Covid summer to fall continues and so does life...

 I am not sure where I left off on the last post but today is September 28, 2020. Sometimes I feel like I am in the Back to the Future movies, which we have all watched as a family might I add. For a summer turned fall update, Remote learning has been going on for 7 weeks and you are rocking it! It is not the same learning in your room, but you are doing what you need to do and are getting rave reviews from your teacher. We have your chrome book linked to a bigger screen for a more comfortable learning environment.  In a few weeks they are allowing you to come back to the building and although you were hesitant before, your trailblazer little sister went to the building today so we are all anxiously awaiting what she thinks! We have been doing so much, I mean no wonder I have no time to write these blogs, there is so much to write about! Soccer and gymnastics both started up. In this post I want to write about soccer. A few years ago when you told me soccer was a waste of time, I was sure you would never find an interest in it and I let that ship sail. Well when Covid hit and we had those soccer play dates that I helped out with, your interest of soccer went 180' and now you LOVE it. Charli....you had your first game and you scored and I started to cry. You are a natural, you are outstanding, my jaw dropped. Your coach was in absolute shock that you had not played soccer before and just keep saying that he sees so many good things in your future soccer related, you have natural instincts, you are aggresssive, you are skilled, and may I add absolutely adorable. I mean seeing you on that field gives me butterflies. I can only hope soccer fulfills you the way it did me, actually I don't care what you pick but I hope you find he same joy and more that athletics gave me. I love that you are making new friends and above all you still want us to be your cheerleaders! Champion Charli Forever! After the game the other day you laughed at me and said I was cheering for Matilda, but there is no Matilda- there is a Madaline and a Madilynn---oh boy, how could I have gotten so confused??!!! LOL. In your first two games against the best team in the league you scored a goal in each. The 3rd game you came off the field with alligator tears because you didn't score and you said you had a bad game. You felt like your feet were switched. I think this was the best lesson you are starting to learn. We all don't have great games and we all don't have great days, but we just pick up our head and try to do better each time. It is the journey not the outcome we learn from. I am so proud of you win lose or tie, good game or bad. I will always be your biggest fan! We have also had some life lessons come about this spring that have showed me you not only have a conscious, but you have a soul and you know right from wrong. WE took sometime to explore that and we made good on all of it this past Saturday. Yes, Saturday, September 26th, mask on with MY Communion dress, built in necklace and all, you took the next step in Faith and made your First Holy Communion. You were beautiful, angelic, and we are so proud. You were glowing, honestly there was a radiance around you. Sarah came over and did your hair and it was awesome, then you put on my dress ( because you said you want to make it a tradition) and I don't think you have ever felt better. Grandma gave you her communion purse, bible, and rosary, and like that you were whole. You were all grown up in a matter of moments and you were so proud of who you are! That is all that matters, being prould of who you are and the choices you make. Daddy and I are so proud of who you are and what you stand for. We love you more than words. The celebration after was perfect. I watched you enjoy every family member and I could tell you just loved being celebrated. Danica on the other hand was missing out on being celebrated- she wanted "to eat somebody too and drink their blood"- she is still learinng exactly what communion means LOL. I am so thankful for the family we have and being able to share all these memories with them, it is just another reminder of how much you are loved by so many. There was a live video link since Covid has prevented large crowds and we must maintain social distancing, so it allowed all of the rest of our family to be a part of your celebration.

Every day is an adventure with this family. You continue to be an amazing big sister and helper to everyone. Your room could not be more organized and it screams creativity. You have made your closet in to your American Girl's apartment and even I am jealous. You have created closets and dressers, and apparatuses out of boxes I wouldn't even know where to start. All of this while being an excellent student, star athlete, and little girl. Honestly, Charli the day you were born was the happiest day of my life and I am blessed beyond words that you are mine. I don't know why I got so lucky but I did!

Your long blonde, blue eyes, crzy teeth smile, and athletic build make you a force on the outside but it is your inside that is the biggest force to be reckon with. Your curiousity, intrigue, kind-hearted nature are all reasons people flock to you. Keep up the great work and keep being you. Covid is not going to bring us down we will just keep rising up!

TODAY 10/5 you went back to in person learning at school. AHHHHHHHHHHHH I want to cry I miss you sooooo much!

How may days until Florida?

You have been on the countdown since we got home from Florida last January. You started to pack in August and finally it is about a week away.

Yesterday you told me if you had 3 wishes they would be this.
1) That no one would ever die
2) That the people who are in Heaven would all come back
3) You would have 2million 3hundred 25thousand dollars and make sure all animals are taken care of

Me too honey, me too.

You also told me that we don't need anymore babies in your family. That our family is complete because Danica takes all your stuff and that you want to make sure you will be able to spend time with another baby because you will get too big. I think you are exactly right, my clock doesn't necessarily agree but my heart knows you are right. At 7 years old you are right a lot!

You continue to kick butt in school, gymnastics, ice skating! You did your kip! You are cartwheeling all over the high beam, you are flipping backwards over and over and over again! You got grips, you are world class Charli. We are going to start talking about  private lessons for ice skating and as long as it's fun we will keep signing you up.

I am so impressed with your reading and your math and of course your creativity. You are so innovative and have made such awesome stuff out of nothing. You recently just made a zipper purse it is so cool. You also made a box with different sections and compartments including one that is hidden! I am sure you will be a shark on the next generation of shark tank, the sky is the limit for you!

****** I am fast forwarding on this to August 2020 and let me tell you honey, life as we know it will never be the same and once we hit March 16th, 2020 it all changed.

We went to Florida for winter break and it might have been the best trip EVER! I mean who doesn't love going to Florida for Christmas and coming home to open tons of presents including a look -a -like American girl doll you named Blue. I am not really sure if you know who Beyonce is, but you have the same taste in names and since she is an icon there is nothing wrong with that.  Florida really was a great time and you were able to spend a lot of time with Kensie and the Zam fam so that is always a plus.

When we returned to school 2nd grade continued to be awesome, as well as gymnastics.  I think you really had a great relationship with your teacher Mrs. Willis and I appreciated that. You truly excel in spelling and math and I am so proud of you and your ability to multi-task. You were preparing for your spring show at school, dressed as an adorable Clown ish and you even had a speaking part. "I'll have the fish platter."  Your spring gymnastics show was also on the horizon, leotards were just ordered. We even decided to go back to Florida for spring break and had our luggage all packed in the hallway. Then February came and went and we were heading into March and the talk of "Coronavirus or Covid-19" starting spreading across the US not just by word of mouth but by contact and it was making people sick. We had your birthday party on your official 8th birthday, not realizing that March 13th would be your last face to face contact day of school. Yes, you never returned to school for the 19-20 school year. I will get back to that in a moment.

Your 8th birthday party was just awesome! We had a fashion show runway birthday party. This year your birthday cake was cupcakes! We had 4 stations for your party, hair done by Sarah Ottesen the neighbor, make-up done by Kristen Ottesen the neighbor, nails done by me the Mom, and crafts done with Terry the Aunt!!! There were 25 of your closest girlfriends who all came to celebrate you. By that Saturday we were already hearing rumblings of schools closing and maybe a quarantine situation coming in to play but we really had no idea. Your friends all had to wash their hands and use sanitizer throughout the parry, everyone received their own make-up brushes and combs and we kept it as clean as possible. We had pizza and they took home their individual cupcakes. After all the stations were complete everyone walked our red carpet runway with their VIP lanyard they created and posed on the catwalk it was really awesome and I know you loved it. I don't want to forget that of course we celebrated on Wednesday of that week at cook in front of you, just in case the rumblings of closing could be true. So don't worry we made it and you ate it and loved every bite! March 16th the state of Illinois was put on a 14 day quarantine lockdown to stay home. Unless you were deemed an essential worker or need to grocery shop things were closed and you were to stay home. We were also taught the terms "social distancing" and were required to stay 6 feet away from everyone, or in kids terms 6 penguins away. Life got real, really fast. We were to stay away from those who were high risk and didn't see Grandma and Eric until April. Our spring break trip was cancelled and rescheduled and cancelled and rescheduled and not it is 5 months later August 13, 2020 and you are still not going back to school. The remainder of your 2nd grade school year was taught by me, Mom School, remotely at home and virtually by your teacher. We learned to zoom and that became the new way of social interaction while we will stuck at home. Not until the end of May did things begin to open and with different restrictions including wearing masks, continuing to social distance, temperature checks...and up until now the only restaurant you have gone back in to was Rok bonki the day they opened when we were the only ones there, a hot dog place on the tracks, Enzo's outside to see friends, and Mexico Uno to sit outside. Without trips to Grandmas and the neighborhood kids, you have been home, safe, healthy, sometimes bored but doing awesome. Grandma bought you a sewing machine for your birthday so that came in handy making masks. Your room has been changed so many times and the things you have created for your American doll and just for the sake of crafting itself is amazing! If you can believe it, you even painted your own nightstand we bought at a garage sale. Should I mention social distancing with masks -we have garage saled! One of the other highlights of summer was a get together fo your friends to play soccer, which Mommy came and took over....so glad I did because you and Danica said you love soccer! We are signed up for fall but that season just like many more to come I am sure will never be the same.

*I am not sure tthis post is complete but time is flying by and I need to do an update so I am going to publish this one and start a new one!

Teeth, what teeth!

We are in the swing of things in second grade. School, homework, gymnastics, ice skating, brownies, parties, playdates, every day is so full of stuff and you ROCK all of it! I continue to be so proud of you Charli. I appreciate your innocence and kind spirit. I appreciate how artistic you are and all your different interests. Grandma signed you up for a sewing class and you made an incredible pillow, which is just awesome and shows your array of talents. Each day you are creating something new. We are still thinking the Charli Reece Collection is definitely going to be a success. I am sure anything you do will be a success, you are that kid.

You have a new look!!! When you started second grade just a few months back you looked a little different than you do now. You lost your 2 front teeth within 2 days and boy was your mouth crazy. You looked like a human jack-o-lantern where every day you teeth were moving and shifting in different directions, with your new teeth coming in, which made for an awesome school picture! You even got $20 for one of the teeth, the tooth fairy must have known how hard you were working to get those out. We had to push and pull and wiggle wiggle and push and pull and wiggle wiggle for days. It was about 24 hours until we were going to make a trip to the dentist to help get your teeth out. You aren't really one for push push wiggle wiggle but you did it! One lost while eating and the other while brushing your teeth.

Round off flip flop and kick outs and pull overs. I don't even know the gymnastics lingo but boy can you perform. Talk about no fear, you are amazing!

Each day you become more aware of who you are and that people notice you and everyday I let you know your thoughts on who you are - are all that matter. You have a family that loves you and that is all that matters. I want you to keep being you. All blonde hair blue eyed brick house- YOU! My ponnie nonnie with the kindest heart and softest personality. Your sensitivity reminds me of just how fragile you are despite all the accomplishments. I pray for you to know your worth and find satisfaction in all you do and to use your voice.

I love you Charli and I will always be your biggest fan. The other night Grandma was over and we were all laying in AJ's room and I said, " Do you know who my favorite is," and you both were about to say who and I yelled out, "Danica." You belly laughed so hard.... We all did. I don't play favorites but you will always be my first born and I think that speaks volumes.

You be you Charli! You clean your room, you organize, you remain creative, you dress how you want, you style your hair, YOU BE YOU! Just don't forget to brush your teeth, use deodorant, and do your homework and it will all work out. Oh and spelling words, don't forget to study.

Rock on Sister. Love you so much!

Oh and I can't wait to use the legoland passes we won and for Halloween! You are going to be the greatest Alice in Wonderland Ever! Florida is just a few months away and yes you packed and we had to unpack.... the story of my life- LAUNDRY!

2nd grader in Charge

When I grow up: Artist, Waitress, cleaning lady- that is what went on our first day of school chalkboard! If it makes you instant money then you are all about it! Charli you just LOVE school, this morning was day 3 and I said it's Friday you get to sleep in tomorrow and you said no, I want it to be school again tomorrow - if that is not music to a Mom's ears I don't know what is-----well actually when you told me that you are the first one done on everything learning activity that is even sweeter music to my hear- that is like a number #1 hit! When you are finished you have choices of things to work on and you pick the crossword puzzles, what a great choice!

Your first day of 2nd grade was as sweet as you. I walked you to school and you told me that you couldn't finish your breakfast because you were, "too excited." Then as we walked closer to the school you let me know you had "so many butterflies" and out of nowhere a monarch butterfly started to circle us and follow us, when I told your teacher this she said, " that is a good omen." I think so too, good things happen to good people and you my dear are exceptional. You were so excited to have Danica at school with you and show her the ropes at CARE. It was such a great feeling knowing you will both be together. I didn't cry, my heart felt very full and for Moms you can't ask for a better feeling than full.

When we went to meet the teacher we found out you  will have your own desk, oh my gosh that was the greatest moment, talk about Christmas morning! We put your supplies in your desk and saw that your name tag was yellow, you told Mrs. Willis that yellow is your favorite color. How awesome!

You picked out a great outfit with a vest, hair in a bun, very mature. You even made your own lunch! I had to sneak a note in it! I have also given you the power to get hot lunch this year, so I can only hope you will make good nutritional choices. I think 2nd graders like you can do that.

You are still as pretty as ever with 2 new teeth growing in, your 2 front teeth are loose and you teeth are shifting to make room for them- Grandma said you look like a Jack-o-lantern! LOL!

You as well as your sister had a wipeout on your bike yesterday so your knees are all cut up and you have a swollen ankle from doing a cartwheel in the kitchen and hitting the chair. It is safe to safe we are complete controlled chaos. Okay--- I get control after the the 3rd time asking and then I have to scream it!

You love your new teacher and since your classroom is next to your old classroom and teacher, you have been able to give Mrs. Williams hugs and I know how much you loved her so that is comforting that she is right next door.

You have a great class, except one boy cost your class a bunch of marbles in the jar for yelling out! If you fill the jar it is a class party so he better figure it out!

I know you couldn't find the monkey bars when we were walking up so I will have to follow up on that. You continue to dominate the other bars but I let you know safety first and you said, "I know I am only doing pullovers." Now that Danica is with you, I hope SAFETY is number one out at the playground during CARE.

You are just so excited to have your sister there, you really are and I hope it will always be like that. You really have a special bond and I love you both so much! You are the best big sister to Danica and AJ. You really know how to balance your feelings for everyone, that is a special gift.

We love you Charli you rock 2nd grade! Be the best learner, helper, and friend. Just keep being awesome!

Goal for Day 1- make a new friend- Check-- you made 2 new friends!
Goal for the year- Perfect attendance (1st grade-Check)

Oh and Cameron ( the love note boy) we will see how that goes. I do have to say he is the cutest in the class.


* I am updating this a month in to school. You have still not lost your front teeth which get crazier every day and you told me you wish that all clothes were crop tops and I said shirts that show your belly???? and you said "no this" and pointed to what you were wearing... A ROMPER!!!!!