September 2020: Fall happenings

This past summer and early fall, Mike set gentle traps in our backyard to catch ground squirrels who are living underneath our shed. We managed to catch a total of 4 squirrels and 3 packrats! Both animals are so cute. We drove to the Bosque near the river with each caged animal and released it into the wooded area to start a new life. We took all the animals to the same place so they could find each other. There are still at least two large squirrels hanging around our backyard, but we gave up on catching them. 

Scared little Ground Squirrel caught in our backyard

 I think Sofia loved the little critters the most

Due to the Corona Virus and schools being closed, my girls have had to help their children with Online schooling very weekday this entire school year, which takes a lot of time and work. Poor moms and children everywhere--such an unexpected challenge and burden for so many! I am very grateful for my amazing daughters and their faith, patience, creativity, parenting skills, and most importantly their unwavering LOVE for their children.

Jess has had an especially stressful time with the whole Online schooling pressures. She eventually pulled Beau and Hannah out of public school and opted for Home Schooling them. That's actually going better than Hudson and his Online class with its long list of daily assignments, despite his organized teacher. Hudson has a difficult time staying motivated and on task. He wants to listen to music and play games. I tried to help Jess by taking her girls during the afternoons when I could. I also tried to help Hudson catch up on his schoolwork. 

Jessica definitely has her work cut out for her everyday with her three older children and a 2-year old who needs her naps and is left to herself all morning. I know that she is not alone in her frustrations and discouragement. Kiley and Shauna also feel the weight of Online schooling with their youngsters. Thankfully, Texas opened their schools, so Joey and Eli (and Kiley!) are happy to be back in the classroom. 

I am really proud of Jessica, Shauna, Kiley, and Jenny for being such wonderful and awesome moms during this challenging school year. They have had to make many sacrifices along the way; find ways to be creative for their children; and spend extra time making sure their kids get their daily assignments done and turned in on time.

The Dunlap's spent a lot of time and money this past spring and summer fixing up their backyard. After that project was completed, they started working on their front yard in the summer and fall. They removed the old Heavenly Bamboo bushes by the front porch and other bushes by the street. They added pretty rocks and flagstone near the house and planted colorful flowers. They also bought a Modesto Ash shade tree and planted in their front lawn. Everything turned out beautiful.

Bushes gone and pretty flower beds instead

Hannah and Sofia painting in the kitchen during a day with Grandma

Bath time with their mermaid dolls

A late dinner in the kitchen

September 25th: We celebrated Tyler's 9th birthday at our house a day early.

We had dinner, cupcakes, outdoor games, and a lot of fun.

 

We made a balloon dart game

Little Sofia decorated some of the chocolate cupcakes 

Mike caught a couple more rodents the last week of September, and the Dunlap's joined me for one of their releases into the Bosque during a short break from school work

One of our captured Packrats