what's up weekly.

Am I any closer to Frankensteining a computer/camera/software solution to our laptop problem?  Almost three months since our computer went on the fritz, I would love to be able to say yes, but alas.  Still no photo access.  I'm trying not to feel upset by the whole situation.  I know it seems small, but I have no access to photos of the twins turning one, or of our last day of school, or any number of other small and large moments we seem to celebrate so often around here.  I'm not actively taking many new photos, since the camera card is full and so to take new photos means having to delete old photos that can't be backed up.  And life just moves so quickly that if it isn't documented, it can easily get forgotten.  It's honestly the whole reason I blog- to remember the things that slip so quickly through my hands.  And I'm without the tool that makes that possible.  And I feel like I'm missing so much.  I'm trying not to dwell on it, but I am feeling increasingly disheartened.

There's not much to tell beyond that, I suppose.  The babies are growing and gaining weight and being wonderful.  Nursing is still going well.

I'm over halfway through a round of Whole30 and hating it.  Why do I do this to myself? 

I've started a new routine of vacuuming and mopping all the floors each night after dinner, and I can't believe how much stress is alleviated by such a simple thing.  The house looks better, and I don't worry so much about the babies finding tiny things.

Yesterday, Atticus worked with a neighbor to get our second car up and running.  It's been sitting in the garage since we moved here and had some issues that we just hadn't gotten around to fixing.  Atticus took the task on with the understanding that if he could get it running, he could use it as "his" car for a while (though it is still ours).  It still has some quirks that need to be addressed, but it's officially mobile now and Todd and Atticus will go next week to get it registered and road-legal.

We're in the full swing of summer school.  I had to do things a bit differently this year from what we've done in the past; there were some areas I was noticing needed some special attention, which I just don't have time to slow down and zero in on during the school year.  So I decided we're going to spend some intentional time this summer focusing on a few main areas with each of the kids.  

Juniper and Callista are focusing on phonics and reading skills. Rocco and Lolo are working on reading skills and grammar. Finneas is working on finishing up the extra school year he started in the spring so that he can level up again in the Fall.  Penelope is doing a kind of finishing school/home ec course with me (we're covering etiquette, service, hospitality and personal presentation).  And Atticus' assignment is to work as much as he can - take on as many shifts as his employer needs him to, tackle as many mowing jobs as he can get, work on the car, and help with house projects as the needs arise.  Oey and the babies are assigned to look adorable and play as much as their little hearts can take.

They all also do a little bit of math and reading each day, and they have decided to all do Same Page Summer together, where they'll follow a read-through plan of the New Testament between May and September.  (They're so cute - they have a whole routine where they all spread their Bibles out and sit around the Kindle listening to the passage together on audiobook while eating Goldfish crackers.  It would make a cute photo.)

Last night, Lolo and I went to a floral arrangement class and had a great time.  It was the first time that I had not been the one to lay the babies down at bedtime, which was strange but good but sad.  It felt like a milestone - so many of those happening lately with the babies, where I feel like there's some sign we've made it through to the other side of those early days.  Anyway, the flower class was fun and here's the photo I took of my arrangement:

It had hydrangeas.  Imagine it in all its glory.

Anyway, I'm going to go eat some stupid Whole30-approved but woefully inadequate substitute for microwave popcorn and M&Ms and try to wish myself forward in time to the day when I am no longer on Whole30 and the Lord restores to me the photos the locusts have eaten.