September Snapshots

Mother/Son Walk/Stream Time

We wanted Makin to get a chance to attend one class before full quarantine before surgery, so after class he and I headed out for some outside time while Lorelei was at HOPE Prep. I love any chance to get time with this kiddo and adding outdoors made it even better.

We found a praying mantis that we decided to help off the sidewalk into the grass.

Book Club

This one is kinda school-ish but I decided to still add it here.

Lorelei and Sarah Rose discovered they were both reading Pride and Prejudice this school year (different curriculum from us though) so the girls decided to read it together and do a book club where they chat about it as they read. (Sometimes via the phone, and sometimes in person!) SO fun. Nothing like friends and books.

September Date

Brought our coffee for sunrise at the lake.

Huckleberry Ice Cream

I couldn't believe it when a local ice cream shop mentioned that this was their surprise flavor. Typically we only have a chance to get huckleberry way up north! SO thankful this still fell into the soft foods diet so Lorelei and I headed over for the treat. (Brought Makin home an Oreo shake of course.)

Did you know I'd like that food?

  Watson

  I guess he just gets his own little section this post.        Why not.

The Sploot

He is a needs-to-be-held kinda pup.

Alveolar Bone Graft Surgery - Surgery #6

It was finally time for the much-delayed-anticipated-dreaded bone graft surgery. Traditionally this is done by age 10. Between us really enjoying a break from surgeries, a worldwide pandemic, palate expansion, braces that take time, attempting to collaborate with Virginia surgeons, and more time waiting on the braces to do their thing...here we are getting this surgery a few days after turning 15. Makin did not want the surgery but Brad and I said it was what was best for him.

According to AI here is the purpose of the bone graft:

Provide structural support for teeth

Improve dental alignment and function

Close gaps or defects in the alveolar ridge

Enhance facial aesthetics

We made the switch to using the team in Dallas. We felt comfortable making the switch after meeting the surgeon (my top choice after researching their surgeons on their website). This will make it much less complicated on many levels moving forward. This surgeon has the most experience and a most popular choice, which makes him difficult to get into on the schedule, but we felt the experience is worth it.

We did let Makin make the decision on whether to use his own bone or that from a cadaver and he chose the cadaver because the recovery would be easier. Now the prayer is that it will "take" and then we can move on with life! (Hopefully only 1-2 more surgeries!) IF it does not take, he will have to have a second attempt and they would use his hip bone.

SO we are recovering from his 6th surgery and trying to make the best of it. Makin and I are on the soft foods/no chew diet for 6 weeks and will very much be looking forward to alllll the food October 24th!

Friends and family have been abundantly kind trying to cheer up and help us any way they can. We are so grateful.

Here is what the mush diet has looked like:

Scrambled eggs (Me, every morning, Makin only when I talk him into it.)

Oatmeal

Smoothies

Applesauce

Chocolate protein milk

Greek Yogurt (Me occasionally, Makin never.)

Ice Cream (Makin's fav is cookies and cream shake-in-a-bowl)

Mashed potatoes

Lasagna soup (at first, no pasta or meat, then eventually overcooked pasta and meat very small)

Mac N Cheese (again, overcooked pasta)

Pasta with Autumnal Sauce (only me)

Christmas Eve Soup (several weeks in, with the veggies chopped up super small)

Lots of Milk for Makin. He also had some apple juice, Gatorade and body armor drinks.

Makin at 15

Makin at fifteen you....

Love all things tech.

Work often on your combat robot design.

Listen to audiobooks and podcasts during your spare time.

Are into Minecraft and various VR games. You don't get a lot of time to play these but sure enjoy them when you do.

Have great comedic timing/a great sense of humor.

Love Husker football and are excited for this promising season.

Golf, but currently have mixed feelings on it. Golf is not a game of perfect, which is a challenge for those with perfectionist tendencies.

Continue to be a picky eater and prefer to eat a bowl of goldfish daily. You love dairy and carbs.

Listen to upbeat music.

Are kind-hearted.

Use slang words often. Top Most used are: bruh (dude or disbelief) and cap/no cap (lie/truth).  A few more also used are...sus (suspicious), low key (actually), bet (agreement or challenge accepted), W/L (win/loss), yeet (throw, send flying) cooked (exhausted/defeated), flex (show off/boast). We love to tease you and use them incorrectly ourselves.

Love to sleep in.

Quotable Moments:

"It's a swirlydo!" (Roundabout)

Me: (Trying to figure out what to make for Friendsgiving and asking what dessert he wants to bring...) How is butterscotch fall?

Makin: I don't know, because butterscotch is orange and fall is orange?

Me: But I don't want to have to spend money on things.

Makin: You could not spend money on other things...like carrots.

"Being helpful is nonnegotiable."

"So after you blow your nose, isn't it a dirtyex?"

(Talking about physical therapy)

"Did you know this isn't a bone! He said it wasn't a bone and I checked the skeleton and he's right!"

(Me telling him I realized his three favorite meals are also the ones that are the most work to make and clean up...)     "I love quality."

Me: Hey, I like those flat feet!

Makin: You better, you're paying a pretty penny for them! (physical therapy)

"I'm not sun-kissed. I'm not sunburned, I'm sun-roasted."

"Do you think I should read the cards? Because you do not have a good poker face."

Makin's Fifteen Year Interview

Favorites -

Food: Pesto Stuffed Shells

Place: Home, Universal Studios

Movie/TV Show: Super Mario Bros, Sonic, Ninjago

Color: Red or Royal Blue

Thing To Do: Listen to my audiobook

Animal: Watson

Books: Harry Potter, Keeper of the Lost Cities, Gryphon Chronicles, Percy Jackson

Song: Wolves - Beatsaber Soundtrack

Treat: donut, Oreo shake

Holiday: Christmas

What do you like to do with Dad? golf, play games, watch Husker games

What do you like to do with Mom? play games, hang out, eat

What do you like to do with Lorelei? go on walks

What makes you happy? books, audio books, friends games

What do you think about before you fall asleep? how late I can sleep in

What do you want to be when you grow up? Mechanical engineer

Lorelei at 17

Lorelei at seventeen you...

Continue to have a huge passion for animals including using positive reinforcement. You plan to make some version of this your career.

Love learning. One of your highs of the day is almost always school work.

Love to make plans.

Love your friend time. They give you energy.

Have a great energy/joy/zest for life.

Read often and appreciate almost all genres of books.

Crochet and knit in your spare time.

Enjoy babysitting. You make entire geography-based fun plans for almost every time you babysit. On the rare times you don't, you bring an entire IKEA bag of games and activities to play.

Adore almost all food. If it was a love language, it would be one of yours.

Are on cloud nine because you finally have your own dog. This is also challenging and growing you in ways, but overall you absolutely love it.

Love to decorate.

Aren't quite driving yet. It makes you nervous. You hope to get your license in the next year.

Quotable Moments:

Me: We've taken him over to the dark side.

Lorelei: Maybe it's the light side.

Me: I can't believe what good artists you are!

Lorelei: Well, we get it from dad.

Me: Well unless you don't want to eat chocolate cake?

Lorelei: Ummmm that would be never and if I did that would be concerning. Like you should ask if I'm ok.

"I get stressed when I travel but I love to travel. (Laughing at herself...) I'm very complicated."

Grandma: (Explaining a card game...) We play in suits.

Lorelei: He's in a swimsuit, is that ok?

Lorelei: What is a potluck?

Me: (Stares incredulously realizing her complete failure as a mom.) What do you think it is?

Lorelei: I don't know...food and lucky pots?

(Playing Creator in Minecraft)    "I remind myself I shouldn't get emotionally attached because they are just pixels!"

Lorelei's Sixteen Year Interview

Favorites -
Food: Spaghetti

Place: Valley View Ranch, CMA, my bedroom, ManeGait

Movie/TV Show: Walk Ride Rodeo, Enola Holmes 1 and 2, All Creatures Great and Small, How To Train Your Dragon

Color: Pink, Purple, Turquoise

Thing To Do: ride horses, spend time with Watson, read, crochet, school, spending time with family, volunteer at ManeGait, train animals, spend time with friends, babysit

Animal: Dog, Horse, Dolphin

Books: Harry Potter Series, The Christy Miller Series (and all series related to it), The Viking Quest series

Song: Stargazing by Myles Smith, Brave Souls by Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Dusty Bibles by Josiah Queen

Treat: Reese's PB cup or mint Ice Cream, pumpkin cookies, peanut butter balls

Holiday: Christmas

What do you like to do with Dad? ride in the car and talk, play with Watson

What do you like to do with Mom? adventures, read alouds

What do you like to do with Makin? go on adventures

What makes you happy? animals, books, family, nature, kids, food

What do you think about before you fall asleep? my dog, horse camp, my future

What do you want to be when you grow up? Anything with animals, preferably work at CMA, anything with animals/children combo, eventually stay-at-home mom and homeschool

Makin Turns 15

Makin's birthday this year was what I call a "brain rot day". This meant basically playing video games most of the day followed by family TV time that evening.

He requested some of his his favorite meals (Breakfast: donut, Lunch: pizza, Supper: Pesto stuffed shells) and what has now become his usual birthday dessert choice of Better Than Anything Cake.

Using the new mic.

Photo taken night before, but thought you might like to see the whole thing.
We love to give this kid a hard time about his slang words so this was perfect for this year.
Translation: The truth is that the cool guy known as Makin is in fact 15 years old.

Happy Birthday Makin!

Lorelei Turns 17

Lorelei requested heading to the lake at sunrise for her birthday and how could I turn that down? It was an absolutely beautiful way to start the day.

We headed back to enjoy her breakfast request of French toast, which I made the night before (that was awesome!). 

This was her first day at HOPE prep! She loved getting to have lunch with her friends who celebrated here over lunch as well.

After HP, she spent most of her afternoon playing Minecraft with her brother, Henry and Mae Mae. 

I had to capture her "usual" birthday supper because I don't typically...this girl has had spaghetti for her birthday supper since she was old enough to tell me that is what she wanted!

When I asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday dessert this year she said, "I'd like a fun Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor." I decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth. She loved her choice.

We wrapped up her day watching a movie together as a family while enjoying ice cream.

Happy Birthday Lorelei!