First day 2020

Today was the much anticipated first day back.  Spring break finally ended and we were all ready.  

Sort of. 

Preston is a sophomore.  

Quincy is a “fresh meat”

Harper is in 5th grade with Mrs. Smith 

Saige is in 3rd grade with Mrs. Wells. 

This is my 5th year driving the bus. 

And Mallory’s 3rd year teaching 2nd grade.  

It’s also Madison’s second year of working in the kitchen, and her first year as the head cook.   She didn’t give me a first day photo though, so I took a picture of her mini-me while she was gone!  Evie did not want to go home, she wanted to ride the bus with me!  

The kids reported that it was a good day mostly.  Getting used to wearing masks was a little hard. Harper told me her mask was pretty gross and she was happy I made her take an extra one!   Saige said her teacher was nice but she is really tired.  I think that is probably from having no schedule for 6 months (maybe??).   The bus was a little rough.  After 40 some years the old bus boss retired.  The new guy though he had some ideas on how to do things better.  Let me just say, we will be going back to the old way tomorrow, and I believe it will be better.  

I am praying for a good and safe year.  

Spring break champs

Well, this is it.  After (almost) 6 months home, this is the last day.   Tomorrow we start school.  We have struggled.  This decision pained us.  Yet, here we are.  I enjoyed our spring break!   I remember on March 5 when school let out for spring break, thinking how much I needed some time off.  Little did I know!   Jim and I have been doing this parent thing for 24 years.  We like to think we are decent at it.  Never in our lives have we dealt with anything like this.  And honestly, because it has been so politicized, it is dang near impossible to tell what is true, what is accurate, which “scientific” article to believe.  The science changes.  The ideas change.  It’s like shooting at a moving target, except your gun is broken, and your bullets are possibly aimed at your kid.  

A week or so ago, after spending our summer debating, reading, considering, crying (mostly me), listening to state guidelines, board of education meetings, making senseless amounts of phone calls asking questions, emailing school personnel, and sitting in bus meetings, we made a decision to send our kids back on September 14.  This would give us a couple weeks to see what the numbers did, as well as seeing that protocol are being followed. It was a great plan. And then we started getting the back to school emails, information on new software the kids need to learn, new protocol and training.  It was information overload.  Sending them back seemed easier than not.  The kids (particularly my high school crowd) want to just go back, learn the “new normal” and not try to play catch up while learning it.  And so, after a few more tears, a couple sleepless nights, a huge trip for supplies and more face masks, we are plunging in head first and sending the kids back tomorrow.  I am a very opinionated person.  I own that.  I am usually not afraid of telling people what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.  But this?  I have nothing.  There are no good answers. There is not any real way to do anything except decide and make peace with it. This morning, during mass, Father Jo literally said “you have to find joy in your decisions, and have the grace to carry them through.”  I needed to hear that.  

And if you are the praying type, I have a 2nd grade teacher who has updated her life insurance and asked us to take her animals if something happens.  Guys, she is 24 years old.  We should not be having that conversation.  I also have a head cook, and myself driving a bus where I am not only responsible for their physical safety, I am literally responsible for their health safety as well.  Please pray.  For teachers, school personnel and all these kids.  

Enough of that.  We are resilient. I am putting all my trust in God and refuse to shed another tear or miss any more sleep over it. 

We had an awesome weekend.  Colin and Spencer came to visit.  They brought Volt. We spent some time (outside) visiting my cousin Brenda.  We had Sunday lunch and enjoyed our granddaughter and a lot of our granddogs.  We made a trip to Casey’s for end of the summer slushes. We are getting back to school haircuts and the kids are excited.  We are blessed people!  

Almost

Quincy has passed the written portion of her drivers license testing.  Today she drove for the second time with the DMV tester.  Today she made a left turn without waiting for the oncoming traffic, and traveled down the middle of the street.  Apparently these things are frowned upon.  I joke, but we know she shouldn’t have done these things.   We honestly drove around for quite a while practicing and she did a good job.  I think she got nervous.  Luckily nobody was hurt.  She did get her learner’s permit so we can legally let her practice driving. It is hard to go from a tiny town to a bigger city when you are just learning.   She will get there before long! 

She was sad, but she sure is cute!  

The fires out west seem to have created some beauty in our sunsets and sunrises around here. I’m sorry for their losses.   This year just keeps on giving it seems.   

I ended this day with parking a bus in my driveway.  I guess stuff is about to get real!   

Weekends need to be longer

We had a good weekend. Jim had to work quite  a bit. He did pick up Chinese food for us, after the girls and I spent the day cleaning and shampooing carpets.  We like the Hy-vee Chinese pick up.  The family dinner for 4 feeds all 6 of us and isn’t terribly expensive. I also am on record with saying I detest  carpet. Next big projects will be finish the pool deck, and replace flooring.  Not sure if Jim is on board with either project, but I like having lists!  

Carlos is getting big!  I think the extra food to keep him from getting hypoglycemic seizures is making him grow fast!   He’s such a sweet little dog!  Every morning, Jim either has breakfast burritos or sausage.  Carlos has figured out that Jim is very generous at breakfast time! I think it is so funny how the animals all know who is the big softie in the family!  

We had family dinner, and figured out how to keep Evelyn in the pool for more than 10 minutes!  GG!  She loved swimming with her GG! I also watched Evelyn go down the slide no less than 40 times!  She kept saying slide!  Again!  She should sleep good tonight!  Andrew, Preston and Quincy also went fishing at the river.  It was a really good, relaxing day and I’m so thankful.  One week from today will technically be a school night.   Madison, Mallory and I will all have to be ready to go!   We decided that we will be sending the kids back for in person education, but we are going to hold them out for the first 2 weeks.  This will allow us to make sure protocol is being followed, and will give us a chance to see if there is a spike in the numbers. Right now the infection rate in our county is very low.  I feel strongly that kids need to go to school. At this point, our kids have been out of school since March 5.  They miss the schedule, their friends, the time away from each other.  Yes, I know they aren’t going back to the same school that they left behind, and yes I know the risks, and yes I am aware that we will probably end up back in shut down.  But I don’t believe that a vaccine will be ready for a long time. And I don’t know that I will rush out to inject myself or my family with a fast-tracked vaccine.  This is life right now.  It’s sad, it’s a mess, and it’s an absolutely disappointment in the way it has been handled.  We are going to pay close attention, and do the best we can.  

Tonight, Harper and Quincy decided to sleep in Quincy’s van. (They have the windows down). I’m not sure why they want to do this.  I’m not sure it is a good idea at all, but we are allowing it.  Summer is winding down and the time for silly ideas is now!   Saige was a little sad because they said there was not room for her in their van.   That is when Preston suggested that they go “glamping.”  You know, tent sleeping, but in the air conditioning, with tv, and no bugs!  

The kids are also carefully watching over these little baby watermelons.  We have never been successful with growing them before!   Exciting times at our house!   Fingers crossed the squash bugs don’t find them before we get to eat them!  

I wish we had another day!  Weekends never stay! 

Accomplishment

Since Preston bought a new car, and it is actually running, he sold his van to Quincy.  She worked all summer to pay him off.  During pandemic times, where we are spending a lot of time at home, the kids have taken to buying random things from amazon.  Curbing her spending so she could make the payments was difficult!   She finally finished her payment plan today!  She was even a couple of weeks early - —- thanks to grandma and grandpa for the add on to her goat!  

Quincy has also spent the summer studying for her driving test.   She passed the written part yesterday. She failed the driving test due to parking in a crosswalk, and turning too sharply.  I guess she just joins a long list of people in our family with dmv failure stories.  She won’t have to retake the written, but we go again next week to re-do the driving test.   Fingers crossed that she has a better day!   I have been letting her practice.  This is kid #6 that we have taught to drive.  This is a chore I personally can not wait to have finished!   

When momma has to unload a truck load of school food, I get to snuggle a certain little sweet pea.  I only had her for about an hour, but I had a couple of really mad aunties who were sad because I got all the snuggles!  

I cannot believe how fast this week flew by!   Here’s to a good weekend!  

Just as bad as I remembered.

A few weeks ago, I was telling the kids about the time they filmed a movie at the Overbrook fair.  I was Quincy’s age when they filmed it.  I remember that I was supposed to be helping my mom run a rabbit show, but instead some friends and I joined in as extras while they tried to keep the carnival rides full.   We rode a lot of rides for free that night.   My mom was not a happy camper!  

When I was telling the kids the story, they wanted to watch the movie.  I laughed because I knew it was pretty bad.  We couldn’t find it online, or on Netflix and when we did find it, it cost $6 to rent.  It was definitely not worth paying for!  

My Facebook post begging to borrow a copy was met by my friend Wade locating a copy.  It finally came in this week.   Preston decided Friday would be “crappy movie night!”   He even googled snacks to have while watching terrible movies.   He went to town to get the crappy snacks too!  

The movie did not disappoint. It is terrible.  Which just made it all the more fun.  We did see the Overbrook fair, and I am positive it was me you can hear screaming from the carnival!   (Because I am famous).  Let’s just say that nobody will be sad when we return this to the library!  

Mid-week update

 

Cameron started his classes at KSU this week.  He is a junior (already).  He told me that he thinks things are going as expected.  He reported to me that the professor in his first class of the year started off by giving them all a butt-chewing.  He told them that if he was going to risk his life, and the lives of his children, that the students better knock off the parties and take the safety protocol seriously.  Cameron said he understands where the guy is coming from.  Cameron also said that he doesn't feel many people are 'that worried about it.'  He is worried, he wants to stay in person and not be forced online.  Cameron was also quoted on the news, both Kansas City and the USA today.  He is upset that the university has charged all their students online learning fees, regardless of if they chose the online option.  It is a way to make up for the decline in enrollment.  He said he would not mind as much if this fee was going to the professors, but it isn't.  It is a way for the university to increase tuition without going through the board of regents.  I was amused by the comments section of the KMBC 9 news page calling these kids names and saying if you want an education, you have to pay for it.  Apparently they did not read the article, or pay attention to the part where Cameron was just saying it was not an option that he chose, it is like being billed for a service you don't have.   Anyway, I hope he stays safe and I am always proud of him.  Standing up for what you believe in sometimes isn't easy.  

Grandma sent me this photo.  If they are chopping corn, it is time to go back to school.  As both a summer lover, and on overthinker on the covid 19 school reopening, I can say NOOO!  I am not ready!  Usually, by this time of the summer, my kids have started bickering and are bored with summer stuff.  This year, I can say nobody is ready to face the year.  I change my mind daily on whether we should send the kids or keep them home.  Honestly, I have tried to 'follow the science,' have tried to read as much as I can about it, but that doesn't make the decision any easier.  Jim and I are legitimately struggling to make this choice.  This might be the hardest thing we have ever had to decide.  Luckily, we have each other, and mostly agree.  I have a bus meeting tomorrow, and aim to get some answers for the questions I have looming in my brain.  

Madison is currently off work, but still has her evening cook job at the bar.  Evelyn stayed with us yesterday afternoon.  The younger girls went shopping with Mallory.  Preston was working on his car.  Quincy was busy with studying for the driver's test she will be taking (again - ahem)  this week.  Poor Evelyn kept ringing the dog's door bell and saying "svimmm please!"  When Harper and Saige got back, I made them swim with her for a little while.  Evelyn is a 10 minute swimmer!  We also think it is hilarious because she says 'swim' with a funny little accent.  I just love this little baby girl!  

Preston and Andrew got the 'new' car running last night.  It needed a new brake line.  They also did a few other things to it.  It still needs a muffler, but that will be next on the list.  Preston sold his van to Quincy, and proclaimed that he will be driving the Honda now.  Of course, Quincy has yet to pass the driving test, so she has a van but no license.  :)  I am thankful for Andrew helping Preston.  I am happy for how close they are.  

The relaxing day we needed.

No matter how scaled down it was, the fair, plus meetings, Jim’s city council crazy week, and whatever else, made for a long, exhausting week.  Today, we attended mass, and then the fairground clean up time.  I had good intentions of cleaning my house and catching up the laundry. The reality was, I was tired.  The kids and Jim all laid down and were either napping or quietly watching tv, and the next thing I knew it was late afternoon!   I hardly ever nap.  Needless to say my list was not accomplished, and our Sunday dinner turned into family pizza night.   Nobody seemed to mind!  I did catch up the weeks worth of hand dishes and managed to sweep the kitchen floor before the girls got here for dinner!   

Evelyn spent the evening asking for goats.  We took her down to show her that we don’t have any more goats.  She ended up buckled into the stantion. If you can’t see a goat, be a goat I guess.  The kids also had an evening swim with Evie and Patrick (Andrew’s little brother).  They were all having fun and neither Evie nor Patrick wanted to leave.   

Mallory “baby” sat for Carlos while we were at the auction.  She lost him.  She was starting to worry when he popped his little head out of her basket!  He is seriously the cutest little puppy!  He is doing good on his increased calorie diet and seems to be happy and playful.  

Dusty sent me this photo of our girls from last night.  Landrie and Quincy are getting ready to start their freshman year.  It’s so hard for me to see them as “old” kids.  They are so funny and I love their friendship.  Everyone should have a BFF.  

Fairs are fun, but I might have the thought in my head that I’m glad to be finished for this year!   

Day 4- sale day

We started out our day early at the pet show.  None of our people wanted to participate in the show, however Quincy’s CWF group was selling drinks at the shows, and it was her turn to work!  

After the pet show, Quincy and Preston went to work at the vineyard.  It is grape harvest time.  That left Saige and Harper to get the goats washed and fitted for the auction.  They did a great job and had everything ready on time!   

Saige had everyone brushed and lined up for snacks!   This was a great group of goats.  They were friendly, broke easily and grew well!  We will definitely miss them.  

I’m sure I have mentioned this before, but I love the county fair.  All the best memories are fair memories.  

I wasn’t sure how the auction would go, as the pandemic has messed up a lot of stuff.  The buyers were mightily generous!  We are so blessed to be part of a community that takes such good care of us.  And just like that....fair 2020 is done!