Back to School Photos 2020

Ah! I am so very late with the kiddos' back to school photos! Life has been insanely busy, and taking their back to school photos, along with blogging in general, was put on the back burner.  

The kids started school the beginning of September. To start, everything was online. We thought we knew what to expect based off of how things were in the Spring when the kids were home and doing school online, but things were different this Fall. Instead of just being given all their work on Monday and told to just putz on it throughout the week and have it done by Friday, the kids had an actual class and zoom schedule they needed to follow, and work was constantly being sent in throughout the whole week. 

It was really hard juggling 3 kids in 3 different grades with 3 different zoom schedules. I helped the kids navigate their google classrooms, sign on to their zoom meetings, checked their class work, helped them on assignments, etc. all day. I had no down time, and I literally got nothing done. I could hardly keep up with the normal house chores. It was exhausting! However, I do love having them home. I know in the future I will look back on this time and wish we could have it back. 

The all online schooling didn't last very long. I really did think it was going to be this way until January, but the kids are already on week two of our school district's hybrid model! They are all in hybrid group A, which means they actually get to go to school on Mondays and Tuesdays. The rest of the week they remain online at home.

I am LOVING this. I get a break and the opportunity to get other things done, like painting, soap making, grocery shopping, etc. on Mondays and Tuesdays. By the time Wednesday rolls around, I feel ready to have the kids home and monitor their schooling online. They are loving it too. They might have to wear their masks, do health screenings, and keep their distance from others, but the class sizes are small, they are offering free breakfast and lunch, they get to see their friends, and most importantly, they get to get out of the house!! This system is working really well so far and honestly, I wouldn't be sad if it stayed like this the remainder of the year. Of course, the kids want life to return to normal, as do we all, but I have a feeling I will miss them once they return full time. 

We don't know when a return to full time school will be, so in the mean time, we will just enjoy life in the present and keep rolling with the punches. 

With love,

Mama Hauck

Farewell Kit-Kat. Hello S'mores.

We have a new addition to our family! And while we are excited, it comes with some sad news. 

Close to two months ago now, Sam sent me a text from work saying Tim's kitty, Kit-Kat, hadn't shown up for his morning wet cat food. This was not like him. I text right back and said I hadn't seen him all morning either. I immediately knew this wasn't going to end well and I just felt so sick.

Despite our best efforts, if the cats want outside, we can't keep them from going out. We've got the dog door on the back door that goes to the fenced back yard. No matter what we do to the back yard fence to make it so the cats can't get up and over it, they still manage to figure it out if they have the desire. Kit-Kat and Gypsy (Molly's cat) always climbed and jumped the fence, even after we added an inverted part to the top to help keep them in! The only one who never seemed interested in leaving was Anthony's kitty, Beauty. I hope it stays like that!! 

We had resigned ourselves to knowing Kit-Kat and Gypsy were just going to get out the fenced yard and I prayed nothing would happen to them. At least they always stuck around! They would hang around the front porch and immediate front yard. When ready to come in, we either let them in the front door or they jumped the fence back into the back. Neither ever missed a morning wet cat food feeding. So when Kit-Kat didn't show up that morning, my heart sank. 

It broke Tim's heart when I told him I hadn't seen Kit-Kat all day. We told him that males really like to wander. We held out hope for so long that he would come home, but it never happened. Out here in the country, he either wandered in search of a female and just decided to stay gone, or he got taken by an owl or something. It's so hard to see your baby sad and hurting. I feel sick to my stomach and get a huge lump in my throat every time I think about it. 

Tim still talks about Kit-Kat quite frequently. It breaks my heart knowing he misses him. We all do. I don't think I've ever missed a cat before. But I do him. He was the perfect kitty. So kind and patient. I'm so angry whenever something like this happens.  I wish they didn't try so hard to get out! I wish they wouldn't jump the back fence! Ugghhhhhhh

Sweet Kit-Kat. We love and miss you. I still look for you every day. 

After about a month, I asked Tim how he felt about getting another kitty as I had seen some posted on facebook. He said yes, so I didn't hesitate to drive him in to meet the kittens. He chose a female, partly siemese, mostly white with a bit of brown here and there. We named her S'mores. If she is anything like her mom and dad, she is going to be a large, long haired cat. 

S'mores is a darling kitty and Timothy took to her right away. He is a good kitty Papa. I know he misses Kit-Kat, but he is enjoying S'mores and takes good care of her. 

We bought more chicken wire and will be trying to figure out a way to make the back fenced area more secure. Beauty still doesn't jump it, and S'mores doesn't even go outside....she has no idea there is a dog door and I intend to keep it that way for a long time. I'm hoping with winter coming, the cold and snow will deter the cats from going outside at all. But I really do need to figure out the fence issue. I really don't want to loose another kitty. He have gotten lucky with some pretty awesome cats who we all love. 

Even the dogs love the cats. In true Leo fashion, he is the keeper of kittens. He takes to kittens right away and loves to snuggle with them. I wish he would protect them outside.  

Farewell, Kit-Kat. And hello, S'mores. 

With love,

Mama Hauck