Ready Set Recap!

Every night I sit down and think I have so many things to discuss with you- Big Thoughts on blogging and why I'm still doing it (you know, except when I'm not, like all of last week) and when I'll stop. Career Thoughts. Three terribly overdue letters to the kids. My New Year's Spring Time Resolutions. My Fitness Science Experiment. But I also had to read three new books (April has been an EMBARRASSMENT of riches from my favorite authors with a new book in my favorite series out every week) and I worked out every day (and accidentally twice on Tuesday) and James and I had to dress up and eat delicious food Thursday night to celebrate the 3rd birthday of his swim school. And I discovered a bunch of new online shopping sites I had to explore. And then Wills and Kate went on a tour of India and Bhutan and I had a LOT of clothes and pictures to review and approve. It's been a terribly busy week.

So instead of talking about any of those things, we're going to hit it with some pictures and a general recap so I can go to bed and recover from the 3 hours of sleep I gave myself on Wednesday night when I had to finish JR Ward's The Beast because I lack self control and an understanding of how books work. (The book was good, by the way, though I almost stopped reading when I saw she'd written a hashtag into the narrative. Because apparently that's how people think in their own heads now. They think in hashtags. In the middle of important self-realization inner monologue moments. It's a good thing her character building remains strong. #NOHASHTAGS).

---

I typed that last night and then gave in to fatigue, put my laptop away, and curled onto James's lap to watch Spring Holiday Baking Championship before an early (for us) bedtime of 11:30. I have no regrets, but it's messing up my references to "last night" and other days in the past.

---

Back to Monday! I took this picture while the big kids were at swimming. It's maybe the most important picture I've ever taken.

It just captures Cora's intensity so well. She's loving it and letting it go (Let it goooooo). You have to close your eyes to channel Idina properly.

Cora's just a bowl full of joy these days, which, as that wonderful and awful Facebook "On this Day" app keeps reminding me, is pretty much she's lived every day of her life so far.

Kills me. How can so much joy and love and JOY fit in such a small package?

On Tuesday I did my Orangetheory workout on the way home from work, per my new routine that I love. Tara gets the big kids and Cora and they all hang out and play until I'm home at 6. It's a little later than usual, but now I don't have to go back out for my usual late night workout. So I can pour a glass of wine, make a dinner I'll actually eat with everyone, and just generally enjoy a lazy evening knowing I already ran my heart out for 30 minutes and burned 700ish calories.

But this Tuesday, just as I was walking in the door, a fellow barre teacher texted, desperately seeking a sub for her 7:15 class. And so I found myself peeling off one set of sweaty clothes, putting on some crazy leggings, and heading back out the door at 6:45 to teach barre on shaky legs and an empty stomach. But it was a fabulous class and I burned another 700 calories (I am deeply enjoying using my OTF heartrate monitor in all my workouts) and stopped at Kroger on the way home at 8:45 to buy wine because by then that's all I wanted for dinner. (Though I did eat real food too because James said I had to.) I took a scalding hot bath, lay about the couch like a limp noodle, and finished the new Mercy Thompson book.

Wednesday brought things I don't remember but I'm sure they were great and mundane all at the same time. We did find out Landon's project was approved for a full science fair project board which I greeted with a very non-supportive, but critically silent internal groan. Sunday night is looking super fun and crafty! (And wine filled. And terrible.)

Thursday was normal and boring until it was 7:00 at James and I turned ourselves into fun, fancy people who eat out at expensive restaurants in the middle of the week as if we don't have budgets or small children! It's my favorite kind of transformation.

We were celebrating 3 years of The Fort Worth Swim School. He started it right after I found out I was pregnant with Cora and now our little bunny is there every Thursday taking lessons! He's done so well and it's been such a happy surprise to discover how fun it is to be a service-based company in a small town. We rarely go anywhere without running into a client (barre or swim!) and I love it.

I also loved every bite of four courses of decadent food at the always fabulous Grace. I love all minutes spent with James, but I think I like our rare fancy date night minutes the best.

On Friday I tried a new workout studio- Core Power Yoga and it was AWESOME. It was a small class so I got to push myself a little more in new poses I wouldn't normally try in a big group, including Bird of Paradise which felt fun and very powerful. The me of 4 years ago still can't believe I get so excited every time I see a new studio, but new student specials are the best and I love finding new ways to feel strong.

But even more important than Bird of Paradise (modified, I should note, my top leg is quite bent when I do it)- we got speakers installed on the back patio and in the living room ceiling! The final step of our back patio update and I am SO excited. I love music playing at all times and I no longer have to carry my bluetooth speaker around the house with me or wonder why I can't hear the person I'm talking to on the phone because their voice is being piped through the speaker in another room. These are hard wired in and run off an app that connects through the wireless network. You can play something different in every room, or drag and drop them together to play a playlist curated from all internet streaming services, your own music library, and/or that of anyone else on your wireless. It is so awesome. Other than the fact that James and I are about to spend SO much time arguing about music. It is the one thing on which we are completely and utterly incompatible.

ceiling speakers!

The chaise lounges I ordered also came in (yay Wayfair!) so we are READY for summer. We just need the pool temp to get above frigid (the one downside to a super shaded backyard) and we're ready to party.

Can't you just see a pitcher of margaritas on that little table? And not-children in the chairs? It's going to be great.

Until then, we have our fierce 3-square games and the giant boxes the chairs came in.

Off to teach barre and stop by the Superfun Yoga pop up because I wore my old rainbow paints to rags and there's a new rainbow pattern calling my name!