Our Week - The One with an Allergy Test, an Upper Cervical Chiropractor Visit, and a Benefit Ball

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Happy Tuesday, y’all!  It’s time for another weekly recap… and this week I got it up on time! 

Monday, February 2

Monday, I woke up feeling yucky because I hadn’t slept well because my allergies had flared up since I was temporarily off my allergy medication.  I had an allergy test Wednesday, so I had to be off all antihistamines for seven days prior, and I hope I don’t have to do that again for a long time because I am still recovering and it’s been 12 days.

I dropped the kids at school, stayed for a Home and School Advisory Board meeting, and then I went straight to the orthodontist to talk to them about my retainers.  Since they were causing all my facial tension and dizziness to come back, the orthodontist said that he thinks the best solution is to put in a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth, and a traditional retainer for my top teeth.  No more Invisalign retainers. 

For whatever reason, my jaw just did not like those.  And the only reason he put me in them to begin with is because I clench my teeth all night while I sleep.  The Invisalign retainers would have protected my teeth, so now I have no idea what I’m going to do about that, but I’m just taking things one step at a time for now…

They went ahead and put in the permanent retainer at my appointment Monday, and they made the mold for my top retainer, and I had to wait a week to pick it up.  The orthodontist told me to try to continue to wear the top Invisalign retainer as much as possible to keep my teeth straight until my other retainer was available, but I didn’t wear it much because I just couldn’t stand all the tension and dizziness that it brought about.

After my appointment, I ran to Walmart and Publix to grab groceries, and then I had just enough time to get everything unloaded and put away, get dinner in the slow cooker, eat lunch with Brian, and work on my blog post for Tuesday before heading to the school to pick up Olivia.

When we got home, I did my quiet time while she did homework, and then I listed a couple of things on a local website for sale.  One of them sold immediately, so that was nice! 

Brian picked up Jacob from e-sports when it was over and then the two of them spent some time at the driving range to get Jacob ready for golf later in the week.  While they were gone, I managed to get a few things done around the house – plant watering, toilet cleaning, vacuuming my car mat and getting it back in the car after letting it sit outside for weeks due to the gasoline smell that got in it (it’s finally gone!), and I finished making dinner.

I did get my top retainer back in for an hour, but it made me feel awful, so that was about all I could do.  Thankfully, my top teeth didn’t shift at all the rest of the week when I didn’t wear it.  Whew.

After golfing, the boys had to go out and look for some new golf shoes for Jacob since he’d outgrown his, and then we all sat down to eat ranch chicken pasta, steamed broccoli, and Cheesecake Factory bread when they returned. 

I felt so yucky from my retainer and allergy issues that I lay down for a bit after dinner and then I got a second wind and put some laundry away before hanging out with Olivia in her room.  My little old lady was crocheting, and I loved watching her and chatting with her.  I absolutely love that she has taken up crocheting as one of her new hobbies… she crochets, she plays guitar, she’s learning French, she takes seven dance classes, she makes videos, she paints, she writes song lyrics… she’s my little Renaissance woman!  She is truly so well-rounded – both of our kids are! – and I love that about both of them.  We have always encouraged them to do whatever it is that their little hearts enjoy most, and it has been a true blessing watching both of them grow into the creative, intelligent little humans that they are.

After everyone was ready for bed, we watched some more of the Grammys, and then after the kids went to bed, Brian and I watched another episode of Run Away.  Since I didn’t sleep Sunday night and I was super congested all day Monday, I made myself a little nightcap, and I slept like a baby (mostly, anyway) Monday night.

 

Tuesday, February 3

Tuesday, I got the kids to school and then I headed home.  I realized when I got home that I’d never finished my blog post for Tuesday (oops!), so I finished it and set it to post Wednesday instead.  I also had to move my weekly post to Thursday because I just couldn’t get my act together in time to get it done.

Between all my tension and dizziness being back and my allergies raging because I couldn’t take my medicine, I was a HOT MESS Tuesday morning, and I could barely keep my eyes open.  Around 10:30 AM, I realized it was dumb to keep forcing myself to sit at my computer and work when I could just give my body the rest that it needed, so I grabbed my electric blanket and my pillow, and I curled up in our bed and slept for an hour and a half. 

I was still congested and dizzy when I woke up, but I did have way more energy, so I knocked out a few things on my to do list:

 

-       Worked on blog post for Thursday

-       Got gas in my car

-       Returned a few Amazon items to UPS

-       Returned a few books at the library

 

Check, check, check, and CHECK!

When Olivia and I got home from school, I did a Bible study while she did homework, and then I took her to dance.

Meanwhile, Brian picked Jacob up from e-sports and took him to golf.  While they were all gone, I walked two miles.  It was 60 degrees on Tuesday, but the sun had already gone down by the time I got out there, so it was pretty chilly, but it sure was nice having some warmer temps!

I showered when I got back home, and then I got started on dinner.  The boys were done with golf just in time to pick up Olivia from dance and then we all sat down to sausage, peppers, and onions tacos, chips, and fruit when they got home.

The kids got showered after dinner and then Olivia crocheted for a bit before putting herself to bed (LOL – it never fails to crack me up that she’s just ready to go to bed some nights… I swear, she is just a little old lady at heart) and then after Jacob went to bed, Brian and I watched another episode of Run Away.

 

Wednesday, February 4

Wednesday morning, we woke up to a rainyyyy day.  I got the kids to school, swung by Target to return something, and then I headed to the allergist for a skin test.  My last skin test was nearly 10 years ago, and I was severely allergic to so. many. things. – various grasses, trees, weeds, and many other outdoor things + dust mites, roaches, and a few other odds and ends.  I did three years of allergy shots and they helped me tremendously.  I haven’t had nearly as many issues since I completed my allergy shots, but it’s been six years since I finished them, and my seasonal allergies have ramped up again the last year, so the doctor wanted to test me again.

It turns out that I’m still very allergic to dog fennel (a type of weed) but I’m only a little allergic to all the other things, so the doctor said she didn’t think that warrants doing another round of allergy shots.  Instead, she told me just to keep using my allergy medication as needed (which, for me, is every single day – cringe) and let them know if I have any major issues. 

She did also diagnose me with vasomotor rhinitis, which is rhinitis that’s triggered by environmental irritants like changes in weather (especially cold temperatures), high humidity (which we have a lot here in Georgia), and shifts in barometric pressure.  That explains soooo much, y’all.  If I discontinue my allergy medication for even a day during the winter when nothing is blooming, I get congested, and even though I take allergy medication year-round, I have a perpetual runny nose during the winter, and now I finally know why!  I had no idea you could be “allergic” to weather changes.

After my appointment, I headed home to work for the rest of the day.  I still had to finish my blog post for Thursday… the one that’s typically posted on Tuesday… so I was a bit behind.  Haha.

After school, the kids and I headed home.  I did my quiet time and then went for a walk, and then I drove Olivia to dance.  The boys and I had leftover ranch chicken pasta, freshly steamed broccoli, and leftover Cheesecake Factory bread for dinner, and then I sat downstairs and watched Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with them while Brian worked out. 

Brian headed to dance to pick up Olivia, and I spent some time in my office getting ready for Thursday while Jacob got ready for bed. 

After the kids were in bed, Brian and I watched the newest episode of Shrinking that had been released and then we went to bed.

 

Thursday, February 5

Thursday morning, Jacob had to be at school at 5:45 AM for his e-sports state tournament.  They had to travel out of town, so it was a very early morning.  Brian got up with him and got him to school and then he headed to work early, and Olivia and I got up at our regular times and I got her to school.

When I got home, I finished my blog post for Friday, I started my post for Monday, and then I took yet another nap because I just couldn’t kick my congestion and dizziness.  My congestion had eased up a little bit since I was able to resume my allergy medication on Wednesday, but once I get congested, it tends to hang around foreverrrr. 

When I got up, I tackled a few things around the house and then it was time to pick up the kids from school.  Since I’d had such an unproductive morning, I decided not to read in the car line, and instead, knock out a couple of tasks in the car.  I had to call our orthodontist and update our insurance info with them, and I had to book security for our school dance that I’m co-chairing.  Our resource officer ended up coming out and chatting with me for a couple of minutes while I waited, and he got security all lined up for me.  Check and check.

Jacob was supposed to get back from his field trip by 2 or 2:30, but he’d texted me earlier in the day to let me know that they were running behind and wouldn’t be back until right at dismissal.  I was on pins and needles because the kids had music lessons right after school (all the way across town), so I knew we needed to leave right on time to get there on time.  I tracked him on Life360 for the last 30 minutes of his journey, and they literally pulled up just as the kids were dismissing.  We ended up holding up the car line for 1-2 minutes because Jacob had to run all the way across campus to get to me, but he made it, and we made it to music lessons!  Whew!

I sat in with Olivia for her guitar lesson, and she practiced some more of The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift.

When we got home, I did my quiet time and then went for a walk, and after I got showered and into pajamas, Brian and I made breakfast for dinner.

I was lazy for the rest of the evening, and we ended the night with the rest of the Grammys with the kids, an episode of Run Away for Brian and me, and a hot toddy for me to flush out some of that congestion.

 

Friday, February 6

Friday morning, I dropped the kids at school, I knocked out some work at home, and then Brian and I left to go to my upper cervical chiropractor appointment.  As I suspected, my atlas had moved out of place, and the doctor said that it had moved significantly compared to how much it usually moves when it does come out.  I was bummed because I’d gone two months without issues, and then that dang Invisalign retainer caused everything to get completely out of whack again just like that.  My neck scan, my leg test, and the doctor’s manual assessment all very obviously showed the misalignment. 

Although it sucks that I’m having issues again, at least I do now know with 100% certainty that it was the braces rubber bands that caused my initial issues… and now the retainers are causing the issues all over again.  It’s amazing how much damage can be done to the whole body with such small shifts of the jaw.

And the doc said that it wasn’t just my atlas… he said, “there is (was) a whole lot going on,” and he ended up adjusting both SI joints, several places all the way up my spine, my atlas (7 taps this time, which was the most EVER), and my jaw.  He told me that my left jaw joint isn’t doing what it’s supposed to do and, therefore, it’s causing all the issues with my right jaw joint.  He got the left jaw functioning smoothly, but it was already back out of whack in the hour that it took us to get home.  Sigh.  He did tell me from the get-go that jaws are tricky to get to stay in place, especially if they’ve been out of alignment for a while.  Mine has been messed up for 20+ years, so I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get them to stay the way they’re supposed to.

When Brian and I got home, I finished my blog post for Monday and had lunch with B.  By the time we were done with lunch, I was so sleepy, hot, and my breathing was so rapid that I felt like I’d just run a marathon.  That is all totally normal after an atlas adjustment because the adjustments affect the nerves that run through the atlas, and those nerves control tons of things in the body, including the “fight or flight” response.  Since I felt like crap, I lay down and took yet another nap, and when I got up, it was time to pick up the kids from school.

When we got home, the kids got everything put away from the week and then they had some screen time.  I did my quiet time and then got lots of little things done that I had been neglecting all week... like cleaning the last few slats on the blinds in our bedroom.  Look at the difference between the top ones and the bottom ones!  So satisfying!

Brian picked up Olive Garden for dinner per the kids’ requests, and then we spent the evening in, watching Is It Cake? Valentine’s Day edition and starting Dumbo… like the old Disney movie from the 1940s.  So random, but both kids said that they wanted to see it since they’d never seen it.  I, for one, have never liked that movie because I just can’t stand watching all the elephants be so cruel to that sweet baby. 

After they went to bed, Brian and I watched another episode of Run Away, and then we called it a night.  As I was saying goodnight to Olivia, she kicked back in the bed like this and said, "Life is so great!"  It was the cutest thing, and I just love seeing her so happy!

Saturday, February 7

Saturday morning, Brian picked up donuts for breakfast since we hadn’t had them in a while, and we were all up by 8:30.

We had the Olympics on throughout the day, but I didn’t watch much of them since I wanted to try to get caught up on some things that I hadn’t gotten done during the week thanks to all the naps and breaks from feeling yucky.

The kids and I tackled some laundry, I fixed an issue I’d been having with my blog for a few days, I painted my nails, I did a little bit of blog reading, and I did lots of planning for Brian’s and Olivia’s birthdays.

Brian dropped the kids off at my parents’ house late in the afternoon and he and I got ready for the benefit ball that we attend every year.

We’ve been attending this ball for 17 years (I think?) so I wore one of my old dresses that I’d worn in previous years, and it was so fun to wear it again… it’s one of my favorites!

The first year we attended the ball, we had just gotten Maui and she was only eight weeks old.  I have pictures that I took with her tiny little self while I was all dressed up.  Then, last year when we attended the ball, Maui was very sick and she ended up passing away in the wee hours the next morning.  Needless to say, she was on my mind the whole day Saturday as we got ready and headed to the ball. 

Last year, we went long enough to eat dinner and hear the keynote speaker, only to bolt to get back home to Maui, so I was looking forward to having the whole evening at the ball this year.

We arrived at 6:30 just in time for cocktail hour.  There was a bar, a huge charcuterie spread that I wish I’d gotten a picture of, and there was a photo booth to use while we mingled with everyone else.  Lots of our school friends and family were there, so we spent cocktail hour bouncing around from person to person to catch up.

I got to see my old English, Religion, and History teacher from my sixth and eighth grade years, as she was the keynote speaker, and she was a delight.  She retired and moved to the beach years ago, so I hadn’t gotten to see her in ages, and it was wonderful to hug her and take a picture with her during cocktail hour. 

Allen Levi, the newly famous author of Theo of Golden was there (that book is everywhere now and it makes me soooo happy!), so I got to hug his neck and catch up with him.  I’ve mentioned this on the blog before, but he was friends with my dad growing up, so I have known him since I was little.  My brothers and I always called him Uncle Allen even though he wasn’t technically related to us. 

He is an extremely talented writer, singer/songwriter, guitarist, storyteller – all the things! – and he authored my favorite children’s book of all-time, Oliviatown.  We own two copies of it, one signed and one not, and I can’t even begin to count how many times I read that book to Olivia when she was little.  It was one of her favorites.  I would link it for y’all, but it’s been out of print for years… I couldn’t even find a used copy online when I just tried searching.  People must be hanging on to theirs!

Anyway, we chatted for a bit about all the things.  He asked me all about my little fam and about my blog and my parents.  I gushed to him about Theo of Golden and even got to talk to him a little bit about Ellen of Golden… the sequel that’s forthcoming.  ;o)  We snapped a few pictures together and then my friend, Heather, joined us for a picture, too.

Cocktail hour was wrapping up by then, so we were ushered into the ballroom for dinner.  The head chef from one of our fine dining local restaurants did the dinner as always, but this year, I didn’t love it because I don’t love fish or seafood.  He usually does steak and chicken or roast beef and chicken, but his year it was salmon and chicken, so it wasn’t my favorite.  The salad and dessert were delicious, though!

While we ate, we chatted with all our friends.  We were seated with Olivia’s best friend’s parents, another one of Olivia’s friend’s moms (her dad had to work), another couple who we’re friends with who also has a son in Olivia’s class, one of my friends who is on the Home and School Advisory Board with me, and another couple.

It was a great group, so the conversation flowed easily all evening.  Towards the end of dinner, the live auction started, and once that was done, the keynote speaker (my old teacher) took the podium.  She was truly fantastic!

After she was done, the presentation wrapped up with a prayer, and then we all got up and took some pictures with other friends and family.  My Aunt Joy and Uncle Greg were there, so we talked to them for a bit, and then after we’d spoken to everyone, we hit the dance floor. 

The band this year just had a pianist and a guitarist, so the music wasn’t really the best for dancing.  Several of us listened to them for a bit, and then Brian and I talked to some friends for a bit before heading home.

Last I heard, we’d raised nearly $100K to support tuition assistance for Catholic education.  As a product of tuition assistance at a Catholic school, it’s something that I’m very passionate about, and I’m so happy that our school is able to provide assistance for so many families who want to give their kids a faith-based education but can’t do it on their own.  <3

By the time Brian and I got home, it was late, so we closed up shop and headed to bed.

 

Sunday, February 8

Sunday morning, we woke up to an empty house since the kids had stayed the night with my parents, and it’s always so weird when the kids aren’t here.

Brian and I had leftover donuts for breakfast, and then I did all my Sunday morning things – prepping for the week ahead, getting my planner ready and going over the schedule for the week, listening to a church sermon, and transferring this week’s photos from my phone to my laptop.

Late in the morning, we got ready and then headed to my parents’ house to pick up the kids around noon.  We chatted with them for a few minutes before grabbing the kids and going to my mother-in-law’s and step-father-in-law’s house for lunch. 

We ended up staying over there for a long time catching up since it’d been a couple of weeks since we’d seen them, and then we headed home so the kids could get unpacked, showered, and ready for the week ahead. 

My congestion was still lingering Sunday, although thankfully not nearly as bad, but I was still having some lingering issues from my adjustment, all the previous issues I’d had with my retainer, so I didn’t feel 100%.

We went to my parents’ house for Sunday dinner and we, of course, watched the Super Bowl while we were there.  Jacob and Olivia had stayed up extra late the night before since they’d been at my parents’ house, so we went home to watch the halftime show.  I’ve never really listened much to Bad Bunny’s music, but I think he’s a great guy – especially after watching his speeches at the Grammys a couple of weeks ago – so I was excited to watch the show. 

Friends, it did not disappoint!  I had no clue what he was saying other than a few words here and there since the whole thing was in Spanish (I did take three years of Spanish in high school, so I could understand a few words here and there), but at the same time, I knew exactly what message he was communicating and it was just a really beautiful thing.  The whole performance was so thoughtful from start to finish, and after it was over, I immediately began digging in to read about all the symbolism and the meanings of all the different aspects of the show.  After digging in, I went back and watched the halftime show again the next morning and I loved it even more.  And did any of you spot Pedro Pascal like we did?!  Gah, I just love him and he was such a vibe during the show!

I love how they paraded flags from all the countries in North and South America to unite us all at the end, and I love love loved the message at the end of the show…

THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE. 

Happy Tuesday, y’all!

Our Week - The One with the Reindeer Run, Our Girls Christmas Ornament Exchange, and the Start of Christmas Break!

Whew!  We made it to Christmas break, y’all!  And somehow, I managed to finish all my shopping and wrapping before the kids got out Friday.  And I managed to do that without feeling like a chicken with my head cut off for the first time ever, maybe?  It has been such a good feeling having the time to slow down just a bit and not have such a cluttered brain this Advent season.  Truly. 

Last week was a mix of fun stuff, productivity, and quiet moments, and today I’m recapping it all today, so grab a cup of hot cinnamon tea, or a peppermint mocha, or a festive cocktail and let’s get started!

Monday, December 15

Monday morning, Brian offered to take the kids to school so I could stay home and get stuff done after a busy few days, and I happily obliged because a) I had a ton to do, and b) it was 25 degrees Monday morning, and I had no desire whatsoever to get out in the cold.

While he was gone, I cleaned up the kitchen, unloaded the dishwasher, tidied a few things, gathered all the dirty towels, and loaded those into the washer before settling in at my desk to tackle my blog post for Tuesday.  It was a long one, so it took most of the morning, but I took a break from it so Brian and I could lay out all the gifts for the kids to see if we had everything we needed, see if everything looked balanced-ish, etc. 

Once that was done, I got it all put away, and I updated my gifts spreadsheet to make sure everything matched.  Then B and I had lunch.

After lunch, I got back to working on my blog post for Tuesday, and I managed to get it done as well as start my blog post for Wednesday. 

Mid-afternoon, I left to grab the kids from school, and I ended up having to take a different route because there was a major wreck/fire on the highway, and traffic was backed up for miles.  I was grateful that I got the memo before I walked out the door because normally, I don’t check the traffic first, although, I probably need to start.

The kids and I headed home after school, and I finished the book I was reading while they both studied.  Jacob had first semester finals last week, so he was on a crazy schedule, and he had lots to study for throughout the week.

I bundled up and got in a walk after that, and I ended up getting sweaty inside all my layers despite the cold, so I hopped in the shower when I got home.

Brian stepped out to go to Aldi and Sam’s while I did that, and I washed a load of laundry while he was gone.  The kids had some screen time and Olivia showered so she could go ahead and get into her pjs and be cozy… she is her mother’s daughter!  We love to be cozy!

When Brian got home, we turned on some Christmas music and made breakfast for dinner, and then after the four of us ate together, I made a meal plan and grocery list for the next couple of weeks while Brian cleaned the kitchen.  There was a lot to plan for since we’ll be doing various Christmas celebrations!

After the kitchen was clean, Brian baked some of his famous candy cane cookies for Jacob’s American Sign Language class.  For his final, he had to bring in a snack for everyone to share, and he had to describe it (in ASL) based on several metrics that their teacher gave.  He wanted to take Brian’s candy cane cookies, and Brian was happy to oblige.  I was happy, too, because they are one of my most favorite treats and I was stoked to have the leftovers at home.  ;o)

While he did that, Jacob showered, and I watered all my plant babies, did my quiet time, and put the laundry away.  Olivia popped in my room at one point and asked me if she could wipe down all the surfaces in her bedroom with our beloved Mrs. Meyers Peppermint cleaner and I was like, “Who are you and what did you do with my child?!”  Hahahaha. 

She had always been the most untidy child ever, so the fact that she is now obsessed with keeping her room tidy and clean is sending me.  I told her she is welcome to clean her room any time she wants and that she never has to ask permission to do that.  Hahahaha.

Once everyone was showered and ready for bed, we settled in to rewatch the last episode of season one of Percy Jackson and the Olympians to gear up for the new season.  The kids wanted a refresher before we started the new season.

I made my to do list for Tuesday while we were watching because I’m not a huge fan of that show, and after the kids went to bed Brian and I watched part of another episode of The Morning Show.  These days the kids go to bed later and we go to bed earlier, so we barely ever have time to watch a full episode of anything.  Such is life with older kids!  I wouldn’t change a thing, though!  I am enjoying every single second of having a tween and a teen.

 

Tuesday, December 16

Tuesday, I had a ton of errands to run so I dropped the kids at school a little earlier than usual and hit the ground running.  First up was Walmart and Publix for groceries, and then I dumped everything back at home with just enough time to put up all the cold stuff before leaving again for my appointment with my therapist.

After my appointment, I headed to Michael’s to pick up something, Target to drop a return and grab a couple of things, UPS to drop an Amazon return, and then the library to return a few books and pick up a couple new ones.

I got to the school to pick up Jacob at 11:30, and I had 15 minutes to spare until he got out, so I chatted with one of the other dads for a bit until the kids came out.  Jacob said that both his finals he’d taken Tuesday were easy, so here’s hoping he gets good grades! 

He wanted to go to Chick-Fil-A for lunch, so he and I had our lunch date, and it was nice to have the one-on-one time with him. 

We headed home after that, and I squeezed in some blog work while Jacob studied for his biology final.  I had to go back to the school to grab Olivia when she got out, and then when she and I got home both kids studied some more while I did my quiet time. 

I got out for a mile-long walk and then I had to drive Olivia to dance, and then when I got home, Jacob and I squeezed in another 1/2 mile together before it got dark.  It was freezing at that point again, though, so we didn’t make it far. 

When we got home, I jumped in the shower just to warm up, and then I got into pjs and worked on my blog post for the next day some more.  I ended up not having the time to finish it, though, hence the reason I posted last Thursday instead of last Wednesday.

I headed downstairs to make spaghetti and meatballs + broccoli and Cheesecake Factory brown bread for dinner, and then when Brian got home with Olivia the four of us ate together.

Olivia had to shower after dinner, so I sat down with Jacob for a bit to listen to him play the piano, and then Brian helped Olivia study some more for her history test before we got both kids in bed.

I’ve been doing an Advent study for my evening meditations, and it has been fabulous.  Every night after the kids go to bed, I lay on my neck pillow that my upper cervical chiropractor had me purchase, and I just lay still and quiet while I listen to my Advent study or a meditation in my Calm app.  It’s a great way to signal to my body and brain that it’s time to relax and it’s always one of my favorite times each day.

Brian and I ended the night with some more of another episode of The Morning Show and then we went to bed.

 

Wednesday, December 17

Wednesday morning, I dropped the kids at school and then drove over to the football field because it was Reindeer Run day!  I was not in charge this year (as I’m trying to take a few things off my plate) so all I had to do was show up and help out where needed and IT WAS GLORIOUS. 

In previous years, I had to be there at 6 AM to get everything ready out in the dark and cold and I was running around like a crazy person for the rest of the day, but this year, I didn’t have to worry about any of that and I was so grateful.  I love to volunteer at the kids’ school – it has been one of my biggest blessings since quitting my corporate job – but for the last couple of years I took on too much, so it’s been nice to take a few things off my plate.  It’s also one of the main reasons that this Advent / Christmas season has been so much less chaotic for me.

It was extremely cold Wednesday morning, so administration opted to have the run portion on the football field as usual, but they moved the hot chocolate bar, Santa, and face painting inside.  While it didn’t exactly have the same vibe, it was so nice to be out of the cold. 

I helped out where needed, and we had so many volunteers that I was able to do a little bit of socializing this year instead of working nonstop, so it was much more relaxed.  And, of course, we had to get our annual Reindeer Run picture with Santa Clause who also happens to be my old religion teacher.  Hahahaha.  I had him sophomore year and senior year of high school and he’s still there teaching religion… Jacob has him this year and he came over to tell me on Wednesday what a pleasure it is to have Jacob in his class.  He went on to give several details as to why Jacob is such a joy and it just made me so happy.  Cue all the proud momma tears!

Since Olivia is now in middle school, this was the first year that I didn’t have a child participate in the Reindeer Run, so it was definitely bittersweet.

I was done cleaning up around 11 AM, and then I drove around to the front parking lot and parked for the next 45 minutes because Jacob got out at 11:45.  Our resource officer saw me when he was doing his rounds, so he stopped by to chat for a bit.  45 minutes didn’t give me time to run any errands, but it was also a long time to have to sit in the parking lot, so it was nice to have that to help pass the time.

When Jacob and I got home, we ate lunch together and then he had some screen time while I finished my blog post for the next day and then started on this blog post that you’re reading now.

Jacob came with me to pick up Olivia because we had to go straight to music lessons after school since Jacob had a makeup lesson.  Olivia and I sat in with him and then after his lesson we headed home.  And Olivia shared her Demogorgon with us that she'd made in art class for her teacher.

Jacob had more finals to study for, so he started tackling that and Olivia got ready for dance, and I got my quiet time done.  Brian got home shortly after we did and he offered to take Olivia to dance, so Jacob and I got out for another walk together.  When we got home, I made fettucine alfredo with chicken and broccoli + garlic cheese bread for dinner and Brian and Jacob and I ate together.

After dinner, the three of us watched Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune until Brian had to leave to pick up Olivia.  I’d hoped to get a few things done around the house since I hadn’t been home most of the day, but I wasn’t feeling the best Wednesday evening, so I opted to be lazy instead.  I did manage to squeeze in 15 minutes of functional strength training while we watched, but it was very halfhearted.  I just felt so sapped of energy for a couple of days last week and I wasn’t sure why, but since I never got sick, I suspect it could have been hormone related.  Sigh. 

While Brian was out getting Olivia, Jacob showered and I got a couple of things done, but then I lay in the bed and read my book instead of pushing myself too much. 

When Olivia got home, she got showered, and then we got the kids in bed and Brian and I ended the day with hot toddies because Brian felt a little off, too.

 

Thursday, December 18

Thursday morning, Brian and I both woke up feeling fine – so weird, but we were oh so grateful! – and I’m wondering if all the weird weather changes we had last week were to blame.  It was freezing for much of the week, but then it rained and was warm towards the end.  I tend to feel yucky when the heater comes on a lot, so I’m thinking maybe that was the problem.  We’re not used to freezing cold temps for days on end here.

I got the kids to school Thursday morning, and then I headed home to try to do ALL THE THINGS before they got out.  There was so much to do on my list, so I started whittling away at everything right away.  I got this blog post as caught up as I could, I caught up on a few things in my planner, I responded to my backlog of blog comments, I wrapped every single Christmas present – AMEN, I updated my gifts spreadsheet, and I sent a few Christmas cards.  The good thing was that even though there was a lot on my list, I knew I had enough time to do it all, so I didn’t feel frazzled and I was able to be intentional about every task.  That, my friends, has made all the difference for me this Christmas season.

Brian was off work Thursday, so he picked up Jacob since he got out early from finals… that way I didn’t have to stop what I was doing.  And when they got home, we all ate lunch together.

After lunch, the boys finished watching the third Transformers movie that they’d started the week before, and I finished up working in my office.  I grabbed Olivia from school at three, and then she and I went to music lessons.  Brian dropped Jacob off at music lessons, too, so he didn’t have to sit in the car line with me. 

Jacob continued working on his piano pieces, and since recitals are over, Olivia started a new song.  She ended up settling on the acoustic version of The Fate of Ophelia.  Mr. Steve wrote the chords for the first verse and the chorus down for her, so she’ll have something to practice over the break.  It’s another finger picking song (which she prefers… she doesn’t like using a pick), and this one is a little more intricate, so it’ll take some good practice to master.

When we got home, I did my quiet time and then I made meatballs for our girls’ Christmas dinner and ornament exchange.  Brian and the kids had plans to go to Culver’s and hang out all evening, and I headed to Jessica’s house for the evening. 

Unfortunately, three of our friends couldn’t make it, so we had a small group of four for the night.  But Jessica’s sister (who is also my friend) walked over from next door to join, too, which was great! 

We did a bunch of appetizers instead of a traditional dinner, and everything was so delicious.  I brought meatballs, Jess did a beautiful charcuterie board and winter white cosmos, Jeannine brought kale and tortellini salad from Sam’s that is TO DIE FOR (seriously, if you have a Sam’s, run, don’t walk, and grab this.  It is divine.), and Jenn brought soft, warm pretzel bites with cheese and chips and salsa.  Yummyyyy.

We ended up sitting around the table for nearly two hours talking away, and then it was time for the ornament exchange.  I ended up with a 6-7 ornament (PERFECT for this year) and the kids were so excited when I brought it home. 

I got home a little after eight, and Brian and the kids were watching Avatar in their pjs.  I got in my pjs and got ready for bed, and then the kids got into bed a little early since Jacob had one more final on Friday morning.

Brian and I ended the day with part of another episode of The Morning Show and then it was bedtime.

 

Friday, December 19

Friday morning, I dropped the kids at school and then I walked over to the auditorium to help set up for the faculty and staff Christmas lunch.  We set up tables, decorated, iced down the drinks, put out the games, gifts, and prizes, and I also made a welcome sign on the smart board at the entrance… the party was Grinch themed so that’s the story behind the verbiage.  I snapped a picture of it and realized hours later after I was already home that I forgot to cross the T.  Oooops.  Haha.

As we were finishing setting up, Jacob walked over because he’d finished his last final and he was all done for the semester.  I drove him home, had a quick snack and a cup of tea, and then I headed back to the school to pick up Olivia at noon. 

She and I drove home, and she filled me in on her fun morning.  They’d done crafts and played kickball on the football field and had an ugly sweater contest and enjoyed hot chocolate.  This was the first year that I didn’t have to plan a class Christmas party, and while I missed it a bit, it was nice to have that off my plate this year.

When we got home, the four of us ate lunch together.  Brian was off Friday, so he didn’t have to do anything for work, which was nice.  And we had nowhere to be for the rest of the afternoon and evening, so there was a long stretch of time ahead to just do whatever we wanted to do.  That, coupled with knowing that we had 16.5 days off ahead of us, was just the best feeling!

The kids settled in to build some more in their Minecraft world together and I kicked back in my office with my electric blanket to catch up on two weeks of blog reading. 

After that was done, I got out for a chilly walk, and then I showered and got into pjs when I got home.  Brian went out to pick up dinner from our favorite local BBQ restaurant early in the evening, and after dinner, we all settled in to watch A Very Jonas Christmas Movie.  It was a little cheesy, but it was really funny and we all enjoyed it.

Brian and the kids settled in to watch some more of Avatar that they’d started Thursday night, so I read for a bit and then went upstairs to lay in bed and watch the Alabama vs. Oklahoma football game. 

The kids went to bed around 10 and Brian and I finished watching the game. 

 

Saturday, December 20

Saturday morning, I made homemade waffles and then Brian and I sat on the couch and watched ESPN College GameDay all morning.  I did some scrolling and got some things cleaned out on my phone while we watched and it was just the most deliciously lazy morning.

After that was over, it was time to get up and get a few things done.  We had a warm snap Saturday, so Brian pulled my ferns out of the garage so they could get some sunshine and I got them watered.  I’m really hoping that they’ll survive winter, but again, this is the first time I’ve ever tried to keep them all winter so we’ll see how it goes. 

After that, I got our bedding washed and did a couple of things in my office.  And all the while, the kids got their beds stripped and washed their bedding, did their laundry, and cleaned their bathroom.  It was nice to have all that out of the way so Christmas week could be spent spending time together, watching movies, doing puzzles, playing games, and just relaxing.

We all ate lunch together and Brian and I also watched the Texas A&M / Miami game while we did other things.  I spent a few more minutes in my office catching up on some random bottom-of-the-list tasks that had been on my list for months, and then I got out for a walk because it was gorgeous outside.

It was 63 degrees and sunny and it was so nice to let the sun warm my bones… it was warm enough to wear a tank top, so I got some good Vitamin D!  ;o)  I had just enough time to get in two miles and I even did some spurts of running in there which felt great.

When I got home, I grabbed a protein bar and then it was time to get ready for Mass.  We hadn’t been to Mass on Saturday in quite some time since we’ve been going on Sunday evenings, so it was nice to be back in our regular routine with all our people.

After Mass, we went to eat dinner at our favorite local Mexican restaurant, and my parents, my Aunt Joy and Uncle Greg, and Mama Cass all joined us.  Aunt Joy’s birthday was a few days prior, so she got the full sombrero and fried ice cream birthday treatment and then we all headed home.

We watched half of Home Alone 2 when we got home, and then the kids went to bed around 10.  Brian and I finished season four of The Morning Show and then we got into bed super late.

 

Sunday, December 21

Sunday morning, we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then I got to work sorting laundry, starting on the six large loads I wanted to get done, watching my sermon, transferring pictures from my phone to my computer, and getting them all organized.

My mother-in-law stopped by mid-morning to bring a couple of things over, and then after she left, we all got back to getting a few things done.  After lunch, Brian and the kids went to pick up my father-in-law, and the four of them went to see Avatar: Fire and Ash in 3D.  I opted out because a) I can’t handle 3D stuff on a regular day so I definitely can’t handle it with this dizziness I’ve been having, and b) I don’t like the Avatar movies.  Haha.  I saw the first one in the theater with Brian and I don’t remember a single thing about it.

Before they left, I had to grab a picture of the kids with their Ikrans that they’d gotten at Disney World.  They took them to the movie with them.  I just love that they haven’t grown out of doing stuff like that yet.  I’m a big kid at heart and I love all festive things and I hope that they never outgrow those things either.  <3

The movie is three hours and 15 minutes plus 30 minutes of trailers so I had a stretch of four hours of alone time ahead of me, so the minute they walked out the door, I flipped the laundry and I settled in at my desk with my heated blanket, some tea, and The Holiday and I knocked out a ton of blog work.  It was dreary all day, so it was the perfect day to stay indoors.

I was already a bit ahead on the blog having completed my post for Christmas Eve, but I still needed to knock out this post that you’re reading today + Friday’s blog post + my end-of-the-year blog post (that’s always soooo long), so I had a lot to do.

While they were gone, I caught completely up on this blog post, I started on my post for Friday, and I tackled a good chunk of my end-of-the-year blog post.  I also got in a walk and got showered and dressed so I could be totally ready to walk out the door when they got home.

We went out to dinner at one of our favorite local pizza places near church, we swung by Starbucks to get Jacob a cake pop and Olivia a caramel frappuccino (decaf!), we drove around and looked at Christmas lights in an area we've never looked before, we watched the rest of Home Alone 2, and Brian and I started our annual viewing of one of my favorite movies of all time - Love Actually.  It was just the most festive little night!

Happy Christmas Eve Eve Eve, y’all!