September at a Glance

This month has come and gone. The boys are loving being back in school, which makes this momma heart happy. As a school nurse things are very busy and all I can say is COVID sucks!!! My previously busy job now has a hole new element added to it with COVID and contact tracing on campus. I have become a pro at watching bus video and lunch room video to identify which students who are direct contacts to a positive case. And trying to determine if someone is COVID sick versus just being sick (because, yes, strep and flu are still around) all while trying to keep as many kids in their seats at school versus at home adds a whole new dimension. Who knew this would ever be part of my job?? In the past, parents were never excited to hear from the nurse, but this year is even worse. I have been yelled at, questioned and talked to in ways that no one should ever have to endure by parents. To say this is bringing out the worst in people is an understatement. I then leave work only to come home some evenings and work our district COVID call center documenting student's and staff who have COVID or are direct contacts and giving them a return to work date. To say I am ready for this to be over is an understatement. I keep thinking that it will get better, only to be proven otherwise. But, I do know that eventually this will all pass and I will be able to look back at this time and know that I did everything I could to keep my staff and students safe.

Despite COVID, luckily we have some normalcy in our lives with sports. I can't begin tell you just how happy that makes us!!!! We have spent every weekend watching either flag football, baseball, soccer, a combination of two or perhaps all three of them. Casen's flag football team keep winning, Camden's soccer team is a work in progress as the boys still are trying to learn one another and baseball is back in full swing. Unfortunately, Camden tweeted his knee playing soccer. I, of course being the great mom I am, have just kind of ignored his limp as it isn't every day, just basically after he plays soccer.  And truth be known, he hasn't really complained about it. But after he asked to be taken out after playing only the first half of a soccer game due to the pain, I decided we needed to go and get it checked out. So we headed to a sports medicine doctor and luckily he just felt it was inflammation and recommended rest and anti-inflammatories. So we took off for a week (luckily rain helped us not miss too much) and are on our way to getting back to 100%.

Running it in for a touchdown!

Touchdown catch!

First Day Of School 2020-2021

We were beginning to wonder when this day would come due to COVID, but we are so glad it is finally here! After 6 months of no school, we were ready for some normalcy and routine for sure. The boys coouldn't wait to see their friends and meet their new teachers! Casen will continue at Willow Creek Elementary while Camden will now go to school with his daddy and Northpointe Intermediate. Poor Camden, he doesn't know whether to be happy or worried to be at the same school as Shane. I think he is worried his daddy will embarrass him during PE and we all know Camden does not like attention drawn to himself. LOL

First Day Selfie

Everyone had a great first day back. If the year is anything like the first day fun and learning they did, it will be a good year!

Games, Games and More Games

What a busy but fun weekend. Between two flag football games and four soccer games, we pretty much spent our weekend at a field. Grandma and Grandpa Key came in town Friday night and will be staying the week to watch the boys while we head to work. Needless to say, we kept them busy. We started with flag football on Saturday morning. Not only were my parents there, but Melissa, Braden and Shawn also came to cheer Casen on. 

After watching a winning game, we headed to South Houston to watch Camden play with his old team in his first game of the Rise Tournament. He too had quite the cheering section as Melissa, Shawn, Braden and my parents were there as well.  His team won that game and we headed back to the fields later that evening for yet another game, which they also won.

Today we headed back out to the soccer fields for another game. They again won which advanced them to the championship game which was this evening. Unfortunately, due to Casen having another flag football game, he and Shane and my parents headed back to Cypress and did not get to go to the final game. Camden and I stayed near the fields and went and ate with Camden's best fiend Cole and his mom prior to the championship game. 

The final game the boys played was against a Rise girl's team. Prior to the game I reminded the boys that they did not need to take it easy on them just because they were girls. I tell you, it is kind of hard when you spend all your days teaching your children to respect girls and be kind and be a gentleman, only to turn around and tell them to treat the girls just like they would a boys team. Ha!! But I tell you, some of the girls on that team were giants!!!!! Unfortunately, we could not compete with the size of a few of them and lost the final game. One girl was taller than me, (I am 5' 9") and she could stick her leg out and stop any ball headed her way. Regardless, it was such a fun weekend of soccer and I loved getting to watch Camden play with the game he loves.

Such a great group of boys!!!

The tall blonde in the back was ~ 6ft tall.

We could not compete with their size. 

Soccer is Back

As things seem to be getting a little bit more normal, soccer season is back in full swing. This weekend Camden's team played in the Challenge soccer tournament. Although this year is going to be a bit different as far as his team goes, it was great to see him back on the field. In the past, Camden and several of his other team mates have played up and this year the organization wanted them to play on their own level, which means a lot of the boys Camden is used to be playing with will no longer be on his team. Luckily, he will still play up with them occasionally. It will be a growing year I am afraid, but we are hoping it will pay off in the future.

We did not have a very successful weekend, but are looking forward to next weekend when he gets to play in a tournament with his 'old' teammates.

Fall Flag Football

Last night started the beginning of Casen's fall flag football season. He is playing on the same team as last year with some of the same boys from last year. His coach has been having him practice both the quarterback position as well as center. He played awesome in both the game last night as well as today, making some awesome passes as well as great catches. 

All the boys were able to play today!

The boys started out great this weekend winning both their games. Woo Hoo!!! Casen has improved from last year and we can't wait to cheer he and his team on this season!

Time with Nana and Poppa

On our way home from Florida, we stopped in Lumberton and dropped off the boys for them to spend some time with their Nana and Poppa. Nana had the Christmas tree up to celebrate Christmas in July and even had wrapped gifts for the boys. We are quite the sneaky crew - the boys found these stuffed animals in Panama City Beach and really wanted them, however they picked out something else to buy so were sad they couldn't get the stuffed animals. We found the same stuffed animals on Amazon and had them shipped to Nana's house for her to give them. They were very shocked when they unwrapped the stuffed animals they had so sadly left behind in Florida.

The boys had a fun time swimming and playing games at Nana and Poppa's. They also went to Ira's several times and watched movies.

I know I say it every time, but I am grateful for the time and memories the boys spend with their grandparents. I have no doubt they will cherish all the memories they have and will continue to make.