Drinking: Mint Juleps on Saturday for a sister cocktail Kentucky Derby
Pondering: The grey hairs that keep popping up all over my head
Watching: We’re in the midst of Florida Man on Netflix. It’s not amazing, but it’s also not bad!
Gardening: Planting lettuce this weekend with the boys!
Weekending: We got ourselves a sitter and we’re hitting the town on Saturday!
Home-ing: New doors that we’ve been talking about for two years.
Teaching: 15 days left!! Just trying to get all the books back from students and wind the library down. Free choice centers for the upper grades and simple story times for the lower grades.
Well, I’ve only been marginally successful at my goal of daily blogging during the school year so far. I’ve been re-reading 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think, by Laura Vanderkam, a fascinating book on how to make the most of your time by spending it on things that matter to you. I’ve determined that I absolutely have enough time to blog, care for my three kids, cook dinner every night, work full time, train for a marathon, meditate, learn spanish, bake on weekends and read at least one book for pleasure a week. haha. I know. That sounds ridiculous when you type it all out, doesn’t it? But people do it! It can be done! I’m going to do it, you guys. And then I’m going to share all of my secrets with you. This space though is one of those things that I know I can do with a little time.
Anyway – how was your week? The boys were at school all week, and I just went back yesterday, so it felt like a very fast week. We’ve been working out a few kinks (mainly in tender-hearted morning emotions), but overall it’s been good! The only thing dragging me down is that moment when my alarm goes off at 5am. I much prefer the yells of my children as an alarm clock.
Are you up to anything this weekend? I need to sit down with my husband tonight and discuss weekend plans over pizza and peach bourbon lemonades because as of yet, we’ve got nothing. A trip to the beach? A wander through the art museum? A kite flying expedition? A laze in the pool in our backyard? I don’t know, it’s going to be hard to choose between all those. We DO however, need to plant our pumpkin seeds because I’m hoping to have some homegrown Halloween pumpkins around here! Now, how about some fun links from around the web?
I’ve been looking forward to the newest episode of this show all week! Call me crazy, but I enjoy the old school excitement that comes from waiting for a new episode every week.
My friend just sent this video and I can’t stop giggling.
It’s here! It’s Friday! Hooray! SO very grateful that my parents were here this week. We took advantage of them like crazy. My car was in the shop all freaking week , so they drove the boys and I around, let me borrow their car when I needed it, made dinner every night, cleaned, done every little bit of laundry, entertained, and were just such a comfort to me. So thankful for them. Really can’t do any better than those two. I’m a lucky gal and I know it.
In other news, I signed Charlie up for Pre-K and soccer last week and I feel like we’re entering into a world of activities and kid stuff, and once it starts, I know it doesn’t end. Trying to soak up these days of just coming straight home from school to be in a little cocoon of a family. It will be good to get him involved in some other stuff – he’s totally ready, and I know Ben will be too once Charlie starts. But it’s a little bittersweet, ya know? Speaking of Ben, that kid, sheesh. He has been such a delight lately. You know how your kids go through phases where they’re like…really difficult and then suddenly you turn around and you’re totally enchanted by this tiny person that you created out of nothing? We’re in the latter phase right now, and gosh he has been so much fun. And oh yes, Lukey Lou is being a good boy too, now that you ask, despite waking at 4:50 on the dot this morning. His hair is getting curlier and curlier by the day, he says “wow” about everything, yells “mama” at everyone (including his dada), points to the tv and cries if we don’t turn blippi on, loves tromping around in the backyard in his rainboots, wants to be anywhere his brothers are, tells us when he poops in his diaper and gives the best hugs in (I’m pretty sure) the state, or maybe even the world.
This weekend we’re continuing to take full advantage of my parents and going on a freaking DATE tomorrow! I have a little excited smile on my face just thinking about it. Truly can’t remember the last date we’ve been on. And Sunday, of course, is the super bowl, so we’ve started working out a little list for the menu (so far it’s – tot-chos, meatballs, and dorito dip). And then Monday is Valentine’s day (that came up quick right??), so we need to bake something fun to celebrate. Ok, ok, I’m done spilling my guts now. How about some links from the week?
Happy Friday!! Doing my weekly sigh of relief and popping in here to say hi, give a little update and to share some fun links from the week! Luke went back to school on Wednesday after his bout of pneumonia and is pretty much back to his jolly little self. Still has a yucky cough, but his lungs are clear and no fever and praise hands for that. I’ve started to brainstorm ideas for the boys’ Valentines for school and there are sooo many fun ones out there, I just need to pick something and start on it. We did dinosaurs last year, and I’m just not sure if I can ever top that one. Our bathroom should be finishing up in the middle of next week, and I cannot wait to get our house back in order. Also, my parents arrive next week for their annual February stay, and I am so freaking excited I cannot contain myself. Trying to decide where to put Luke while they take the guest bedroom. Do we go for it and just stick him in with the big boys? Do we put up the pack and play in the laundry room and shut him away? Do we put him in our room? TBD. My dad also always likes to have a house project while they’re visiting to keep him busy and we haven’t decided on that either. Phew. This post kind of became my to do list, didn’t it? Or vent? Anyway – I feel better after having it all down.
What are you up to this weekend? It’s supposed to be “cold” here in Florida (think 30’s to 40’s), so whatever we do, we may have to bundle up and have a little bit of hot chocolate on the side. Whatever you do this weekend, I hope you enjoy it! Now, how about some fun links from around the web?
In the grand scheme of fast weeks versus slow weeks – it was a fast one, but I can’t say that it’s one I enjoyed all that much. This morning, our whole street was blanketed in a thick sheet of fog. We drive down a mile long stretch of straight road to get out of our neighborhood and on my way to drop the boys at daycare (just Charlie and Ben. I’m still home with Luke.) it felt as if I was driving into oblivion with Charlie and Ben in the back chattering about where the moon might be. I’m not quite sure where the days went. Maybe I lost them somewhere up in there in the fog. And all week, despite being home with Luke and not doing nearly as much as I normally do, when the days were over I tossed myself into the couch and almost immediately fell into a deep dreamless sleep, waking around 11 when I realized I was not tucked in my bed as I should be. I’m glad it was a fast week because honestly I’m ready to move on to the next one.
Things are going full speed ahead in our primary bathroom remodel. Everything has been torn apart, and the task of putting it all back together again has started. Drywall is going up today, electrical work is done, and next week tile will start to go up. That’s when it starts looking like a bathroom again instead of an empty shell. We’ve made our picks for tile, but still have to pick up everything else. Honestly, I think it’s going to wind up looking an awful lot like the boys’ bathroom except with a shower instead of a tub and that will make for a very happy bathroom indeed. Should be done in another week and a half, just before my parents arrive for their annual February stay.
This weekend will consist of trying to get my bearings, trying to decide if Luke is well enough to go to school on Monday, and I hope lots of fresh, clean, healing air. What have you been up to? I hope you had a lovely week. How about some links from around the web?
Made it. It’s Friday. Oh glory glory. I don’t know about you, but I think of Friday as a weekly holiday. I’m not one who needs much encouragement to celebrate something, but I think we can all get behind this one. How was your week? I feel like mine passed in such a blur. Highlights were a cake for no reason, farmers market produce, and feeling like I’ve been really on top of things. I have a few things that I’m hoping to get to this weekend, and I’m so happy it’s a long one.
Ben is supposed to start intensive potty training on Monday at school (they send us an embarrassingly forceful letter about how “according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, potty training should be started at the age of two”. and I was like OK I know we’re supposed to do it, but you guys have him all day and I work and when am I going to do it, I kind of have my hands full. Sheesh. Yes, I’m clearly self conscious about it, let’s move on.), so I’m going to take him to the store so he can pick out his undies. So far he’s told me “No I do not wanna sit on the potty.” lol. May need to make a potty training cake to get through it. In fun news, Charlie got a gift card to the movies from his aunt and uncle for his birthday (way back in October), and either my husband or I are going to take him to see Clifford. He’s never been to a movie theater before! And Luke will be wandering around all weekend being his usual slobbery self.
I’ve been wanting to have a little dinner party with my friends from school, so we’ll have them over on Sunday as there’s no school on Monday for MLK Day. I’m thinking that creamy parmesan polenta will be on the menu topped with braised beef in a homemade tomato sauce, sides of glazed carrots, collard greens, and we’ll finish it off with iced brownies for dessert. Imagining lots of red wine, craft beers, spiked grapefruit sodas and maybe a game after the boys go to bed. Our principal is leaving our school for a promotion and the panel is in the process of choosing a new principal so I’m expecting some tea on the side.
Anyway – I’ve been loving this little space as an outlet. I’m wrapping up my first week as a blogger and it feels like a natural extension of my life. Who knew I had so much to say?! I have so many ideas that I’ve jotted down to write about too. Inspiration is at an all time high!
I think I’ll use this Friday Post to share a little personal update, and a few interesting links that I’ve found this week that you might find interesting too. Lots of blogs do this and I always love reading them. My favorite is Cup of Jo, but I also love Grit and Polish‘s too. So with that – here are a few links from around the web this week…
The Metroka Family 