The last two weeks of April were a bear! Good stuff, but golly! This is more than you ever wanted to know…
We celebrated Easter and then turned around the following morning to head out for outdoor school with the boys for three days. (The above picture is of the worksheet the boys were asked to complete prior to outdoor school. Leif apparently decided it was above his grade level. Ha! That kid cracks me up. He has a ton of personality.) I picked Lola up from my parents’ house when we returned home on Wednesday, and she was feverish and not well at all.
Thursday Russ called and asked if I wanted to drive the family down (45 minutes south) for “bring your kids to work” day at his office. All four kids and I toured his office building for a little while that afternoon, then Russ took the boys to swim practice and I went shopping in Eugene with Lola.
Friday I decided I didn’t have enough on my plate (or had so much that I needed to be fueling my body well) and started a round of “paleo-ish.” (I’m now finishing day 13.) I should also mention that for the past eight weeks—ever since my Energy Begets Energy post—I’ve been consistently working out about two times each week. It isn’t as frequent as I’d like, but it is a tremendous step in the right direction. Friday is also the day we had to finish our writing work samples and get them mailed, without an hour to spare. (And swim practice.)
Saturday I was up early to help Russ and boys get ready for a morning swim meet. Then I had an online meeting. Then Lola and I went to the store to pick up some food. Then we went to watch the end of the swim meet and have a potluck lunch with the other families. We were invited out to the movies with another couple. It has been longer than I’d like to admit since Russ and I had been out without kids, and they offered their daughter as a babysitter, so I agreed. But the house was a disaster, so I ran home to tear through it with a rag and a garbage sack. My in-laws stopped by to visit. Then we went out for a quick meal and a movie. We arrived home to a son with the stomach flu. Not. Good. Timing.
Sunday was a true day of rest. Levi and Luke headed to church with my parents, but Russ and I stayed home with Lola (still nursing a lingering cold that appeared after her feverish day) and Leif. I did absolutely nothing.
Monday I finished editing some pictures and made a dessert. That evening was our end of the year celebration program for Classical Conversations.
Tuesday the boys and I took a scenic drive to Champoeg State Park (about an hour away) for a living history field trip with our charter school. It was a gorgeous, warm day.
That same evening I had a senior photo shoot for my nephew Daniel.
Wednesday morning the boys had a choir performance at a local assisted living facility (I did take pictures of the boys’ choir events, but I don’t like to share pictures of other kids without asking their parents first.) I spent the afternoon reading in the glorious sunshine. Then Leif had his end of the year program at AWANAS (picture above). (And swim practice for Russ and Levi and Luke.) I wasn’t feeling well that night so I left chores undone (and the house a disaster) and went to bed early at 10ish. I woke at 11 to the sound of puking (Levi). I’ll spare you the details, but it was a disaster that I spent a long time cleaning up. After which Levi spent the rest of the night in the bathroom and I couldn’t fall asleep until 4am—only to be awoken several times by children before I drug myself out of bed a few hours later.
I crept through Thursday at a snail’s pace. Now Luke and I were battling head colds. I managed to escape that evening and attend a much needed and quite lovely book club meeting. My sister Shannon had made paleo fudgesicles. Seriously? LOVE. MY. ChocLit Guild!!
Friday afternoon was choir dress rehearsal.
Saturday was a long swim meet (Russ coaching, Luke swimming in the morning, Levi swimming in the afternoon). Lola and I visited for part of the day.
Sunday was crazy. I really wasn’t feeling well. The swim meet continued. I had to juggle getting everything ready and packed for the day, transporting boys and trying to watch a couple events while keeping track of Lola, then heading a half hour north for a family bridal shower, and then leaving early to meet back at the pool with dress clothes for the boys to change into. Levi swam right after I arrived, they changed quickly, we grabbed a quick snack, and we headed straight to the church for the boys end of season choir concert. I was half dead by the end of the evening, but a bunch of friends were going out for frozen yogurt. Russ wanted to treat the boys. So we did. And then I crashed.
Monday my mom offered to take the kids. Yes. Please. I was shaky and weak and sick, so the disastrous house went unattended, but I used the time to read and study.
Tuesday my dear friend Cheris offered to take the kids. Yes. Please. And by now I was feeling a bit better so I cleaned up my office. It was impossible to think in that disaster. And then I spread the feast in the sunshine. Thank goodness for paleo-ish chocolate mug cake!
And this is where you will find me for the next 11 days—prepping to speak at the Salem, Oregon Classical Conversations 3-Day Parent Practicum on May 19th-21st.
I apologize in advance to my husband who will graciously ignore the disaster of a house and pizza for dinner.
If you don’t hear from me for a while, you’ll know why.
(P.S. I purposefully do not keep our schedule like this on a regular basis. This was an unusual couple weeks. Thank goodness! Other than studying and speaking, our schedule for the rest of May and June is much lighter!)
(P.P.S. I have finally caved and subjected myself to a smart phone. So far, it is causing me to feel quite stupid. But I can now text. And post pictures from my phone to Facebook. Yes, I know my grandmother mastered those skills years ago.)