March 2024

Millie and I had intended to go to a movie Sunday morning, but then she decided she did not want to. Some of her acquaintances from school came over on Sunday afternoon and she wasn't terribly interested in going outside to visit with them, but she got her clothes on. She also let our dogs outside, which was maddening. Mitch decided he was able to fix my car window. But left it in this state. 

He was hopeful the part would come in by Friday. 

Monday Jack had practice and I made an appointment for Millie to get cleared to go back to gymnastics. She and I just hung around the house until it was time to pick Jack up from practice. Once he was home, I made dinner and we chilled the rest of the evening. 

Tuesday morning I discovered that, once again, Jack had lied to me about a test he had in Spanish. I hope before that boy leaves my house he realizes that lying to people makes people not trust you. How many times will I have this conversation with him? 

After school, Jack had his first home match. Millie decided not to go to the game. I had developed a cold and actually sneezed into my shirt and produced some mucus inside my shirt. It was so gross! Fortunately, this happened before the match began and I was able to clean myself up. Jack had a great game, but they are not really playing tough competition at the moment.  

Wednesday we had our usual half day. Grammie took Millie to her follow-up appointment and although she was told to be out another week and a half, I decided I would let her go back in 5 days. I met Kristi for a drink before picking up Jack from practice. Once we were all home, I made dinner and we watched television together. 

Thursday was student-led conferences. Grammie and Pop took Millie to Jack's volleyball game at Notre Dame Prep because I wasn't able to go. Jack started, of course. It seems he had an amazing game. 

First high school career start and naturally I am not there. 

Stuart came home on Thursday night. I was thrilled. I picked Jack up from the school. Millie was brought home by my parents. Stuart arrived shortly after we all got home. We all sat around and visited for a while before getting ready for bed. 

Friday was grandparents breakfast and it was a hot mess. The food took forever and in the end, we all stood in line for nearly an hour. Millie ended up not even having pancakes. 

Stuart met the demolition crew to start taking our flooded kitchen apart. What a mess! They broke our granite so we assumed they would mean all of the granite would need to be replaced.

I left Stuart with the crew and the responsibility of getting Millie to gymnastics and going to watch Jack's game. He then picked Millie up to go to her championship flag football match. I was heading to a wedding at Troon. It was a classy venue with my taped up window. Ha!

Jackson Harley had a lovely wedding. 

Millie lost her championship. Jack's team won and he started, but was still disappointed in his play. I told him it will all fit together in due time. He is so hard on himself. 

Saturday we were up and tidying the mess of a kitchen we found ourselves in. We were having people over to celebrate Vicki's birthday. It wasn't ideal, but we had planned the party well before our kitchen was a mess. Mitch fixed my ghetto car window and all was like new again. 

Our guests arrived around 5 pm. Jack and Owen had spent the day in their driving school class. The boys made a massive mess in our loft. I got all over Jack for the mess. Initially, the boys were all supposed to spend the night with us, but the plan changed. They ended up going to the Holmes' house for a sleepover. I think it had something to do with Carter's step sister and her friends being there. They go to the U of A and are cheerleaders. Need I say more? 

Saturday morning we got up and did some laundry, changed sheets on our bed and went to wash my car that hadn't been washed in forever. We did some shopping at Old Navy. We got popcorn at Harkins and went home to watch all of the Indiana Jones movies, as a family. That was a disaster. It was Millie's idea and then she skipped off about halfway through the first movie. We then went to run errands then took kids to dinner in the Bronco. 

Jack was not happy. He was a bit embarrassed by the car. 

We came home and had the neighbors over. Elise had a hysterectomy on the Thursday before but was bored and needed an evening playing cards. She wore out very quickly. 

Monday we went to Top Golf. It was finally spring break. Stuart and I took Millie to gymnastics and then went to have dinner at Jeff and Melinda's. We had a wonderful catch up with them and a great meal. We then popped into the casino before picking Millie up from the gym. 

Tuesday the assessor came to let us know what the repair would cost us. It turns out that it was worth the claim. However, the damage would not replace our entire kitchen, unfortunately. It's a good think we sold our RV because this damage was going to cost us about $5000 out of pocket, as that was our deductible. 

Wednesday the demolition company came and turned the humidifiers off. Jack woke up and was sick to the point of not being able to go to volleyball practice.  

He had to be up by 4 pm as both kids had a med check. While we were there it only made sense for the doctor to give him an strep test. And wouldn't you know, it came back positive. Once I was home from the doctor I went to Roots and Boots with my mom and her friend Linda. It was a bust. We had thought there would be a lot of vendors there, but no such luck. Millie was invited but didn't want to go. In hind site, I'm glad she didn't as all she would have done was complain.  

Thursday Jack got up and felt a bit better. He went to practice but wasn't completely himself. Millie went to gym and Stuart and I went to dinner with Bob and Kristi, Carter's mom and step dad. We picked Millie up and got her McDonald's for dinner, as is the Thursday tradition. 

Friday we were up making breakfast burritos for the varsity team at 4:00 am. They had a tournament in Peoria. We delivered the breakfast and then went back to wake Millie up to go to the tournament. Jack was feeling a bit queasy, which is a bit worrying, but I think it was because he took his medicine on an empty stomach. They played well and ended up seated 1st for the tournament play the following day. Jack played really well. 

Millie had gymnastics but was late because we didn't think about bringing her leotard and gym bag with us so had to go all the way home. The rest of the evening was spent doing a whole lot of nothing. 

Saturday morning we didn't have to be up as early as the team didn't play until 10 am. Millie decided to give this day a miss. Grammie and Pop rode with us to the tournament. Jack didn't play as well this day, but they won the trophy for the gold bracket. It was tough going, but they did it. 

This is Gavin. He played for the school they beat for the championship. Gavin is a setter on Jack's club team. 

Saturday evening Mitch and Elise came over because it was Mitch's birthday. We sat outside for a little while but then ended up going to bed just before 9 o'clock. Millie had a gymnastics meet the following morning and Stuart and I were leaving for Gallup right after that meet.

Millie was up and raring to go at 5:30 on Sunday morning. She got downstairs and I did her hair and she didn't really fuss. She had the worst meet of her season. However, her coach commented that was to be expected since she had missed gymnastics for two weeks and coming off of a major surgery. He was quite pleased with how she did. She was okay with it, but was a little bit bummed. She still got five medals, but not as high as she normally does. 

After the meet she went to her friend Brinley's house for the afternoon. 

Stuart and I left for Gallup as soon as the awards had been given out. We thought we would get to Gallup around 4:30 Arizona time. But it turns out there was a big accident just after Holbrook on I 40 that delayed us about 45 minutes. The weather wasn't horrible, but it started hailing while we were stuck in traffic. We stopped to get curry for dinner. Then, as we were pulling into Gallup, it started snowing. In fifteen minutes, this was the picture of our cars parked in front of Stuart's apartment. We had driven separately as I was only working until Wednesday and he was going to work on Thursday as well. 

It snowed most of the night, lightly. It wasn't enough to delay the start of the school day and thankfully it didn't cancel school. That would have stunk as I came up to make some money for these big expenses that had recently come into our lives. 

This was the scene on Monday morning as we were leaving the apartment. Stuart went out about 15 minutes before we left and got the snow off my car as well as started my car so it would be warm when I got in. 

Stuart went to a different school than the one I went to on Monday. I texted him all day asking questions. He was very patient with me. I spent time in classrooms, but nothing was terribly earth shattering. I wish teachers would figure out that there is a lot more learning taking place when kids get to collaborate when discussing the subjects. So many teachers still focus on isolated questions that only one child is to answer. I don't understand why it is so hard for teachers to have students talk to a buddy to answer a question. At least when that is done, each student has more accountability. It's frustrating. Often teachers are not put on improvement plans in Gallup as it is super challenging for them to get teachers anyway. So I suppose they think a warm body is better than nobody. 

We headed back to the apartment after school. We had dinner with Gina as she was in Gallup as well this week. Gina and I went on an adventure and went shopping at Hobby Lobby, which I'm normally opposed to because of their strong stance on certain subjects. But Gina wanted to go and I wanted to spend time with her. I got us lost, as is common for me, coming back to the apartment. Gina was pretty good humored about it. We had a great evening. 

Tuesday was another work day. I went to present a lesson for one teacher who was supposed to have materials ready for me when I arrived. Well, she did not. We improvised until she could come up with something. I went to do another model lesson for a teacher who asked me for a specific topic. The entire time he was commenting on my lesson and interjecting his ideas. When it came time for the kids to do the practice he was very critical of my instruction. Yet he was the one who was giving the answers to the kids rather than making them think for themselves. Eek! We left school around 2:45 pm and headed to the grocery store. 

We decided to have dinner at Fratelli's. We came back to the house and watched television. I showered and was asleep on the sofa by 8:30 pm. I slept pretty well until about 12:30 pm. I got up, because I couldn't sleep, and went into the living room to watch Hulu on my phone. I didn't end up going back to sleep until around 4 am and the alarm sounded at 6 am. I slept those two hours on the sofa. Stuart has a full sized bed in his apartment, so we are quite 'cozy' in that bed. 

Wednesday at work the teacher I taught a lesson for the previous day ended up teaching from the exact same reading materials she had given me the previous day. I was in shock beyond belief. The kids were so kind as they pretended they had not ever seen this material. After school, we stopped to put gas in my car. I dropped Stuart at his apartment and then was off for Queen Creek. Sadly, I only made it about 30 minutes out of Gallup before hitting a dog on I40 causing my car to lose its from bumper. I pulled off the side of the road. My bumper lay under my car, so I attempted to pull it off. 

But instead, I think I broke the plug that holds in the coolant and it leaked out, causing my engine light to come on. 

But the windshield wiper fluid stayed where it belonged, thank goodness. 

I'm not going to lie, I think one of the reasons I couldn't sleep the previous night was because I feared driving home. There have been several of our friends who have had accidents that have been scary. And then this happens. I just feel fortunate it didn't hurt anyone, other than the dog. 

Stuart came out to where I was and waited for the tow truck with me. We then decided it would be best for him to go back to his apartment, pack up his stuff and wait for me to come with the tow truck and car. His landlord had said we could park the car on their drive until we figured out what needed to be done. And then this way, Stuart could drive me home. He ended up having to cancel his next day of work. 

The tow truck driver was a bit of a jerk to me on the phone. But I did make nice with him in the way back to Gallup. We got the car back to Stuart's apartment and headed home. We arrived at midnight, safe and sound. My parents had stayed the week with the kids and were still at our house when we got home. I was emotionally exhausted. 

We got up Thursday morning and headed to pick up Stuart's car from the transmission shop. This was a $4800 expense. We left the Jeep, Jack's car, as it had started making noises during the week in Gallup. Considering he would have his permit the following day and I would need to drive his car for a while, we felt we needed to get things sorted for his car. 

I got up Thursday morning and Stuart and I ran some errands. Stuart then dropped me off at the airport to go to Las Cruces to spend a few days with Liz. She picked my up at the airport and we made a stop at the grocery store before heading to Liz's house. We did a lot of nothing for the entire two days and it was so wonderful. We had frozen pizza on Thursday evening and started watching the show Snapped. We laughed so much! 

Friday morning we lounged around the house for a while. I got this picture from Stuart. 

He passed his permit test. Eek! We have another driver in the house. 

Liz and I managed to get out for some lunch, but headed right back to the house after a bit of shopping. We stopped at the Family Dollar store to buy their version of Girl Scout cookies. They have three kinds that taste just like the Girl Scout version, but about a third of the price. 

Gina checked on me on Friday to make sure I had made it to Liz's. I had messaged her after I hit the dog as she checked on me Wednesday to see if I was on my way home. I then told her about the accident. I appreciated her checking on me. 

Friday night, Liz and I stayed in for the evening. We ate like 12 year olds, so basically all the crappy food we could find. We had another wonderful evening at the house. 

Saturday morning we were supposed to go to the hot springs but Liz didn't know we had to book. So instead, we happily spent the day watching Snapped, a series about women who snap on their partners and commit murder. Is this an okay show for me? Yes it is. It is so predictable. 

We headed for a late lunch and then to the airport. 

There was an all male crew on my flight back from El Paso. I had to take this picture.  

Jack actually picked me up at the airport. He drove all the way to the airport and back home. I may have tried to be a backseat driver, which got me into a bit of trouble. Once we were home, I started laundry and Stuart and I set up for a while watching TV.

Sunday morning we got up and Jack went with us to Costco. He is very motivated to go anywhere with us now because he wants to drive. I think the last time he was in Costco he was in a stroller. But this driving thing really makes him want to go places with us. Stuart and I had actually gone to Walmart earlier and he was mad we didn't wake him up to drive. 

Stuart started working on making dinner for the neighbors and my mom and dad. Because he had to work the following weekend and thought he wouldn't be home for Easter, he decided this would be our Easter meal. He made a beautiful pork shoulder and veggies. It was a wonderful meal.

Jack and I had gone to get Tatum around 3 o'clock. She stayed until about 10 o'clock. Jack drove to pick her up and take her home. Of course, I was in the front seat both ways, which wasn't as romantic as he would have wanted, but he knows the rules. And, might I add, he is a very conscientious driver, which is a relief. 

Monday morning Stuart had decided to stay and go to Jack's volleyball game that evening. I went to school and Stuart brought Millie later. Jack didn't have school because Chandler teachers had an in-service the first day back for the fourth quarter. School was relatively uneventful. We have a lot of testing between now and the end of April. It's a big waste of time! So we were preparing for that. 

After school, Millie and I came home and picked up Stuart. We took Millie to gymnastics and then headed back to Casteel for the volleyball match. Heather and Melinda actually showed up for the match. I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled that they would support Jack that way. 

The varsity won relatively easy. Jack was frustrated at the way he played. We told him just to hang in there and that he is going to be the player that his coach will rely on when there's pressure. Sometimes when they play teams that are not as good, they unfortunately play down to that level. He'll work through it eventually. After Jack's game, we went to grab a bite to eat before picking up Millie.

Stuart went to bed as soon as we got home because he was getting up at 3 AM to drive to Gallup to work. I think he's getting tired of the drive. And to be honest we're both tired of him being gone so much. I think we were both a little more rattled by my car accident than we would like to admit. 

Tuesday was our first day of testing. My 6th graders spent an hour in another 6th grade classroom while my 5th graders took part of one the science state test. The day was a bit boring, to be honest. 

Jack had an amazing game! He and the other freshman, Nathan, got the Warhorse! This is a coveted award given to the hardest working player of the match. He was super pleased. 

Wednesday Jack had practice and Millie had flag football practice. Her friends' mom came to pick her up as I had scheduled an appointment to meet up with Kristi, Carter's mom. I was going to talk with her about the private school she is co-owner in. I had decided to keep all of my options open and check out all kinds of things for retirement. She ended up having to cancel but we spoke on the phone for two hours about this and that. 

Thursday was the last day of the work week. Jack had a volleyball match, the first of their conference schedule. I was sure they would meet good competition, thank goodness. Jack called me just as I entered the gym to tell me he had forgotten his shorts at home and asked if I could go and get them. I was super frustrated. Fortunately, the game was at Campo Verde, which isn't that far from our house, so I went and got them. I did, however, come back into the gym with his shorts over my jeans. He was rightfully embarrassed as some of his teammates saw me do this. He took it in stride. He didn't end up playing much at all in the match. Unfortunately they are at the time in their season that statistics speak volumes and there were about 6 players that didn't play at all. So I told him he would just have to be more determined with every practice. He was discouraged, but he will work through it. They won the game, so that was awesome! I headed to get McDonald's for the kids and then headed to get Millie from gymnastics. I messaged Jack to tell him I would be a bit late to the school. Once we were all home, the kids ate and then because it was a holiday the following day, I let them stay up after they took their showers. 

Friday morning I was up at 6 am in order to meet Sue for breakfast at 7 am. After a good time of catching up, I headed to Mesa to the MVD to get my travel drivers license. Once I was finished with that necessary evil task, I went home. The kids and I didn't do a lot the rest of the day. Millie decided she didn't want to go to gymnastics as it was Good Friday and she said most of her teammates were not going. Jack and I went to Crismon High School to watch the JV team play. He sat on the bench and helped 'coach' a bit. He was in his element. It was fun to watch. All of his buddies are on that JV team. Millie had decided to stay at the house. When we got home, the kids were on their own. Elise and I decided to go to dinner at the Thirsty Lion. We were out for a couple of hours and had a night dinner. She was going to come over after we got home, but she ended up staying home and I actually fell asleep watching tv. 

Saturday morning I was up at 7:30 am. I washed my hair and  washed a load of laundry. I woke the kids up and made breakfast around 9 am. We needed to leave for the football field at 10 am, but Millie couldn't find her mouthguard, her wristband, or her flags. She is super unorganized and a mess! Her room is a trash heap. It wasn't a mystery she couldn't find her things. She proceeded to get frustrated and so did I. We ended up yelling at each other and she was slamming doors. Argh! It was not a good start to the morning. However, she played so well today, and even scored a touchdown. She caught the ball about three times and really contributed to the team's win. 

After her game, Jack drove to Tatum's for the day. Millie and I came home and colored Easter eggs. 

Stuart called me to let me know they found more issues when they got under my car. However, the mechanic was going to fix it so it was at least drivable. What a true piece of crap it is now. I will get nothing for it when I decide to get a new car. I am ready for this time frame of our lives to pass for sure. Stuart worked Saturday but got home around 6:30 pm. We sat around for the evening and did absolutely nothing. Once Stuart had showered and gone to bed, I got the kids Easter baskets ready. We got Jack new car seat covers and a wheel cover that looked like a volleyball for the back of his car. We got Millie new Nike shorts. They got candy as well. Having both of them not believing in the Easter Bunny or any other lie we've told them for years is super convenient now. 

We had a busy and financially taxing March. We are hoping April is less eventful. 

February 2024

Well, we started our Sunday very early. Millie's second gymnastics meet was to begin at 8 am at the Phoenix Convention Center. Lovely! So it was a 5:30 am start. She had a much better competition and ended up placing 2nd all around. She was quite pleased with herself. 

Sunday afternoon, when we got home, we just lounged around the house. Elise came over mid afternoon. Stuart had left for Gallup from the Phoenix Convention Center. We had leftovers for dinner and an early bedtime for me and the kids. 

Monday I tutored a 6th grader who broke her foot at school a few weeks back and had just fallen behind. She was initially put in the honors math class, but she was in my class last year and is not an honor student. Her mother works at our school and has insisted she's not an honor student, but they left her in there. Her mother and I have both discussed how it is a matter of needing the number of children in that honors class. I love that we sacrifice children for our own convenience. 

After school I took Millie to gymnastics and then headed to get Jack from volleyball tryouts. He was very excited that today was the first day of high school volleyball. I hope he makes the team! 

Tuesday I had to pick up Jack as he had a half day. Millie threw a fit after school as we were trying to leave for a dentist appointment. We picked Jack up from the house and headed to the appointment. Jack asked why she wasn't embarrassed to speak to me like that in front of other people. I told him I had no idea and hoped that one day she would realize how she is embarrassing herself. Who knows! Millie was going to change into her leotard at the dentist except she realized she hadn't packed one in her bag. Now, she was a bit embarrassed. She had been an absolute troll to me, but now needed me to run home to get her leotard. Hmmm! So, I ran home and Jack started his cleaning. We all had appointments and Jack's tryouts got moved up so I had to ask my dad to come take him to training so that I could take Millie to gymnastics from the dentist. It was a bit hectic. 

Wednesday I got a message that Gallup canceled school. They were due to get many inches of snow before the end of the week. So Stuart and some of his colleagues headed home after school. It was sure to be a long, stressful drive. At school, it had rained a lot and there were huge mini lakes on our playground. When I got outside for recess, the counselor came over to me and asked me if I could speak to two of my students about staying out of the water. She told me the two boys had ignore her and the principal's request to get out of the water. Seriously? Does anyone else see an issue with a principal and counselor who can't command attention from students? I went over to the boys, pointed to both of them and motioned them to come to me. They did and I told them that not listening and responded to the request of any adult was not okay and they would sit out for the remainder of recess. They sat on the wall and didn't say another word. When I walked across the basketball court, the principal seemed irritated and made a snide comment. She said, 'you can't force kids to listen to you or respect you.' I didn't respond. All I could think was, 'you can, but you don't!' This is why our school is a bit out of control, at least at the older end of our school. What we allow, we encourage. 

This was the week of dental care. I took Millie to the orthodontist where she got a larger wire that caused some aches. I then went to the grocery store and to get gas. Once Millie and I were home, I took Jack to volleyball tryouts and met Kristi, Carter's mom, for beverages at Skippy's. Stuart joined us around 7 pm. She paid, which was such a treat. I then left to pick up Jack.  

We had our RV on our drive because we were cleaning it out and trying to sell it. The Bronco had its roof cut off the previous weekend. Stuart had decided he had better start working on this vehicle if Jack was going to drive it in 7 months.

Thursday was another day filled with activities. Gymnastics for Millie and volleyball tryouts for Jack. Stuart was home and was a great help in our day to day lives. It was kind of nice. However, the struggle is when he is not working he doesn't get paid. 

Friday after school i had a meeting with a parent so Stuart picked Millie up in the Bronco. He took her to gymnastics and then I met him at home so we could go get Jack from the last day of volleyball tryouts. When he came out of the gym he didn't say anything. We were standing with our volleyball crew so I think he felt a bit awkward. He told me he would tell us in the car. Vicki said, 'Just tell us.'  When he said he made varsity I didn't believe him. But it was true. He was excited and nervous at the same time. I just hoped he would get to play. That is what I have always said. I don't care what team he is on, I just want him to play....a lot.

Saturday we did a lot of nothing. Millie and I went to one of my student's basketball games. Her mom had asked me to come weeks earlier and I finally had a free Saturday to do so. When we got home, Stuart and I decided to go hang out in the loft. We decided to play the Wii. We spent the evening bowling. It was actually quite fun. 

Sunday was Super Bowl. We went to the Holmes' to watch the game, and what a game it was. These shirts were made for us by one of Stuart's colleagues. 

Stuart left for Gallup on Monday. We had a hectic Monday. Jack was brought home from school by my dad. I took Millie to gymnastics. I then came home and got Jack back to school for practice and the parent meeting for the volleyball teams. 

Tuesday I went to Susan's house to have a catch up with the bunco babes. I dropped Millie at gymnastics before hand and then was able to stay until I had to pick her up. It was nice to catch up with the girls from my Sanborn Elementary days. 

Wednesday was Valentine's Day and my brother Russ was in town. So I took the day off to hang out with him. We shopped and went to an early dinner at Oregano's, his favorite place to eat. Jack had two bowls of pasta, which seemed to be a great meal before volleyball practice. 

Thursday at school my principal told me I didn't need to come to the playground anymore. She sent me a passive aggressive email stating she hoped I was feeling like things were being taken care of out on the playground and if that was the case I wouldn't need to come help anymore. It's all so stupid and she is so insecure about her dealings with the older kids. I responded by telling her I had never questioned whether kids were being handled or not. All I was doing was offering another body on the playground, but if I wasn't needed any longer that was fine. You can't help some people. 

The usual routine followed after school. I took Millie to gymnastics and came home to do some house work. I then took Jack to volleyball practice. Because it was Thursday, that meant McDonald's all the way around. 

Friday Jack didn't have practice, but Millie had gymnastics. I was home for a bit before Stuart got home. He and I were able to go have a beer before picking Millie up. Liz arrived around 9:30 pm and we stayed up way too late, singing karaoke. She was in town for a Farm Bureau event at the Phoenician. 

Saturday we were up and Liz and I went shopping and had pedicures. For the first time ever, the technician offered to cut out my ingrown toe nails. Oh my word! You know you are getting old when you appreciate things like this. My toes are pretty again. Millie had her gymnastics teammate over for the day. They played and had a ball. 

Stuart made cheese steak sandwiches for dinner and the neighbors came over. I took Jack to Gilbert Regional with some of his buddies to play volleyball. Two of the friends ended up coming back to our house for a sleepover. 

Sunday morning we were up and doing Sunday chores. I did Millie's hair for her gymnastics competition and we headed to Rawhide for her third meet of the season. She did amazingly. She was so proud of herself. 

My girl was all tuckered out from her gym meet. She got 4th on vault, 1st on beam, bars and floor, and 1st overall. She impresses us every meet. She worked hard. 

After the meet I went to The Phoenician to stay the night with Liz. She had a conference for the Farm Bureau and was allowed to bring a guest. I hung out in the room for a bit and waited for her meeting to finish. When it did, we went to the pre-dinner reception. We were sitting at a table and one of the FB presidents in the west was standing in front of us as we were sitting down. For lack of a better phrase, his barn door was open. Well once I saw that I couldn't unsee it. I am such a child. The dinner was amazing and we sat and talked with some people from Utah and Kansas. Liz still loves to chat with people and network. I feel my networking days are over, but I was playing along as I got a free meal and a free night at a beautiful resort. 

The Phoenician!

After dinner, we went to the bar and had a few more drinks. It was lovely outside and the view was stunning. 

Up Monday morning and went to Ross to shop. Then returned to the resort to have lunch. Liz went to meetings and I went to the pool. It's crazy that 76 degrees can burn a body, but it can. 

After the pool, I showered and got dressed for dinner. I was planning on leaving after dinner. My evening was a bit spoiled by a message from Millie's coach about the team not cheering for each other at awards and how disappointed she was in the parents and the girls. That coach wasn't even at the meet, so clearly this was reported to her by another parent, which is so stupid. These gym parents are a stone's throw away from 'dance moms'. It's irritating. I didn't go to sleep until 2:30 am because I was worried about the text. I set up a meeting with the guy who owns the gym, and is her male coach, for the following day. 

I woke up with a cold on Tuesday. I was miserable all day. My team has had Covid, so I was pretty sure that was where mine was heading. After school I went to meet with Coach Ryan. It was a good conversation, as he is a grown adult and Millie's other coach is just past a teenage girl's age. I felt better having spoken to him. I picked Jack up from practice. The next evening the volleyball varsity team would play in a Navy/Gold scrimmage. The best part for Jack was that he didn't get picked last. He was thrilled about that. Ha! When I picked Millie up I had made her pasta. She seemed pleased with practice, so at least I hadn't screwed anything up for her with my conversation with her coach.

Wednesday morning my alarm went off at 5:30. I had binge watched Fool Me Once, on Netflix, and stayed up too late. I was tired all day. After school we had an in-service that was of no use to me.  I booked Jack a haircut for as soon as I got home from the inservice. Liz arrived at the house as I was picking Jack up. He came out and we rushed to the appointment. When he finished, I dropped him at home and picked up Millie to take her to her football practice. I then came home and picked Jack up to take him back to school for the scrimmage. I picked Millie up early from football practice so she could go to the scrimmage with me. Jack's girlfriend, Tatum, and her mom came as well. 

Back to number 22!

When we got home, I headed out to Wal Mart for my grocery pick up. Liz tagged along with me. Her conference had ended that morning so she came back to stay with us for a night. Once we were home and the groceries were unpacked, the kids showered and we headed to Grammie and Pop's to see Morgan, Donavin and Hallie. They were going to Yuma the following morning for a wedding, so our visit was short for sure. 

Hallie wasn't feeling so well. But she was a trooper, nonetheless. 

We didn't get home until 11 pm, so the next morning would possibly be tricky, especially because Millie had to leave for counseling at 6:40 am. Eek! By the time we got home we were all wiped out!

Thursday, I woke up around 4:30 am and felt like death. I made a teledoc appointment for 7:15. By the time I got out of bed and showered, I actually felt better. Jack got up before I did, but Millie was a bear! She did finally get up and was ready when Pop and Grammie came to get her. They took her to counseling, got donuts and she was able to hang out with Hallie for a while before the Bucks had to set off for Yuma. Millie came to school around 11 am. 

After school I took Millie to gymnastics and then went home. Jack had practice from 430 to 6 and I met my friend Kristi for dinner. I picked Jack up and went home and he ate the extra chicken wings that I had bought. Then I went out to get Millie and got her McDonald's on the way. I had forgotten that my janky car window didn't roll down, so the drive-through was a little awkward. 

This is the current state of my car window. Ugh!

Friday I didn't feel any better than I had the previous day. My voice started to go. I started to cough and felt really crappy. I was supposed to go play pickle ball after school but didn't feel like it. So instead, I took Millie to gymnastics and went straight home. Jack had Pop pick him up from school and because his team had lost the scrimmage, Pop took him to a wing place to eat with the senior boys. The losers bought dinner.  He asked me about having a ride home from one of the players. It was a little weird because I forgot that my kid is old enough to ride in cars with other kids. I called Stuart to make sure it was okay with him. We agreed that we were going to need to let this happen at some stage. Yet another concern of him being a freshman on the varsity team. So the senior player brought him home for a little bit. I then took him to the boys' basketball game at Casteel. He wanted to watch Tatum perform as she is a pommy. 

This is Tatum! She is super sweet and her mom is a teacher at Conley Elementary. 

I picked Millie up from gymnastics and she raved about her practice. In the time frame I went to get Millie, Stuart arrived at home. We had the neighbors over for a bit, but turned in relatively early. In the night, Millie came into our room crying about her stomach hurting. I went in and laid with her for a bit. 

 

Saturday we got up and I was hacking up a lung. Jack had developed a cold as well. We took Stuart's car to the shop and then ran Jack to Fry's for his team car wash. When we got back to the house we found Millie not dressed and not ready for her football game. She was complaining about a stomach ache. It sounded like an appendicitis but what do I know? When she decided she couldn't play football, I decided to take her to urgent care. We went to one place and they told us it would be a 2 hour wait because they were short staffed. Ugh! So we went to another place. Her pain became progressively worse as we waited. We were then told it wouldn't be a bad idea to take her to an emergency room. So off the Phoenix Children's Hospital we went. 

The worst feeling in the world is being helpless when your child is sick. 

The ultrasound tech didn't spill the beans, but she actually did. She said the appendix was inflamed and would likely need to be removed. So at about 1:30 pm, the doctor came in and said, 'Well, it looks like it is the appendix. We will do a CT scan and do some blood work.' Super! Sit around and wait some more. By 4:00, we had the CT scan and the blood work, but we were still waiting for information. I just wanted the doctor to come in and say 'Let's get that appendix out!' And then do it! She was in pain and hungry as she hadn't eaten anything since the previous evening. 

We were finally admitted to the hospital around 9:15 pm. We got in her room and the nurse reported that surgery would be at 9:30 the following morning. She was able to drink nearly a bottle of water and ate about ten goldfish. Poor little girl. She was started on antibiotics and morphine. Stuart went home and I stayed the night. Before we were settled for the evening, she got up to go to the bathroom and was irritated she had to bring her IV with her. She got all agitated at me and told me I was annoying. She was in extreme pain for sure. The nurse rubbed her down with antiseptic wipes and changed her gown before we finally got her back into bed. She was screaming in agony. It was awful!

After a night of fever and groaning, she woke up all ready for surgery. Initially, she was scared when we talked about surgery, but by the time it came around, she was ready to get that appendix out! 

Once the surgery was over, her surgeon came out to speak with us and told us all went well and we could go home as soon as the discharge papers were ready. The doctor told us she could do whatever she felt up to doing. The nurse said she could go to school on Monday, to which Millie frowned. Ha! When we got home, the neighbors came to visit. Weston was really worried about Millie. Grammie and Pop brought flowers and Bella and Ava, her besties, brought a stuffed animal and candy. She was perking up for sure, but also exhausted. 

I stayed home with her on Monday. She was up rather early, but laid around most of the day. Stuart left for Gallup around midday. Millie and I just hung out and watched television. She reported being sore, but not really feeling badly. So she decided she would attempt school the next day. I left her for a bit to go get Jack from practice. I spent the rest of the evening making dinner and relaxing. I was feeling better, so that was helpful. 

Tuesday we all went to school. Millie was sore and I gave her Tylenol at lunchtime, but she did really well. Tuesday evening my mom stayed with Millie and my dad and I went to Jack's first high school varsity match. He played a bit and did well while he was in there. They won very easily. 

Wednesday at school we got time to work on report cards. We left Millie at home while Grammie, Pop and I went to the west side again for another volleyball match. I was in charge of the food for this game, which was stressful in and of itself. I had ordered pizza to be delivered at the school. It arrived at 6:15 pm, just as the varsity match started. I stored it in my car until the game was over. 

Jack had a huge block while I was messing around with the pizza. When I came back into the gym, I saw him kill the ball, scoring a point for the team. 

Jack played A LOT! The game went to 5 sets. Jack started in the other 4 sets. He had the last two points in the fifth set to bring home the victory. He was so pleased. Every time Jack would get a kill, the team would chant 'He's a freshman!' He was in heaven. This mama was stressed the entire match and had a headache when it was all over. All I could think was, I am not sure I will survive 4 years of this. 

Once we were home, I drove to the high school to pick Jack up. Millie had been on her own for 9 hours. She was to put her clothes away that were on my bed, but just couldn't manage that in the NINE hours she was at home that day. I was so irritated. She was asleep on the sofa when we got home. I ushered her up to her bed and let her know that the expectation was for her to put her clothes away each Wednesday afternoon before doing anything else. She has half days on Wednesday and gets home from school about 2 hours before I do. Ugh! At any rate, I was sure she would complete that task the next day after school. 

Thursday was not an easy day to get out of bed. Burning the candle at both ends can wear on you. I took Jack to school and he went to Geometry tutoring. He has Geometry last period of the day, so with volleyball he is likely to miss that class more than I like. So tutoring most mornings will be a must. After school I went to our RV storage to show it to some people who were interested. After some negotiations, they bought it. Yahoo!

On Friday, we had a regular day at school, and it was very uneventful. Then after school, Millie went home with our neighbors, and I went to collect money from the people who bought the RV. I gave them the code to the RV storage place which, in hindsight, made me a little bit nervous, but I had all their details so I would guess they were relatively safe. On Friday evening, Elise came over and we played rummy for a little while and then I went to bed relatively early. 

Saturday morning I got up and my dad followed me to the Kia car dealership to take Stuart's car to have it checked out for what we suspected was a transmission issue. At the end of that appointment, it turns out that he needs a new transition to the tune of $4500. It is a good thing that we sold our RV. It seems like we take one step forward and a couple steps back. But at least we had the money to pay for the transmission. 

Stuart was in Vegas with Jack while Millie and I stayed here. Millie decided she was well enough to play in her flag football game. They won and she was thrilled. She played defense and did rather well. Their win resulted in them going to the championship the next Friday. Once we were home from the football game, it was time to watch Jack play volleyball. He had such a phenomenal tournament. They ended up losing in the quarter finals of the Gold bracket, but fought hard. It seems Jack hurt his neck in the warm-ups on Saturday. He wasn't in full form by any means. 

Millie had the twins over on Saturday until about 8:30 pm. My friend, Kristi, came over for a while to hang out with me. This is Carter's mom and I really like her. Once the twins were picked up, I went to bed. It was early and I was tired. 

January 2024

Sunday we got up and headed to Framlingham Castle, which is otherwise know as the castle on the hill that Ed Sheeran sings about. It was muddy so we didn't walk all the way around the castle. After our semi-muddy trek, we stopped in a pub for a drink. It the. Started to rain, as is customary this time of year, actually anytime of year in the UK, so we headed back to Stowmarket. We stopped at Tesco for some stacks for our journey the following day, then headed back to Scott and Clare's to settle in for the evening and New Year's Eve. 

🎶Over the castle on the hill!🎶

We played games, watched different comedy shows as well as quiz shows, and ate snacks for the entire evening. We really wondered whether we would make it to new year or not. But in the end, we actually made it until after 1 am, which might have been silly since we had about a 6 and a half hour drive the next day. But it was great to end and begin a year with our friends. 

The lights of London helped us celebrate. 

Watching fireworks on the television is so much cozier than actually being in downtown London. 

We were up at 7:30 am and packed up by 8:45. We headed out the door and said our goodbyes. We drove to Tipton, which is close to Birmingham, to pick up Hope. We met at a Costa Coffee shop and met her boyfriend. He was a very nice young man. While Stuart, Millie and Hope took Kai back to his house, Jack and I walked to the local Tesco. We just walked around and wasted time until the rest of the crew showed up. We then began our 3 and a half hour trip to the south coast. 

Road trip with these crazies! 

We got back to Grandma and Grandpa's house just before 5 pm. We started laundry and unpacked our bags. We started dinner and ate around 7 pm. We then opened presents from Hope and she opened her presents. We sat around the table for a while, just talking. The kids all showered and went to bed, but didn't go to sleep. We retired around midnight and insisted the kids turn off their devices. 

Tuesday morning I didn't wake up until almost 9 am. I unloaded the dryer and folded the clothes. Stuart and I ran to Sainsbury’s to get breakfast food to cook. We also got some items we would be bringing back home. These items are some of our favorites that we can't get in Arizona. While in the grocery store, a display of spirits crashed to the ground and made a horrible mess. However, the mixture of the spirits and the mixers created a lovely cocktail smell. 

Around 2 pm we decided to take the kids down by the seafront. The waves were crazy as the weather was very stormy. We shopped for a bit because I had a gift card to spend. I bought some long pajamas and some perfume. We then drove along the seafront to see the waves. We stopped in at a pub for a drink and then headed back to the house to play games. We started with Uno Flip and then decided to play Old Maid. From the time Millie was really little and learned how to play the game, she has been so hilarious when playing. She always lets you know when she has the Old Maid! We would laugh for hours while playing. Today was exactly the same. And then we were all in hysterics. 

I lost twice!

All had a fun time!

Wednesday morning no one was up early, but at least everyone was up by about 10:30 am. We went to have lunch at the Queen's Head, my favorite pub in Sedlescombe, with Granny. 

There is nothing better than a pub lunch!

That evening Grandma and Grandpa were kind enough to let us go out with Nathan and Craig, our friends from Eastbourne, which they watched the kids. We had a lovely meal and we were able to walk to their new place after and have a beverage. 

I love all of these humans!

When we got back to the house we witnessed the last bit of a very long Monopoly game that really didn't end. We called a stopping point at midnight. 

Thursday morning we got up and headed to lunch at the Italian restaurant in Eastbourne. The meal was wonderful and since it is Granny's favorite place to eat, we always try to go there when we are in the UK. In the afternoon, we headed to an escape room with a Sweeny Todd theme. It was actually next to a barber. They had prepared it well and everything we did was centered around helping a woman escape Sweeny Todd. We did escape, but it we were given a lot of hints. 

It was raining when we headed back to Highwoods. We decided to turn in a bit early as we needed to be up, loaded up and out of the house by 9 am in order for Stuart to drive Hope back to Tipton and the kids and I get the train into London. 

Friday morning we got up, stripped the beds, packed up and discovered the trains from Hastings were canceled do to all the rain. So Grandpa ended up taking us to Orpington, a station about an hour away. Stuart was taking Hope back to Birmingham so we had intended to train into London for the day. We were so thankful Grandpa was willing to take us to a station closer to London. Once we got off the train at London Station, we were to transfer to a train to get us to Charing across where we would meet up with Henry. That train got canceled, so we were allowed to use the tube to get to Charing Cross. Good thing I know how to use the London Underground. Millie commented that Stuart would have been stressed had he been with us, while Jack questioned whether I knew what I was doing. Ha!

19,900 steps in London. We went to the British Museum, had a wonderful meal in China Town, and were able to make our way via train and bus to the hotel we were staying in on our last night in England. It was a great day!

We left London on Saturday around 2:30 pm, London time, and arrived in Phoenix at 6:30 pm, Phoenix time, which was 1:30 am London time. I didn't sleep a wink. This made for a very weary human. Grammie and Pop picked us up and Grammie was coughing her head off. We got home and I started unpacking. I had everything unpacked by the time I finally decided to go to bed, around midnight. 

Sunday we were all up before 6 am. Stuart and I went grocery shopping and then Stuart started for Gallup as it started snowing. He went about 45 minutes and turned around as it wasn't safe and he was pretty sure school would be canceled the following day. Once he was home, he helped me continue to get the Christmas decorations down. It was January 8th after all. We ate dinner with the neighbors and it started to get cold. It was due to be a cold week in our part of the country. They did cancel school in Gallup on Monday due to the snow, so it was great that Stuart hadn't gone up. This time of year is so sketchy with the weather. We tried to go to bed at a reasonable hour, but that didn't help. 

Stuart and I were awake just before 4 am. Jet lag is a real thing. We had coffee and tea and watched some television. Millie got up and came downstairs. I left for school and Stuart brought Millie later. Jack got to be home all day due to Chandler in-service for teachers. Pop took him to his girlfriend's and picked him up as well. Stuart left for Gallup around 9:30 am and got there with little issues. 

After school I took Millie to gymnastics and came home. I cleaned out some junk drawers and finished the laundry from our trip. I put Millie's clothes away as I have decided she never will. I made her macaroni and cheese and took it to her when I picked her up. I made Jack and myself fajitas. Nightly routine happened when Millie and I got home, and everyone was in bed at a reasonable hour.  Jack went to bed shortly after Millie as he was tired. 

Tuesday we were all up and out of the house as scheduled. School was non-eventful. It always is these days as I have 18 weeks left before I retire. I took Millie to gymnastics and on the way we dropped snacks at the Meyn house. Ryan had agreed to take the boys to volleyball practice, which meant I was off the hook. So the least I could do was provide snacks. I then ran Millie to gymnastics. I went home and wondered what I would do with a few hours to myself. I decided to just chill out in front of the television and watch my trashy shows. They did not disappoint. I picked Jack up from the Meyn house and then we headed to get Millie. I had warmed up the twice baked potatoes from our Sunday dinner. She ate them on the way home. Fortunately she didn't find the piece of plastic fork that broke off in them when I was cutting them up. Oops! When we got home we all took showers in our own bathrooms. My shower and Millie's shower started to get cold shortly after getting into it. Eek! Does this mean our water heater is going out? Oh Lord! I was hopeful that it was simply because we were all showering at once.  

Wednesday Jack sent me a text after his volleyball academy class. He told me he was really irritated that we made him go to England for two weeks as he missed volleyball and feels he had lost muscle memory. Who is this kid and why does he think he can call the shots? Needless to say, we had a very long conversation about his attitude and entitlement. He saw things my way in the end. 

Wednesday evenings are generally our nights at home. Jack ate all afternoon, and still ate more late in the evening. 

This was 10:30 pm on Wednesday night. Seems maybe he is growing again. 

Thursday once Millie was at gymnastics, I went to Gina's so we could all celebrate Sherry's birthday. Boy do I love these women. We had hours of chatting, very loudly might I add, and laughing, also very loudly, and just enjoying our time together. We don't do this often enough, but we do make the most of it when we can get together. 

When I got home, Stuart had picked up Millie from gym. He left Gallup earlier than planned as a storm was coming in. We were due to fly to LA on Friday for a volleyball tournament and he didn't want to risk getting stuck in Gallup. 

Friday after school we dropped Millie at gymnastics and then headed to the airport. We left Grammie and Pop in charge of Millie. She had her first flag football game and looked so cute. Unfortunately, they got killed as their team has just started this new game and the team they played were a club team and had been playing together for three years. But she said she had fun and that was all that mattered to us. 

Millie was able to live her best life with Grammie and Pop this weekend, while we watched hours of volleyball in LA. Millie shopped and had all the ice cream she could hold. We are so thankful my mom and dad are still able to have the kids with them for the weekend. 

Saturday we were up early. Stuart filled out principal applications in the hotel lobby. His big desire is to get back to the valley with an administrators job. Jack was up around 9 am. I went to 7 Eleven to get him some breakfast and lunches for the next three days. We walked to Vicki's hotel to collect our beer and water Ryan had driven to LA for us. We then went back to the hotel. We met up with some people at 11 am for lunch. 

Just down from our hotel was the stage for the Emmys. It was starting on Monday at 3 pm, just about the time we would be headed to the airport. 

After lunch we went back to the hotel room while the boys went to the convention center to watch another team play volleyball. 

Jack's team was in the afternoon wave, which makes for a long day for sure. Thank goodness they decided to show up. They won two of their matches and lost one. Although they were hopeful to win all three, they would still move forward and have a chance of getting a medal. After the matches were over, we headed back to the hotel and ordered the boys Chick Fil A. The adults hung out at the bar for a while and then headed to bed. 

Sunday morning I woke up with a cold. That was fun! I felt like garbage, but carried on in the name of volleyball. Ha!

We decided to take the team for lunch at the Yard House. It is one of the few places in downtown LA that can accommodate a large group.  

The dads! Stuart, Tom (Owen's dad), Ryan (Gavin's dad) and Jeremy (Carter's dad). 

Sunday games didn't go as well as expected. They lost the first two matches. In the third match it went to three sets. On the next to last point, to win the third set, there was a controversial call. Jack was frustrated and expressed that frustration with some choice words, which is SO out of his character, and he was given a red card. This resulted in the other team getting two points. Fortunately, the last point was won be Fear and they would move on to the Silver bracket for Monday. 

After the game I spoke with Jack as I couldn't believe he would say what a parent told me they saw his lips say. Nope, in fact he did say exactly what was reported. We spoke to him, told him to go and apologize to the referee, and carry on with life. But that wouldn't be the end of it. He was so disappointed with himself. 

Monday morning he was full of all kinds of regret. This is where he is more his father's child. He had some serious emotions about it and was hopeful people didn't think poorly of him. I told him that being frustrated was fine, but channeling it correctly was the challenge. He agreed and carried on for the day. They lost their first match, but both sets were close. Jack missed the last point in both sets so blamed himself. This knocked them out of the tournament. He is so passionate about the game. His emotions are what we are going to need to work on as he proceeds through these next 4 seasons of volleyball. 

Look at his right ankle! Fortunately, it looks worse than it was. 

The Emmys were to be in downtown LA on Monday afternoon, so getting out of there before that mess started was our main goal. We attempted to get on an earlier flight, and it seemed that there were plenty of seats, however, we were not called up on the standby list. So that was a bummer. We ended up not getting home until after 11 PM. I started laundry. Millie was in bed when we got home. My mom and dad were at our house. They left and we carried on getting ready for bed. The three of us showered and hit the bed. 

Tuesday morning Stuart was up at 5:30 and left by about 615 to go to Gallup. Tuesday was our hundredth day of school so my team did our best to dress as 100 year-old women.

After school on Tuesday, I took Millie to gymnastics and then went home for a while. I started ridding myself of 30 items, as were the directions that I was given from my friend Gina. The rules of this particular activity are to get rid of 30 items every month for an entire year. I think as I get older living more minimalistic is probably the best way forward. I don't want anyone to have to go through my crap once I die. So if I get rid of it all before then no one has anything to do. Is that morbid?  I suppose. After my sort out, I made mac and cheese for Millie and took it to her when I picked her up from gymnastics. I made pasta with meatballs for Jack and he ate that prior to me leaving to get Millie from gymnastics. 

Wednesday was a half-day, as usual in Queen Creek, and I was due to pick Jack up at 2:30 like I typically do. I couldn't get to him and messaged him so he could message Grammie or Pop to pick him up. There was a misunderstanding, and Grammie didn't have her phone, so therefore, she tried to pick him up at school when he was actually at Rock Point church. I ended up going to get him at 3:10 and drop him by the house before I went to do some grocery shopping.  When I got home, I made Jack a baked potatoe for dinner. What an easy meal that is! Elise came over for a chat. We really hadn't caught up very well since Christmas break. 

Thursday I met Kristi, Carter's mom, for dinner after I drop Millie gymnastics. This relationship is a bit tricky. I am friends with all the moms and with Carter's step-mom, but all 5 moms don't hang out together. I try to keep thing separate and never discuss with anyone what the others say. 

Millie had her second football game. She's fast as lightning, but still learning the strategy of the game. She seems to be having fun and that is all that matters at the moment. 

While Millie was playing football, Jack was playing sand volleyball at the Kings of the Beach tournament hosted by Casteel. It is a rotation type of tournament and very physical. He and Parker, his partner from his club team last year, did quite well, but got knocked out before the finals. I think he was relieved. 

Stuart and I helped at the event. 

Saturday evening, Jack stayed at Owen's house and Millie stayed at home. Stuart, myself and our friends John and Jeni went to Drunk Shakespeare. I had bought tickets for Stuart for Christmas and knew all along I wanted to take John and Jeni. The premise is a Shakespeare play, acted out by 5 actors, where one of them has 4 shots of booze before the play starts. It was hilarious! It is not for young ears by any means. 

Sunday afternoon was Millie's first gymnastics meet of the season. She fell off the beam, which was a bummer. She placed 4th all around and, although she didn't say so, was disappointed with her performance. We are not sure yet, but this may be her last season. That will be a big decision for her. Stuart left for Gallup before the presentation of the medals. 

Monday morning I dropped Jack at school. Before he got out of the car, I asked him if he remembered to put his volleyball shoes back in his bag after the sand tournament on Saturday. Nope! Then he begged me to go get them for him. There wasn't enough time and I wasn't willing anyway. Tough lesson! Oh, but he figured it out. Coach Meyn sent me this picture with the message 'they always find a way'. 

After I dropped Millie at gymnastics, I went to hang out with Melinda. We discussed life and the problems of the world. We solved nothing, but had a nice chat. I had brought Mac and cheese for Millie and warmed it in the microwave before picking her up from the gym. 

Tuesday was relatively uneventful. I took Millie to gym and then went home. Elise came over for a while before I had to go back and collect Millie.

Wednesday Elise and I took Millie and Weston to the Casteel Open House. They got a tour of the school and got a bit of a feel for what was going to happen as 7th graders. Millie didn't lean Weston's side. I think she is nervous about going to junior high. It will definitely be a big change. 

Thursday after school I took Millie to gymnastics. When I got home, Jack and I moved the sofa up to our loft. Jack had asked if his girlfriend could come over on Sunday. Then he proceeded to ask if they could hang out in his room. Uh, seems the loft needed to be set up again. He tried to argue that it would be fine. Not happening. Poor raging hormones!

This seemed suitable for the kids!

Friday one of my students went on the Project Exploration trip to San Diego and 5 of my students just decided to stay home because they were 5th graders and didn't go on the field trip and used this day as a 'ditch' day, which is terribly out of character for my students. The day was relatively easy as my 6th graders went to a Star Lab in the afternoon. I took Millie to gymnastics after school and picked her up just before 6 pm and took her to her flag football games. They won a game and lost a game, but she seems to be getting the hang of it better. 

Saturday I got up and picked up the RV in order to clean it out and list it for sale. My mom came over and we got everything out of it and started to clean it. 

I took Jack to Tatum's dance recital. He had asked me a few days before if he could get her flowers. I told him we would stop at Trader Joe's on the way to the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center. I asked him who gave him this idea, and he said no one. Then after we bought the flowers, he was nervous he was going to be the only one that had brought flowers. I assured him that there would be a lot of people who brought flowers, and that it was a sweet gesture.

After the dance recital, Tatum's family took Jack with them to his favorite place, Raising Canes, for dinner. 

Stuart, Millie and I went to the Lloyd's house. Brandy works with Stuart and Millie loves her son, Bentley. Their kids go to Casteel as well and Bentley will be a 7th grader next year, so Millie will know another student there. 

Sunday we had Ken and Maytee over for ribs. Tatum and her sister came over for the afternoon as well. I took Jack and Tatum to the movies around 4 pm. He picked a scary movie. He has skills. When they got home, we fed them chicken tenders and fries. The girls were collected around 6:30 pm. They are very nice and normal girls. 

Monday Stuart finished cleaning out the RV and my mom came over to clean the inside. We listed it in Facebook and were hopeful to sell it quickly. Stuart left for Gallup just after noon. I took Millie to gymnastics and then came home and warmed up food for Jack. There is nothing wrong with leftover ribs. 

Tuesday my mom finished cleaning the RV. Without a doubt, it was as clean as it has ever been. I got a Facebook message and booked someone to come see the RV on Wednesday afternoon. When I picked Millie up from gym she was ranting about her coach and how he had taken something out of her routine. I let her know that if she decided she no longer wanted to participate in gymnastics, that would be fine. She ended up having a bit of a breakdown regarding this. Once we were home, she disappeared upstairs. I went to check on her and she was in tears.

This was her snap chat post that I saw the next morning. Poor little dear doesn't know what to do with these feelings. This is why I am so thankful for her new counselor, Aimee! Although Millie did tell me earlier in the week that she thought she was about done with Aimee. When I asked her why she thought that, she said, 'Well, I haven't told you I hated you for a really long time'. I actually laughed at this. Then she followed up with, 'Mom, you know I really never hated you, right?'  She is getting so much better, and I think I am as well. Thank the Lord!

Wednesday a couple came to see the RV. They seemed interested and said they would let me know if they wanted it in the next couple of days. Millie went to football practice with the twins because I forgot I had these people coming to look at the RV and I also had to take Jack to open gym before football practice. When I got home from taking Jack, Millie arrived shortly after that. I fed her dinner, and then she went to take a shower. As she was taking a shower, I heard her listening to her Alexa and it was playing the Star-Spangled Banner. She was singing along. It just made me laugh! I then went to pick up Jack from open gym and he was super pumped about the season starting.

Thursday after school I took Millie to gymnastics and met up with Chrissy, Carter's mom, again for dinner. Once again, we solve the problems of the world in three hours. Jack had been picked up by my dad and brought home and I left him to fend for himself. I picked Millie up from gymnastics and remembered that it was McDonald's night so I ended up getting food for Jack as well. Stuart had messaged me earlier in the day and told me there was a snowstorm coming that would likely prohibit him from coming down through the mountains and getting home on Friday. So he decided he would drive home on Thursday night.  he arrived around 11:30 PM. Was asleep in the chair and once he was home, we both went to bed. 

On Friday, we went to my mom's for lunch and had bacon and eggs and biscuits. It's some thing that I've committed to do for the rest of the school year. I think they like it and I get a free meal. After school I took Millie to gymnastics and then went to meet, Sara, Chris, and Vicki for happy hour. We were celebrating Sara's birthday. We sat there much longer than we planned. In fact, I think we were there for four hours. But when time passes that fast, you know you're amongst good friends.

I got up Saturday morning and woke Millie up. Her football game was canceled because of rain. I guess the fields were in bad shape. She went to see her counselor, Emy, and Amy was quite impressed with her progress. So we've moved to just going once a month now. It thrills me that Millie is feeling so much better about things and is able to be a little more mature in her reactions. 

We got home and Stuart was cleaning the yard. I went inside and watched television. I then changed the sheets on our bed and started laundry. At noon I took Millie to a birthday party. I went to get gas and came home to Stuart and Mitch, our neighbor, cutting the roof off the Bronco. Oh me oh my, here we go. Stuart was like a little boy. 

I then went to my friend Jennifer's mom's celebration of life. That had it at Natalie's bar in Chandler. Jennifer said it was fitting for her mother as her parents were regulars at Natalie's. It was their version of Cheers. I picked Millie up at  4:30 pm and we headed home. 

Stuart, Elise, Mitch and I decided we would fix pizza and chicken tenders for the kids while we went to dinner at TC's, one of our locals. After we ate, we came back to the house and played poker for a couple of hours. Stuart won, of course! It was a very full day!