Our Week - The One With a School Dance, Instagramming, and Getting Stuff Done

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As you can see from the title of this post, we didn’t have much going on out of the ordinary last week, but I sure did get a TON of stuff done!  Let’s get to the recap!

Monday, November 2

Monday morning, I snoozed one extra time and then I woke up feeling SO REFRESHED because of the time change!  Say what you want about standard time, but my body clock sure does love it!

I got to drive the kids to school IN THE SUNLIGHT for the first time in weeks, and it was a glorious way to start the day!  After I dropped them off at school, I did my Walmart and Publix shopping to grab the stuff we needed for the next couple of weeks.

Brian helped me get the groceries inside, and then I put all the cold stuff away, I grabbed a cup of coffee, and Bellie and I went to my office.  She started scratching at the door to get out almost immediately, so I hauled her back downstairs and gated her in the kitchen… her little prison while B and I work all day.  Haha.

I worked on finishing my blog post for Tuesday all morning, and then I had time to catch up on some emails before going downstairs to eat lunch with Brian.  While I was down there, I also put dinner in the slow cooker, and then I sat outside with Bellie for a bit so she could run around.

When I went back upstairs, I threw a load of bedding in the washer from the kids’ sleepovers and then I started my blog post for Monday, I did a little Christmas gift browsing, I did some blog housekeeping, and I filmed something for my Instagram stories.  I also played outside with Bellie for a while.

It was time to get in the car line after that, so I put another load of bedding in and then I hit the road.  I worked on a Reel in the car line, and then Olivia jumped in the car and we headed home.  Jacob was staying late for E-Sports, so he didn’t come home with us.

When we got home, Olivia worked on some homework, and I did a Bible study and watered my plants.  I drove her to dance, headed home, and then I got outside for a walk since I had to do it before dinner as the time had changed.  I took Bellie with me for the first mile and she was SO excited.  That girl loves a walk more than anything on this earth.

After her mile, I took her back home, and then I headed back out for another 1.5 miles.  Brian picked up Jacob from E-Sports while I was walking, and when they got to the neighborhood, Jacob got in the driver’s seat to practice.  He drove right by me while I was walking, and let me tell you, it is weird seeing your firstborn drive on the road for the first time.  He looked like a pro, too.

Brian left to pick up Olivia from dance just as I was getting home from my walk, and I spent some time with Jacob, hearing all about his day.  I showered quickly after that and flipped the laundry, and then I finished dinner and setting the table.  I also got the house cozy with our oils and the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack.  YES.

Brian texted to say that Olivia was running late getting out, so I had to hold dinner a little longer.  While I waited for them, I put up all the fall and Halloween mugs, and I pulled out all my Christmas mugs and got them set up.  I also put the dining room table back together after our party Friday, and then I vacuumed because the floors were awful.

We finally ate dinner at 6:30 PM when Brian and Olivia got home, and the rest of the evening was spent getting ready for bed, watching two episodes of Friends, meditating and resting and using my heated neck wrap because my neck was killing me, getting the kids in the bed, and watching some of Saturday Night Live.

Tuesday, November 3

Tuesday morning, I woke up at 6 AM and I decided to record my day for a day in the life post… but this time, I wanted to video the whole thing and make a Reel rather than just taking pictures of the day (per several reader requests).  Friends, I hope you enjoy this Reel, because it’s going to be a loooong time before I do that again.  Lol.  It was SUCH a pain in the butt having to constantly remember to film, having to move the tripod all over creation, and such, and then the editing… OMGGGG.  I don’t know how people do Reels like that all the time.  No thank you.

Anyway, after I got ready, I threw a load of laundry in the washer so I could wash Olivia’s new dress for her fall dance, and then I dropped the kids off at school.  I had a Home and School Advisory Board meeting to attend, so I hung around for that, and then when it was over I headed home. 

I let Belle out, grabbed a cup of coffee (and my tripod – LOL), and then I headed to my office to start and finish my blog post for Thursday and then put some laundry away.  I sat outside with Belle during lunch, and then she and I went for a midday walk since it was cool outside.  We were nearly a half mile away from our house when it started raining, so we had to jog all the way back home.  We were both soaked when we got home, so I threw my sweatshirt in the dryer and then had to dry and recurl my hair.

I spent the rest of the afternoon tackling some random tasks:

 

-       Opening a package that had arrived 

-       Working on my blog post for Friday

-       Catching up on emails

-       Printing my goals for the month (I like to keep them in my planner so I can see them easily all the time)

-       Texting my DJ friend to make sure he had me on his calendar for DJing at three of our school dances

-       Working on a blog post for Monday

-       Working on some gift guides for my Amazon Storefront

-       Filming a story for Instagram

After all that was done, it was time to pick up Olivia from school.  She and Jacob both had after school activities, so I didn’t have to be there until 4 PM, which means that I didn’t have to sit in the car line!

When she and I got home, I made her some chicken nuggets for dinner and then she worked on her note cards for her classroom sessions for Velocity.  I did a Bible study, and then we drove to dance. 

When I got home, I let Belle out and then I worked on my Reel before making dinner for the boys and me.  We had turkey and cheese sliders on Hawaiian rolls with garlic butter drizzle, chips, and fruit for dinner since I don’t have much time to cook on Tuesday evenings.

I was exhausted after dinner, but I pushed through and took down the Halloween décor from the mantle so I could put up my Christmas mantle, and the boys and I watched election coverage while I did that. 

After the mantle was done, I did a stair stepper workout while Jacob showered and Brian picked up Olivia, and then when she got home, she got showered and ready for bed. 

We had just enough time to watch an episode of Friends before they went to bed, and then Brian and I watched election coverage all night and watched most of the map turn blue!  I was texting nonstop in my family group chat, my girlfriends group chat, and with several other friends, and I couldn’t have been happier.  Thank goodness we’re going to have some changes in the country soon.

My brother (who works for NASA) also sent a message in our family group chat letting all of us know that he submitted all our names (me, Brian, Jacob, Olivia, my parents, and my other brother) to fly on board the Dragonfly mission to Titan!  So, starting in July 2028, my name, along with my other family members will be flying all around outer space!  So cool, right?!  Here's my official ticket.  Brian and the kids have one, too.

Wednesday, November 4

Wednesday morning, I had an appointment at the allergist.  I go every nine months, and it was time.  I mentioned to the doctor that my fall allergies have been getting worse each year the further I get away from my allergy shots.  (I stopped them in spring 2020 and had several years of relief, but they’re creeping up every year now.) 

The doc mentioned that she wants me to try a new (to me) nasal spray before we even consider doing shots again, so I’m hoping it helps.  I already take a daily nasal spray, but it only controls the swelling and inflammation.  This new nasal spray will control the actual histamines to (hopefully) help cut back on my post nasal drip / congestion / runny nose.  My post nasal drip has been so awful this year that there have been nights when I haven’t been able to fall asleep.  It also causes me to have globus (sensation of lump in the throat) which then causes my breathing to get erratic (which then causes me to get dizzy… which is not good since I’m already dizzy from neck issues – sigh), so I’m hoping this helps.  And it’s non habit forming thank goodness.  Nasal sprays always worry me for that reason.

Anyway, I was in and out in 45 minutes, and 30 of those minutes were spent with the doctor, so it was a quick appointment.

When I got home, I headed to my office with a cup of coffee, I turned on all my twinkle lights, and I snuggled down under the covers for a rainy, cozy office day.  On the list Wednesday was:

 

-       Catching up on a few things in my planner

-       Catching up on emails

-       Blog housekeeping

-       Catching up on a bunch of little things that I’d neglected Wednesday since I was filming my day (LOL)

-       Calling the eye doctor to get some receipts for insurance

-       Finishing my blog post for Monday

-       Starting this blog post

-       Tidying my office

 

Belle didn’t want to be outside at lunchtime since it was raining, so I used that time to eat and tidy the kitchen, and then she and I went to my office where she finally went to sleep.  Thank goodness!

I worked some more on this blog post, I organized a few lists on my phone, I updated a spreadsheet, I did some more Christmas gift browsing (just waiting to purchase and hope for a sale!), and then I worked on the audio for my Reel.

Olivia had her very first classroom session for Velocity on Wednesday and she said everything went great!  Velocity students work with our school's guidance counselor along with the instructors at Velocity, so talk to younger kids about peer pressure, friendships, dealing with stress, and so many other things that affect kids daily.  I just love that she's following in Jacob's footsteps and doing this.  It's such a great organization!

When the kids and I got home from school, we had nowhere to be the rest of the night (we LOVE Wednesdays!), so the kids played with Bellie and then had some screen time and I did a Bible study and caught up on a few more things around my office – I put away a few things to tidy the space, I got three Amazon returns ready, and I tidied my bedroom and bathroom.

The kids and I got out for a walk with Belle after that since there was a break in the rain, and she ran for most of the walk.  She is just obsessed with walks, and I think she could honestly walk for miles.  She’s never ready to go back home when it’s over.

I dropped Bellie off at home and then went back out for another mile by myself, and then I got showered and in my pjs before Brian and I made breakfast for dinner.  We were supposed to have had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, but I’d forgotten the ingredients to make the sauce (buh), so we had to pivot and have breakfast.  It was just as well, though, because the kids happened to have meatballs at school for lunch, so it was good they didn’t have to have the same thing.  Not that they would have minded… they both love a meatball!

After dinner, we cleaned the kitchen, and then I crossed a couple more things off my to do list for the day before heading upstairs to get my outfit ready for the next day, check my planner for the next day, etc.  Brian also helped me with a tech issue that I was having.  I was invited by Bed, Bath, and Beyond to do a collab with Overstock.com, but my Meta accounts wouldn’t connect properly to their portal.  Brian couldn’t figure it out either (it appears to be a Meta issue) so I’m going to have to try to reach out to the company and see what they can do.

By the time all that was done, I had just enough time to meditate / lay on my neck pillow / lay on my vibration plate and then it was time to settle in and watch something with the kids.  We had some extra time Wednesday since everyone was inside and ready for bed earlier thanks to the time change, so Jacob asked if we could start Titanic.  We ended up making it through a little over a third of that and the kids are LOVING it so far.  It’s one of my favorite movies of all time, so I’m thrilled to be watching it again, this time with them.  I just know they’re going to love it.

After they went to bed, Brian and I watched some football because I was uninspired to find anything else to watch since we’re now between shows.

 

Thursday, November 5

Thursday morning, it was rainy again.  I dropped the kids off at school, and I ran a few errands while I was out – the library to drop a return, Publix to grab the spaghetti sauce ingredients I’d forgotten along with some stuff to make a Reel, and then UPS to drop three Amazon returns.

When I got home, I cut off a piece of the pumpkin loaf I’d picked up at the Publix bakery and warmed it up, and then I made a cup of this coffee that I’d seen at Publix and couldn’t resist it.  OMG, I’m drinking it sans cream and sugar and it’s still SO GOOD. 

I headed to my office to work after that, and Bellie peed on my floor about 15 minutes into being up there, so I gated her in the kitchen, cleaned it up, and then went back to my desk to work.  On the list Thursday was:

 

-       Making my to do list for Instagram

-       Catching up on emails (always)

-       Working on this blog post

-       Starting and finishing my blog post for Wednesday

-       Browsing Christmas cards

 

After that, I had lunch downstairs with Belle.  It was drizzly out, so she didn’t really want to be outside, and I didn’t either.  It was quite warm and muggy, so that was a no for me, dawg.

While I ate, I started rounding up all the things I needed to film a Reel, and then I filmed it after I ate.  I headed back to my office with Bellie in tow (where she finally settled in her bed) and I edited my whole Reel, worked on this post some more, and then worked some more on the voiceover for my day in the life Reel.

It was time to pick up the kids from school after that, and then we headed to music lessons for the afternoon.  I sat with Olivia while she worked some more on Babylon by Taylor Swift, and then we headed home.  I did a Bible study and the kids hung out with Bellie, and Olivia got ready for dance.  She made her own dinner (mac n cheese) and then I dropped her off at the dance studio.  I was also grateful that the sunshine was back!

I had to run to CVS to grab a couple of prescriptions for my allergies, and then I headed home to make dinner.  On the menu was the spaghetti and meatballs I was supposed to have made Wednesday night.  Haha.  I also steamed some broccoli and threw some garlic knots in the oven, and then the boys and I all ate together.

After the kitchen was clean, I sat down on the kitchen floor to get some Bellie snuggles and look at my to do list, and she ended up falling asleep in my lap which she hasn’t done in weeks.  I sat there as long as I could, but when my legs started falling sleep, I had to get up.  Lol.

I did a mixed cardio workout after that, but it was half-hearted because I was so tired, and then I opened a package that had delivered before getting ready for bed. 

Brian, Jacob, and I pulled out our Christmas puzzle that we’d started last Christmas season, and we worked on that while Olivia showered after dance.  She wanted to eat something since she’d danced off all her dinner, so we watched a few more minutes of Titanic while she ate. 

The kids went to bed after that and then Brian made Old Fashioneds for us and we started Stick… the new Owen Wilson show on Apple TV.  The first episode was almost an hour, so we didn’t finish it, though.

Friday, November 6

Friday morning, I snoozed an extra time and then got ready for the day, and then when I dropped the kids off at school, they helped me unload all the pumpkins I’d brought to donate for the décor for the middle school dance that evening. 

I went to Target after that, and I browsed Christmas ornaments for funsies.  Their Wondershop ornaments always amaze me because they have some of the cutest, most unique ornaments I’ve ever seen – hundreds of them – and they’re ALL just $5.  And the quality is always SO GOOD.  Most of them are glass.

 

When I got home, I stopped to admire the way the sunlight was streaming through the trees in our front yard and watch some of the leaves fall, I let Bellie out, I grabbed a slice of pumpkin loaf and a cup of coffee, and I headed to my office to work on a few things:

 

-       Posting a few things in Instagram stories

-       Catching up on emails

-       Working on this blog post

-       Starting and finishing my blog post for Thursday

-       Catching up on blog comments

-       Started catching up on blog reading

After all that was done, Brian and I ate lunch together, and then I filmed a Reel that I’m soooo excited about!  That took quite a while, mostly because I had to get everything staged and decorated before filming. 

When I was done, I played fetch outside with Belle for a bit, and then we headed to my office together to wrap up a few things for the day.  I worked some more on this blog post, I did some more blog reading, and then it was time to go!

I grabbed the kids from school at 3 PM and we headed home.  They both had some time to relax, and while they did that, I did some Christmas shopping in my office.  I also edited and put out my Instagram post for the day… see me trying to be consistent?  Haha.

Around 4:30 PM, I steamed Olivia’s dress for the fall dance and then I helped her use the waver on her hair.  Once she was all ready, we took a few pictures, and then we headed to Maren’s house to drop Olivia off over there since Maren’s mom was taking them to dinner and to the dance. 

Just look at those sweet girls!

After I dropped Olivia off, I picked up Five Guys for the boys and me, and Brian made us some prickly pear mules.  After dinner, I was hoping to finish filming my Reel, but the thing I was waiting on to freeze wasn’t quite fully frozen yet, so I headed upstairs to get in my pjs and get a few things done while the boys watched the fourth Transformers movie.  On my list was to:

 

-       Tidy my bedroom and closet

-       Organize a couple of lists

-       Send my Momma the kids’ Christmas wish lists

-       Get a Poshmark shipment ready

-       Place a Target order

-       Fix some blog typos

-       Put away some things around the house

 

After that, I meditated and lay on my neck pillow and my vibration plate and then I hung out with Jacob for a bit until Brian got home with Olivia.  He grabbed her and Maren from the dance when it ended at 8 PM and then they took Maren home.

Olivia had a blast at the dance, and she sat down and told me all about it when she got home.  They'd taken a few photos, too!  

Olivia also brought home this photo of herself and one of her friends that one of her friends brought her.  When she handed it to me, I swear I thought I was looking at one of my childhood pictures.  She looks SO much like me when I was her age in this picture.  

Then, we all got into pjs and finished watching Titanic.  The kids LOVED it and I loved every second of watching it with them.  They were both going on and on about how well done the movie was and how realistic everything looked for it to be so old.  Lol.  And I have to say, for a movie that’s 30 years old, it has truly stood the test of time.  A classic for sure. 

They didn’t get in bed until nearly 11 PM, so it was late by the time Brian and I headed back downstairs for our time.  We made cocktails first, and then we settled in to watch some more of the show Stick.  I’m still on the fence about it, but I’m hoping it’ll end up being good!

Saturday, November 7

Saturday morning, Brian and I were up a little before 8:30 AM.  He let Bellie out and I made waffles for breakfast.  After that, we cleaned the kitchen, and the kids went upstairs to get laundry started and have some screen time.  Brian and I sat on the couch and watched College GameDay for a bit, and then it was time to get up and moving and get some things done.

Olivia had dance at 11:15 AM, so Brian was just getting ready to take her when my friend, Jeannine, called to let us know that she was taking Mack on a Pokemon walk at the park and they wanted to invite Jacob along.  Jacob got ready quickly and all three of them left together. 

While they were gone, I finished shooting my Reel and then I was finally able to clean up the kitchen.  I’d had the kitchen island staged, so I had to leave everything out until I could film the second part of the Reel, and of course, the clutter was driving me nuts.  Haha.  I was so happy to have it done and have everything cleaned up.

Brian got home and he and I sat on the couch and watched football for a few minutes.  I put together and finished my Reel and then I did a little browsing on my phone for Christmas gifts.

Brian had to pick up Olivia at 1 PM, and while he was gone, I made the bed, tidied the whole house, flipped some laundry, opened some packages, organized some Christmas gifts, got a couple of returns ready, and did a few other small tasks that had been hanging over my head.

Jeannine met Brian at the dance studio to drop Jacob off, and the three of them came home.  Jacob had eaten Chick-Fil-A with them, so Brian, Olivia, and I ate together while Jacob played fetch outside with Belle.  After that, the kids finished their laundry and got showered for the day, and I went to my office for a few minutes to tackle some blog housekeeping and update this post, catch up on a few things in my planner, and organize a few of my lists (they always get out of control this time of year because my brain is always going a mile a minute so I’m always just leaving voice reminders in one big list to sort through later). 

It was time to get ready for church after that and it was finally chilly again after a very warm week, so I was happy to pull out my boots!  And for the millionth time, just LOOK at the light in our bedroom!  So beautiful this time of year.

After Mass, we swung by one of our favorite local pizza places that’s right near church, and we grabbed a to go order that we’d placed right before Mass.  We headed home and ate dinner after that and geared up for the Georgia vs. Ole Miss football game.

The game started at 7:45 PM, so it was a late one, and we had a lazy evening on the couch watching that.  The game ended up being a blowout (GO DAWGS!), so I didn’t have to give it my full attention, so I took the time to change out the twinkle lights on the tree in our living room and then get organized on my phone. 

I cleaned out my camera roll, I set up a legacy contact on my phone (I had no clue you could do that, but I heard about it on the radio the other day, so I got mine done.  It allows you to appoint one person to have access to your phone after you pass away… so morbid, I know, but so important… I told Brian he has to have a way to get in my Instagram account and let y’all know if I die.  Lol.).  I also did some online Christmas browsing and I shared a few links in my Instagram stories.

Brian and I made old fashioneds at halftime, and then we watched the second half of the game.  The kids went to bed towards the end of the game and then Brian and I went up shortly after our game was over.

Sunday, November 8

Sunday morning, I was up at 8:30 AM, I let Bellie out, and then I put some cinnamon rolls in the oven.  While those baked, I unloaded the dishwasher, tidied the kitchen, and set the table. 

After breakfast, the kids had some screen time, and I went to my office to do my usual Sunday morning tasks while I listened to Christmas music:

 

-       Got my planner ready for the week ahead

-       Worked on this blog post

-       Transferred photos from my phone to my computer (I have soooo many now that I’m doing so much over on Instagram again)

-       Organized the photos

 

I didn’t have time to finish organizing because there were so many to go through, and late in the morning I shut everything down in my office and the kids and I got outside to take Belle for a walk.  It was a beautiful 64 degrees and sunny on Sunday and the leaves are nearing peak fall color here, so it was really nice.

When we got home, I got showered and then we ate lunch.  I finished getting ready after lunch and then I sorted the dirty laundry, tidied the house, and painted my nails while Brian and the kids finished getting ready.

We went out to run some errands in the early afternoon.  On the list was getting gas in my car, Lowe’s, and Target.  The kids both bought some stuff with their own money (Jacob wanted this Lego set that’s on sale, and Olivia left with this and this), and I did a return and picked up an online order I’d placed the night before.

When we got home, the kids had some screen time, and I grabbed a pumpkin frosting cookie and a cup of tea and I headed to my office to finish up in there.  I finished organizing my photos, I worked on this post some more, I made my to do list for Monday, I paid a couple of bills, and I posted my Reel.

Then, it was time to wrap things up for the day, prep for Monday, and hit the road for Sunday dinner.  My Momma made white chicken chili for dinner, so we swung by a local Mexican restaurant to pick up some chips, cheese dip, and chips, and we also swung by Jack’s to pick up dinner for the kids because they don’t like white chicken chili.  CRAZY, I KNOW. 

When we got to Momma and Daddy’s, I opened a bottle of wine for Brian, Daddy, and me, and then we feasted on one of my favorite meals.  And to make things even better, my Momma had made a homemade caramel spice cake for dessert.  I ate soooo much and it was all so delicious.

We headed home around 8 PM, and we all got in our pjs and ended the evening with a couple of episodes of Friends before the kids went to bed.  Brian and I also started the newest episode of Saturday Night Live. 

I watched my Reel all evening, and I was shocked to see that it exploded on Instagram and continued to go viral all day Monday.  It’s now my most successful post in my whole Instagram history, so thanks for following along and encouraging me to be more active over there!  I’m having fun with it!  (For now, anyway.  Hahahaha.)

Happy Tuesday, y’all!