Our Week - The One with Summer, Week 7 (Volunteering at Outreach, Bowling, Milkshakes, a UCC Appointment, Poker Night, and More)

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Week seven of summer break was a good mix of productivity, relaxation, and fun!  And I’m in denial that we’re more than 2/3 of the way through the break.  As you read this, we only have 2.5 weeks left of summer break and I’m not remotely ready for it to be over.  Yes, I’m ready for all the fall things, but I’m not ready to be away from my babies all day, and I’m certainly not ready to start waking up at 6 AM every morning again.  Yuck!

Here’s the recap from last week!

 

Monday, July 6

Monday, I was up at 7:45 AM and when I went downstairs, Jacob was already down there eating breakfast.  I ate, too, and then I unloaded the dishwasher, took my vitamins, made my tea, and then I went to my office to finish my blog post for Wednesday.  I also made my way through five loads of laundry all day and I managed to put it all away the same day, too.  *Pats self on back.*

Right before lunch, I showered and got ready for the day and then the kids and I ate together.  I unpacked a Target shipment that had just arrived and I started Friday’s blog post, and by the time I was done with all that, it was time to take the kids to their makeup music lessons that they’d missed while we were in Denver.

I sat with Jacob while he worked some more on Clair de Lune and he was sounding so good by the time we left!  He had the whole thing down a couple of years ago with the exception of the end, so he decided he wanted to try to perfect that part so he can have the entire song done.

When we got home, I read for a bit and then I did my devotional and a Bible study.  I updated a couple of spreadsheets after that and then I headed downstairs to make turkey and cheese biscuit sliders for dinner.  We had some leftover baked beans and fruit from our July 4th party, so we had those as sides.

I finished putting away the laundry after dinner, I watered the indoor plants, and then I went out for my evening walk and did a short tai chi workout. 

Once that was done, I meditated while I lay on my neck pillow and my vibration plate, and then I showered. 

Once the kids were ready for bed, we all sat down and binged five episodes of Friends – they’re so quick and easy to watch since they’re only about 22 minutes each – and then Brian watched the end of the FIFA World Cup game.  Team USA lost, which was a bummer, so now I’m cheering for England, the land of my ancestors. 

We got the kids in bed after that, and then Brian and I watched some more of I Will Find You before heading to bed.  I decided on July 4 to stop taking my vertigo meds altogether (again… remember last October when I did that and things did NOT go well?).  I was only taking 1/4 pill (literally a crumb) once every three days at that point anyway, which meant that by Monday, I hadn’t had it since July 1. 

Sure enough, the withdrawals settled in again Monday, but thankfully, they weren’t severe like they were the first time I tried to stop after only tapering for a few weeks.  I had very bad sensitivity to light and very dry eyes on Monday, and some of my dizziness was starting to come back, but all in all it was bearable.  Monday, anyway.  Haha.

 

Tuesday, July 7

Tuesday, I was up at 7:30 AM and I got showered and ready for the day.  The kids and I ate breakfast, and then we headed to our church’s Outreach Center to help with food distribution all morning.  Our church feeds thousands of families each month so it is a big (and very important) operation, so I’m always happy to lend a helping hand. 

We started the day by helping load the shopping carts with all the different items that go out to each family.  Every family that comes gets a large paper bag filled with canned goods and other non-perishables, a small bag with rolls of toilet paper, paper towels, and tissues, two bags of bakery items (sandwich bread, dinner bread, etc. that our local Publix donates), a bag of frozen meat, a bottle of juice, a bag of fresh produce, and most of the time a bakery dessert (cake, cupcakes, etc.).  And we also keep various other items on hand like baby items (diapers, formula, etc.), feminine products, other hygiene products, etc. that people can request if they’re in need.  And if the family size is larger, then they get more of each.

There was a bigger need to pack the bags of non-perishables about an hour into our time there, so all three of us spent the rest of the morning packing them, closing them, and filling the shelves.  The kids really stepped up lifting big boxes of canned vegetables repeatedly all morning, and they were both feeling it by the time we were done.

We made sure that the shelves were fully stocked with the bags for the next day, and then we left right before noon.  We stopped by the library on the way home to grab some books and then we all had lunch together when we got home.

The kids had some well-earned screen time Tuesday afternoon and I worked on my blog post for Friday and then lay for a bit to rest my neck.  My withdrawals were still present Tuesday, so I was quite tired, so I spent the rest of the afternoon reading blogs after I was done resting.

My friend, Jeannine, invited us to bowl with her boys Tuesday afternoon, so we met them and their friends at 4:30 PM.  Jeannine and I talked while the kids all played their two games, and Jacob did so great despite not playing in nearly a year.

By the time we got home, Brian was already home, so I made beef tacos for dinner, and then I went out for a walk.  I really wanted to do a tai chi workout, but my body wasn’t having it thanks to my withdrawals, so instead, I lay on my neck pillow and vibration plate and did a meditation, and then I got showered and in my pjs.

We watched three episodes of Friends, and then Brian and I watched another episode of I Will Find You before we went to bed.

Wednesday, July 8

Wednesday, the withdrawals were in full force all day, which was good timing since we had nowhere to be.  Thankfully, they still weren’t as bad as they were back in October, but I still felt like hammered crap all day – terrible sensitivity to light to the point where I could barely look at my computer or phone, blurred vision, dizziness, really bad shortness of breath (which I actually think might have just been my asthma acting up??), exhaustion, brain zaps at bedtime (though, they were different this time… it was more like body jolts because I didn’t have the weird electricity sound in my head like I did back in October when I tried to taper the first time), and just a general sense of feeling, well, bad.

My alarm is always set for 7:30 AM on weekdays, but I ended up snoozing until 8 AM Wednesday because I just felt so exhausted.  Even at 8, I had to drag myself out of bed.

Olivia was already up, and Jacob got up shortly after that, so we all had breakfast and I did my morning routine.

Since I’d done nothing on Tuesday, I had a lot to do Wednesday, so I headed to my office to tackle a few things… it was a struggle, though:

 

-       Catch up on emails

-       Pay a bill

-       Upload photos to a shared document that my cousin is putting together

-       Finish my blog post for Friday

-       Start my blog post for Monday

-       Tidy my bedroom and bathroom

 

By the time I was done with that, I was feeling really bad, so I went and lay in bed to read for an hour.  Meanwhile, Jacob worked on his chemistry and math summer homework, and Olivia Facetimed with her friend, Maren, since all her summer homework was done.

We all had lunch together, and then Olivia cleaned her bedroom and bathroom, and the kids cleaned the playroom together.  They were all a mess.

We also ordered new water bottles for the kids for the new school year along with a few other necessities, and then I went to lay down again. 

I was able to work on my blog post for Monday a little more after I rested, but then after sitting at the computer, I felt like poo again, so I had to go lay back down. 

I pretty much alternated between getting stuff done in my office and laying in bed all day.  I got one last second wind after that, and I added a few dates to my planner, I worked on Monday’s blog post for a few minutes, I got a couple of Amazon returns ready, and then I did my devotional and a Bible study before heading downstairs to cook dinner.

On the menu Wednesday evening was fettucine alfredo with chicken and steamed broccoli, and garlic cheese bread.  It’s always a quick meal to make, but it involves a lot of prep and monitoring since there are so many things going at once.  That wasn’t an ideal meal to have to make when you are super tired and winded and dizzy, but I got it done!

While Brian cleaned the kitchen after dinner, I quizzed Jacob on his chemistry elements.  He must memorize half of them by the time school starts, and he must know them both ways – if the name is given, he must know the symbol and vice versa. 

When that was done, I meditated on my neck pillow and vibration plate, and then I finally got showered for the day.  I put on my pjs again and then I sent out invitations for Jacob’s birthday get together that we’re having later this month. 

We started the newest episode of America’s Got Talent Wednesday night, and then we watched two more episodes of Friends.  The kids wanted popcorn, so we made a night of it, and then after they went to bed, Brian and I had rare mid-week cocktails because it was about the only thing that could put me out of my misery.  We watched some more of I Will Find You and then we went to bed.

 

Thursday, July 9

Thursday morning, I was up at 7:45 AM and my asthma was acting up again, so I woke up feeling yucky.  Thankfully, it resolved within a couple of hours of waking, so it ended up being a non-issue.

After my morning things, I worked on my blog post for Monday, and then I finished my book since it needed to be returned to the library soon.  After that, I worked on my blog post for Monday some more, and then it was time to get showered for the day. 

After lunch, the kids and I headed out to run lot of errands:

 

-       UPS (to return a couple of Amazon orders that didn’t work out)

-       Sephora (per Olivia’s request… just because!)

-       Library (to return a few books that were due)

-       Target (to return a couple of things and grab a few things we needed + shop for jeans for Olivia + browse the few LoveShackFancy items that remained + browse the new Room Essentials line that I’m obsessed with)

-       Orthodontist (checkups for the kids)

-       Music lessons (I sat with Olivia and she worked some more on Happier by Ed Sheeran)

Olivia and my friend Jeannine’s son were supposed to be having a special Diva Day with our friend, Jen, but she wasn’t feeling well, and she had to postpone.  Since she couldn’t take them out, Jeannine and I decided to get all our kids together for a milkshake date, and then we took them to Five Below to shop for matching shirts for Buckley and Olivia.  They never found shirts that they liked, but they ended up finding a pair of PJ shorts and matching fuzzy blankets so they could twin at poker night on Friday.

When we got home, I tidied the house and did a few things to catch up since we’d been gone all afternoon, and then Brian and I made breakfast for dinner. 

After dinner, I got on my stair stepper for 30 minutes and then I did my meditation, vibration, neck pillow combo.

We watched a little more of America’s Got Talent with the kids, but both are so into Friends already that they didn’t want to watch the whole thing, and instead, they wanted to turn it off to squeeze in three episodes of Friends before bed. 

Brian and I ended the night with another episode of I Will Find You before bed.

 

Friday, July 10

Friday morning, we were all up early because I had an upper cervical chiropractor appointment.  After getting ready and eating a quick breakfast, we hit the road.  My appointment went great because my atlas and axis were still perfectly in place, making this the first time that my adjustments have held this long in months.  My neck test, my leg test, and the examination all showed that everything was perfect, so my doctor sent me on my way and told me to come back in a month!  My tongue is finally adapting to its new posture, so I think that had so much to do with my perfect checkup! 

After my appointment, we hit the road, but we didn’t head straight home like we usually do.  Brian discovered that there’s a place called Fun Spot America in Fayetteville, GA, and they have one of the Top 10 best roller coasters in the world.  They are closing permanently on August 2, so he wanted to go ride the roller coaster since it’s not too far from my upper cervical chiropractor.

Trader Joe’s happened to be right on the way, so we stopped to grab some essentials – pickle chips, dark chocolate almonds, wine, vanilla bean scones, and a few other goodies that we wanted to try.

When we arrived, the place was a ghost town and I thought it was closed (LOL), but after we rounded the bend, we saw several cars in the parking lot.  Brian and the kids went into the park, but I opted to stay in the car.  It was HOT Friday and I was wearing jeans and close toe shoes for my appointment, so I wanted to stay in the car where it was nice and cool.

I was glad I did, too, because it ended up taking them an hour to get through the gate and ride the roller coaster because Brian said they were incredibly inefficient there, but he loved the coaster and said it was one of the best ones he’s ever ridden.  The kids didn’t want to ride since it goes upside down, so they filmed Brian instead.  Haha.

After that, we made the drive home, and we made lunch when we got back.  After lunch, Jacob made flash cards for chemistry, and he studied for a bit and Olivia tried on her new jeans from Target.  I finished my blog post for Monday, I read for a few minutes, and then I started this blog post, and before I knew it, it was time to freshen up and head to my friend, Jeannine’s house, for poker night.

We had pizza and cocktails and another set of friends, Seth and Natalie, joined us this time, so it was even more chatty and chaotic than it usually is.  We laughed so much that my face hurt by the time we were done.

The kids spent most of the night running around outside and they all came inside sweaty and flushed because it was so hot.

We capped off the evening by shooting some glow-in-the-dark twirling things (I don’t know how else to describe them, lol) into the sky.  The lights run on batteries, and you shoot them using a rubberband launcher, so you can use them over and over again.  The kids had contests to see who could shoot theirs the highest and they ran all around trying to catch them.

By the time we got home, it was 10 PM, so the kids both showered and got in bed.  While they showered, I meditated on my neck pillow and vibration plate, and then Brian and I finished I Will Find You and started season three of Silo.  We didn’t go to bed until 12:30 AM, so it was a late night.

 

Saturday, July 11

Saturday morning, we slept in until 8:15 AM, I made waffles, and then I tidied the kitchen and the whole downstairs area because it was a wreck.  Brian went out to mow the lawn and then I went in my office for a little while to catch up on emails, read blogs, put some dates in my planner, organize a couple of lists, and work on this blog post.

Late in the morning, I got showered and ready for the day, and then we all met my father-in-law and much of the rest of Brian’s family for lunch to celebrate several summer birthdays – my brother-in-law’s, my sister-in-law's, Jacob’s, and my niece’s.  We have so many summer birthdays in our family!

We went back over to my FIL’s house after that to have cookie cake and open gifts, and then we went home for a couple of hours before church.  I spent some time catching up this blog post, and I also started my first Colorado recap.  I also spent a few minutes reorganizing my editorial calendar since I had to make room for a few extra travel posts that weren’t originally on the calendar. 

Before leaving for church, I lay on my neck pillow and vibration plate because my dizziness and other issues were in full force, and then I freshened up before we hit the road.

After Mass, we went to our usual Mexican restaurant with our usual group – my parents, Mama Cass, my brother, Aunt Joy, and Uncle Greg, and then on the way home, we stopped by Dairy Queen to get Blizzards for Brian and the kids.

When we got home, we watched a few more minutes of America’s Got Talent followed by two episodes of Friends, and then Brian and I continued episode one of season three of Silo.  We hadn’t gotten far, and both of us had started nodding off the night before, so we had to retrace our steps.  Haha.  I actually didn’t get far into the episode again, and I started dozing off, so Brian turned it off altogether and he watched something that he’s been watching on his own while I dozed.  I love a couch nap!

 

Sunday, July 12

Sunday morning, I got up at 8:15 AM, I made cinnamon rolls, and I made the bed and tidied upstairs while they baked.  After breakfast, the kids did their laundry, and I got my planner ready for the week ahead.  I transferred my photos to my computer from my phone and organized them, and then I went out for a walk even though I don’t love walking when the sun is overhead. 

It was HOT Sunday, but I did two miles, and then I did a Bible study while I cooled off.  After that, it was time to get showered and ready for lunch at my MIL’s and step-FIL’s, and on the way there, we swung by CVS to pick up my prescriptions.

We had a big group Sunday since my sister-in-law, nephew, and my niece and her husband were all in town, and they made a delicious spread.  We celebrated Jennifer and Haley’s birthdays over there (we’ll be doing a separate one for Jacob in a couple of weeks), and then on the way home, we swung by Target to pick up an online order.

I felt like poo again Sunday – from withdrawals, and hopefully that’s it??  My neck was bothering me, but I’m assuming it was somehow related to the withdrawals – so I was hanging by a thread when we got home.  I took some Ibuprofen, had a cup of hot tea, and then lay down for a little bit, and I did feel a little better when I got up, although still pretty dizzy.  I know it’ll all be over eventually so I’m just trying to hang in there!!  I feel like there’s light at the end of the tunnel since I’m finally completely off the vertigo meds and since I’ve found a doctor who knows how to fix me (for lack of a better term).

I felt decent enough to look at a computer screen for a bit, so I finished my blog post for Tuesday, I worked on this blog post some more, I started my blog post for Friday, and then I started typing out the first Denver recap that should go live next Friday (assuming I stay on track!).  Then, I did a few things around the house before heading to my parents’ house for Sunday dinner.

Momma made a delicious chicken tortellini alfredo with a couple of sides, and then we had cookie brownies for dessert.  My parents’ next door neighbors brought over their new puppy after dinner – a coton de tulear – and I fell in love instantly.  I was shocked to find out that they’d been able to get her right here in our city (those dogs are hard to find), and now I think I have doggie fever, although, I’m not sure I’m ready to have the responsibility again just yet since we travel so much.

When we got home, we watched some more of AGT followed by three episodes of Friends, and then Brian and I finished episode two of season three of Silo.  I also did stalk the Facebook page of the place where my parents’ neighbors had gotten their puppy and OMG they have some sweet babies right now!

Happy Wednesday, y’all!