We've had a busy week with school activities, some that we don't even participate in, ha! Arya had the opportunity to play in the pep band at the Rosemount Irish boys hockey games at the state tournament. It was a big deal to be able to go to those games, but she opted not to attend because she had to work during the quarterfinals on Thursday afternoon and was at the UofMn for a Concert Band Festival during the semifinals on Friday night. The Wind Ensemble played very well and received high praise during their clinic, directly following the concert. On Sunday afternoon, the Wind Ensemble is playing a concert with the Rosemount Community Band, so we're looking forward to seeing that and then having all of the grandparents over for dinner afterwards. It was the end of the 2nd trimester for both kids, which meant finals, adjusted schedules, and the last chance to get their grades where they needed to be. Both kids did really well this tri. I can't believe Arya is entering...
...for 2026. They were dashed right away. We started the year with a few different medical issues (me scratching my throat with rosemary (requiring an ER + ENT visit), Scott bruising his ribs (requiring X-rays at Urgent Care), and then me picking up the flu in either the ER or Urgent Care. And then lots of death...a friend of Arya's, coworkers' relatives, friends' pets, celebrities, etc. Let's not even get started with the federal occupation of Minnesota by CBP and ICE. It was horrible, and yes, it is STILL taking place, regardless of the promised drawdown. It's just not being publicized as much. It's been a brutal year so far. There have been moments of joy, but they have been overshadowed by sadness, grief, and despair. I needed to take a break from blogging for my mental health, but I'm going to try to pick it back up. I barely even took any pics of the kids during that time. Sometimes it would be easiest to be a dog without a care in the world Arya's...