday, April 25
Saturday morning, I got up around 8:30 AM, I made waffles for breakfast, and then Olivia had to bake brownies for a science project she had to do over the weekend. The assignment was to make a 3D model of the ocean’s topography, and she wanted to use brownies, graham crackers, and frosting.
While her brownies cooled, she and Jacob did their laundry and Jacob washed his sheets, and I worked on a blog post for summer.
After lunch, Olivia baked her second batch of brownies and then she put the whole project together after it cooled. She did everything completely on her own, and it was such an awesome parenting moment, not having to help with the project! Haha. The only thing I had to do was put the brownies in the oven and take them out for her.
After that was done, I had a few minutes to update this post, and work on my Animal Kingdom post, and then it was time to get ready for the day.
Saturday, we had a tiny bit of rain (FINALLY) for the first time in weeks, and that was a relief because there have been so many wildfires burning in Georgia. We’ve been under a burn ban for weeks, and we needed the rain desperately. As a matter of fact, just a couple of hours before the rain started, we saw from the news on Facebook that there was a wildfire in the woods right by our neighborhood, and that was scary, especially after seeing the wildfires in south Georgia destroy so many homes in recent weeks. Thankfully, I think they must have gotten it under control quickly because we never heard anything else about it.
We dropped Olivia off at her friend, Maggie’s, house for her party on the way to church. She was soooo excited to celebrate Maggie with all her friends and she had been counting down the minutes until the party all day.
After we dropped her off, the boys and I headed to Mass, and I met my friend, Jeannine, in the back to give her a huge birthday hug along with my friend, Jenn. During Mass, we had the cutest kids in front of us, and I think I ended up smiling at them nearly the whole time. The two girls were, probably, ages two and three and they had a baby brother who was probably about four months old, and the girls both kept turning around and waving and smiling all big at us, and it was just the sweetest thing. The eldest daughter reminded me so much of Olivia at that age, and it made me ache for my tiny babies again. Time is such a thief.
After Mass, my parents, my uncle, both my brothers, and Brian, Jacob, and I all went to eat Mexican at our favorite local place. My brother was in town without his family because he was driving through to The Cape to start working on Artemis III. His trip for NASA ended up getting delayed, but he’d already arranged to speak at our local university, so he ended up coming home anyway. It was nice to have that time with him and to hear about the upcoming Artemis III and Artemis IV missions. And, of course, my Momma wanted to get a picture of all three of her babies.
The boys woke me up when Jacob went to bed, and then Brian and I started the new Dan Levy show, Big Mistakes. I love him so much, and this show looks like it’s going to be almost as quirky as Schitt’s Creek was.
Sunday, April 26
Sunday morning, I got up at 8:30 AM, we had cinnamon rolls, and then I spent a little bit of time in my office. I wasn’t really feeling motivated on Sunday morning, so I think I wasted more time than anything, but sometimes you just have to do nothing. I did, however, get the pictures transferred from my phone to my computer and get them organized, so there was that. :o)
Brian left to pick up Olivia from her sleepover, and they got home just before 11 AM. She came to my office and talked my ear off about all the things and showed me all the pictures they’d taken. They’d had the best time – lots of swimming, hot tub time, karaoke, playing with the dogs and cats, and tonsssss of girl time, putting on makeup, doing face masks, and so many other fun things. I’m so grateful that she has this group of girls. They have so much fun together.
We walked around to see all the vendors when we arrived, and we stopped along the way to talk to friends. We found my friend, Khristina, who was working the event, and my friend, Jeannine, who was working at the library tent, and we picked up one of her kiddos to walk around with us. Then we found my friend, Jessica, and chatted with her and then her mom for a bit (hiiii, Grammy Trish)!!
After a couple of hours, Olivia was exhausted because she hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before, and she was hoping to have time to take a shower and a nap when we got home, so we left the event just before 3 PM.
When we got home, both kids showered, and then we all had lazy time. I worked on this blog post as well as my end of year blog post, Jacob played video games, and Olivia did, indeed, fall asleep while she was watching some videos on her iPad. I had to wake her up at 5:15 PM because she was just going to snooze the rest of the day away!
We went to my parents’ house for Sunday dinner, and Momma made her spaghetti!!!! Always a favorite! We were missing Mama Cass, though, as she had just gotten home from her trip to Colorado and she was too tired to get out.
When we got home, we prepped for Monday and then we finished Legally Blonde. The kids loved it as I’d hoped they would. ;o)
Then after they went to bed, Brian and I watched some more of Big Mistakes before heading to bed.
And now for some current things…
Currently
Reading
In April, I read 1 book – Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden (3 stars) and that was it. It’s been slow in the reading department over here because I have a gazillion books on hold at the library and none of them are available!
I’m also still reading my new devotional for the year – Called by Name: 365 Daily Devotions for Catholic Women by Kelly M. Wahlquist and I’m still reading my Bible along with The Bible in a Year with Father Mike Schmitz.
Currently
Watching
With B: In April, Brian and I finished the new seasons of Shrinking and Paradise, and we continued watching Saturday Night Live. We are still making our way through Rooster (which I love so much) and The Chosen. We also started The Testaments and Big Mistakes.
With the Kids: In March, we watched live action Lilo & Stitch, Armageddon, and Legally Blonde. We also started The Muppets though we didn’t get far. And we watched Artemis II coverage, of course. Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune are also often on in the background in the evening after dinner.
Alone: Just the occasional viewing of The Wedding Planner on Sunday afternoons while I work.
Currently
Listening To
I’ve been loving the podcast The Swiftie and the Scholar and I’ve been listening to that a lot when I’m driving. I’m also loving the new Noah Kahan album that just dropped over the weekend. If you haven’t ever checked out his music, you should!
Happy Tuesday, y’all!
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