Uncharted Territory

Well, if I thought last week was bad...this week was...well, unprecedented.  I just keep saying that word because that is what is going on.  We have a horrible bug going around that seems to have a LONG incubation time.  And lives for a LONG time on surfaces.  And is fatal for people who are older, especially with compromised immune systems.  And cases just keep growing.  So we have to stop people from interacting.  And cross our fingers and hope that it works.
Because we haven't really faced a challenge like this exactly.
So, school is closed.  When we left school on the 11th of March, we thought it was until the 27th.  Then, on Friday, they decided that we need 6 weeks.  I felt so shocked.  Both times.  But now I am in a weird zombie like state.  This can't be real.  I can't  really be getting paid for 6 weeks of teaching that I'm not doing?  I can't really be home with all 3 kids for 6 weeks?
I can see so many things that I could do.  But what I really want is for life to go back to normal.  But will it ever?  Can we ever feel safe in a large group of people again?  YIKES!

Well, we decided (again) to live on the wild side and we went to Canada.  I felt a little guilty leaving when I guess it is possible we are carrying the virus.  But no one had a fever (and no one does now).  So we took advantage of the random time off (Derek took only 1 extra day), and we went to Victoria.  We hadn't been back since our honeymoon.  It was lovely to be away from the paranoia and insanity.  It was mostly business as usual in Canada.  Delicious restaurants and an open hotel pool.  The weather was cold but mostly sunny.  So today is the first day I am really home and staring down the barrel of 6 weeks without my normal routine.  I guess that's long enough to establish a new normal.

Buchart Gardens

Buchart Gardens

Someone was VERY unhappy about going to the Gardens in the cold.  (It really wasn't that bad.)  

Pink Bicycle

Natural History Museum

Breakfast.  So yummy!  Best breakfast ever I think. 

The hotel pool. 

Swanky bathrobes. 

Derek's souvenir (Shakespearean insults)

The Parliament

This store was called Oscar and Libby's ;)

Queen Victoria! 

The Empress

So fun to be all together !

I did start some yard work!  Wednesday Night I got to busy on the flower beds! Before! 

The after picture isn't showing up.  But it looked much better, including the zen rocks ;)  I've got this. 

What to post?

This week was PACKED, like usual.  So here's what I should have been posting about. 
1. Wrestling Banquet on Monday Night.
2. Libby's Middle School Choir Concert on Wednesday Night (she had a solo!)
3. All 3 kids' choir concert on Saturday (Ben had a solo!)

Well, only posting about #1.  #corona Because the other two were cancelled.  And, just so you can look forward to what I won't be blogging about next week:
1.  Libby's first and second middle school wrestling match (where she earned a varsity spot in the line-up last week)
2. The RS activity planned by my committee for Tuesday.
3. Sarah's musical (where she plays one of the 3 evil queens).
4. Feeding the homeless on Thursday for church (we are instead making drop off containers on Wednesday--for people who feel it is safe.)
5.  And yeah...please don't let anything else be cancelled!

SOOO glad we had the banquet on Monday night before the insanity set in.  It was a lovely banquet with almost every wrestler in attendance.  Just like the season, it felt magical.  The boys loved their beanies.  Maren and Clark and I bet on how many times Derek would tear up--graduating so many families who have meant so much to our family.  We set the line at 2.5.  Maren and I took the over, but he only teared up twice, so I owe Clark $1. 

The boys loved making the flagrant foul ejection gesture.  They gave Derek a ref shirt.  Hilarious.  I'm going to wear it if we have a Sports Day at school. 

These guys!  Brandon was a wrestler so many years ago, and now has been one of Derek's assistants for about 5 years (?)  How the time flies!

Oh how I want this week to be a normal one.  Oh how I am trying not to RAGE about the reaction to this corona outbreak.  Deep breaths.  It's like a snowpocalypse.  Eventually it will end.

Also, yesterday I engaged in so much risky behavior!  Instead of the concert, I went with an amazing crew of women who I will be working with for Girls' Camp to see our camp location.  I hadn't been there and was so VERY impressed.  I am excited for Zion's Camp.  This trip included a ferry (think of the germs) and a meeting with about 50 women (again!  germs!).
I came home and went a movie with the family (there weren't many people there...so I guess it wasn't that risky).  Then we went to an almost empty restaurant for dinner.  (Who knew this kind of day would be SO SO HIGH RISK!)
So, if I die tomorrow, you'll know it was my own fault.

Sarah's first temple trip

It was dark and wet when we got to the temple, and Sarah wasn't even in my car so I forgot to take a picture.  But Derek, Libby, Sarah and I were all there together in the baptistry.  Geneva and Brion (who had supplied some family names) watched from the baptistry waiting room.  Derek baptized both of them and I handed them towels.  It was lovely to be with them in the temple.
Families are Forever.

Crazy Hair Day & Student Council 2020

So Student Council work is so fun.  And can be so exhausting.  In February we filmed an amazing ad for the student store, put up around 900 hearts for all the students and staff at MP, and had a crazy hat making party the day before Crazy Hat & Hair day.  The party was ongoing for all recesses.  What an effort.  To set up, to take down, to try and deliver the hats.  Ugh.  Never again.  And now, we have spirit week in March.  I need a minute before I can even think about it.  Luckily/sadly we have parent teacher conferences this week so I can't/won't work on much student council stuff because there are no recesses on half days.  I guess I do need to finalize the student store scripts. But the committees did a good job getting them started.  

Even with my level of burnout, I went out and took pictures of all the kindergarteners with their crazy hats/hair and felt so much love.  It is so fun to see kids smiling at school.  Worth it?  Yes, when I scale it appropriately.  Which is one of my challenges! 

I did scrunchie pigtails, since I went to the temple in the evening. 

I shaved the sides of Ben's head and put in purple and gold stripes.  They don't show up super well, but he loved it.  I almost convinced him to go mohawk.  But then he decided against it.  He is so rational! (Which I love most of the time.)

Presidents' Day 2020

I never got around to this post last Sunday.  Our full week mid-winter break went by so quickly that I can't even believe it.  I did spend Thurs-Sat in Tacoma for state.  But the rest of the week was spent in various doctor appointments.

I saw an orthodontist because my dentist thinks I need braces.  I saw a plastic surgeon to consider a non-glamorous post baby repair.  I'm not doing either of these things.  The ortho thought that braces might just shift the potential threat to my gums to a different tooth.  The plastic surgeon recommended a surgery that I think (fingers crossed) I might be able to get insurance to cover.  So that all seemed like a waste.  I gave blood for my hemocromatosis.  (And my iron was so low, they couldn't even use the blood--so I'm revisiting that with my doctor).  I took Sarah to her metabolic specialist.  I saw my naturopath.  And I went into school almost every day to catch up/get ahead.  It was really an unfun vacation.  

But on Monday--we made our traditional trip to see George and eat at Schultzy's restaurant on the Ave  (Best fries ever).

For once the book store was open!  And the clearance rack had some amazing finds.  

So 8 years ago, and 4 years ago.  Ben went to see George on his first Presidents' Day! 

And in 2020.  Man, we are growing up!  And the jackets!  Seriously folks, can't pass up a jacket like that for $12.90 (marked down from $99.00)

And this jacket will fit Ben for MANY  years.  :)

A Magical SW Season

What a terrific Shorewood Wrestling Season.  While we didn't end with anyone on top of a podium at the Mat Classic State Tournament, here is what we did end up with:
An 11-1 season dual meet record.  (The only team they lost to took 2nd as a team at State--and they are mostly Rhinos--so I helped make their team great...)
A 2nd Place at Sub-Regionals, with 11 qualifying for Regionals
4 Qualifying for State, with 3 alternates
A VERY tense week after the Regional tournament while we waited to see what would happen after Derek received a controversial Flagrant Misconduct Penalty that resulted in his ejection from the Regional Tournament.  Because he was given the penalty when the ref approached him in the stands after the match, we appealed the ruling.  Rather than having to miss the whole State tournament, he had to miss just Friday.  This meant that all of his wrestlers had to make it through until Saturday or he wouldn't be able to coach them at State. 

The State Crew

My view for warmups on Thursday Night.  Maren watched the kiddos so I could go down early. 

Derek decided that we should go to the zoo on Friday since weigh-ins weren't until 2.  It was a great idea.  Super fun. The boys were adorable. 

Lunch on Friday before the wrestling started. 

Recreating the picture below.  Sort of.  With my phone case in the way.  Urg.

They've grown up a bit! 

View from section 224.  It was hard to see all 8 mats.  And of course we had a bunch of our matches on the hardest to see. 

Saturday morning Derek found out he won Coach of the Year.  He was pretty happy. 

His wrestlers were delighted.  They loved doing the Flagrant Penatly hand signals.  All weekend. 

Brandon (one of Derek's assistants) and his brother both placed 5th at State. 

The two SW 1st Place Champs.  Tim won like 11? years ago and Matthew 6 years ago.  

And 3 out of 4 made it to Saturday.  The one who didn't was a scrappy freshman. I'm sure we will be in Tacoma with him next year.
We finished in 21st place out of 52 teams.  I am so proud of the SW team this year.
Derek also won the 3A Wrestling Coach of the Year for the whole State of WA.   I'm so proud.  And relieved that it is over.
Also, notes to self for next year in Tacoma. 
1.  Do go down as the female chaperone (we had a female alternate).  It was fun to be there on Thursday night with Derek.
2. Don't do 4 sets of the 8 flights of stairs for my workout on Friday morning. Then go walk around UW Tacoma (lots of stairs) and go to the zoo (lots of stairs) before our 2:00 pm start time.  Then walk to the dome.  And back.  I am SO SORE.
3.  Figure out how to get the kids to bed and go to dinner with Derek, Clark and Maren after Friday.  So fun.  But the kids were still up when we got back at almost 11.  Yikes. 
4. Figure out the Saturday lunch plan before we just head out into the greater Tacoma area to find food.  45 minute waits with hungry wrestlers isn't fun.
5.  Do stay for the finals.  Espeically when we don't have any wrestlers left to compete.  We can just enjoy the amazing wrestling and drama involved.  But next year, maybe we will have someone in that round.  We have some amazing kids coming back next year.
And now, I'll settle into becoming a wrestling mom myself, as Libby has her first match in a few weeks!

Go Shorewood--2nd Place in Sub-Regional Tournament!

Friday and Saturday we went to see Shorewood compete in the Sub-Regional wrestling tournament.  After placing 2nd in WESCO with a record of 11-1, I was so nervous!  It is hard going in with super high expectations.  So I was a mix of trying not to get my hopes up--and of trying to have a growth mindset.  The sky was the limit, right?  Of course the 1st place WESCO team is Edmonds Woodway (A team I have been instrumental in helping through my work with Wrestling Rhinos--but it has also helped SW) and they were at our Sub-Regional tournament too. 
Friday was spectacular.  Lots of amazing wins as our top seated wrestlers, and our JV did really well.  Everyone was still in it when we went home Friday night, and SW was in 1st PLACE!

The score after Friday Night.  It was so fun/nerve wracking  to be able to track the score in real time.  It looked initially like we were WAY ahead, but then we found out EW's score was incorrect.  

Team meeting before the final rounds.  What a hard working bunch! 

So proud of these guys.  2nd place at this Sub-Regional is amazing! 

I had to leave for a Girls Camp meeting, so I missed the last few matches.  Our last match was a heartbreaking OT loss.  But we are sending 11 wrestlers to regionals.  WOW! I'm not sure if my nervous system can take it!  But I think I might have to change my plans for next weekend and head south!