June 2021 part 1

On June 2rd we ended the weirdest, wildest, wackiness, school year ever ended.  We all breathed a big sigh of relief and celebrated.

Lorien created this darling birthday card for Grandma Claudia.

I got a lovely girls day out with some of my best friends.

Speaking of besties, one of Clare's best friend who moved a few years came back to spend a few weeks with her Grandma.  Clare got to see lots of this dear friend and was in heaven!

And Clare finally got her turn to go to the temple in the new COVID era.  It was a great evening with more good friends.  So far, June is shaping up to be a good one.

 

May May May just as busy as usual...

All the things happen in May.  We got to take 2020 off but 2021 is roaring on like a runaway train.

The family took me out to an amazing breakfast for Mother's Day and a sweet little restaurant in Sunol.

 

I got and installed the most amazing carpet in the world!  It is a Star Wars toile here is a before and after:

Adell got to attend go through the temple for the first time to do baptisms.  Will and I got to go with her.  It is a little different with COVID rules but not too bad.

May 19th was Colter's 9th birthday!  He partied like a 9 year old should and got a fun present of having his big brother home from Idaho.

In the most rad news ever, I got my official Certified Coach certificate in the mail!  I feel very official and VERY proud of myself.

Adell finished up her last days of elementary school ever.  They had an unofficial 5th grade picnic.  COVID has made her final year of elementary school weird but parents have found ways to make it fun!

In the final bit of of May fun Will and I went to Tucson to attend a coworkers wedding.  It was hot but a lot of fun.  It was 99 degrees.  We kept saying to the locals how hot it was, they kept responding, it's only 99, normally it would be 110.  Everything is relative!  

Will took the kids up Las Trampas for a sun set hike.  They are total goofballs and I love them.

Hospitals, doctor's offices, and other medical places...

 April has been a month of doctor's visits for the Anderson family.  No major awfulness but a little stressful for sure.  First up some awesome news, I got my first dose of the COVID 19 vaccine thanks to some darling friends who were on the look out for bonus doses.  I raced over to the local medical center at and was the second to last person to get their extra doses.  Once they give you the first dose, they have to give you the second!  I had zero side effects other than a sore arm for a couple of days.  I am so thankful for the vaccine.  I hope everyone will get it so we can move on from COVID like we've been able to with measles, polio, and everything else we vaccinate for!

Our newest niece was born a little earlier than expected...well like 6 weeks early.  It was a little scary but she came out of it like a champ.  We took the big kids over at our house for a few days while Alan and Heather stayed in the hospital recovering.  

Poor Lorien had her first dose of the vaccine.  She seemed ok but a week later got very sick.  It turned out to be mono.  Likely, when she got the vaccine, her immune system kicked into gear like it should but it also found some mono virus that had been hiding out.  Her best friend from high school had mono in high school and they hung out a lot while her friend was sick.  Lorien didn't know what was going on and didn't know how to take care of herself.  She was newly back down in LA.  We convinced her to take herself to the ER.  They admitted her for a few days.

After being in the hospital for a few days and me being up in Northern California feeling kind of helpless, I flew down to LA to be with Lorien in the hospital.  As I was driving from the airport to the hospital her doctors said she was well enough to be discharged.  I picked her up, took her back to her place to pack a few things and brought her back up to Danville for some rest at home.  She has been very weak but otherwise is doing much better.  

Baby Eloin and her mom were also released from the hospital and Grandma Judy came out to help.  We all got to spend a Saturday cooing and snuggling the tiniest, newest, sweetest, sleepiest, little baby we've ever seen.  

Cheerleader!

Back in November, of her own free will, Clare decided to try out for the freshman cheer team.  She attended every practice and gave it her all in tryouts.  To no one's surprise, Clare made the team!  They weren't sure if games were going to be possible with COVID but the moved forward learning dances and cheers.  Clare loved it! 

They were able to have a six game season cheering for the freshman boys football team.  Clare was super star cheerleader at every game.  With COVID restrictions only two people from each player's family could attend the games.  Will and I traded off taking one of the little kids to watch Clare cheer.   

Clare got to cheer a couple of her friends from church on out on the field.  Austin (left) played offense and defense.  Hudson (right) shared the QB position with another boy.  It was so fun to watch these kids we've known since they were five play high school football and cheer.  

It was hard but so much fun!  We are so proud of our Clare Bear!

If you were wondering, Clare totally got all of her cheering skills from me.  Here is photographic proof that I was a cheerleader in high school too!

Spring!

Gosh, I love it here in the spring!  The bright green hills, the flowers, the blooming trees!  I love it so much I am willing to happily endure allergies for the beauty.  

 

Certified Life Coach!

I am a Certified Life Coach!  I enrolled at the Life Coach School in September of 2020.  For the last six months I learned how to hold space, reserve judgement, ask open ended questions, build models, and help people see what they are creating with their own thoughts and beliefs.  It was a lot harder than I thought it would be! 

I am so proud of me.  I am so thankful I finally got out of my own way and did something I've been dreaming of doing for a few years now.  My kids and husband were wonderfully supportive.  I decided to enroll even after I knew the kids would not be going back to school in person in the fall.  It was a hard decision but I finally decided to stop saying "when xyz happens I can do something for me."  

Will and the kids were darling on my certification day.  They decorated the house and celebrated me all day long.  

We dressed up fancy and went to a fancy restaurant for dinner.  

We learned that Colter needs some lessons in table manners.  It was a great certification day.  

Clare and Adell held a little cap ceremony for me right before bed.  I am so thankful for these darling people I get to call family.  I am so thankful I took the plunge and did something for me.  I have loved learning how to coach people.  Now I get six more months of applied coaching and to figure out how to launch a business!