Last week was a good one! I got ahead with blog work, we tackled a lot of the spring cleaning at home, and we had a really fun weekend. Let’s get to the recap!
Monday, March 2
Monday morning, I snoozed an extra time and then I dropped the kids at school. I had a Home and School Advisory Board meeting right after drop-off, so I hung around for that, and then a couple of the ladies and I chatted in the parking lot for a bit before we left. We are already looking at end-of-the-year activities, and I can hardly believe that summer break is just right around the corner. The kids will be wrapping up the school year in just over ten weeks. HOW?!
After I left the school, I headed to Walmart and Publix to pick up groceries, and then Brian helped me unload them when I got home. The rest of the day was spent finishing up my blog post for Tuesday and folding and putting away the towels I’d washed over the weekend, and then it was time to get in the car line to pick up the kids.
The three of us were extra happy Monday because nobody had anywhere to be – no extracurricular activities and no appointments – so we had a nice, long stretch ahead of us at home.
I started the afternoon with a cup of tea and a Bible study, and then I got out to walk because it was 80 degrees!! I did a very slow and light arms workout afterward, and then I watered the ferns. Since it was nice outside, Brian got out to do some yardwork (pulling weeds, trimming back some hedges, and such), and the kids rode their scooters outside, too.
After dinner, we all cleaned up the kitchen and then the kids hung out for a bit before getting showered and ready for bed.
After dinner, Brian and I finally got our Disney Magic Bands re-synced to my app for our upcoming trip… for some reason they’d been giving us trouble, but Brian finally figured out what to do. Then, I got all my indoor plant babies watered and I did my Lent studies. I had gotten a couple of days behind, so I took the time to get caught up.
Olivia was in her room crocheting, so I hung out with her for a bit. She taught herself how to crochet using those The Woobles kits (highly recommend!) and now that she knows what she’s doing, we bought her some yarn for her birthday so she can make her own creations. She has been crocheting little stuffed animals for her friends and it’s the sweetest thing ever.
Once everyone was ready for bed, we settled in for some family TV time, and we finished the movie Jurassic Park 2. I sat with everyone and caught up on our One Second a Day video for this new year while we watched.
After the kids went to bed, Brian and I watched the most recent episode of Paradise and then we headed to bed.
Monday, we also got the news that Brian’s aunt passed away. We knew it was imminent because she had been ill for quite some time, but it did still happen faster than anyone had expected. She was my mother-in-law’s baby sister, and she was so young, and it was a heartbreaking loss for Brian’s whole family. Please keep them all in your prayers.
Tuesday, March 3
Tuesday morning, I dropped the kids at school, Olivia with stuffies she’d crocheted for her friends in hand. And yes, she also made the collars for them and named them. Don’t ask me where she comes up with these names… she always tells us that she “looks into their soul” and then the name just comes to her. Lol.
By the time I got home, Olivia was already calling me on the phone from the school office to tell me the same thing, so I gathered up both kids’ Mass uniforms and I drove back to the school to drop them off so the kids could get changed.
We’ve had kids at the school for eleven years, and in eleven years we’ve never forgotten a Mass day… until last week. I guess there’s a first time for everything. Haha. The school even sends a reminder text message the evening before, but we still managed to forget.
When I got home the second time, I made a cup of tea and got started on my day. Tuesday’s focus was the blog. I started and finished my blog post for Friday, I started and finished my blog post for the following Wednesday, I caught up on blog comments, and I caught up on three days of blog reading.
By the time all that was done, it was time to get in the car line to pick up the kids. When we got home, I did my Bible study and quiet time, and then I did a quick arms workout before taking Olivia to dance.
The boys went to play golf, and then when I got home to the empty house I went out for a walk. I got showered and ready and started dinner shortly after the boys got home, and I also made a batch of chocolate chip muffins to have on hand for the week ahead. The kids and I looooveeee muffins, so lately I’ve been making them almost every week.
After dinner, Olivia went upstairs to get showered, and the rest of us cleaned the kitchen. By the time everyone was prepped and ready for Wednesday, it was time for the kids to get in bed, and then Brian and I turned on an episode of SNL before we went to bed.
Wednesday, March 4
Wednesday morning, I dropped the kids off at school and then I headed home to tackle my list for the day. On the agenda was…
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Starting and finishing my blog post for Monday
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Downloading my niece’s wedding photos (she finally
got them all back from her wedding and they are stunning!)
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Typing up a recipe to add to my recipe book
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Updating more album covers… I’m on a roll and I’m
hoping to finally be done with this massive project sometime in the next couple
of months
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Finished catching up on blog reading
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Put gas in my car
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Stopped by UPS to drop off a couple of Amazon
returns
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Stopped by the library to drop off some books
After school, the kids and I met up with Brian in a parking lot near the
school so Jacob could jump in Brian’s car to go to golf. Meanwhile, Olivia and I headed home so she
could study, eat dinner, and get ready for dance. I did my Bible study while she studied for a
test, and then I made some chicken fingers for her to eat before we left.
I had to swing by CVS to pick up my new daily inhaler after I dropped her off at dance, and I’m so very grateful that we were able to find one that does not cost $654 per month. This one is only going to be $40… still more than I was paying for my previous inhaler, but thankfully, actually affordable.
Wednesday evening, we were supposed to have had a girl’s dinner, but a couple of girls had things come up and a couple weren’t feeling well, so we decided to postpone again. Instead, I headed home and I went for yet another walk and then I headed back home to work out my arms. The arms workouts are still very light and very short, but thankfully, they don’t seem to be bothering my neck so far. Fingers crossed maybe I’ve finally turned a corner?!
Right before I left for my walk, the sunlight was pouring into our bedroom, and it was bouncing off one of the mirrors and projecting a rainbow onto my nightstand. You know I had to photograph it! It was so beautiful and in all our years living here, I have never seen that happen. I also had to capture the flowering trees in the sky… everything is blooming and it is so beautiful!
After dinner, Jacob got showered and I prepped for Thursday and did my Lent study for the day, and Brian headed to pick up Olivia from dance.
Once the kids were in bed, Brian and I watched the most recent episode of Shrinking that had dropped and then it was bedtime.
Thursday, March 5
Thursday after the kids had been dropped at school, I headed home to make a cup of tea and tackle another list for the day…
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Started my blog post for the following Tuesday
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Started my blog post for the following Friday
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Caught up on emails
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Paid a couple of bills
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Printed my goals for the month
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Shopped for Easter baskets
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Opened a couple of packages that delivered
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Texted our resource officer about doing security for
the upcoming dance I’m co-chairing
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Updated some more album covers
It was a pretty basic day.
When we got home, I did my quiet time, and the kids went outside for a while to burn some energy and soak up the sun and fresh air. I walked/ran 2.41 miles and then I showered. Brian and I made breakfast for dinner – our usual Thursday evening dinner – and then after dinner the kids got showered while I prepped for Friday.
Brian and I finished the episode of Saturday Night Live after the kids went to bed, and we were officially caught up on TV at that point.
Friday, March 6
Friday, I dropped the kids at school, made my tea, and then did some blog housekeeping before Brian and I had to leave to visit with my upper cervical chiropractor. I had been counting down the days until I got to see him because I could tell that my atlas was out based on how I’d been feeling up to that point. I considered making an appointment earlier with him, but I just decided to stick it out instead.
My atlas was, indeed, out again, but it wasn’t as bad this time as it was the last time. I also had him check my jaw again, and he said that my left side was a bit wonky, but it also wasn’t as bad as it was the last time. So, progress, I guess? Hopefully on the way to permanent progress now that I’m done with all the jaw changes since my braces are off and my retainer has been regulated? (Although, my OG retainer still isn’t perfect. Sigh.) Guess we’ll see!
While I was there, I mentioned myofunctional therapy to him since my tongue posture has been wrong my entire life and he confirmed that tongue posture is directly connected to the cervical spine, so that explains why my retainer issues caused my atlas to come out again. He was very knowledgeable about myofunctional therapy, and he told me that, unfortunately, right now, the closest therapist is north of Atlanta which is way too far from my house to visit since it would likely be a multiple times per week commitment up front. He told me that there is someone opening a practice right near him, though, and soon. He told me that he knows the person and has been in touch with him, so he’ll let me know when he has more information about an opening date and such.
He did agree that he thinks I need to address my tongue function, etc., though, and he also confirmed that it’s important to visit with a specialist to get a customized plan rather than just try to do exercises myself at home. He said that once a therapist evaluates me, they should know which exercises I need to do and then I’ll be able to do everything from home after that, hopefully. I don’t know if it’s something I’ll end up pursuing, but I’m definitely not taking it off the table. I guess it just depends how things go from this point forward with my neck adjustments, etc.
My upper cervical chiropractor is already a bit of a haul from my house, so it would be convenient if I could somehow schedule both appointments together since they’ll be close in proximity. I guess we’ll see.
I got up after about an hour and Brian and I had lunch together. I only had a few minutes after lunch before I had to leave to pick up the kids, so I worked some more on updating album covers.
After school, I finished my book. I read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, and I loved it so much. It took some getting used to since the entire book was written in letters and emails, but once I adapted to the writing style, I couldn’t put it down.
After that, I started updating more album covers, and I think I was able to get 40 of them done. I am rocking and rolling, and I’m almost done updating all artists through the letter R, so I’m getting close to the end of the alphabet.
We had poker night Friday night which is one of our favorite evenings of the whole month! This month, it was at Jeannine and James’s house, so we got there around six and spent the rest of the evening eating pizza and drinking beer (out of our Maui koozies) and laughing and chatting… oh, and playing a little poker, too. ;o)
I know I say it every month, but I just love this group of people so much. We always have so much fun together, the conversation never stops rolling, and I’m grateful for each and every one of them.
We got home just before ten, and the kids went to bed. Brian and I were at a loss for watch to watch, so we started DTF St. Louis (pilot episode was the only one available and it wasn’t my favorite), and then after that, Brian turned on Cruel Intentions because I had been talking about it at dinner. It’s one of my favorite movies from the 90s… ugh, just so good!!!! We turned off the movie early, though, because we were both so tired.
Saturday, March 7
Saturday morning, we slept in and I made waffles for breakfast. I spent some time updating some links on the blog along with some other blog housekeeping, and I did some more browsing for Easter baskets.
Mid-morning, I got up and got busy and all of us worked our booties off for the rest of the day. The kids did their laundry and tidied their rooms and the playroom since it had gotten a bit messy, and I deep cleaned the blinds, the windows, and the tub in our primary bathroom, I deep cleaned the windows in the playroom, and I deep cleaned the blinds and window in my closet. Brian worked in the yard aaaallll day pulling weeds that started popping up, trimming, raking leftover leaves from fall and winter, and mowing the front and back yards.
Once that was done, I grabbed a cup of tea and I updated five months of blog links, and then I went for a walk. It was sunny and 82 degrees on Saturday so I ended up getting all hot and sweaty and I even got some sun on my arms and shoulders even though I put on sunscreen. I have missed being tan!
We met them there at the game, grabbed dinner from the concession stand, and then found our seats. The four kids had seats right in front of us, so all of us adults were able to sit together and it worked out perfectly. The kids ended up leaving us and sitting several rows behind us at the very top of the stadium since there was nobody up there, and they all had a good time watching the game and waiting for a fight. Haha.
Mack and Buckley had brought their Rubik’s cubes along and Jacob was determined to figure out how to solve it, so Mack helped him with some tips and tricks, and Jacob is officially on his way to being one of those kids who can solve a Rubik’s cube freakishly fast in just seconds. Haha.
The game was an exciting one and we ended up winning in sudden death overtime. The kids were disappointed that there were zero fights Saturday night, but they did get excited every time things escalated.
Sunday, March 8
Sunday morning wasn’t fun at all because the clocks had moved forward in the middle of the night. I dragged myself out of bed just before the new 9 AM which was the old 8 AM, and I was tired since we’d gone to bed so late. I say it every year and I’ll say it again – I am NOT a fan of Daylight Saving Time. We live on the back end of our time zone, so the sun rises very late already, and when we spring forward the sun rises ridiculously late. As someone who is not a morning person, I really need the sunshine to get me going in the morning, and we just don’t get there here where we live. Our meteorologist said that if we were to move to DST permanently, the sun would rise here in the winter until NINE AM, and in some places it wouldn’t rise until after TEN AM. That is just silly.
Anyhoooo, we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and we ended up having to wake Olivia because she slept so late that I was worried she wouldn’t be able to go to bed Sunday night (I was right), and then I headed up to my office to tackle my Sunday morning things – planning for the week ahead, transferring photos off my phone to my computer, getting them organized, and listening to the sermon I listen to every Sunday.
After that, I cleaned a few more slats on the kitchen blinds (I’m just doing a few every day since it’s so time consuming), and then I cleaned the dining room blinds. That was easy peasy with my new dusting gloves!
We had lunch after that, and then I got out for another walk. While I was out, I checked on our neighbor, Joe, who has been battling cancer and he’s doing great. He was out in the yard doing some light yardwork and it was so good to see him out and about! I chatted with him for a few minutes and then headed back home to shower and get ready for the day.
Our pastor ended up having to delay Mass by nearly 15 minutes while someone called 911. Thankfully, we had several doctors in the congregation, so they were able to be there with him until the paramedics arrived, and our priest also walked to the back of the sanctuary to pray over him while we waited. It was a scary 15 minutes until the ambulance got there, but from what I’ve heard since then is that he is doing better, thank goodness. We were all a bit shaken up after that.
Mass ended up running very late, so the kids and I snuck out right after Communion because we had to pick up Mama Cass for Sunday dinner and get all the way back out to my parents’ house on the other side of town.
We spent the rest of the evening over there, and then when we got home, we prepped for Monday, the kids got in bed, and Brian and I started the newest episode of SNL.
Happy Tuesday, y’all!
