The Dreaded Phone Call

We have had a relatively good start to the school year. We have also had a few bumps along the way. During the first week of workdays, Eli and Emmy seemed to adjust easily to the morning routine and the long days at school. We moved up bedtime in the evenings to around 7:30PM so that the kids (and adults!) are getting as much sleep as possible for the next day. On the second week, I got a call early on Tuesday before 9AM saying that Eli was sickly and needed to be picked up. It is always a sinking feeling when I see the preschool's phone number on my caller ID. At the doctor's office later that afternoon, it was confirmed that he had RSV. RSV and also Hand, Foot, and Mouth have been going around in Eli's class. Thank goodness he is a little older to fight off the virus which can be otherwise pretty scary with infants. He stayed with Grammy and Grandpa on Wednesday and Thursday, and then Boomer was able to work from home on Friday so that Eli could continue to get better. 

We had just two days of both kids in school before getting another dreaded phone call saying that a kid in Emmy's class tested positive for COVID-19. Her entire class can not return until September 7th. Ahhh! We've again had to call in reinforcements from Grammy and Grandpa, and Emmy has been enjoying some one-on-one time with them until she can go back to school. 

On top of all of this, I had to cancel my debit card after there were some fraudulent charges and I accidently backed into a concrete pole, scrapping my bumper on my car - uggh! I've tried to stay positive though since there have been some really good moments over the last few weeks, like special treats after school. 

We've started using a button system to motivate Emmy for good behavior. I borrowed the idea from my sister who uses it with her boys. Buttons can be earned for sharing, doing things without being asked, picking up toys, and being kind. Buttons can be taken away as well, for not listening the first time or for having a tantrum. Emmy always gets good reports at school, and she is my rule follower. She does not like having buttons taken away so the whole system has proven to be very successful. When she reached 20 buttons for the first time, we celebrated with a cupcake at the bakery downtown. 

On the weekend, we have enjoyed some fun plans with family and friends. A couple of weekends ago, we went to a winery and out to dinner with the Joneses. This past weekend, the original Bakewell 4 went on a wine tour called the Yadkin Summer Whites. We enjoyed wine and food pairings at five different wineries. Boomer and I also fit in a date night at a Dash game, and we spent one more Saturday at the pool for our last hurray of the summer. 

All in all, we are finding a rhythm between work, school, and family time. I'm hoping that soon we will have both kids back in school fulltime and a more predictable day-to-day routine. There were good things during the month of August, but I'm looking forward to a calmer, cooler September. 

Back to School

The 2021-2022 school year is officially underway! Emmy and Eli had their first day of preschool on Monday, and on Sunday evening, I had a long to-do list to prepare for the next morning: label supplies, set out clothes, finish a load of laundry, pack the car, and install the car seat. Since Boomer will be doing drop-off in the mornings and I will be doing pick-up in the afternoons, both cars are now equipped for transporting the kids. All of the prep beforehand helped make for a very smooth morning. Both kids woke up in happy moods and even cooperated for several pictures. I tagged along with Boomer for drop off on the first day. We managed to arrive a few minutes before 7AM and posed for a few more pictures. After Boomer and I got everything settled in the kids' cubbies, we said our 'goodbyes.' It was a little harder to say goodbye to Eli since this is the first time that he has been in a childcare setting. He has often cried during drop-off at the nursery and at the YMCA, so I was expecting tears from him, but surprisingly he immediately started playing with toys in the room. Mommy's eyes weren't so dry, and I had to exit quickly to hold it together. Emmy was such a sweet big sister to hold Eli's hand. She seems excited to share "her school" with her little brother. 

We arrived a few minutes before they opened so we took some photos outside. Eli was ready to go in! :)

I was so excited to see them after school. Both kids were in the same outfits which means no major spills or messes (mom win!) 

Both kids have had wonderful weeks! The reports from their teachers have been positive, and they are happy in the afternoons when I pick them up. We've shifted to a slightly earlier bedtime so that they are getting the sleep that they need. They have both been falling right to sleep usually without any protest. Eli didn't seem to nap much the first day, but naps have improved over the last four days. He has especially enjoyed outside time and playing with bubbles. 

Boomer will be continuing in his same role as the Director of Secondary Schools and CTE for Yadkin County Schools. The job has had some challenges amidst the pandemic, but he enjoys his work. We are thankful for his job and for his wonderful coworkers. And now for an update from me...

For lucky Year 13, I will be joining Boomer in Yadkin County as the College & Career Advisor at Forbush HS! I finished out last school year teaching math with the Surry Online Magnet School, and while I loved my coworkers and the flexibility of working at home, I missed the advising piece of working with students face-to-face. In early May, I started the graduate program at Liberty in hopes that in a couple of years I could apply to be a school counselor. When the position at Forbush was posted in late May, I updated my resume and and prayed that the interview went well. I found out in June that I got the job, and I have been anxiously waiting all summer to get started. While I was an honorary Falcon during Boomer's time at Forbush, I'm excited to officially join the staff now. Everyone has been so welcoming, and I have enjoyed settling in to my new space. 

On my first Teacher Workday, Boomer and I were able to carpool. He works an additional 10 minutes past my school, so he dropped me off on his way. We won't often carpool, but it is nice to have that option. On this particular day, the first Teacher Workday coincided with the kids' Open House, so it was convenient that Boomer and I were already together to go straight there. My mom snapped this photo as we were leaving in the morning :)

....and I talked him into stopping for an iced coffee! This Uber gets 5 stars! 

Similar to last year, there is a lot of uncertainty and nervousness surrounding the start of the school year as we welcome students back to our buildings. I am praying for the district and state leaders as they make important decisions regarding safety and learning. Happy Back-to-School to all the fellow educators, students, and families! 

Our Summer To-Do List Recap

It is always fun to look back on the memories we make during the summer. This year was a little more "normal" after the quite unusual summer from 2020. We were able to resume our Ballpark Tour, and Eli rode on an airplane for the first time. The most special thing was watching the bond develop between Emmy and Eli. Emmy is such a caring older sister, and Eli does his best to keep up with her. We had so much fun checking off everything on our to-do list!

1. St. Louis Cardinals Game

2. Kansas City Royals Game

3. Ride a train

4. Ocean Isle Beach

5. Lefler's Place Cafe

6. Uncle Cheesecake

7. Eli's first flight

8. Dan Nicholas Park

9. Count to 100 and learn address

10. Dash Game

11. Boone Doggies & visit Daddy at work

12. Science Center (new addition!)

13. Mommy starts grad school

14. Lake trip

Boomer recently brought out our other Summer To-Do Lists (he's saved them all!), and it was neat to look back on all the memories we've made from summers past. Carowinds, drive-in movie, celebrating Boomer's Masters degree, setting up the nursery, Lazy 5 Ranch, San Francisco, setting up the nursery (again!) There are things that I love about every season, but there is something about summer that makes it my favorite. 

A Summer Well Spent

 This week was my last week of summer. It will soon be back to early mornings and annoying alarm clocks. We enjoyed these last days of waking up slowly. Over the summer, Emmy has loved going into Eli's room and jumping in his crib with him. One day this week, we even cuddled and watched cartoons in Mommy and Daddy's bed.

We went to the Science Center one more time with Megan and the boys, and this time we went for a spin on the carousel. We've kept it a secret all this time, but we had one happy girl - Emmy loves carousels. When Aunt Megan is around, there is always a little bit of spoiling of her niece and nephew! Other adventures this week included a trip to the library and a visit to Daddy's office and out to lunch. The kids spent one day with Grammy and Grandpa, and they went for a stroll around the neighborhood, played with the dollhouse, and made cupcakes. I didn't capture all of this week's fun times. Not pictured: a pool day with Grammy at the YMCA and a night at the ballpark for a High Point Rockers' game. I'm not sure we could have fit anything else into our last week of summer. 

Today was a low-key Saturday. The morning was pretty rainy, and Meg and I got soaked during our run. Then Emmy and I got back-to-school haircuts. 

The kids have their first day of school on Monday, so we are officially in the last hours of summer. We met their teachers at Open House, and we are praying for a wonderful year.