10.5.21 Update School and Sports!

I want to make a quick update on what has been going on with 4th grade, Sockers, and Signature.... and Girl Scouts. Two math tests and an A+ on BOTH. You tried to trick me that you got one wrong.... and you got me both times. We have talked about you checking your answers twice by putting a check mark next to them once you have done this, I think it is a great strategy. I have told Danica to do the same, we will see if she produces the same results. School is really going well, mask and all. I am very proud of you. Your current book selections have been about gymnastics and soccer so I guess that is par for the course. You do a great job doing your hair each morning, but we really need to keep brushing our teeth and taking care of our pitties and face. We are a changing and we need to take the necessary steps to stay clean everywhere and looking our best. When you feel good you look good and vice versa and then you do your BEST! Sockers is going SOOOO well. 1 goal in the first game with the club on a PK, a hat trick, 1 goal 1 assist, 2 goals 1 assist this past weekend and did I mention before league play is against boys, so even better. I told you to keep a soccer journal to track this... otherwise you will have to go off Mom's memory. I think in the spring you led the house soccer league with 14 total goals....15 if we include the penalty kick in the championship when the game went to PK's. Sunday you wore the captain band so that was really exciting! Afterthe game Coach Ivan asked, "Did you get your soccer skills from Mom or Dad?" You said, "Mom." During the game he asked, "Who is your coach?" and you replied, him-- then he asked, " who do you listen to, me or your mom?" you replied, " My Mom." Oh how I love you. In real life that means Mommy has to go upstairs or learn to zip it while you play. I can coach you when we are home. OK I promise to try my best to zip it! I only want the best for you and being a coach my whole life sometimes it is hard to shut that off, but it is better I learn to now, or I am going to end up coaching again. LET'S GO 21! Well, you are a level 5 gymnast and your first meet is weeks away. OMG! weeks away. You came home for the first time after practice the other day and you said it was "not good." Coach Matt had a clipboard and was "watching you" and it threw you for a complete loop. It made you so nervous. I had to explain that he is always watching you and always coming up with scores in his head with or without his clipboard. That is his job. I then said why don't you picture everyone in their underwear when you get nervous. You did this at the next practice, and guess what, you told me it WORKS!!! You did such a better job and they even had your perform a routine in front of the club. I feel your first medals of a long line of them are on the horizon! I am so excited for you no matter how you do. I PROMISE Dad and I, Danica, and AJ will always be your biggest fans. CHAMPION CHARLI CHAMPION CHARLI... To Be Continued....

Pandemic Year and a brand new school year!

What, where has the time gone? Since the last time I updated it has been almost a year and a crazy one to say the least. You started the 2020-2021 school year from home learning remotely from your room, ended the school year (3rd grade) from school wearing a mask...and now all of a sudden you are in 4th grade wearing a mask and going in to school with a brand new teacher. PHEW! Did I get that right???? Today is your first day of 4th grade. Now I need to back up and tell you how we got here. Well, as I mentioned before we are still going through a global pandemic of Covid-19. Vaccines have been created, but we are still fighting to keep people healthy and safe. Daddy and I both got Covid and were quite sick, you and Danica both were tested and were negtive. Dad and I wore masks in the house and kept ourselves away from you guys as much as we could to keep you safe. Since that we have both been vaccinated but there is a variant and people vaccinated are still able to get and spread Covid. I sure hope that we can beat this and fast, until then we are doing what we are told and wearing our masks to keep ourselves and other safe. It is carzy to think of all we did when we really couldn't do anything. The last normal day of your life was your birthday party on 3.14.20 then the world changed. You never went back to school that year. All your learning was done at home. Dad and I never went back to school for the next school year either. I went back from Apri 16th 2021 to the end of the year. You and Danica started the 2020-2021 school year from zoom in your room, went back to school, back to zoom, and thne finished safely back at school. But school does not look the same. It isn't just that we wear masks, but we had to socially distance 6 feet from each other. All desks are apart from each other, recess and PE we had to stay away from each other, even lunch. A lot of people were getting sick from not seeing other people and human touch. Luckily we were able to be with family and you have a brother and sister to play with. You might have missed not seeing all friends but I think you adjusted amazing. Restaurants were closed, no trips to costco or the grocery store. It was really a time were people stayed home, cooked, did things around the house, ordered out, and spent time with the family they could see. Doctors and dentists would have to escort you in and only one parent at a time. At 2:00 daily we watched the number of positive cases just keep increasing and waited to hear what we need to do- including the stay at home order-- JUST STAY AY HOME- crazy to think of, right? I cancelled our spring break trip to Florida in fear of the unknown. Know having had Covid I still can't taste and smell everything, so I do wish I could have protected myself more. When sports were cancelled, concerts, no spectators at anything world wide we just keep figuring it out,there was a toliet paper shortage, no more clorox wipes. People were losing jobs, places closing their doors permanently. talk shows were from the hosts homes. There was more zoom contact that physical contact. People need people and boy do I love my people! About life here we go: In regards to atheltics and activities you able to compete in your sports and at times there was a pause, just like with school. When Gymmanstics took a pause you then you started at a new club called signature and you are now a level 4/5 gymnast practicing 9 hours a week! You will have your first competition in October, I can't believe it! You excel at gymnastics. You actually excel at everything and that is not because I am your Mom saying that, it is the truth. In the spring you played soccer and your team was second place in the league, losing in the championship in penalty kicks. Guess who made their penalty kick, YOU! That game had some drama and on any other day I know your team would have won the trophy. You loved that team and made some really nice friends. In that league you were also the leading goal scorer. You have 3 games with hat tricks! It was then you learned what a hat trick is! You scored in every game and I believe finished with 15 goals! OMG! Yes exceling at soccer. Remember when you told me, "Soccer is a waste of time." We have come a long way with you now playing travel for a club team called sockers, picking your own jersey number of #21 and having just competed in your first soccer tournament. Oh and get his this- YOU HAD A HAT TRICK! and socred on a Penalty kick totaling 4 goals in 3 games with a brand new team. How about that, Champion CHARLI! Soccer completes your other 2 week days with 3 hours of training a week. At this point you are just a well oiled machine, you don't complain you just do and you do it WELL! You and I went and tried out for different soccer programs, I was so proud of your ability to try new things and jsut get out and work. You are a force, a kind hearted force, and we know those are the ones to look out for! School, you have always loved school and the work you bring home is outstanding. 3rd grade report card was the first time your received letter grades and you earned STRAIGHT A's! I am so proud of all you do. For PE we made a home workout tabata video and it was shared with your school during quarantine! You created art projects, hair styles, made pictures for your walls, bracelets for friends. Your ability to sew, eye for fashion, and creations are amazing for example but not limited to pillows, pants, book bags, purses, masks. Just you and your sewing machine. You even made a blanket for Reilly to cover her dog bed. You are the next life style brand CRC, you can do it all. Including making your own special banana recipe. You are an all american girl in the best kind of way. Blonde hair, blue eyes, stinky pitties (don't worry you have deodorant) physically starting to grow up, crazy teeth, so strong, beautiful smile, kind heart, athletic, smart, funny, serious. You check off all the boxes! Oh and guess what your same little crush from 3rd grade Adien, well he has the same crush on you and he let you know he likes you the first week of school! he said he wanted to tell you he likes you, because he "really likes you"...and you are in the same class! That made starting school all the more exciting! And you earned a paw on the first day! Welcome to 4th grade! Thinking back on the covid year I was able to see you learn from your room, be a part of your class from the hall, be with you all the time, spend time with our family that we will never get the chance to do again. We got to watch all of AJ's firsts together. I wouldn't trade that for the world. It was a terrible time in the world of all the people's lives we lost and families that were crushed... but it was also a time for us that I will never forget. We took our annual trip to Florida, masks on! We swam, we ate, we saw family & friends. We lived, we laughed, and we loved. We will continue to be a team, the best team, we can do anything and we are stronger together. I already knew that but this past year and a half has emphasized all of it! I couldn't love my family more, I am so thankful, grateful, lucky, blessed. My heart is so full it is crazy. I have to thank my 3 miracles for that! Thank you I don't want to shortchange all that happened so I will try to go in my memory and recap: March 2020- June 2021- school from home Summer 2020- perfect weather, no pools open, we went to Grandma's a lot, had people over, mostly outside, restaurants were closed, we bought a pool for the yard, a giant unicorn sprinkler, we hung out, we cleaned and organized. We celebrated milestones with family. School year 2020- started on zoom as I mentioned- went to school- then back to zoom- and back to school THE WORST NEWS CAME IN DECEMBER 2020- We had our annual night before Thanksgiving party and my side of the family came over and I am forever thankful we did. You and Danica played soccer in the basement with Mark and Bryan. Sadly, that will be the last memory of Uncle Mark. On December 6, Mark has a massive heart attack at home and passed away. My heart will forever be missing one of its greatest pieces. Just know that the joy you guys gave him made his life better and he loved you so. This is the same with Aunt Soph, she may not always get to see you but she loves you and is so proud of you! Winter break 20-2021- Florida, beautiful family dinner with Eric and Grandma New friends during covid, Ganas family, Cole, Reagan and Paisley Weddings postponed during Covid Spring- gymnastics started again and soccer Summer 2021- Soccer camp in Naperville, swimming, gymnastics, lot of sushi and weddings! This summer you Danica, and AJ were in Courtney's wedding in Milwaukee and you were beautiful. Aj didn't do his job they way he was expected but it was exactly as it should be. It was so much fun! You met cousins and danced and started to show a little of your teenager side. When we got back from Milwaukee after a stop at the outlet mall. We practiced songs and dances for your next flower girl gig in Christopher and Kayla's wedding. Another awesome wedding and beautiful job by you and Danica. We had such a great time dancing and you were so upset when it was time to leave. But as family we have to work on - all good things comes to an end and there is always a new day full of promise! The thing is that you all think every day should be a party... I wonder where you get that from LOL! It was trulu a great summer. Anotehr highlight being the lemonade stand you and Danica had with Rose where you made $150! Yes close to $150- you told Frank, that your "cuteness if really paying off!" Got to love it. Bike rides are a daily request same with going to cook in front of you. We met Mr. Sumo's family and Joanne even came to babysit you!!! It was so fun. Another highlight was meeting cousins like Brennan, and seeing Uncle John and Auntie MIMI. In July we went to Kentucky and you had your first hotel sleepover with Kensie. We went to the Lexington horesepark and keenland and saw lot of fireworks. We even stayed another night at Embassy Suites hotel and you can Danica rode the elevators for hours. It was our first long car trip and everyone was awesome! You both are the best big sister, although at this point AJ defintely favors you and loved to tell Danica, "NO DACA, NO SISSY." Believe me you love it!!! Your clubhouse is amazing so that really came to fruition during the pandemic. It is a girls dream and only members are allowed! Good thing there are only a few friends that came over and they are members :) We are just really back in the swing of things. The pandemic isn't over but we are adjusting the best we can to life as it is now. We go out to dinner, we hang as a family, we go boating with Terry, we look froward to waht each new day brings. We spend a lot of time in the car :) We walk to school. We just LIVE. I can't wait for allthe year brings. I love you Charli, I am so proud of you, 9 couldn't look better on anyone else! I will remember when you told me you want to live with me forever. I hope so, I love you!

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!