11 Years, 10 Months...more of the same with two surprises!

This month was a lot of the same thing-virtual learning, volleyball, a few family walks, an orthodontist appointment.  Mom took Emily and me to Cedar Ridge to work on the outdoor playground.  I only agreed to go because Ainsley was going to be there.  I was so thrilled to see her!  I've played a lot of games on my phone, and ended up getting it taken away a couple of times.  

We had Thanksgiving at home this year.  I understood why but it sure was hard to not see our family.  Regardless, I was really excited to eat Thanksgiving food.  I even helped cook a little.

Two really cool surprises happened this past week.  I was surprised at home by my favorite teacher, Mrs. Duncan.  She came by to tell me that she selected me to win the Science award for the quarter.  I was so surprised and so happy to meet her in person.  I was really surprised that I was so much taller than she was!  I can't wait to have her again for Science in 3rd quarter.

The other big surprise came in my stocking.  We did our usual St. Nicholas day treats and the next Sunday Mom and Dad told me that there was another surprise they didn't give us.  They are getting us a Golden Retriever puppy!  We get to pick her up next Sunday and I absolutely can't believe it!  I am so excited!

Crazy family fun!

Finding out about our new puppy

Divvying up the puppy chores

Surprise visit from Mrs. Duncan (Microscope Award)

Excited about St. Nicholas day stocking

I finally got to see the chicken coop that I designed last year!

Pretending to be trapped inside

Sisterly love on a walk

The new friend I made at the orthodontist

Molly is very interested in whatever I am eating

Special time with Molly

Untraditional Thanksgiving

Playing with Molly and Emily in the backyard

Alone time outside with my phone

Wrestling with Dad

I am Emily's jungle gym

And I'm thrilled about it

But Mom is our jungle gym

A typical Wednesday lunch (McDonald's dropped off by Nana Arden)

Teaching Dad about my homework

Pillow fight

Playing my bass for Mom

Growing up

Annual Christmas tree shots

Goofballs!

Decorating the tree (or acting a little creepy)

Working with my sister

Ornaments sorted and ready to be put on the tree

Pillow fight with Dad

Chasing Molly in the backyard

Book from Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas (over Zoom)

11 Years, 9 Months...6th Grade, Quarter 2!

We have continued with virtual learning this month and will until January 18th or later.  Mom and Emily went back to school for a little bit, but then are now back home until January.  It is really strange to learn from home, but I am getting the hang of it.  I don't think so, but Mom and Dad think that I have been a lot more pleasant and focused and less anxious now that I do not have my phone during the day.  I'm just mad that they don't trust me!

I finished up the quarter with all A's and passing classes.  We had conferences with my math, English, and orchestra teacher.  We just switched core classes so I have math and English now, with world languages.  I'm excited to learn a little French and Spanish.

The only social thing I have been doing is volleyball.  I have been really cautious and started wearing my mask during practice before it was an expectation.  I was able to have a socially distant play date with Lila and Ella one day when the weather was nice.  Mom and I have attended quite a few orchestra instrument tuning sessions.  This last time, my bridge fell off my bass and it turns out that my D string is breaking and won't last much longer.

Our family bought pumpkins to carve or paint for Halloween. I was planning on making mine into an eyeball with a spherical white pumpkin inside a larger orange pumpkin in the shape of an eye.  I just never followed through to finish it.  We didn't go trick or treating for Halloween, but we did a drive through at Hy-Vee.  I dressed up as Ali Kreklow again at the last minute.  It was beautiful weather that day and I played soccer outside with Mom and Emily.  Papa Rodney bought us Shakespeare's Pizza to eat at home.

The other memorable thing that happened is that I got my 4 shots that I needed.  It only took 3 hours and 2 Xanax!  Dr. Prica was very patient and surprised that I was still completely alert by the end of the night.  He said he would have been knocked out.  I just get very anxious about things and can't help it.  I am hoping this gets easier as I get older!

Crazy eyes at the doctor's office

Trying to be brave

Ali Kreklow, part 2

Uma and Ali

Visiting Bryan and Cindy

12U Volleyball team

Beautiful day at the park

Two little monkeys jumping on the bed

Enjoying the empty park

11 Years, 8 Months...Homework and more homework!

School is in full swing!  I am working so hard on my schoolwork, often hours a day after classes are over.  I want my work to be perfect and I don't like to expect less than that.  (I did get all A's or passing on my progress report!)  Because of all the work and me getting older, I really like to spend all my time in my room. Because Dad is at work and Mom is working when she is home, I have regular-ish check ins with Grandma Kathy and McDonald's lunch visits with Nana Arden.  Starting next week, Mom and Emily will go back to school four days a week.  I am a little excited to have the house to myself during the day.  I kind of find my family annoying sometimes. 

I really love my science teacher Mrs. Duncan.  She is truly amazing and supportive.  I even got a nice handwritten postcard from her this week.  I also really like my EEE class and teacher.  I really enjoy social studies even though I'm not a huge fan of my teacher.  I really don't like RTI because I only do iReady and it is so boring!!!  I put a lot of effort into my FACS class and PE is ok.  I am enjoying orchestra as well and really like my teacher.  I have had to take my bass to be tuned, and to check out my bow because Twist chewed on the strings.  I was so mad I was chasing him around the house.  Luckily, it was easily fixed and my teacher wasn't mad.

We dropped off Catherine's birthday card at Aunt Lisa's and was able to update them on school.  I was more talkative there than I have been the entire time at home.  It was good to hear how my cousins were doing with online school.  We had Catherine's birthday Zoom the next day.

The one thing that I am able to do in person is volleyball.  We practice once a week and I am so glad to get out and see Taylor and Lila.  It just feels a little different this year and I don't know my teammates as well.

Our family went apple picking one Saturday.  Even though I didn't want to, I enjoyed it.  I got to eat some applesauce, apple pie, and apple crisp.  

Mom took Emily and me to Washington one Saturday.  It was really good to spend time with Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Tom, and then Papa Ron.  The visits lately seem so short, and that is probably because I don't know when I will see them the next time.

Apple picking fun

Passed out in bed with mom (a very rare photo!)

Backyard volleyball

Ellie-hide and seek champion!

11 Years, 7 Months...Here I come middle school!!!

I started Missouri Juniors volleyball this month!  Colleen is my coach, but sometimes we work with Molly or Leandra.  This is about the only interaction I get outside of our house, other than a couple outside get togethers.  I really love volleyball and I get nervous before every weekly practice.  I just want to do well.  I got to have my last couple of lessons with Trevor since school started.

I did get to go to Olga's birthday party on a patio at a restaurant.  Mom and Dad were very cautious about letting me go, but I did have a really good time.  My favorite part was after I thanked a waitress for her service and she came to thank me before I left because it made her night.  I felt so good after that and want to do more "making people's day!"  Mom and I wrote to the manager that night to let him know the impact it made on me and he wrote back!

I was able to have Ella over here to play.  It has been a long time since we hung out and it was nice to reconnect with her.  I also got to go to Lila's grandma's to go swimming one day.  It was really good to hang out with her in person.

I started playing Pokemon Go because Emily likes it.  I'm definitely not as into it as she is.  I only catch the "cute ones", but it's pretty fun.  I also did a study online to help the Mizzou Memory Lab.  It was pretty fun and I got paid to do it too!  I also went through all of my Lego Friends sets and put them all together again to make sure all the pieces were there and then took them all apart.  I think I will eventually like to sell them.  Mom doesn't think I will get the amount that I want to ask for them though.  We shall see!

Mom and Dad both went back to work so I have been home alone a lot, and sometimes I have to watch Emily.  We actually get along better when our parents are not around.  I do like to try and see what I can get away with when they are not here, like sneaking food.  

Now it is time for me to go back to school!  Mom has been staying home so I don't have to take care of Emily and I am able to concentrate on my work.  I was so excited to get my schedule, but it took a lot of researching to understand it!  I have FACS, orchestra, RTI, 10:00 lunch!, PE/EEE, Science, and Social Studies.  I really like my Science teacher, and I love the topics in Social Studies.  I got my upright bass and it takes up a huge corner of my room.  (We have yet to get the instrument out!)  I ended up changing my room around to accommodate it and had to take things off the wall.  It pulled off the drywall so we ended up painting my room the first weekend after school started!  I am on Zooms all day long though and work hard to get all my work done as soon as possible.  It is really exhausting to stare at a screen all day.  Mom got me some blue light glasses to help with that and I really like wearing them!

Can't wait to see what else I am going to learn in middle school!

Good times with Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Tom

1st day of 6th and 1st grade

First day of virtual 6 grade (middle school)

1st day of 6th grade, I want to be an actress or author, 9/8/20

I was so embarrassed that Mom wanted to take these pictures!

Ready to learn!

After a long day's work...