The Hazard Chronicles

This week has had a definite sense of "settling in." School has started, and with it some old routines have come back into our lives. Sharing the kitchen over breakfast. Balancing rides to and from different activities. Homework and friends schedules. Nighttime preparations for the following day. In addition to school, the NFL season has officially started and Sunday football games are introduced back into our weekly agenda.

Overall, it feels nice. I like the routines. I like the stability. I think that we, as a family, are good at being spontaneous and at doing things. We don't need any encouragement in these areas. But sometimes it is nice to just let "the schedule" dictate life for a while. Cruise control, if you will. It lets you focus on other things.

For Rachel and me, those other things are very career oriented right now. I am still processing and integrating some of the ideas that were presented to me recently at the Kois Institute. Rachel is prepping for an upcoming Broadway show that she agreed to interpret. For both of us, we feel that these activities fit nicely into that sweet little overlap in the Venn diagram between "work" and "hobby." It's nice. 

Some of our kids have established new routines as well. Evelyn and Adalie both leave earlier than any of us to do zero-hour Jazz band. I'm pretty sure this is taking a toll on them, judging from the groggy conversation we had this morning, and may require some adjustment in other areas of the schedule. Maren starts a theater class this Thursday, which coincides nicely with an upcoming audition for a show she wants to be in. Lindsey will also be re-starting a church youth group and a dance classes that were both put on pause for the summer vacation. 

As for specific activities this week: We watched a play "Next to Normal" with the older kids. Rach and I both got rock climbing time in, together as well as with friends. Addy and Jack went to the Freshmen tailgate party and subsequent high school football game. They also both turned 15 years old- but we'll celebrate that at a different time. I played guitar at church and we had a potluck afterwards. Rachel and I went to Wallace for a lunch date and spent a few hours working on the bonus room. 

It's been a good week. And, following a fantastic summer vacation, it's nice to be back.

Have a good week!

This play hits hard. It's a musical, but it makes sense that it won a Pulitzer instead of a Tony. I saw it for the first time about ten years ago, and it has always been one of my favorites. Maybe like top 5. Watching it again just confirmed to me how good it is.

Rachel with the try hard

Rach has found a fun group to climb with. These ladies have a good time together!