A Ton of Fun in 2021: Week 17 Recap

Ohio thinks it's funny. It was 68 degrees on Monday. By Tuesday evening we had snow that was sticking on the ground.  See exhibit A picture. 🙈 What in the world? It's April 20 Ohio.  It's not time to think about planting a garden one day and the next, pulling out winter hats and mittens again.  UGH. Both kids had practices canceled and I had a track meet canceled. 

This week/weekend also brought about SODC dance recital. Olivia had practice on Thursday night and then had shows on both Friday and Saturday night. Friday night I had a track meet I signed up for over a year ago so I decided to keep my commitment and Grandma Barb came and attended the show on Friday night. Saturday our family and Phil and Deb went. They typically only have one show all day Saturday, but with the COVID restriction, they had to host four shows to be sure all who wanted to attend would have an opportunity to see their child dance. 

Jerm also started his 'journey' aka diet this week. He's complained about being hungry and not being able to work out (which he has totally broken the rules with already and went to the gym). 🙄I really hope he finds his abs again so he can participate in our popcorn nights and Kewpee drive-thru lines. We miss his participation of wanting to eat junk food with us.  That being said, he'll also be the one with the rockin summer body, especially with me standing beside him.  

Both kiddos also brought home papers that said their art from school was selected to be in the art show.  Here are pictures of what was selected to be in the show.  Olivia has the light house and Isaac has the hearts on the cloth.  We are always so impressed with their projects they bring home. This summer the school is having an Art Camp that we are going to sign the kids up for to have some more fun. 

A Ton of Fun in 2021: Week 16 Recap

 

Um, yea, you think I'm kidding. I can assure you I am not. I looked on my phone to see what we did this week.  I have not one photo through the week.  Reflecting on the week, I thought "did I not take any photos?" Then I remembered. I spent most evenings on my computer trying to make deadlines that were literally stacked on top of one another. This week I had a journal review due that I agreed to do for a prestigious journal in the field, had my own revise and resubmit for the Journal of PR Education special issue on COVID issues and my study on PRSSA faculty advisers, had my yearly updates for our textbook due, and another book chapter with Jamie due concerning AI in the health care field. Oh and through in there a couple of track meets in the evenings and my day job of teaching, it was a wild ride. We did get two deadlines pushed back which helped tremendously, but I found myself still up until the wee hours of the evenings all weekend too. 

I did get to host some students from my Sports Marketing and PR class for dinner. They had won the BINGO game assignment that we had played during March Madness fair and squared. I made lasagna and funfetti cupcakes for dessert.  Little did they know they were going to get pulled into a wild game of UNO and a dance show from both kiddos who gave them blankets and told them to get comfy for the show. They were good sports and watched Olivia preform her solo from dance and Isaac's dance from Garfield. 

Saturday was by far my favorite. After my normal morning workout at the Y, I got a text from our long-lost friends who were in town for a AAU tournament for their boys. Anyone familiar with how these weekend tournaments work, you sometimes need somewhere to crash in between.  That's where we got to come into play.  It was a win-win for us all. The boys played basketball with their parents watching while the girls got to hang out together and the sweetest baby ever got to snuggle with her fake auntie all day.  gahhhhhh, it was fabulous.  ❣️

Sunday was another wild day, as the kiddos sold tickets for a chicken/rib dinner for church camp. I worked at the dinner and Jeremy's family all got dinners and then came over to visit and eat them at our house. Olivia had early 💚🖤⚡️dance practice since she is starting to work on her solo that she will preform at the next two competitions. So we rounded out the weekend exhausted and ready to start another fun-filled week! 

A Ton of Fun in 2021: Week 15 Recap

The week was pretty blah. But it was all gearing up for the weekend. Not only has track season started, but Olivia's dance season is kicking off. So Maw has been a huge help with getting the kiddos off the bus and helping Jeremy get them to certain spots.  Monday was our first dance competition rehearsal at the Civic Center. Because it was the day after Easter, the kiddos didn't have school.  I did...but they didn't. I worked from home and one of the things that took a good hour was trying to braid Olivia's hair into the perfect double braids into a bun.  This is her required hair for the competitions this year. I found it's easier to do when it's wet, and because it's for dance she actual sits long enough to do it.  I am getting pretty good at it too. 

Mid-week I received these mini cones from Amazon from a mystery sender. I'm putting this in my blog, because I want to remember back years from now and remember how awesome and special my track officials were to me. At our last track meeting, I was sad (yes I was pouting) about not getting the mini cones in the raffle. So today when I went to mailbox, I received these beautiful babies.  OMG, how sweet. 

Friday was PRSSA National Assembly.  For the past two years, ONU students Joe Dunay and Rachel Kimmel have held national positions.  This year Alyson Hoffman decided to throw her hat in the ring. As the national faculty advisor, I was required to be on the Zoom conference all day.  It began at 11 a.m. and ended around 3 p.m. Alyson secured one of the coveted 10 position on National Committee- VP of Membership.  I'm so stinking proud of her and our tiny little Chapter from the cornfields. PR, PR, rah, rah, rah.  

Saturday morning we packed our bags for the weekend and headed to Columbus. We had a 11 a.m. tee time at Top Golf with our dear friends. They had never been to Top Golf, so we were happy to share the experience with them and introduce them to one of our favorite hobbies.  We gave one bay to the kiddos and then us adults took the other. Turns out that Steph was a secret LPGA tour member. 🤣 Holy smokes she's ah-mazing and did fantastic.  We did confirm she was sore the next morning, but she totally could have played golf in college too.  I have a feeling they're going to be back at some point.  We had a fantastic lunch and time with them before they had to head back home for baseball games. 

Shockingly, Isaac didn't want to go to the dance competition at 7 a.m. on Sunday.  🤣 So Auntie Amanda and Uncle Arick graciously offered to keep him overnight.  We only had two wristbands per family, so it worked out that he didn't have to get up at the butt-crack of dawn.  Shortly after we dropped him off, we received this photo from him and his cousins.  They had talked their parents into setting up a tent in their living room and decorating it with lights. Sleepovers with the cousins are always the best anyhow! Isaac certainly lucked out this weekend. 

Can we also mention that we talked Jerm into stopping by Graters for us?  Right now they have strawberry chocolate chip ice cream as their seasonal flavor.  I'm LOVING life right now.  Isaac of course loves buckeyes, but when they're from a great place like Graters, those treats are even more delicious! 

Sunday we found ourselves at 7 a.m. at the convention center in downtown Columbus for Olivia's first Energy dance competition. It was an early start and everything is different (in way of schedule) because of COVID.  But, we loved it! It was just our studio.  We done in 2.5 hours with the entire thing.  It was awesome.  My favorite picture of Olivia is below.  It's called a firebird.  She nailed it.  This is their jazz number and she LOVES jazz.  She has a small solo part toward the end of the number and she nailed it.  We bought the professional photo package to have the dances and photos and the photographer captured her perfectly in this move. Her Acro team (pirates) earned platinum, her jazz, lyrical and hip hop earned high golds, and her tap earned gold.  

After we picked up Isaac, we ended our time in Columbus at Red Robin and we all slept while Jeremy drove us home.  I know we'll all sleep well tonight! 

A Ton of Fun in 2021: Week 14 Recap

 This week started out with Isaac taking some state tests. This can always be stressful, no matter if you are an A+ student or one who needs extra help.  Well he's finally getting the extra help he needs and it happen to be the principal who was able to assist as part of his IEP.  She sent home the sweetest note.  Made us all smile.  We know he tried his hardest and that's all we can ask right?!

This week is also Easter on Sunday, so kiddos got out of school early on Wednesday and then off until the following Tuesday.  I, on the other hand, had to work on Thursday, so guess who came with me to school and sat in the front row?  My two favorite students. They are getting so good.  Just some earphones and internet access and they're silent for hours!  

We had to get busy on Friday painting the eggs. According to Isaac, this must happen and they must be set out the night before in order for the Easter Bunny to work his magic. We bought two dozen to color and got a glossy egg color kit.  They have more patience and wanted to do multi colored eggs this year, so we ended up with some really cool looking eggs. 

Cutout cookies are my archenemies. I don't mind cutting them out, but I feel the need to get out my cake decorating kit and then decorating them to max.  Well, Olivia is finally old enough to not only have interest, but also want to do it. So I gave her the bag and let her go to town. She did all the bunnies and carrots.  She did amazing.  I'm so thankful to have the help!

Easter... Whirlwind weekend, but totally worth it. Easter morning is always wild.  Letting the kids hunt for eggs, eat too much candy from their baskets and then dressing all up for church.  This year was no different.  Bunny supplied lots of candy.  We got them bowling shoes and Isaac got a new baseball bat and Olivia got some Harry Potter masks. 

Next it was off to Maw and Paws for lunch. It was so great to see everyone again. But everyone seemed to be on a diet, so I brought and entire cake and most my cutout cookies home! Guess I'll have to eat them all myself.  Their loss! 

For the first time ever, mom and dad are coming over in the evening for Easter dinner! I was so excited. Jerm cooked steaks on grill and we had perfect weather to sit on the back porch and watch the kids run around finding eggs that mom and dad hid for them.