New Schools

School has finally started. It is a very different look, thanks to COVID, but they are going. The first week it was all online. Since we usually do their candy poster while they are at school the first day, we had to put it out the night before when they were asleep. 

We started the morning off with a bang. At registration we weren't given Camden and Beckham's log in and all of the sites we went to for help just said to use last years. Being new, we didn't have one. We finally got those, the boys were only about 5 minutes late, but we sent them to their spaces to do school. 

Emery started shortly after. 

It didn't take long to realize the first day was not going to go easy. The TEAMS application and the school laptops were not working. I messages Paul to make sure we weren't the only ones, nope, pretty much the whole district was going through the same thing. All of his kids gave up and were on tablets. So we got them all up on different things we had at home. 

Emery was first on my phone.

 

Camden was able to get on the desktop. There were 8 in his first class. 

Out laptop doesn't work to play sound, so Beck did work on the laptop while listening on his phone. 

Jackson started last and we got him on a tablet. He thought he was in trouble because he could 'raise his hand' like some of the other kids could who were able to get the school ones working. Jackson came to me worried, so I let the teacher know we were working on it. His teacher was amazing. there were about 10-12 of the 25 ish students that were able to get on during the day. In TEAMS you can chat and send Gifs, which pretty quick the teacher had to ban because that is all that was being sent. 

By the end of the day we had 2 lap tops that worked pretty well. By the end of the week the school figured out the laptops and most were able to join easily. The this past week the kids are doing a hybrid. They go to school every other day and home learning the rest. The kids hear a lot of interesting things on the online learning. They've all heard a few kids and parents swear. Jackson's class, in their innocents, corrects each other. Someone typed wat and Jackson replied, 'did you mean What?'

The first day going Brad and I were a little worried. It was like kindergarten when you didn't know who they would sit but, if they would have someone to talk to or eat lunch with. Jackson said he made a friend and talked with him a lot. Emery said she talked to a few people, but one boy wouldn't stop talking to her at lunch. She was annoyed she only had 15 minutes to eat and the boy was bugging her. Cam and Beck didn't talk much at all. At lunch, some came up to Beck and said Hey you're in my class. Beck said yup and didn't talk the rest of lunch. The boys stayed there and they ate in silence. Hopefully tomorrow when they go back for day 2, they try and talk more. I think they are ready to get out of the house finally, but still makes them nervous to meet all new people. Monday was the first day Brad was alone during the day in months. He sat with the dogs a few times to keep each other company. They are all ready for COVID to go away so they can see all of the kids and only go to school, not home, and most of all, no masks. 

Hiking

On Labor Day we went out past Bogus to got on a hike. We went up one pretty steep hill but it was worth it. The views were so pretty. They would have been even better if there wasn't as much smoke as there is, but it was still nice. 

The before picture. Brad and I are behind Paul's head. 

We had a picnic after the hike. Everyone was ready for a snack after the hike. 

Some pictures from the top of the hill. A little over half up Emery got a little stomach ache then was breathing heavy. I told her to go to the side. She started to say she couldn't breath the got really worried. She didn't drink enough water and the hill was pretty steep, but I think she had a little panic attack. I held her face and had her breath with me and she was able to calm down. After that the rest of the hike was okay for her and she had fun with her cousins. 

We took the dogs and they did great. They were tired in the end. Luna decided Cam was a good seat on the way home. 

A New Car

Okay we didn't really get a new car, we are doing the next best thing, braces. This week child 1 of 2 got braces on, which in the end will cost about the same as a used car. Camden was the first to get his on. He is 14 and still has a baby tooth, the adult tooth is coming is sideways, so it isn't making the baby fall out. In the x-ray, the baby tooth isn't the one that the tip of the adult one is at, it's the one to the left of it.  He will have braces for a while, then have an oral surgery where they pull that baby tooth, then put a bracket and chain on the adult tooth and pull the tooth into place that way. If left untreated, it could/ would damage the front adult teeth and possibly knock them out. 

He was pretty nervous getting them on. I'm not sure what he thought would happen, but he asked if he had to be awake for it. 

The worst part is leaving your mouth open for so long. 

His mouth full of metal. The past few days they have hurt and he talks a little weird now, but he's slowly getting used to them. 

Next is Emery's turn. She starts her journey in October. 

My Needed Experience

When you make a lot of phone calls, you are bound to have a lot of different experiences. Happy people, angry one, ones that are confused, one that don't want to talk to you at all, one's that are glad you called and ones that just want to talk. The ones that want to just talk can be hard, because I'm not really good with small talk and also, I have a list of others that I need to call. The other day I got someone who talked a lot. After I did what I needed to he asked when I grew up and graduated from. It was a little weird, but I thought it was ending soon, so it wasn't bad. He told me where he graduated from, a little town in Idaho he thought I'd never heard of. He was surprised when I said I have family who lives there. He then when on and asked if I could Google something for him real quick. I thought it would be directions, but it was the title of a book. I found it and he said the woman was his wife. She got dementia and he took care of her. He loved her so much and it was a really hard thing for him to do. He knew that there has to be others out there like him and so he started to write down his experiences and time spent caring for the woman he loved.  After she passes he wanted to make a book to help others through the same trial. Again, I'm not good with words, but I thought it was so sweet that he shared this. He them asked if someone has ever recited a poem from memory over the phone. I could honestly say no to that. Then he said sit back and just listen and he started...

Should you go first and I remain,

To walk the road alone,

I'll live in memory's garden, dear,

With happy days we've known.

In Spring I'll wait for roses red,

When fades the lilac blue,

In early Fall when brown leaves call

I'll catch a glimpse of you.

Should you go first and I remain,

For battles to be fought,

Each thing you've touched along the way

Will be a hallowed spot.

I'll hear your voice, I'll see your smile,

Though blindly I may grope,

The memory of your helping hand

Will buoy me on with hope.

Should you go first and I remain,

To finish with the scroll,

No length 'ning shadows shall creep in

To make this life seem droll.

We've known so much of happiness,

We've had our cup of joy,

And memory is one gift of God

That death cannot destroy.

Should you go first and I remain,

One thing I'd have you do:

Walk slowly down that long, lone path,

For soon I'll follow you.

I'll want to know each step you take

That I may walk the same,

For some day down that lonely road

You'll hear me call your name.

This was a one of a kind experience to have happen. In the short time I talked with this person, you could sense the love he had for his wife, how much he misses her and how much people need someone to talk to. I now need to get this book and read it. This happened about a week or so ago and I think about this poem often. Before I hung up the phone, I thanked him for this and wished him well. I need it to remind myself to pause sometimes and take a breath. I don't need to make call after call after call. Taking 20 minutes to just listen to someone can change your whole day. 

Family Time

This month was Camden's special night. He wanted to do an escape room, but the one we found you had to have 4 people. We told him he can take a sibling or a cousin. He wanted to take Zandar. We did a Titanic one that was pretty hard. The guy said about 30% make it through. We weren't part of that 30%, we died. But we were close. 

We went to a move this weekend. Yes an actual theater movie. It was cheaper and we saw "The Goonies", but it was still fun to be back at the theater. Ours wasn't very full, which is to be expected. We (well maybe I) sure missed theater popcorn. 

Jackson made a game for us all to play. Boss 1 of 4 had 1000 health. While our heroes only could do max 50 damage a turn. We played for about 45 minutes before we took a break. While it was an impossible game that would last for hours, it was still fun to see his imagination at work. 

Next challenge, Nuggets. We drove a few places and got nuggets, or chicken strips and fries and ranked them. We did not put Chick Fil A in, because that is number 1, no contest. Because cold fries are nasty, we just drove to each place and tried them out. 

Number 2 is Burger Kind chicken Fries (not sure how), then McDonald's, Popeye's, Golden Wheel and last Sonic. Sonic is much like Jack 'N the Box and was trash.

For Fries it was McDonald's, Burger King, Golden Wheel, Sonic and Popeye's. 

Randoms With Kids

For a few months Camden has been talking about getting a 3D printer. He wants to make characters for D&D or a game that he is making with Beck and Brad. Brad also wanted a printer, so they went in together to get one. The one they got uses resin (a liquid) to make the prints. I really don't get how it starts as a pan of liquid to make what it has. The detail this one can get is pretty amazing.  

This was the test run. We don't know what it is, other than to show a few things that it can do. 

When you the print is done and you open it us, this is what it looks like. A lot of the lines are supports, and they get cut off. 

The final guy. We cut all of the supports off and its just a guy with a gun. Its pretty amazing though. 

 It's fun to see the kids hang out with family that they haven't much in the past. Jayson's older 3 kids came over to swim and sleep over (well I don't think any of the boys actually slept).

Emery loves girl time. 

Speaking of girl, this happened this week. Emery told me she didn't like it when people said she has a lot of blond hair on her legs. She wanted to know when I started shaving and why she couldn't yet. This was the first time she has ever brought it up. I told her next time I grocery shop we can get things for her. She was very excited and loves the fact she is growing up more and more. 

CPC

 

Back in November I started a course to become a Certified Medical Coder. I freak out every time when I take a test, so a few tests in, I wondered what I was doing. I was set to take my final test in March... then COVID. The week before I went to take it, they canceled it. There was finally an option to make the test online. I put it off more than I should have, but the weekend after the reunion, I took the test. It was two 2.5 hour test. To say I was nervous  is a massive understatement. Someone had to watch me on a webcam the whole time. I had to keep telling myself to breath, relax and go slow. After the second test I just had to wait, and wait, and wait. The longer you have to wait, the more you just think you failed. I got a call today from the company and the message said they needed to talk to me about my test. When I called back, I was waiting for a, 'Sorry you didn't pass.' Instead she told me I passed! I'm not sure I believe it still, but it is a good feeling to be done and to have actually pass. Now I just have to wait and watch for a coder job to open up. 

Fun Weekend

The day we left was the day I turned 34! Yup, I'm getting old. It was nice to be home that evening just to relax as a family. Watched a movie and ate cupcakes that Emery made. I am excited to start whitening my teeth. I mentioned it a lot to Brad. Thankfully he listened. 

Then Grandma Arrington came down for a girls day. We went to Zupas for lunch, then shopped at the mall, walked around Albertson's Marketplace (an amazing store) and got some massive cupcakes. They were good but way too sweet. I love that the three of us can get together for an afternoon of fun. I miss Twin and seeing mom every day, but I really makes me look forward to these days. 

The even had dog cupcakes. Which the dogs were too sure of at first, but loved them in the end.