Every week I like to take a moment to showcase the moments that brought me the most joy, but also keep it real with the chaos. The key is seeing that despite the chaos, there is still so much good! Sometimes it’s awesome activities and other times it’s a sweet moment between the kids. There are always moments that can fill us with joy if we choose to see them with a thankful heart.
Last week flew by but it was packed pretty full so I’m not surprised. It almost felt like it didn’t exist because it went so fast but then I look at the pictures I took (man I love technology) and I realize we just had so much fun so of course it went by quickly.
On Monday we met up with friends at a favorite park. It has this giant rope “web” and the big kids climbed to the top over and over. Mercedes was so proud of herself for making it up so high and never getting scared.
Tuesday I woke up to crazy news – Zaycon Fresh closed their doors! This was incredibly shocking because we were supposed to pick up an order on Friday afternoon so I had to scramble to try and figure out if our order would still be coming (it wasn’t as I was informed a few days later) and how to get our money back.
This bummed me out for so many reasons. We really loved the products we got from Zaycon because they were high quality and a great price. Plus I had told so many of you about it because it’s an excellent way to save on meat. Thankfully I was able to refute the charges with our bank and it sounds like we are getting our money back.
If you have a pending order with Zaycon I highly recommend opening a dispute with your bank, credit card company, or PayPal (depending on how you paid) and request a refund. It could take a while, but it’s worth a try. Back to buying chicken at Sam’s Club for us!
On Tuesday night the little guys helped me make BBQ Brisket pizza. They are really loving being a part of the chore rotation each week. They get excited to help and ask what else they can do. It’s so sweet!
On Wednesday I got brave and took the kids to the pool… by myself. We’ve never taken them to a pool just the two of us so me going alone was a huge step out of my comfort zone. But motherhood requires us to be brave in all sorts of ways. I’m so glad I talked myself into going because they had a blast! We stayed for two hours and they were full of smiles the entire time. And I’m the only one that got even slightly sunburned so I definitely call it a win 😉
I thought for sure the kids would crash on the couch after getting home from the pool but they lasted all afternoon. Come bedtime I sent the little boys to their room with their LeapPads then went to talk to the big kids. Less than ten minutes later I went to check on the boys and they were completely passed out, LeapPads next to their pillows, and light still on. I wish I had snapped a picture of that because it was so cute.
Friday was the last of the Mommy-Son dates this round. Anders chose Applebees… or rather I suggested Applebees because we had a gift card and he was won over by the suggestion of corn dogs and french fries. He’s such a funny kid with incredibly animated stories and a smile that wins everyone over.
Saturday was a big day! We drove about an hour out of town to meet my parents at their camping spot. Well, first we met up with them in the little town near the campground for ice cream. Everyone picked their own flavor and we had quite the variety. I chose “Pirates Bounty” which was caramel ice cream with oreos and m&ms. Yum!
After ice cream we went to the campground for swimming. I think we were in the water for at least an hour. We even got to splash with my cousin’s kids for a bit which was fun for the kids.
After swimming we got dinner ready… I’m not sure Parker is capable of taking a normal picture!
Then came fishing! We split the kids into two groups since the boat is not big enough for everyone. We didn’t catch as many as last year but the kids did catch a few and Jamison even caught a keeper! They even figured out how to catch some in the net when they got close to the boat.
The little boys were full of giggles during their turn and jumped every time a fish would escape my dad’s hands in the boat. They were brave enough to touch them which is more than I can say for me 😉
Cade even caught one and reeled it in all by himself!
And look at that beautiful sunset over the water. If it wasn’t for the bugs I’d spend way more time at the lake.
The night ended with s’mores around the campfire and a drive home watching fireworks while all the kids napped. It was fantastic!
Where did you find joy in the chaos this week? What was your favorite part of the week?
