A year of dirt bikes and quads

With the bigger lot now we are finding a lot more fun outdoor things to do.  We decided we wanted to get a quad for the kids.  While we were waiting for our "mid-size" quad to come we got a small dirt bike from a friend for $40.  I asked my neighbor Eric to help me figure out how to get it running... Next thing I know he has taken it home, taken it apart, and gotten it running.  That began our frequent visits with Eric.  He lives at the end of our cul-de-sac, is a retired police officer, and loves all "toys" with an engine.  The bike is small for Kayda and Dillon but they like riding it anyway.

Getting a dirt bike and quad led to creating a track in our pasture.

Along came our ever accommodating, awesome neighbors.  We mapped out the course with flags, and Eric led the way with his riding lawn mower while Alan followed with his big tiller.

Our "mid-size" quad arrived and ended up being the right size for Carson.  It ended up being a lemon.  We spent hours working with Eric trying to get the thing to run right.  Despite being brand new the company wouldn't help at all.  We ended up selling it to a mechanic guy for half what we paid... We were happy to be rid of it. 

The lemon ended up getting the kids into "shop class" as I called it.

Lucky for us Eric has all the motor toys and is happy to let the kids borrow them.

As the seasons changed our track became muddier and muddier.  It started with huge chunks of clay textured mud flying around.

It coated the quads in the stuff and was crazy hard to wash off.  This is our first quad by the way. It's an orange reaching style vs the utility style Eric owns.  Eric and his mechanic friend Bruce found us one, went to see it, and came back with it.  Buying motor toys is a hobby to them so they had fun doing it.  The first one we found I went with them to look at.  The guy refused to open it up to let Bruce see what was going on.  So Bruce was immediately a no.  Meanwhile Eric was in negotiation mode just in case.  Next thing I know I'm a single mom of three... With a whole sad story.  I had to work very hard to keep a straight face (which I'm terrible at by the way).  

Eric, being the crazy guy he is decided we needed to have a "great race". He went and got trophies, an annual one and a special one for this year's winner.  He also tagged on a prize of $100.  That was a surprise.  Brian and the kids competed on the three vehicles.  Fastest time (with handicaps) won!

He had a whole set of rules that he planned out ahead of time.

His friends Bruce, Ken and a friend of Ken's came to watch.  I was happy to excuse myself from calculating handicaps.

Kayda ended up winning by an incredibly small margin.  Brian crashed, he managed to hop off and land on his feet, and forfeited an event because he "got mud in his eye". He will be teased about that forever.  We also had an exciting moment where Kayda was almost completely off the quad but was able to save it.

The later in the season the more soupy the mud got until it was practically water.  Definitely easier to clean up from 

We have a lot of stories about Eric now.  He has decided that Dillon is a natural and should ride motocross.  That sport is too time consuming and expensive so it will never happen.  He went and bought a two stroke dirt bike for the kids to learn on anyway.  As I said, he loves all motorized toys.

Kayda's Volleyball '20-'21

Kayda's volleyball team got to play this year!  She was #8.  With all the covid restrictions it was very frustrating.  They started the season having to practice outdoors, with masks on.  Then it progressed to inside with masks on.  We didn't get to go to many of her tournaments, they were limited to one spectator per TEAM.  Daddy and I won the first two lotteries though.  Later in the season we were able to schedule for one of us to go.  She had tournaments in Auburn, Olympia, and Spokane.  At least one of us were able to go watch for each tournament, not necessarily each day of the tournament.  

Kayda learned a lot!  She improved every aspect of her game.  She was already a solid back court player but she was able to figure out the timing for her hitting.  Her serves are one of the most, if not the most, consistent on her team.  She did have to make an adjustment mid-season because it was causing her pain in her arm.  She was able to do it without the coach's help which was impressive to me.  She always has a goal, it was hitting, then digging, then serving to specific locations...  She is always looking to challenge herself and grow.  

She was able to attend a four, full day clinic and the progress was astounding!  She was placed on the "varsity court" for the entire clinic (placed by the high school coach).  Out of the 12 girls on the varsity court, which included upper classmen, she ended up placing third!  

Mom's moving up!

Two years at the middle school.  Two very odd years.  "Unprecedented"...I hate that word so much at this point.  Anyway.  In March we were asked to sign our letters of intent to return.  In the survey you complete, they ask if you'd like to be considered for a transfer.  I knew a few things, the advanced math class at the middle school would be absorbed by the high school since there were only 4 students (they pretty much eliminated the advance math opportunity), and I REALLY wasn't interested in teaching anything below 8th grade.  I love math, I love algebra and up specifically.  There is not even a little bit of me that enjoys teaching the basics that 6th and 7th graders are still learning.  I also knew that I loved teaching high school kids, and thoroughly enjoyed the math team at the high school.  

I agonized over what to respond.  I like my boss (Dave), I like my team (minus one) and I didn't want to cause drama with anyone knowing I wanted to leave.  I eventually decided that if I didn't request the transfer and a job came open...I would be missing a rare opportunity and it would crush me.  So I spoke with Dave and told him what I was putting in and why.  He was super supportive.  

I tucked all of it into the back of my brain and continued on.  Then, late April, early May I get a call from Martina (a teacher at the high school) asking if I would be interested in moving to the high school.  I was really surprised.  As they were registering for next year they were seeing they had extra sections of math that they needed.  She was interested in going to part time for health reasons and was talking with the principal and math head about possibly making that happen.  Getting a district to approve part time now is really difficult since they have to pay full benefits for those people too.  

Martina, Kayla and Dave were kind of randomly bringing it up.  I still wasn't going to hold my breath.  Then I hear that they have 3 extra sections and if Martina went to part time there would be 2 more, which makes a full time position.  I finally started to get excited, it was near impossible not to.  I start hearing that they've been using my name as the teacher for the master schedule, among other things.  Next thing I know it's being announced that I'm moving over there!  When contracts came out I got to sign one with the high school listed as the location!

I'm super excited!  Sad to leave most of my coworkers but high school is my happy place to teach.  

I tried to grab some photos before school ended but only got a couple. 

Mike and Jenn.  Mike was my across the hall neighbor, he, Sam and I spent every passing period chatting as we greeted kids.  

Throw in Sheri (my neighbor) and Elliot that was just down the hall. 

My very empty, boring classroom.  As I heard more about moving schools I kept taking more things down.  It actually took the students longer than I thought to figure out it was different!

Emily!  This lady made me feel so good when I was subbing there.  She kept telling me that it felt like I belonged there when I came in.  It was almost an "Oh yeah, you need a key" because she seemed to think I should have one already.   Turns out she's moving to Texas, I'm jealous. 

This picture is of Sam and I from the yearbook.  It has a story I want to remember so I'm sharing it.  Sam was a newbie teacher in 2019 when I started working there.  Almost every time he came out into the hall he would have his yard stick and he'd just be hitting it against his hand or swinging it around.  Then comes our development days and we're in observing another teacher.  He went over to her cubbies, found a ruler and was doing the same thing!  He could not resist a ruler.  So one day, I discovered that I had 8 yard sticks in one of my cupboards.  I came walking out with them swinging them around to the best of my ability.  They happened to snap the picture.  It was always an inside joke after that.  He and Mike were great fun to chat with every hour.  I'll definitely miss that. 

I found out they're moving another teacher to give me a classroom in the same area as the other math teachers.  I knew the building was full so I thought I'd end up in a portable.  It's cool that I'll get to be with them all at the high school. 

A few projects

A couple things we've been working on...

This picture is from Google maps!  Your can see the track clearly.  Our crazy neighbor Eric came over and started smoothing it again. Between his tractor and our other neighbor's tiller attachment we were able to get it nice and soft.  It's really fun to ride now!  It had gotten really pitted with lots of ruts from mud riding this fall-spring.  Thought it was kind of fun!

Now the grass has grown up tall enough that's it's basically at your head level while you drive.

... And of course, you can't beat the view

Daddy decided to start painting.  All the ceilings needed to be done because they used to be the same color as the walls, and not white but cream, which we both hate.  Most of the ceilings are now done but we now need to paint the walls.  The one room we did paint was the bonus room.  Because I have no self control, that became a huge new SUPER comfy couch and, since we have a ridiculously large wall available...a projector and screen.  We watch movies in their frequently now.  We watched one of our favorites, How to Train Your Dragon, and Kayda's response was "I didn't know hiccup had freckles!!!". We still need to add some blinds in order to make it easier to see during the day.

A pool!  We have a pool again!  We didn't bring ours from the old house when we moved thinking we'd be buying a bigger one for the new house.  Then covid hit and the pools got really expensive.  So in March I saw the size I wanted (22' diameter) for the pre-covid price and bit the bullet.  Well, it must have been seasonal not just covid because in May the exact same pool costs over twice what I paid (including the freight shipping)!  Since our land gets pretty swampy we needed to level a space up the hill a little.  In comes our amazing neighbors to let us use their tractors to level a space.  Have I said how awesome our neighbors are now?

This thing is huge...

The dirt from the pool had to go somewhere, so we raised up the space for the fire pit so we can use it during the "wet months".  Next summer we'll add stone and build the chairs I want.  For now it will either be dirt or grass. Unfortunately I don't have a picture from the house but you can see we've situated it with a view!

The last project was talked about last year and this year Alan (next door neighbor) wanted to start it.  He borrowed a plow from a friend and started cutting a ditch for between our properties. We still need to move the extra dirt and get the slope correct.  We're going to move some of the water along to get us a little drier.  Later we'll add drainage to push the water that way more.