Last week online learning! I am behind still because trying to be a teacher for everyone is exhausting.

Monday was labor day so everyone had the day off!  We got out to a water park, the last weekend most water parks are open.

We had a blast!  It is kind of crazy that the beginning of the summer all my kiddos were in life jackets, now Hazen is the only one.  They have become little fish.  Stanley is insanely brave and wild!  Just going and flipping of the diving board, McKay and Clifton tip toe out and jump off slowly.  He is such different child than they are.

The rest of the week we slowly made it through school.

We enjoy PE the most at this house.  I try to join each of them when its PE time.

Keeping Hazen occupied.  The cats seems to be who he plays with when he can't play with his siblings.  I am not sure how the cats feel about it ;)

After school we need to get out and wiggle.  Body paint and water fun is always a big hit.

Stanley was making me laugh just laying there letting the water all on him.  School is rough!

We got a nice cool rainy day and we had to get outside to play.

Alex thought it would be a good time to test his new toy out too.  Hazen thinks its fun.

This week Stanley and I got to do a walk through his school.  Since he is brand new and I cannot walk him into school on the first day of in person they let us come for a little tour.

The excitement was through the roof.  We are both very excited!  Can't wait till Monday!

We got to feed the missionaries!  It's been a long time since we have been able to help or serve.

It was so nice having the Sisters in our home.

Clifton's soccer started this week too and he is thrilled.  We are on the same team as last season and we are thrilled. good people, great coaches, and fun team.

Saturday we went putt putt golfing and we were the only ones there so we got to take our masks off!

Stanley got a hole in one!

Then we cooled off in our pool and found out our neighborhood pool was extended to stay open till the end of October!

Sunday we got to go to church and this time the whole ward not in groups.  And the bishop encouraged we bring kids with us so they can relearn how to be reverent.

Hazen's Sunday selfie ;)

Our neighbor friends joined us!

Then we came home and got some old costumes out and decorate for fall.

We cuddled and enjoyed the Seahawks game.

And had to make some yummy pumpkin muffins.

It was our wards fast and testimony meeting and we now have a new tradition of eating whatever we want for dinner.  And we kind of love this new tradition especially me!

I was pleasantly surprised when I caught Stanley singing at the top of his lungs to this sweet song.  I love that he learned it on his own and that he liked it.  I love the song too!  Perfect for today.

 I have gotten behind again.  Online school is exhausting for everyone.  I have to stay close by to be to them to help and keep Stanley on track and then try to keep Hazen out of their rooms.  Clifton and McKay did really well at online school and stayed on top of their schedule and assignments really well.  Stanley tried his hardest but struggled.  He needed me to stay there to keep him on track and not getting into trouble and to complete his work.  But he honestly was trying, just such a hard way to start school!

Hazen is even exhausted trying to help everyone do school.  He passed out on Stanleys floor while I was helping Stanley do his math.

Hazen joined everyones school at some point this week.

Stanley's fun science project.  He has a great teacher and perfect for him.

I tried to keep Hazen occupied and happy while the kids did school.

We needed to get outside and moving after we finish school for the day.

Playing with friends, body paint and then rinsing off in the sprinkler.

Saturday we went exploring at Fort Worth Aviator Museum.

Hazen is obsessed with airplanes or "psssshhh" as he calls them.  He was in heaven, we all had a blast.

Sunday bakeday we had a donut bakeoff competition.

Not to brag but I won.  Clifton was the judge this time.

Then we stayed up late to cheer on the Sounders!

First Full Week of School and Surgery

 

Updates on Clifton -

He is doing great with school online.  Every now and then he will come ask me for help with things he can do himself but we just have to remind him if he was at school he'd have to do it without us.  We will help when he really needs it but he needs to sue his brain.

Updates on McKay -

Is rocking online schooling.  This might be here thing.  She loves having a set schedule, sticks to it well and we don't need to remind her or get her going.  Very self motivated to do well.  

Updates on Stanley -

School is not going as well for him.  We knew in person school was going to be a hard adjustment, so online is even harder.  He hates it.  We have been kind of concerned about Stanley and his actions lately and set up an appointment to see a psychiatrist.  She was very helpful and agrees that he has ADHD tendencies and seems to have a mind of his own.  She wants the teacher to observe him for a month and we will move forward from there, if there is any treatment.  We are going to set up therapy to try and help him with his anger and emotions.  Hopefully that will help.  He is such a fun and awesome boy.  Full of energy but he hates focusing and listening.  He loathes writing or coloring and his fine motor skill are lacking significantly.  He is so full of anger and is always hitting, siblings, us, teachers, other kids.  Stanley needs 100% of our focus so he doesn't hurt himself or someone else.  Online Schoo has been the same way.  We pretty much need to sit in the room or right by the door to make sure he stays on task and not doing something inappropriate.  Like come out of the bathroom with no pants on, which has already happened.

Updates on Hazen -

He is getting to be very demanding.  He knows what he wants and he will find a way to get it.  He is still communicating with sound effects but he is very good at letting you know what he wants/needs.  He will click his tongue like he is chewing and that means he wants gum. Bibop is robots and he loves robots.  He loves to say yep.  Starting to put him in short time outs because he has started hitting.  Oh the terrible twos!  But he seriously is so much fun and cute.  He kind of has it hard right now because I am trying to be a teacher to three kids and play with him.

School was hard this week.  Monday Zoom had a nationwide outage to kick the week off.  Not a great start to Monday.  But by the afternoon it was up and running again.  They are on Zoom all day!

We do whatever we can to get Stanley to participate.

So if that means he watches upside down from his chair than we let it slide.

But most days end up in tears.  I can tell he is trying and the teacher is doing everything she can, we will get through this!

Trying to keep Hazen entertained while they do school is hard too.  If I set up an activity Stanley wants to join if I don't Hazen wants to join Stanley and that leads to fighting.

Hazen often sneaks away to bug Dad while I am trying to help with school.  He thinks he is the boss!

After school we have a ton of energy we need to get out.  So we hit up the pool almost everyday.

Tough life!

And we make sure to reward ourselves for all the hard work.

Friday I had surgery.  

So thankful for Alex taking over and letting me rest and friends who sent me some yummy recovery gifts.

Sunday Alex took over bakeday and did fun pancakes for dinner.  The kids made nerds, pb/chocolate chips, coconut, and cinnamon sugar pancakes.  Yum!

He is such a good Dad!  So happy he continued to do our Sunday Bakeday tradition even though I wasn't feeling up to helping.

Hazen loves to climb behind me in my chair and eat dinner from there every night!  What a goof ball.

McKay wanted to help make me feel better so she did my makeup, hair and massaged my feet and hands.  Such a sweetie!

Don't I look pretty ;)