Covid 141...a day away...college visit to Hanover, belated Sweet 16 in Indy (Cake Bake again and Gondola ride!) :)

The busy days are catching up with us!  Yikes.  I am either too old or getting used to the stagnant covid lifestyle bc now that life is back on the crazy train I am dragging my feet big time!  Up early this morn to race off to college visit #3 (or 4 if you count a virtual one).  This time it was a drive down to Madison, Indiana to tour the lovely campus of Hanover.  Never been here, but know a bunch of Hanover grads our age and have heard it's a nice small college (which is what Shelby is looking for) and has a beautiful campus.  All true!  I think the campus was a little piece of Maggie Valley with a gorgeous view of the Ohio River and the three forks in the river.  Waterfalls all around and winding roads.  We had a nice chat with another psych prof and a one on one tour of the campus and a lovely talk with an admissions counselor.  I have to say that smalls schools really make you feel special.  Shelby's name was up on the big tv screen when we got there, and they had personalized Hanover cookies and waters and special drinks and free tshirts. I know none of that is important, but it sure makes you feel special...you don't see IU doing that! lol :). Anyway...we had fun touring the campus and seeing the views and driving into Clifty Falls State Park.  And had a yummy sandwich lunch in the town of Madison...cute city on the river.  Yummy food.  Then raced to Indy to finally celebrate Shelb's bday with Kev's fam!  We couldn't do it in a more timely manner back in May bc they both had Covid.  Very thankful they are well now and it was a nice day to celebrate!  Shelb chose to head back to Cake Bake like we did with Nina G, but hit the Indy BroadRipple one this time for dinner and cakes!  Yumm!  Cake Bake made for great Sweet 16 memories with both Ninas!  I think they had a good ol' time (I bowed out this time and went on a walk, dinner and ice cream with my hubs downtown on the Monon trail).  Poppy watched the boys at their house. Then we all met up at the Indy canal and had a very authentic gondola ride complete with an Italian singing gondolier who sang Happy bday to Shelb in Italian :). It was a nice evening downtown and fun to be with family.  Now resting up for a busy, rainy day down in Santa Claus, IN tomorrow. Wish us luck at wet Holiday World (minus Hays who won't go to an amusement park during Covid :()

Covid 140--rain rain rain...yay for rain

First full day of rain in a long time...we needed it.  XC was canceled for Shelby so we kinda got to sleep in...woohoo!  I spent most of the morning trying to catch up on electronic to-dos, emails and rescheduling an alps party and finding a new rain date since it was supposed to be tonight.  Then off to check on cat traps, shop at Kroger and hit Goodwill with the girls....they love to shop at Goodwill. Though hard to buy clothes these days when you can't try things on. Grr.  Then back home so Ash could have a friend over and help her make a mask on our sewing machine.  Dyl had a messy night of high school soccer, which is even messier when you are goalie!  He was a sopping mess when he got in the van.  But just thankful no sports have been canceled (yet) even though school is now not in person til after Sept 11.  Tryouts are next week. Fingers crossed he makes it!  He's really enjoyed being back in the swing of things with his healed hammy!  The girls are now making some pretty successful macarons and we're heading to bed soon...a busy weekend of college visits, celebrating Shelby's 16th with kev's fam and Holiday World and Tubing at Turkey Run. Praying for better weather than we're expecting!

Covid 139–mamas Uber service is shut down! But I’m grateful for wonderful friends!

Yikes...that was a full day I will not be repeating any time soon. I love my kids, but I do not love driving them all over the city all day long...if only Uber mamas got paid!  Hailey even had to help me bc Wed is now Kev's only day to be in the office.  Dylan had bball at high school, core group at the lake on a double decker pontoon along with seadoos, soccer at high school as well as a dental appt. which meant I pretty much drove him all over town all day!  Shelb had early morn cross country...Ash had middle church group (with me) and went to a friend's house.  Lo had a dental appt too.  Hays went out with a friend.  And I was gone all evening at a friends...but it does my heart so good to see my sweet gal pals.  We get real about life and hash things out and in times like Covid that's so necessary.  So thankful for the people God surrounds me with. He knows just who I need! :)

Covid day 138–university of Evansville, new school plan

Mentally tired. Will post more later. Tired of covid. 

Well, today was super fun, then super draining..Shelby got to visit her top choice school...University of Evansville. And it definitely lived up to expectation.  Small, personable professors and one on one tour, free swag and lots of driving time for Shelby (she gets her license in less than a week hopefully!). Anyway...we had fun going with her to Evansville. I've never been to Indiana's 3rd biggest city.  Loved the cute small campus and got to meet a Psych prof who was wonderful giving info.  We had a very informative tour given by a former student, and really liked all that we saw (minus the old dorm rooms). It's so good for Shelby to see these campuses in person and I'm grateful even with Covid that some colleges are taking chances and letting tours happen again...even if we are masked and have to get our temps taken and can't see every aspect of the campus, it's better than a virtual tour or nothing at all.  Loved seeing the little town of E-ville and seeing their cat cafe and getting macaroons.  Glad we had Hailey home to help with Dylan's transport to BTV/school (finished his Sleepy Hollow movie) and take him to PT and soccer.  The bummer of the day was finding out that school is now not starting til August 12 (actually that was a relief) and will be online til at least Sept 11.  Ugh.  My kids hate online (minus Shelby).  I will say that I'm very grateful God had a plan to keep me home this year and not teach preschool.  He knew I needed to be here for my kids and not be pulled in so many directions.  But online school is just not ideal for our family...my kids really, really, really love being at school...so I just pray this is shortlived...and some amazing scientists are finding a vaccine for Covid!

Covid Day 137--Happy Bday to my Hubs! He's halfway to 90!

A great day celebrating our fav. peaceful guy!  Happy 45th, Kev!  He actually took the day off and his parents rented a double decker pontoon boat with slide and we headed out to the lake.  It was supposed to rain most of the day, but we were really lucky and the big storm rolled in just as we were leaving...and boy, did it roll in!  I think the kids thought the boat would sink it was so choppy.  But captain Kev rolled us right into the dock, no prob!  We had a great day of sliding and chilling in the water and eating good food and just being with family. It was almost like covid didn't exist being out on the water like that.  The lake was fairly deserted and the weather was lovely.  It was a nice way to celebrate my fav guy.  And we had a yummy steak dinner on the new grill...plus like 4 desserts the girls made.  Yumm.  I am stuffed and ready for bed.  Thankful for my family and my Kev and the life we've built :)

Covid 136–a lazy busy day at home

How can lazy days at home feel busy?  Or maybe it’s just my anxiety making me feel things are busy since school starts in 9 days. Ahhh!  On a happier note the girls have been busy baking bees prepping for Kevs 45th tomorrow.  It’ll be a fun day at the lake on a double decker boat with Nina and poppy!  Yay! 🎉🎈

Covid 135–a Saturday off! Hiking in brown county, brusters ice cream, kabobs and shortcake and ash’ treehouse sleepover

It was our first Saturday off in a long time (bc travel b-ball was canceled)...we had a lazy morn at home, Shelby ran with xc team, we planned out our final 10 days of summer, and headed to brown county for a trail hike.  It was a heck of a drive but shelb needs her driving hours so that was a plus.  And that hike actually might have made me sweat (and I never sweat). It was hot and stagnant.  We were tired after and enjoyed some ice cream at hood ol brusters on the way back.  Then home for a kabob dinner on the new grill with strawberry shortcake for dessert.  Yumm!  Ash went over to a friends for swim time and a sleepover in their new treehouse.  It’s nice to have lazier Saturday’s.  Sunday should be more of the same!👍

Covid 134–pool time, friend time, more down time

Well due to new covid Restrictions and cancels Tim’s our busy weekend freed right up.  I’m not super sad but I was looking forward to Dylan’s b-ball games.  But now we have a completely free Saturday.  This never happens!  Today was spent going to a friends pool with Logan and Ashley having a friend over and not much else.  It was nice not to play sports shuttle taxi.  But I am tired.

Covid 133– butler

Covid 132–Hailey is home!

A busy day of mostly Dylan stuff...b-ball, tour of his high school, Culver’s lunch, soccer...and Shelby had xc and her first virtual college visit (Uindy). Never really heard of this school but the president ran the zoom meeting from his home and even gave out his cell number.  Seems like a nice small college and qualifies for the IN 21st century scholars scholarship Shelby might get.  And the best news of today is Hailey is home From her MI adventure with Isaiah and fam!  Woohoo!🥰

Covid 131–stop the cat craziness...this mama is over it!...

The days are too short and too busy and this mama misses lazy days.  Tired of stinking cats in my bathroom, tired of them in my garage, tired of taxiing cats and kids places and a stinky van.  Right now I feel like “mamas free cat/kid taxi service”.  I’d rather be home teaching my kids school again.  Lol.  On the bright side Dylan looks like his hammy is fully healed and he’s free to push himself to almost 100%.  This is good news given out pt told us today he might not be around next week if his wife gives birth.  So Dyl is back to double b-ball and soccer and running and pretty much anything.  With a lesson learned to always stretch...and for him this means double the other kids bc of his lanky limbs.  I’m so thankful and praising God for his healing.  Grateful my boy can get back to what he loves...sports!  Bummed though that our county has halted all B-ball tourney play due to the mandate.  stinks.  But thats how life is now. Things could change or be canceled at any given time.  Just waiting on this to happen for school again. 🙄

Covid 130–b-ball, Visiting middle school, xc, soccer, vball, cats, etc

Life is very full once again!  Making the best of the new norm of covid.  Best news of today is that Dyl finally was able to use his leg for soccer and went to practice at north.  Woohoo!  And he felt good.  He also got to hold his cool Telly video award at school.  Proud of how my kids have made the best of these crazy times!  Shelb also ran 7miles, the most she’s ever run.  And ash is doing awesome at vball.  Dyl loved hs b-ball too.  I take nothing for granted anymore.  With covid closures and injuries it’s been an emotional roller coaster!🙀❤️

Covid 129—Busy Sunday of travel ball, cats, and church stuff

Sunday’s are becoming one of our busier days… I am almost grateful for online church because Dylan always has travel basketball on Sundays now… But we are still able to watch church online together as a family in the evening. Up early taking care of cat stuff for our fosters in the garage… Ashley went off to a friends house swimming… Dylan had his travel game and the team was Creamed. Very interesting to see how our place in town handles games… When we got there they had shut the place down to sanitize… And this was the first time we had no bleachers to sit on and had to stand...everyone was wearing masks now thx to our new county ordinance. This new normal is so weird. But honestly I’m just thankful my boy can play ball no matter if they win or lose. A few weeks ago I thought he’d be out for a few months with his hamstring. Thankfully losing the game allowed him to go to church choir group which he enjoyed. I succeeded in my first cat blood draw. My nursing skills are coming in handy and I’m kind of proud of myself for rehashing things I learned like 20 years ago. We are loving our sweet little fluffy buff kitty Bruce in the house.  He and the other kitties are getting acquainted. They nap together and then fight together LOL hard to believe that in two weeks will be getting ready for school to start. Blah I never really enjoy the beginning of school… And this year will be super odd for sure🤓😜Bummer part of the day is that Logan’s baseball season that was supposed to start tomorrow was canceled.  He’s been so so bored and was so looking forward to it even though it was going to be very different. I hate that he has nothing special to do while his sibs are so busy.  But he has had the most amount of play dates! Lol 🥰

Covid 128—ciy church, b-ball games and Bruce moves in!😻

Our days have turned cray cray again!  Up early for xc run for shelb, Cub Scout frisbee golf at church for Loggy, ciy hs youth retreat for Dyl shelb and I, back to back b-ball travel games for Dyl out of town, Food truck in the hood, cat caretaking and best of all prince beautiful Bruce the feral furriest cutest kitten ever gets a bath and moves in! 😻🙀😹Our hearts and home are full! He looked like a wet yoda during his bath and he was comically introduced to our other trio...Rudy licked his butt, jewel licked his face and Oscar ignored him. Poor Brucey!  And Hailey is safety back and showered in GR. Had a great time camping in the beautiful UP!  Lucky girl.  🥰

Covid 127—cats cats cats and church

Lots more cat craziness, and helping in the church kitchen til almost midnight.  This seems busier than pre Covid.

Covid 126–why do people make a big deal about things

Well I’m just over things lately.  But today I’m tired of the school issue.  Too many choices, none of them great.  But I’m honestly just tired of everyone’s opinions.  Let’s just face it, there are no good choices for school this year.  And what you decide is just the best you can do for your fam in these crazy times.  I’m just chillin about it all. Thankful I’m not working this year and don’t have to worry about if school is open, closed, online, in person, inside, outside, unmasked or masked. But praying for all those who do have those things on the brain.  Bc people are definitely unhinged about it! 🤯🤪

Covid 125—people are rude

Covid has turned many people into raving lunatics.  It’s also made people rude (or Rudies) as I call them🙄😫. Today was evidence of that.  I had rudeness on the phone to the dentist, rudeness at Kroger, double rudeness at the pet place where I was a volunteer picking up cats...Rudies stink!  At the beginning of covid people actually seemed extra nice.  Now in the heat of summer with masks and restrictions and opinions flying high, people are just losing their everloving minds.  I think people are gonna kill off our race with rudeness before we all die of covid.  So, be nice!! Don’t judge people!  And if ya don’t have anything nice to say then shut your trap! 🤐

Covid 124—which was yesterday...days blurring together

Ready for life to slow down again and get more time back to ourselves to take walks and play games and chill. Need to make changes.  Late nights and early morns are killing us.

Covid day 123–too much sports, more cats, missing lazy summer

So I’m starting to reevaluate things a bit… If it’s one thing I know about myself is that I love to be home and my ideal day would probably involve not looking or answering a thing on my phone. My phone is honestly my nemesis and I’m generally texting two dozen people a day. For me this is too much because I am not the normal woman that likes to talk on the phone. So starting tomorrow I am putting my phone away which for me is a bit of a bummer because the number one reason I have a phone is to take photos. And if you know me I take a lot of those LOL. But I just cannot focus with keeping up with all of the texts and phone calls I’m getting lately. That’s the jest of my day...started off super early with one of my least favorite doctors appointments… Which is even less of a favorite in the mask and dealing with Covid. Then because of that appointment and the timing Kev had to deal with all of the early cross country drop off and pick up for shelb as well as basketball high school drop off for Dylan. Then I was home to tackle all of the garage cat stuff...having cats right now is getting to be too much especially having to socialize three of them who are very unsocial hissy and feral. And then I have a sick one that I am getting IV fluids to three times a day as well as other various meds. He has been puking and pooping all over. Honestly it’s just not my calling in life. If I can be quite honest I’m not much of an animal person and the only thing I really tolerate is cats but I don’t really love them this much to do this it all...it was really only a volunteer opportunity for Shelby bc she loves animals… But even she is a little overwhelmed doing it and violin and cross country.  Life is always a delicate balance of saying no and stepping back and focusing on what’s really important. Tonight was a little rough too because our sweet Dylan is hurting again and this is a big bummer for him considering basketball is really important and he was going to try to start up soccer on Wednesday. Not looking real promising for his hamstring. Saying lots of prayers tonight on many levels.  On a happy note, beautiful Bruce the feral Persian buff fluff kitten who looks like vanilla creme brûlée, tested negative for feline leukemia and can come into our home Saturday!  Woohoo.  He is such a gorgeous kitten!  Shelby’s first feral catch by hand!  He’s a doll!😻

Covid day 122–b-ball, cats, church,very tired

An extremely early morning of b-ball out of town (took two of Dyls teammates and ended up with a loss, but the bright side is Dylan finished his first weekend of b-ball post hammy injury and he’s doing well!  Praise God!). Kev was also up early doing tech at church as it was our first day back in person.  We opted out of in person bc children’s programming doesn’t start til August so we chose the evening couch service.  It will be weird to have church with masks.  I had to serve as a ciy leader at church over the weekend and communicating and singing are no fun while masked!  The rest of our day was spent pouring over cat stuff.  Honestly I’m tired of it but Shelby has a heart for it so I plug on. Kev helped a little too.  We are figuring out our sick kitty’s issues (poop puke distended belly), socializing three black crazy beauty panthers, and pouring over our soon to be fluff buff Bruce...most gorgeous Feral kitty you’ve ever seen!  And chatting a lot with our feral cat friend Karen (she even took the girls to DQ).  And the evening was spent watching church, running for Shelb, taking Dyl to his freshman cookout at church, watching hays on Sab and chilling.  Never enough hours in our day.  I’m exhausted from early morns.  And tomorrow Dylan starts hs b-ball and hopefully is cleared for soccer Tuesday.  What happened to Covid shutdown?  On a sunny note, Hailey is loving her vacay camping in the UP with Isaiah and fam! 😍⛺️

Covid 121–vball and b-ball

The days are getting extra busy.  Long gone are covid lazy isolated days.  We are in full swing vball camp ash and travel b-ball Dyl. Ash learned a ton at iu volleyball camp in our neighboring city.  And Dyl has his first travel games since his torn hammy 3 weeks ago and since Covid hit in March.  He was one happy camper and did  awesome.  High scorer for the first game.  But I will say.  I’ve never been a worry wart.  Not even about getting Covid...but to see my recently injured boy get knocked around on a court and worrying about a recurring injuring, I felt stressed.  I prayed a lot.  And I was thankful he stayed well.  Extremely exhausted but he was smart about asking to come out a few times and not getting full contact when things got rough on the court.  They lost both games but he was happy to be back.  Tomorrow we’re up at 6am for more. I always said we wouldn’t do travel ball… but here we are.  On the homefront Hailey left for Grand Rapids today with nina and poppy stegs who so graciously drove her up there to go camp with her boyfriend‘s family for the next 10 days. Lucky girl getting to go to the UP. Shelby is volunteering full-time-with our 5 kitties in the garage.  Hopefully fluff buff Bruce kitty will be ours soon.  Kev is busy finishing up our nightmare taxes.  Loggy has just chilling like he does best.

Next covid day...too much cat stuff

Covid 119

Covid day 118–too many cats to catch Not enough time

I feel like my life revolves around cats right now.  Too many of them.  And no hours for myself or my family. 🙀. Ash, Shelby and I spent 9 hrs trapping or taking cats to get spayed today for FCF.  Yikes! 🤯

Covid day 117–lots of cats! 😻😺😹

We are cat trapping and cat socializing crazy people over here!  Yikes!  It’s fun but exhausting volunteering for feral cat friends!  Best news of the day is Dylan’s hamstring injury is nearly healed and he was cleared to run and try b-ball again with some precautions.  One happy boy.  One happy mama ❤️❤️

Covid 116–exhaustion

I am totally exhausted.  Between cat trapping and school sports starting today and stressing over the return to school which now means my high schoolers will go both alternating online and in person (what a pain!) plus taking myself off these loopy muscle relaxers, I am just beat down tired. Summer should be easier than this.

Covid day 115–back from camping...exhausted

Covid day 114–happy 4th of July🇺🇸⛺️

Well we survived night one of camping at Shakamak!  Day two has been full of adventure. More rowboating at Kickapoo, fishing with old hot worms (only I caught a fish!), hiking the trails, lots of good camp cooking, b-ball, playground play, and paddle boating in another lake, sparklers at night and now settling in to play a game.  It’s been a different 4th for sure.  And surely a hot one!  But we still made it fun!

Covid day 113–off to camp at Shakamak!

Well we finally made it on the road to the Indiana state park of Shakamak about an hour from home!  Our lil 4th of July adventure has begun. The camping spot we picked online was not what we envisioned but we quickly made it our own popping up two tents and two hammocks.  We had a riveting row boat experience on lake Kickapoo where the girls won the boat race!  Yay girls...we claim the three towels we brought for showers!  Then a delicious walking taco meal and special camp bread made in our Dutch oven.  And s’mores for dessert.  Pretty traditional.  I’m always proud of us for pulling off a camp meal bc we’re not really the rugged type. :) And this evening we just wandered the camp area, played on the playground, played b-ball on the court and chilled...we even popped an old container of popcorn on the fire!  We’re actually all in bed before midnight. Lovely. And praise the Lord my back is better!🎉❤️  It’s weird knowing that tomorrow is the 4th of July and we won’t be in our city parade bc it’s covid canceled and there are no fireworks around either.  But we’re going with the flow and enjoying our July 4th Camping trip! ⛺️

Covid Day 112--feral cats, camping prep

Well, my mind is mush on these muscle relaxers.  I am in the midst of filling out lots of sports papers online so Shelb and Dyl can start high school sports on Monday.  But I keep messing it all up because I feel like I'm in a fog.  I hate meds!  But my back isn't spasming anymore so that's good. Just still in a bit of pain.  Trying to take it easy.  And let Hays drive me most places today.  The girls and I did our first feral cat release in the city next to ours.  Kinda fun to be toting a random cat around in our van.  We headed to Sue Sue's shortly after so Dyl could help her a little and we could all wish her a happy bday!  We even took our kitties along.  Not sure they loved the ride, but it wore them out and they slept all afternoon!  And Jewel even purred for me!  Love our sweet trio of covid cats!  Loggy went with his bestie, Lucy, to Jumpin' Joey's and he just got home...so that was fun for him...two playdates in a row (yesterday he played at his friend Harrison's home who just got a big waterslide and lives in our hood).  Anyway...it was a full day and Kev and I just got home from Kroger after stocking up for camping.  Now trying to finish all these stinkin' athletic forms.  It surely is going to be an interesting year of school/sports, etc.  I'm not excited about all the changes. 

Covid day 111 stinking back issues, Ash wins lemade day contest!

Well, today was a bugger of a day!  I knew right away my darn back was worse.  I slept only a few hours and had spasms all night.  Sadly I knew I had a herneated disc again.  Thankfully our urgent care got me right in and got me some nice muscle relaxers and some home PT exercises. The bummer is I couldn't take the muscle relaxers right away bc I can't operate a vehicle on these meds...so I couldn't take my first one til bedtime. Grrr!  And it just ended up being a very busy day and I had to hobble on through it with no pain meds.  Grrr!  Lo had a doc's appt for his regular yearly.  Dylan had his first PT appt (bummed that therapy would be 6 weeks instead of 2 like the doc said), but the PT was nice and gave him lots of at home exercises to do and said he would reevaluate next week and see if he could get back to running/bball/soccer.  Still pains me greatly that a slip on a floor could tear his hamstring like this!  Depressing really.  On a happy note Ashley and her bestie, Quinn, WON the lemonade day pitch contest (online) and got very fun prizes!  I love that they are little entrepreneurs!  Their "flamingal lemonade" stand was such a great covid project!  Congrats, Ash!!