Alabama + Graffiti

Coming at you live and right off of watching the movie that Sheff’s teacher made for them as their end of the year gift – so you can imagine me covered in tears while writing this.  I can’t believe how much Sheff has grown in a year – tomorrow is his last day of first grade.  Still working on believing that.

Friday was a pretty good day – we did pizza and movie night with a screening of Lilo and Stitch, because believe it or not, Bennett nor Sheff had ever seen it.  I had forgotten what a super cute movie it was.  Pretty early bedtime, because it was a beast of a week.

Saturday, I got up and got my workout in before going to baseball.  We were down five players and their parents, which meant that I had to be dugout mom.  Pretty much all that entails was making sure the kids were up and ready for at-bats with helmets and bats at the ready.  The Yanks won another, which keeps them undefeated for the season.  Sheff even got to play pitcher for a couple of innings – something he promptly told me after he was not a fan of.

After the game, we met up with some friends to do the zoo.  Sheff got to feed the giraffes for the first time, and it was so cute.  It was also blazing hot, so there was a time limit of two hours put on the kids.  After that, we went to Taco Bell for Mexican pizzas!!!  Oh, I was so happy.  It was so good.  Then we headed back to the house for the kids to get in the pool.  B had made some strawberry margaritas, so we sat on the porch well into the night just hanging out.  It was a good day!

Sunday was our slug day, and man was it ever needed.  We got up and did our tradition of the walk down to the school’s little free library – it’s about a mile round trip, and Sheff will exchange out books.  We then headed to get provisions for a bomb ass charcuterie board, and ended up getting doughnuts and kolaches for breakfast.  The weather was beautiful yesterday, so we spent all afternoon out on the porch.  We ended the weekend playing some Mario Kart and went to bed.

We’ll celebrate the last day of school by going bowling and out to dinner – a fun thing we started at the end of kindergarten that we decided will be a new tradition.  Well, as long as he’ll let us have it anyway.  I hope you all had a great weekend as well.

Woof.  A weekend update on a Thursday.  I keep promising I’ll get better at updating this little online space, but that’s like me saying I’ll finish a book by the end of the week in that it never happens. It’s been a fun week and a half since I’ve last showed up to this little corner of the internet.  Sheff has been living his best life with the last two weeks of first grade – getting to do field day (the teacher sent home the cutest video of the kids), having a bubble day, a shoes-off day, STEAM day today.  Next week is only two half days, and then we’ll have a rising second grader in the house.  Let’s not talk about it – I’m not well.  Yesterday, the elementary school invited all the high school seniors that had attended the elementary school to walk through the halls in their caps and gowns – the teacher took a video of all the kids watching them, and it’s unreal to believe that will someday be my kid.  Again, I’m not well.

Last week, I got to take a quick trip over to Atlanta to watch a Braves game and see a friend of 13 years.  Distance keeps us from seeing each other too often, and it’d been six years since we last connected in person.  Five hours of driving for five hours of visiting (and seeing Dansby Swanson and the reigning World Champion Braves!) was well worth it.  The weather could not have cooperated more, and we had amazing seats.

Friday night, I took about two thousand steps out of my comfort zone and hosted a neighborhood cookout.  We wanted to host everyone for being such kind and welcoming neighbors, and y’all – I think it went really well.  B had opened up the pool, so the kids got to play in that, as well as the slip-n-slide.  We did all the normal cookout stuff, kids got s’mores and glow sticks and played well into the night.  There’s such a good group within that neighborhood, and I’m so glad the kids will get to spend all summer hanging out and making memories.

We all woke up on Saturday pretty exhausted.  We did the baseball thing, where the Yanks came from behind to get the win.  Y’all – those kids busted to make sure they got that win.  Fielding and the bats came out – they’re still undefeated.

Later that night after the family had naps, we dropped Sheff off at the Y for parents night out, so B and I got a date night.  We tried out a new to us sushi place that was really good, and went to the Casual Pint for cheese curds and live music.  We had a really great time.

Sunday, I had won tickets to the Regions golf tournament down here, so I shooed B and one his friends off to that.  They had a really good time, and Sheff and I slugged around the house all day.   I made us some chicken alfredo for dinner, and we did a dinner and movie date.  It was the perfect ending to a busy weekend.

This week has been a bit calmer, although Sheff did get his first fat lip in baseball practice yesterday.  B said he was trying to catch a pop-up, and he missed it, and the ball smacked him square in the mouth.  No teeth knocked out, just a wicked swollen lip.  B said he went and got cleaned up, and went back on the field to finish practice.  Love this kid and his tenacity.

Sheff’s got more baseball on Saturday, and then I think we’ll head to the zoo and get some play time in the pool with friends.  Should be a pretty low-key easy weekend – hope you all get the same!

There are so many things I could write about that happened this weekend.  Sheff’s team won another baseball game.  He got to hang with a bunch of his classmates and a birthday party on Saturday afternoon, and then got to chill at our local hangout, The Electric, and make a bunch of new friends.  But the way my guys made me feel on Mother’s Day takes the cake.

Sheff came home with Mother’s Day cards, and damned if he wasn’t as accurate as could be on those things – telling the world about my superior Mario Kart skills and that I love to read.  But on Sunday morning, Sheff told me he wanted to take a walk with me.  I’m not quite sure he remembered that it was Mother’s Day when he said he wanted to come with me, but that small little one mile walk meant so much.  I got a solo Target trip, and then B made me the most delicious brunch, complete with mimosas.  Then we went to the Houston/Nola USFL game, and it was so much fun.  We cheered NOLA on to the win, and then hit up Jack Brown’s for burgers and crack sauce.  And while I did get the Anthropologie wine glasses I have been swooning over for months, the dance breaks at the football game, the walk and the general love I felt from my guys is worth way more than that.  I am the luckiest mama on the planet.

I had intentions of showing up more to this space this week, but the week got away from me.  I’ve been busier than normal at work, and for some reason, it just seemed like every time I got home from work this week, there was something we had to do.  It was a long week, but the days went by really quick.

Last weekend, at this point, is a blur. Friday night, we had an impromptu block party.  Our neighbors across the street had rented a huge water slide for their kid’s class parties, and invited Sheff over to play.  There was pizza, a foam machine and lots of good conversation.  I love love love this neighborhood, and it feels like we landed exactly where we needed to be.

Sheff had a baseball game where he got a game ball – the team was down four players, three of whom were our infielders and big bats.  It wasn’t looking good, but the Yanks played up and got the W.  Sheff even got himself an out by stepping on second.  He loves baseball, and always has a really good time.

After that, I took a friend out for margaritas and queso for her birthday.  The weather was gorgeous, so we spent the whole five hours we were there outside, just talking.  It’s always so nice to get to go somewhere without the kids so we can be our non-mom selves.  It’s good to get that time, and we were thankful for it.

Sunday the day started out stormy and rainy – and I was there for it.  We haven’t had a good rainy day in awhile, so we got up, put on a record and made some breakfast.  Eventually, the sun came back out, so we sat on the porch and listened to Jazz Fest, and Sheff got another invite to go back over to the slide that afternoon, so of course he went.

This week has been pretty good – I’ve been feeling super emotional lately, and can’t really pinpoint why.  I’ve been all over the place mood-wise, and am trying to even myself out.  Whether it’s with an old hobby that I picked back up (friendship bracelets!  So fun you guys!), or taking it out on the exercise bike or treadmill or stealing Sheffield snuggles, it’s sort of working.

My neighbor threw a fun Cinco de Mayo party last night – filled with margaritas and tacos.   It was family friendly, so Sheff came and played with the other kids.  I made cowboy caviar and a cheesy black bean casserole, and both turned out so well.  It was really fun.

We’ve got more baseball tomorrow, of course, and a birthday party tomorrow night.  We’re also planning on hosting a neighborhood cookout next Friday as a pre-welcome to summer break.  B is thinking of putting the pool up, so that’ll be a ton of fun for the kids.  And will finally give me a good reason to give the house a good scrub-down.  I hope everyone has a great weekend and happy Mom’s day to those who have the title in any capacity!

This week has been…weird.  I have felt off the majority of the week.  I’m not sure if it’s because my desk got moved at work and that’s just completely thrown me, or if my lack of motivation for work bled over into everything else – but it’s felt weird and overwhelming.  But I did want to come and talk about last weekend on this space, because it was a really good one.

Friday night, I got to go see Taylor Tomlinson at the Lyric with a few friends, and it was the best time.  After the show, we had dinner at Ovenbird, and then had a night cap at Mayawell.  I’m not sure what I did in previous life to get the neighbors I’ve got now, but I’m really glad I did it.  Those girls are amazing, and I’m so thankful they’re in my life.

Saturday morning Sheff had a baseball game – they beat the team 20-3.  Sheff had a triple and a single.  Their little team is so good – and the parents are a blast to be around.  They cheer so loud for all the kids.  I cannot say enough good things about the Joy League.  After the game, B wanted to do some work on the outside deck, so Sheff and I had a mom and Sheff day date to the zoo.  My dad got us a membership for Christmas, and we had yet to put it to use.  We had a really great time, and the weather was amazing.  Later that night, we met up with a few friends to head to the Birmingham Stallions USFL game.  Tickets are only $10, and kids under 15 get in free.  Definitely can’t beat!  We had a good time, but were beat, so we left at halftime and got Taco Casa for dinner on the way home.

Sunday was a bum around the house kind of day.  We spent almost all day outside, and it was just a really nice day.

We had a makeup baseball game on Tuesday (another Yanks win!), baseball on Wednesday, and we’ve got some more tomorrow.  I will say that it is so fun to watch his team having so much fun – they are really good, but don’t rub it in and always cheer for their players that are up-to-bat.  Our coaches are amazing, and the kids are too.  After the game, I plan on nothing except laundry and doing a good clean of the house, and maybe a movie complete with Sheff snuggles.

I hope y’all have had a great week!