Events and Activities

Britton had his annual music concert.  It was History of Rock.  It was well planned and the songs kept people engaged and entertained.  

Britton had a speaking portion only.  He didn't want a signing potion this year.  His song he introduced was Hey Jude by the beetles, so he tried to dress up like them.  His friends were Elvis and Elton John.

Since the Beetles all had longer hair we tried to find a wig for Britton to use.  The only thing we managed to find was a toupee.  It worked well enough to give him longer hair but it might have fallen off right at the end and made the girls in front of him giggle a little more than they should have.

It was London's turn to get a hair cut!

Just kidding this was her wearing the toupee as everyone was trying it on after the show.

Well she did get her hair cut just not as layered as with the toupee on.  We went back to a bob cut.  She was trying to tell Amie "shorter" but ended with a good length in my opinion.

Rinlee had the opportunity to travel baby sit.  The Sides were having a big family get together in Colorado for Terry (the dad/grandpa) and their babysitter got strep.  So last minute she was asked to go.  She really was going to be needed for 3 hours on Saturday night, but she was able to get out of half school on Friday and then got home on Sunday evening.  It sounds like she was well loved by the 3 kids and all the mothers that she was assisting.

She did have to miss the BB competition, but felt it was a good sacrifice to make.  Britton, London, Jackson and Axel all shot.  We had to balance soccer games that day but Jackson and Axel were able to shoot air rifle also.  Not sure how they did, but I'm sure we could have used more practice.  The 4H is trying to do the shooting sports a little more spread out and earlier so that people can have an easier time participating.  Archery practice and trap have also started and then small bore will start now that BB/Air are over.

Rinlee and Axel had their final choir concert of the year and since they are still working on the gym, it was at the McCook Christian Church again.  It was a showcase of the high schools district competition top placers, along with each of the other groups singing songs.  Both Rinlee and Axel enjoy choir and Axel loves the songs where he can be animated and was super excited about his quartet solo part in one of their songs.

After the concert we had to head to the rental to fix the water heater leak that flooded the basement.  There was power issues the Sunday before and only half the outlets were working.  We called the power company on Monday (after Jason checked it out and felt it was something coming from their connection) and after they looked at it, they said we needed to call an electrician as they felt it was on the house side of things.  Well once they reconnected whatever they looked at, the problem was solved, but it blew the water heater and we didn't realize it until later that night, after it leaked/flooded.  Anyway it was a late night clean up to get the water down the drain in the bathroom and the flooring pulled back.

Luckily it was a Monday night and so we were able to replace the water heater the next day as our Tuesday project!

The following Friday was the FFA banquet.  They got their awards from the year and then announced the officer for next year.  Jackson was chosen as the Historian.  I'm proud of him for applying and going through the interview process.  He really enjoys FFA and hopefully it will teach him the leadership skills he can use all his life.

 

April continues

 Jackson continues to progess in track.  Each time I think he improves a little on his times.  He mostly runs the 800, but has done the 4x800 and the 400.  There was a 400 race that I was on the far end and for the first 200 meters thought he looked like a real runner, with improved form and all.  I know he still doesn't enjoy it and has been battling a sore knee (most likely meniscus) but he keeps at it.  He actually said that the "track meet" was the highlight of his week one Sunday.

It was time to get hair cuts for the girls.  I scheduled them and when it came time for Rinlee, she had chosen to cut enough to donate.  It ended up a little shorter than she was might have wanted but it looked cute and so much healthier. 

The library hosted Children's book week.  We weren't able to make all the days with soccer practices and school things, but we did make the sock puppets day! 

Jackson was invited to Prom by Erin Herron.  Her family are all recent converts.  He had branding with Jason that morning and she was in a community theater play that evening, so they mostly only hung out together at the dance.  He got home about 3:45 from branding and we were scheduled to meet at the park at 4 for pictures, and he was almost ready by then.  She wasn't quite ready at 4 as there was some dress altering that was being finished up.  Made me realize that it's much easier to be a boy when it comes to Prom and getting ready.

 Erin's dad is an old car buff and they own several.  This is one he was given as a wedding gift.

After pictures they split ways as she had to head to dress call for the play.  Rinlee, Axel, and I went with Jackson to her play.  It was Mermaids and Tales a Swashbuckling Scallywag Event.  Then it was off to prom.  They didn't get to participate in the Prominade that happens earlier in the evening since they were at the play...but I think Jackson was just fine with minimal date time.  He did take her for a quick bit to eat before the dance and then ice cream after.  He said the dance was kind of lame and the music wasn't very "danceable."  He was home by just after 11.  I think next time he will try to get a group to go with so there's more people to talk to.

 There is more progress on the house that I have taken pictures of.  The electrician has been working and getting his lines in.  It isn't going as fast as he said since he originally said the end of March he would be done.  I finally gave him May 1 as a deadline so we could get the drywall crew scheduled.  HVAC has also been getting work done.  All the upstairs lines are in and the register holes are also in.  We also had the ground work started.  They came and graded the road, or at least started it...but still have quite a bit to do.

With drywall getting closer we spent some times trying to get all the boards and walls/closets in and done.  Plumbing had their "air test" and is pretty much done until after painting is done.  Progress is slow, but progress is happening.  Now our new hopefully completion date is August!

Axel is continuing to also improve in track.  Between Jason and I, we have tried to make his meets.  It seems like he competes a little better when Jason is there than when I am, but he seems to still love it and has been running the 800 and mile and then also started high jumping.  I haven't made a meet in time to see him high jump, but he had made 4' as his PR so far.  He tends to run his mile around 5:45 when I have seen him, but he did run a 5:25 one meet.  His 800 time has become a challenge to see if him or Jackson can be faster!

A Busy April Start

Jackson left on Tuesday the 2nd to head to Lincoln with the FFA group that was state bound.  He qualified in Farm Business Management.   There was a pretty large group who was state bound.

They had meetings, seminars, and competitions Wednesday and Thursday and then on Friday I meet them in Lincoln with the Jr. High quiz bowl team.  Axel, Warren, Spencer, and Braden.  They might not have had great success, but they enjoyed the experience.  I wasn't sure how the drive would be on my knee but it actually was great.  I had driven to Broken Bow on the Wednesday prior for taxes and it was a little sore, but the van I drove was a smaller one and it was good.  I was still non-weight bearing, so I didn't walk around with the FFA kids like I did when I took Jackson in Jr. High.  We got there in time to attend the keynote speaker of the day which was John Cook, Nebraska Head Coach for women's volleyball.  He has gotten into roping and also talked about how he has been successful with his program.  He had some great advice on team work, leadership, and hard work.  Jackson said it was hone of his highlights of the week.  He also got to hear from Governor Pillen one day.  His competition didn't go as great as he hoped for, but the team did finish top 15. There were 3 McCook kids who got their state degree.  Not a lot of top 10 finishes, but a few.

Jackson's birthday was the following Monday but when they went to dinner one night, they told them it was his birthday, so he got some fried ice cream...and embarrassed :)

Some random individual moments from the start of the Month.  With no school Easter weekend, we took advantage of open swim and Britton was having fun and braving flips on the diving board.  London sometimes has her own unique style.  Despite my recommendation of how to coordinate clothes, this is the outfit she chose one day.

Rinlee has been participating in DI (Destination Imagination) and getting ready for the competitions.  Her first one was in March and they earned second place.  Rinlee said that their "pinball wizard" didn't quite go as planned but it was much better than the state competition on the 6th of April.  She said it failed that time.  But she had fun with it.  She's not so sure she will do it next year as it seemed to take up more after school time than she liked.

General Conference was the 6th and 7th.  We had soccer games in the morning on the 6th but we were able to get home and watch the morning session and then because of rain, able to stay home for the second session and not need to run back to the soccer field.  The afternoon session was BYU-Idaho students and we knew that Katrine was singing.  We watched every song looking for her and we did see her in the bottom corner on one song, but we got a full shot of her on the last song of the session.  The kids were super excited.

Sunday was a nice relaxing day listening to conference and then seeing all the family come together to prepare dinner while I just relaxed and rested on the couch.

Central Star Students are honored for their hard work and good behavior.  It took a few weeks, but Britton was chosen on the last week they did it for 5th graders.  He was thinking he wouldn't get it since he doesn't feel like his teacher likes him.  But since I know he is a kind and helpful person, I kept being surprised when he wasn't picked.

Recovery is going...the first few weeks of being locked at neutral, brace on at all times, non weight bearing, and lots of bruising and swelling made it a little rough.  I started PT one week after surgery with just a few exercises to try and get motion to 90 degrees, and isometric strength.

Sister Dawald made me some fudge as a get well treat.  It was a nice treat for every time I went in the kitchen for several days.

I had my surgery follow-up 2 weeks after surgery.  They took off the steri-strips and checked the incisions.  Everything was healing properly despite the bruising and swelling.  I can begin scar treatment with Vit E oil.  I have to remain non-weight bearing for 1 more week and then partial weight bear one week then weight bear as tolerated.  I also got my surgery images and learned that it was a bucket handle tear of the meniscus, which they often make you be non-weight bearing for 6 weeks, so I was feeling lucky that it was only 4 weeks on crutches.

It's pretty amazing how quickly the quad seemed to atrophy, even the calf muscles.  I can't get much VMO contraction when I try.  I am keeping extension good and can get to 90 degrees with some effort.  There is still a fair amount of pitting edema that is hanging out in my shin.  I got some TED hose to help and it seems to work some, but not as much as I would really like.  But this is a challenge of patience :)

 

Sixteen and kind of sweet

 Jackson had state FFA the weekend before his birthday and was able to get a special treat at Texas Roadhouse since the FFA advisor learned it was his birthday soon.  Jackson was a little embarrassed by getting singled out and sung to, but was just fine with the free dessert. 

His actual birthday was on a Tuesday in which there was soccer practice, track practice, and a track meet for the Jr high.  

It was kind of an uneventful day. I did manage to make him lasagna as he had requested when in Lincoln with FFA since he wanted real food after having all the fast food options.  He waited patiently to open his one gift until Jason was home from the track meet.  It is harder to get gifts for the kids as they get older.  I wasn't sure what he wanted since he doesn't really request much.  I'm sure he would love to be like many of the kids in his school who get new cars for their 16th birthday, especially since his truck isn't working, but he doesn't have parents willing to do that.  Some advice that was given us was to keep them broke and on foot and it will help keep them out of trouble.  He's not quite on foot since he does get to drive a car when they aren't broken, but he isn't getting a new car anytime soon.

He instead got a smart watch that can connect with his phone.

Its a good thing he isn't a picky kid and is okay with a simple gift.

This years birthday questions:

Favorite Color:  Depends on the item-clothes would be blue, car would be gray.

Favorite Food:  Steak or Beef

Least favorite food: Tacos

Favorite subject in school: Science 

Least Favorite thing about school: The grind of school work

One friend he would want to invite to hangout: Davien Hanson

One thing he wants to do before his next birthday: Finish the house and move

What makes him happy: Sleep

What makes him sad: School

Favorite thing mom makes for dinner: Favorite Pasta

Birthday Dinner: Lasagna with just the family and then with cousins it was hamburgers and brats

Birthday Cake: Chocolate Lasagna

Favorite place to go eat: Subway

Favorite Scripture Hero: Captain Moroni

Favorite Place to Go: The lake

Favorite thing to watch on TV: Blue Bloods

Favorite game to play: Dirty Unders (Cards), Minecraft (phone)

Favorite Sport: Trap Shooting

Favorite Church Song: All creatures of our God and King

Where would you want to serve a mission to?:  Foreign but English speaking

Favorite music genre/Artist: Country

What he wants to be when he grows up: Physical Therapist or Building Contractor

Best part about his birthday: Birthday dinner on Sunday with family and the Spencers

What did you do for your birthday: Not much

Gift he is most excited about: Smart Watch

Gifts:  Money from relatives and a smart watch from mom and dad

One goal he has for the next year: Get moved into the house so he can build a barn for his animals

Last years goal was to have success in hunting.  He didn't get a deer, but he did get to go dove hunting for the first time.

Nickname: none...although he still does get called Jacks, but Britton has named the sea slug Jackson.

How tall are you: 5'11 3/4", but at his physical he was 6'1" (with his shoes on!)

What else do you want to remember on your16th birthday:  That he now is an official driver and no longer on a school permit and can drive wherever.

What is the one piece of advice you would give your younger self: learn to work hard and not whine.

Jackson is a great kid.  He might cause contention with the fact he likes to tease and rile his siblings, but he works hard and even though he might not always want to do what I ask him, he will.  He loves taking care of the animals and when given a ask I know he will complete it.  When he wants to do something, he will do it.  On the contrary, if he isn't motivated, it takes some convincing that he needs to do it.  He used to really enjoy reading and being on top of homework, but lately he has gotten distracted by his phone.  We are trying to navigate the situation with some boundaries and slowly getting more privileges, but it sure is tough to teach them responsibility in a generation that seems to be connected their phones.  Hopefully gentle reminders and encouragement and limits will help in a way that when he is responsible for himself, he can be.

We love you Jackson!

Happy 16th birthday.

Closing out March

Working with activity days might be one of my favorite callings.  It might help if I were a little more of  a planner, but sometimes I get it right and sometimes I am planned ahead of time like I should be.  My original plan was to teach the girls how to decorate cupcakes using frosting bags and tips, but then I had a conflict  with CPR recertification.  So I reached out to a Sister in our ward knowing she had skill in decorating.  She wasn't able to do it on the original date planned, but was really interested in helping, so we rescheduled the date and her and her sister taught the class.  They did a great job and I'm glad i had a conflict on the original date that led to a reschedule and reaching out to ask Sister Dawald if she would help.

The spring choir concert/fundraiser was "Skyfall" and the kids loved the music and the funny little storyline that goes along with introducing the songs.   This is also the one concert where the kids can try out for solo's or duets.  Since the high school gym is under construction, the concert was held at McCook Christian Church.  

They didn't bring the risers over, so it was a little hard to see anyone not in the front row.

We also had a coed basketball game right before (well I didn't but I went to cheer on my team) so we snuck over and got there just in time for the start of the performance.

I don't have a lot of experience with choir teachers, but I think the choir, and band, teacher at the high school do a great job.  It is always fun to watch and hear the kids sing. 

Jackson had his first track meet with a home meet on the 28th.  It was both a JV and varsity meet.  He ran the 400 and the 800.  He placed 5th in the 800 and even earned a medal!  He might not be the fastest or the best runner, but he works hard and he goes to practice and he might hate track, but he is making me proud that he keeps going back and working hard.

Soccer games did start on the 23rd of March.  I have yet to get any pictures of the games...I get to distracted coaching and I did take my camera one time hoping to get the kids to snap pictures for each other, but it didn't work as well as hoped.  We only had one game in March since they didn't have games on Easter weekend, but we had a great start with all 3 teams winning.  The 5/6 grade team should win all their games, there are some good ballers.  Now if i can just get them to play and move as a team?!?

Axel's team will be one I am not sure how the season will go.  I have 2 really great players, but sadly with 6 players and it being only 3v3 it might end up those 2 always have to sub for each other so I keep one strong player on the field at all times.

London played good.  She is tentative yet aggressive at the same time.  The biggest problem with her team will be not having a good keeper or really anyone who wants to play keeper.  They also have 11 players, which makes for lots of subbing and a couple of the kids are the type that never want to sub off.  They are surprising though as some of the player would be ones you wouldn't expect much out of, but they show up and work hard and stick with it.  One boy would be a fantastic player if he had more than one speed...it's very interesting to see his one speed at all times, but he is usually in the mix, if he could just get to the next speed!