5. List 6 things you’re looking forward to most this fall.
Two years ago at this time I wrote a blog post about 10 things I’m looking forward to in the fall. I listed things like rainy days and pumpkin patches, but the common theme interwoven throughout was that I was looking forward to a bit of quiet when the kids went back to school. I’m sure it does not need to be said that I love my kids at home and they do not take a ton of “tending” to, but I do find when they are at school there is less pressure for me to entertain them, they cost less, and there is less of a mess to clean up at home…oh and it’s quieter.
This summer has been different in that, all three kids are teenagers now and they have kissed normal bedtime hours goodbye. I go to bed by midnight and I believe they all stay up until 2 or 3 in the morning. I’ve lost control over here and I am beyond caring. They do sleep until the afternoon so I suppose that morning quiet cup of coffee is not hard to come by anymore. I have no idea how I’m going to manage to lasso them into a normal school routine again, but school starts on September 9th and as of right now I have no idea what their schedules are going to look like.
If you had told me last year that this year all three of my kids would start off the school year learning from home, I would have blinked blankly at you for a solid ten minutes. What does that mean?? And why!? And yet here we are. Since there will be no in-person schooling and our volleyball season has been moved to Spring, my list for things to love about Fall is riding almost entirely on Rain and Pumpkins at this point. But I will try to get creative and think of four more things to look forward to this fall:
1. I think I have a hair appointment…
Not that I have anywhere pressing to go with my fresh cut, but a salon experience is always enjoyable and I do enjoy catching up with my Hair Girl Rachelle. Who would have thought I’d be craving any sort of outside social interaction?
2. Maybe I will finish another room makeover?
Did I share the office makeover my sister helped me with? I’d love to tackle our two main living areas next!
3. Carpet on our stairs.
In a fit of disgust earlier this summer (or was it last spring?) I pulled all the carpet up from our staircase. Our little dog had been having accidents on the landing and every time I walked the stairs I could smell it. So I yanked the carpet up knowing full well we were not in a position to replace it with anything. We’ve been walking on exposed wood stairs ever since, but the dog stopped peeing on them so my plan KIND OF worked. But we need to make a permanent move on those bad boys.
4. Remaining healthy?
I feel really lucky that my kids and Pat and I have not gotten terribly sick since the Covid outbreak began. We are really careful to mask up and sanitize before, during and after any outing, but even the most careful people have gotten sick so I know we’re not entirely out of the woods. I know that if one of us gets it, it will likely spread like wildfire through our entire household, more than anything I really hope to continue maintaining a healthy family this fall.
NOW DOES THAT SOUND EXCITING OR WHAT!?
I’m really looking forward to Spring.
Patty says
That office makeover is amazing, in fact, stunning!
A new school year will be anything but “new” for so many kids. Here in New York, a friend tearfully dropped one of her twins off for his first year of college, a little more than one week ago. She had to bring him right back home, due to a COVID outbreak. Our local schools are still bouncing their return protocol back and forth; some remote teaching, some in-person instruction, mixed with a lot of unhappy teachers.
Oddly enough, the salon industry here has gone relatively flat. A few months ago, the hair-hysteria was a force to be reckoned with. Once New York allowed salons to reopen, clients seemed to have calmed down and the urgency for hair services became less demanding.
Rain and pumpkins will make it all better. Along with a glass of good Merlot.
John Holton says
1. Washington State allowed the salons to reopen?
2. Your office looks a little like the place where you do (or did, anyway) your weekly summaries, but I’m sure that’s not it. I really like that table.
3. Carpet in general and in particular on the stairs is a little too much temptation for little furry ones. We finally pulled ours up because it was starting to wear out and Mary was worried about me walking down them. Of course, now I see what was under the carpet and am thinking they need to be repaired or preferably replaced.
Stay healthy, y’all…
Mama Kat says
1. Yes, WA state allowed salons to open but only with masks, temps taken, hands washed etc etc etc. So far I haven’t heard of any break outs in the salons here. Knock on wood!
2. My office space is exactly where I did most of youtube vlogging, I like it much better now! The table was handed down from my mom. I like how dark it is!
3. Once I pulled the carpet up I was even more disgusted that it took us so long to remove. I actually prefer them totally exposed instead of having that dirty carpet. But we definitely need a better long term solution.
madamdreamweaver says
You didn’t say what your plan was for the stairs—I hope not carpet again. (hard to vacuum, compresses with use, pet pee) Wood laminate would be nice. Or acrylic tile. Covering on just the step part; paint the front side no one walks on?
80% of my house is acrylic tile (that’s grouted squares so it looks like ceramic tile, but not) Then bedrooms just have berber, which has thicker padding and holds up better. I”m not a fan of plush.
Mama Kat says
I actually think we WILL do carpet again because we have two different woods upstairs and on the main floor. If I match the stairs to the upstairs wood then it will clash with the downstairs wood and vice versa. I think my only option here might be to go with carpet and get rid of the dog. ;)