Our Week - The One with Summer, Week 9 (Dance Intensive, Learner’s Permit Testing, Driving, and Jacob’s Birthday)

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Week nine of summer break was great!  We got to celebrate Jacob turning 15 and that’s the event that stole the show!

Monday, July 20

Monday morning, I was up at 7:45 AM, and I had breakfast and did all my morning things.  Brian had jury duty (again) last week, but he was home by 10 AM Monday.  He did have to go back Tuesday but was ultimately dismissed. 

After breakfast, I did six loads of laundry and got everything put away the same day, and in between loads, I finished two blog posts, I ordered another leotard for Olivia since the first one didn’t work out, I got an Amazon return ready, and I got dinner in the slow cooker.  I also stopped to admire my flowers that Olivia had brought home Friday evening.

Late in the morning, I got showered and ready, and then we all ate a quick lunch together before I had to get Olivia to her July dance intensive.  This dance camp was only four days (Monday-Thursday), but it was five hours per day.  She had pre-pointe intensive from 1-2 PM each day, and then she went immediately to dance boot camp from 2-6 PM so they were some long days for her.

While she was gone, I quizzed Jacob on his chemistry elements, we ordered a new cotton pullover for his school uniform since the school changed the dress code this year (school hoodies are only allowed on Fridays now), and then I did my devotional and a Bible study. 

Once that was done, I put away the last of the laundry, and then it was time to get dinner ready.  I had to steam some broccoli and warm some garlic cheese bread to go with the main course – ranch chicken pasta.

Brian picked up Olivia from dance, and then we all ate dinner together.  Olivia talked our ears off about dance, and she said that she’d had a great time, although, some of her muscles were sore.

After the kitchen was clean, I lay on the bed for about 15 minutes to rest my neck, and then I went out for my evening walk.  When I got back inside, I grabbed some weights and did an 8-minute arms workout, and then I lay on my neck pillow and vibration plate to meditate.

I got showered and into my pjs after all that was done, and then we popped some popcorn and watched a few more episodes of Friends with the kids.  This has truly been the best summer… our lazy evenings with popcorn and Friends have been my favorite.  And I love that both our kids are completely and utterly obsessed with Friends just like I am.  It’s all they want to watch, and they’re always begging for more when we finally turn it off and tell them to go to bed.  Haha.

After they were in bed, Brian and I watched one more episode of Running Point, and then we both decided to throw in the towel again.  Neither of us can get into it.  And I was so sad about that because I have loved pretty much everything Kate Hudson has been in since she was in Almost Famous.  

 

Tuesday, July 21

Tuesday morning, I got up at 8 AM, I had breakfast, and Brian went off to jury duty for day two.  He ended up getting selected to go into the courtroom for interviews, but ultimately he was not selected to sit on the jury.

The morning was spent doing some blog housekeeping, sending a few emails, writing Jacob’s birthday blog post, tidying the house, and sitting with Olivia as she tried on some new clothes that had been delivered.

I showered late in the morning and got ready for the day, and then we all had lunch together.  I dropped Olivia off for day two of her dance intensive, and then I swung by UPS to drop a return, I finally dropped all the plastic bags in the recycling bin at Publix, and then I grabbed a few grocery items while I was there.

While I was gone, Jacob had studied and done some more summer homework and then I sat with him while he took a practice test for his learner’s permit online.  He only missed three out of 50, so he aced it, and he felt confident about taking the test on his birthday.  We also discussed several of the questions and answers so I could give him some additional information on several points.

He went to play video games after all that, and I put the finishing touches on his birthday blog post.  I also hung some new hooks on the back of the kids’ bathroom door so Olivia can have a place for her new spa towel and hair wrap, I bought some new laces for my OnClouds, I started my last Colorado blog post, and Jacob and I ordered his birthday cakes for his party and the celebration at my parents’ house.

After that, I lay for ten minutes to rest my neck, and then I did my devotional and read my Bible and Bible study for the day.

While Brian was out picking up Olivia for dance, Jacob and I made mini pizzas for dinner, and then we all ate together when they got home.

After dinner, I watered all the indoor plant babies, I handwashed a couple of dishes, and then I headed out for my walk... aaaand I almost stepped on a snake on my walk.  It was about two feet long, but it was SO skinny.

On the way back inside, I took the trash out and up to the curb only to have Brian remind me that it was only Tuesday and trash day wasn’t until Thursday.  Whoops.  All day Tuesday I kept thinking it was Wednesday for some reason.

I watered the outdoor plants and then went to shower and meditate/vibration plate/neck pillow while Brian finished up mowing.

We all watched a few minutes of AGT and then a few episodes of Friends.  Brian and I then started Every Year After.  I read the book Every Summer After by Carley Fortune that the show is based on and I really loved it, so I was hoping the show would be good.  So far, so good!

 

Wednesday, July 22

Wednesday morning, I was up at 7:45 AM.  I had breakfast, unloaded the dishwasher, took my vitamins, etc. and then I headed to my office to work on my last Colorado blog recap, catch up on some blog reading, and call the school office about Jacob’s ADAP certificate since he wanted to take the test to get his learner’s permit on Thursday.

We were on call to help distribute all the school supplies boxes to the classrooms at the school when they delivered, so I got showered after that.  I read for a bit while I waited to get the text that they had delivered, but instead, I got a text saying they were going to be later than expected, and the ETA was going to interfere with Olivia’s dance dropoff time, so it was likely we wouldn’t be able to help.

The kids and I had lunch together, and then Olivia had to get ready for dance.  Jacob and I dropped her off and drove to the school with the hope that we could still help out, but when we arrived, they’d just finished.  They were able to recruit some of the softball team to help, so it was done in record time this year.

Jacob and I picked up his ADAP certificate while we were there, and then we swung by the library to drop off some books. 

When we got home, I helped Jacob make labels for his binders and he got his pencil bag and other supplies ready.

After that, he settled in to play video games for a bit, and I filled out the online application for him to get his learner’s permit.  I also gathered all the documents needed for the DMV and that took some time because they require pretty much everything but the kitchen sink.  ;o)  I have all our important documents in one place in a safe, but the DMV also required two documents for proof of residency, and I wasn’t sure if they had to have Jacob’s name on them or mine, so I had to rack my brain to find something official that would have his name and address on them since he doesn’t pay any bills. 

Once that was done, I worked on my final Colorado post some more and then I wrapped Jacob’s birthday gifts.  I did my devotional for the day and then did a Bible study, and then I read some more.

For dinner, we had leftover ranch chicken pasta that I’d made Monday, so all I had to do was reheat that and stream some fresh broccoli to go with it.  I also warmed some more garlic cheese bread. 

Jacob took some more practice tests online and the ones he’d found Wednesday had some ridiculous questions on them… stuff that Brian and I didn’t even know the answers to… for example, what is a “gore?”  (It’s the triangular-shaped neutral area where a highway and an exit or entrance ramp separate.)  If any of you knew the answer to that, then I am impressed because I sure didn’t know what it was.  Those weird questions like that made him a little apprehensive about the test, but thankfully, the test ended up being straightforward and it didn’t have any of those weird, non-important questions.

We all ate dinner together when Brian and Olivia got home from dance and then Olivia wanted to show me the combo she’d been working on in dance all week. 

After that, I went out for my walk, I did another 8-minute arms workout, I lay on my vibration plate and neck pillow to meditate, and then I showered and got into pjs.

We watched a few more minutes of AGT before switching over to Friends, and then Brian and I picked up Every Year After once the kids were in bed.

 

Thursday, July 23

Thursday morning, I was up at 7:45 AM and I went straight to see Jacob because it was his birthdaaaayyyy!  He wanted cinnamon rolls for breakfast, so I baked some of those, and then he and I spent some time together since Brian was at work and Olivia was sleeping.

He played video games and Olivia joined him after she woke up, and I spent a few minutes in my office getting a few things done.

Before lunch, Jacob studied for his learner’s permit test some more, and then I made meatballs for lunch along with some sides per his request.  He and I dropped Olivia off at dance for her last day of intensive, and then he and I drove straight to the DMV so he could take his test!

When we pulled up, we saw a vehicle that looked a whole lot like Brian’s and we realized right away that it was Brian, surprising us so he could be there for Jacob.  The initial line was long and slow-going since they only had one person checking everyone in, so Brian ended up having to leave to get back to work before Jacob ever took the test. 

Once we were checked in initially, we received a number, and they called our number right as I was sitting down.  We had to show all our documents again at the second window, and then Jacob was photographed and signed his name for his permit.  After we’d paid the fee, he was told to go into a separate room and get started on his test, and I waited in the main waiting area for him to finish.  I don’t know how long it took him to take the test, but it was SUPER fast, and he passed it easily, which I knew he would!

We had to go to the counter again to let them know he was done, and then they printed his temporary permit that he can use until the real one comes in the mail.  While we were there, the lady working at the counter asked me if I wanted to have my digital license set up, so she got me all set up for that, and now I won’t have to carry my license with me anymore if I don’t want to because it’s now on my phone.  She said right now only airports and a couple of other venues recognize them, but starting next year, they will be recognized everywhere, and nobody will have to carry a physical Georgia license if they have the digital one on their phone.

When we were done with that, we had to take the obligatory photo of Jacob in front of the building, and then as we were leaving, several people cheered and gave him the thumbs up.  It was so great!

We called Brian and then my parents so Jacob could share his good news when we got back in the car, and then he asked if we could go drive somewhere – OMG.  I obliged, of course, because it was his birthday, but whew, I was not ready for that.  I drove straight to an elementary school near our house because I knew it had a large parking lot that should be empty, but it was teacher in service already, so there were cars parked randomly throughout the lot. 

We did manage to find a big enough area for him to try it out, though.  I showed him how to adjust his seat and his mirrors and then I showed him how the turning indicators and windshield wipers, and several other things worked.  Then, I walked him through accelerating and braking, and then he went for it. 

The first time he braked, he didn’t realize how sensitive the pedals were, so even though we were going, like, 3 mph I almost hit the dashboard.  Hahahaha.  After realizing how sensitive the pedals were, his confidence waned a bit, but he wanted to try again.  We tried to find another parking lot nearby, but all the schools’ lots had cars in them, so he only practiced a little bit more in the high school parking lot nearest our house. 

That was enough for him for day one.  Haha.  And it was definitely enough for me because I’ve been saying all along that Brian is going to have to be the one to teach him since I have enough driving anxiety on my own.  Hahahaha.

We had a few minutes before music lessons started, so we headed home and Jacob and I hung out together until it was time to go.  Then, he and I ran inside Publix to grab a couple of things before his lesson.  Since Olivia was at dance, we had moved her lesson, and it just so happened that her guitar teacher was out of town anyway, so she didn’t miss anything. 

When we got home, I read for a bit while I lay down to rest since I wasn’t feeling great all day, and then when Brian got home from work, the three of us went to pick Olivia up from dance.

Jacob wanted Culver’s for his birthday dinner, so we had planned to go there right after dance and then we headed home so he could open presents. 

The gift he wanted the most this year was a piece of art for his bedroom.  He loves math and specifically, he loves The Mandelbrot Set (fractals), so he wanted a piece of artwork that he’d found online to go over his bed.  Brian and I got that for him along with a couple of other small gifts.  He was so excited to get it, and he wanted to hang it in his room immediately. 

I helped him take down the other stuff above his bed and then I hung the new painting, and he was a happy camper.  I wish we’d gone with a slightly bigger canvas, though, because it’s a little small for that space, but he ended up lining up a bunch of his Palm Pals along the top of the headboard after I took this picture, so it looks much better now since some of the space is filled in.

Before

After

After that was done, I did a stair stepper workout and then I meditated and lay on my neck pillow and vibration plate while the kids showered and got ready for bed.  We all went downstairs to watch a few more episodes of Friends together after that, and I did a quick arms workout while we watched. 

Once the kids were in bed, Brian and I made old fashioneds and then we watched some more of Every Year After before hitting the hay.

 

Friday, July 24

Friday, I was up at 7:45 AM and I woke up feeling bad.  That rarely happens as I usually feel good when I first wake up, but Friday, I had been clenching my teeth horribly when I woke up, so I think it just messed everything up.  I had a massive headache, my jaw ached, my chest felt heavy and I was short of breath (I’ve been having sinus issues recently, so I’m thinking that was why), and I was dizzy as I am most days.

I’d felt bad Thursday, too, but I was determined not to let it get me down on Friday, so I popped a couple of Ibuprofen and I chugged a ton of water, and it did help a bit!

After eating breakfast, unloading the dishwasher, taking my vitamins and all that, Brian and I drove over to the dealership to drop his car for service, and then we drove back home.  We got back home around 9:15 AM just as Olivia was waking up. 

The kids played video games for a bit, and I worked on my blog post for Colorado some more.  Then, mid-morning, Olivia and I cleaned out the kids’ bathroom.  The cabinets under her sink were stuffed to the brim with crap, and so was her drawer.  It was just horrible.  We ended up throwing away two small bags of trash + her old spa set that took up a ton of room.

Once that was done, their bathroom was officially DONE – new shower curtain, new liner, freshly cleaned shower and tub, fully restocked toiletries, organized cabinets and drawers – SO NICE.

We all had lunch together, including Brian since he works from home on Fridays, and then I opened a few packages that had arrived. 

I decided to walk Friday afternoon, but it ended up being sunny most of the walk and it was so, so hot.  Since it was Friday, I wanted to go ahead and get the walk out of the way instead of waiting until after dinner, but I regretted it, like, five minutes into it because the sun was beating down and it was just awful. 

While I cooled off after my walk, Olivia tried on some clothes that had been delivered and she finally decided, once and for all, to keep these jeans and send the rest back.

I got the returns ready after she was done and then I showered and got into fresh pjs… at, like, 4 PM.  Haha.

After that, I finished my last Colorado recap and then I helped Olivia get all the sticky residue off her laptop case.  She wanted to redo all her stickers for the new school year, but she was left with a thick layer of goo when she peeled off all the stickers.  The very best thing for that – lemon oil, y’all!  Just add a few drops to the goo, rub it around for a few seconds, and then wipe clean with a damp cloth.  Comes right off like magic!

I went to lay on my neck pillow and vibration plate and meditate after that, and Brian headed out to pick up Jacob’s cakes for the weekend and then pick up dinner from Olive Garden since all of us were craving it.  We love some OG! 

After dinner, I did my daily devotional and a Bible study while Brian worked out, and then when he was done, we made popcorn and then settled in for an evening of Friends… just the best! 

The kids went to bed around 10:30 PM and then Brian and I made toasted marshmallow old fashioneds and caught up on Silo and watched a little more of Every Year After before heading to bed way too late.

 

Saturday, July 25

Saturday, we were all up by 8 AM because it was birthday party day for Jacob!  Brian got up earlier than all of us to pick up some birthday donuts for breakfast, and then after we ate, I gulped down my cup of tea while doing some blog housekeeping for a few minutes, and then it was time to get showered and ready.

Jacob wanted to have his party at the same arcade/bowling alley here in town that he’s had his birthday for the last few years, but this year he wanted to bowl and play arcade games.  He invited several of his school friends + his friends Mack, Buckley, and Noah, and almost everyone was able to make it.  One of his best friends was in Canada for the summer so he didn’t come, and another one of his friends also couldn’t make it.

We had the bowling lane for an hour and a half, but with six kids bowling (one came late so he just watched), it was slow going, so they were only able to bowl one game before time was almost up. 

After that, we all sang happy birthday to Jacob and the kids all enjoyed cupcakes and watched Jacob open his gifts, and then we turned them all loose in the arcade.  When Mack and Buckley arrived, they had brought a gift for me from my friend, Jeannine, and I was so confused.  But when I opened it, I understood immediately, and I cackled so loudly when I pulled everything out.  I could not stop laughing.  I just love her.  She is so creative and thoughtful, and she always knows how to make me smile.  I guess that’s what happens when you’ve been friends with someone for 30 years.  Jeannine, I know you’re reading this, and I just realized this year marks our 30th BFF-iversary!!!!  Forever grateful we had nearly identical schedules freshman year of high school including gym class first period that forever sealed our friendship.  <3

Jeannine came early to pick up her boys, so she hung out with us for a bit, and then once everyone was picked up, we wrapped up the party and left.  We had to go pick up Brian’s car from the dealership since it was serviced and ready, and then the kids and I swung by Target to pick up an order.

We all had lunch together when we got home, and then the kids did their laundry and showered.  Olivia also set up the new lava lamp she’d gotten with all her tickets at the arcade.  It’s SO similar to the one I had when I was her age! 

Meanwhile, I checked a few things off my list for the day:

 

-       Washed towels

-       Tidied the house

-       Tidied my office

-       Tried on a new item that had finally arrived

-       Washed my new hand towels from Target

-       Caught up on planner stuff

-       Did some more blog housekeeping

-       Finally caught up on blog comments (nearly 50)

 

Later in the afternoon, Brian went to hang out with his friends because one of his old friends from high school was in town.  They all met up at a local restaurant to grab some beers and catch up, and I was so proud of him because they actually took a picture together!

While he was off with friends, the kids and I went to church and then Brian met up with us + my parents, Mama Cass, and Aunt Joy and Uncle Greg at the local pub that we love. 

After dinner, we all headed home and we all settled in for several episodes of Friends.  Then, after the kids went to bed, Brian and I watched some more of Every Year After.

 

Sunday, July 26

Sunday morning, I slept in until 8:45 AM and it was glorious.  We had leftover donuts for breakfast, and then I did my blog post for Tuesday from start to finish, I started this blog post, I got my planner ready for the week ahead, and I enrolled Olivia for her new season of dance.

Late in the morning, it was time to shower and get ready for the day, and then we all headed to my mother-in-law’s and step-father-in-law's house to celebrate Jacob’s birthday with them.  We all ate lunch, enjoyed cookie cake per his request, and then he opened his presents.  Well, he and Olivia opened his presents.  Haha.  He’s such a good big brother to let her help.  Oh, and Olivia also got a gift from Nana and Poppie's cat, Lunar.  Haha.

On the way home, Brian put gas in his car, and then the kids played video games for the next couple of hours until it was time to go to my parents’ house.

I settled in with My Best Friend’s Wedding as my happy background noise, and I tackled some more stuff on my list:

 

-       Watered the outdoor plants

-       Got my planner ready for August

-       Finished planning the week ahead

-       Transferred my photos from my phone to my computer

-       Organized all the photos

-       Got my meal plan ready for the next two weeks (and actually selected a couple of new recipes to try) *pats self on back*

-       Read my devotional for the day

 

The evening was spent over at my parents’ house celebrating Jacob’s birthday one last time, and my Momma made spaghetti and a side of rice (per Jacob’s request – his two favorite foods she makes) and then we had cake and he opened his gifts. 

My parents’ next-door neighbors brought their coton de tulear over again and we all had the best time playing with her.  She is the sweetest girl and she’s just a little ball of fur!

When we got home, we watched some more episodes of Friends (we’re rolling right along through season three already as I type this) and I lifted some weights and started going through the four massive bags of old school uniforms my sister-in-law gave us while we watched.

The kids went to bed around 10 PM and then Brian and I finished the week with some more of Every Year After.  Oh, and I had to admire my flowers yet again because they had bloomed even more beautifully!

And now for some current things…

Currently Reading

In July, I read 4 books – Last Seen by J.T. Ellison (4 stars).  Then, I read This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum (4 stars).  I read The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren, and I really enjoyed it (4 stars).  And The Divorce by Frieda McFadden (3 stars).  That one definitely wasn’t one of her strongest ones.  The writing in it was pretty terrible.  Very basic.

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 July, Brian and I made our way through the newest season of The Four Seasons, and we blew through I Will Find You.  We are also making our way through the newest season of Silo and we’re making our way through Every Year After.  And we watched Office Romance on Netflix and then started and gave up Running Point.

With the Kids: In July, we watched The Hunger Games, we continued the newest season of America’s Got Talent, and we started and have been binging Friends… I’ve been waiting my whole life to watch this show with my kids!  Oh, and we saw Toy Story 5 at the movie theater!

Alone: Just the occasional viewing of My Best Friend’s Wedding on Sunday afternoons while I work.

 

Currently Listening To

I’m still listening to the podcast The Swiftie and the Scholar as new episodes come out.  And I’ve been listening to the new Gracie Abrams album on repeat on walks and when I’m in the car alone (which isn’t much during the summer when the kids are out of school).

Happy Wednesday, y’all!

Our Week - The One with Summer, Week 8 (A Girls Dinner, Volunteering at Outreach and the School, the Pet Store, Time with Friends, Diva Day, and Toy Story 5)

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Week eight of summer break was another good one.  It was pretty lowkey, which is always nice!

Monday, July 13

Monday, I was up at 7:45 AM, I had breakfast, and then I headed to my office to knock out final verification for the kids before they go back to school.  It usually takes foreverrrr, but this year it didn’t seem to take as long as it usually does.  When that was done, I worked on my blog post for Wednesday, and then it was time to get showered and ready for the day.

I headed to Walmart to get groceries after that, and once the groceries were put away, Brian and the kids and I all ate lunch together.  Jacob worked on his summer homework for a bit after lunch, and Olivia painted her nails, and I worked on several random tasks around the house that I’d been putting off.  It’s always nice to tie up those loose ends!

The kids had some screen time after that, and I ordered Jacob’s birthday gifts along with a couple of things for Christmas (yes, already).  I also got two loads of laundry done, and then I lay down for 20 minutes to rest my eyes and my neck.  The withdrawals from my vertigo medicine were still going strong on Monday.  It was mostly sensitivity to light, which worsens looking at screens, so it was nice to close my eyes and rest them.

After I rested for a bit, I finished my blog post for Wednesday and I worked on my blog post for Friday, and then it was time to freshen up and head to dinner with my girlfriends.  We met at the local pub down the street from our church, and only five of us were able to make it, but we enjoyed catching up, as usual!

While I was gone, Brian took the kids to eat dinner at Culver’s (their favorite), and by the time I got home, they were already home.  I jumped on my stair stepper while they showered and got ready for bed, and then, we all watched some of America’s Got Talent together followed by several episodes of Friends. 

I lay down on my vibration plate and neck pillow to meditate while the kids got ready for bed, and then Brian and I started the movie Office Romance on Netflix before heading to bed.

 

Tuesday, July 14

Tuesday morning, I was up at 7:30 AM and then I showered and got ready and had breakfast.  The kids and I headed to our church’s outreach center to volunteer again, and we were busy all morning filling bags with fresh zucchini and squash, loading grocery carts with all the things, and walking carts of groceries out to those who came to pick them up.  It was another busy morning there, and sadly, by the time we left, we were running out of food.  The kids and I had brought several bulk packages of macaroni and cheese, and we received a few other donations while we were there, but the shelves were still mostly bare.  There are so many people experiencing food insecurity, so if you can donate to your local food shelter, I’m sure they would be grateful.  No amount is too small!

When we left outreach, the kids asked if we could go to one of the local pet stores that has dogs.  They’d been begging to go ever since my parents’ neighbors brought their new puppy over Sunday evening.  I was hesitant to go because I didn’t want them to fall in love with one since I knew we wouldn’t be bringing one home, but ultimately, I decided it didn’t hurt to look.

They had so many sweet babies there, but this precious Yorkie stood out to all of us because he looked a little like Maui in the face.  Maui was a Yorkiepoo, so she was half Yorkie.  We washed our hands and then they brought him to us in the cubicle so we could hang out with him.  He was the cutest, spunkiest little thing and he had the zoomies while he was with us.  We spent a while with him, and then we gave him back, but I did get information on him just for funsies.  He was nearly 16 weeks old, and he was on track to max out somewhere under 10 pounds. 

It’s been almost a year and a half since Maui died, and I miss having a dog in the house so much.  I still don’t know if I’m 100% ready yet to get another puppy but hanging out with that little guy sure did give me doggie fever!  I suppose at this point that if the right one comes along, I’d probably be ready to bring him or her home, but it’s just a matter of finding that right one.

Jacob and Olivia have been talking about the Yorkie every single day since then and they are both 1000% ready for another one… especially Olivia.  She’s been begging for another dog for months now, so we already have her stamp of approval for a new pet.

After we left the pet store, the kids and I headed home and ate lunch.  Then, the kids settled in for some screen time while I got to work – answering emails, cleaning off my computer desktop, finishing my blog post for Friday, adding some dates to my planner and simultaneously transferring a few things from my List Master app, and then researching some more about Jacob getting his learner’s permit.  I emailed the school to see how to get a copy of his ADAP certificate (a requirement in the state of Georgia), and I sent Jacob a copy of the driver’s manual so he could start studying. 

I also had to call the pediatrician’s office to get a copy of Olivia’s immunization form to send to the school, and then I fixed some blog typos, tidied my office, filed some papers, and watered all the plants in the house inside and out.  It was a productive afternoon.

Jacob studied for his learner’s permit test for a bit after that, and I did two Bible studies and read my devotional.  Then, while I made dinner (sausage, peppers, and onions tacos), Olivia made some chocolate chip muffins and Jacob made some cinnamon muffins to have on hand all week.  Olivia doesn’t like cinnamon muffins, so she always wants to make a separate batch of something different when we make those.

We all ate dinner together and cleaned the kitchen, and then I went out for my evening walk.  It was HOT and humid Tuesday evening, so I sweated buckets, but I always love sweating… it always feels so cleansing!

I did a quick arms workout when I got home, and then I cooled off while I lay on my vibration plate and my neck pillow, and then I got showered and in my pjs. 

We all watched several more episodes of Friends and then Brian and I watched another chunk of Office Romance before calling it a night.  We never just watch a whole movie all the way through anymore.  We split it up like it’s a miniseries.  Haha.

 

Wednesday, July 15

Wednesday morning, I woke up tired because I didn’t sleep well.  For some reason, my feet were freezing Tuesday night, and I couldn’t get them warm, and that kept me from falling asleep.  Since I had finally fallen asleep so late, I ended up snoozing through my 7:30 AM alarm and sleeping until 8 AM.  Even then, I had to drag myself out of bed.  Thankfully, it was the one day last week that we had nowhere to be, so we were able to be lazy all day.

After breakfast/kitchen cleaning, I settled in at my desk with my cup of tea to read blogs, and then I worked on my first Denver post, editing most of the photos. 

My laptop has been lagging a lot recently, so I dug deep into the storage situation after that to see if there was anything I could do to remove some items to make room, and I did see a massive file that was taking up more space than anything else, but I didn’t touch it because I wanted my tech guy AKA Brian to look at it first, and he was at work, so it was going to have to wait.

Mid-morning, Jacob and I sat down together to do his birthday interview, and of course, Olivia joined us as she always does.  She loves to interject.  I also made Olivia an emergency orthodontist appointment because one of her brackets came loose Tuesday evening.

After the interview, Jacob studied some more for his learner’s permit test, and I set up our new kitchen utensils holder so I could toss the old, rusted one.  I love it SO much.

The kids and I had lunch together after that, and then we sat down to play a game of Scrabble together.  I was in the lead for a good portion of the game, but Jacob still managed to come back and beat me.  I don’t think I’ve ever beaten him.  Haha!

Some of the kids’ new uniform items had been delivered, so they both tried everything on after that, and we removed the tags and got them in the hampers.  Then, after a bit of tidying, the kids settled in for some afternoon screen time.

While they did that, I worked some more on my first Denver recap, I lay for a few minutes to rest my eyes, and then I did my Bible study and devotional for the day.

After that, I got dinner in the oven – parmesan chicken – and then I got started on the sides – mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli (and if you’ve ever wondered why we eat so much broccoli, it’s the only vegetable that my kids tolerate – LOL). 

While everything baked / steamed / simmered, I cleaned all the toilets, folded and put away the towels, and I got a return packaged.  Then we all ate dinner together. 

Once the kitchen was clean, I headed out for another evening walk, and it was another hot one.  I was dizzy and out of sorts from my withdrawals again (it can take weeks for the meds to exit my system and my body to get totally back to normal), so the walk was a struggle, but I was glad I got it done.

I opted to skip an arms or tai chi workout, and instead, I cooled down while I lay on my vibration plate and neck pillow.  Y’all I am just LOVING the vibration plate!!!!  I’m about three weeks in to using it consistently and my feet and ankles haven’t swollen since then.  My fingers also stopped swelling so badly during and after my walks. 

I got showered and ready for bed after that, and then we all watched a few minutes of AGT followed by more episodes of Friends.  The kids are loving Friends so much that they don’t want to go a single night without it!

Brian and I finished Office Romance, and then I passed out at 11:30 PM because I was so tired from not sleeping well.

 

Thursday, July 16

Thursday morning, I got up at 7:45 AM feeling well rested.  I made the bed, had breakfast, unloaded the dishwasher, grabbed a cup of tea and a cinnamon muffin, and I headed to my office to tackle a few things before I needed to get ready for the day – I caught up both email inboxes, I finished my first Denver recap, and I started this blog post.

Mid-morning, I got showered and ready, and Olivia and I headed to the orthodontist so she could get her bracket fixed.  While we were getting ready to leave, her friend, Maren’s dad texted me to see if Olivia wanted to hang out all afternoon, so after her appointment, I dropped her off at Maren’s house.

I went home to Jacob, and we had lunch together after that, and then we had to stop by the post office to drop a package that our mail carrier didn’t pick up from our mailbox (boo). 

My friend, Jeannine, texted to invite us to her library to test out some VR equipment Thursday afternoon, so we headed there after that.  Jacob and Jeannine’s boys all played with the equipment for nearly an hour before we had to go.  Jacob loved every second of it and he didn’t want to leave.

He and I headed home after that so I could get a few things done around the house and grab a quick snack before we had to leave to pick up Olivia.  I caught this blog post all the way up to present, and then it was time to go!

The kids had music lessons, so we swung by Maren’s house to pick up Olivia, and then we went straight to the music school.  I sat with Jacob while he worked some more on Clair de Lune and then we headed home.  I did my devotional and a Bible study and then I tidied the kitchen, loaded the dishwasher, and did a bunch of little tasks around the house. 

I had to be at the kids’ school at 6 PM, so I ate an early dinner and then headed out after Brian got home from work.

Our school hosts an ice cream social for all the new families joining the school for the upcoming year, and I had to sit at the Home and School Association table to get all the new families excited about volunteering.  I’ve mentioned this several times, but I’m on the Home and School Advisory Board (our version of the PTA or PTO… whatever you want to call it!), and we are responsible for planning and implementing numerous events throughout the school year (Grandparent’s Day, Daddy/Daughter Dance, Mother/Son Dance, Reindeer Run, Trunk or Treat, and Breakfast with Santa to name a few). 

Many volunteers are needed for each of these events, so we had sign-up sheets for each of the events that the new families could sign up for to get more information.  This year’s event was very busy – we had almost 300 people RSVP – so I was busy all night meeting the new families and seeking out new volunteers.  We had so many people who were eager to help this year, so many of our sign-up sheets were full!  Hopefully that’s a sign that it’s going to be a great year!

I had to fill my car with gas on the way home, and then I got home just before 8 PM.  The kids were just finishing up getting showered, and I jumped on my stair stepper for a quick workout. 

We watched a few minutes of America’s Got Talent and then switched back over to Friends.  A few minutes into watching, I asked Brian to pause it because I wanted to go look at the sunset… I could see that there was a rosy glow outside, and sure enough, it was just beautiful. 

When we went back inside, we popped some popcorn and watched several episodes of Friends, and then after the kids went to bed, Brian and I decided to give Running Point another go.  We’d started it shortly after it came out, and I wasn’t impressed, but so many people have said they love it, and I’m hoping that I will, too this time.  (Although, I still wasn’t impressed with episode one.  Lol.)

 

Friday, July 17

Friday morning, I was up at 7:45 AM, and after breakfast, I settled in for my morning blog reading.  Once that was done, I had a long list of things to do for the day:

 

-       Work on this blog post

-       Correct a few more blog typos

-       Download the new Gracie Abrams album

-       Start working on Denver blog recap #2

-       Tidy my closet

-       Wash a load of laundry

-       Tidy the rest of the house (it’s amazing how quickly it gets junky when the kids are home during the summer!)

-       Try on the 84,000 pairs of jeans we bought for Olivia to see which ones she likes best (she’s long and lean like I was when I was her age, so it is always an impossible task to find jeans that actually fit that are also ones that she likes)

-       Order more pairs of jeans for Olivia to try, and order a few tops for Olivia for fall

-       Get a return ready from Amazon

-       Order a different sized leotard for Olivia since the one we tried was too big

-       Get Brian to look at my computer with me to see what to do about storage (he helped me delete the massive iPhone backups on my computer since we use iCloud now, and that freed up 120 GB!!  MUCH NEEDED.)

-       Set up iCloud to back up my photos and my text messages going forward since those options weren’t selected when we originally set it up

-       Delete a ton of old text threads (all junk from medical providers, spam, etc.) on my phone so I don’t bog down iCloud

-       Pay a bill

-       Take down and put away the July 4th decor

-       Random other blog housekeeping things

 

In the midst of all that, Jacob worked on chemistry summer homework, Olivia tidied her room and the playroom (again), and we all had lunch and got ready for the day. 

We left the house around 3 PM to run to Target to pick up an order and return a few things, and then we went to my friend, Jeannine’s, house to pick up her boys for the evening.  Buckley and Olivia were going out with our friend, Jen, for a Diva Day, so I grabbed Mack and Jacob to take them back to our house for a Dude Day.

We met Jen at the movie theater so she, Olivia, and Buckley could watch the new live action Moana and have dinner (and Buckley showed up with friendship bracelets... the sweetest!), and then the boys and I stopped by the gas station on the way home to grab some gas station snacks.  ;o)

When we got home, the boys enjoyed their snacks and played video games and had Pokemon battles for the rest of the evening, and I got a few more things done. 

First up, was a Bible study and my devotional for the day, and then I had to report my order to Target because they’d forgotten to put two of the items in my pickup order.  Whoops.

Brian picked up pizza for dinner, and while he was out, I edited some more photos from our Denver trip, and I went ahead and did my meditation/vibration plate/neck pillow for the evening.

Brian, Jacob, Mack, and I all ate dinner together and then we cleaned up the kitchen.  I did a couple more things around the house and then I went out on the back porch to sit and read and watch the storms roll by.  It never rained at our house, but there were storms all around us, so it was dark and windy and moody, and it was so peaceful hearing the leaves rustling in the trees and the thunder rolling in the distance.  It also cooled down tremendously, so it wasn’t quite as stifling.

While I read, Brian did his usual evening workout, and the boys played Wii Sports.  They played bowling and tennis and baseball and a few other really old video games, and they were cracking up all afternoon and evening.  It was making me laugh hearing them laugh so much.  The best sound!

Jacob, Mack, and I headed to Chick-Fil-A at 8:30 PM to meet Jen and Jeannine and to trade Mack for Olivia.  When we got there, they were still eating dinner, so Jen, Olivia, and Buckley all filled us in on their first ever Diva Day!

They had watched live action Moana complete with popcorn and candy and slushies and blankets to stay cozy, and then they’d gone to Dollar Tree and Five Below per the kids’ request.  Jen bought them each a few things – makeup for Olivia, of course.  Haha.  And then they’d driven to Publix to pick up flowers for Jeannine and me, which I thought was the absolute sweetest thing ever.

On the way to Publix, they blasted music and sang at the top of their lungs, and Olivia said that they were the people who pull up at the red light that you can hear their music in your own car.  Haha.  And finally, they’d gone to Chick-Fil-A to eat dinner and have ice cream and play on the playground.  Jen, had spoiled them rotten, and they loved every single minute of it.  Olivia declared it the best day ever and she said that Jen is her favorite person… “Besides Mommy, and Daddy, and Jacob, of course.”  (Her own words.  Well, technically her own words didn't mention Jacob because she was trolling him even though he's her #1 favorite person in the world.  Ha!)

We got home at 9 PM with two very happy kids, and we all got in our pjs (Olivia and I match now!) and watched two episodes of Friends, one of which was a Christmas episode, so now we’re all getting in a cozy frame of mind.  I’m definitely not ready for Christmas yet, and I’m certainly not ready for the kids to go back to school, but I’m soooo ready for fall and football season!  I know you can’t have one without the other, though.  Haha.

After the kids went to bed, Brian made an old fashioned for himself and I made a toasted marshmallow old fashioned for myself, and then we watched the newest episode of Silo that had dropped.  After that was over, Brian turned on a show he has been watching on his own because I had started dozing.  Then, we went to bed.

 

Saturday, July 18

Saturday morning, I slept in until almost 9 AM (probably because we’d stayed up until 12:30 AM), and then I made waffles for breakfast.  We all cleaned the kitchen and then I arranged my flowers from Olivia (and Jen and Buckley) and got them on the table.  Look how pretty!  Olivia told me that she picked out baby pink roses for Lindsay’s Sweet World.  :o)

The rest of the morning was spent cleaning.  The kids did their laundry and deep-cleaned their bathroom.  Olivia worked on tidying and cleaning her bedroom some more (I didn’t even ask her to do it!).  I did some blog housekeeping and worked on my second Denver blog post while I enjoyed my tea, and then I washed the towels, deep cleaned the kids’ bathtub/shower, washed their shower curtain, and then ordered a new shower curtain and liner when theirs didn’t come clean.

Brian worked outside all morning, spraying weeds and weed eating.  And then we all had lunch together.

After lunch, I worked on a few annoying non-important tasks that have been sitting on my list for a while, and then I folded and put away the towels (same day!!) before laying down for 10 minutes to rest my neck.

Olivia tried on the new clothes we’d picked up at Target the day before (this top – OMG), and then the kids settled in for some screen time while I worked on this blog post a little longer.

I went out for a walk mid-afternoon, but it was blazing hot and the sun was beating down.  Thankfully, it was cloudy off and on, so I got a break every now and then from the sun. 

When I got home, I cooled off for a few minutes, and then I grabbed a cup of tea (which is insane since I was still so hot), and then I did my Bible study and devotional for the day while thunderstorms rolled through our area.  We didn’t get any rain at our house yet again, but it sure got dark and thundered a lot.  Gah, there is nothing better in the summer than a good thunderstorm (assuming you have nowhere to be). 

After that, I shut down my office, and I did my vibration plate, neck pillow, meditation for the day before getting showered and getting ready for church.

We went to Mass with the whole family and then to our favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner with our usual group.  After dinner, we went to Bruster’s for ice cream to change it up.  We hadn’t been there in ages.  I don’t ever get ice cream anymore, but they had s’mores, so I decided to try it.  It ended up being a bit freezer burned, so I wasn’t impressed. 

When we got home, we all got in our pajamas and watched a few more episodes of Friends.  Then, after the kids went to bed, Brian and I watched another two episodes of Running Point.

 

Sunday, July 19

Sunday morning, I was up at 8:45 AM, I got the dishwasher unloaded, I ate a couple of egg whites, and then I grabbed a cup of tea.  We had plans to see Toy Story 5 at noon, so we also decided to go to brunch, so I didn’t want to eat too much.

After my cup of tea, I got showered and ready for the day, and then we headed to brunch.  We went to a local place that we’ve eaten at a couple of times before, and I got the bananas foster French toast + bacon.  The kids got waffles, eggs, sausage, and one of their homemade biscuits, and everything was good.  It wasn’t quite as good as we’d remembered, though, so we’re not sure if they’ve changed or if we have.  The service was quite slow, too, so we barely got to the movie on time.

We all loved Toy Story 5!  I thought it was so funny and so well done and so very relevant.  I’ve loved the whole Toy Story franchise, but this one was one of my favorites.

After the movie, we went to Target to pick up the kids’ new shower curtain and liner, and then we headed home.  I immediately got the shower curtain in the wash, and then I headed to my office to transfer photos from my phone to my computer, get them organized, work on this blog post some more, and work on my second Denver post some more.  I also hung the kids’ new shower liner and curtain after the curtain had dried.

We went to my parents’ house for Sunday dinner, and my Momma made parmesan chicken, rice, green beans, a delicious corn and bacon dish, and garlic bread sticks.  Everything was delicious, as always, and we had a brown sugar pound cake to eat for dessert, too!  I’m actually eating some leftovers as I type this.  ;o)

When we got home, we all got in pjs, and we watched a few episodes of Friends before the kids went to bed.  I also got up and moved around a little bit while we watched because I hadn’t worked out all day and I felt like I needed to move around since I’d eaten so much all day.

After the kids went to bed, Brian and I watched a couple more episodes of Running Point after that and then we went to bed.

This summer break has been so very good to us and I’m not ready for it to end.  As a matter of fact, Thursday evening at the new family ice cream social, one of the other ladies on the Home and School Advisory Board looked over at me and said, “You look so relaxed.”  And for once, I was like, “I am.  I really am!” 

The summer hasn’t been all rainbows and unicorns, of course, with all my withdrawals symptoms and my backtracking with my neck progress, but I really can’t complain overall, because it has just been so lovely to be able to travel and see new things and also have so much down time with Brian and the kids.

The back-to-school scaries are starting to settle in since the kids go back in just 1.5 weeks, so we’re going to hold onto every last bit of these days at home before things get crazy again!

Happy Wednesday, y’all!