Back to School - 2019

FOUR kids, SEVEN schools.  And me - 4th semester Grad School.  Between us, we had EIGHT First Days Of School.  Spanned over a 3 week period.  It was INSANE - and here we are well into September and I don't think we have it all figured out just yet.  So many new routines, new class structures, new BUILDINGS!  I would have never dreamed the LAST first day of school for my Twisters would be so incredibly new, different, and hard to manage.  I plan to break it down kid by kid, but first, let's look at the calendar:

8/12 Monday      Emma    Redland Community College concurrent classes start
8/14 Wednesday Emma   Meridian Tech Year 2 Metal Fab starts
8/16 Friday         Emma    Mulhall-Orlando High School Starts (Senior Year)
8/19 Monday      Lara       First day Stillwater Public Schools (Senior Year)
                            Jake       (7th grade)
8/20 Tuesday       Lara       First day of OSU Concurrent classes at the high school (on MWF, She doesn't have "school" until 1pm)
                            Mom       Grad School classes start
8/28 Wednesday  FINN!     FINALLY gets into his brand new school for 2nd grade! (after 2 false starts and delayed meet the teacher and lots of traffic, transportation, and logistical hurdles)

Dream Weaver Prints

EMMA

Emma.  Class of 2020.  This girl is all over the place.  Redland Community College for online concurrent courses, Meridian Technology in Stillwater for Metal Fabrication Year 2, and her last few high school credits at Mulhall-Orlando High School.  She is wild and fierce and takes no crap from anyone.  She loves big and draws a deep line in the sand.  She is still driving the old 1996 Ford F-150 truck to get her to and from.  And as of right now, she wants to go to Oklahoma State University and major in Mechanical Engineering.  Here's to a senior year that flies by because we know you are ready for the next step!


LARA

Lara.  Class of 2020.  This girl is loved by so many.  We call her "Momma Lara" and she cares so deeply for her family, her friends, her babysitting clients, and her "boys!" She is taking concurrent classes at the high school through Oklahoma State University and has ONE credit each term at the high school.  The rest of her time she is tooling around in her silver 2006 VW Jetta and working athletics!  She is a manager/trainer for Varsity Football, Wrestling, and Baseball again this year.  She is planning on going to Oklahoma State and majoring in Sports Management and joining a sorority. 

JAKE

Jake.  Class of 2025 - 7th Grade at Stillwater Middle School.  My gentle giant.  He stands 6'0", and depending on shoes and time of day, he is taller than me!  He spikes his hair up for added effect, too.  Still just 12 - doesn't turn 13 till January.  He is a shoe ADDICT (I think we're at 16 pairs - mostly Nike basketball shoes with crazy names) and ready for school basketball to start.  He is still working out and playing travel ball out of Oklahoma City with the AET 2025 team. He is in 2 pre-AP class and his electives are PE, Art, and Musical Theater.  We can't wait to see him in the school musical this Spring.  He is a Renaissance Man!

FINN

Finn.  Class of 2030 - 2nd grade at the BRAND NEW and finally open Westwood Elementary School.  We had a few false starts and didn't find out his teacher until the evening before school started.  But we're off and running now!  He has THE BEST second grade teacher on the PLANET!  Mrs. Fox had 2 of his older siblings (the other one's teacher is no longer teaching), and we are THRILLED she has Finn as well.  He loves video games - Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, and dozens of others.  He plays on his iPod (old iPhone) and our desktop computer.  He also loves Netflix and YouTube.  He sings non-stop and LOVES to tell a good story!  He can read at a 4th-grade level and is also advanced in math.  We're so excited for his second grade year!   

We are off and running.  So many classes and teachers to keep track of!  And it will go by very quickly.  We are looking forward to all the milestones this year.  And a bit somber about the first of the LASTS that are already happening for the girls.  This school year will fly by - just as they all do!

(I am still doing the weekly 2020 Project blogs counting down to the girl's graduate as well.  You can see those posts by clicking here!)

Here's to a FANTASTIC 2019-20 school year, Little Dream Weavers!

The One with Twists and Turns

Aug 30 - Sept 2, 2019

This was a pretty good holiday weekend.  Per the usual, kids were here, there and everywhere.  Emma spent most of the weekend in Payne County - some with Nana and Grandpa, and some with us.  And we spent some time in Logan County. Just the way it seems to go around here with everyone so busy and such diverse interests.  Believe it or not, things are about to get even busier as sports get into full swing and schoolwork gets more intense.

Our weekends start on Friday around here.  I never see Lara before school (or after school) any more, so I love it when she had fun lunch dates with friends and they post fun pics on social media.  Like, THIS:

We knew Emma was coming in, like the storm she is, but we weren't sure when.  In the meantime, she got an invitation to "OSU Up Close" at OSU in October.  She has decided she wants to be a Cowboy, we are signed up for the event, and she has submitted her application!  I might get to be the mom of TWO OSU Cowboys in the near future!

It's September in Oklahoma and Friday nights mean one thing.  Or, well, usually.  Stillwater Pioneers don't start their season for another week, but the rest of the state started high school football.  Emma was in Perry with her friends for Friday Night Lights, while Lara and Erika went to Guthrie.  Why Guthrie?  Erika's dad is the new Strength and Conditioning coach for Enid High Schoool.  Enid opened their season in Guthrie, so that was the place to be!  AND!  Lara and I got our first "half-time selfie" of SENIOR SEASON (#SRSZN2020)

Gorgeous Girls, Fabulous Sunset

Half Time Selfies RULE!

Saturday Emma came around our house.  There was a college application to complete, and it was time to start thinking about the future.  Plus, we all had homework, so the couch was the place to be if you had a phone and a laptop...

Sunday and Monday were just easy holiday days.  Homework, football practice, time with friends.  Emma went home to Orlando and to spend time with her friends, and on Monday night Nana and Grandpa came to Stillwater for a holiday "cookout" - burgers on the George Forman and Brats in the InstantPot!  Lara and I also tried something new in the Instant Pot: CHEESECAKE!  I used a tried and true internet recipe with a chocolate graham crust, then she and I made up the topping.  Caramel sauce, chopped dark chocolate chips, and toasted coconut.  IT WAS SO GOOD!

What a great weekend - and now - FOOTBALL SEASON!

The One Where They Reunited With Friends

August 23-25, 2019

Senior year kind of became real this weekend.  There were things.  That gave us feelings.  And we will not be denied!  Class of 2020!

Friday was busy.  Emma was in Stillwater for Tech but then didn't have high school because it was fair day.  She came to visit me at my office for a while before her Senior Class Auction was going down.  They were raising money for their senior trip.  And they had a little photoshoot, too!  And while that was going down, Stillwater High School Pioneers were hosting a scrimmage at Pioneer Stadium, so Lara got her first taste of football for the season.  She was a very busy manager/trainer for sure!

Emma came to my office

But she did not dress up or clean up! LOL!

Mulhall Orlando Class of 2020

Friends

The 2020 Girls

WILD and FREE

Livin' Life

Scrimmages call for A LOT of water

Most I saw of her all week

The rest of the weekend was pretty typical.  I am not sure what all Emma did.  Lara babysat, did homework, went to lunch with friends.  Church, Laundry, family meeting, repeat!  The 5 Stillwater Weavers had a nice time Sunday night with a family movie and NO PHONES!  Those are few and far between these days, so I'll take it.

Lara and her friends at Howdy Week

I can't believe we are under 40 weekends to go...