Aimless 20 Talk Tuesday

20 ways I can tell you I had a bunch of middle school girls over for Etta’s birthday dinner last night without actually telling you they are middle school girls…

1. Slider Sandals, crocs, Nike kicks and mid calf white Nike socks.
2. Crop tops.
3. Mascara and lip gloss.
4. Incredibly obnoxious.
5. Awkward
6. Self conscious about what they eat
7. Playing “not parent approved” and “what do you meme”.
8. Blasting T-Swift and giggling about Travis Kelce
9. Mini arguments over stupid things.
10. Talking about who has a boyfriend and how “serious” it is.
11. Language that parents do not yet comprehend, “Slay” “Bussin” “Bet” “Drip”…
12. Still giving squish-mellows as gifts
13. Calling each other “bestie”
14. They are messy.
15. Egocentric and very indecisive.
16. Each try to dominate thoughts and activities in their own way no matter what it is they are doing or talking about.
17. Emotional. One minute they are laughing, the next crying, the next fighting, the next being annoying.
18. Great at responding with eye rolls.
19. If I have to hear “OH, my God” one more time… haha!
20. HUNGRY and always wanting to eat and drink.

Free Friday

Do I want to feel better, or do I want to be right?

I heard this question asked on a podcast recently. It was about letting go of judgements you have about others and know that it’s not your job to hold others accountable to do what you think is right. In all actuality, you are responsible for YOU. The podcase was also about letting go of always having to be right and letting go of opinions you hold on to that affect relationships with others in your life. Instead, it is about focusing on controlling yourself, your mindset, and focusing on inner peace.

When you put peace as a top priority and realize this, it’s easier to just love others and accept them as is. We truly can do little about what others in our life choose to do, so we can either love them anyways despite differences and choose peace, or we can move on from them and also choose peace or continue down an unhealthy path that is the complete opposite of peace.

I feel like this is where I’m at. I just want peace. You do you and I will do me and what you do, I am not going to allow it to steal my joy if I don’t agree with you. At the end of the day, I don’t need to be right and what others do doesn’t affect me because it’s their life-not mine. We are all allowed to think, feel, and act how we individually want to live and act. As I age, living my life, finding joy each day, spending quality time with those I love, and having peace are much more important then anything else. Equally as important is that other people’s thoughts and opinions and judgments of me are NOT my business. Again, I can’t change what others think of me–so why spend time trying to prove them differently or worry about it. It just steals my joy.

I think in the midst of any argument, judgement, or disagreement with someone you love, the above question is such an important and empowering question to pause and not only ask yourself but to even say out loud and pose to the person you are communicating with.

Peace. Love. Joy.

It’s what I truly am striving for. Are those three things not the core of what we all strive for in life? Happiness.

Thankful Thursday

1. As much as I LOVE warm sunny weather, I am thankful for this rainy morning.
2. I am thankful for reminders and little life joy moments that life me up, fill my cup, energize me, make me happy, encourage me and keep me going.
3. I was thankful that Kynnslee and I got some 1:1 time together yesterday while E was at volleyball. We did a little shopping and made some suncatchers for a little afternoon craft.

What are you thankful for on this Thankful Thursday?

Wondering on Wednesday

What was the most challenging part of your day yesterday?

Neighborhood kids.

As of Friday, we have had a slew of neighborhood kids find us. Now, I’m not complaining per say, because when we moved it was our wish that our girls would have other kids to play with just like their old neighborhood. Thus far, they haven’t really gotten to know any of the new kiddos, just a couple friends they already knew from school. Even better, the new kiddos that rang our bell on Friday, one of the girls is around K’s age and her sister is around E’s age. The sisters also have four other siblings (yes, if you did the math that is 6 kids! wowzah)!. Not all of their siblings came though, but they did bring a brother that was between them in age. Along with that family a brother duo came along with the girls and one of the boys is a year younger then E and his brother a year younger then K. They all introduced themselves and the rest was history.

Fast forward to yesterday. Our doorbell has been ringing all hours of the day and when I look out my window their is a pile of bikes at the end of my driveway (kind of like when I was a kid…you knew where all the kids were because of the pile of bikes at the end of the driveway). However, with it being the warmest day of the year thus far, the kids did not want to play outside (nor did I really want them too). I ended up with 5 extra kids, plus my 2 in my basement. So if you go back to ages that is two 6 year olds, 1 7 year old, one 9 year old, one 10 year old, 1 11 year old and 1 12 year old.

30 minutes of what felt like I was back to my supervising job at school. It felt like pure chaos. After Friday, I had already sat my girls down and we chatted about biking safety and going to and from our house to their house, how they should never be alone and always in pairs or in a group, and also general rules when the kids are at our house or when the girls go to other people’s houses. However, I am rethinking having that many kids over all at once while playing inside our house–otherwise, I will need to set them down just as I did my girls and go over our rules while playing at our house. It was a lot…a lot.

All I kept telling myself during those 30 minutes were….”the kids are all safe. They are having fun. They are playing. They are not on their phones or tablets. They are making new friends. They are just being kids.” I am also in my “supervisor era” and have no problem sending them home if it gets to be too much, haha–which is exactly what I did after 30 minutes. I do not like chaos, and my house being torn apart in 2.2 seconds, nor can I afford to feed kids who sneak into my pantry and eat our snacks like they own the place (even after I tell them they need to be downstairs playing if they are at my house).

Again–the girls were so excited to meet new friends and I am very happy they did. It’s good for them! However, it’s going to be a looonnngg summer at this rate. Godspeed.

Aimless 20 Talk Tuesday

1. Is hot Summer here? Today is supposed to be the warmest day of the year thus far!
2. I had my health assessment today at my husband’s work. Once again my cholesterol is elevated. I really need to get that in check. Diet is key and I struggle with that.
3. Happy 40th birthday to one of my longest friends! Jody, I hope your day is spectacular, just like you! 40 doesn’t have s$iT on you! Haha!
4. Etta had her first day of volleyball camp yesterday. Other then her old pair of glasses breaking, she said she had fun. Thank goodness she goes in for her contact lesson at the eye doctor next week. I truly think contacts will be a game changer for her.
5. Yesterday our neighbor had a little ice cream social so kids and adults could get to know each other better. It was such a nice little gathering and I hope this is the start of getting to know some of our neighbors better. I’m so glad the girls are starting to make friends in our new neighborhood too!
6. It’s going to be a very warm softball practice for Kynnslee this evening.
7. I’ve been going to bed almost 1-1.5 hours later then normal and then I am having trouble falling asleep. For the most part I am still waking up at 5am to either workout or just wake up early. It’s been rough because I am such a routine sleeper and the inconsistency that my sleep routine has been lately isn’t doing me any favors.
8. I’m planning on taking the girls to the library for an hour and a half or so this morning.
9. We (and when I say we, I mean Zach) finally got 2 hours of our 4 hours of volunteer hours in last night. We should have been done but got rained out on the last one, so we still have 2 hours to go and the date is rescheduled for July. Praying it doesn’t get rained out because we are nearing the end of softball and the opportunities to volunteer are getting slim. We certainly don’t want to pay the $200 they require if you don’t get your hours in.
10. Today in my Zyia Challenge, the daily question is: If you could go back and tell your younger self something, what would it be? The first thing that came to mind was: Freeze my eggs and try to have babies sooner then I did. What would your answer be to this question?
11. If you are struggling mentally and you don’t exercise, give it a whirl. Even a simple walk does wonders for your mind and body. Exercising stimulates blood flow, activates your cerebellum, and stimulates neural growth factors that improve function. You have everything to gain when you move your body.
12. We looked at a puppy on Sunday, but Zach said no.
13. Haddie and Crew have the cutest little bond. I just love them both so much.
14. My period was 20 days late. It just started yesterday. This is 40. Gah!
15. I am grateful that my hair appointment is coming up at the beginning of July-time to cover the gray again. This is also 40, hah.
16. I was excited because a lady purchased $19 worth of the girl’s old shoes on VarageSale this week. It’s truly the little things. Happy to see things GO and also make a buck off of some of our junk.
17. I want another tattoo.
18. We got an oversized rug for our living room. I originally wanted a shag type carpet piece but we went with a flat type carpet. The price was right so if it wears overtime I won’t be upset if it needs to get replaced because it was pretty cheap for the size. It makes our living room look much more warm and inviting. Slowly but surely I need to remind myself “we will get there”. Our house just doesn’t feel like a home or as warm as our other house felt but I still feel like that has a lot to do with our relationship with our builder and how shitty he was. I just don’t trust the house, therefore it doesn’t feel like home.
19. A house in our hood went up for sale and it has such a nice yard with landscaping and an outbuilding and also a concrete driveway. I keep telling Zach that maybe we should just move there instead since everything is already finished. However, I’d miss our sunset view and view of nature in the field.
20. Have a terrific Tuesday! Don’t forget to wear sunscreen folks!

Mombie Monday

I hope your Summer is off to a great start. We’ve already crossed a handful of items off of our bucket list. Unfortunately, we missed Breakfast on the Farm this weekend, which is on our Bucket list but I don’t think we are going to make happen this year. There are a few left to go to yet, but the ones closest to us are already over. We’ve gone for a few years in a row now, so I’m kind of sad we didn’t continue the tradition this Summer. We did end up going to Field of Scenes Saturday evening and we saw, “Inside Out 2”. It was a movie that both girls wanted to see, which rarely happens anymore and it was also playing at the outdoor movie place we like to go to so it was a no brainer, win-win, on a whim decision. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend going. It’s a great movie for both kids and adults.

This week Etta starts Volleyball camp and we are calling it “the week of Emily” because she’s spending almost everyday with one of her friends and will be capping off her time with her on Friday for a sleepover to celebrate her birthday. I am glad she will have this week to spend socializing and working on her volleyball skills.

Both girls made some new neighborhood friends this past week, which has made my heart SO happy. The best part is, is that their are kids both Etta and Kynnslee’s age that come over and essentially they all play/hang out together. I use play loosely now as Etta gets mad when I say she’s playing. “It’s hanging out Mom, not playing. I’m not a baby anymore.” Got it! I am a work in progress and working on more grown up terms when it comes to her and her friends. Haha!

Etta got a new set of glasses last Friday and she looks so grown up. I absolutely love them on her. Next week she is going back to the eye doctor to have a lesson in putting contacts in her eyes and we will be ordering her some contacts so she has the option to wear those when she wants as well. We figured with sports, wearing glasses is just not fun so we wanted her to be able to have the choice to wear contacts. Also, lets face it…she’s going to be in 7th grade and I remember wanting contacts at that age so I didn’t stand out wearing glasses. However, it seems that most kids have glasses these days and it’s less of a big deal then it was when I was her age. Also next week is her hair appointment, which she requested to make for a birthday gift as she wants to make a change. I’m not quite sure what that change is yet, and I’m not sure she has any idea yet either but it will be fun to see what she decides on. My baby is growing up and some big changes are happening for her this Summer.

Kynnslee is coming out of her shell too and it’s so fun seeing her interact and become more social. She has been in her element playing with her new neighbor friends who also like frogs, rocks, riding bike and playing outside. She has been enjoying her break from school but continues to ask about her teacher and if I know if she is “ok”. I love the heart that this girly has and how she is always thinking about others. She also requested new earrings and keeps begging me for a Stanley cup. Umm…who is this little diva? She reminds me so much of myself in that she is a little bit tom boy and a little bit diva. I just love her so.

As for me, I can’t believe it’s already nearing the end of June. Summer is flying right on by. It’s not fair how fast time goes. Etta keeps telling me not to worry, we still have 2 full months left after this month is over. Little does she know how fast time feels it goes when you are a parent. I remember being her age and thinking how long the days felt in Summer and how long Summer felt in general as a kid. Just as my mother told me, I tell her…”time seems to go much faster when you become and adult, and goes by even faster when you are a kid. Never wish you life away. Be a kid. Have fun and enjoy today.”

I think that’s the best advice for us adults….”Never wish your life away. Let that inner kid come out and play (or hang-see what I did there?). Have fun and enjoy today.”

Have a great Monday, Mombies!

Free Friday

We’ve still got a long way to go. This is why I will continue to be open about my struggles with infertility and our experience with IVF. I’d like to say I’m surprised by this outcome, but sadly, I am not. In my lifetime, I hope that ultimately everyone in this country will have access to the family building options they need, with insurance coverage for procedures and that the availability of IVF is guaranteed in all 50 states.

See Link below for more info:

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-vote-ivf-protections-democrats-republicans-spar-election/story?id=111093914&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0FPjQUwIoN3hHKlKLqNKUydnC7s8ecA-TeE5FK19p1ODFDUBB-4BOrUx0_aem_AWCIu0dHmq1H9G0chf-fIyLJK-sa13N03IgUV8tWVsMcixndEEoRli2rqLH4Xm0nhNckEY3aJg-Qi9hBK4oiZ_Rv

Wondering On Wednesday…

I was wondering if you could take a minute or two out of your day to reach out and write to your lawmakers in support of this pro-family building legislation. It’s super easy to do and if you need help please reach out and I can forward you more information! Thank you in advance for your support and help!

Aimless 20 Talk Tuesday

1. We had an enjoyable long weekend at Potowatomi State Park for our first camping trip of Summer. It was nice to have quality time with my family and a change of scenery. Our only gripe was the weather as my girls have the itch to go swimming and it was not even close to being warm enough to do that.
2. Today is Tuesday, not Monday. It’s always so hard to know what day of the week it is when you are not only out of your routine, but still on “vacation mode” on a Monday.
3. I’m hoping to take the girls to the Library today and get some books for them to read and also sign up for the Library Reading Program for Summer. Etta also needs to find a birthday gift for a friend.
4. I finished 2 books over the weekend, yay me. I am now starting book one of a 3 book series. The first book is called, “Things We Never Got Over”, by Lucy Score.
5. I am so excited because new episodes of Bridgerton come out on Thursday. Woot, woot!
6. Kynnslee has softball practice tonight at 6. I hope the rain holds out so she can practice.
7. I am proud of myself for getting my butt up and going and getting my workout in early. I just want to stay on track and know that if I wait to workout until later in the day that it’s harder to find the motivation to do so. I’d love to lose like 15 lbs. I need to really focus on cutting sugar out of my diet–sugar has always been a hard one for me and something I struggle with in my diet. I’d welcome all the tips and tricks.
8. I just saw that K’s school already released the 24-25 school supply list to parents. To be fair, there were people already asking for the list. I am all about being on top of things but can we just enjoy the first leg of Summer without those kinds of pressures.
9. Father’s Day is on Sunday, FYI. Zyia has a Father’s Day Sale on select items if you are looking to shop, let me know and I can send you the link.
10. Crew was very happy that we came home. I think he was mostly happy to see his pal Haddie. It didn’t take too long and they were snuggled up and napping together. Lux was extra chatty and I could tell she wanted butt scratches and some attention and in her own way was also happy her people were home. However, she usually keeps to herself.
11. I’m keeping my eyes open for puppies (perhaps Lab again, but perhaps something different-we will know when we see “the one”)”. There was lots of chatter about getting a puppy over the weekend.
12. We saw 3 deer in the field. They seemed very playful. I don’t think they were fawns though, just 3 very young does or maybe bucks-hard to tell this time of year. However, always fun to watch.
13. I am hoping to get all our laundry done–always a mountain when you come home from a camping trip.
14. The mosquitos were not bad at all camping, which I was thankful for.
15. We need to go strawberry picking soon-berries are a bit early this year. However, I may only need enough to make pies. Zach said we have enough jelly in our freezer from last year.
16. We are trying to decide, or not, if we are going to Breakfast on the Farm on Sunday. We have a couple of options but they both require us getting up really early on a Sunday. I say we go because we can sleep when we are dead–and take naps and rest later in the day when we get back.
17. I’m dreaming of the days we have concrete, garden boxes and landscaping as well as trees in our yard. I feel like I say this every aimless Tuesday.
18. The girls both have eye appointments tomorrow morning. Etta needs new glasses and I am going to try to get her into contacts. Hoping Kynnslee’s eyes are still good and that she doesn’t need glasses yet. I need to get my new glasses adjusted as they keep falling off my face every time I wear them and bend over.
19. I need to plan a visit back home. It’s been a while.
20. “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”-Carl Jung

Thankful Thursday

1. Summer break is here (enough said).
2. The teachers, support staff, bus drivers and the entire HAS District for pouring into our kiddos, keeping them safe, loving them, caring for them, and helping them grow and thrive to be the best little people this school year. You are SO appreciated. I couldn’t be more thankful that my girls are part of a wonderful school system…so much so they are in tears because saying goodbye is so hard to the teachers and classmates that have been their constant school family for the past 9 months.
3. Being able to slow it down some. We may be busy, but it will be nice to have more moments in our day to just stop and smell the roses so to speak.

What are you thankful for today?