Mom Life with Adrienne

The first of December Gusgus always brings the kids chocolate advent calendars. 

I went up to the bathroom and came back down and couldn't find Anna. I looked all over the house with no luck. I started calling her name and a heard a giggle. I found her in this small spot. When did she become so good at hide and seek.

Anna had been asking to make cookies. I grabbed the take and bake cookies when I went shopping so we could make some. Anna put all the cookies on the tray by herself. They were nicely lined up across the bottom. I spread them out before baking them.

 I went to grab a plum and cut it up, but they went bad. Next I grabbed an apple. Anna decided she wanted to help me cut it. I helped her with the apple slicer. Than she used a knife to cut everything into smaller bite size pieces. she is all about helping in the kitchen.

Helping in the kitchen is a lot of work, it calls for a nap

While Anna was napping I went downstairs for a quick ride.

In December we pull out all our Christmas books and the Christmas advent book. The kids wanted to read a book.

Anna and Austin playing before bed.

Anna fell asleep under the Christmas tree.

Gusgus suggested a game night.

Saturday morning started with two crazy kids. They woke up early and were full of piss and vinegar. 

My dad was being released from the hospital after having knee surgery the day before. We ate lunch and headed over there to my parents house incase she needed help getting him situated. Anna fell asleep eating her lunch.

My dad came home doing great. Walking with his walker, able to get up and down himself. You would have never thought he had surgery. 

On the way home we stopped to put air in my tires. Ella got up to show me something when we were stopped. She forgot the whole seat wasn't up in the third row. 

Brian is the best going outside in the cold to put air in all my tires. 

Gusgus hiding in the tree. 

While getting ready for the day and doing some cleaning I was listening to a fun Christmas book that was free with an audible subscription.

We took the kids to downtown Cleveland. First stop was walking around Tower City looking at the window displays. I was under the impression that every window had a display, we only saw like 3 windows, good thing that wasn't the only reason we went downtown. 

Connected to Tower City is the causeway so you don't have to walk outside to go to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse where the Cavs play. Their was no one else on the causeway so the kids got to run free. 

Who's ready for a Cleveland Monsters Hockey game? Anna was so excited. 

She lasted the first period. Was screaming, clapping, and having a good time. Then crashed. 

You would think after a late night this little girl would have slept in. No she didn't. Brian started the day by working in the basement, Austin was playing on the Xbox and Anna wanted to play in her pop up house. Ella gets lost in her room as a teenager does. 

Anna decided it was time to read a bunch of Christmas books. 

I was relaxing while the kids played, Brian and his uncle fixed the toilet that got broken on Thanksgiving, and Ella practiced her trumpet. 

She is not napping, but look at those eye lashes. 

Anna laid down with Ella while she was watching tv and fell asleep like this, drooling on Ella's head. I picked her up to move her to her own bed and Anna woke up. 

Gusgus got into the stickers and decorated Anna's dolls and himself. 

Don't we all virtually ride, rides in laundry baskets at Disney World before school on a Monday morning? 

Introducing Princess Anna. She is a pro already walking around in heals. 

While Anna was at school, I got a live slay ride done on my cycle bike. 

A crazy day ahead means the day started early. I started a new 8 week workout program (which I am loving so far). Got up and got it done the day started.

Dad was still in the hospital, mom needed someone to take her to get her quarterly migirane shot. I feed Anna, lost track of time, and quickly made myself a lunch for the road. 

While my mom was at her appointment, Anna and I went to Costco and 5 Below. Anna was so well behaved too. 

We picked up my mom, grabbed her some lunch and Anna some fries then drove to check out the nursing home my dad was going to be transferred to. From the outside it looked really nice (we ended up having a lot of issues at this nursing home) I took the scenic route home down Lake Road. The sky mixing into the water was gorgeous. 

Gusgus was trying to watch the Cavs game better. Yes we have an antenna running throughout our house. There are trees blocking getting a good tv reception without it and we don't pay for cable. Certain channels to watch sports Brian has to use the antenna.

After school Ella had service club. They meet at the senior center and had hot chocolate, cookies, and convo's with some seniors. 

Ella also had her winter choir concert. This was her first choir concert ever, and the first one the school has done since Covid. It was held at the performing arts center that holds around 800 people, it was packed that people were standing to watch. I am happy we got there early.

The walk to the bus stop with Ella. It was so foggy it should have been Halloween time. 

I have been on a coconut yogurt kick again with berries, nuts, and dairy free chocolate chips. 

It has been a while since we had any deer, even though we have plenty of pumpkins outside to feed them. Anna was so happy to see 6 in our yard again. 

After the deer left Anna decided to play with her little Sven reindeer and give him a check up, do his make-up, and read him a book. 

The rest of the day was very low key and relaxing. 

Nothing like privacy or personal space when you have children. Anna thought I was leaving her, (even though she was going with me ) and had to join me in the bathroom. 

My to do list for the day. My van was due for an oil change and anti-freeze flush. We dropped it off for the day and I was stuck home with no vehicle. Means I planned stuff around the house. 

While doing cleaning and making dinner I have gotten back into the habit of listening to audiobooks. I am currently listening to Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton. It is a dark romance thriller. 

I also took some time to relax and read some of a book I borrowed from the library. 

Gusgus surprised the kids by hanging up our new Mickey Mouse wreath that Brian bought from Lowe's. 

Brian's birthday dinner request was meatloaf and potatoes. 

With that Austin was running a little behind. He started walking out the door 1 minute late, saw the bus coming, and went to run to the bus stop. He tripped down a step and caught himself with his face. Poor kid cut up his knee, wrist, chin, nose, and forehead. He also had a bump on his forehead. We decided to keep him home to observe him, plus his nose was oozy and he wouldn't put a bandaid on it. 

Brian and I both had plans that morning while Anna was at preschool so Austin got to go to work with Dad for a few hours. Brian was working from the office so Austin took the tablet to play and we found some crayons and paper for him to color on. He made Brian a Star Wars Imperial Walker picture to hang in his office. 

While Austin was in Brian's office, I was also at Brian's office doing a social media training with Canva Pro. Brian wants me to run his social media accounts for his real estate business next year. 

After my class Austin and I picked up Anna, then we stopped and got some McDonalds and headed to Aldi's for grocery pick up. 

Austin spent the rest of the afternoon resting and watching tv. He also kept faking like he was sleeping. I took this picture, then when he thought I was gone he was smiling and pushed the pillow off. 

Before Ella got home from school I got a workout done with my cute little partner. She actually only game downstairs at the end of the workout. 

Shower and all ready for date night to celebrate Brian's birthday.

Ella got picked up by her dad as it was his weekend to have her. Brian and I took Anna and Austin to a sleepover with my mom. Originally the sleepover was suppose to be at my sisters house but it got changed to my mom's since my dad still wasn't home from the nursing home. 

We can clean up nice. It was cold out so I opted for a cute dress shirt (with leggings) and heels instead of a dress.

After dropping off my kids we made a quick stop at the nursing home to visit my dad. We also took him some leftover meatloaf. The food at the nursing home sucked, it was cold and flavorless. 

For dinner Brian pick Salmon Dave's Pacific Grill. I started off with a delicious Bella Bellini and Brian got an old fashion.

This has got to be my favorite calamari.

And hands down the best Lobster bisque. If you are local Salmon's Dave and Cabin Club are the same owners and the same lobster bisque recipe. 

Salmon with a lobster rissoto. omg it was so good. 

Brian got halibut with polenta. The fish was good I did not like the polenta. 

We ended with vanalla bean creme brulee

I lost track of time and wanted to get a workout done. We were set to leave to go to Brian's parents to celebrate his birthday at 4. I finished my workout at 3:51, nothing like cutting it close. I changed my clothes, quickly washed up and headed out the door. 

We had a delicious dinner of pot roast, mash potatoes, corn and rolls. Followed by tuxedo cake from Costco. Austin got an attitude when we got there and went and had a temper tantrum in the bedroom. He ended up falling asleep and not waking up until before we left. Two sleepovers in a row and not much sleep we could tell.