2021 :: week 22

May 23

Fifth graders at OPC do a "Heroes Project" where they study an American Hero. The kids have to read a biography and then write a report and prepare a poster about their hero. In previous years the kids would then do a "wax musuem," at the school's spring open house. The fifth graders would dress up as their hero and memorize a 60 second speech they would give about their hero to all who stopped to listen. This year the school opted to not do an open house, so the kids recorded their speeches. Will did his report on his great-great grandfather Harvey Fletcher. 

May 24

Will had a baseball game Monday night and the whole family attended. Memaw, the Allreds and the Wilsons all came out to watch Will pitch. He pitched pretty well and enjoyed his "fan club."

May 25

We met some friends at Thompson Park on Tuesday morning. The park was recently revamped as is really nice. Elliott enjoyed swinging very high. He also had fun running through the splash pad, hence the lack of shirt and shoes in the above photo. 

May 26

The Pink Thunder had their final game of the season on Wednesday night. They typically have games on the weekend, but this was a make-up game. After their game we stopped at an candy and ice cream shop called Sweet Caroline's. I felt like it was apropos given the name and timing (my birthday is the next day).

May 27

Thursday was the last day of school for the kids. As seems to be tradition, it was rainy and gray. Will and Lauren had great 3rd and 5th grade years. It started off a little rough with distance learning, but the kids and teachers really excelled in that tough situation. When they went back to in person learning at the end of October things really started to look up and they ended up having a very good year. We will miss Mrs. Dearing and Mrs. Breckenridge next year. Daphne and Nicholas came over to play for a few hours, which cheered things up. 

May 28

Jake, Matt and I all have birthdays at the end of May. My parents treated us to ice cream at the Golden Spoon Friday evening to celebrate. 

May 29

The Hinton family stayed with us on their way to Mississippi. The kids had a lot of fun together playing. In the morning I took Lauren and Will to my friend Sarah's home to pick the rocks out of her garden. It was hot, tedious work, but they were paid well. Jill became very good friends with Darren in Provo after Tony and I left and so at dinnertime the Allreds came over for a smashburger dinner. It was a very fun Saturday.

2021 :: week 21

May 16

It was a very rainy day. Tina and I drove to church in our KIA and as we rounded the bend on 4-35 I lost almost all visibility for a few seconds because the rain was coming down so hard. I taught Sunday School (my new calling) and was a little nervous to teach with my in-laws in the audience, even though they are gracious. It went well and I feel relieved it is only every other week. Lauren and Nana played several rounds of mancala after church on Sunday. The Maxfield cousins want to have a mancala tournament at the family reunion in June, and the John kids want to be ready! Doug and Tina watched the little boys while the rest of us stopped by Ipo's graduation luau. That evening we watched the Muppet Movie and made chocolate chip cookies. It was a very cozy Sunday. 

May 17

Monday was Elliott's final day of preschool. It was a weird year, but we were extremely grateful he was able to attend in person with very few hiccups. In fact, the only hiccup was when we inadvertently exposed his teacher and classmates to Covid in January. Miss Tracy was a fun teacher and Elliott loved his class. I didn't get to meet any of his classmates because parents were never allowed in the building, but we heard great things. That night we got dinner at the original Joe's KC, located in a gas station in Kansas City. We went to the Nelson Atkins to walk around, but a few minutes after we arrived it started to pour! We headed back home and the kids said their goodbyes to Nana and Papa. They would be leaving for their flight around 6am the next morning.

May 18

We met up with Elliott's friend Eliza at the Lenexa Rec Center on Tuesday. Elliott splashed and swam with the other kids and I followed Miles around and made sure he stayed safe. After we swam we got pizza at the Lenexa Public Market. 

 

May 19

The flowers in our yard have really bloomed this week. I get excited every time I go outside. Our flowers make me happy.

May 20

We met up with several friends at Roe Park on Thursday morning. It is fun to play outside after so much rain. Elliott had a blast swinging with Eliza and Mikey.

May 21

Lauren finished her husky stuffed animal and took it to school for the auction. She was very pleased that it was the most expensive item at the auction. Lauren has had such a great school year. Mrs. Dearing was such a great fit for Lauren, and has done a great job creating a close community in the classroom. Lauren has loved her classmates this year.

May 22

Haircuts all around for the John boys this Saturday. I try to cut Tony, Will and Elliott's hair every 4-6 weeks. Miles isn't part of the rotation yet. This was only his second haircut if I am remembering correctly. 

2021 :: week 20

 

May 9

Mother's Day was a quiet affair this year. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be a mom, for my own mother, and for the women who have mothered and mentored me throughout my life. I often find myself in awe of my children. They are bright and full of energy and help me see the beauty in the things around me.

May 10

Lauren's class is having an auction at the end of the month. Each student is supposed to bring in a gently used item from home that they think a classmate could use. Mrs. Dearing informed the students and parents about this awhile ago so we could be thinking ahead about what to bring. Throughout the year they earn "Dearing Dollars" and then cash them in to buy various privileges and toys. The auction is to use all their extra money. Lauren decided she wanted to make a Husky stuffed animal for the auction. I helped her design the pattern and she started cutting working on it this week.

May 11

Thanks to the miracle of vaccines and Hillary and Ben helping with Bobpa, Papa and Nana were able to come and visit for the first time since Lauren's baptism in 2019. The forecast for their visit was full of rainclouds, and our weekend schedule full of youth sports, so we hit the ground running once they arrived. After school we boarded the streetcar to the City Market. We walked along the Missouri River and then picked up dinner at Pigwich (very good!). 

May 12

While the big kids were at school and Tony was at work, Papa, Nana, Elliott, Miles and I took advantage of the nice weather and went to Deanna Rose. It was essentially Miles' first visit, and he had a ball. It was a busy afternoon/evening with piano, soccer practice and a meeting for Anthony. Tony made smashburgers for dinner while I drove the kids to their activities. After dinner Papa and Nana played a lot of games with the kids while they were here. Papa was a good sport to keep playing Sleeping Queens with Elliott after Elliott told him he was going to make him "feel the pain." Talking trash is an art in the John household. 

May 13

Thursday was a quieter day. Elliott didn't have preschool, so we went to the park in the morning. It was quiet at first, but then an entire preschool class and their parents descended upon us for an end-of-the-year picnic. We didn't stay long after that. Elliott and Miles were happy to spend time with Papa and Nana at home. Miles loves "singing" along when Anthony plays the piano, and he enjoyed singing with Nana too. That evening I took Lauren to softball practice and Papa and Nana went to Will's baseball game. Will was starting pitcher and it did not go well. He was frustrated and embarrassed, and the team was not fielding well. It was a tough outing for Will.

May 14

Friday was a fun day. We picked the kids up at lunchtime and headed to the zoo. We were able to do a lot because it wasn't very crowded. We rode the train, sky safari, shuttle and carousel. We saw a lot of fun animals--koalas, elephants, gorillas, crocodiles and rhinos to name a few. When we returned home we ate some delicious Chick-fil-A and then used the sauna. Miles and Elliott are only in briefly--children under six can use the sauna for a limited amount of time. 

May 15

We lucked out with the weather and were able to have a full day of sports. Lauren had a soccer game around lunchtime, and then Will and Lauren had baseball and softball games at adjoining fields that started 45 minutes apart. Lauren played great in both her games, and Will pitched very well in his baseball game. He was feeling pretty good, especially after his previous game. We recently made the connection that one of the young men Doug worked with in the Linn Asian Branch in the 90s is in our stake. They invited us over for lunch, so everyone but Lauren and I went over and was able to spend time catching up. 

2021 :: week 19

May 2

Miles loves sitting on the piano and "singing" along with Tony. It is clear that Miles' loves music. A funny quirk is that he only will sing along with the final note. During the day when Dad is not home he will climb up to the piano and "sing" and occasionally attempt to play himself. He does not like it if I sit down and try to play. Apparently he only likes to sing with Dad.

May 3

Elliott and Blaise have spent hours over the past few weeks swinging on the Mansingh's playset. It is easy to keep an eye on them while they were swinging because I can hear them singing and laughing from our back porch. I can also see their little heads pop up over the edge of the fence when they really get going--Elliott has gotten really good at pumping.

May 4

If you are not familiar with pinworm medicine I pray that you never need to familiarize yourself with it. We made an alarming discovery Monday night and after consulting with our pediatrician--and doing a lot of laundry--we each had to take a dose of this disgusting banana-flavored sludge.

May 5

This week both Anthony and I got our second COVID shots. I felt fine the day of (Monday), but struggled to sleep that night and definitely ran a fever on Tuesday. I felt a lot better Wednesday, but was still pretty drained. I spent a few hours relaxing on the couch with Miles while Elliott was at school. Miles had me in a tight hold, like he was afraid I was going to leave. I suppose that isn't a bad assumption being that I usually turn a show on for him when I am going to take a shower or need to get something done without his help and want him distracted. Anthony said he felt a little more tired than normal, but no other side effects. We are now two weeks from "immunity."

May 6

Lauren had another softball game Thursday night and it was awesome! She got the best hit of the night, a solid double hit just past the second basewoman. She is so blessed to be part of a fun, positive team. Her coaches do a great job of building the girls up and creating a culture of growth, and the girls are genuinely excited for each other when they succeed. Elliott and Miles love these weeknight games because they get to spend a few hours playing with their buddies while the big sisters play. Will was at practice during her game, so he wasn't able to watch.

May 7

Elliott came home from preschool with a sweet card he made me for Mother's Day. He was so excited to share it with me that he couldn't wait until Sunday. I made me smile that he knows my exact age and thinks I am special because I am in his family. 😆

May 8

Anthony and I went on a double date with the Throssells Saturday evening for the first time in over a year. We met at Grinders for dinner and then got Andy's for dessert. The weather was gorgeous and we were able to spend a lot of the evening outdoors. We never run out of things to talk about with Stephanie and Spencer and had to cut things off at 3 hours to get back to our baby-sitter. For the first time in years we have an awesome babysitter that lives within walking distance of our house and she is wonderful! We've been able to get out more consistently in the past six months than we have in years. 

2021 :: week 18

 

April 25

The smell of fresh lilacs wafting through the neighborhoods is something I look forward to each spring. No candle or lotion smells as good as the real thing. Anthony and I have started taking long walks at night after the kids are in bed and catching a whiff of lilacs while we are out is always a treat. I enjoy the time Anthony and I spend together, and often make a mental list of topics I want to discuss with him throughout the day. 

April 26

Miles is in a dependently independent phase, where he likes to do his own thing but know exactly where I am at all times. I can be close by in the kitchen but then walk to the bathroom and he will chase me down. When I take out the trash or go the basement I will sometimes find him frantically looking for me, even if I have only been gone about a minute. 

April 27

Lauren took this somewhat unflattering picture while I was reading to her. This week we finished Rump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Rumpelstiltskin. Lauren was pleasantly surprised by how much she enjoyed it. I have always appreciated a good retelling of a familiar story, and this one did not disappoint. Reading a chapter or two out loud to Lauren before bedtime has been a pleasant ritual for the two of us this school year.

April 28

Elliott and Blaise spent every spare moment with each other this week. Their friendship ebbs and flows, and this week it was riding high. A new step for their friendship is Elliott conquering his fear of going to Blaise's house without his siblings. Usually Blaise comes to our house, because Elliott has been nervous to walk to his house and knock on the door. Elliott is now asking me if he can go play with Blaise as soon as we eat breakfast in the morning. 

April 29

Will got to pitch in his first game Thursday night. Lauren had softball practice at the same time, so Anthony reported to me via text that he was playing well, but something seemed off. It turns out his eyes were super itchy and red and he wasn't throwing as hard as he had been at practice. Will has had really bad seasonal allergies this spring. He regularly gets a cold compress to put on his eyes after he has been outside. 

April 30

We met Stephanie and Kendall at the park after school on Friday for a picnic lunch. The weather was gorgeous and it felt nice to do something "normal." 

May 1

Saturday was a busy day of sports for Lauren. She had her first softball game in the morning, followed by a soccer game in the afternoon. She played well in both. In between her games Will had a baseball practice at the opposite end of town, Anthony had a church errand to run and we needed to fit in a Miles nap. I had to write everything down on paper and assign tasks to Anthony and I so we could divide and conquer to get everyone where they needed to be at the right time. As a family of six I fear this is only the beginning of very busy Saturdays.

2021 :: week 17

April 18

The local families gathered at my parent's house for dinner on Sunday evening for the first time in over a month. It was fun to have most of the cousins together again. It was a gorgeous evening and the kids ate their dessert on the back porch. The weather was so nice that Anthony and I went for a walk around the neighborhood after putting the kids went to bed. We walked for over an hour discussing church and other things.

April 19

It used to be just Will who would play catch with Anthony, but now all the kids head outside to play catch or do other baseball/softball drills with dad after dinner. It made me smile to see the everyone outside playing when I arrived home after going to water aerobics. Matt Ross started offering water aerobics classes last week and it felt SO GOOD when I went this week for the first time in over a year. I missed the pool, the teachers and the classmates who became friends over the past eight years. I stayed after class for about fifteen minutes catching up and it filled my cup with joy.

April 20

April Fools! When we woke up to snow on Tuesday morning I was surprised, even though it had been on the forecast for about a week. It was humid and wet and didn't really feel all that cold, but did accumulate almost two inches on the grass. By the time the kids got home from school it was 75% melted and the next day it was entirely gone. April snow doesn't really bother me because you know it isn't going to stick around very long. Will was bummed because his baseball game was cancelled due to muddy fields. 

April 21

Lauren and Will have piano on Wednesday afternoon and this week they found out they both got high marks on the MAMA festival pieces! Lauren was especially proud because it was her first time entering. Will played The Knight's Tale and A Mingus Among Us while Lauren played Ping Pong and Start Your Engines. Will also aced his theory exam.

April 22

Thursday was the busiest night of the week for us. Will and Lauren have baseball and softball practice at the same time but in different places, and Anthony had a bishop's council. Thanks to help from Will's baseball coach we were able to make everything work. Lately I have been feeling so grateful for the community we live in and the village of people around us that make life better. I am especially grateful for the adults who coach the teams our kids play on. They dedicate a lot of time to helping the kids learn, improve and have fun. Elliott, Miles and I had fun visiting and playing with siblings and parents of Lauren's teammates during practice.

April 23

On Friday night my parents watched the grandkids for two hours while the adults gathered at our house to solve a case. My friend Lindsey passed along an Unsolved Case File and we got to work figuring out who Jane Doe was, how she got to the island and who was her killer. It was a lot of fun, and we are already planning on doing another one next month.

April 24

The kids played outside most of the day, which is the best way to spend a Saturday in my opinion. I snapped this picture of the entire 101st Street gang doing the "Trampoline Conga," but they played catch, basketball, soccer, house and rock store too. In the morning Will and I went with Dana to Suburban Lawn & Garden and spent a small fortune on plants. In the evening Anna babysat so Anthony and I could go on a date. Spring always feels like an awakening, and that feeling is extra strong as the world is slowly starting to awaken from the social distancing imposed by Covid-19.

2020 :: week 16

April 11

Miles has a hard time with our current church start time--noon. This Sunday I made the kids stay for the relief society lesson. It was a bit rough, but I enjoyed the discussion. I was very pleased I was able to easily transition Miles from car seat to crib when we got home. We switched Miles to a forward facing five-point harness car seat shortly after his second birthday last month and it has been a success.

April 12

Elliott and Blaise have been playing together so well lately. They seem to get along best when it is just the two of them and no siblings or other neighbors are around. Both boys are extremely creative and they seem to live in a world of pure imagination when they are together. Renee generously watched Elliott for me while I was getting my first Covid shot Monday afternoon. I signed up for it while we were in Florida and didn't realize the appointment times were listed in Eastern Time. I thought I signed up to get it while Elliott was at preschool, but instead scheduled it at the same time his class ends.

April 13

As it has gotten warmer out Elliott and Blaise have taken to taking their shirts off and laying on the warm trampoline. I watched them play in our backyard while I worked on finishing A Light Between Oceans, the book club pick for April. I did not finish the book in time for our masked up meeting that night. 

April 14

Both Anthony and I got our first Covid shots this week. I got mine at the Hy-Vee pharmacy on Monday afternoon and Anthony went to a warehouse in Lenexa to get his at a clinic put on by the County. We both got the Pfizer vaccine and didn't notice any side effects other than maybe fatigue and headaches. It is hard to know because we are also the middle aged parents of four so fatigue is a major part of our lives right now, and we have both been hard hit with seasonal allergies this year too. Regardless, it is exciting to get one step closer to "normal."

April 15

Elliott and I attended Kindergarten Round up at OPC Thursday evening. It got off to a great start when Elliott confidently told the principal that he knew everything about OPC and then she had to remind him twice before we entered the building his mask needed to cover his nose. Oh Elliott! He had a lot of fun in his assigned classroom, playing games with fellow future-kindergarteners, meeting the Kindergarten and specials teachers and taking an abbreviated tour of the building. We also learned that his preschool classmate Camdyn will be a Husky as well. When I went to pick him up the teachers watching Elliott told me he had some great dance moves. Will said that the gym teacher told him he met his little brother the night before and that he "wouldn't forget him." Elliott was born two days before Will started kindergarten at OPC, so Elliott starting school here will be a very full-circle moment. 

April 16

In the week since we returned from Florida, Anthony and I have been watching The Right Stuff and finished the final episode Friday night. The Right Stuff is a Disney+ series about the origins and growth of the US Space program and the pilots that vied to be the first man in space. The story is very interesting, but some of the episodes were a little tedious. I also started listening to the audiobook The Astronauts Wives Club and have put the Tom Hanks docu-series From the Earth to the Moon on hold. When we get into a topic, we go all in. We are open to any and all space/moon shows and movies recommendations. 

April 17

Though it was their fourth scheduled game, due to rain cancellations and our spring break trip it was Lauren's first game of the season. It was worth the wait though, because Lauren played great! In addition to two assists she also scored her first goal of the year. We had to pick up some doughnuts from Lamar's on the way home to celebrate. Last week Lauren and I were talking about soccer and she told me that the reason she has gotten so much better is because she tries hard. She acknowledged that she is far from the most athletic person on her team, but because she is willing to try she is improving even though she makes mistakes sometimes. Tony and I are so proud of her willingness to try, especially because she is a perfectionist and public mistakes are hard for her.

2021 :: week 15

April 4

We celebrated Easter by having an egg hunt on the beach. Miles' face adequately expresses his feelings towards sand that we were unaware of until this trip. I put all the candy and quarters in the eggs while listening to General Conference and was struck by how accessible everything is now. I remember driving the the chapel to listen to conference at the church building when I was a child because the church had the enormous satellite dish in the back. Now I can listen to conference live on my phone as I sit on a bed at at hotel on the coast of Florida and watch the ocean out my window.  

April 5

Monday morning the ladies (Mom, Jill, Emily, Melanie and me) went parasailing. The dads took the kids to the beach and then we all met up at the pool. That evening we took family pictures on the beach and then went to Fat Donkey's for ice cream. Unfortunately I got a really bad headache right as we started taking family pictures. The bright sun triggered a headache that was simmering below the surface. Our kids cooperated pretty well and I think we were still able to get some good fun pictures. 

April 6

Miles was a bit of a grump on this trip. He did not like sand one bit, and was unsure how he felt about water. I'm sure the change of routine and uncomfortable bed were contributing factors too. I am often reminding my older kids that when they were his age our world revolved around them. Now that we have a wider range of ages to please the older kids and younger kids have to be a little more adaptable and understanding. Tony and I try to plan things for our family that everyone can enjoy, but I think this is one of the hardest parts about having kids with ages that span nine years. We found that even though Miles protested, once I got him in the water he enjoyed being pulled around the pool in this whale floatie.  

April 7

Wednesday at 12:34pm we got to see a launch! Andrew was able to get us passes to watch on the roof of his building on the base. The launch we saw was a Falcon 9 Rocket sent into space by SpaceX at the Cape Canaveral Space Station. The Rocket was carrying 60 Starlink satellites with the purpose of improving broadband internet access to parts of the world where the internet is not readily accessible. On our drive to the base Andrew gave us a great overview of some of what is currently happening with the Space Force and the history of the area. He whetted our appetites to learn more about space and Anthony and I have been diving deep ever since we got home. As it was our last full day in Florida we ate and early dinner and then spent the evening on the beach.

April 8

I was feeling so grateful for these kiddos as we finished up our trip. Will was never a problem and was happy to participate in whatever was planned. It is so nice having an oldest child who isn't "too cool" to have fun with his aunts, uncles and cousins. Lauren was extremely helpful and tried to had fun with all of the cousins. I was impressed when she used her own money to buy her cousin Leah a lei at the souvenir shop so they could match. Elliott overcame his fear of the water and not only put his head under the water, but by the end of the week was trying to "beat his record" of how long he could hold his breath. Miles is an independent guy who has so much of his life dictated to him, I was impressed with how well he rolled with the punches when he clearly wasn't enjoying himself. We left the hotel at lunchtime to begin our travels home. We stopped at Burger King for lunch and had one of the most memorable worst fast food experiences of our lives. The drive to the airport was uneventful, but the walk through the airport was again hellish. The departure signs directed us to the wrong gate in the wrong terminal, and then our flight was delayed. This added to the stress, but did allow us to easily make it to the correct gate in time. When we arrived back in KC it was cold and rainy but we were happy to be heading home to our own beds, with happy memories of a great trip dancing in our heads. 

April 9

Lauren and Anthony went to Play It Again Sports to buy her a glove for softball. We like to get our kids' gloves there because they are already worn in. Lauren and TJ spent some time playing catch and TJ reported that she made his glove pop a few times with her throws. It was the last day of Spring Break, so Will and Lauren did not have school, though Anthony had work and Elliott's preschool was in session. It was a quiet day to ease back into real life after our trip. 

April 10

Saturday was full of errands and household chores to get us up to speed after our week away. Saturday evening we walked up to the park to expend some energy before bedtime. Elliott was pretending to fall down a hole while he was playing on the slides. The Ules walked up as well and we visited with them as the kids ran around the playground together.