The Saturday 7

1. Good news, everyone. My back is much better! By Monday, I could get out of bed without gasping in pain, and I felt much more like myself before I even went to my chiropractor appointment. It's gotten better as the week goes on, but it's still not great. I'm babying it because I'm paranoid about tweaking it again. And I'm worried that overtaxing myself is going to send me right back where I was last weekend. #35goingon85 

2. I was able to take the girls school shopping on Tuesday. Niki graciously watched Levi because he's a disaster in the store, and I didn't have the physical strength to restrain him as is necessary. Lol. We spent almost two whole hours in Wal-Mart deliberating over school supplies, searching through clearance racks, and trying on shoes (Lucy ended up with women's size 6!!). I still have to take Levi to get a backpack, gym shoes, and a couple other school supplies I couldn't find at Wal-Mart (Why are white erasers so hard to find??). The countdown is on 'til school starts!

3. I maximized my time spent on the couch recently by finishing all this semester's school work. I haven't gotten all my grades, yet, but I'm feeling pretty optimistic. I actually got a 100% on the final paper for my hyper-critical English professor. Woot woot! And I nailed down my classes for the fall semester: Intro to Library Organization and Careers, Library Organization and Collections, U.S. History 1, and Microsoft Word 2. Classes don't start 'til September 20th, so I have a nice long break. 

4. We finally had a cousins pool day this week. I think it's the first time all summer that all of us have been at the pool at the same time. 😮 It was seriously the best. The kids swam so nicely together, and us moms just got to hang out and chat (and snuggle babies 💖). 

The best I could get. Lol

5. Justin started coaching soccer this week. He has practice every week day from 4-6. I cannot fathom how he has the energy to work outside in the sun all day, then go straight to practice with a bunch of kids to stand in the sun for another 2 hours! And I know that having him home at 6:00 isn't really that late - it's probably when most husbands get home. But I'm used to having him home between 3:30 and 4, so it's been an adjustment for all of us. He's enjoying it, though, and I'm happy he gets to do something he loves.

6. I've been overwhelmed again lately by the constancy of parenting. I get so few breaks - and when someone else does watch my kids I feel guilty the entire time, and rush through whatever I'm doing to hurry back and relieve the babysitter. I am constantly tormented by making decisions about how much screen time they should have, how to get them to eat anything but macaroni and pizza, how to balance schoolwork and quality time, how to deal with bad attitudes and misbehavior. It's just parenting. But it's all day every day. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: I wish I was the mom who cries when her kids go off to school each fall because she misses them so much. Instead, I'm the mom clicking her heels as they walk out the door because I'll have some precious alone time again! #selfish #keepingitreal

7. Some pictures to end on a happier note:

Aunt Niki is awesome and has taken each of my kids to Chuck E. Cheese once a week for the past three weeks. The day Lucy got to go, Niki was watching Thea, so it was quite the girls' day!

Levi discovered this Etch a Sketch last week and has been totally obsessed. I love that something has been captivating his attention other than a screen!

Today the kids were driving me crazy bored, so we headed down to the Celtic Fest in town. We saw some Irish dances, checked out the vendors, and strolled through the Car Show. Levi was a big fan.

Lena was just in it for the snow cone.

Pictures from Lena's Chuck E. Cheese trip!