Oooph Saef, I have to say those apartments sound like my version of ****. But I can think of few things better than laughing children, open spaces, no neighbors, and no covenants
Ditch the dogs and bring on the kids, if you ask me
On the subject of noise canceling headphones, those are good for all sorts of things. It's one of those purchases you never regret, especially if you work in a busy or loud space.
As for us, we had an orthodontics check for my oldest. Her palate expander gets to stay in place for another three months and then we're onto the next phase of opening her mouth. It's amazing how much it has changed the structure of her upper jaw, and for the better. She had a pretty bad crossbite and it was one of those things that if not fixed fairly quickly was going to lead to permanent facial issues. Her teeth are still a bit crooked and she'll need braces when she is older, but her bite is more aligned and her teeth are straightening a bit on their own.
Afterward I generally treat the four kids to frozen yogurt next door to the orthodontics place. My oldest got full and tossed half of hers, which still amazes me. I never remember not finishing something delicious, even if I was stuffed to the brim. But she is naturally very lean and doesn't enjoy eating nearly as much as I did as a kid. My others are also fairly intuitive eaters, though they're stronger in build and bigger in appetite that the oldest.
I've felt pretty good the part few days. Exhausted, but only lightly nauseous. The biggest downside right now is that I am having a food aversion to the seafood I usually eat every day for lunch. I tried half a can of oysters today and it was a chore to get them down. That's unfortunate, as I love them and they're so nutritious.
I really need to get my butt off the couch, do dishes, and get in my piano practice before my lesson tonight. Off to do the next few things.