November happenings....

After Isabella's birthday, we went to another 9-year old party... her new friend that she met earlier that week!  Funny - they really hit it off!  They went to Andretti's to play in the VR games + to drive the race cars.  (I even got a turn with the boy's step-mom + two other people who were on the race track)  

Adults and kids raced separately.  Their race was quite a bit more tame than ours!  We went out on a school night (a Thursday), but -- it was the day before the end of school, so...   we went for it!

I crashed early so I could get up in the middle of the night... I wanted to watch the "longest" partial lunar eclipse in our lifetimes.  It was the longest partial lunar eclipse since February 18, 1440 and the longest until February 8, 2669.  

 

 

My pictures don't do it justice, but glad I captured what I could.... even happier to have experienced it in person.  

It technically started around 1 am and lasted until after 6 am.  

I waited 'til the apex where it was approximately   94% covered (4 am)... then went to bed for awhile. it was red because of the refraction of the light... and it was tiny.  

On the way to work at around 7 am... it was totally full again and huge!    

I was really tired the next day (Friday) of course, but... I w as gearing up for a break.  We were invited to a bonfire on Friday and met up with some old friends + some new ones.  The next day (Saturday) I spent grading, Todd working, Mercer cleaning and Isabella playing with her new toys that Mercer gave her -- his old marble run set.   (Day 1 of break)

Day 2 of break, all of us (except for M) went to a wedding in north Georgia.  It was the wedding for a former colleague of mine.  Someone who was a huge help to me as I transitioned into teaching.  We didn't get to really talk to the bride, but... really really enjoyed catching up with some people that I really really loved working with.  

I have not had that kind of comradery at my new school.... I'm really glad I changed positions... but at my old school, several of us just really really clicked.

Isabella enjoyed the "roasting" of the groom.  She also took a couple of cute photos with my phone.  

Day 3 of break was spent cleaning.  (Here Mercer and Isabella were playing with more of his old toys while I was watching from our room -- cleaning out layers of construction dust. 

Day 4 - my mom arrived for Thanksgiving.  She painted and we played games.

Day 5 - we ran errands, had a tea party and played games.

Day 6 - Thanksgiving - was spent (for a few of us) at our neighbor's watching the Gobble Jog.  

Much of the day was spent cooking and doing dishes.

We did leaves while we waited on the turkey to finish smoking.

And, then we finally ate.  We said what all we were thankful for.  

Isabella started us off with about 50 items on her list.  (all the way from family, pets, covid shot, food, warm house, God, the couch, her bike, etc!)  Of course Mercer was thankful for food and the dog.  Us adults were thankful for health, jobs, family, safe travel.  I was also thankful for community (may-retta, work, church, neighborhood)  

We played more games after eating a late dinner.

Day 7 we ran some errands including getting a Christmas tree from a nearby tree farm + watching movies.   Todd and I did a little bit of shopping as well.

Day 8 - decorating for Christmas.  

The first ornament on the tree:  Isabella's horse that she painted!

 

Day 9 - reality really set in (for me).... grading, lesson planning.

And just like that.... break is over - onto the craziness of December!

We have a 9 year old.

What a week it's been! 

The typical craziness happened during the school week - grading, lesson planning, a bunch of meetings after school.  (but - thankfully - no baseball was mixed in!)  At school, Isabella had a couple of things going on as well -- on Thursday, she passed out donuts at school for her birthday because on Friday they had a field trip to the Tellus Museum!  (Since her field trip was the day before her birthday, we gave her a little $ to get something from the gift shop -- she has been very into rocks / gems lately).... but she bought something for us - for the house - a slice of blue agate. 

This week, we worked hard... and played hard!

At the end of the week, Todd and I went out to dinner -- our 1st "Parents Night Out" since March 2020.  1 year - 8 months!!  There's a new Mexican restaurant we discovered with the kids a couple of months ago that is sooo good!  Afterwards, we went to the historic Strand Theater to listen to 2 bands as a fundraiser for the organization where Isabella goes to her equine therapy program.  They have a capital campaign for a new building to offer aqua therapy.  They offer a lot of physical therapy and occupational therapy services to kids with disabilities.  They also offer social / emotional therapy services - like what Isabella is doing - with horses + PTSD services for veterans with the horses.  I don't know that it is helping her with her social/emotional journey - but she loves it!    (https://www.mckennafarms.org/hopeinmotion)

The opening band was pretty good.  They did a cover or two - but they mostly played their own songs.  We weren't familiar with them, but would go see them again.  

The headliner was a band that was popular in the 90s - called Cracker. 

Totally shocked that they were here - in Marietta - at our little theater. (I know it's been a long time since they were popular, but apparently, they're still playing and making new music.)  They're getting much older, but still touring.  (They were here in Georgia... then on their tour schedule - they're headed to Spain for a month or more...then back to Georgia.  The band is from California.) 

Holy cow - the lead guitarist was awesome!!  M watched Isabella for us... and even got her to sleep before we got home! (I gave him extra $ for getting her to sleep... that's a battle we did not have that evening!)  This was the 1st time we've gone out for more than an hour or so!  Yay.  We need to do this more often!

Unfortunately for the farm - it was not that crowded (I only knew about it because I saw a poster at the farm... Todd's colleague had a hard time finding it by doing a search - even with all of the details.)  But - we met a pilot from Nebraska (who could fly for free) by following the band's tour schedule.  So - it was random how to get the info to go to the show.  I hope they had some good fundraising just from sponsors!

The next morning (Isabella's birthday) came early.  We had an early appointment to get her 1st Covid shot.  

Our school system organized something for the kids that was really great!  They had a fairy, wands, lollipops, Officer Hill (the beloved Marietta Police officer who goes to the elementary schools), stickers, etc.  But... the best thing they had:  Buzzy the bee. 

Buzzy was a device that vibrated.  It also had a place on the back of it for an ice pack.  The nurse told Todd to distract Isabella by pointing out the things on the walls.  He was trying to do that while I was putzing around with Buzzy / getting it positioned on her arm.  While I was doing that - the nurse reached in where I was trying to get Buzzy set up and she just administered the shot without announcing it.  "OK - all done." 

Wait - what?!  Isabella asked if she already gave the shot.  Yep.  I guess it was ALL a distraction!  Isabella said she didn't even feel it!  YAY.  

BIG BIG victory!  

Afterwards, we went to our neighborhood's annual Art Festival.  There was a vendor there this year (who was new) - that did little girl's (and big girl's) hair with braids and glitter.  

Isabella got the special treatment because it was her birthday.  :)  I took photos during, but so many people doted on her and a neighbor sent me these photos right after she got it done!  

She made a new friend and played with a bunch of dogs too.  

That evening - we went to Adventure Air Sport for her birthday party.  It was supposed to be a 1 1/2 hour jumping / trampoline party for 10.  

We had 8 RSVPs.  We invited her new friend and his sister on a whim to fill up that 10 party-pack. 

They came.  So did someone who did not RSVP, two siblings AND a cousin.  We had 14 kids in the end. 

Eek!  

There was a mix of baseball teammates (boys + one of the girls she played with).... a couple of classmates... the new friend... friends' relatives... plus Mercer and a friend of his that Isabella adores.  She had a great time!  

She came home to BIG gifts.  Mercer gave her his marble run set.  We gave her a riding pad for the horse she rides on + riding clothes (jodhpers + a shirt).  She gets to pick out a belt to go with her riding pants.  Someone gave her a fuzzy blanket - in the other big bag.  

She got some books, a birthstone necklace, and several kits (including a STEM kit) to keep her busy.  In fact, she was working on that kit for awhile late into the night!

All-in-all... she had a GREAT day!  :)