A Touch Of Tyrell

This is my life. Everyday.  Loving, mediating, teaching, stressing, sweating, laughing, feeding.  

I know I've mentioned this before, but I really enjoy that our house is the neighborhood hangout.  I mean, not officially, but it seems like it sometimes. It also seems like our girls have the social lives of teenagers.  *plus Roxy's jack-o-lantern pancake! This week we had countless 'playdates'.  I have gotten really good at being patient, being out of control, being overwhelmed, and being a nice, neighborly mom. It takes a lot and I'm still learning... but it's something I'd like to continue practicing at.  Plus, I really enjoy so much about it.  Like how Carter learned how to do backflips on our trampoline.  It inspired Roxy to keep practicing her tricks :) Often we have friends from multiple families over at the same time and the they before friends! I usually spent a big chunk of time re-organizing and cleaning after they leave, but I'm a busy-body anyways so I don't mind too much.  Plus, sometimes I can get them to cook or clean for me :) I als...

I just love the little people around me. They are my friends and they are who I spend most of my time with.  The neighbor kids happened to come over directly from school today because it was a half day and their dad was still working.  Carter had the cutest drawing of a horse and a cowboy in his backpack! My heart!! I asked him if I could take a picture of it because I just love it so much and think it's incredible for a kindergartner.  Then he proceeded to tell me that "you can eat the leaves on strawberries. You don't need to cut them off" I find so much joy in watching the kids around me grow and develop. It's so fascinating to me and I feel blessed that I get to witness it... especially in the form of a cowboy drawing and a new discovery :)

No-screen Sunday always brings the kids together.  Roxy let "Aunt Edna" wear her shirt and scarf... And Jake leaves me funny surprised in the car 😅 Everett's hair is so long that I could but it in a little bun and he looked like a Sumo Wrestler! Also, he and a friend from school drew a map of where the each lived so they could ride bikes to each other houses. It was adorable! Roxy and I are always sporting the "crazy hair, don't care" look! Speaking of crazy hair, Emily & Breckie really nailed it on crazy air day! Roxy and I were at Ross and she found a "giant high heal!" It made me smile :)  (it's a baby bath tub seat) Since COVID, parents aren't allowed to watch at dance class... so I don't even know if she pays attention or not, but she looks pretty cute! These girls are ALWAYS dressing up! And my favorite little boy next door (Carter) made me a little love note!  Roxy's knobby knees made me smile. 

One morning I woke up and threw on some comfy clothes (because I was going to work on the guest room)... when I went downstairs I discovered that Everett was wearing his camouflage shirt too.  Later, when Carter came over, we discovered that we had al accidentally matched! It was pretty ironic! Roxy wanted to take a picture too! We've been working on a project in our guest room for quite some time.  A few years ago when the house was getting framed, we noticed that in the guest room (& Everett's room upstairs) the window is set back in the wall about 30+ inches. It left tons of wasted/empty space in the wall.  So we cut into the wall and created built-in shelves.  The neighbor kids are always willing to help and they took every opportunity to learn new skills during this project. I've been able to teach them quite a few things. How to use a hammer, how to paint with a roller & how to caulk seams/corners.  It's funny how my own kids never want to help! Em...

So much has happened in the last month. It's all really great stuff... I just kind-of feel dumb for 'wasting' all of the quarantine time and just not getting caught up then.  Like taking Roxy's 4-year pictures.  I took them two months late... and literally took them in the park behind our house 20 minutes before Jake and I went on a date. That's just how life is sometimes, I guess.  After all of the emotions early July brought (the 10 days in Colorado + all the healing that went on in the days since) I was feeling a little sad for myself.  I was just feeling like I didn't have very many friends.  I reached out to an old friendship that needed mending, so I had that 'girl date' to look forward to. I was still feeling pretty low when two other friends invited us to meet them at the community pool. It's not our most favorite place to go (it just seems like it could use a little extra cleaning :) but I felt so special being invited! It was good to reconn...