Good Bye, 2022!

This year has been a wonderful year! Being back to work full-time was much easier this year, we are in a groove now and the bus has been way more reliable. Our bus driver has been amazing. She was out in November and December after knee surgery and we missed her terribly! We were back to the inconsistency we had last year without her. My job was WAY easier without all the Covid precautions and having to keep up with distance learning for the kids in 2 week quarantines. Thomas, Ty, and my parents all got Covid in November and they all did okay. It seemed to hit my dad the hardest. Ty was sicker than I expected since he had no reaction to the vaccines, I figured he would likely be asymptomatic if he got Covid, but he felt like he had bronchitis and was pretty wiped for about a week. The kids and I made it through him being sick without getting it (I tested myself every day and was shocked I was never positive). Carter got the flu but was super mild and I thought he had RSV because he had a cough. Turned out he had croup along with it. I got the newest booster in December, so I'm hoping to make it to the Houston Marathon without getting Covid beforehand. As you'll see in pictures, we've slowly gone more back to normal. The kids got their Covid booster in the summer before school started so I gave them the option to go maskless in school (at this point, if we don't go back to normal, when will we ever?). Carter hasn't worn a mask at school except for the day he returned after having the flu because he was worried he might get his friends sick, sweet boy. Elise started off without a mask and then a boy who sat next to her threw up in class and she has worn a mask every day since. I was a little worried it would make her an outcast or kids wouldn't treat her the same if she was the only kid wearing a mask, but I've gone up to the school to volunteer and everyone treats her totally normally. Her teacher wears a mask which I think helps normalize it a bit. There are also more kids at their school wearing masks than at mine. We have 1-2 per grade level where they seem to have 1-2 per class and I noticed a lot of 1st graders wearing them last time I was there. The biggest factor is that Elise does not care at all what anyone else thinks and is her own strong, amazing person which I love! I do worry about the impact Covid and fear of sickness has had on her sweet, little self. She is super paranoid about getting sick and I hate that for her. When Carter had the flu, she wore a mask at home and refused to sit next to him. I'm sure, with time, she will start feeling safer and more comfortable about sickness, but it's a little niggling worry I have right now. I'm hoping when I read back over this next year I will be laughing that I was worried about that! 

January

We celebrated a friend's birthday at the bowling alley.

Elise had another quarantine.

I got Covid and felt good enough to go for a walk after a few days.

Carter got to sing the National Anthem with his choir at a TU basketball game.

We had a super cold front come through and got some snow. We got down to feels like -20 degrees.

Feburary

Elise started selling Girl Scout cookies.

We got snow and some snow days off school.

I took on the role as cookie manager for our troop the year there was a cookie shortage so there was a lot of driving to cupboards or meeting up with other troops to get more cookies!

We celebrated Valentine's Day.

Elise got to perform in a musical performance at school.

March

The kids got to dress up for book character dress up day.

We did the Zoo Run Fun Run and the kids' school won the team competition.

We visited Topeka and got to say good bye to Great Grandma Shupe.

We took a spring break trip to Eureka Springs.

We had a tea party for Elise's Hurford Birthday Party.

Elise had her friend birthday party at Skyzone.

Elise turned 7!

Carter got to perform in a 3rd grade music program with his choir.

Carter participated in the Pinewood Derby through Boy Scouts.

April

We did an obstacle course run.

We started our kitchen remodel.

We visited the Botanic Garden to see the tulips.

We celebrated Easter.

May

Elise bridged to Brownies in Girl Scouts.

Elise got to dance a traditional Venezuelan dance during her school's cultural fair.

We celebrated Ty's birthday.

I got to go with Elise on her field trip to the zoo.

The kids enjoyed their first school skate night.

The kids has their last day of school.

They got to have field day on their last day of school.

Ty's cousin, Raina, got married.

June

We got a YMCA membership and went swimming at the pool a lot!

We celebrated Father's Day.

Elise and I did a Small and Tall overnight camp at Girl Scout camp.

Ty and I had a weekend away for the War Eagle Trail Running Festival.

Elise went to Day Camp, I was a leader of a 5th grade group, and Carter got to go as a tagalong.

The kids did a couple weeks of swim lessons which really improved their confidence.

Ty and I had a date night at the Zoo for a 21 and Over event. 

July 

We celebrated the 4th of July.

The kids went on vacation with Oma and Opa to the Grand Canyon so I could do a training over the summer.

Ty and I went on a little weekend anniversary getaway while the kids were gone.

We celebrated our 11th anniversary.

We went on a family vacation to Rocky Mountain National Park which was my favorite family vacation we've ever gone on. Looking back at the pictures made my heart hurt from missing the mountains!

The kids got their boosters so they'd be ready for school!

Carter's hamster, Katie, had a giant tumor that eventually caused her death and he got a new hamster who he named Israel, our first boy hamster.

August

I had Meet the Teacher and welcomed 27 new 2nd graders to my class!

Elise got to meet her teacher, Sra. Ramirez.

Carter got to meet his teacher, Sra. Benitez.

We all had the same 1st day of school this year.

Ready to tackle a new school year! My shoes (which I had only worn once before) broke pretty early on in the day.

September

The kids did a fishing derby and each won a prize during the raffle.

We ran the Miles for Milestones Mile Fun Run. Elise won overall and Carter placed in his age group.

Elise wanted a haircut and got her first ever salon haircut.

The kids participated in a Fun Run at school to raise money and both reached their goals.

The kids got to read to a therapy dog during Paws for Reading at the library.

Elise got to meet horses at Pony Pals. It was too hot to ride the horses, so we got to re-schedule for November.

October

I got to do book character dress up day at school and my hallway did the "If You Give A..." books.

We went on a campout with Girl Scouts.

We went to the fair for the first time since Covid.

The kids got to dress up as the careers they want to be: Elise was poison control and Carter was a vet.

The kids' school celebrated it's 20th anniversary.

We went to the pumpkin patch.

We went to Hallowzooeen.

I got to volunteer at Pumpkin Mania in Elise's class.

I was fall product manager for our troop again and Elise helped me sort the product.

We celebrated Halloween and went trick-or-treating with friends.

The kids dressed as "stick men" for Halloween using glow sticks.

November 

Carter had his last soccer game and we had snack so he asked to make cupcakes for the snack.

I got to go on Elise's field trip to the aquarium with her.

Carter performed the National Anthem with his choir at the Oiler's Hockey Game.

Elise got to ride a horse with Girl Scouts, his name was Prince!

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Topeka and finally got to meet sweet Olivia!

December

We went to Breakfast with Santa at the Zoo. Ty didn't get to go because he had Covid.

We visited the Botanic Garden of Lights.

I got to volunteer for Elise's Las Posadas celebration at school.

Carter had a roller skating party for his friend birthday party.

Carter turned 10 years old!

We visited the Route 66 Christmas Chute.

Rocky and Leina came to watch the kids for the first 2 days of their winter break since I wasn't off work yet. We celebrated Carter's Birthday and Christmas while they were visiting.

We visited Santa at Bass Pro. They did a different reservation system this year and I couldn't get a reservation until Christmas Eve because they were all booked up! Ty asked while we were there and you didn't have to have a reservation to see Santa, so lesson learned for next year!

We celebrated Christmas at home with my family.