1. What’s something you wish you’d figured out sooner? 

How to navigate fashion. I know this sounds silly but I look back and I was never fashion-forward and I was kind of a mess. Does it really matter? No, not really but it has been a thing that bothered me about my younger self for a long time. I mean, I never dressed “cool” and in doing so, maybe that saved me from befriending fake people. Who knows?

2. Something from childhood you still enjoy today? 

Dusk. Vague, I know, but when I was little, I was so taken with that time of day. Usually, that’s when happy moments happened too: my dad would either take us to the mall or for a walk around the block after dinner. Both of those activities played huge roles in my young life. I loved doing both and the way the sun shone on the streets, the trees, was just so magical. I still love it; the other day I took my daughter to Target and as we left, we were gifted a gorgeous sunset and I just felt GOOD.

3. Are you a fidgeter? What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word fidget? 

I never really thought I was but I do realize that if it’s not past 8:30 PM, I cannot sit still in my chair for too long. I have to get back up and finish some task. I typically think of those fidget spinners that got big when my now-15 year old was in elementary school. Kids always fidget and to give them a toy for it seemed like a good idea but it really just created a further distraction. 

4. Your favorite fall vegetable? How do you like it prepared? 

I guess I’ll go with butternut squash. I enjoy it roasted with butter and cinnamon. I guess a close second would be rutabaga, because that’s the only time I ever eat it. Sometimes for Thanksgiving we make a pear rutabaga mash and it’s tasty!

5. What’s something you find mildly annoying, but not annoying enough to actually do anything about? Might you now? 

Hmm, well, I’m going with trash in the neighborhood. I have always found it slightly irritating that people throw cigarettes, old fast food sauce containers, and beer cans out their windows. And I HAVE done something about it – during Covid we walked with the kids and everyone got a bag and a latex glove (the only real use for those!) and we picked up a ton of stuff. But we have not done it lately. My daughter pointed out the other day how we probably should. She’s not wrong; on my run this morning I spotted a Mike’s Hard Lemonade can and two small Fireball containers. You know, the people who drink this kind of garbage really are not making a good name for themselves by littering in my neighborhood!

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Hey kids, do you know what the word of the week is? OVERCOMMITTED!

As I sit here typing this on a Tuesday afternoon, I am waiting for a student from one of my classes to join the zoom room. Per their request, I made some time (at 2:45 but it’s now 2:55) and I wait, and wait. I won’t wait forever though so this may be something I heap onto tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in 30 minutes I have to: drive to get my daughter from piano. I come home and drop her off, then snag my oldest and take him to soccer tryouts. I get home and snag my (hopefully dressed and ready) daughter for dance. I leave from the studio and head to the middle school to get my middle child from his second cut soccer tryouts. After he and I get home, I might have about 30 or so mins before going back for my oldest and though we might be about 10 mins early, we’ll then swing by and get my daughter at 7. THEN we eat dinner. (Yes, I did mention this in my Tuesday post but not everyone reads every day.) So, as you can see, this glorified bus service will be tired! It’s not this bad when my husband is in town because we divide and conquer.

Tomorrow I have to buckle down and finish a lot of grading but I also want to run and get to Goodwill. This new job requires slightly dressier clothes and you know, so many women dump perfectly fine tops and pants there, some even with tags on!

Wednesday now and it got cold! I knew it was coming but ugh, it’s 40. I will be running 6 miles in it too, which should make for a good run so, no complaints other than the first five minutes when the cold seeps in. I’m being stingy about the heat too – haven’t even turned it on. I figure it’ll warm up today and maybe tomorrow I’ll set the heat. It comes on at 70 and in the night, the house fell to 67. That’s what a blanket it for, right? Ha.

My middle child appears to have made himself sick because he was very upset he didn’t make the school soccer team and I let him stay home, against my better judgement, as he doesn’t have a fever. This leads to multiple issues, one being how my oldest will think I favor Isaac because I never let Elliot stay home. But he goes out of town with the church this weekend so a day to rest may not be the worst. But I was REALLY mad and he took the brunt of my ranting simply because I feel like I’m at the end of my rope this week. Sigh. I’m going to sink myself into grading and try to turn my mood around.