A Very Fall Weekend

This weekend we embraced all things fall.

We were back at the football field Friday. We still lost 72-6, but it was the best football I've seen us play. We were just outmatched and out-sized--by a lot. Their line literally could pick up our line. 

We had big plans to camp Saturday, but Tropical Storm Ophelia ruined that plan. Instead, we stayed cozy all day, went to Radius for dinner, and decorated for Halloween:

The first day of fall seemed like a fitting time to get out the pumpkins. We will decorate outside next weekend!

Yesterday, we spent the day helping mom put her gardens to bed and power washed the porches. Kai joined in the fun, and you can move a lot of pebbles quickly with three strong teenagers! We ended the day with burgers and a spice cake/tiramisu dessert of Brad's creation.

I have a buzz saw of a week, so I'm so grateful for a weekend of cozy family time! 

Some Random Happy Things

The meditation space is finished:

The mats and pillows came in early, and we hung the lantern last night! We are waiting to see if the solar lantern gets enough sun to charge fully, but I'm in love. I fully intend to sleep out here this weekend, and I may do my yoga practice out there, too. Issa has done all of her college work out there this week, too. It's such a happy, cozy space!

I'm soaking in Issa's senior moments as they come. This one is not specific to her senior year but is a marker that she is so grown up:

She taught a tap class solo last week. The teacher was sick, and someone at the studio sent this to me. No helpers. Just sub plans and her tap shoes. She had fun, and she just keeps getting more and more certain that she wants to teach as she works more with kiddos.

Inks has started watching tv with us:

It just makes me laugh every time.

And I have a new favorite end of the day ritual: moon walks. I am loving taking a quick loop around the block when I am completely finished for the day. I leave my phone and home and just soak in the sounds of the insects. I have a couple of neighborhood cats that always walk up for a head scratch, and I love watching the stars come out. It's a nice way to close the day.
 

A Very Productive Weekend

We had a very productive weekend around here! Issa spent most of the weekend at the studio, and the boys and I spent most of the weekend in the backyard building our outdoor dojo/meditation space. It was a bigger project than we expected! 

After layout out the four-by-fours for the platform, we realized that the ground was super unlevel. So we rented a tiller to fix it:

It took us three trips to Home Depot to get the wood because the Subaru can only haul so much, and Brad finished screwing in the last board Saturday night as the sun was setting. The whole day was spent leveling, hauling wood, and starting to build the gazebo.

Yesterday morning, Evan and I finished building the gazebo:

Issa was able to help us hand the screens and curtains:

And in a day and a half we have a new outdoor room:

We have mats, pillows, and a cool solar lantern coming this week so we can completely finish it next weekend! I'm hoping to sleep out there at least one night next weekend, and we are looking forward to having a screened in place to enjoy some fresh air.
 

The End of an Era

When I left the public school system and started working from home for UNC, I struggled to organize life and work. Without the structure of going into the office, days kind of ran together. I had one huge project that was mine alone. It was messy. So...I got a huge white board and used electrical tape to segment it. I had a column where I could keep track of daily tasks a column for big projects. As the kids got involved in activities, I added all of their things. I use that board for 16 years.

Last weekend, it finally died. It literally separated from it's hanger and then fell into pieces on the floor. 

We have the big family white board which helps us all keep track of who is coming and going, and the kids pretty much take care of their own stuff now. So...I downsized:

This one is not just for my things, which feels a little strange. I do love it, though, and it's a fun way to celebrate a new chapter where the kids are more independent.
 

Book 28

I finished book 28 this week:

 This one broke my no work books rule a bit. I may or may not be leading a discussion on this one if students show up, and I started reading it in my office like all of my other work reading. However, I really enjoyed it and I wanted to finish it more quickly, so I took it home.

The author is pompous and a bit annoying in places, but he's also wicked smart and spent a lot of time talking to experts around the world about the general decrease in people's focus. He builds a compelling argument as to the why and some suggestions for change. I would absolutely recommend it!

So Much to Celebrate

We finished celebrating Issa's birthday last night:

Nana came over for chicken caesar baguettes, and I made the requested chocolate cupcakes:

 Then she took off for dance with more cupcakes to celebrate with her friends!

Please notice the "it's my birthday" glasses Allison gave her to wear. It's just once example of how loved and celebrated Issa is. 

I think that's what I'm still soaking in this morning. For the past two weeks, she has been celebrated by family and friends. I have loved listening to her laugh with her people, and I loved watching her face as she read every birthday post. Watching my village love her, well, that's a gift. Watching students I still mentor call her little sis, well, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude. 

As she creeps closer to adulthood, I'm so very, very grateful for the village of generations of strong women that I watch encircle her. As she launches, she will always have us, but she also has all of them, and that is worth celebrating.

Happy, happy birthday, Issa!

Today is the official big day! Issa woke up to a shimmering doorway:

And we will be singing Mama Mia all year:

Of course Buddy the Elf had to visit:

And we were very happy to continuing celebrating our seventeen year old dancing queen:

Although she already has her big gift, you have to unwrap something on your birthday:

This girl is always excited about books.

We are having one of her favorite meals before dance, and she is taking treats to share with her high school team.

Issa is so easy to celebrate, and we are so proud of the person she is and is becoming. 
 

So Much to Celebrate

Friday night, the kids and I met up with Shannon and Mom for dinner before the football game! The kids were in chatty moods, which is always fun, and the three of us had a great time at the football game (even if we lost miserably):

I'm celebrating the completion of a major project:

It may look like a big empty space, but I have spent most of the summer clearing out the old raised bed from there. Next week, the boys are helping me install a platform and pagoda out there!

We also kept celebrating Issa! She asked for a third ear piercing from us for her birthday, and Brad took her Saturday! Because it's cartilage, they had to go to a tattoo place. She is thrilled with the result:

Shannon postponed her flight since Mom was sick last weekend, and we girls all took Issa shopping again on Sunday! She was on a mission to find her senior picture outfit from Nana, and we were very successful! She wants to keep them a secret for now, though. She also found a new outfit for her big date last night:

Kai took her to see to Wicked at DPAC last night:

They both loved it, and I'm so glad they had such a good time!

This will be a week of celebrations for sure, and the weekend was a fun way to begin!
 

A Slight Miscalculation

We have been working so hard on transforming our backyard into an extension of our home. I have spent a lot of time clearing out brush, small trees, and leaves, and I made a commitment to keep what I've already done cleaned up during the week. That leaves the weekends for projects right now.

Last night was my maintenance night, which is getting trickier now that I'm teaching three nights a week. Thankfully last night's class was online, so I was in the yard by 7. Weeding is pretty minimal this week, and I only need to mow every other week right now. However, the leaves are getting real. I started by just making all the piles:

But I had a slight miscalculation about how long they would take to bad and how quickly the sun would set:

I finished the project by the glow of twinkle lights, which was not so bad at all.
 

Book 27

I finished book 27 this week:

This is the neighborhood book club book this month. It was a really compelling retelling of so many of the myths and hero stories I used to teach! I've never read anything from Clytemnestra's point of view. I would highlu recommend it to anyone who enjoys Greek mythology! You do need some substantial background knowledge to make it all make sense, though.
 

Our Senior

We woke up to this social media post this morning:

 Last week, they had asked for first first and last first pictures. I sent Issa's first week of dance, recital, and kinder along with her first day of senior year. Look at all of that cuteness in one place! I am so grateful that she dances somewhere she is celebrated and loved!

The Beginning of the Birthday Celebrations

We spent this weekend celebrating the soon-to-be birthday girl! Our plans went a little sideways because Nana got the flu, but Aunt Shannon flew in and we still did plenty of celebrating!

Saturday was supposed to be shopping day, but we postponed a day since Nana was sick. Instead, we spent the day just being. Issa got a massage. Brad smoked meat. It was a lovely, quiet day we probably all needed.

Sunday, though, we moved forward in birthday mode. Shannon and Issa spent the afternoon shopping. Look! Issa owns color:

She is most excited about her new earrings, though, She asked to get a third set of holes from us for her birthday, and Aunt Shannon made sure she had the perfect earrings for them:

Evan couldn't wait to give Issa his gift:

She now has a little frog air freshener and mushroom steering wheel cover for her car:

But Kai won the gift-giving:

He is taking her to see Wicked next weekend! It's a DPAC, and he texted last week to make plans. It has been so hard to keep the secret, but she was so surprised and so excited!

After an Asian feast, Issa asked for Dad's trifle for dessert:

We hope all your wishes come true, baby girl!