Selfies of the Week (and a few other random photos.)

 The pool opened this weekend!  Swimming in the rain. 

Libby doesn't have a swimsuit.  So swimming in sports bra and shorts that almost never leave her body. 

Is it possible to go to the bathroom w/out taking a selfie?  I guess not. 

Derek has been working a ton (#goals).  This was in a press release about the University Street Fair 

Friends

Again...in the bathroom--Libby's bestie from church is moving away this week.  More crying to ensue. 

Clark proving his high kick abilities.  Haha. 

Ben Update

Mr. Tadlock captured your finish line for 1/2 mile! 

 Ben has had a fun few weeks.  He got to be a "Settler" for Ms. Sezate's class--helping in their storypath.  He also had such a good time in our school running club.  The fun run was this week.  He thinks he took 5th place in the 1/2 mile and about 15th in the mile (time of 8:18).  I didn't see him finish the 1/2 mile because I was taking pictures of other kids as they came by.  I was super proud of his effort!  He's going to do a track club this summer. 

He also got to sleep over with Jed and Rory for Jed's 11th.  Maren outdid herself again with the cake and the goodie baskets.  They also went to a trampoline park.  Good times for Benny.  On Tuesday we leave for 5th grade camp! 

Libby Life Update

 Libby made the drill team again (don't remember if I said this already.) But they took FOREVER to decide on captains.  Finally they made the decision and she was not selected.  This wasn't surprising to me in some ways.  Her commitment to the team wavered greatly from week to week (even practice to practice).  But she did really step up her game for tryouts.  So she was sad that her big effort at the end couldn't help her get what she wanted.  I think it's a great life lesson. But it was hard to swallow.  

On the up side, she had a great time with her friends at her first school dance.  All the dress shopping was worth it...

The Drill awards banquet (which was semi-formal for the girls and casual for families??) made me realize that her dress was one of the most modest...most of the girls had these little short dresses that made it almost impossible to get in and out of the cafeteria tables.  

Libby is still so sad that she didn't make captain.  We'll see. Hopefully they'll find a new coach that can bring some positive energy to the team. 

Sarah Prelims...

 Sarah qualified for "Prelims" in discus which in track is the preliminary to the district tournament.  She qualified with a throw of 41 feet.  Not too shabby.  The day of the event was sunny and COLD.  And then the sun started to go down. And lower, and lower it sunk into the sky without the boys finishing discus...By the time the girls started, it was 7:30 pm.  We were so ready to be out of there.  It was horrible.  And she threw horribly.  I felt bad that she didn't get a good chance to throw.  But motivation for next year, right?

Two Weeks in Review...

I'm busy working on Ben's photo book--so then I forget the blog.  But if I forget to blog--I don't remember anything for their photo books.  So I've gotta post! Anyway--if you're following my hip recovery, it's going pretty well.  Depends on the minute (and what I've been doing) how much pain I'm feeling.  I've been to 4 PT sessions, and she has me working hard strengthening all the muscles I've let go over the last few years because it was just too painful to use them with the issues with my hip/psoas.  They are kind of important muscles groups--like the entire core and left glute. So I've got my work cut out for me.  What is bad is that it's the time of year when I want to be getting my yard and garden cleaned up.  Ben helped a lot yesterday, and Sarah and Derek helped a little.  So we got a few beds weeded out, radishes and some beans and flowers planted.  The summer furniture is outside (ready for another week of cold and rain.). Also the cold I had this last week is mostly gone.  But today I'm sore from the little yard work I did yesterday.  I need to be more patient with the healing.  It's hard. 

This last week was also consumed by looking for a Spring Fling dress for Libby.  Ugh.  Double Ugh.  We went out 3 different times. There was nothing I would consider modest.  And she was determined to have spaghetti straps since that's what Derek said she couldn't have.  Literally all the dresses look like lingerie to me.  I wouldn't wear them in public.  But since it's what literally all the dresses look like--I guess they will all look like they are dressed for the bedroom.  So it'll be fine?  Ugh.  At least we found one that has some length to the bottom?  And at least it was under $40?  We went to like 8 stores and tried on anything and everything she was willing to try on.  I should have been prepared for this somehow.  But she was armed with a quote about how modesty is purity culture and blah blah blah.  So anyway--she's got a dress that is just lovely on her and that I don't think she should leave the house in.  

Libby also decided to try out for the drill team again and made the team.  She has applied to be a captain and really taken to heart the idea of being a leader.  She helped lots of girls prepare for tryouts and is excited to mentor. Of course the decision on who captains will be is taking FOREVER to come out.  I guess it will be this week sometime, finally.  Also a good representation of how many kids are still masking at school here.  Many/most? There will be a new advisor next year--so I'm hoping for tighter organization.  A mom can dream, right? 

We celebrated Mother's Day/Alayne & Geneva's birthdays last week in Everett.  It was a pretty lovely day (we've mostly had rain & cold.) 

It was also a SW wrestling work party last Saturday.  One of our former neighbors bought the SW wrestling team to come work for a few hours at the Booster Auction.  He was very pleased with their hard work! And the pouring rain held off until after they were done. 

Derek and I went to the SCC jazz night (or somewhere) last weekend and the kids had fun doing masks.  

 

The birthday girls. 

Libby sharing my recliner on Mother's Day.  So she could sing on encore of her morning song for me.  "Mother I love you, Mother I do, ...when I am near you, sometimes I fear you..."hahaha.

Sarah had a track meet this Wednesday.  I just missed her throwing the shot put (I came straight from a haircut.) 

This is just after I almost missed her throwing the discus.  (I went to sit in the car in between because it was freezing.  I was on the phone finding someone to inspect our backflow--we got a letter from the Seattle Public Utilities about this.  Spoiler alert--our backflow failed inspection.  Ugh.) I rushed over and saw her throw her last disc.  I'm super proud of her!  

Libby wanted to have a fashion show night last night--so she could show off her new dress.  But she looped in the neighbor and Sarah.  Ben was the judge. 

Ben got a haircut last night that he things makes him look like a Jedi.  I may have put the part over too far...so it looks a little mohawkish.  He just wanted a regular haircut at first...then changed his mind. So the part was in the spot for regular haircut, not the tight on the side haircut.  Oops.  But he looks great. Jedis are awesome, right? 

We have about a month of school left (including weekends and the week at 5th grade camp.) I am so looking forward to summer! 

Spring Break 2022

 I was feeling well enough by our actual Spring Break to plan one fun day for the kids...(I had an ulterior motive--get them out of the house for our housecleaner--but still!) 

Day of Fun Agenda:

Breakfast at Family Pancake house

Bouncing at a Trampoline Park in Marysville (the only one open during the housecleaning time)

Lunch at Chick-Fil-A (gotta have the lemonade and waffle fries)

Then they came home and played until I took Libby for a facial at 5.

Then I could run off and leave them for the rest of the break, right? 

Ben brought a buddy to jump.  Libby and Sarah didn't have anyone who could go, but the 4 of them had a great time together. 

Then I did actually ditch them for a big birthday trip for Geneva.  Happy 75! 

When Keri proposed the location, I thought it was honestly super bizarre.  But it ended up awesome!

We flew into Pittsburgh, stayed in Ohio, but spent lots of time in West Virginia.  I changed states so many times it was kind of crazy.  It was up in the air whether or not I was going to be able to go (my airfare was booked as a companion with Maren--and she could no longer go.) But Maren and Geneva pooled their miles and got me on the flight!

I got to experience the wheelchair service in the airport :). (I also got to drive one of the scooters in the grocery store in Ohio!). 

But the best part of the trip was getting to hang out with these awesome women.  I am so lucky to be a Norton!

Our AirBnB--it's on a working farm.  We had farm fresh raw milk, cream, butter & eggs in the fridge.  Yum.  

Toronto Brick.  Guess who was wearing the crocs? Guess who took only crocs on the trip--when you're on crutches--you only need one pair of shoes! 

World's biggest TEAPOT! 

Dinner at Later Alligator (Delicious--we ate so much good food--I think I gained about 15 pounds)

The Fiesta Factory! (This was the main destination...I couldn't do the tour, so I sat and read--what I did the most during the trip, and I LOVED that too!)

Other awesome restaurants--Renovatios (in an old bank--lovely), Bricker's cafeteria--some down home cooking, and the Tudor Biscuit House.  SO GOOD.  Really--it was all so lovely and went so smoothly.  I needed the rest and relaxation.  

Am I ready to go back to school?  I'm not sure.  My feet are SO swollen right now.  I'm kicking back in the recliner.  I'm off crutches as of this afternoon. So we will see!!