Update

We are all still adjusting to the back to school routine. It's a lot and the days are full. Corbin and Gabby both have multiple AP courses that should keep them on their toes. Piper and Ryan seem to be adjusting to Gem Prep. Piper likes it better than Lowell Scott, which is huge since she's hated the last 2 years of school, and that's been really hard. I got her ADHD tested over the summer and she tested positive for it. We are in the trial stage of figuring out the right meds and dosage but already there seems to be improvements. She has been able to finish her work IN CLASS which is huge. She couldn't focus before and didn't finish her work at school and then she would be stressed and overwhelmed by homework. I really hope we can find the right thing because there's been too many tears and stressful days and nights.

I have 3 awesome TA's and I put them to work every day. They are helping me make my slideshows from last year cuter and all kinds of things. We have back-to-school night tomorrow night and one of my TA's used canva to make the poster I will have up on the projector. They are doing open house style and parents can just pop in and meet the teacher and ask questions. I'm super excited for this change of format, where in the past we had 15 minutes for every class period of the day to talk to the parents. I always took like 5 minutes and it was awkward. I'm guessing my room will be pretty dead and I can just get some work done. Parents aren't too concerned about how their kids will do in my classes. I did go over the top and make cookies to hand out. it seemed like a good touch from the culinary teacher.  

My gums are still hurting and I got another bill in mail. The surgery is twice as expensive as they told me it was going to be. I will be double checking and making some phone calls on that. I don't go back in until September so I won't know next steps yet. I wonder if my gum swelling will be down by then...

Back to Schooly Ooly

 
The school year has begun! It's nuts. It's such a huge transition to go from nothing to everything overnight. I think my kids and I are all in shell shock. It's fine, it's fine, everything is fine. Piper and Ryan are going to a new school so there's been a learning curve there. I'm sure that learning curve will last for a bit. Their school seems intense. Ryan's 6th grade online orientation about threw me right over the edge. I hope I'm smart enough to help them. Could I download Ryan's assignment? No. Am I a teacher that has to deal with my fair share of technology? Yes. Ryan barfed on the first day and had to get sent home. I think he was just nervous starting a new school because he definitely wasn't sick. I had to call my brother Hart to go pick him up. Over the past few years their dad has been 5 minutes from their schools and works from home and it was pretty easy for him to do stuff like that. Now that he has moved to Nampa I won't have that convenience anymore. It will be an adjustment for sure and I will need more help. It takes a village!

Gabby and Corbin are still going to Centennial and didn't have too much change to deal with. Figuring out the commute from Nampa will be a challenge but they have another week with me to adjust to school before we have to figure that out. 

My classes seem pretty good. My bar last year was just not get fired so I'm trying to raise the bar a little this year and I'm very underwater. I'm sure I'll go back to just don't get fired soon enough. Well, that's all we are exhausted and not adjusted to our new normal yet. Wish us luck!  

Piper, 8th Grade Gem Prep!

Corbin, Senior at Centennial!

Ryan, 6th grade Gem Prep!

Gabby, 10th grade Centennial!

Cute Charly

John is in a band (bass guitar) with his college buddies and they had a gig of sorts yesterday. They played 18 songs. That's so many songs to memorize! They did good!

Gum Graft Fail?

My last two weeks of summer break were not awesome with my gum graft recovery. I took pain killers every 3 hours for 6 days and then I got over that and just quit cold turkey. I was still in pain but bearable enough. The worst part was the stitches irritated my mouth and made canker sores all over the inside of my cheek and that hurt the most of all. I finally got the stiches out and that helped my canker sore situation a lot. My gums are still puffed up and I will need to be careful for the next month still. My graft in the front of my mouth was successful but the giant graft on the side was not. I'm still unclear how sucessful or unsuccesful it was. The doctor was pretty unclear about it. I have a follow up appointment in 4 weeks and then maybe he will have a better idea how well the graft took and next steps. I'm pretty depresssed about it because it was an awful experience and it sounds like I will have to do something again, I'm not sure when. I'll know more in 4 weeks. Boo!  

I started work last week. I'm really glad we go back a week before we have students. It helps ease me into the schedule and get ready. I'm pretty preemtively tired and stressed thinking about the next few weeks. It will take me a bit to get used to doing ALL the things again. It's a lot. Oof.  

Hart's climbing gym opened up a ropes course. We were invited. I just watched, I did not feel like participating with my mouth sitaution. It was so miserable. 

John loves his Hutchy so much!

I tried to get a picture of my canker sores. It's hard to tell. It hurt!

Blood and stitches. My mouth looked like the corpse bride for the most part.

Shelly loves to play my game Barbie Queen of the Prom when I go to her house. Her cat Ginger likes to get involved as well. She's super helpful!