Friday, July 31, 2020

High Five for Friday (7.31.20)



One
Last week Blogger - the platform I use for Chasing Roots - transitioned to a completely new look (on the backend, so just for me), and while I knew this change was coming eventually, it still caught me off guard and forced me to spend a little extra time at my computer trying to figure out how everything works. 

I can't say that I have it all worked out just yet, and I have one BIG pet peeve with how posts are sorted and labeled while in the draft phase, but I've figured out the most important pieces of the system (how to write and publish a post) and managed to get this one up on time!

Two
On Monday I officially closed my 2019-2020 planner and opened my 2020-2021 planner. I also started adding events and activities to my Google calendar for the first time since the second week in March. Transitioning to a new planner - and using my online calendar system again - feels a little strange...how can something feel so basic and significant, so scary and comforting, at the same time? 

My new planner is gorgeous though, so it makes me smile every time I pull it out.

Out with the old (left), in with the new (right). 
Both planners are Simplified by Emily Ley.
Three
Last Friday morning Hallie and I, with friends, headed back to Basecamp Farms, this time to pick our own flowers. Hallie was less excited about the process than I thought she'd be (while she enjoyed wielding the clippers, she was not a fan of the many bees and bugs), but I was thrilled with the flowers and vase we brought home. 



Four
This girl got new glasses...and contacts! She's a natural (apparently she learned how to put contacts in and take them back out by watching her bestie do so over Messenger Kids #coronakids), and absolutely adores her newfound "freedom" and improved vision!  


Five
Happiness Highlights
Sometimes I get to witness the sweet moments.

She's loving her new dance sweatshirt!
"To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak."

Yep. 😂

So pleased with my new "system"
for storing a few masks in my car!

Yet another smile in the rain.
(Taken after she and I returned home from a
35-minute bike ride in a torrential downpour.)

Every week we buy homemade scones from a friend
of Hallie's. They're always amazing, but last week's
apple cinnamon really hit the spot. This is Hallie's
"holy cow, I've never tasted anything so delicious" face.

Happy weekend, friends!

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

I Like People Who Smile When It's Raining

A few years ago I bought this sign from Magnolia Market at the Silos in Waco. As a lifelong lover of rain, I knew immediately that it belonged in our home.


My girl loves rain as much as me, maybe even more. Watching her run outside as the clouds begin to sag and droop, and then dance and frolic and laugh until the last drops fall... She smiles when it's raining and it's one of my favorite things about her.





 She's been like this her entire life. I hope she never changes.







Friday, July 24, 2020

High Five for Friday (7.24.20)


One
Thank you to everyone who helped Tom celebrate his birthday from afar. He truly appreciated all of the notes, messages, and calls.

In many ways Tom's birthday was just a regular Friday, but we were excited to add a fun dinner, Simpsons marathon, special birthday cake, and handful of gifts, as well as rounds of both of his favorites - disc golf and video games - to the latter half of the day.




Two
As you might remember, I love our local Board and Brush painting studio. I don't feel comfortable going to any in-person workshops - regardless of how many people would be in attendance and what safety protocols would be in place - right now though, so on occasion I purchase take and paint kits in an attempt to help them stay afloat. This most recent project is one of my favorites, both because I tried something new with my painting and because I can pull it out multiple times a year!


Three
Earlier this week I posted Will and Hallie's official end-of-the-year pics, but OF COURSE I took a few unofficial pics as well.

In true teenage boy fashion, this one did not want to participate:


In true tweenage girl fashion, this one wanted to take all the pictures:
















Four
For the last few years Hallie and I have taken in at least one show - if not two or three shows - a season at our local theater company, appropriately called The Theatre Company. Some of our favorites included Into the Woods and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and we were looking forward to both Tuck Everlasting and The Wedding Singer this spring. But as I'm sure you've guessed, TTC's spring shows were cancelled, as were their summer theater camps, one of which Hallie had planned to attend. TTC was able to put on a few restructured and simplified youth camps before our numbers became even more serious, but without its regularly scheduled programming and accompanying income - and when a storm damaged the roof and water damaged the theatre itself - TTC's financial situation became dire.

On Saturday night, TTC held its first ever "I Believe in TTC" telethon. Hallie and I watched the entire show, the highlights of which for us were "Popular" from Wicked and Hallie hearing her name read and being thanked for her donation on air.




The night was tremendously fun, and successful. Here's hoping TTC will be able to keep its doors open for years to come!

Five
Happiness Highlights
A note from my boy.

Apparently Will keeps his braces rubber bands
on the outside of the lemonade pitcher. Inside the
refrigerator. We get such a kick out of finding
these rubber bands in the most bizarre places!

I LOVE this picture.

Hallie and I went through the car wash and for the
first time opted for the protective color treatment.

It was well worth the extra $2!

Happy weekend, friends!

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Better Late Than Never

The end of this school year looked nothing like the end of school years past, so unsurprisingly, I forgot to pull out the shirts Will and Hallie always wear for their end-of-the-year photos. And then, also unsurprisingly, the shirts sat on the kitchen counter for a good three weeks before I actually got it together enough to take the kids outside and snap a few pics.

Better late than never, though...right?

End of Kinder
End of 1st Grade
End of 2nd Grade
End of 3rd Grade
End of 4th Grade
End of 5th Grade
End of 6th Grade
End of 7th Grade
________________

End of Kinder
End of 1st Grade
End of 2nd Grade
End of 3rd Grade
End of 4th Grade
End of 5th Grade

It goes so fast...

I should have started with a bigger or less fitted cut of shirt for my girl...not sure why I went with the baby tee. 😂