Happy Monday evening. I have my first pot of soup of the season simmering on the stove and it smells divine – I cannot wait to ladle up a big bowl. If it’s as good as I think it’s going to be, look for the recipe soon!
I am feeling like a little bit of a hungry noodle right now. I ran a little over seven miles this evening and then showered and got into PJs before prepping the soup. I never run on Monday evenings because I’m usually teaching yoga but I wasn’t able to get my long run in over the weekend due to mom stuff and rain so I took advantage of having a sub and got it done tonight.
I’ve been doing almost all of my training runs on the trails/greenway and I experienced a lot of wildlife this evening. I saw tons of deer and I came across one couple that was trying to help a doe that had fallen in a creek bed. They were trying to call someone to help her. She couldn’t get up and it broke my heart into pieces. There was also a huge copperhead on the trails and I got a head’s up from multiple people I passed going the other way. It’s really nice that people look out for each other.
Okay, in more cheery news – here is a recap of our weekend. It was a lot of fun.
FRIDAY
On Friday night I surprised Finn with tickets to the Gazzilion Bubble Show and he LOVED IT!
I didn’t tell him what we were doing until we got Uptown and into Knight Theater and clearly he was thrilled!
I invited my friend Jess and her daughter Chloe to join us and Chloe got to go up on stage!!!
The show was a little over an hour long and a great time was had by all. The last 15 minutes were especially fun with colored lasers and seas of bubbles blasted out into the crowd. I jokingly shared on Instagram that I felt like I was at a rave for five year olds.
Just a reminder for my local readers that the Charlotte International Arts Festival is going on from now until October 1 and there are tons and tons of both free and paid exhibits and events going on in Uptown and Ballantyne. The energy was so great Uptown on Friday night!
SATURDAY
Finn spent his Saturday morning hanging with his former nanny and her nieces and nephews. I don’t think I’ve shared this here but our amazing nanny has moved on to a new family now that Finn is in school five days. She needed hours that we just couldn’t give her. It’s been a tough transition for all of us and I’ve had many teary moments over it. She was such a huge part of our lives for three years and Finn adored her. She did so much to help him feel consistency between the two houses which was a huge blessing. I will always be grateful for all the ways she showered him with love and all of the adventures she took him on. Finn tells me he misses her all the time.
While he was living it up, I did my normal Saturday morning thing. Here’s what I brought home from a trip to the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market. I bought bacon from the lovely couple who owns Colfax Creek Farm for the first time. We struck up a conversation and they ended up sending me home with a free dozen eggs and an invitation for Finn and I to visit the farm soon. The rest of what I bought came from farmers I have been buying from for over 10 years.
After the market I hit the gym for a full body strength workout. I formatted the workout to do sets of heavy lower body/explosive lower body and then upper/upper body.
Looked like three rounds of each of these sets…
20 kettlebell walking lunges (22# in each hand)
20 jump lunges
10 pull ups
10 underhand grip lat pulldowns (using a special attachment on cable machine)
10 barbell RDLs (85#)
10 barbell seated good mornings (45#)
10 broad jumps
10 narrow grip chest press (knuckles facing out the whole time, 30#)
10 seated strict barbell press (45#)
10 back squats to sit on a bench and stand back up (105#)
10 box jumps alternating landing on a single leg instead of two feet
10 hanging knee raises
10 tricep press downs on cable machine
Full body is my jam!
I had to take my carseat out to give to Finn’s former nanny because she was going to drop him off after their playdate. I hadn’t taken his car seat out in…years? I was appalled by the how dirty my seats were so I spent Saturday afternoon taking every single last thing out of my car, vacuuming and wiping down all surfaces. Finn thought this was all big fun. It took the better part of two hours but I feel much better about the state of things now!
After our active day, late afternoon/early evening were spent on the couch watching the second half of the Georgia game. Finn came in because he loves to snuggle and watched the whole thing with me! Not only did he watch but he asked sooooooo many questions about football, college and the University of Georgia. Future Bulldog in the making! My mom and I are both UGA grads! Me BA in Journalism and her Masters in Social Work!
Funny story. Towards the end of the game I asked Finn if he was ready for night night. He replied, “I want to stay up but my eyes want to keep closing on me.” I died. One of those things you want to write down and never forget.
SUNDAY
Sunday was rainy and gross. We had a lazy morning with a cinnamon roll, bacon and scrambled egg breakfast and then ventured out to Target to get a lot of household things. I felt very in my stereotypical Target mom element cruising the toy aisle with a oat milk latte, one pump of pumpkin spice in my cart. Related: is anyone else’s kiddos into Lanky Box? I don’t even know what it is but these squishies made him crazy happy and they slept with us last night.
I had a late afternoon staff meeting at Metro. BIG THINGS HAPPENING at the gym! When I got home I worked on mountains of laundry, organization projects and ended up doing a fun project with Finn. He came across a photo of his 4s class while I was cleaning and got in his feels about missing his teachers and BFFs from class. He asked if he could send postcards to everyone. I told him we didn’t have postcards but could do letters! So we wrote letters to three of his friends and his two teachers. So sweet.
This brings me to the end of this recap! 🙂
QUESTIONS
Have you taken your kids to any cool/fun shows? Anything to recommend?
Current Starbucks order?
Best part of your weekend?
Did someone help the deer? Did u call a wildlife specialist? There r many resources who can help in situations like this if bystanders are not able or willing to. I hope she was able to get the help she needed.
Yes! There was someone already on the phone and making calls to various organizations to help her!
I’m taking my son to tour U of GA next month and we’re both super excited. We’ve only been through Georgia one time several years ago. He can’t wait to see the university and I’m looking forward to hearing what they offer.
That is so exciting Amy! I hope it goes well!!!!! Athens is such a fun town to visit!
My 8 year old son is/was very into Lankybox. We have many of the plushies. I’m not sure if you’ve ever watched it, but it’s two 20-something guys on YouTube acting goofy and playing some video games. They’re harmless but the whole thing is baffling as to why my son is so into it!!!!