Saturday, May 23, 2020

A Pandemic Graduation Celebration

The moon. I took this picture of the moon a few months ago. I played with the iPhone filter options.

This pic was taken on Mother’s Day. An extremely rare and odd gift from Mother Nature as it never has rained on Mother’s Day in Phoenix. Not once in the 16 years that I have lived here!

The dark clouds are fitting to my current state. I’m feeling cloudy and dark but the rainbow symbolizes hope and joy for the future.

Grad night party with family isn’t what she had in mind I’m sure…

My daughter graduated from high school on Thursday. Certainly not the graduation any of us could fathom! Who would have ever had thought that a graduate would be handed their diploma from someone behind a medical mask?! Just so hard to imagine but that is how it happened.

I created a couple of videos for my YouTube channel regarding her graduation.

https://youtu.be/I6pAgEITpgY ◀️Here is the celebration video link!

I used my original song, “Lost In The Game”, as it just kind of fit what we were all feeling!

My daughter had worked very hard throughout her 13 years of primary education. Her high school experience was all of good grades and stacking the deck. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA , had two National Honor Society recognitions. One being Rho Kappa. She did dual enrollment, shaving a whole year off of her college requirements! She even received a special AIMS tassel. To not be able to walk for graduation was a bitter pill… she was rather down the whole day! I did however try my best to put together a small family gathering party of which you will see in the video link. Hope that you watch it!

If you do, while you are there in my channel, please subscribe!

Monday, May 18, 2020

Low Key Celebrations During Covid-19 Make Me Sad And Mad

Low Key Celebrations During Pandemic Make Me Sad And Mad

I’ve been celebrating my daughter’s 18 B-Day! I put together the first family, (and a few friends), gathering for months! Our state has reopened. It was so nice to see my big kids and the G-Kids! It was nice to have an evening just for celebration! Daughter Zoe turned 18!

The realization is that the hard work and the raising of this child is lessening! She is officially graduating on Thursday. She starts college in the fall and will be rooming in a dorm room.
She’s been a terrific, and wonderful kid. I’ll miss her but I feel good about her choices and her study habits. I’m going to hold good thoughts and high hopes for her bright future.

I’m hosting a small Grad party for Zoe as well. We have a designated time slot to drive through the school parking lot to pick up her diploma and yearbook. Certainly not the way we thought she would be graduating. I think the school is also posting an online virtual graduation Thursday evening. Anyway, my grown daughters and maybe a few of Zoe’s friends will come by for cake… This Covid-19 pandemic is a really party squasher! This was supposed to be a grand moment for Graduates! I have missed out on watching this child graduate high school. I also missed out on watching her sister receive her bachelors degree in communications from ASU!!

Here she is pictured with her family… she worked very hard to get this degrees while raising her family and working full time. If ever somebody had a gift for making lemonade out of lemons, it’s this gal ❤️.

Trying to provide enthusiasm and love where I can. But it’s no substitute for what a grad should get to have! No throwing your hat up into the air. Screams of joy and excitement will be missed…

Trying to provide spirit and an environment to celebrate!

Missing out on all the hoopla and the earned acknowledgment and kudos…

She received honors in two different honor societies. Had a 4.0 GPA all four years… plus a special tassel for AIMS. None of which will be seen.

I’m one proud Mom of both of my Grad girls!

I’m feeling a lot of things as many of you are during this Covid-19 pandemic. A bit lost and changed. Lack luster but still hoping for a return of what feels normal. A bit of depression is beginning to creep in. Loneliness comes to mind!

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Cinco De Mayo Oh Me Oh My Oh

Who else has had it with sheltering in place? I’m so sad to see that we still have sooooo many new cases of this virus everywhere! I see no leveling off, in fact, more and more cases then we initially had! I’m disheartened by looking at the numbers state by state. I understand the economic need to reopen the country and each state. It doesn’t seem possible health wise to do so. It’s getting really hot here in Phoenix. Today may yet reach 108 degrees by 5:00 pm.

Taco Feast with Flan for dessert. I made taco omelettes for breakfast with some leftover meat, onion, cilantro, cheese, homemade guacamole, salsa and sour cream. It was a hit!

“Escape” Escape SoundCloud Track

I just want to get back to some quiet time and the ability to “Escape” Escape my original musical composition

Flan although not completely from scratch, I did have to cook it lol. Hey a shortcut here and there… Nobody needs to know😊.

I spent an afternoon moving my canned goods from the garage shelving to this indoor space. It’s getting too hot to store even canned food in the garage..

I haven’t played my keyboard for about 10 days. My studio space has been taken over by a home office. Even if I could make space, I need to keep the house quiet for work and kids online remote learning. So I keep extremely busy doing household chores. Inside and outside. Last week I walked about 20 miles in 7 days… I have worked on organizing projects to plenty of homemade meals!