Friday, May 25, 2018

Keeping up with...Family (Weekly Wrap 5/18 - 5/24)

Friday (5/18) Today did not start as planned when Adrian came upstairs to let me know that he had been up sick all night and would be going back to bed and calling out of work.  So I got AJ up and out to school and then got the other three of us ready for work and school.  I was subbing a full day so I went in with the other boys for the day.  We were a little late but we did OK and I had a great class to start the day.  After a long and tiring day at school, we came home to check on Adrian and see what our plan for the weekend was.

Adrian was still not feeling well.  AJ decided he wouldn't go on his Boy Scout camp out this weekend since Adrian couldn't go with him.  So we settled in for a relaxing Friday night at home.  They boys played video games and watched the new "Teen Titans Go!" and didn't do a whole lot else.  I tried to catch up on stuff from the week while taking care of everyone and also trying to relax a little.  Adrian has been resting a lot today so I am hoping he feels better in the morning.  After everyone was in bed for the night, I treated myself to a dessert of cheesecake and wine because it has been that kind of week around here!
Saturday (5/19) We slept in a little this morning and let Adrian sleep in late since he's still not feeling well.  The boys and I got ready to head to the soccer fields for a long day of soccer games.  Daniel started first with his first tournament game.  Thankfully Adrian was feeling OK to keep the other boys home with him so I went with just Daniel to the field.  After two delays for thunder and overtime, Daniel's team won their first game of the season!!  We were all SO excited for them!  They will play one more game for the championship later this week.
During Daniel's nearly three hour long game, Zak's team played their last game of the season.  They were able to sneak in about half of the game before it was called due to the weather.  The kids were just as happy to get their snacks and medals.  Zak joined me in cheering on Daniel's team to his win after his game was called.  Then Adrian came to pick up Zak and Daniel while I went to check in on AJ's team.  They played to a 1-1 tie in their first tournament game.  When his game was over, we had a slight break until his team plays again so we came home to eat, rest and re-hydrate.
After our brief rest, we headed back to the fields for the last game of the day.  AJ's team suffered a tough loss at the hands of a great looking team!  We got his game in just in time because two minutes after they shook hands, the sky opened up.  We got drenched running back to our car!  But we had fun and laughed about it because you just have to.  When we got home, I was exhausted from the long day.  I got a few things done but mostly relaxed and rested.  Adrian is still not feeling well so he was doing the same.  The boys had a lot of video game time while we chilled.  When the boys went to bed, we binge watched the last 3 episodes of "This is Us" from last season.  I cried a lot and loved everything about it!  It was a nice relaxing night after a super hectic day.
Sunday (5/20) We got to sleep in again today.  Adrian is feeling better but is still not 100%.  We decided to skip everything that wasn't essential for the day and relax as much as possible.  So we had a relaxing morning at home and then got AJ ready for his last soccer game of the season.  Adrian decided to take him since he missed all of the soccer yesterday.  They lost in a super close game and AJ played the best game of his two seasons of soccer.  He almost scored twice and he came home a sweaty mess from playing so hard.  He's also super excited to play again in the fall because he feels like he's getting better with the practice!
After soccer, Adrian rested while the boys played and I got stuff done around the house.  Then it was time for Martial Arts so I took the boys there.  They went thru everything they need to know for their belt test in a few weeks.  The boys are very excited to test for their next level!  They did a great job practicing and listening to the Sensai.  When we got home we enjoyed a delicious dinner of chocolate chip pancakes together and then the boys played while Adrian and I finished up a few things around the house.  Thankfully he's feeling better and we should be able to be back to our regular schedule starting tomorrow.  After we got the boys down for the night, we watched a few comedies and then headed to bed for the night.  It was an exhausting weekend!!

Monday (5/21) 5 more days of school!!  I was dragging after a horrible night of sleep but we got up and got AJ up and out to the bus on time.  Then Adrian headed to work and I got the other two boys ready for school.  After I dropped them off, I got a few things done around the house and then headed to the Y for my last Silver Sneakers class before we take a break for the summer.  After class I ran out to a market research meeting I had and did a quick study for a very nice compensation.

I came home after that and did a few things around the house and got dinner ready for tonight.  Then I picked up all of the boys from the bus and school.  Zak was super excited when I picked him up from school today.  He had his 4th quarter awards assembly today and he earned the character reward for his class for being responsible, respectful and safe this quarter.  We are very proud of him!!  He also got perfect attendance which is really an award for me for getting him there on time every day!!  And he told me that when they got back from special, the "pizza fairy" had visited and left them Marcos pizza and cheesy bread.  He said it was his best day ever!!

After school, we headed to the Y for my Zumba class.  We had a sweaty fun time dancing together as always.  Then we headed home to have dinner and get AJ ready for Boy Scouts.  He and Adrian headed to the park for their meeting tonight where they worked on maps and compasses.  While they were there, I stayed home with the other two boys and they played fantastically together in the play room while I got some stuff done.  It was a pretty great night!  When AJ got home, we got everyone ready for bed and then Adrian and I watched a few comedies and headed to bed.


Tuesday (5/22) 4 more days of school!! We got everyone up and out the door to school and work on time.  After I dropped everyone off to school, I headed to the Harcum Center to teach my two Silver Sneakers classes.  Then I ran a few errands and headed to the new spa up the street for the pedicure that Adrian bought me for Mother's Day.  It was very relaxing to sit and be pampered and my toes look awesome!  Thanks to Adrian for the gift and the staff at Moxie Day Spa!
Unfortunately my pedicure took longer than I thought it would so I didn't have time to get anything else done before it was time to get everyone from school.  I came home to wait for AJ and the bus and then walked up to pick up the other boys.  For the first time in weeks (maybe months) we had nothing to do tonight and no homework or anything!  The boys relaxed, watched TV, played video games and played together.  I got a few things done around the house and also took some time to relax.  Adrian worked late and got home just in time to help with bedtime.  Then we watched a few comedies and headed to bed.

Wednesday (5/23) Three more days of school!!  Adrian was off this morning since it's Zak's kindergarten graduation so we got to sleep in a little bit.  He drive AJ to school and I was going to get the other two boys ready for school.  But Daniel woke up with pink eye.  So I got Zak ready, put Dan on the couch and got a call in to the doctor for the first available appointment today.  I dropped Zak off to school and then Adrian and I headed up to school for the graduation.

While it is not my favorite tradition, the program was very cute.  The kids all walked in with their class, sang three songs together and then got their certificate.  The songs were super cute and Zak did a great job and singing and doing all of the hand movements.  After the ceremony, we went back to his classroom for a few quick pictures and then we ran home because I wanted to check on Daniel.  He was fine while we were gone, just sat on the couch watching TV.


We all had a quick lunch and then headed to the doctor for Daniel's eyes.  He was officially diagnosed with pink eye and we went right to Meijer with his prescription for eye drops.  Then we ran to Aldi and Kroger to do our shopping for our upcoming camping trip.  I forgot how hard it is to shop with the boys and will definitely be limiting how often I do it this summer!  We quickly ran home to unload our groceries, pick up AJ, change our clothes and head out again to the Y for my Zumba class since I wasn't able to get a sub.

Daniel sat in my classroom so he didn't infect anyone else at the Y during my Zumba class.  I was dragging but we got thru the class and had a ton of fun as always.  When class was over, I felt like I could finally breathe since we were done for the day.  Adrian had Bible study so I was on my own with the boys.  They begged to play with water in the yard so I got them set up to do that while I cooked dinner and relaxed.  They had a blast playing in the hose and even insisted on eating dinner on the deck so they could play more after dinner.  Adrian got home in time for bed time and finishing clean up in the kitchen.  We started watching the "Survivor" finale but were just too tired to watch the whole thing tonight.

Thursday (5/24) Two more days of school!!  It was AJ's last morning on the bus and we nearly missed it when the bus showed up five minutes early.  But thankfully we made it and he got off to school on time.  Adrian headed out to work and I got the rest of us ready for our day.  I dropped the other boys off at school and headed to the Harcum Center for my two Silver Sneakers classes.  My students are amazing and they had me laughing so hard that my cheeks hurt by the end of the two classes.

After class, I headed back into the school for my last half day of subbing for the school year.  I was the gym teacher and the first two classes were scheduled to go out for their free Kona ice for the end of the school year.  So we took them out and I got to enjoy a Kona ice as well.  It was a pretty easy last day of subbing and I'm so excited to be back in the school starting again in the fall.  When the day was over I picked up Daniel and Zak and we headed home to meet up with AJ.  Everyone had a great, fun day at school!!
We all relaxed for a bit and then got ready for Daniel's championship soccer game.  We all headed to the field where we met Adrian after work.  It was a long, tough game that required an overtime and ended in a tough loss in a shoot out.  Daniel didn't play much but he said he was excited to just be on the sidelines cheering on his team.  It was an exciting game, I just wish it ended a little differently.  When we all got home, we took some time to relax and then put the boys to bed for their last day of school.  Adrian and I stayed up too late watching the "Survivor" finale.  We are excited that Wendall won but also think Dom should have won.  It was an exciting season and we enjoyed it!  We still have the reunion to watch, it was just too late for us to keep going.

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Keeping up with...Family (Weekly Wrap 5/11 - 5/17)

Friday (5/11) We got to sleep in a little today because Adrian took the day off so he drove AJ to school instead of him taking the bus.  We got AJ off to school, then Adrian headed to a doctor's appointment while I got the other kids ready and dropped off.  Then we headed out to breakfast to celebrate Adrian's birthday and Mother's Day.  We tried a new to us place called Super Chefs and we loved it!!  The food and drinks were excellent and we had enough to save for breakfast tomorrow as well.  It was a relaxed and fun way to start our day!
 
After breakfast, we ran a few errands and then headed into AJ's school to volunteer at the fifth grade carnival.  We manned the popcorn booth, which went very well until the machine started sparking and we had to turn it off for the rest of the day.  AJ was super excited to see us there and we had a fun time volunteering!  We took him home when we were done for the day and relaxed a little before picking up the other two boys from school for the day.
We got a few things done around the house and then we got ready to head to a birthday party for friends.  They were having a Nerf gun battle at a local park so we loaded up our blasters and headed over.  We enjoyed pizza for dinner and cookie cake and chocolate covered pretzels for dessert.  The boys ran around with the other kids and had a blast playing with the Nerf guns, playground equipment and skate park while the adults chatted.  When we got home, we were all exhausted so we got the boys down to bed, watched a few comedies and turned in for the night.  It was a great day!

Saturday (5/12) We all slept in a little and then hit the ground running with a busy morning!  AJ and Daniel both had soccer games so Adrian took them to the fields and bounced back and forth to watch the games.  Zak stayed home with me while I got started on stuff around the house that needed to be done.  Then I brought him to the field for his game and picked up the other boys.  AJ and Zak won their games today and Daniel lost in another close game.

When everyone got home, the boys played while the adults worked for a while.  It wasn't an exciting day but we really needed to make a dent in some of this stuff around the house.  Then we had a nice family dinner and settled in for family movie night.  We watched "Spiderman: Homecoming" and all really enjoyed it.  It was really funny and the boys loved the story of Spiderman becoming an Avenger.  When the movie was over, we got them down for the night and then watched a few comedies before turning in for the night too.

Sunday (5/13) Happy Mother's Day!!  My day didn't start quite as planned when Daniel woke us up in the middle of the night because he was puking.  Thankfully Adrian took care of it and let me sleep in a little but it still put a damper on our day.  We couldn't go to church as a family so I just headed in to volunteer in childcare for the second service.  Then I came home and we had lunch together as a family before I headed back to church to work as the facility manager for the afternoon.  The boys were supposed to be at swim lessons but couldn't go because Daniel was sick.

After I was done at work, I came home to finally start celebrating Mother's Day.  The boys and Adrian gave me my gifts, and they truly spoiled me!  I got a new shirt, sleep pants, wine glass, whistle, clip board, hand print from Zak and a gift certificate for a pedicure.  Then we had dinner together and relaxed for a bit as a family.  We had wanted to have a board game night but Daniel still wasn't feeling well so he needed to stay on the couch.  Thankfully by the end of the day he was feeling better and thinking he was OK to go to school tomorrow.  We got everyone to bed early because we have another busy week ahead and are hoping no one else gets sick.
Monday (5/14) Another morning that did not start out as we planned.  I woke up with the stomach bug that Daniel had yesterday.  I barely got AJ up and out on the bus before collapsing back into bed until it was time to get the other boys up for school.  I got them dropped off and went back to bed for another two hours.  When I woke up, I felt a little better but I still spent the day resting and taking it easy.  I got everyone picked up from school and they played for a little before we got ready for a busy night.  AJ was super busy getting home from school because his bus was involved in an accident.  His bus rear ended another bus as they were leaving the school.  Everyone is fine but it was scary to hear about that from AJ!! 

Both Daniel and Zak had soccer games tonight so I took them to those.  I'm thankful they played at different times so I got to see both games, although it was a long night at the field.  Zak's game didn't start until after 7pm and both the kids and the adults were cranky by then.  There was a lot of bickering on the sidelines between the parents, at one point I honestly thought a fight might break out.  It was crazy!  But thankfully the kids rose above the chaos and finished the game and shook hands.
While we were at soccer, AJ and Adrian went to Boy Scouts and got all ready for their upcoming camping trip this weekend.  AJ is very excited for his first camping trip with his troop.  When we all got home, the boys had snacks and watched a show before heading to bed.  Adrian and I finished cleaning up the house and then watched a few comedies before heading to bed.  We are kind of happy that our shows all have the season finales in the next week or two so we can hopefully catch up on everything this summer.

Tuesday (5/15) We finally seem to be back to our normal schedule!  I got everyone up and out to school on time this morning.  I headed into the school with Daniel and Zak because I was going on the field trip with Daniel and his class today!  We went to Blacklick Woods and had a great time exploring there.  We did a short hike, then looked for things in the creek and finished up with the nature center.  When we were done exploring, we headed to a picnic area where we had lunch together and then the kids played while the adults chatted and supervised.
I left a little early to go and run some errands before I had to pick up everyone from school.  I got home just in time to get everyone off the bus and picked up from school.  We had a rare free night, other than a short meeting that I had.  We had a relaxing night and enjoyed taco Tuesday for dinner.  We had some horrible storms come thru so we decided to cancel our meeting tonight.  I ran out to finish the rest of my errands for the week so I didn't have to worry about squeezing them in during the busy week ahead.

I got home and Adrian and I worked on putting away all of the groceries I bought and cleaning up from dinner.  Then we got the boys down for bed for the night.  Daniel was super tired after being outside most of the day.  He didn't even read tonight, he showered and put himself to bed!  When they were asleep, we came downstairs to finish cleaning up and then watched a few comedies before heading to bed for the night.  I wasn't quite as tired as Daniel, but I was feeling the effects of being outside for sure!

Wednesday (5/16) The day started early as usual and it was a super busy one!  Adrian and I got AJ up and out on to the bus for school.  Then he left for work and I started packing up for a long day.  I got the other boys up and ready and we all headed into school for the day since I was subbing all day.  I had a great class and we had an awesome day together!  When school was over, we left quickly to run home and pick up AJ and head to the Y for my Zumba class.  I haven't taught in like a week so I was sweating while teaching but we had so much fun!

After class, we ran to the car and ate dinner in the car on the way to Daniel's final soccer practice.  They were having a parents vs kids scrimmage and I thought I would be playing in that.  Thankfully Adrian got off work way earlier than he was expecting so he was able to meet us at the park and play instead.  He and Daniel had a great time playing soccer and the parents beat the kids in a tight game!  I headed home with the other two boys and helped AJ work on his final project for the year.  When everyone else got home, we got the boys ready for bed and then settled down to watch Survivor.  It was an exhausting day!
Thursday (5/17) We got up and moving on time again today.  Adrian and I got AJ on the bus and then he headed to work while I got the other boys ready for school.  I dropped them off and then headed to the Harcum Center to teach my Silver Sneakers classes.  They were so happy to see me after having a sub on Tuesday while I was on the field trip.  After class, I ran back to the school to sub for the afternoon.  We again had a great afternoon and the time passed quickly.  I picked up the other boys and we headed home to get ready for our night activities. 

We had a quick dinner and then we headed to Zak's final soccer practice.  He was scrimmaging against the other team his coach coaches, a team in the next division older than Zak's team.  They had a fun time playing against each other!  And even more fun enjoying the Krispy Kreme donuts Coach brought for them to enjoy after practice.  I had to leave for a few minutes to run AJ over to the other field for his final soccer practice.  I was supposed to head to the church for an event but between Adrian getting stuck at work and the weather not looking very good, I wasn't able to go.  Thankfully he finished work in time to head to AJ's practice to pick him up.  When we all finally met up at home, we straightened up a little, put the boys to bed and watched a few comedies before falling into bed too.  Actually, Adrian was so tired he fell asleep on the couch and wouldn't wake up when I went upstairs so I started the night sprawled out across our bed, yay!

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Keeping Up With...Food (Meal Plan for May 20 - May 26)

I'm finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel of this crazy month!  Our schedule this week is slightly lighter than it has been since soccer is wrapping up.  Daniel has one more game this week, for the championship of the tournament.  But as long as the weather holds and AJ's team can get all of their games in this weekend, we will be done other than the one game.  School goes until Friday, but there is no homework and I am only subbing one half day this week.  Of course, we are leaving to go camping on Friday so it will still be a super busy week but when we get home we are taking a week "off."

I was able to shop for this whole week last week so I only have to shop for our camping trip this week.  We mostly stuck to our meal plan last week, except for having leftovers on Wednesday when our schedule changed at the last minute.  This week I am planning to cook every night but we may have another leftover night so that we don't have a lot left in the fridge since we'll be gone all weekend.  Adrian is also struggling with a stomach virus, so we have more leftovers than we normally would.  We will see how the week plays out.  It's a light week since I won't really be cooking Friday or Saturday night.  We haven't figured out our camping menu yet, maybe I will share that next weekend when we get back.

Here's what we're eating this week:
Sunday - Butternut Squash Chili
Monday - Flounder & Asparagus Packets
Tuesday - Beef Stew
Wednesday - Pork Fried Rice
Thursday - Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Friday - Pizza at the camp ground
Saturday - Camping 

Water Flavor - I'm taking the week off from this since we'll be gone for the weekend.  I'll set up a new flavor when we get home on Monday.

Overnight Oats - This will be a smaller week for these too.  I will use my normal recipe to make enough for four days.  I'll probably do two batches of plain and two batches of peanut butter chocolate chip. 

Use It Up - I'm not really doing this for the week, but I won't be shopping this week, only using what we have around the house.

Lunches - Again, I'm not really planning lunches for the week.  I will mostly eat leftovers because there are a lot.  I also have some romaine lettuce to use up so I'll have salad at least one or two days.  We may go out to eat on Friday since Adrian has the day off and it's the boys' last day of school but we will have to see how our week goes.

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Keeping up with...Family (Weekly Wrap 5/4 - 5/10)

Friday (5/4) May the Fourth be with You!  We started our day early when a super excited Daniel woke us up around 5:30am.  He was excited about his "best day ever!"  We got AJ up and out to school and then I hung out with Daniel until it was time to head to school.  I dropped Zak off then headed in with Daniel to go on his field trip to the ice rink.  We had a great time skating and learning about the science behind how the ice is made.  After a quick lunch, we headed across the street to play at the squishy park before boarding the buses back to school.
We got back to school just in time to head over to North to pick up AJ and his friend David so they could hang out together after school.  We got home and the three boys headed upstairs to play while I relaxed for a bit before heading back to West to pick up Zak from school.  We walked home and then he quickly joined the other boys upstairs while I got a few things done around the house.  The four boys played great together until David's dad came to pick him up.

We all had a family dinner of pasta together and then the boys did clean up and we all had to tear the house apart looking for the missing soccer sock since we needed it for tomorrow's game.  Thankfully we found it and I was able to get everything washed and ready for tomorrow.  We finished the best day ever with a family movie night watching "Thor: Ragnarok."  We all loved the movie, it was for sure the best Thor movie yet!  After the movie, we got the boys to bed, watched a few comedies and headed to bed too.  It was a busy but awesome day! 

Saturday (5/5) Happy Cinco de Mayo!!  I started my day with an awesome sweaty Zumba class at the Y.  I brought virgin margaritas for the class to share after class.  When class was over, I headed over to the soccer fields since all three boys had games.  I caught the end of Daniel's game which they lost but Daniel played so well he earned the sportsmanship award!  Then I caught the end of AJ's game which they won by a ton!  After those two games, I brought the older boys home while Adrian stayed and watched Zak's game which they also won & Zak scored his first goal!!  It was a great soccer morning for our boys.
 
 
After all of that excitement, we came home and had lunch and then tried to get as much as possible done around the house.  The boys hung out, played board games, watched video games and helped out a little bit.  After we got a few things done and rested for a bit, the boys and I headed out to the Nerf Ninja event at the YMCA.  We had a great time doing the obstacle course, playing gaga ball, bouncing in the bounce house, solving the laser maze, eating snacks and of course having a Nerf gun war!  We had a blast running around the gym shooting at other moms and their sons.  We also had a mom only battle which was hilarious!  It was a great evening with my boys!
 
When we got home, we had some snacks and then the boys watched a little TV before heading to bed.  They were exhausted from the busy day!  Adrian and I did a little clean up and a bunch of food prep for our family dinner tomorrow.  When we finally finished making everything, we sat down and had a snack and watched a few comedies before heading to bed too.  It was a pretty epic Saturday for us! 

Sunday (5/6) After a busy week and weekend, we all overslept this morning and missed the first service for church.  We had a relaxing start to the morning just hanging out and then we all got ready to head to second service.  I was volunteering in childcare so I was back there with the kids while Adrian went to the service.  After church, he took the boys home while I stayed to help decorate my table for the Women's Tea in the afternoon.  My friend and I did a beach themed table to represent the month of August and it came out beautiful.
 
When the table was done, I ran home to grab a quick lunch and change clothes then headed back to the church for the tea.  Sarah and Isabelle met me there and we had a nice time chatting, playing games and enjoying delicious tea and goodies.  When the tea was over, we helped clean up then headed home to meet up with all of our guys who were at my house.  The kids played while the adults hung out.  Adrian grilled up a delicious dinner of brats, hot dogs & ribs and I made two cheesecakes (caramel macchiato and peanut butter) for dessert.  We had a great day with family!!
When they left, we did some of the clean up and then got the boys down to bed since it's a school night.  We finished cleaning up and then sat down to relax and watch a few TV shows.  I didn't get as much done this weekend as I would have liked, but boy did I have a fantastic time!  The past three days have been amazing and I wouldn't have traded them for the world!!
Monday (5/7) Back to our normal schedule today, although we only have three weeks left until summer break, yay!  Adrian and I got AJ up and on the bus this morning and then he left for work.  I got Daniel and Zak ready and then dropped them off at school before running a few errands and heading out to teach two Silver Sneakers classes.  When I finished the second class, I came back home to get our stuff together for another busy night.

When school was over, I picked up the boys and we all got dressed in what we needed for the night.  Then we headed to the Y so I could teach my Zumba class before we headed to the soccer field for a full night there.  AJ played first and his team won big and he played great.  While he was playing, the other boys ate dinner and then played at the play ground together.  When he finished his game, Adrian took him to Scouts for his weekly meeting.  We told him he could miss tonight because of soccer but he really wanted to go to Scouts so we made it happen.

Daniel played a later game so I stayed to watch his team play.  They played great until the last few minutes of the game, then they fell apart and gave up a goal and lost.  He did a great job playing offense, I even thought he might score at one point.  I'm so thankful for his coach this season, she is really working with him and teaching him and he is constantly improving.  He is enjoying learning how to play offense.  During his game, Zak stayed at the park and played with all of the kids up there.  He did a great job of playing by himself and coming to find me when he needed me.  I'm thankful we are in this season with the boys being a little more independent.
When everything was over for the night, we all met up back at home.  The boys were hungry since we had eaten dinner on the run so they got some snacks, watched some TV and we finally got them up to bed. Adrian and I did some clean up and then settled in to watch some TV and have some snacks as well.  It was an exhausting start to our week, but seems to be the pattern of this whole month!

Tuesday (5/8) We got up and moving and got everyone to work and school on time today, but I am not feeling well at all.  I'm hoping it's just allergies but I'm afraid it might be more.  After I got the boys to school, I struggled thru my two Silver Sneakers classes.  Even though I wasn't 100%, we still had a great time and got a great workout!  After class, I headed to the school to sub for the afternoon in Zak's class.  He was so excited to see me and was very well behaved!

After school, we headed home and I rested a little bit in hopes of feeling better.  Thankfully we had lots of leftovers from the weekend so we had those for dinner and since Adrian was home early, he went to AJ's band meeting tonight so I could stay home and rest.  He got a lot of information and we feel like we are ready to start being band parents next year.  We will get his trombone for him over the summer and it will be ready to go when he starts school.  When Adrian got home, we got the boys to bed and I headed up soon after them in hopes of getting a good night of sleep and feeling better in the morning!

Wednesday (5/9) So we did get a great night of sleep last night...so great that slept thru our alarms and missed AJ's bus!  Thankfully Adrian was able to get ready and drive him to school on his way to work.  I then got the other two boys up and ready for school and headed in with them because I was subbing all day.  I subbed a few hours in the morning, then had the afternoon to myself to do a few errands and get some stuff around the house done, then I headed back in for a few hours in the afternoon.  It was a nice mix for the day!

When school was over, I picked up Zak and Daniel and we headed home to pick up AJ and head to the Y for my Zumba class.  We had a fun sweaty time as always in class!  Then the boys and I headed home and got home just as Adrian pulled dinner out of the oven for us.  We had a meeting at the church about the new sports ministry tonight but since I still wasn't feeling well and we've been so busy, I decided to stay home with the boys while Adrian went.  He said it was an informative meeting and we are both excited to see where this ministry goes!  I helped the boys make teacher appreciation gifts for all of their teachers while he was at the meeting.  I got a few things done around the house as well.  Adrian got home in time to help with bed time and then watch "Survivor" with me before we headed to bed.  Hoping we get up on time tomorrow!
Thursday (5/10) Happy Birthday Adrian!!  We had a pretty full day but we made the best of it to still celebrate.  We got AJ up and out to the bus on time and then Adrian headed to work.  I dropped the other boys off at school and then headed in to teach my two Silver Sneakers classes.  When the classes were over, I headed to the school to sub in the afternoon.  When school was over, I picked up Daniel and Zak and we headed home to meet AJ.  The boys were all supposed to have soccer but they convinced me to skip it to celebrate Dad's birthday!

When Adrian got home from work, we surprised him with the fact that we had nothing on the schedule for the night.  We decided to go out to dinner and checked out the new Winking Lizard up the street.  The food and beer were awesome and the atmosphere was perfect for a dinner with the kids.  We will be back for sure!  After dinner we came home and gave Adrian his birthday presents which were three new games for him.  We love the one that Daniel picked, Even Stevens Odd!, and have been playing a lot since we opened it.  We finished the night with ice cream cake before bed time for the boys.  When they were asleep we watched a few shows and then headed to bed ourselves, exhausted after a very long week.

Monday, May 14, 2018

Keeping up with...Family (Weekly Wrap 4/27 - 5/3)

Friday (4/27) After a rough night of sleep because Daniel and Zak both had bad dreams, we all got up a little late this morning.  I helped get AJ and Adrian ready and then Adrian drove AJ to school and I got the rest of us ready to head in.  I was subbing all day so we went in together and got in a little early.  I was a gym teacher all day and it was exhausting!  I mostly had fun playing with the kids, but they had a lot of excess energy to burn off in that gym!  When the day was over, I picked up Daniel and Zak and we headed home for the weekend.
We picked up AJ and headed out to his doctor's appointment for his med check.  We have to go every three months for his ADHD medicine.  He is doing great, gaining weight (3 lbs in 3 months!) & growing ( 1 3/4 inches!) and the doctor is excited to hear he will be playing trombone in the band next school year.  We decided to switch up his meds for the summer since it's the best time to try something new.  Hoping this is a good decision for us!

We got home and I started getting ready for our date night.  We had tickets to see "The King and I" but we decided earlier in the week that we didn't want to see that and instead wanted to go out for dinner.  So we headed to Condado for tacos and then some shopping at Easton.  We finished up trying the new ice cream place near our house, Ice Cream Rollery.  It's a cool concept and the ice cream was delicious!  But it's expensive and it takes a while to make so it will be an occasional treat for us.  When we finished, we came home and watched some TV before heading to bed.  It was a relaxing and fun date night!
Saturday (4/28) Started super early for a Saturday because AJ had an early soccer game in Johnstown this morning.  Adrian took him while I stayed home with the other two sleepy boys.  AJ's team won and AJ played really well!  Adrian came home and dropped AJ off and picked Zak up to take him to his afternoon soccer game.  His team also won and Zak played really well!  When the all got home, I headed out to the Y for another Zumba jam, my fifth one so far this year.  I had another amazing time and learned some great choreo.  Can't wait to add it to my classes over the next few weeks!
 
 
When I got home I was super tired and hungry.  Thankfully Adrian grilled dinner for us so it was almost ready when I got home.  After dinner, we did a few things around the house and then got ready for family movie night.  It was AJ's pick and he wanted to watch "Dr. Strange" to keep watching the third phase of the Avengers' movies in order.  They haven't seen most of phase one or two, but they don't really care about that yet.  So even though Adrian and I have already seen it, we watched it together.  I caught a few things that I didn't the first time, but I also got a few things done while only half watching it.  When it was over, we got the kids to bed then watched a few comedies before I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore so I headed to bed.

Sunday (4/29) We all slept in a little and had a slow start to our morning.  Unfortunately that means that we missed church again.  We're in a bad habit with missing it but I'm hoping once swimming is done (2 more weeks!) we'll get back to going regularly.  We got some things done around the house while the boys played video games, then we all had lunch together before Adrian and the boys headed out to the Y for swim lessons.  I couldn't go because I had to work at the church this afternoon as the facilities rep.  I got home just in time to see them leaving for martial arts.  They had an awesome time at martial arts as always!  When they got home, we all wanted pizza so I threw out our planned meal and ordered two pizzas from Marco's.  We all enjoyed our pizza for family dinner then finished up what needed to be done around the house and headed to bed to rest up for another busy week!

Monday (4/30) Started early again when Zak was up around 3:30am.  Adrian dozed on and off with him for a bit and then eventually they got up.  We got AJ out to his bus and then Adrian left for work.  I got the other boys ready for school and dropped them off.  Then I got ready to go into AJ's school to sub for the afternoon there.  I was even able to be his teacher for one period.  He was so excited!  We drove home together which is always fun because it's one of the few times he talks to me.  When we got home, I finally had time to have lunch and then it was time to go pick up Daniel and Zak.  We got home and had some free time since I got a sub for Zumba since we have a busy night.

After relaxing for a bit, we had dinner and then got ready for our night.  Daniel had a soccer game so I took him and Zak to that.  His team was down players but they played great!  They didn't win, but they were really close.  And Daniel did great, played better than I've seen him play.  Zak spent the whole time playing at the play ground.  While we were there, Adrian took AJ to Boy Scouts where they got ready for their upcoming camping trip.  He had a fun night there.  After we all got home, we got the house cleaned up and then got everyone to bed for the night.  Adrian and I watched two comedies and then headed to bed too.  We are so tired after a bunch of rough nights of sleep.  Hoping for better sleep tonight!
Tuesday (5/1) Started earlier than normal for me because I had my annual physical scheduled for this morning.  Adrian and I got AJ up and on the bus and then I quickly got ready and headed to the doctor while Adrian got the other boys ready and dropped off at school.  The doctor said everything looked good and to keep doing what I'm doing.  After the appointment, I went to teach my two Silver Sneakers classes and then ran a few errands before heading into the school to sub for a few hours at the end of the day.

I was tired after a busy day so I rested for a bit before getting everyone ready and heading to Gahanna for Zak's soccer practice.  The older boys sat in the car and played video games while Zak and his team practiced.  When we got home, we had tacos for dinner and then finished up our homework and everything else that needed to be done.  Adrian had Bible study tonight so I was on my own but thankfully the boys did a great job of pitching in.  He got home just in time to help with bed time and help me finish cleaning up.  Then we watched some TV and headed to bed.

Wednesday (5/2) Started early again since I had to be in the school in the morning to sub.  Adrian and I got AJ on the bus, then he left for work for the day and I got myself, Daniel and Zak ready for school.  I went in and subbed in the morning, then had a little break so I came home and got everything ready for a busy evening and then went back in to sub as the music teacher in the afternoon.  When school was over for the day, I picked up Daniel and Zak and we headed home to quickly change our clothes and pick up AJ before heading out for a super busy night.

First stop was the Y for my Zumba class.  As always, I had a ton of fun dancing with the ladies there and we were all sweaty and smiling when class was over.  Then I grabbed the boys and headed to the soccer fields.  AJ and Zak both had games at 6:00 and Daniel have practice at the same time at a different field.  I dropped AJ and Zak off and after fighting horrible traffic, Adrian got there to watch the games while I ran Daniel over to his practice.  While he was there, I ran to Kroger quickly to do some much needed grocery shopping.  Then I ran back to pick up Daniel and we finally were able to go home for the day.  The other three met us at home and we were happy to hear that both AJ and Zak won their games!  Adrian and I had a quick dinner and thankfully none of the boys had homework so they just played for a bit and then we got them down for bed.  Adrian and I quickly cleaned up the kitchen and then settled in to watch "Survivor" before heading to bed too.  Such a busy weeknight!!

Thursday (5/3) We are back to our normal schedule today but we are dragging during this busy week for sure!  Adrian and I got AJ up and on the bus to school and then he left for work.  I got Daniel and Zak up and ready and dropped them off and then headed to teach my Silver Sneakers classes.  After class, I ran to get a quick eyebrow wax and do a few errands before heading into the school for a a few hours of subbing.  After school was over, I picked up Daniel and Zak and we headed home for the day.

We relaxed for a bit and then it was time to get Zak ready for soccer practice.  Adrian was home from work early so he took him to practice while I stayed home with the other boys and got dinner ready.  I had dinner and then got ready to head to my monthly Cub Scouts Committtee meeting.  It was a long and interesting meeting as we try to wrap up this school year and get ready for next but we got done what we were hoping for.  I got home just in time to say good night to the boys, finish cleaning up and watch a few shows before heading to bed.  I wore my new "Wonder Woman" shirt today & I kind of feel like her for getting everyone where they need to be on time this past week!!