April and May Fun

April

Eric took Silas to a local pond and they did some frog catching and a little fishing.

In April, we ran in the VIRTUAL Youth Horizons Sun Run.  It was supposed to be a 2 mile race that is held every year the Saturday right before Easter.  We picked up our race packets the day before the race and went to a course that we knew where we all ran our two miles together.

Ready to run!

I made Eric the official picture taker during the race... He was a runner and our photographer.

Phoebe finished first with a time of 16:49.  Sarah came in second with a time of 16:58.  I am sure that our photographer could have probably won if he wouldn't have been fulfilling my request of pictures.  (Thanks Eric!)

After running we took a walk, looking for fishing spots, frogs, and turtles.

This year Easter was a little different.  We were stuck at home and had watch church online together.  We also did not get to have a Hastings family get-together like we always do due to the "stay at home" orders.

Eric and I made a delicious Easter meal for our family to enjoy.

As it started to warm up, we started to work out in our yard some.  Eric kept working on our basement too.

Our dog, Jessee, likes to be out when we are outside.  We got rid of some of our older furniture.  The kids, and the dog, liked jumping and playing on the green couch and chair outside until they are gone.

May

We celebrated Eric's birthday in early May.  He turned 42.  He picked Applebee's for his birthday dinner.

Then back at home he opened his gifts, looked at his cards and we played a game of birthday wiffleball.

Last, we all ate birthday ice cream cake from Dairy queen.  Happy birthday to my hard-working, loving, giving, strong, hottie, husband!

For Mother's Day Eric helped me in the yard by planting all kinds of things he and I had picked out the day before...flowers, bushes, and trees.  I opened the kids cards and gifts and then we went to my parents house to see my Mom for Mother's Day.

We had two of our favorite kinds of pies, made by one of THE BEST pie makers I know..... Cherry and Strawberry.... Thanks Mandy F!

While at Mom and Dad's house Silas talked Popee into helping him dig some worms for toad food and fish bait.  Popee has the best, and biggest worms in his compost area.

Our downstairs finishing continued.  We are SO CLOSE to having it done.  New light fixtures went up, carpet went down, boxes were unpacked, and our delivery of a new pool table and shuffleboard arrived.

We made a huge sign for the kids to hold up for their teachers and school staff during the "end of school year" parade.

We got several new trees from my Dad.  Eric got them all planted and the kids have been helping us water them a couple times a week.  Eric showed them an easy way to haul water out to the trees and water them, using their wagon, buckets, and milk jugs.

And, FINALLY softball and baseball started in late May.  There were a few weeks of practice and it will be a significantly shortened season, but we are happy to be out of the house, playing, and interacting with our teammates and friends.  The kids also have been getting some extra practice time at home with Eric...hitting, catching, and pitching.

Sarah - School Activities - Jan. through March

Sarah had a fantastic last couple months of school.  She worked hard and played hard for the entire 3 quarters of her 7th grade year.  She maintained all A's and the 4.0 GPA the whole year.  She started on the girl's basketball and volleyball teams, and helped with several service projects alongside other National Junior Honor Society members.  She was a leader among her classmates and a light to others in school, on her teams, and even on the bus among the other middle schoolers.  We are so happy with her determination to be successful in all she does.

Above, are pictures of a "cat house" that she created for a recycled project in one of her classes.  Below, some of her work from studying and learning about other countries during Social Studies.

In January she started in a class called "Leadworthy".  It is taught by one of her favorite teachers.  One of the things that they did in there was to prepare and practice giving speeches.

She was amazing in her Pre-Algebra class this year.  This was another one of her favorite teachers this year, and he said the same about having her in his class.  Funny, teachers seem to still love those students who are hard-working, turn their assignments in on time, give extra effort, listen in class, ask for help when they need it, follow classroom expectations... I am so glad that Sarah is one of those students!  She did have a few late nights working on some online homework, but she did it, and excelled.  I have to note here too, that Eric is great at helping all of our children with their math homework.  He is patient and works to help them understand the concepts and tries hard to make sure that they can understand and complete the problems on their own now and will remember how to complete them in the future. (#dadoftheyear)

Sarah worked hard and made fantastic grades for her 7th grade year.  (#fullmommyheart)  ALL A's ALL YEAR earned her a spot on the Academic Excellence Honor Roll again.  WAY TO GO, SARAH!

When our school district went on spring break, starting March 14th, no one realized that we would not be returning to school a week later...that they all had just had their last day of school on Friday, March 13th.  It was a sad, bitter, unreal day when we sat in our living room together, later that week of spring break, and listened to the Kansas Governor announce live on T.V. that school was over for the rest of the academic year due to the Corona Virus Pandemic.  Jaws dropped, feelings of disbelief washed over us, and some of us cried.  And, the questions we all had... How can you cancel/miss a whole quarter of school?  How can you advance students on to the next grade level when they have missed learning for a whole quarter?  How can you still teach children while they are at home and you are at your home?  How AND will students and teachers be accountable for their work/assignments? When can students retrieve their personal belongings from school/lockers? And on and on and on.... 

What are some of the things that you were sad or disappointed about missing in the last two months of this school year due to the Corona Virus Pandemic?

SARAH:  My friends and my teachers.  I just really missed going to school.

What were some of the best things about 7th grade?
SARAH:  Making new friends, and playing on the sports teams.  My favorite classes this year were probably Pre-Algebra and Art.  And, I really liked my science because of my teacher and the kids that were in that class with me.

Her school did a drive through "Good-bye Parade".  We drove through and the teachers and staff lined the sidewalk of the school and waved, held up signs, passed out some goodies, and got to briefly talk or yell at students as they all drove by with their families.  Below are a few of the pictures she took of her teachers as we drove through waving and yelling "BYE!"

As we dove past these last two gentlemen, pictured below, and briefly talked with them, then started to slowly drive away, I heard one of them say to the other, "She is a such a great kid."  Again, I had a #fullmommyheart moment.  Truly, Sarah is a "great kid", and it is fun when others recognize this too about you kid.  Thank you school teachers and staff for investing in the life of our daughter and helping to impact and shape her future.  We appreciate you!

We celebrated the last day of school with half price Blasts from Sonic.