A Furniture Frenzy

Well, finally in March we got the "retro check" (back pay since Seattle PD finally got a new contract).    So I've been busy spending it!  Thankfully our washer (which felt like an earthquake each time it spun) held out until the retro check came.  It started spitting brownish water out from the underside each load.  So we got a new washer dryer set.  It was installed this week.  I literally had to walk into the laundry room multiple times just to see if it was actually working because it was so quiet!  YES! 
Another project....last year I was into a Family Room project when Derek ended up needing surgery and I just stopped.
I had bought a couch I didn't love (maybe actually hated), and I just left it.  I also still needed one more chair to complete the room.

The old chair situation

Walking through Fred Meyer last week I found this awesome couch.  It was the right color, size, depth, softness, and it was on SALE!  Wahoo!  Replaced the hated couch.  

The red bench is dying, the pleather is flaking off.  So that's on my list too. One (or I guess last week 2 things) at a time.  

The leather chair on in the first picture had to go because, while lovely, when you sit in it, you gradually slide off onto the floor.  So uncomfortable.  I love the chair on the right.  But I found it at Home Goods and they only had 1.  So I finally made an IKEA run last Saturday and bought the Strandmon chair of a similar color.  Loving the comfort. 

  Come on over!  The family room is now comfy!

Backup your DATA!

So this is a short blog post to explain why I didn't blog last week.  I'm in deep mourning.  For a hard drive.  That I thought was backing up to a backup drive.  And it wasn't.  We have handed it off to a pro to see if he can get our data back.  And by data, I mean all the pictures I have taken since 2007.  All the videos.  All the Les Mills releases.  All the music.  Everything except our documents. 
Thankfully I have dutifully uploaded the pictures to Shutterfly every month or so.
Some of the videos are on youtube. 
And thankfully I'm not teaching Les Mills right now, so it's not an immediate crisis.
And I'm still holding out hope that the pro will be able to salvage our data.
But seriously.  The backup drive that I bought and set up in 2016--I NEVER made sure it was working.  So, it never backed up.  Since 2016.  What an oversight!
Not going to happen again to this girl.
Monthly double checks on backups. Paying for backup to the cloud maybe? 
Thankful for Shutterfly and photobooks and calendars that have had me uploading regularly.  And thankful to my blog that has had me recording everything as we go along.
Anyway, have you backed up your computer today?
Sob. 

One Flamingo and One Zebra!

The drama club at Meridian Park puts on a really good show!  I was impressed with Dandylion Drama.  Even with almost 2 weeks of cancelled practices due to snow, they still put on a great show!  They built the set in our garage, and it was amazing to see the plywood become Pride Rock.

Libby got a little solo in the opening song.  I almost missed it because I had to get my Para-educator started on some work.  But I caught some of it on video.

I went to the show on Friday, the first night with Ben, Grandma & Grandpa, and Aunt Maren.

Derek went last night.  I think after they cleaned up and had the cast party, it was pretty late.  They are going to be pretty worn out tomorrow.  But I think they will say that it was worth it!

First Week Back

I came home from Utah on Saturday, in time to make my copies for the week (including student council meeting), hit the grocery store, and do some cleanup at home.
Sunday was pretty restful thankfully.  Because Monday was "hit the ground running" week.  Finally, after 3 weeks of no school (basically) we were back in business.  It was hard to figure out where kids would be after all that time off.  But we actually had a pretty good week! 
I looked at my photos for the week, and they are mainly of receipts for Rhinos purchases since we had our Rhinos End of Season Splash yesterday (where I took no pictures!  yikes).  And I had my second to last board meeting as president.

We had a great turnout.  I am excited to hand the board off to the awesome people I have worked with this year--and a few new additions (hopefully, fingers crossed we will get a few more).

Mom Comes Home

The day after Presidents' Day I flew to Utah to be there with my mom for the rest of Mid-Winter Break.  I wanted to take all of us, but I didn't check out plane tickets in time and they got way too expensive.  So I thought we could drive.  Then weather.  Yuck.  So I just decided to fly down by myself.  It was a good idea.  while my  mom would have loved to see the kids, since they weren't there I was free to cook, clean and organize to help her feel ready to be back home.
The first day I got on the plane excited that she might even be with my dad in the car when they picked me up.  By the time I arrived, they knew there was a hiccup with the insurance.  They needed to approve a take home wound vac.  And they hadn't approved it yet.  Despite many calls (even my dad called them), and long hours hanging out in the hospital, it was clear by 5pm that they weren't going to approve it that day.
My mom was pretty darn discouraged.  What a stupid technicality!
So instead of approving the wound vac that day, they had to pay for one more night in the hospital!  So lame.
We took her for dinner and ice cream in the cafeteria to drown our sorrows.  What a frustrating day.
But, on Wednesday morning, things started rolling.  The wound vac approval came in first thing.  The insurance called my dad and the hospital to let them know she was good to go.  It took until about 10:30 am, and we were rolling out the door.

The Rehab floor announces when a patient is leaving the floor--and they do a "victory lap."  The nurses play the song the patient chose and everyone comes out to cheer for them.  It was a really emotional moment for all of us!  I was bawling like a baby while I was filming.  The song she chose was "Brave" by Sara Barielles.  And I tell you what--my mom has been Brave through all of this!

Some of her friends from the gym put up yellow ribbons on every possible telephone pole and mailbox on the way home.  Yellow balloons and a yellow welcome home poster on the door.  It was so amazing!  (I am tearing up now just writing about it.)
My dad and I picked up Cafe Rio for lunch and a whole bunch of prescriptions for her (mostly vitamins they want her to take to try to build her system back up.)
And then I got busy.  I cleaned out and organized the pantry, the fridge, the freezer, the window seat, and lots of cabinets.  I made meals, and brought them to her, or helped her come down for them.  I helped her to the bathroom (although after a day she was confident enough carrying the wound vac to get there on her own mostly).  I stood next to her to lend support as she went up and down the stairs.  I even gave her her IV antibiotic a couple of times.  Right before I left I even helped her run through some of her PT exercises.  It was really hard to leave.
It was an amazing week for me to be there with her.  She inspires me.  And I felt like I was really of service to her.
This trial has been such a huge challenge.  I am glad to be moving through and see her feeling so much better.
The next step is for her wound to fully close (and it's pretty close) so she can be wound vac free--and this would also be antibiotic free!
Hug the people you love!

Happy Presidents' Day!

Only a few weeks late blogging about it.
We made our traditional trek to UW campus to see "George" aka the statue of George Washington.

 They look a bit bigger than they did on our first visit to George in 2012.  Although they were again a bit confused about why we were visiting George (It's his birthday? What!?)

 Statue posing in the Suzzallo stairwell.

They were very excited to see the reading room (as usual), but Libby actually wanted to look for a book (the Shakespeare play Cleopatra and Antony) and they really wanted to go to Starbucks.
They loved having a late lunch on the Ave.  (Especially Ben because apparently he hadn't eaten since breakfast at it was pretty late by the time we ate.)

One interesting thing I noted this time around, is that the books that fill the shelves in the Suzzallo library are not barcoded or cataloged for checkout.  I wonder about how they were chosen to be there.  It is a very random smattering of all kinds of books.  And I guess they just sit there--because you can't check them out.  I'd love to know more about them!  They must have something in common?  Maybe all donated by the same person?  Maybe each professor gets to pick a book that he/she thinks is important?  A fun mystery.  Maybe I'll have time to figure it out by next year.

SNOW OH SNOW!

I read a hilarious blog post yesterday that really summed up the awesome way that your emotions change about snow days when you are a mom.  It's like YES!  So fun!  Then as the days drag on, your enthusiasm wanes. 
For me it has been a bit different. 
Here has been my emotional rollercoaster and coping mechanisms.

Sunday February 3: Snow falls during the Superbowl.  Starts to stick.  Go on winter walk.  Beautiful.  Enjoyable.
Monday February 4:  Wake up normal time, because only late start has been declared.  Ben is up by 6:30 am.  We take him to the park to enjoy the snow, because in Seattle, it might be melted by 7:00 am.
(Derek has the day off, so we get to enjoy the day together.)  I am frustrated about school being cancelled.
Derek wisely went to Home Depot and bought more snow shovels and ice melt.  They were all sold out by later that day or the next day.   We host another family who has their power out.  Games, soup, it's fine.

Tuesday February 5:  Snow has continued to fall and stick.  No school again.  OK...I coach  myself.  I can handle this.  But inside I am GOING NUTS.  What do I reschedule?  How do I reschedule? 
Wednesday February 6:  Late start.  We get to have school!  Even if it is only for 3 hours since it is an early release.  I manage to fit in most of my "clean slate" activities that I had planned for Monday, as well as the first day of our social studies guest presenter.
Thursday February 7th: Another late start, but we manage to fit in math at the end of the day (my 4th graders have a different math teacher who also teaches 2 other split math groups.  Usually we have her at the beginning of the day--so this was a treat that we could fit this in).  We got to Skate Night! All 3 kids are improving in their skating skills!

Friday February 8th: Snow looming in the forecast.  I get 2 math lessons in during our hour long math block.  Kids go home at 11:45.  I get "Hearts in the Hall" all set up (a Student Council activity for Monday morning).  I schedule a massage (knowing there will be cancellations) and go home looking forward to 2:00 massage.  Massage is cancelled by 1:30 as snow is coming down LIKE CRAZY.  Derek and I go to Costco (which is almost empty) and grab some food so we are ready for the weekend.

Saturday:  I am zen-ish.  I tell myself that this will melt soon, while checking the weather app almost as often as Derek does.

Derek said, it would be great if a branch fell on the shed so insurance would have to replace it.  The next morning I found this.  SO SO CLOSE!  

Our back deck on Saturday

The kids get out in the snow as often as they can.  They have terrible snow gear.  Really terrible. We managed to buy the last pair of women's snow boots for Libby (they are a size 6 and pretty big) and a pair of rain pants for me and rain boots and men's snow pants for Sarah.  Ben was the best off due to hand-me-downs. 
The kids also played restaurant with some neighborhood friends.  They made a delicacy of snow mixed with brown sugar or white sugar.  It was called something cute with an S.  I have actually been pretty impressed with their creative play (even it if is messy).

Sunday:  Church is cancelled, so we host sacrament meeting at our house for our closest neighbors.  It doesn't snow much more on Sunday until the afternoon/evening, so we also host the Nortons for a birthday lunch.  I am quite proud of myself because I play all 3 hymns for our sacrament meeting.  I could only do the right hand for the sacrament hymn, but still! 
Then the snow starts coming down again.  It is clear, school will be cancelled.  We are talking a foot or more of snow on snow.  And I am actually fine with it.  It's like I've come to terms with the reality.
Monday February 11:  I don't even check email.  I bake some more.  I make the kids clean with me.  We purge.  Clean their rooms.  Clean out drawers.  You know, the stuff you never get to because you don't have time?  Well, time we have! 

Derek shovelled off the Sunroom roof.  While we would like to redo that room, not interested in a roof collapse there right now.

Tuesday February 12:  Ben decides to start the SNOW SINGLET challenge for the Wrestling Rhinos.  It's been really fun to watch many wrestlers (and even one coach) get out in the snow in their singlets.  My favorite part was when afterward Ben said, "The fear of the cold was much worse than the actual cold." He wore the singlet all day and even ran all the way to the neighbor's house in it when Libby didn't believe he had gone out in the snow in it.

I felt pretty zen on Tuesday too.  We cleaned out bathrooms.  You know, under the sink, in the drawers.  Threw away old toiletries and random tubes of medicine.  Everything was cancelled.  I still didn't even try to reschedule school.
Wednesday February 13th:  The thaw is starting to happen.  It is real.  I start to get excited about the prospect of returning to real life.  I drive the kids to piano.  I get stuck in the slushy snow.  Derek and Clark have to come and push me out. They are not amused.  I did manage to drive to the dollar store (Valentine's parties might actually be happening), to PT (seriously making some good progress with my hip and neck), and to pick up pizza (to thank Derek for pushing me out of the driveway), and then frosted Sarah's cookies for her party.  Because Shoreline still hadn't posted about today.  I got my new newsletter out last night.  Sent out the Student Council update...all in VAIN!
Some other fun things we did: watch movies, get pedicures, play games.  We are managing.  We have had power, plenty of food, and lots of together time. 

Thursday February 14th:  Got the call at 6 am.  Not even a late start.  Just no school.  It is a sheet of ice on top of a mess of snow out there.  I'm all done cleaning.  I'm all done baking.  I just want to go back to school.  You know, it's a good sign that I love my job.  And, this Stay at Home mom business, it's no joke!

Cookies ready to go for Sarah's class.  :(

This is the view this morning.  It is supposed to rain today and not freeze again tonight.  So maybe one school day this week?