Fishing Trip

Bryan & Jess (neighbors) and Steve took all the kids for a day of fishing in the Uintahs!  

I am sad I missed the fun. I had to do a sleep test at the clinic. 

(Yep, I went back to the sleep-wake clinic again.  The first step is to do the sleep tests.  This is where you sleep with a lot of electrodes and monitors on the head, nose, mouth, chest, eyes, and legs.  I did these tests about 12 years ago and received a diagnosis of mild narcolepsy at that time.  I was put on some meds which helped even out my sleep cycles at night and improved my daytime sleepiness, but I had to go off the meds when I became pregnant with Carolyn.  I then ignored my own sleep for the past decade.  I am ready to address it again, because my lifelong strategy of just pushing through the tiredness is no longer working well for me.  I do not yet know my results from the sleep test I just did, but interestingly, when we re-looked at the labs from before, the doc pointed out that the overall apnea score was only slightly elevated (about 8), but the apnea score during REM was sky-high (nearly 40).  10 years ago, the standard practice did not split out the overall and REM periods, so we did not address any apnea.  Over the past few years, I have also had to get a couple of crowns because I cracked my teeth from the pressure of grinding.  This too can be evidence of fairly serious apnea.  Teeth grinding often occurs when the body is stressed and trying to open the airway.  Who knows what this all means, but I do know that I have to find a way to get more restorative sleep.  Falling asleep mid conversation is not acceptable.)

Back to School - 2018 - grades 1 & 5

And, like that, we are back to school!

August 20th was a big day in our house -- Steve started a new job, University started fall semester so I was back to a schedule, and both girls started Indian Hills.  This is Lizzie's first year at Indian Hills.  She is in 1st grade, with Mrs. Wolff.  Carolyn is in 5th grade, with Mrs. Starr.  It is so nice to have both girls at the same school.

 

The obligatory videos:

  

Another mom captured these sweet photos of Carolyn with her friends (Parley, Zoe).

 

Our kids, plus two other kids from the cul-de-sac, have been riding their scooters to and from school every day.  I hope they keep this up.  (They think they are independent, but either Steve or I have discretely followed them each day.  One day there was an incident where Lizzie crabbed and Carolyn sent her home, instead of working with her.  And another day when Kay fell and scraped her knee.)  

Here is Carolyn celebrating the end of the first week of school with her friend Zoe!

When I did the laundry the other day, I noticed that Lizzie was carrying around in her pocket a photo of her friends from Montessori (Ava & Akasha). When I asked about it, she just said, "I miss them and hope they like their new school as much as I like mine"  It made me a little sad for her.  Though, from the first week of photos, it looks like she is fitting in at the new school, even if she misses her friends! Our neighbor (Kyler) is in her class and the teacher moved their desks to be together.  These two do homework together each night as well. Her teacher seems pretty awesome -- she started a school garden and brings the 1st grade class out there almost every day. She is also setting up an incubator to hatch and raise quail in the classroom.  

 

 

We are quickly learning that Lizzie is a serious student, but like Carolyn, is pretty hard on herself and shuts down when she is first learning something challenging.  It is awesome to see how much she is learning every day with her reading and writing. It is also interesting to see how exhausted she is with the changes and all the brain-work she is doing. 

Carolyn vowed to write her name on her work this year (trust me, this is a big deal!) and she seems to really like her teacher.  Lately, she is showing huge improvements in her bladder dysfunction, which would be a major stress relief for everyone, especially her.  She won "first place" in a drawing contest, as voted on by her classmates.  They had to make a picture out of a cursive letter.  She got a letter J and made an impressive picture of a mermaid and turtles under the sea.  I only pray that these small boosts of confidence are the first of many more for her.  She deserves a good year.

So far, it is shaping up to be a great year!  (let's hope I do not jinx us by saying that)

A side trip to Philly (just Steve and Becky)

Theoretically, I was there for work.  I did spend an entire day giving presentations and in meetings.  The other few days were spent as a tourist with Steve.  We hopped on and off bikes throughout the city, saw all the historical sites of Philadelphia, took a guided tour by Benjamin Franklin, ate a cheese steak,  indulged on the Omakase at Morimoto's (sushi restaurant), got rained on a lot, and just enjoyed the rare time together. 

The girls stayed with grandma and grandpa - without us! -- their wish for summer vacation.

Summer Vacation to Ohio - 2018

And, we are off!  Two weeks in Ohio with family.  A highlight of the summer and the year.  

First stop-- Quarry Ridge in Centerville, Ohio.  My parents' home.  

It is as lovely and comfortable as these pictures suggest.

Family fun time at the putt-putt course.

  

  

Walking to dinner at Sweeney's.

A rodeo - yes, a rodeo!  (in Ohio).  Who knew?

A visit with the cousins in Hudson. 

 

Biking in the park, followed by lunch at Winking Lizard.

 

A day out with the Altmans to the casino.  

I am pretty sure we all came home with less money than we started, but it was fun! 

I still remember my visit to COSI (a children's museum in Columbus) as a child, so thought we should take a mini-trip to Columbus.  The girls loved it.  Our favorite part was watching the chicks hatch throughout the day and of course the electrostatic generator!

 

A day of roller skating. Followed by the $ store game.  Everyone gets $1.07 and the name of one person.  You have to buy a gift (wearable) for that person, then go somewhere with the items on.  We were sad that Addie was not able to join us, as she was spending time at the hospital with mono!

 

The Utz family.

I am grateful to see some old friends -- Jeff is living in Colorado, and I am living in Salt Lake.  What are the chances that we would run into each other at a random concert in Ohio?  Gretchen and her kids made time to see us before she was leaving town for her vacation.  And, of course, Kristin!  Always love seeing her when back in Ohio.  I feel so lucky to be in one of her group selfie-stick shots and to have gotten to meet her friends.  And, I am grateful I got to see her as she copes with a diagnosis of breast cancer and faces surgery.

Until next time, Ohio!  

Our flights are already booked for Thanksgiving.