What did I do on my Covid exposure "vacation"

I didn't have to see patients on Tuesday, but I went into work anyway to finish up paper-work from Monday and from last week when I was mostly out of the office.  Anyway, Wednesday morning, my office-mate told me she had Covid.  Unfortunately we sat and talked about a patient for awhile.  ugh

So, I have been hanging out in my home office for about 5 days, staying away from my family.  Here is what I created when I realized that the graduation cards I made in 2020 (because you couldn't go shopping in April and May) had a slight typo  (I had made extra for 2021 and 2022).  

I find that if I am busy, I worry less.  Less worrying that I will miss Joel's graduation etc.

I am still asymptomatic and I can officially trust the test results when I test tomorrow per CDC guidelines.  (If you test too soon, it can likely be a false negative.)

Here are the cute cards.  I think they look cuter in person.

I also made a card like this (it already is sealed in an envelope) 

And I prepped this card (I don't know any kids going to Drake next  year, but a work colleague has a daughter who goes to Drake, so I am making one for her at least....

 

Happy Birthday Anna

Anna is now 15 years old.

We celebrated by going out to Applebees.  The next night, when Joel was some too, we had ice cream pie.

 

Lots of lasts

Anna had her last band concert and earned a band letter.  She commented that getting a band letter is easy compared to a choir letter!  (She will get that her JR or SR year.  It is odd because I think band is an easier commitment than show choir.  I think the band director likes to congratulate the kids for all their hard work and the choir teacher just isn't the "rah rah" type.  Joel still has to hunt up his choir letter because they never gave them out last year (or this year for that matter!  He has earned the letter so I have been pushing him to get it picked up!)  Anna will likely do the work for the band letter each year because she really enjoys all that it requires!

Here is Joel's last choir concert.  Like I said, not very "rah rah", but the seniors did receive a rose and they sang beautifully.

 

Joel and his good buddy Lexi each earned a church scholarship to go to study engineering next year at Iowa State.  (Carolyn earned the same scholarship as Joel 2 years ago, as they both were very active in the church youth group and religious education program.)

Senior night for soccer.  Joel played both JV and varsity.  It was great because they were so far ahead, he got to play twice in the varsity game.  (Ken was in Denver)

Track awards night.  This was the opposite of choir....very "rah rah".  They talked about each senior individually.  (oiy!) This coach started Joel's bit with "it isn't always about how fast you are", which made me smirk at Ken.  We both know that Joel was a part time track guy.  The coach then went on to tell a story about when he joined the cross country coaching team (different sport, same coach) and how he ran with Joel on "the long run" that they do Saturday mornings.  He said, "I thought to myself, if all the Centennial boys are like Joel, this is going to be a great job." (or something like that)  He went on and on about what a great kid Joel was, commenting that he was doing 2 sports....so he made up for saying, "it wasn't all about how fast you are".  

Joel didn't set any records, but he really was pretty fast (and a great kid, which is more important).

Joel's PR was 2 minutes, 21.07 seconds for 800 meters....just under a 1/2 a mile!  So really he was in the top tier of runners at the school, especially at that distance.  (It is like sprinting twice around the track!)

Won't give up my day job!

First of all....we need to  remember what a cute Cy Cyclone the Cricut machine can make.....

So I got the great idea that I could make a stencil and create cool cookies for Joel's grad party.

To do this I had to simplify the cut  (ignore the yellow below - this isn't the  cut.  rather I would color the cookie yellow and add the "I")

So far so good.  I had to find a good plastic and I tried a couple of things....

I bought spray food color and tried that......

uh NO!

The spray bled under the stencil :0(

It was a special bummer because I drove to Walmart at 9 o'clock Sunday night to buy the spray because I was so excited to try it.

Then today, I made a thicker stencil (with new plastic...something I had around the house - thank goodness I didn't buy something else for this project)....

Not as bad, but still doesn't look at all like Cy the Cyclone.....rather it looks like a horse-rabbit!

While I will never be a cookie-designer.....I think Anna has excellent potential (see below).

I made some cookies for Ken to take to his mom on Wednesday and Anna accidentally ate one.  (She asked if she could, but I thought she was talking about the food that was near the cookie, but she was talking about the cookie!)  Anyway....She went to the freezer and got out another cookie that I made last week to decorate the day before the grad party.  And this is what she created!

Go Anna!!  (I think I will have a good helper on the 21st)

Senior Night

 Joel's soccer game was cancelled Tuesday, so he was able to go to Senior Night for track.  It felt a bit strange since he is such a part time track participant, but nonetheless....

The announced each senior and mentioned their college plans.  I was shocked by how many are going to play sports in college.  (although it was rare that it was track!)

They had senior pictures posted too....yes - at the end of the year we will own 3 giant photos of Joel....what to do with these - hmm? cute though!  Anna joined us at the race after her track practice.

Anna visits the Windy City (and I don't mean Ankeny....which is "the other windy city"

 Chicago Band Trip....

When this trip was announced, did I think she was actually going to get to go?  NO.

I thought Covid would keep them away - but they made it.  They left on Thursday, performed Friday and had fun the rest of the weekend.  They are heading back to Iowa right now!

Here is the Anna performing.  I haven't heard how it went yet.  She plays in the 9th grade band (they have to perform alone because they aren't housed in the high school....there are 2 other bands for grades 10-12)  I think the top band must have done well as there were many trophy's pictured on the band app....but no details.  Our neighbor is a chaperone and sent this to us.

Anna sent this photo...I believe from the top of the Hancock building.  (She also sent her Dad a photo of Wrigley field as they drove by....she knows him well!)

Here is Anna, on bus #1 (there were 4)...she is in the back row, a little to the right of middle.

Here is Anna with the entire band, by the bean!!  I can just see the top of her head, back far left.