Category: around here

Around here, I ran my first 5k in several years.

Previous to this I had only run about 29 minutes straight (and right now I’m running approx 12 minutes per mile). A group of us from church were running and I’m happy my friend Joanna and I kept a similar pace and we were able to finish without walking (other than one short water break) in 36 minutes. I felt good! Races are so fun and I’m motivated to find the next one to sign up for.

Around here, summer has begun even if not technically. It’s hot and we kicked off the season by swimming in a friend’s pool. Meredith was super scared at first but eventually allowed me to lead her around the water and kicked her feet. I guess it’s time to think about swimming lessons for her.

Around here, we’ve also begun prepping our backyard flower beds by removing some rocks.

All of this activity really wore Meredith out. I set her on the counter and she straight up fell asleep like this.

Unfortunately the napping hasn’t been going so well and we have some extreme whining going on. I’m having to dig deep for extra patience and I seem to be lacking. Liam is just going with the flow though, only crying when he gets especially hungry.

Around here we had a family lunch but other than that we’re just hanging out. Reading, coloring, working on projects, taking walks to the park. Just look at that tired face.

As for me, I’m back at work on the quilt. Turns out the fabric I bought for the backing isn’t big enough so I’m going to patch together some strips to widen it.

I hope to not leave the house today except to maybe drive through Starbucks. I might not even change out of my pajamas. Happy Memorial Day. :)

My home is far from where I want it to be, but it’s cozy and in general it makes me happy. It stays pretty clean because I’m a “tidy as you go” kind of person, but nevertheless it’s not usually picture perfect. I decided to take some photos of our most used spaces with evidence of real life in them. I think this is the kind of thing that I will really want to remember down the road, not how everything looked perfectly styled.

This is our only eating table. More often than not you’ll find that cushion on the floor because that’s Meredith’s seat and she hates the cushion.

Here is our counter peninsula, aka the dumping ground. I really try to keep it clean but it’s pretty tough. Here you see the day’s mail, preschool artwork, some random toys and candy of Meredith’s, a cup, gum, chocolate bunny from Easter, and papers that need to be taken care of.

In the kitchen Meredith decided to use her stool as a little table and then abandoned her cup and bowl.

This is the chair I sit in every morning to do my Bible study and reading. I love the low light when I first get up, but this room stays pretty dim all day since there is no overhead light.

The craft room is somewhat organized but totally not decorated and is a mishmash of old furniture. It’s where I keep Liam’s playmat and some other baby toys. I think Meredith brought those hand weights in there; I haven’t been using them lately. She likes to pick them up and say, “too heavy mommy!”

Of course I spend lots of time standing at the changing table right now. I’m adding Liam’s monthly photos underneath Meredith’s first year as he grows. On the table I keep everything I might need out for easy access including a tub of coconut oil, xylitol (we give it to M. before bed for healthy teeth), medicines, sprays, regular and cloth wipes, and essential oils. There is also a teether lying out, a diffuser, and some clothes that Liam has outgrown that I need to put away.

These four books are constantly on the nightstand because Meredith wants to read them every. single. night before bed. They are good books! But I am so tired of them!

The master bathroom is a good size and has a good layout, but it’s super outdated and is pretty much the last thing on my priority list to update. Here is my little vanity area where I do my makeup.

And here’s the main sink area. Liam’s tub stays out all the time right now, and kids’ towels are always hanging in there.

Our patio and backyard have been so neglected. The dogs tore up any effort we made, so we just gave up other than putting Meredith’s toys out there. I am so excited though; for Mother’s Day David got me some soil and promised his manual labor to whip it back into shape. Next year I hope to have flowers!

So that’s our home, real life style. Of course I would love to have it beautifully designed and decorated but in actuality that takes a lot of time and money, so we are content to fix it a little at a time. We don’t plan to move (anytime soon, if ever) so we have a long time to get it where we want it to be!

Meredith is a slow eater and doesn’t like us to put away her food even when we think she’s finished. This was one night before bed, after bath, when we were getting Liam ready and she just casually wandered back out to the table and started eating again.

The grapefruit right now is so sweet and juicy.

Fun at the park for cousin Lucas’s 5th birthday party.

Morning smiles.

The kids hardly ever nap simultaneously, but at least I can still get some work done with just Liam awake.

Little man accompanied me to the store to finally get myself a sports bra that fits, along with another pair of running pants. The one I’ve been wearing fit me back when I used to exercise pre-baby, and it’s ridiculously small.

Nursing during the sermon at church. Thankful for the little nook they have for breastfeeding moms so I can still hear the message.

My brother-in-law’s dog Sydney stayed with us last week. And guess what? No panic attacks from our dog Eddie! It’s so sad that she has been experiencing separation anxiety from our dog Cleo who recently died this whole time. Sydney went home on Friday and Eddie had another attack that night. It’s unlivable to have her like that, so currently we are borrowing my parents’ dog Maisie and so far so good! Maisie is high energy though, so we’ll see if I can manage her!

We had a good weekend. It felt very busy and I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to get everything done that I wanted to, but everything fell into place. It usually does happen that way. Other than the birthday party we also got the chance to go out to eat (Mexican food…yum) and I had a book club meeting. We discussed Lexicon by Max Barry which was so good! Now I’m going to turn my attention to finishing Allegiant. Not a lot of crafting done this weekend, just some Project Life and a few stitches on Liam’s stocking.

Here’s to a great week ahead.