Work From Home + School + Soccer

This has been such an eventful month!

Back to School

L is our amazing Middle Schooler who started 7th grade! She is taking Orchestra, Drama, and College and Career Awareness in addition to her core classes. F and W love going the full day together at school. W has his same teacher from Kindergarten in 1st grade, and says his favorite part of school is Lunch eating from his lunchbox. F has a bunch of friends from soccer and church now in 2nd grade, and is super excited to be officially taking Piano lessons!

I took W to the doctor today for an ear infection. W asked so many questions about a ton of observations, his doctor remarked at how curious W is. Then the doctor cleaned his hands with hand sanitizer, and W asked if it was “bacitracin”. The doctor looked at him so surprised, and said, “Why yes, it is! How did you know that? And you even said it correctly! You could do my job, did you know that? Do you want to be a doctor?” W answered No, haha! I just found out W learned bacitracin from watching the movie Big Hero 6 😂

Fall 2023 Soccer Season Start

These cuties get to be on the same team this season! We are loving being able to watch the game with both boys, and W trying hard to go to the ball and dribble and catch up with his brother. F is still the fastest runner and strong on both forward and defense, also as goalie! We love watching their games with so much action. And of course, snacks! We were so glad to sign up for the first two games and not have to worry about forgetting anymore.

L has only had one pre-season game so far. We combined with 2 other cities to form a league for the older age group. We were so impressed with her on defense! She was proactive, not afraid of the ball or the other team even though they were all giants in comparison, and held her own when they tried to shove or push her. Tough girl! L is one of the 3 girls on her team of 14 players, and was so happy to have one of her friends Ava with her.

Back to Work, Mom!

The kids are in school all day for the first time, so I’ve accepted the opportunity to work from home again. There’s so much economically I’d like to help with: the approaching holidays, goals we have like a fence for our home or paying down the cars, trips and experiences we want to be able to have. Ordinary costs have risen, too, and I would like things not to be so tight while Jeremy works on his last piece for his Master’s.

I’m really looking forward to this phase of life where I can have Lunch Dates with my sweetheart! I thought I’d have more days of freedom and small pleasures like reading or music or being able to visit with friends, but it’s been a challenge balancing the schedule when urgent work things come up almost daily. It honestly stresses me out having tasks hanging over my head that I feel obligated to finish and dread doing, so ruminate on and can’t do what I planned to enjoy that day. Sigh… it’s probably just a Me thing. Maybe I will feel that peace soon, and it’s just hectic right now.

I’m very happy to say that I did get to do something just for myself the other day- I went in the middle of the morning on a weekday to the temple, and that felt amazing…

Running

I bought a new pair of running shoes! My last pair are pretty worn down after training for and running the half marathon, and all the miles I put on it during the pandemic. I actually went to a Running Store and got fitted, they filmed me to assess my foot strike and gait, and it was all super helpful in deciding what was comfortable and what I wanted in a running shoe. They are from a brand called Altra, and are designed for encouraging good form and natural running with the bottoms like bare feet- which I need with all my runner’s knee!

Jer is working hard and teaching concurrent enrollment classes now. He’s a very busy man and still manages to cut the grass for me or help with dinner 🥰 and watch the kids soccer games. He was a big support during my week long Birthday Trip. Biking really helps him the way running helps me. Someday soon he wants to ride a Brompton.