Magnetize! April's Month in Review

I can hang my Kindle on the fridge. This amuses me greatly!

This was a month of big posts. Rather than try to spread things out into smaller posts, I lumped pictures on similar subjects together. It was faster to pound out the February and March posts, but I hope the April ones seem higher quality.

The month started off with Spring Break. Shane went to Nana and Pop's, Carrie and I relaxed, and then there was an Easter Egg hunt and Easter Lunch. 

It was a social month. There was a rainy game and other soccer updates, we went to a party for Landie, and Carrie's parents visited a second time.

I did several large updates on the horses, the kitten, and all the other pets. I even posted about work once (more boats!).

I did another set of lists: Current Authors, Top Fantasy Series, Top Villains, and Top Wheel of Time Characters (SPOILERS!). I even did what was supposed to be a short post on why I'm making the lists and ended up rambling on.

I'm burning out on the blog doing all this catch-up! I still have May, June, and July to be fully up to date. I'm only going to do 3 posts a week for the summer months. 

Soccer and Jump Pickup (Summer)

Practice continues to chug along. It's been going well! I recruited Jaime's brother, Brian, to participate one day and he's de facto a member of the team (He was just sitting there anyway. Better to put him to use!). 

We still haven't had a single practice rained out, but, let me tell you, it's been raining. I didn't fill this bucket from a hose. God did it from the clouds.

I believe this rainstorm passed through on Friday. The timestamp on the screenshot fits that narrative.

But the game was still on! We played against yellow again. We played them in our first game of the year and over half their team was missing.

This time they fielded a full team and they were physical. The ref didn't call much and people yellow started hard shouldering into our boys until our boys started shouldering back. Shane started the game on defense and he flattened a kid. Shane ran ahead of the ball, stopped as the kid dribbling charged at him, and Shane won. The kid was smaller than Shane and jumped on his back a little later to try and fight him. Shane didn't seem like he was sure of what happened, shrugged it off a bit, and the kid was pulled away. I was proud when Shane kept on playing like it wasn't a big deal.

We destroyed yellow the first time, but we fell by a single goal in the end. This was our only loss of the entire year.

But I was happy with how well we played. No one likes to lose, but losing right makes you better. Everyone played hard and a few things didn't go our way. I was proud of how Shane acquitted himself. He showed more physical and mentally toughness than usual, so I got him ice cream.

Effort should be rewarded. The win would have been a reward in itself, so the ice cream would make the loss sting less (but Shane's normally good about that part).

Shane was ecstatic when he got to hop on Roblox at home.

This wasn't really a reward from the game. Carrie was stressed about picking up a bunch of jumps from an event her Hunt Club threw. I offered to go with her and Shane gets to play Roblox when he's home alone. The dogs set up underneath him and I said, "Back in an hour! Love you!"

Carrie pulled the truck around and I hopped in (still in my coaching shirt!). 

Only someone pulled in to the driveway right as we were heading out. Carrie backed up to let them in and clobbered the remote exit post.

That became a later problem. 

It was good to know someone was on property in case there were any emergencies. Shane knows my number, too, so we continued onward. We had to drive down into Nelson County to pick up the jumps Carrie donated for the club to use.

We pulled the trailer right up to whatever was ours and loaded up!

Only we had a moment on the way home. If you've ever wondered about streamlining or thought, "How much wind really hits a car?" the answer is "a lot." One of the jumps was bow up, jutting into the wind. The air flow under it ripped the boards up from the nails and deposited them on Highway 29 behind us. We had to stop and recover the boards with nails. A lot of things went right: No one was behind us, Carrie saw it happen, and it happened right where the road started to have a shoulder. It could have been way worse.

We got home without further problem. Shane wished we could have been gone even longer, but we kicked him off the computer and went to work on the prone post.

Again, there was a lot to be thankful for. The ground was so wet, it had just flopped over. The post and the electric box were unharmed and ready for service.

I like problems that resolve quickly. You get to feel productive and go about your day! I felt good with my fathering and husbanding by helping out. 

School Update (Summer)

 I decided to decorate my cup.

It turned out to be a bad idea. I use the microwave to heat up water for tea and stickers need not apply!

Still, I didn't feel bad about throwing them away after amusing a class or two. I have a ton of stickers left over from last year.

I've started walking around and putting them on computers and papers at random. I'm pretty good at pegging which kids will be amused and which ones would be annoyed (at least I think so!).

For example, I don't bring the stickers to my anxiety case. I have a student who I haven't seen in class since December. There was some sort of medical issue that hasn't been divulged (and I'm curious, but recognize it's not my business or need to know), and rather than go on Homebound instruction, the student's mother wanted them to continue with us. That's meant I've spent the past several months meeting them on zoom during my planning a couple times a week. The counselor finally convinced the student to return to school, but they stay in the counselors office all day rather than attend their classes.

So at least twice a week I walk down to guidance. It actually takes longer than meeting on Zoom, because of the walk! The student in question finds math to be a struggle, but hopefully I'm not intimidating when I do dumb things like show up with an open highlighter in my pocket.

And I broke the counselor's spare chair trying to scoot it forward (To which I fessed up to! I wanted to be an example of honesty!).

The SOLs were at the end of May, so it's been really busy. I was so busy one day, I didn't want to write Lucy a hall pass and made a friend to speak for her instead.

Stickers + bag of boats from Melvin + hair cap from Kyla (21-22) = Boatman the Hall Pass!

I think Boaty McBoatFace went through multiple names before the end of the year. One of my old students, Macy, came and raided his brains for boats and then kidnapped him (with permission) at the end of the school year!

Anyway, it's work-work-work trying to keep kids motivated and learning as the end of the year approaches!

Shane being Indy-pendent (Summer!)

 Shane got a riding lesson Indy!

Jess gave the okay and was highly amused.

Shane was a little less so. He's used to easy-going lesson horses. Indy has opinions!

It's all part of being a better rider.

I'm grateful for the time that Carrie and Shane got to spend together.

The riding lessons are definitely for her, so seeing Shane make progress that meets with her approval is a good thing.

Maybe Carrie's dream of doing a family trail ride isn't as far away as she thinks!

Another Family Visit (Summer)

 Spring cleaning is still underway here. 

We finally went to the dump again and offloaded the busted freezer. 

Shane and I picked up feed for the barn after church on Sunday. We typically do some sort of errands in town then.

Carrie specifically requested cleaning products this week to prepare for the coming of the parents ("Beee preeepaaaarrred!" sung in Lion King).

Grandma and Grandpa came by bearing plants.

Gardner Grandma had plans!

She put Shane and I to work unloading. Then she went to scope out the beds to determine her next moves.

Carrie and Grandpa went down to the barn....which reminds me: Grandpa went through the laundry room to enter the house last time! We didn't clean that room and Carrie was horrified! She vowed not to happen again, ha!

We were all outside talking and enjoying ourselves while the dogs wondered "Why are we penned up!? People! There are people here!"

Normally, they would be out, too.  

However, it's easier to chat when you don't have to yell over anyone barking.

And we weren't planning on staying at the house much longer.

We headed into town for lunch. Shane's always eager to point out the historical flood markers when we walk by.

We decided to eat at Amicci's. We almost ate outside, but when an air-conditioned spot opened up inside we were quick to claim it!

The dogs got to join us once we got home.

Grandpa's warmed up to Loki over the years. Kila's still deciding if Grandpa is friendly or going to eat her.

It was work time for the humans.

Shane got to watering, Grandma picked placing,...

...and Carrie and I got to digging.

I stepped back to take pictures, but I idle supervising.

You won't see a shovel in the pictures, because I was holding it!

It looked too dirty and hot for Loki, so he went to the porch to stay in the shade (and hint that it was time to go inside).

We finished up the front yard and went around back. There are a few things Grandma wants us to remove (like trees), but we're not in a hurry to do so. It'd probably be wiser to do it now, but that would require effort and plants make oxygen.

Grandpa spent most of the time watching and even playing fetch with Loki (He came off the porch to stay near his people when we went around back!).

Shane took Kila out to the road to run off some of her energy (not that it runs out ever).

The dogs came in panting up a storm. It's feeling a lot hotter out and they've got fur coats!

It was rest, relax, and rehydrate time for everyone.

Lunch and gardening was accomplished!

I took a few pictures of everyone before I put the camera away and joined in the talking. 

It was a successful Sunday by my standards! Anytime we can do church, some errands, and a social activity it feels like we carpe diem'd it!