Last week of March track-out, 2018

It’s over! It flew by again! Here’s how we spent our last week:

Monday: Marbles Kids Museum, donuts, visiting Daddy’s work, and playing outside 

Tuesday: Ryan babysat big kids while Jason was at school. Then big kids had play dates in the afternoon while Jason slept. We baked bread, too!

 In the evening we had Jason’s art show at school! He was so proud of his work! We had frosties and French fried to celebrate!

Wednesday we went to open gym at the community center across the street with friends in the morning—they learned how to play dodgeball—and enjoyed the afternoon at home.

Thursday, Jason went to preschool, Ryan watched Leo while Olivia and I packed snacks for snack pantry, then I dropped her at her violin lesson. After preschool, we went to BounceU for open bounce. The kids had a blast!

Later Leo had piano lessons, and we played at the playground.

Friday was a whirlwind. I met with Leo’s teacher for third quarter conferences at 7, we picked up groceries at 8:30, dropped Jason at school at 9:15, did chores at home until 10:15, went to Olivia’s 3rd quarter conferences at 10:30, went to the library, ate lunch at home and packed for the pool. Then we picked up Jason at 12:15, swam until 2, watched screens for a bit, and played outside until 5:15. Then Olivia and I went to her first high school lacrosse game to watch with her team! Whew!

The things that I don’t mention are: I do yoga everyday—Olivia got my picture the other day in headstand, which I try to finish my practice with for 60 seconds or so.

The kids practice instruments Saturday through Wednesday and have lessons on Thursday. They take Fridays off.

Leo checks my Fitbit nightly and is so happy if I have met my goal of 10,000 steps, so I usually make a point to.

Nicholas plays basketball when he can twice a week, three if the stars align. He lifts weights other nights and I should join him, but usually don’t.

We have been growing Easter grass and the progress is amazing!

Day 1

Day 2


Day 7


And the kids tracked back in this morning with Saturday school! That’s a wrap on the coldest spring track out in recent history!

Another week of track-out! March 2018

Another week of track out has come and gone, and if you follow me on Instagram, you pretty much know what we have been up to!

Tuesday: The sweet sixth grader, Ryan, who is also on track one came to play with the kids while I worked in the morning. Jason stayed home, too, since there was a snow delay. In the afternoon we had Olivia’s eye doctor appointment. Turns out she has the best vision in the family and no, she does not need glasses. So, we are pushing water and cut her hair, and think that will make her headaches go away. Tuesday night, hallelujah, I had book club, and it was awesome! So glad I joined! 

Wednesday: We drove to UNC Chapel Hill’s Morehead Planetarium for the first time. We met my friend Lisa and had fun exploring the exhibits and seeing the Sun, Moon, and Earth show. At the end, they showed us the night sky over the triangle with and without light pollution. It was awesome! The kids got a kick out of seeing the constellations, too, and the show—about misconceptions about the Sun, Moon, and Earth of people trying to explain the unexplainable— is going to be a great segue into bigger conversations. We ate at Ye Olde Waffle Shoppe and had fun, even though it was COLD!

Thursday: Jason went to preschool, Olivia had violin, I worked and Ryan came so I could work. We played at Ritter park that afternoon, had piano lessons, and more park and outside time. The weather was pretty!

Friday: Jason went to school so I could do some things with the kids that are impossible to do when he is here: rebuilding a Lego set he demolished and covering a window seat. (See Olivia’s short hair?!)

Then we picked Jason up early and went to Goldfish Swim School for family swim. It. Was. Awesome! The pool is 90 degrees and so is the room it is in. Perfect! We will definitely do that again to get the kids ready for summer swim team!

Then we came home and played outside until five o’clock when Olivia went to the neighbor’s house for a birthday sleepover. She made it and had a great time!

Saturday: Nicholas played basketball in the morning, and we had friends over in the evening. We have been struggling with Jason hitting, and he hit our friend’s daughter while she was here. Sigh. Doing the positive parenting thing is tough. And maybe he needed a nap. We’re in that transition period between needing a nap everyday and not. He had a nap today and was much happier... but didn’t want to go to sleep tonight... Anyway, my friend caught this bee on our front daffodil 

Sunday: The bee was still there this morning. Olivia removed it, put him in the sun because she thought he was cold and almost dead, and he promptly flew back! Ha!

Olivia had lacrosse at noon and Flight Day with YGuides at two. The boys and I were happy to have a whole weekend without getting in the car!

Visiting family, March 2018

We hit the road Thursday and ran into some snow in the mountains...

But made it to Bill and Tamara’s by dinner time. We got some play time in with them before bed. Olivia hung out with Tamara in the morning and “helped” her with her perfume. When Tamara went to work, the rest of us headed to the mall to walk around.

Bill treated the kids to little rides and chocolates, and all of us to lunch at Red Robin! Yummmm! Thanks!

Then we spent Friday afternoon with Jane! The kids love their Mutti! It was nice to visit with her and play with Bug. Hopefully they will move near us this year!

Friday evening, the kids and I went to Elizabeth while Nicholas stayed with Mutti to continue visiting. Aunt Heidi, Isaac, and Asher were there at Mom and Dad’s when we got there and the playing started!

Saturday brought lots of play and visiting time! The cousins are playing SO well together that it gives the adults time to talk! 

Laura’s birthday was Saturday, so Heidi baked a cake, and we all had lunch together! Then Xavier played the flute for us, and he is really good!

Sunday, Nicholas came out to join us for brunch! It was great for him to get to see Mom, Dad, and Grandma! And the cousins had a little extra time to play and snuggle!

Each time we visit, we realize how nice it would be to be closer and how lucky we are to have the family we have. I feel thankful for my parents and all the ways they show love—from giving us beef to making meals while we are there, to watching kids outside so we can catch up inside. I am thankful for my weekly phone calls with my sisters, Mom, and Grandma. And I am thankful for Grandma and all she has done for me in my life—from moving from ND to help my mom when we were young, teaching us how to sew, garden, and cook along with my mom, to just being a calming presence in my life. I look forward to the stories and the wisdom I hear from her each week.

And another shout out to Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Brandon for hosting us each time we come in, never judging our explosion of stuff into their house, and including the kids in whatever farm stuff is going on. Olivia LOVED driving the Kubota and “helping” out on the farm.

We spent Sunday afternoon with Mutti, and that was perfect since she takes the kids when they are grumpy and smiles knowingly and loves them anyway. Jane let the kids feel needed by letting them “train and exercise” Bug. We even took him to a playground! 

Leo lost his first tooth on Sunday, too!! He was eating bacon and thought the tooth was a seed or gristle and just put it on the table. When I noticed his smile was different, we retraced his steps and found it on the table! Ha! The tooth fairy came with a silver dollar when we spent the night at Bill’s! Leo was thrilled!

And special thanks to Bill and Tamara for letting us crash at their place without question. I know our family of five is a lot to take when you don’t normally have kids in the house!

Finally, extra special thanks to Nicholas for making these trips happen! He packs and cleans the car, and drives the entire way—even in the snow—without complaining. Thanks, honey! We love you!