Runnaway Elliot

February 17, 2025

 The last few weeks were so busy, I was really glad we got a weekend with nothing really on the books. 


Friday night, there isn't a photo to prove it, but the kids went to a parent night at Kid Strong and we went to Top Golf. I love Top Golf, but really wish you could just book an hour slot. By the second hour my swing isn't as strong and Jeremy has a better shot at beating me! 


I've got a secret party trick of being decent at driving. Jeremy says I play golf like an old man, always consistent and straight. I blame that on being friends with a lot of the golf team in college. I'd go to the driving range and video them so they could see their swing, the benefit if I was taught how to swing a club by the college golf team. 



This month at work we have a ton of fun dress up days for the teachers, our principal does this once or twice a year. This particular week was dress like the students, the long socks had to be taken from the husband who is more inclined to changes in sock culture. It took forever to pry black ankle socks from hands. 


I may not be a favorite of my children's teachers for this, but I've used it for years. Harry struggles with fine motor skills and this helped him as a beginning writer.  If you're struggling with handwriting, or just generally being overwhelmed by a writing task - prewrite it in yellow marker or highlighter. 

By the time they hit 4th grade, and even 3rd I see this diminish. However, little boys, especially the neurodivergent type, hate to write. It's tedious, their hands aren't ready to write (yet American school curriculum pushes skills that are never appropriate), and they get frustrated. I have done this more with spelling lists and short answer writing. But seeing what they need to do and not a blank page helps. 



It also helps tremendouly with learning spacing. 

Now with older kids and spacing, I've used graph paper. By 4th grade spacing between words can be more of an issue than just getting all those letter on the paper. 


The temps dropped by down on Sunday, so Elliot insisted we go to the park. 

However, only Harrison and I went on a walk. Ellit got on his scooter and closed off those useless little boys ears, then promptly sped away. We watched him cross the road as we were jogging and yelling behind him, and he was quickly out of sight and on his own. 

Harrison kept making me promise that if we got to the car and didn't see him that I had to call Daddy and tell him we lost Elliot. 

But in true Elliot fashion, we finally got back to the car and there he was waiting. He said he told everyone in the park hello. When I gave my rant about kidnapping he just assured me that he wasn't kidnapped and acted like Harrison and I were overreacting. 

Typical. 

I really thought that if anything the geese would have slowed him down. Especially after how he reacted to being chased by that squirrel last time. 

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Weekly Meals

February 12, 2025

This week's meals! A lot of the ususal and a few repeats. I really need to photograph and share my lasagna recipe. 



 

Thursday | Grilled Porkchops, Chopped Salad Kit, and Baked Potatoes

Friday | Valentine's Day - we are changing from our ususal steaks at home to play Top Golf.

Saturday |  Lasagna and Sourdough bread (I need to share my recipe.)

Sunday |  Leftovers for lunch & dinner is a variety of dumplings, al la Trader Joe - but Walmart - they're really stepped up their game. (we always do appetizers on Sunday night) 


Tuesday | letovers

Wednesday | Sam's Club Chickfila Knock Off Nuggets and Fries.

Lunch for the Week | Spring mix with grilled chicken tenderloins (easy lower fat protein) and balsamic dressing. I also got some cubed cheese, it's the mood. I had a kombcha snaffoo, so I'm drinking keifer while I recover from antibiotics and wait for the next kombucha batch to be ready. I also made my old macro bar recipe but with a full scoop of protein for a solid 25g hit. 

I tried adding extra water since I was using extra protein, do not reccomend. Go one tbsp at a time with water. Different powders really effect the texture. I just ate mine as a snack, and after being in the freezer since 7am, it is still not hard. I could eat it with a lot of finesse, but it was a struggle. It was a wet pile of chocolate protein. 


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Snow Day 2 & 3

February 6, 2025


Name something better than freezing temps and sweats? Nothing. We are back in the 70s this week and I am dreaming of weather cold enough to turn on a space heater for. 

On the 2nd and 3rd day of snow on the ground we lazed around and did very little. It was a perfect winter wonderland where we (me) could pretend that we were snowed in and living that way up north life. 




Dill, much like Harrison, preferred life staring straight into the space heater. Surely he lost an eyelash with his behavior. At times the living room smelled of hot dog from him baking himself for so long. 




Elliot got into a drawing mood and spent two days making a book that he has since carried everywhere.
 



Elliot and I wandered to the park to see how it all looked before the snow melted. This is drama child when I said "Hey take a pic before we get home." Notice the stuffing coming out of his vest, he leaned on the old janky fence when they were in a snowball fight with the neighbors and tore it up. 









On day 2 the snow was still deep enough that the four wheeler was getting stuck. 







We now have to make up a day of school due to the snow. Well, I do. The boys school hasn't announced that. It was worth it though. Send me to Canada any day and I'll happily live in a winter wonderland.

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The Acadiana Blizzard

February 5, 2025

 What started as turning off the outside world during the snow week, morphed into having a cold and it being observation week. Now it's Wednesday and here we are... having skipped blogging. 


I don't know if you've seen photos, or heard about our record snowfall. But it the experience of a lifetime, and it might be the only time we experience this much snow in Acadiana in our lifetime. Magical doesn't even sum this up. 



Our usual is a few flutters and then completely melted by noon, ever 10 years. 

This 10 year snow started in the morning, continued into the afternoon, and stayed on the ground for most of the week. 

I refused to let the kids go outside and even touch it until the snowfall stopped at 2pm. 



Of course, we had no appropriate snow gear and sent the kids outside wearing surgical gloves over their mittens and grocery bags over their socks. 




The snow was so powdery it was as if we were trying to shape bags upon bags of confectioners sugar into balls. 







Harry was not such a fan, he lasted for two hours and was done for the rest of the week. Elliot on the other hand, he wants more and needs this to happen again asap.





Our backyard was our best snow, Jeremy has cleared a lot of the trees and foliage. He also went out the day before and cleaned up the yard to make sure we had the best snow... no dog bits. I appreciated that. I measured it being 7 inches in most areas. If you're curious about a trampoline in the snow, the kids said it's like bouncing on the ground. I didn't test it out. 




And finally, to top off being cold, we came inside and made snow cream. It was good, and if you're lactose intolerant... get the proper milk before it snows. Whole milk was the death of me. Totally worth it, but attempted murder.

The leftover Butterfinger bits from our bible study dessert and the kids chocolate syrup were a great addition. 



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Weekly Roundup

January 17, 2025

Another week, another grouping of items that have been on my mind. 

*post contains some affiliate links



Recipe: Copycat Tom Cruise White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake


I've been sitting on this recipe for a hot minute and really want to try it out. Apparently there's a bakery in California that he gets these from and sends them to everyone for Christmas. 


Product I'm Loving: Bucky Ultralight Eye Mask

I'm not exaggerating when I say I've been using this almost 20 years. I started sleeping with an eye mask after I had my wisdom teeth out and never have looked back. This has great pressure, does not sit on your eyelids, and is adjustable. I wash this in a mesh bag with my clothing and lay it out to dry. Probably my most repurchased item I own. 


Craft Project I'd Like to Start : This near dupe for This Is My House Dress


I love the concept of a house dress, and have adored the If Only If night gowns. But with both brands running at nearly $200 dollars... they are a no go for me. This will probably be my summer time craft project.

With our predicted snow days for next week, I am finally going to make that shirt I talked about on Monday. Just need to get some buttons and thread from the Hobby Lobby and I'm reading to rock and roll. 




Jeremy had me read this awhile back when we were starting to think towards how to do discipleship in the youth group. Time flies, I was really thinking I read it this fall, but honestly I read it last fall. 

It's laid out very simply in a format that teens and up can understand. I'd recommend it to anyone who is new to their Christian walk and wants to better understand their next steps.



Listening : The Jinger & Jeremy Podcast


I so badly want to put down the newest episode from Bare Marriage that dives into the Love & Respect book. I'll spare y'all my absolute dislike for how much love and respect are seperated between the sexes and not thought that we both need both love and respect. 

But I'll save y'all.

 Instead, I really loved this episode from Jinger Vuolo where she and her husband discuss courting and dating. I was a big Duggar show watcher back in the day. It was a fun conversation, and if you know who they are and are near dating - it would be a great listen. 


Outfit: All of this.


I bought of these items as my Christmas present this year and plan to wear them at some point during this lovely arctic blast. Minus the bucket hat. These jeans from Buckle are a great dupe if you don't want to pay Free People prices. 



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This Week's Meals

January 16, 2025

This is kind of an off meal plan, we've got a few activities planned. So there's quite a few missing meals.



 

Thursday | Grilled Porkchops, Chopped Salad Kit, and Baked Potatoes

Friday | Birthday Party for a friend

Saturday |  Sunday School Get-together 

Sunday |  Meeting after church / I'd like to make this pimento cheese spread for our appetizer tonight.


Monday |  Breakfast for dinner - soft boiled eggs on Dave's Killer Bread English Muffins with hasbrowns and bacon

Tuesday | Pork Udon, but using sliced pork loin.


Wednesday | Sam's Club Chickfila Knock Off Nuggets and Fries.

Lunch for the Week | Zucchini Lasagna Meal Prep Bowls - sliced zucchini and layering with blended cottage cheese (more protein), mozarella, and a low carb tomato sauce with extra lean groud beef. I'll weight it all out when I make it, but my protein goal is always at least 30 grams for lunch.


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