Back to School 2020

Rylan got his braces off right before school! Unfortunatley, he had to wear a mask at school and no one could see his smile! Look how much he changed from age 14-16!  

Ian grew a manbun and we finally convinced him to get his haircut before school started. 

Our district started in late August and at the beginning everyone was online. Then we had the choice between sending our kids to school on a hybrid plan (last names A-K go Mon & Tues etc.) or staying home and doing virtual.  Maddy and Ian had no desire to go to school and wear a mask all day, but Rylan really wanted to get back to school and see his teachers and friends. 

The teachers have all been amazingly creative and the kids were engaged and had enough work to keep them busy. 

Mom, enough with the pictures!

 Because of the late start date of school, Rylan got to celebrate his birthday while it was still summer! For the last couple years, school has either started on his birthday or his birthday has been on one of the first couple days of school. 

Rylan worked the day shift, so we visited him for lunch and told his co-workers it was his birthday, there was a 50 year old woman that works with him that said that he was her favorite and that he was such a nice boy. Another woman probably in her early 20’s said that she let Rylan drive her truck in the parking lot to take all their trash once to the dumpster that is on the other side of their lot. Rylan wanted orange chicken for his birthday dinner so we ordered Panda Express, opened presents, and watched Spider-Man - Far From Home. Happy 17 cutie!

All band competitions were cancelled which was really disapointing for Rylan especially since sports was still happening . . . let that sink in. Our district is obsessed with their sports! They were however able to play at some football games spread apart and a limited few as well as a homecoming reverse parade. They had the band and athletes stand in the grass and parking lot while people drove through.  They also perform for the parents a section of the piece they were going to play for competition and the seniors "knighted" the juniors and gave them words of wisdom.

He isn't cutting Rylan's throat, he is knighting him

Maddy turned 12 this year! I had her gifts wrapped on the coffee table and I let her open them periodically throughout the day since she was doing school from home. She is much easier to shop for than Rylan, and I had her gifts purchased weeks ago. She wanted Posca markers, a Kindle Fire, and a Hydroflask water bottle. I also found some cute battery operated lights that she can hang on the bottom of the top bunk so she can have some light. Instead of a cake she wanted to have donuts so she stacked them up cute and I made a banner with my cricut. She also wanted Panda Express for dinner.

Ian developed a talent of playing the ukulele! He even was asked to play a special musical number for his virtual primary program.  This is "Search Ponder & Pray"