September 2023

Sunday we got up and went to Wal Mart to get groceries for the day. We had invited Ken and Maytee over. Stuart had dropped his car at Discount Tires to get a new set of tires, so Liz and I went to pick him up before our Wal Mart shop. Millie's sleepover friend was picked up just before 11 am. 

Once we were home from Walmart, Liz went with me to pick Jack up from Carter's house. Ken and Maytee came over for the afternoon and Stuart made chicken friend rice. 

Monday was Labor Day and an early morning for me for some reason. We didn't do much of anything. Stuart left around 3 pm. Liz and I took Millie to gymnastics and then decided to have dinner at Fat Willies. We then did some shopping at Basha before picking her up at 8 PM. Jack didn't have anything going on because it was Labor Day.

Tuesday I ran all the errands possible before I met the girls for dinner to celebrate Elisa and Gina's birthdays. We had a good catch up. I then rushed to pick up Millie then stopped at McDonalds to get her food. Jack was at home, so I picked up McDonalds for him as well. 

Wednesday I emailed all my friends to see if I could send them a fundraiser email from Millie so she could get some crappy gifts. When I messaged Sue she gave me a shoulder surgery update. I was so enthralled with what I was dealing with Jack about that it totally slipped my mind she was having surgery the previous day. I am a crap friend at times. Of course I apologized all over myself. 

I thought I was supposed to drive to volleyball that evening, but it seems I jumped ahead of myself a week. Instead, I went home to work on editing lesson plans. Millie was at home so I made her dinner. I then drove to pick Jack up from Starbucks after volleyball. He had not had his phone due to misuse, so I had to rely on the carpool person to let me know when he would be back. It was a pain. 

Thursday I picked up Jack from school and we took Millie to gymnastics. When we got home Jack took his reading test to get admitted into Chandler Gilbert Community College. We found out he was eligible for dual enrollment in his Honors Biology class. I didn't think he could do that until he was a junior. Who knew? He and I then decided to go eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was really nice. I was still irritated with him for his misuse of his phone, but we did nothing but talk. Since he didn't have use of electronics, he was more inclined to want to go out to eat and talk with me. That, I enjoyed. 

Friday came very quickly and the day went quite fast. We followed a similar routine after school by collecting Jack and taking Millie to gymnastics. Jack needed a hair cut before our trip to Australia, so we did that as well. Then Jack and I went to dinner again.  Him having no phone has been pleasant. The whole situation has been a lesson for all of us, a hard lesson. I don't like this part of parenting at all. Can I get an AMEN? There have been many aspects of this particular 'lesson' that neither of us expected. But I do think some heartache will be saved down the road. Stuart was still in Gallup as he was supposed to work on the Saturday. So Friday night we played trivia on the tv for over an hour. It was just Jack, Millie and myself, but it was fun. Losing his electronics may have forced him to have some fun family time. 

Saturday morning Jack got up and I took him to a Casteel Men's Volleyball car wash. 

He may have forgotten to put on sunscreen. Dummy! Once I picked his lobster body up, I spoke with Chris (Owen's mom) and Vicki (Gavin's mom) about the situation earlier in the week. They had spoken to their boys about the particular app I found. Their boys, according to Jack, lied to their parents. Jack was the only one with consequences. I told him the other boys were not my problem and their parents would deal with them as they liked. It seems that they gave him crap all week about it and called him a snitch. Both moms were enraged at their boys and said they would speak to them. This made me feel so much better. The rest of day we were at home waiting for Stuart to return. 

Sunday we had the Hills over to swim, well, Mitch and the boys. Elise was at her brother's house. He has been on hospice for a while because his MS has progressed so badly. It is just a waiting game now, I suppose. It makes me so sad for her. 

Monday we all got up and we're out of the house. Stuart had a couple of doctor appointments that were long overdue so he didn't go to Gallup until around midday. The day passed quickly, which seems to be the norm these days. Jack had gone home with Gavin so I dropped Millie at gymnastics and went home for a few hours alone. This will be my Monday evenings during the volleyball club season, which is kind of nice. I picked up Jack from Vicki's, then we sped to get Millie at gymnastics. I had mad nuggets and tater tots and put them in a foil baking dish to keep them hot. Both kids had eaten by the time we got home. 

Tuesday I had my formal evaluation. It went well. After 32 years, I would hope it would be easy, and it was. I had some parent teacher conferences. I had to get them scheduled before the last week of the quarter as I would be in Australia. I had all but 5 of my parents sign up, but they were very spread out. Millie had gymnastics, but Jack had nothing. I was supposed to go to dinner with my friend Bethany but she wasn't feeling well. So I went home and waited until it was time to pick Millie up. 

Wednesday was a half day at school and I had more conferences. They  have all been amazing so it really hasn't been much of a bother to do them on my lunch time and before school. I picked Jack up from school at 3:30. Neither of the kids had anything going on and Melinda called and asked if I wanted to meet for dinner. I hadn't seen her all summer, so I jumped at the chance. We had a nice chat session and I bought chicken wings for Jack. 

Thursday was a lot of 'catch up' work for kids, as well as finishing things off. I have a lot of things going on at school that I need to wrap up before the 22nd when we leave for Australia. I had a few more conferences. I then took Millie to gymnastics. Jack had gone to Gavin's after school as volleyball practice had been changed from Wednesday to Thursday. 

Friday I had my post conference for my evaluation. It was nothing. I feel like evaluations are useless at this stage. Stuart was home around 4 pm because he only had to work a half day. Elise came over for a while that evening. Her brother was continuing to go down hill. She just seemed so worn out by it all. Stuart went and picked up Millie from gymnastics so I could continue to talk with Elise. 

Saturday was Jack's club team party at Jeremy and Christie's house. I was supposed to go with a former colleague to a comedy show, but canceled because of the party. I felt bad, but have decided I really don't want to spend time with people who are not vested in my life, and this colleague and I are just that, a colleague whom I work with. 

Sunday we went back to Jeremy and Christie's to pick up our car and Jack. He ended up staying over. We decided to stay for a while. Stuart went home for an iPad delivery and then returned with Millie. He left around 2 pm to go to Gallup and we went home. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to sort out the rest of our packing and writing lists of all that had to be done before the end of the week. It was a bit overwhelming. Elise came over for a while. I had bought Cane's for the kids on the way home from the Holmes' house, so dinner was kind of on their own. 

Monday I got to school and started writing my sub plans for the following week. What a daunting task this was! After school we had a meeting about the district override and bond coming up. The bond will likely not pass. It seems it never does. I really wish people in Arizona valued education more than they do. I hustled out of there after the meeting in order to stop at the house to let the dogs pee, get Millie to her orthodontist appointment and then to gymnastics, which she was late to. I then went to the Whining Pig to meet up with my friend Bethany for dinner. Jack had gotten a lift home from Owen and was going to volleyball practice. He didn't have his phone because he had been deceitful and bought a game on his virtual reality game system without my permission. In fact, I told him 'no' when he asked me, and he did it anyway. I suspect he bought it and then asked me. Dummy! In order to have these gaming systems, there has to be a credit card attached to the account. It seems Stuart needs to check that security feature on Jack's phone as well. I am so beyond sick of the technological world. He just doesn't learn. 

Tuesday I got to school and finished up my lesson plans. I got everything copied and set it all on the shelf behind my desk. The good thing about the last week of the quarter is three of the days the kids only go to school until 1 pm, so there is less planning. Tuesday evening was gymnastics for Millie and nothing for Jack. We are in a bit of a rat race at the moment and I am ready for a break. 

Wednesday was another day at school. I had parent teacher conferences after school I then went and picked Jack up and took him home to feed him. Of course, Wednesday night was the scoring clinic for the volleyball team, as well as a scrimmage, so the practice was three hours instead of two hours. This made me get home around 10 o'clock, which was too late for Millie to go with me. But when I got home, there were about 12 messes in the house. It's so infuriating to have your children think that you are actually the cleanup crew. So as much as it pained me, I allowed the mess to stay there and made her get up Thursday morning to clean it all up. She was also to have packed her bag for Australia, but she didn't. She wants all the independence but doesn't take responsibility for the little things. 

Thursday Stuart got home from Gallup early and we went to eat dinner. Millie was at gymnastics and Jack was at home. We picked Millie up and got her McDonalds. Jack was at home and had emailed his teachers to remind them of his upcoming absences the following week. He would have some finals to take when he returned to school in the middle of October, but I wanted him to take on the responsibility of letting his teachers know he wouldn't be there for a week. 

Friday Stuart had some doctor appointments and then cleaned the house and got all the things ready to go to Australia the next day. We had sorted out our transportation to and from the volleyball tournament. We initially planned to rent a car, pick it up at the airport on Friday evening and return it to the airport on Saturday afternoon, once we left Jack's volleyball tournament. But in the end, our volleyball crew took care of us. Vicki picked us up Saturday morning and Tom took us to the airport at 2 pm. Our quandary then was how to get our stinky 15 year old a shower. 

They did really well at the tournament. Jack played well, and as a result, his team moved up a bracket. They beat teams that were a year and two years older than they were. It was a boost to their egos for sure. Once we were at the airport, we went to the Amex lounge and Jack was able to take a shower. Jack missed his last match of the day, which was the best game to miss anyway as they beat their opponent pretty easily. 

Stuart had upgraded us to premium economy, which was way more comfortable for a 15 hour flight. Once we landed in LA, we got our bags and went to the international terminal. The kids sat at the gate while Stuart and I went into the American Airline lounge and had a bit to eat. 

We boarded the plan just before 11 pm. The flight was relatively uneventful. We skipped a day and arrived in Sydney Monday morning. What a shit show the airport was. It took us over an hour to get through customs. We finally arrived at the hotel in downtown Sydney around 9 am. We spent the day walking around the city with a few pub visits. At 4 pm we boarded a boat for a Harbour cruise. James had hired the boat for all of us. It was so beautiful and a great deal of fun. There was a guitarist on board who was quite incredible. 

The cousins together again. Pictured left to right: Josh (Matt's son), Billy (James' son), Jack, Millie, Zoe (James' daughter), and Harper ((Matt's new step-daughter)

The Telford boys and their wives!

Stuart, his brothers, step-brothers and 2 of their boys, Billy and Jack. 

Beautiful Sydney!

Tuesday morning we were up and off to the airport at 7 am. Hamilton Island was our destination. The flight was easy. I finally got the email to pay for Jack's dual enrollment class. So I sorted that out as soon as I could. I was told if you don't pay it immediately, they will drop the class. Once we were on the island, we were given an itinerary from Nicole, Matt's wife-to-be.  They had thought of all the details. We got into the villa and unpacked our things. We would be on the island for nearly a week, so we decided to get comfy! 

This was our view from the back porch. It was definitely paradise. Tuesday evening we had dinner up the hill at Coca Chu. Dinner was amazing but there was too much. We then met up with the crew of friends who had also come for the wedding. These are the same people we went to Bali with last summer. They are a good group of friends to Matt, James and their families. I feel they have become friends to us as well. 

Wednesday I was up at 4:40 am. Jet lag was officially in the house. Stuart and I went for a walk. 

Look who I spied on my walk! They are all over the island. Good morning, Mr. Wallaby! 

Matt took us to the site of the wedding. Our villa was about a 5 minute walk from this stunning view. 

The boys went golfing on another part of the island and we met them for lunch. The food was spectacular. I had butternut squash gnocchi, which had fried kale on top. Yummy! We got back to the main island around 3:30 and met some new arrivals at the bar. We decided to play the pokies (Aussie's term for slot machines) and ended up winning some money. 

Both families had sunset drinks on One Tree Hill, at the very top of the island. Nicole's family is Italian and are as energetic as you would guess. And there are a lot of them. After the sun had set, we went back to the villa for more fun. 

Thursday morning we were up and on a catamaran at 9 am. 

We took a ride out to Whitehaven Beach, which has the purest white sand in the world. The kids love jumping off the side of the catamaran. The water was a bit cold, but refreshing. This day we all got a bit burned, unfortunately. Because the ozone layer is depleted above Australia, the sun is much more intense and you burn a lot faster. 

We played on the beach for a good hour. When we got back on the catamaran, we were served lunch and then were given an opportunity to get back on the beach. The kids went, but most of the adults chose to stay on board. I, did, however, decide to jump off the boat into the water. I convinced two others to do the same. 

Once back on shore, we showered. Stuart, his brothers and the kids stayed and went to the bar to eat dinner, while Louise, her mom, Karen (Stuart's mom) and I went back to Coca Chu with some of the Sydney friends. We then met up with the boys after that. 

Friday was the big day and the island was all a buzz with the 50 plus guests who were there to celebrate with Matt and Nicole. It was also the hottest day thus far in the trip. It was on a secluded beach, with few people around, excluding invited guests. The entire day was so beautiful. The ceremony was sweet and touching. Louise and I cried throughout most of the ceremony. 

In our beach chic attire. 

The cousins were all dressed up for the occasion. 

Matt was nearly in tears during his vows. 

These five brothers have not all been together in one place for 19 years. 

The entire group who celebrated this big day. 

After the ceremony we went to the bar to get the kids something to eat. We then just chilled at the villa until just after 4 when we headed to the Yacht Club for the reception. There were drinks, dinner and dancing. My nephew, Joshua, gave a speech which was so touching. He has grown to be a delightful young man. His life circumstances have not always been easy, but he has come through on the other side. It was a wonderful night. It was so good that I woke up at 4 am still in my wedding attire. Oops!

Karen and Barry with the kids

Lyn and Andrew with the kids 

Harper and Zoe were the cutest little flower girls. 

The beautiful bride and myself. 

Saturday, Stuart and I headed to the supermarket to get some snacks for a chill out afternoon. We provided the spread for the entire guest list, but were not sure of how many would show up. It turned out that nearly everyone who attended the wedding came by. The food was consumed and we needed to  order pizza around 7 pm. 

After the guests had left, I convinced these fools below to go up to the bar for a little more evening fun. It was so much fun! 

Our first 6 days in Australia were magical, to say the least. 

August 2023

We headed to Sedona for the day. Our intention was to go to slide rock, but it turns out that we waited too late. We stopped along the way to have a picture with a saguaro cactus. Millie can mess up any photo. 

Although we were not able to go to slide rock, Sedona with the Richardsons was still a lot of fun. We simply walked down the main street and went to have lunch. Just after lunch, the Richardson's had it on their merry way back to Kansas City. We stopped at the outlets at Anthem. We got a few bargains, but didn't last long there. When we got home we went in the pool for the evening. Stuart was working in town for the week so we decided to take advantage of our time in the pool. 

Monday the kids and I were at school but Millie didn't have gymnastics as it was the last day of July and we Disney pay for July. When we got home from school we had another pool afternoon and leftovers for dinner. 

Tuesday the kids and I had dentist appointments. Stuart stopped at the dentist to take Millie to gymnastics and Jack had his first night of open gym for volleyball, preparing for the new club season. Here we go!

Wednesday school was a half day as usual. Stuart and I went to the store and then we took Millie for her birthday dinner at Texas Roadhouse. We did embarrass her by making her get on the saddle. Sadly, there was an emergency while we were there and an elderly man was taken by ambulance while we were at the restaurant. 

She was a little embarrassed on the saddle!

Thursday school with my kids was a bit manic again. This is the day the kids go to their gifted classroom, so I have kids in and out of my class all day. It is manageable, but somewhat boring for me. Thursday after school I took Millie to gymnastics. I came home and then took Jack to the volleyball pick up spot. Stuart and I went to have a beverage. We collected Millie and then went home. I went to pick Jack up at Starbucks and back home for television watching and then to bed. 

Friday school began with no air conditioning. Although it didn't last long, we were still told we could leave school that afternoon as soon as students were gone. Stuart and I took Millie to gymnastics. We then went to meet our friend Lisa for happy hour. We decided to do some birthday shopping for Millie as I wasn't sure the items I ordered for her would arrive by her birthday. When we got home Mitch and Elise came over. 

Saturday Millie had her end of the year party for gymnastics. It seemed a bit odd as her season really ended in May. At any rate she was awarded the team MVP for the season. She contributed the most points to her team for each of the meets. We were so proud of her. 

Jack spent the day at GCU at their volleyball camp. He went with Owen and they had lunch on their way home. 

He said it was so much fun. I am so excited to see what my kids will do with their athletic abilities. We are so blessed and proud of Jack and Millie, for many reasons. 

Once Jack was home, we all got ready and went to a belated birthday dinner with the Tharalsons. Tim and I have birthdays in July, so it seemed fitting. Trenton, the Tharalson's son, and his wife, Sarah, joined us. It was a nice dinner at Culinary Dropout. 

Sunday Jack was up at 6:45 for volleyball camp. Millie got up at 7 in order to open her presents. I went to watch Jack just after 1 pm and Stuart left for Gallup around noon. Millie just wanted to stay home for her birthday. She had her free drink from Starbucks that morning and that was all she wanted. Once we were home from the volleyball camp, I took the kids to Fat Cats to bowl and play in the arcade. When we got home, the Hill boys came over for a swim. 

Monday was back to our routine of school and then to take Millie to gymnastics and Jack home to do chores. I did some laundry and then sat and watched television until it was time to make dinner. I made Jack pesto ravioli and Millie a cheese quesadilla to take to gymnastics when I picked her up. We got home and Millie took a shower. She and I watched Nailed It on Netflix. We both get a kick out of that show. As usual, I fell asleep on the recliner. I woke up to put Millie to bed at about 9:30. Jack followed at 10:30 and I went shortly after him. 

Tuesday morning I hit the snooze button one too many times. I got up a little bit later than I had expected. But I was still on time to take Jack to school and come back and get Millie. We had a shouting match about what she packed in her lunch. I would assume at some stage I'm going to give up on the healthy eating for her. After school we picked up Jack and took Millie to gymnastics. I then went to drop Jack at the house and go to Costco. Once I was home, he helped me unpack the car. I then took him and two of his buddies to a third buddies house  so that his mom could drive him to volleyball training. I went to Chili's to meet up with my friend Mindy for dinner. I ordered food for Millie and picked her up. Once we were home, she showered and settled in on the sofa. I picked Jack up from the carpool spot and the evening ended as it usually does, with me napping on the recliner. 

Wednesday I think Jack school and came back home to get Millie. He made lava lamp in science. These students are so easy going, and they follow directions so activities like that are very fun. I had a dentist appointment after school and had a temporary crown put in. Around 6 PM. I took Jack to Gavyn's house to get a lift to the skilled volleyball night. Vicki brought him to Starbucks and I picked him up from there. As I was learning things off my bad, I discovered that one of the cats and pooped on my bed. Nothing says I love you like a cat pooping on your bed.

Thursday morning I was up and around. I took the comforter from the washer and put it in the dryer. I took Jack to school as I always do and came back and got Millie. She was actually ready to head out the door when I got there. I love mornings like that. Cool this line, Thursdays are always a little bit crazy because half my fifth graders go to their gifted program in the morning and half my six graders go to their good did program in the afternoon and I'm left with 3/4 of a class and most of the day. So we've started projects and things like that to keep the other kids occupied because they can't hold the gifted kids accountable for any material that I present on the day that they are not there. 

After school I picked up Jack from school and we took Millie to gymnastics. Jack and I got home and I packed snacks because it was my turn to drive for volleyball. They were practicing at Brophy. I ended up taking an extra kid to practice with me because his mom was in a bind. She said she would pick him up from Brophy but then when I found out another player wasn't going to go I told her I could go ahead and bring him home. She then said, 'Oh, thank you so much. I really didn't want to have to drive to Brophy tonight.' That kind of pissed me off because I not only drove to Brophy one time on that night, but I drove twice. Once I had dropped the boys, I came home to pick Millie up from gymnastics, take her home so she wasn't out until almost ten o'clock,  and then had to go back to Brophy. So it was quite a night. 

Friday was a shit show of a day at school. Millie was being harassed by a student on social media and the principal informed me she could do nothing about it. I was livid and have lost a ton of respect for my principal. She surely knows I know the school law. She even called me into her office with the safety officer. He agreed with me that at least a conversation with the boy would be needed. She didn't do it though. So as we were heading to gymnastics, I told Millie to message her core group of friends, and tell them that I was going to call the police if that boy didn't take down the TikTok. Within minutes, he messaged her on an unknown number. He asked why her mom was making threats to him. I told Millie to message him and say if he did not take that TikTok down, I would call the police. I also told her to say that it was not a threat,  it was a promise. Witching minutes it was gone. Success!

When I got home from taking Millie to gymnastics, I went out with Elise as Stuart agreed to pick Millie up from gymnastics once he was home. I had had a very stressful day. Elise and I got back to the house around 8 pm and I really don't recollect much after that. I was told we went swimming and had fun. Maybe martinis on an empty stomach is not the best idea. 

Saturday morning Jack had tryouts for his club team. His coach this year will be Kendall McCall. Sound familiar? This is my friend Elisa's daughter in law. Everything seems to come full circle. I taught James, Elisa's oldest son, and now her youngest son's wife is coaching my son. Life is crazy. 

After tryouts we went to breakfast. This was the scene outside of the restaurant. These boys all made the first team. 

Jack went for a sleepover at Gavin's while we had Millie's 12th birthday party. She requested John to come and DJ so they could sing karaoke. They also swam and played around the house. It was a great party. 

Jenni and John never disappoint. 

The girls love singing (yelling) and the props John brought. 

It was a party to remember. 

Sunday we had the neighbors over for dinner. Stuart made a tradition English Sunday roast, which included some kind of meat, chicken for us on this day, many vegetables and gravy. It was a great meal. The kids swam for the entire day and Jack was on a Pokémon Go adventure with his volleyball buddies. He is a nerd at heart. Stuart left around 3:30 pm, which was hard again this week, but we will manage as we are doing this for our kids to be able to have the advantages they have at this point. Jack returned home around 4:30 pm and then we headed to Elevate for a school fundraiser. The kids bounced for a couple of hours and then we went home for showers and bed. 

Monday morning at 5:40 Millie came busting into my room, crying, with a 101 degree fever, runny nose, and headache. I ran to school to do lesson plans and schedule a sub. Poor kid! This was her most of the day. 

I decided to take the time at home to sort out her room a bit. I got rid of some random socks that had no match as well as ones that no longer fit. Then I put away all of her clean clothes, as you do when your kid is not feeling well. I also brought down the millions of bottles and cups in her room, thinking that maybe I should put all of those things in the dishwasher as not to continue her illness. 

This was the science experiment found in one of the bottles. Hoping she hadn't drank from this for a while. Ick! 

Tuesday she still wasn't 100% so I made her stay home. Jack didn't have volleyball for this week so it made it kind of nice for me to not have to drive anywhere for the night. I picked Jack up from school and we went home and didn't do much of anything.

Wednesday everything was back to normal. Millie was feeling better but still kind of had a cold. After school on Wednesday the air conditioning service came to do a regular maintenance on our AC units. It seemed like they were there for hours. Naturally, they recommended about $7000 worth of work that needed to be done. I told him I would speak to my husband that weekend, and we would get back to them. After they left, Elise came over for a little bit for a chat. The kids came to swim and I made chicken nuggets and tater tots. They all went home at about 7:30 PM and we all settled in for the night. 

Thursday we were at school and things were relatively normal. My Thursdays always feel like I'm getting paid to do nothing. We do a lot of projects on those days and they're all self-initiated. My actual teaching is pretty minimal. After school, Millie informed me that she forgot her leotard again. I was so frustrated because she takes her gym back to school every day, but somehow seem to miss getting a leotard in there. I went home to get one for her, just simply because I felt like I pay so much money for this sport that I need her to be there. And she hadn't been there on Monday or Tuesday of the week.  We picked up Jack from school and went to take Millie to gymnastics. Once Jack and I were at home, I did some laundry and just relaxed for the evening. I made Millie dinner to take it back to gym with me when I picked her up.

Friday seemed like a normal day. The weeks are going very quickly this year. I think it is because my class is so good. Millie and I picked Jack up after school and we drove to gymnastics. On the way back, Jack and I stopped at the grocery store so I could pick up some things. I also got a call from Stuart informing me that he was actually coming home that evening. He was supposed to work on Saturday, but because of Hurricane Hillary, the flight that he was supposed to take on Monday to Australia, for his brothers bachelor, party was in jeopardy of not actually taking off. So our sister-in-law rescheduled his flight for Saturday evening. So instead of having him home for a day and a half I had him at home for about 12 hours.  Once he was home around 10 PM we sat up and talked for a while and then went to bed. 

Saturday morning we got up and took the kids to breakfast. We then went shopping with Millie so she could spend some of her birthday money and gift cards. When we got home we sat down for a little bit and Stuart went to take a shower to get ready to leave for the airport. he was flying to LA and then on to Sydney from there. Jack had asked me in the morning if he could have some friends over for a sleepover. It turned out that Carter was the only one that could come. He showed up at about 6 o'clock.  I was able to get a lot of laundry done in the day and still have time to do a little bit of nothing. 

Sunday I got up and went to the store with Millie. We then took Carter home. Once we were home, we waited for Ken and Maytee to show up for our Sunday Pool Day. We spent the afternoon hanging out in the pool. Elise came over later. I fed the kids and then we settled into the night. 

Monday after school, Jack went home with Gavin. I took Millie to gymnastics and had 3 hours by myself at home. It was delightful. I picked Jack up from Starbucks and then headed to get Millie from the gym. Jack's practices this fall are from 5 pm to 7 pm, two nights a week, so he gets home a great deal earlier than last year. Millie had a meltdown before going to bed, all over lying to me about brushing her teeth. 

Tuesday I took Millie to gymnastics and then went to the gastro entomologist appointment for them to tell me that I would need an upper GI scope to see what the problem was. I booked that procedure and called my parents to make sure they would be in town in October when I had to have it done. I got home and made Jack something to eat. I watched television for a while before having to go and collect Millie from the gym. Stuart was in Australia, getting ready to travel to New Zealand. He was living his best life! I do love that he is able to spend quality time with his brothers.  

Wednesday Jack went home with Gavin again. Because they go to practice earlier, it helps me when he can go home with one of the boys. I took all the boys to volleyball and then went to a sketchy Sam's Club in north Phoenix. I saw about 12 homeless people talking to themselves. I got basic needs and then remembered I had to fit all the things in the back of the car while still cramming in 5 boys. I managed it all. I ended up taking all the boys home after practice. When we got home, Millie had showered and was relatively ready for bed. 

Thursday was school as usual. I took Millie to gymnastics after picking Jack up from school. I stopped at Fry’s to get some groceries for the weekend. I dropped the groceries at home along with Jack so that he could do some chores. He needed to get the carpet swept, the pool swept, pack his bag, and put his clothes away before he went and spent the weekend with Gavin. I went on to Costco to get a couple of things and then picked up a charcuterie tray from a lady in Queen Creek. We were going away for Chris's birthday. We planned to go to Sedona for the weekend. So I had to farm out my kids to other families for the weekend. Millie would be going to Ken and Maytee's to spend some time with Lexi, and Jack was going to Vicki and Ryan's to spend some time with Gavin. I got Millie from gymnastics and then we were home to get everything ready for the following day. 

Friday during the day, Jack texted me to let me know he got a 93% on his geometry test. We are so pleased with how he is doing in math this year, especially because he didn't have much of a math teacher last year. After school, we were allowed to leave as soon as the students were gone. It was a good thing because I had some kid shuffling to do. Millie and I went home to let the dogs out to pee, gather our things for the weekend and head to meet Ken in Gilbert. Millie was staying with Ken and Maytee while I was away in Sedona. Once she was delivered I headed to Vicki's. 

Pre-trip beverages. 

Ryan then took Vicki and myself to Chris's house. Sarah was going to drive, so we piled all of our crap into her car. Our drive to Sedona was relatively uneventful. We chatted about a lot of nothing and just enjoyed getting away. Tom, Chris's husband had rented this Airbnb for us for Chris's birthday. It was a lovely cabin just down the road from the chapel in Sedona. 

The car ride was fun. 

We bought mumus for the weekend. Christie was not able to join us Friday night but would be up on Saturday. 

Friday night we sat up and talked and had drinks and really did a whole lot of nothing. We ended up going into the hot tub. We couldn't figure out how it worked and at one point I thought I had pushed a button to make all the water come out. We ended going to bed around midnight, I think.

Saturday morning I was awake at about 6:20 so I went out of the room Vicki and I were sharing, and made myself some coffee. Then we sat outside for a little bit and enjoyed the morning air because it was much cooler than being in the valley. We had some breakfast and then ended up staying around the house and waiting for Christie to arrive. We were going to go into town and have something to eat and then go to a medium reading. We tried to get an Uber and it was virtually impossible. So Christie decided that she would drive and not have anything to drink. Then after dinner we would come back to the house and she could join in the libations. We went to our reading and were all in the same room. I personally was not very open to the whole thing. Therefore, some of the things that she claimed she felt might have been directed towards me, but I wasn't going to say I could relate to what she was saying. I was raised that this type of medium was of the devil. Do I believe that now? She did say a lot of things to Vicki, Sarah and Chris. It was interesting, and I would probably do it again, and maybe force myself to be a little more open. We shall see! 

After the reading, we went to dinner at a place called the Hudson. I had a hamburger with no bun, while the other girls shared some appetizers. When we got back to the Airbnb, we brought out the birthday cake we had purchased for Chris, and sang happy birthday. Sarah decided that she would perform a wedding ceremony between Chris, Vicki, and myself. It was hilarious! We laughed and had a wonderful time with each other. 

We got up on Sunday morning and we all ended up just gathering our things and getting ready to head back to the valley. We decided to have lunch on the way down and stopped at Desert Ridge and ate at the Yard House. We then went next door to Dirty Dough and got some cookies. Then I headed to get Millie from Mesa. She had been following me on Life360 and assumed she knew when I would be at Ken and Maytee's to pick her up.  Jack had been living his best life because on Friday night he went to the football game with his friend and Coach Meyn. On Saturday, Coach Meyn's mother, which is Gavin's grandmother took the boys on a Pokémon Go adventure. She was driving them around town for quite some time.  Then on Sunday, Carter's mom drove them around for more Pokémon Go. When we were back at Vicki's house, I gathered Jack's things and headed to Mesa to get Millie. Kristi brought Jack home around 4:30 pm. Once everyone was home, I made food and everyone got ready for bed. 

Monday we got up and went to school. Stuart got home around noon. Millie and I went to pick him up at 3:30. He and I dropped Millie at gymnastics and then we went to meet Skip and Lisa for happy hour. Jack had gone home with Carter and was off to volleyball practice. We picked him up just after 730 at Starbucks and then headed back to get Millie from gymnastics. Stuart was exhausted from his trip, but had managed to wash clothes and get his things gathered to go back to Gallup for the rest of the week. 

Tuesday morning Stuart woke up around 3 AM primarily because of jet lag. He then decided it was probably OK for him to head onto Gallup for the work week. I came downstairs with him, but then went back upstairs to get a few more hours of sleep once he had driven away. After school on Monday, I took Millie to gymnastics and then picked Jack up from the girl's volleyball match at around 6 PM. I had a parent meeting at gymnastics to let us know about the fees for the year. Extraordinarily expensive, as usual. Millie and I then ran through McDonald's to get her food for dinner. When we got home, the regular routine was carried out. 

Wednesday morning we were up and out of the house as normal. I woke up and decided to look at Moose's ear because it looked very red to me. In fact it was red and warranted me taking him to the vet that afternoon. I was supposed to meet with my friend Debi for dinner, but had to cancel because of the silly dog. It turns out he was bit by one of our other dogs, and because Labrador ears are so sensitive, it developed into a hematoma. $180 later he was in good shape with medication and a plan for healing. I picked Jack up from Vicki's house after volleyball. He had gone home with Gavin after school. In between me taking Moose to the vet and picking Jack up I stopped at the gas station twice to fill up a tire that indicated it was leaking. Once I got home with Jack, I knew the following morning I would wake up to a very flat tire. So I set my alarm for 5:15 AM.

Sure enough, when I woke up, I went downstairs and saw that the tire was flat. I proceeded to get ready for the day and get my lunch packed. I then went out at 5:45 to change the tire on the car. I wasn't sure I would be able to loosen the lug nuts, but it turns out I am much stronger than I thought I was. I then devised the plan of attack to fix the tire. 

Millie had to go with me to school when I took Jack because I needed to turn in his transcript from his summer school class. We then went onto our school. My teammate, at our special time, took me to Discount Tires to drop my car off. They called and told me that the tire was covered because it was road hazard damage, and I had insurance for that.  The other back tire actually had a staple in it but they fixed that. They assessed that the front two tires were bald on the inside. I told them to hold off on that because I really felt like maybe I would get a new car over the weekend. That was a little bit of a joke, but Stuart and I have talked about it recently. Jack messaged to see if he could stay at school for the girls' volleyball matches. This actually helped me out because I had to be at the dentist at 4 pm in order to get my permanent crown put on. So after I dropped Millie I rushed to the dentist. It turns out that the dental assistant who put on my temporary did such a good job that it wouldn't come off. I wasn't willing to let them numb my mouth so I told them I would work on it over the weekend and come back the following Tuesday. It was frustrating, but I was not letting them numb my mouth. That seemed silly. Once I was done at the dentist, I came home and let the dogs out and fed them. Then I made dinner for both kids. I picked Millie up first and then Jack. As we were heading to the high school it started raining and the wind was really blowing. Fortunately, he was able to stay under the canopy at the school and not get wet. 

Friday morning it was business as usual. School flew by and I was anxious for Stuart to be home and then for Liz to arrive. She had decided she would come for Labor Day Weekend. After school Millie and I went to pick up Jack before taking Millie to the gym. Jack and I came home and waited for Stuart to get back from Gallup. When he got home, we went to get Millie. Liz arrived around 11 pm. We stayed up for a while and talked and then hit the hay. 

Saturday morning we bummed around the house. We ended up shopping a bit before taking Millie to the gym to learn her floor routine for competitions. She learned it relatively easy, which was a relief. When we left the gym, we went to get her friend Brinley because Millie had requested a sleepover. We went to eat lunch at Az Pho, which was a request from Liz. We then headed to the outlets at Wild Horse Pass. We were looking for some clothes for Stuart for Matt's wedding in Australia. Liz shopped a great deal, and although Millie didn't want to go, she ended up buying a few things as well. We got back to the house around 5:30 pm. Melissa, one of Liz's friends whom I met in Las Cruces last

Labor Day weekend came over and we had beverages and talked all evening. We ordered food from Pita Jungle and had a swell time. The weekend had started off quite well. 

July 2023

We started July 2 at Universal Studios. My niece and the dance troop she came with from Australia danced on the main stage before the entrance of the park. We spent the entire day at the park. I was in charge of Zoe and Millie ended up going with the Howards and their kids. 

Zoe and I waited in this line for this Simpson ride for 2 hours. Stupid! Then she freaked out and cried. It turns out she is afraid of closed in places. She would go on rides where she could see outside, like a roller coaster, but not the indoor rides.  

We ended our day doing the back lot tour of Universal Studios film sets. It was a very exhausting day. 

Jack and his team had bad luck in their first match and lost in two sets. I was able to watch some of his game on Facebook, which was nice, but boy did I want to be there. They ended up winning their other two matches of the day. 

When we got back from the park, the kids went swimming for a bit and then we headed back to the room for showers. 

I was the second bus out on Monday morning. We were headed to Vegas for the next few days. Vegas would be chilled for sure. The dancers would only have one day of a dance clinic and the rest of the time would be at their leisure. Someone on our bus decided they needed to poop, so we had to stop before we intended. I kind of felt sorry for her and she apologized to the entire bus. 

We stopped in Barstow at the outlets. I bought Stuart new pair of Nike’s, myself a pair of Sketchers and Millie some clothes. Billy rode the bus with Millie and I, which was fun for Millie. 

We got to the hotel and Louise had it all organized. Once everyone was checked in, we headed to dinner in the Miracle Mile. We got back to the room and Billy came with us.  Oh my, that boy has really started to come into his own. He has such a good personality.

And these two silly monkeys decided they would make foot people. They are crazy together. 

Tuesday was July 4th, but nothing special was on the agenda. I got up at 4:30 am as that was when Jack’s match started. They won their first match, but then lost the second match. They did, however, get the bronze medal. Jack and his buddy, Carter, were named to the All Tournament team. There were only 10 players in the entire bracket who received this award. 

We could not be more proud of this boy and his drive and determination to be the best for himself and his team. Stuart said he was a monster all weekend. 

Back in Vegas, we had breakfast and then decided to take the kids to ride the roller coaster at New York, New York. Zoe was too short but wouldn’t have liked it anyway, so I went with Billy and Millie the first time and we paid for them to ride it again and Lou went the second time. Never mind that in a few days we would be at Disney and get to ride all the rides for free. Oh well! The kids had fun. After the roller coaster, the three kids played in the arcade while Louise and I slipped down and played the slots a bit. I don’t know what in my head says I will ever win, because I don’t. Anyway, when the kids were finished with their game cards we headed back to the hotel to swim. When we got to the pool it was heaving with people and there was no where to sit. We decided we would book a cabana for the following day. If you didn’t book a day bed or a cabana then there wasn’t a place to sit or put your things. It was actually quite a racket, as holiday places are. 

After the pool, we came upstairs to get ready. I must have gotten heat stroke because when I got out of the pool I could not think straight. I couldn’t manage speaking to anyone at all. I got back to the room and drank a large bottle of water. I then had a bite of leftover food and took a shower. I started to feel a bit more normal then. It was so bizarre and a bit upsetting. But the rest of the evening I was fine. We ended up booking dinner at PF Chang’s, which was Millie’s favorite restaurant when we lived in the Middle East. She wondered if they would have the same chicken dish she used to order. Wouldn’t you know it? They did! She ate all if it and wanted me to order another. I decided against it as I knew she wouldn’t eat a second portion. After dinner we headed up to Lou’s room to watch the fireworks. They were nothing spectacular, so I am glad we didn’t go and stand on the strip to watch them. It was a ten minute display, hardly worth any attention at all. 

We left the kids in the room and went to the casino for about an hour, just long enough to lose some more money. When Millie and I got back to our room, she decided she would sleep in the bed with me rather than on the sofa she slept on the previous night. She ended up sleeping width wise and having her feet on my legs most of the night. 

I was awake a few times in the night as I was having lower back pain. When I finally got up, I sat in bed for a while, texting Stuart back and forth. They were leaving Florida that evening and would be joining up with us on Thursday in Vegas. 

We went down and had breakfast with Lou, Zoe and Billy. We then got changed to go to the pool, but not until we went to Lululemon and Sephora for some retail therapy. We spent the majority of the day at the pool, but took time out to go eat at the Earl of Sandwich, which was surprisingly delightful and inexpensive. We decided that would be our 'cheap' meal the rest of our time in Vegas. 

We spent the evening out to dinner at Mon Ami Gabi, a fine French restaurant. It was delightful. The kids stayed in the room and bought Chick fil A. The little ones went with us as we knew they would be trouble for the older ones. 

Thursday morning I got up and got a coffee. Stuart and Jack left the house at 6 am. I sorted out Disney tickets and Katie came to our room to help. We then went down to the lobby to sort out a new, bigger room for us as Jack and Stuart would be arriving around 11 am. We went to eat breakfast at 11 am, so really more like lunch, and Stuart and Jack showed up. We walked up the strip to the Venetian. It was sweltering. Every hotel on the strip looks so close, when in fact it they are really spread out. 

We stopped at a candy store to please the children who had walked miles. Look carefully for the photo bomber. 

We took a picture in front of the canal, where Stuart and I got engaged nearly 17 years ago. 

When we got back to the hotel, we went to the pool to swim. Went had dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings, which pleased our two kids for sure. We came back and the kids went to the room while Stuart and I gambled. 

Friday morning we were up and on our way to Anaheim. We briefly stopped at Barstow for food. I was in charge of 4 children now. The Howards really helped out as well. We got to the hotel and checked in. We decided to let the kids swim and then went to dinner. We then went to Disneyland until it closed at midnight. We rode as many rides as we could. Stuart had stayed in Las Vegas as the next morning his brother Matt was arriving, then James, his other brother would be there the following day. 

We ate our included breakfast Saturday morning, which wasn't brilliant. We then headed to Disneyland for the day. Ev, Louise's mother, was to meet us at 4 pm to watch the dancers dance down Main Street. However, she forgot her handbag at the hotel so had to go back to get it. She ended up getting to the park around 4:40 pm, but in time for the 5 pm start. After the parade we went to ride Indiana Jones and the Jungle cruise before heading to eat at Bubba Gump’s again. It was not as good as the previous evening as our waiter was annoying. He would not stop talking. But since the previous night had resulted in our free beer glasses from Bubba Gump's being confiscated at the Disney entrance, we had to have those beer glasses, so it was a must to return. We went back to the hotel for a swim and a stay in the hot tub. I slept like a baby. 

Sunday morning we were up and at California Adventure by the time the rope dropped. It was for no reason, as the two rides we wanted to hurry to were not in working order. We ended up going to ride some other rides and then got some food. We hit the Pier and rode a few more rides before going to watch Zoe dance on stage with her dance troop. We then took Zoe to ride a few rides before heading back to the hotel for a swim. We went downstairs to get food and brought it back to the room. Katie and I chatted with Ev, Louise’s mum, for a while before deciding it was time for all to go to bed. Millie had an epic meltdown. It seems it stemmed from her hitting Billy in the back and making him cry. Because she was told to come back to our room before she could make things right, she was upset about that incident. I had no clue. She wouldn't get in the shower and started to have an epic screaming meltdown. It was so ridiculous that the front desk called to say someone was complaining about the noise coming out of our room. Billy told me the following morning that there were 5 adults standing outside our room, listening. I am sure it sounded as if I were beating her to death. Awesome! Once we got the call from the front desk, she started to hyperventilate. I told her the following morning that we would be going to counseling together. I am lost as to what to do when she turns this manic behavior on. 

We decided to do rope drop on Monday morning to Disneyland. It was a success as we went to Star Wars Rise of the Resistance. 

The Howards are our new Australian friends. The Star Wars area is so cool!

A cocktail at 9 am is fine, right? Katie and I agreed it was okay. 

When we first got in the park and we're heading to the Star Wars ride, along with all of the other thousands of people, we may have jumped the queue. The kids had run ahead of us and we pretended we were looking for them. I would have lost my mind had someone done that to me, but we didn't care. It must be my age that makes me do these things. We spent the morning in Disneyland and then went back to the hotel because Matt, James and Stuart were coming from Vegas to pick up Howie to go golfing. We had a swim and decided we would go back into the park for a couple of hours so Zoe could ride the big roller coaster. 

While Jack helped Ethan get in his seat, Zoe began to panic. She is in the second car on the left. It wasn’t looking promising. 

But she was all smiles when they took her picture. It was a success. 

We ended up taking an Uber to and from the park that afternoon. I decided if we were going to have happy kids, the walking had to take a rest. We tried to go to dinner at Cheesecake Factory, but they really are not equipped to handle large parties, so we ended up eating at PF Changs. We were back at the hotel for a swim and then it was time for bed. 

Tuesday was our last day at Disney, so we got up early enough to do rope drop and went on the Cars ride. Even though we were there early, the wait was still 90 minutes. We did a few more rides and then around 11 am, Lou and the kids met us for a bite to eat. We exited the park and went to Downtown Disney to meet up with Stuart, James and Matt. The kids did some shopping and then we took them to Splitsville, a restaurant bowling alley, and they bowled while we had a little snack.  We hung out there until our reservations at 5 pm at McCormick and Schmick’s Grille. Matt and I then went off to have some brother in law/sister in law time. He is really my favorite of Stuart’s family. He is down to earth and real. We have a very special friendship. 

Wednesday morning we went to breakfast and packed. The buses were running late and didn’t end up leaving until 12:20 pm. Stuart drove Louise, James and Zoe to Santa Monica while everyone else waited for buses. 

We spent Wednesday and Thursday in Santa Monica. When we arrived on Wednesday we had a bite to eat at the hotel and then took the kids for a walk. We had an early dinner at Sushi Roku and then headed for a bit of shopping before going down to the Santa Monica Pier for some people watching. We came back via the beach and the kids played on the play structures. The kids went to the pool and we had drinks at the pool. 

Thursday we got up and had a very expensive breakfast at the hotel. We then started walking down the beach towards Venice Beach. We failed to remember sunscreen thus all legs and arms were a bit crispy by the end of the day. We stopped at Venice Beach for a refreshing beverage. We then carried on to Marina del Rey for lunch at a seaside cafe. Some took an Uber after lunch to the hotel or the shopping area. James and Stuart decided to walk back to the hotel. It was about 3 and a half miles and we knew the kids wouldn’t tolerate that. Shopping was fun and successful. I got some cute pants at Anthropologie and a cool top that matched the pants from Urban Outfitters. The kids all got ice cream and then we walked back to the hotel for a swim. The kids then went down to the beach for a while. We ended up ordering McDonald’s for the kids for dinner. We had appetizers and drinks at the bar while the kids were upstairs in our room. Zoe wasn’t well so she wasn’t involved in the fun, and neither was Louise. James’ flight was at 11 pm, so we said goodbye to him around 8:30. We finally called it a night just before 11 pm. 

Friday we got up and said goodbye to Louise, Billy and Zoe at 7 am. Stuart and I then went down to Starbucks for a coffee. When we got back to the hotel we sat in the lobby. We went and got breakfast for the kids at McDonald’s. We said goodbye to the Howards and were off to Phoenix. 

The drive was pretty uneventful. We stopped one time and got food at Carl’s Jr. as well as got gasoline. Jack sat in the front of the car the entire trip because it has been recognized that he is too big to sit in the back of the car. We got home and unpacked. The several loads of laundry started. Jack decided he wanted to go to the last night of volleyball camp at Casteel. On our way there Millie called to see if she could have a sleepover with her friend. So there was no rest for the weary.

We got up Saturday morning and went to do a proper grocery shop. We got a message from the Hurleys asking if we wanted to come over for a swim in the afternoon. Millie got home around 11 AM and the kids put their clean clothes away from all the laundry that was being done. I went to a late lunch with my former teammates, Alyssa and Shelby. When I got home, we headed to the Hurleys for the evening for dinner. We were in the pool most of the evening and then got an Uber back because we had a few beverages in the pool. It was a great night. 

We got up Sunday morning and went to pick up my car at the Hurley’s house. I then went to Fry’s to pick up prescriptions for the kids. Stuart went shopping at Fry’s. We were making lunch for the Hills and having a swim in the afternoon. We just hung by the pool. It seems it is too hot to do anything else. 

Monday morning we went to Colt Days to walk Jack around to see his classes and meet his teachers. Against our wishes, he was placed in Geometry instead of retaking Algebra 1. Since he was in the class with his best buddy Carter, and he promised he would buckle down, we decided we would let him stay in the class. After we had visited the school we decided to go to Skippy's for breakfast. We had left Millie at home. When we got home, Millie was up and we went to Lowe's to look for paint for her room. She found some color samples. The plan was for Stuart and Millie to paint her room that week. We relaxed and watched television before having to take Millie to gymnastics. She had missed the previous two weeks and would just be able to attend for this week. She was going to start back full time in August.  Jack talked us into letting Gavin come over for a sleepover. Stuart and I went to Fat Willy's before picking Millie up from gymnastics. When we got home, the kids decided to make a cake at 10 pm.  Everyone went to bed too late due to the cake making. They had fun, and I think that's what it is all about. 

Tuesday morning we were up early, but the kids slept until relatively late. I went to get some antacids and some acid reflux medication. I had a weird feeling in my throat that I was pretty sure I'd have to have checked out by a doctor. I can only describe it as feeling like I had a piece of ham stuck in my throat. The previous evening I felt like I might be having a heart attack. Since it was my last day before I had to go back to school, Millie's teacher and my friend, Sam came over for a swim and stayed until around 3 pm. Stuart took Millie to gymnastics and then took Jack to dinner to have his pre-high school man-to-man talk. I also suspect they went to find a birthday gift for me.

Refreshment, dinner and conversation with dad. 

This is a picture of my last first day of public education. I will be retiring at the end of the school year. I am nervous, but very excited to see what is coming my way. 

First day of freshman year. 

Wednesday we had meetings at school. What a way to spend my birthday. I rushed around after our initial staff meeting, trying to get as much done and ready for Meet the Teacher the following day. We went to dinner at Creekside Sushi for my birthday dinner. We came home and swam for a while. 

Thursday morning I went for a shot in my eye and about punched the doctor's assistant. They reprimanded me for thinking I was getting a shot at that office. I told them I only made that appointment at Bell and Tatum because I was told they were giving shots there this particular day. I was so irritated. Stuart drove me to the appointment and then dropped me at school afterwards. We had some meetings but other than that it was just another day of school and Meet the Teacher. Thursday evening after Meet the Teacher, Stuart picked me up and we went to dinner before getting Millie from gymnastics. 

Friday we had some more meetings but were basically just left to get things ready for students on Monday. I felt overwhelmed as I always do on the first week back to school. It was especially maddening because this year I would be teaching two different grade levels. But the Meet the Teacher was refreshing and the parents were really nice. I know I will have a great year. After school I headed home to get Millie to take her to gymnastics. I then went to see the doctor to make sure my acid reflux wasn't anything more than that. They recommended I go to a specialist, so there is another bill I look forward to. Stuart, Elise and I went to dinner and then picked Millie up. We all decided to get in the pool once we were home. It was miserably hot and the pool is really the only relief. 

Saturday Stuart and I met up with Mary and Todd for breakfast at Skippy's. We then went grocery shopping. The kids cleaned their bathrooms, Jack vacuumed and Millie cleaned her room, allegedly. These are their weekly chores which are usually done with no fuss but Jack. I wish I could say the same for Millie. While they 'cleaned', Stuart and I watched The Breakfast Club. We tried to get Jack to watch it with us, but when he decided not to and we actually watched it, we were kind of glad he didn't. I hadn't remembered all the material in that film, and am glad I didn't watch it with my 14 year old. Eeek!

Saturday afternoon Stuart and I ended up swimming for a bit and then I made pizza muffins and Mac and cheese for our families. The kids swam and Elise, Stuart and myself just sat around and chatted. Mitch was still with his dad in Montana. He is not well and so Mitch went to spend some time with him. 

Sunday I was up and picked up dog poop, then got ready for my Barbie day with the volleyball moms. Stuart left for Gallup but would only be gone until Wednesday afternoon this week. 

The Barbies! 

First day of 6th grade! I can't believe she will be in Junior high next year. Monday at school there was a heat advisory called and we assumed that would be our lives for a while. Within the first four hours of school I knew this would be my best year ever. I was so excited! These students are a mix of gifted and just highly motivated, high achievers. There are no behavior problems and all students started the day eager to learn. I had a great day. Millie also had a great day. She was so excited to start school. She is NEVER excited to start school. 

This boy was exhausted Monday after school. He has been in school four days and has definitely done more homework and studying in those four days than he did in an entire quarter last year. 

We finally convinced him to wake up and play games with the crew. 

Tuesday was another day of bliss! I don't have a break during the day as my students have block schedule and go at different times. However, I do have an extended lunch period and I have no duties. It all evens out. I was supposed to have our math specialist come in each morning and give the main math lesson to my 6th graders, but I think I am not going to utilize her because I am a bit of a control freak and I want to be the one who is teaching them. Tuesday evening I was wiped out and just laid around and did nothing. 

Wednesday we had a half day, as we do every week. We had a planning meeting in the 'Data' room, which is a name and shame room where all data from testing will eventually be posted. I left school to get Jack from school at 2:40 pm and then returned to school for another hour and a half. I have decided since Wednesdays are the only day neither kid has an activity, I will be staying after school a little later. I am going to use that day getting ready for the following week. Stuart got home just before 5 pm and I had food out to fix, but he ended up fixing it. I cleaned up. We really do compliment each other that way. I can't cook and he doesn't like to clean up. Stuart got some laundry going and we just chilled at home. 

We were so anxious for Thursday as our friends the Richardsons were to be at our house for a few days. We lived with them in the UAE. They were our besties for sure. Millie and I tolerated school and wished the hours away. Stuart worked hard to get everything clean, shopping done and outside tidied up, as there was a storm the previous night. They showed up just before 5 pm. We were so excited to see them! We had not seen them since December 2019. 

Missed these guys so much. 

Thursday evening games. Jack 14, May 15, Millie 11, Henry 17. The gang was back together. We got in the pool shortly after Stuart made us smash burgers. 

Friday the kids both stayed home from school to hang out with the Richardsons. During the day they all swam and then I met them at Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch. We didn't have heat advisory at school so I was able to duck out for lunch. After lunch the kids were dropped at Elevate and Scott, Clare and Stuart went to Costco. When I got home from school everyone was in the pool. We invited the Hills over for dinner, but only Elise and the kids ended up coming over. We ate tacos and then spent the rest of the evening in the pool. 

Saturday morning Millie was impossible to get up. She was due at the gym for team pictures at 8 am. She had an epic meltdown and cried and everything was my fault and she was inconsolable. When she finally calmed down, she said she was really upset about the fact that her two best friends at gymnastics were no longer going to be participating in gymnastics. I told her how sorry I was. We finally got her hair done and then we were off. Clare and May came with us to see where Millie does gymnastics. We then went to Starbucks with Millie's friends before coming home to a breakfast of biscuits, sausage gravy, bacon, eggs and hash browns. It was delicious!

There was more swimming after breakfast and then the kids decided they wanted to go to see the Barbie movie. We dropped them off and then went to Costco to get some socks for the boys and sunscreen. It turns out we had to go to Wal Mart for the sunscreen because it was cheaper. We treated the Richardsons to Wetzel Pretzel while in Wal Mart. We also picked up pizzas for the kids for that evening. When we got home we went back in the pool. Stuart went to get gas and then picked the kids up from the theater. 

We got ready and left the house just before 5 pm. We stopped to check in on the RV, and also show the Richardsons the RV. It wouldn't start, but nothing was broken, so we were relieved. We then headed to Serranos for dinner. We felt we should take Scott and Clare for Mexican food. The kids stayed home and had pizza. We then went to a comedy show entitled Are You Tired of Being Offended? It was written by our friend John. It was funny and Scott and Clare seemed to enjoy it as well. When we got home, we had a couple of drinks and got ready for our adventures to Sedona the following day. We also prepared to say farewell to the Richardsons.