Bronner's

It was another busy Sunday last week with meetings galore and our younger class presidency meeting was such a mess- unprepared girls and lots of technology problems. It would have been so much better if we could have met in person but alas, Covid is a forever issue. Thankfully today (Sunday) I literally only had one thing to do- watch our area broadcast. It has been so nice to have a relaxing, rejuvenating Sunday.

Monday was not a great day. The kids were rough for homeschooling and my patience was short. Then Tyler's lunch got lodged in his throat(he could still breathe but was in lots of pain). After hours of pain and constant gagging, I dropped him off at the ER. While he was at the ER, Lucy slipped (while brushing her teeth in the bathtub) and pulled down the shower curtain while trying to save herself. She did not save herself and got a pretty good bruise. I took a picture because amidst the frustration, I realized that it looked like kind of like a Christmas tree. How's that for being positive? 

After hours at the ER Tyler pretty much threw up the blockage so they just prescribed him some meds that will hopefully help in the future. I am hoping this was the push he needed to get this throat problem fixed but he still hasn't set an appointment *sigh*

The rest of the week was a little bit better homeschooling wise. I think really I was just better at being patient. We even did some experimenting with hydrogen peroxide- Steven seemed to enjoy it and sat and watched it until it stopped oozing. 

Thursday the weather was so lovely that we had to get out and enjoy it. I picked up my friend's kids and took them out to Proud Lake for another hike. I got some interesting looks being out there alone with 7 kids- someone said "at least the weather is nice." As if going out with 7 kids is so terrible. Really they all get along great so I just walked behind them and enjoyed the beauty of nature while they had fun with their friends. Their favorite part was probably throwing big sticks into the lake to try and crack the thin ice. Steven walking down to the lake literally got his shoe stuck in the mud and had to pull his foot out and then dig out the shoe. Ugh.

Thursday night we were prepping for our annual trip to Bronner's by taking out ornaments they have bought in the past. This way they didn't accidentally pick out repeats. The kids had fun taking out their ornaments and remembering when they got them. We also came to the crazy realization that we have been doing this since 2014 so this will be our 7th year of the tradition. Ben is the only one to still have all 6 of his ornaments. Lucy and Steven both broke one of theirs and Penny didn't get to start the tradition until she was a little older.

Tyler took off work Friday so we could go to Bronner's but one of my friends was in desperate need for someone to watch her kids early afternoon so we got there when it opened and then didn't linger too long. Thankfully the kids didn't struggle too hard to pick out their ornaments- Lucy took the longest but only because the unicorn section was further away. It really is nice to have older kids that we can go into a store with lots of breakable things and not worry about them breaking things.  

When we got home we took pictures of the kids with their ornaments. Penny got a s'more one making a gingerbread house. Ben got a marshmallow chef, Lucy got a unicorn cat and Steven got a guinea pig (does it look real!?). 

After Bronner's I watched my friend's boys while they did virtual school. That was interesting. It is definitely hard for them to focus. She was at an ultrasound. She is my second close friend that I have found out is pregnant and I would be lying if I said that doesn't phase me. It's hard to not feel a little envious and sad. I was on Amazon this week and saw these Lord of the Rings Fisher Price toys and immediately wished I had a little boy to buy them for. At Bronner's I mourned the fact that I wasn't buying a Baby's First Christmas ornament. I know it doesn't do any good to dwell in what can't be changed but sometimes I just feel sad.

On a positive note the kids seem to be doing well working on their projects with our neighbor, Sharon. Here's a pic of them with Sharon's dog. I am grateful she gets them out of the house and is teaching them something creative.

With homeschooling during the week, Saturdays have really turned into my errand running, productive day. I clean the house, dropped off a Thanksgiving gift to YW, ran to Target for some things and then that afternoon we watched my friends kids. The house was crazy loud with 3 extra kids but by the end of the evening we turned on "Home Alone 2" and I did some crafts while they watched it. It was a nice way to end a busy day.