Wherein I Detail Our Exciting Lives

6.28.2020


*this post contains affiliate links. I get like 5 cents if you click, which adds up to one and a half chai tea lattes after approximately two years because I never blog anymore. 

**blogger updated their interface, and I'm old and don't like new things, so if the post formatting is funky it's because I don't know what I'm doing.

In my 10 years of blogging (yes, 10!), I have never skipped an entire month of posting. But, here we are. I can't quit the blog, but I also can't write on the blog either, apparently. I blame F for not going to sleep until 10:00 every night. It's currently 9:32, and I can hear him grunting over the monitor.

I know some people can blog from their phone with one hand while holding a baby in the other, but I'm not one of them. My iPhone FIVE from 2015 can't handle the sophistication of the mobile blogger template. I have five apps, 600 photos, and am 110% out of storage. The other day I had to delete one of my apps so I could reinstall Venmo to transfer some money. These are the days I'll look back on and say to myself, "Self, just get a new phone already."

Has anyone else had enough of 2020 already? GOOD TIMES. Just, wow. So many thoughts about all the things.

I bought the kids a few new books to diversify our library and include more images of children of color. If you're on Instagram and interested, I saved an entire highlight with some awesome suggestions. I started with this book and this book, and I recommend both! We also already had and love this book and this book, which feature a Black girl as the main character.

On a related note, I recently discovered a podcast called First-Name Basis, which has some really interesting episodes on race. I enjoyed this episode, talking about how to know whether to say "Black" or "African American." This is something I've wondered before!

For the past several months, our class at church has been going through a series on apologetics, and we've talked specifically about creation recently. Last week our teacher shared two videos with us, which go into detail about how we all came from Adam and Eve, why people have different skin colors, and what the term "race" really means. They are super interesting! The videos are on YouTube here and here.

In other news, F was dedicated at church over Father's Day weekend! I know things are opening back up at different rates depending on where you live. Our church has been meeting in person for a little bit now (rows taped off for social distancing, no passing an offering plate, etc), but we haven't felt comfortable going, so we are watching via a streaming service online. However, they had their normal baby dedication Father's Day weekend, so we got dressed up and went to church in person for the first time since the middle of February. R was SO excited, and it did feel great to be back in the worship center again. Watching church online is not the same. 

That same week, J turned 3, and it's like he grew into an independent boy overnight. He wants to do everything himself, is totally potty trained (still wears pull-ups at night), and talks up.a.storm. He's very into cars and trains and loves to sit and line them up over and over again.

We continue to get one Home Chef delivery box a month, and I've said it before, but if you are interested in trying out a meal subscription service, I highly recommend Home Chef over Hello Fresh. Here's my referral link if you want to try it for yourself. I'm only saying that again because  I see so many Hello Fresh ads, and none for Home Chef, but Home Chef is so much better. I'm just trying to do my part to get the word out ;) 

F is doing really well, and overall I still find transitioning from 2 kids to 3 not insanely difficult. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's a mad house over here, but I'm not sobbing in a closet stress-eating chocolate like I was led to think I might be. Thank goodness! I think dealing with the Rona is overshadowing most everything else that might otherwise be stressful. I'm beyond thankful that I had F right before all of this really got going in the United States.

My office is open, but I'm still working at home for a bit. I go into the office a few times a week to check in, and I made sure to take an office bathroom selfie since I've done that with each of my kids! The lighting in there make him look like a bald alien baby lol.

We think he might have a slight dairy intolerance... he gets bad eczema flare-ups, and when I stopped drinking milk for a few days it got much better. Then I had milk with my cereal one morning and it got bad again. I'm still eating cheese and eggs and ice cream (you'll have to pry that from my cold, dead hands), but just cutting out milk seems to help. I had this issue with R, and I drank almond milk but didn't love it. I recently bought Oatly milk when I was at Sprouts, and it's kinda weird but I like it better than almond milk, so that's what I'll eat my Special K with for now.

Every time I blog, I think I can't get any more boring, and then I surprise myself by writing an entire paragraph about milk.

So anyway, we got out and went to the zoo last weekend. You have to make a reservation in advance so they can make sure there aren't too many people going in at once. These are such strange times. And it's almost July! Weirdest year to have a new baby ever.

Back to the zoo. The kids loved being somewhere other than our house, and Jordan rocked 3-kid dad life.

There's a lot going on in our home and in the world right now. We are all doing the best we can. Sometimes things seem okay, and sometimes I'm crying for no apparent reason at all. But we are thankful for birthdays and fresh air, for family and our faith, which gives us the greatest peace even in uncertain times. I hope you all are doing well! If you check out any of the links I posted above, let me know! I'd love to hear what you think.

I'll leave you with a picture of the cake I made J for his birthday. Funfetti box mix with a star cut out of the top layer and filled in with sprinkles. Currently submitting my resume for pastry chef jobs ;)

Kaity B. said...

Bahaha! I love your writing- boring milk paragraphs and all ;) And you're doing better about posting than I am. The more time that elapses the harder it feels to get back into it!

Audrey Louise said...

Giggled so hard over your milk paragraph comment.

Jordan ROCKS that 3-kid dad look! AND HOW IS J ALREADY 3??! AHH!
I'm so grateful Maddie was born in December. I can't imagine giving birth or navigating those newborns days during all this. We're talking about going to the zoo on Thursday this week (appointments required for the Columbus one, too) but I'm so hung up on taking her somewhere public. She's been to two swim lessons and one store since March so I guess we've already cut the tape. I feel like I have to learn how to take a baby in public all over again. Sheesh!
Your cake looks awesome & I'm adding those books to M's list!

Amy said...

Your funfetti (a favorite cake at our house too!) sprinkle star cut-out cake is bomb. Well done!

I hope just cutting out milk does the trick for F. (I found the milk update riveting - keep 'em coming!) I've heard and good things about Bend Soap Company's goat milk lotion for eczema if you don't already have something that works.

Love the family pic from church and the dad-life photo!

AnneMarie said...

It's so great that you guys got to attend church services! The first time we went back to our church, one of the older ladies in the church was driving around the parking lot afterwards with her window down, waving at everyone. It was so cute, and such a great reminder that we all need to be with our faith communities. Your dress looks super cute that you wore to the dedication!

Thanks for the book recommendations! I haven't read any books explicitly about race with my kids yet, but I really love a couple of picture books we've found at the library that portray the beautiful diversity of humanity: All the World, by Liz Garton Scanlon, and then for Christmas-Silent Night, by Lara Hawthorne (I really love this one-it depicts a non-Caucasian Holy Family, which is awesome AND historically accurate).

Jenny Evans said...

I have never been able to blog on my phone. Never.

Emily Jones said...

Great family. You all look lovely

Sarah @ Sweet Miles said...

Hahaa I am right there with you. Every time I sit down to blog I'm like, how did I used to have things to talk about multiple times a week and now I'm lucky to get one posted a month? Man, times have changed.

Your husband is dad-ing to the max in that zoo pic and I'm loving it. What a FUN outing! We've been dying to go to the fort worth zoo and take both kiddos - Barrett has never been and Adeline was probably 3 last time she went!

I think these life updates are way more thrilling than you might think they are - I love the catchup!

Torrie said...

Have you ever tried cashew milk? It's actually not too bad! (As far as plant-based milks go, anyway...)

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