March 2021

 

We made it through March. There was a LOT of basketball. I know the term March Madness refers to college ball, but I think it also applies to Colton. That's what happens when you play on two teams and in multiple tournaments. One Saturday he had SIX games ... but he could "only" play five as two were at the same time. Both his Wolves (10th grade) and his Showtime (9th grade) took first place in tournaments they were in. Colton went to St. George for a weekend for a tournament there.  Beyond basketball ...

• Vaccinated: Gray and I got our first Pfizer. We had to drive to American Fork for it. A little funny about that, Grayson had me put the address of the CVS store in my phone so we could get directions and he got so confused "WHY is it telling me to take all these little side streets, it's like ... wait, do you have your phone maps set to avoid freeways?" Why yes, yes I do *Ü* When we go back for our second shot, we'll be going a regular (freeway) route. Cal and Kate also got in for their vaccinations, and they got the J&J, so they are done! Landon hasn't been able to find an appointment yet (Sol, being in healthcare, got hers a while back), and Keaton will have to wait, as he stepped on a nail and had to get a Tetanus shot, and you need to have at least two weeks between the Covid vaccine and any others. 
• Games: Ping pong has still been very popular. Landon and Sol came over a few times, and there's always games going when they are here. The Occulus (virtual reality headset) has continued to used a lot, especially by Cooper. We moved the WiiU into the family room, and got out the Wii Fit board and some of the old games and got playing that again. 
• Food: Gray got a new gadget, that big red thing is another smoker, one that uses charcoal, and can also be a regular BBQ. He's still figuring things out with that, but we are happy to try his experiments. He made some steak, using smoke on it wasn't great. Coop said "It tasted like jerky" to which I replied "but you like jerky" and he answered "but not when it's supposed to be steak!" The "Kamodo Joe" also has a rotisserie attachment, and it looks a little like Rodizio. Grayson and I got out on a date to Archibalds (Gardner Village) and I did a little baking ... cookies and banana bread. It had been a while since I'd made either. The chocolate chip cookie dough worked for Skookie too.
• School: Colton had Spring Break at the end of March. With the district out, that meant Coop didn't have work either. I've enjoyed not having to run the boys everywhere this week, it's been a nice break for me too. Cooper still had school though, as his Spring Break is the week after Easter. Cooper took the ACT this month - his was still done with a pencil and paper.
• Misc March Memories: We've got a few daffodils popping up. It might be time to pull out the lawn mower (not that the lawn really needs it yet, just to trim things up). I wore green to Zumba on St. Patrick's Day ... I always wear gray/black, so that's pretty big!  I reorganized the "pencil drawer" in the kitchen and have high hopes that it might actually stay fairly straight (it also opened up another kitchen drawer for Grayson and all his gadgets, of which he has many!) Landon, Sol and Cooper went to a movie (Gray did too, but not with them, although they did see the same new release). 

... and the reason Colton looks so sad, is because his brothers ate all the best flavors of the Hi-Chew candy (he really wanted the green) and all they left was the Mango ...

March Moments ~ One Second Every Day

https://youtu.be/YrjJBi6xb6Q

Cooper's Personal Narrative - First Job

This will be backdated to 2021

An English assignment Cooper's junior year was to write a Personal Narrative - telling a story with a message, using dialogue, sensory details, etc.  At least with a PERSONAL narrative, you are telling your own story, so it should be easier to write ... right? I thought his completed assignment was very blogworthy, as it tells about the time, his first job, etc.  Link to the GoogleDoc (here) and included below. 

Employment Experiences During Covid

I hear the jingle of my phone, alerting me that I have gotten a text message.

“I won’t be able to come in today, can someone cover my route?” This was sent in our work group chat, where we sweepers are able to notify the supervisor if we are unable to come in to work, and allows subs to cover a route if necessary.

“Yeah, I’ll be able to split your route with someone,” I reply. Even though I am no longer a sub and have my own designated route I do everyday, it hasn’t been that uncommon for me to do someone else's route in addition to mine if needed. So now I get ready for my work day: I take a shower, get dressed and prepared, get a ride to the school, and then I punch my code in to get my shift started. I get to the custodian closet and pull out my cart and start up another day of disinfecting touch-surfaces and throwing garbage out. I don’t really have much on my mind while I’m working, aside from the music blasting through my earbuds, so I think back to when I first got my job back in 2020; a time where many people were getting laid off, not hired.

When I say that people were getting laid off, this was the time when Covid-19 had finally made its dreadful impact. In the months prior, I was aware of this “Coronavirus” spread, but I didn’t think too much of it. I remember seeing things like the U.S. potentially opting out of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo if it spread more, as well as graphs predicting how many cases there could be in the next few months. All of what I was seeing made it seem like Covid was going to be so drastic, but I thought to myself “There’s no way it’s going to be that bad, is it?” Well…

I could pinpoint the last semi-ordinary day before everything changed, and that’s because it was connected to an interest of mine. On March 11, 2020, tip-off for the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder game had been delayed for unknown reasons. This happened a few days after Rudy Gobert mockingly touched the mics at a press conference, and he was listed as sick on the injury report. Then, an announcer in the arena stated that the game had been cancelled, as Rudy Gobert had tested positive for Covid. Shortly after, NBA commissioner Adam Silver made the decision to suspend the NBA season for at least a month.

While the NBA may be unrelated to the functioning parts of a society in most ways, the impact that was made after the season was suspended was drastic. In the next couple days, there were shortages of supplies in the stores, schools moved online, and non-essential businesses were shut down. But in a time where millions of people were unemployed for the first time, this was the time period in which I got my first job.

I was hanging out with my friends one day, and we felt our stomachs rumbling. So we hopped into Parker’s car and drove to the nearest McDonalds to order 24 cookies, just ordinary friend things. While we were in the drive thru, Parker and McKay were talking about their job. This was new information to me, so I was curious where they were working.

“You guys have a job? Where are you working?” I inquired.

“McKay and I work as sweepers at Terra Linda.”

“How long have the two of you been working there?”

“McKay has been working for a few months, and I’ve been working there since the 8th grade.”

It seemed to be as simple as a job could possibly be. Judging by the fact that Parker had worked  there since he was 14 seemed to indicate that this job wouldn’t need any experience. And the shifts were only 1-2 hours a day, so it would be a perfect job to have while in school.  It was August at the time, and I was going to be turning 17 by the end of the month without getting my drivers license or my first job, so this was as good an opportunity as I could get to cross one of those off my list.

“Would it be easy to get a job there?”

“Yeah, all you need to do is go to the Jordan School District website and fill out an application there.”

After a fun day with them, I got dropped off at my house, went through the door and immediately sat down in front of my computer and typed in the address to the Jordan School District's website. I filled out the application and had it submitted. All that was left was the waiting game. Parker couldn’t remember how long it took for him, but McKay said it took a few months before he was notified about his application. I wanted to get working right away, so this was the most stressful part of this whole experience. I wasn’t sure how the whole Covid situation would affect things … if they would need more workers as cleaning was more of an issue now, or if schools would move online again, and there wouldn’t be a need for junior custodians.

On September 4, just a few weeks after I sent in my application, I got a message from John, the supervisor, saying that he wanted to meet with me. It wasn’t necessarily an “interview,” it was more a quick rundown of what to expect from the job. After that, the only thing left before starting my first job was sweeper training.

My sweeper training happened on September 22, and the purpose of this was to show the basics of all of the routes we may be doing; light duty, vacuums; and bathrooms. After all of that, I was finally able to start working. I started as a sub, just filling in when needed, but it wasn’t long before I got my own route and was working every day.

I take off the straps off of my vacuum, then empty the contents from an hour worth of vacuuming into the trash. I get to the main office and punch in my code a second time so I could end my shift. It is very strange how an experience shared by millions of others could have wildly different outcomes and impacts. What so many people will remember about this time period is how unemployment was high, but what I will remember from 2020 is that it’s when I got my first job.

**********************************************

Cooper ended up showcasing his work as part of a project for history as well ...

You can see the full project on the Westra Way blog. 

February 2021

 

February ... a short month! There was a lot of basketball, and a birthday, some snow and a little rearranging. Girl scout cookies were delivered .... mmmm, Tagalongs! The folks finished up their two Covid vaccinations and felt like they could leave the house, so we had them over for dinner and games. Here's a closer look at some of the happenings this month...

• Basketball: Colton and the West Jordan Jags had their second round of region games (Hunter, Kearns, Tville, Granger & Cyprus). Colton played Sophomore and JV, and got a few Varsity minutes too. The folks tuned in to some of the games, as they were streaming on YouTube. Colton also played with the Freshmen team, who hadn't had a great season, but ended up winning the championship in the President's Day tournament. Then there were two games for the State tournament, and WJ got eliminated playing the #1 seed. Time to turn in all nine jersey sets! Can't believe the season is over. Colton will be playing with a WJ Freshman team, and back with his Wolves.
• GetAways: Landon and Sol had a week in Mexico, and Gray had a few days in St. George for RZR riding. Closer to home, Cal and Kate took advantage of the snow for some sledding, and snowmobiling.
• Weather: The "dirty snow" that fell in early February will be remembered for a while. Catching dust and dirt as it fell, cars were coated and the car washes were overwhelmed for days! Then there was a storm warning mid-month, and there was a lot of snow (but our schools didn't cancel ... Zumba was canceled that day). 
• Eating Out: Gray and I got out to Mountain Mikes for Valentine's Day (a little tradition, as it's generally not as booked as most places) and then the whole family got out to Olive Garden for Cal's b-day celebration.
• Birthdays: Cal turned 22. In addition to dinner, Landon made a cake - completely vegan!
• Cooking: Definitely NOT vegan ... Gray tried out a few new types of beef, and shrimp and scallops and chicken. Bacon-wrapped a few of those items (bacon-wrapped chicken is a new family favorite). The folks got to enjoy some of Gray's cooking when we had them out at the end of the month.
• Basement Rearrange: With our TV going out last month, we replaced it ... and then after contacting the company, they replaced it too. We had an extra TV now. Keaton moved the smaller TV that had been in the big basement room to his room, and we got a new console for the bigger television. Getting rid of the old entertainment set, we moved things around ... better for ping pong, without so many obstacles for the balls to hide behind. There has been ping pong playing almost every day. 

Jen joined the eating/exercise train back mid-October ... with IMF (intermittent fasting), calorie control (quantity at least, quality is always an issue) and working out, she's down 35 pounds. Coop has been wearing his Fitbit and getting his steps in and has seen some success on the scale. Grayson got inspired and started improving his food and fitness and has already seen and felt a change. We're all still working on it with a ways to go, but February was good for Food and Fitness. Even with Girl Scout cookies coming *Ü*

One Second Every Day - https://youtu.be/qQE2ViSzvF0

 

January 2021

 

It's a new month in a new year. People were hoping that 2020 was going to be all hindsight, and that things would improve with a new president and a Covid vaccine on the horizon. January had its moments though! An almost insurrection at the capital, Bernie Memes, and amateur investors buying GameShare stock overtook the internet this month! Closer to home ...

• Virtual Reality: The Occulus (Christmas gift from GraysonSanta) has been a hit. The boys look pretty funny when they have the headset on and are flailing around. Keaton has added after-market accessories and "moded" it so that they can get a lot more songs for the "Beat Saber" game. There's also an "acorn" game that multiple people can play on their phones while one (the tree) wears the device.
• Getaways: Gray got away twice ... once to Bear Lake (checking out a friend's cabin) and to visit family in Seattle. Cal and Kate hit sunny St. George. Landon and Sol left for a vacation in Mexico (more on that next month I'm sure). 
• Eye Issues: Jen has been struggling (almost a year now, coming and going) with the skin around her eyes. It was especially bad this month. Maybe an allergy to eyeliner? She has been going without makeup, which is easier with Covid limiting social stuff, but ... forever? Also ... sitting in the stands watching basketball games, Jen has realized that she can no longer see clearly. Everyone is blurry! She's outlasted all the Westra Siblings when it comes to getting glasses. Did you know Gray has glasses (he only needs them for viewing distance also, but he does wear them for watching TV). 
• Basketball: Jen has been getting out to basketball games, only missing one night so far (in Farmington, Gray hit that one, just five minutes away from his work). Colton has been getting a lot of playing time in the sophomore and JV games, and has played some varsity (he even started one game!) Most of the games are streamed, and Jen is recording and making highlight reels. Jen even stopped by Cal and Kate's house on the way home from a game (it was on the way!)
• Fitbits: One reason Jen stopped by Cal and Kate's, was Cal had texted saying his Fitbit strap had broken. Of course, Jen had extras, so, she wanted him to be back in business, as he's the only one still wearing a Fitbit (even Dad/Grandpa switched to an Apple Watch!). BUT ... Cooper asked for his and has been wearing it again! He's been hitting the treadmill, and he and Jen play ping pong almost every day. Cooper said "I've noticed on the days we don't play ping pong, it's detrimental to my step count!" *Ü*
• Kitty: Our Joy goes into heat here and there ... she's normally uber ornery, and only Cooper and Keaton can touch her. When she's in heat though, she wants love from everyone, ALL the time! She's very vocal too, meowing and moaning, sometimes all night. It's adorably irritating. It seems like she's been in heat this entire month! 
• Cars: The Durango had a tire losing air (slow leak) so into the shop for a repair. Of course then it was recommended that new tires be purchased, and it wasn't just a sales-push, they did need it. Now there are new tires on the car. Colton also practiced his driving and has been taking practice tests for whenever Jen gets around to scheduling an appointment at the DMV. Maybe Cooper will try for a permit too?
• Work: Gray's work continues to be busy. He got a salary bump this month. Landon has moved to a salaried position. Cal and Keaton continue all electrical. Coop had just been a sub at his cleaning job (guaranteed one day, and he almost always picked up more shifts). He is now officially on the job Mon-Fri. 
• School: Colton's semester ended and with some class changes, he now only has three in-person classes (moved one more online, just scheduling issues). So his pickup is earlier each day now. Coop has started some new classes this semester too. The all-online schooling is going good.
• TV Troubles: Our TV had been getting darker and darker, until one morning, it was SO dark it was almost impossible to tell if it was on or off. At about two years old, we had a couple warranty options (we had bought a SquareTrade warranty, bought it from Costco Concierge ... but when reaching out directly to TCL, they are covering it ... repair didn't work so a new TV is being sent out). 
• Food: Gray has been making fried rice fairly often,  and made shrimp one night too. He even tossed it to Coop and Colton just like at Tepanyaki! He smoked a bunch of meat for french dip sandwiches and made Philly Cheesesteaks. Fancy hot dogs with all the fixings. Gray's (well, Pioneer Woman's) tatertot casserole has been a hit, so Jen has now made it too. Made Ziti (one gluten-free for Grandpa) and lasagna. Homemade Oreos, and Wacky Cake (that was actually part of a school project for Cooper ... it's also called "Depression Cake" as it was made during that time when supplies were scarce, as it has no milk or eggs in it). It was also National Chocolate Cake Day ... really! We started off the New Year with the famous Blackham Pastry Wreath, Clayton continuing Pammy's tradition that goes back years and years.

Covid 2020

  Oh, the memes!

I titled this post "Covid 2020" ... although of course it's actually Covid-19, as the first cases were documented there at the end of 2019. But it was 2020 when most people realized that this coronavirus was going to impact everyone and everything. 

It was just a little ironic ...

As the year started, "Coronavirus" and "Covid-19" was something many people had heard of, but it was something that was a world away. It got closer. It was January when the news announced that the first case was here in the states. In March, there was a case in Utah. Still, it didn't seem real. 

It was March 11 when Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive, and the NBA shut down. (All other sports would follow suit. There was no "March Madness" and the NFL draft was done virtually, no school or community competitions allowed. The 2020 Olympics were postponed). In the following days, everything changed. Schools attempted to move to online learning, churches and temples shut their doors, missionaries came home and countries closed their borders. Employers transitioned to "work at home" for all who could. For a time, playgrounds were taped off. Funerals and weddings could only allow limited attendance. No big graduation ceremony for college/high school seniors. Drive-by parades became the only sort of celebration.

Restaurants were open only for take-out (this was encouraged, to help keep the economy going). Movie theaters, gyms, libraries, salons ... all closed. Disneyland closed and the Las Vegas strip shut down. Only "essential" businesses are allowed to remain open, and most would offer "contactless" shopping (order online and pickup). "Essential Worker" was a new buzzword, as was "social distancing".  Other phrases: out of an abundance of caution, super-spreader, uncertain times, flatten the curve, contact tracing, bubble, quaran-team, remote learning, new normal, "blursday" (as time lost its meaning), Zoom and P.P.E (personal protective equipment).

Stores and supplies were hit hard. There were shortages of sanitizer, disinfectant ... toilet paper. Many food items would be very hit and miss, and there were limits placed on most items. Pasta, yeast, flour, sugar, milk, bread. You never knew if you'd be able to get what you wanted/needed. Stores that had previously been open 24-hours now closed for cleaning, rest and restocking. For a time, the number of customers was capped. There were lines outside Costo. There were arrows indicating one-way aisles. Soon masks were mandatory, and there were plexi-glass dividers between workers and customers. Home delivery became very popular! There were other shortages ... bikes, trampolines, game systems, home gym equipment. Almost everything was affected, timelines for manufacturing and shipping were much slower. There was an aluminum shortage that affected cans of soda. Even money ... a coin shortage!

Masks, gloves, face shields, respirators ... there wasn't enough to go around. There was a lot of back and forth about masks. First saying that PPE should be preserved for the medical community, that they weren't really effective for the general public. Many doctors/dentists shut down ("telemed" appointments were encouraged) for all but emergency services, as much to control materials as contact.  People started sewing handmade cloth masks, but there were then shortages of elastic and fabric and it was still questioned if they provided protection. The thought was that wearing a mask may not protect the wearer as much as those around them. "I wear my mask for you, you wear your mask for me."  A few months in, and masks were mandatory and were being sold everywhere. Reusable (washable) fabric masks and disposable - the more protective N95 masks continued to be in short supply. SO much contention and politicizing of masks and procedures.

As things escalated in March, the Governor of Utah issued a "Stay safe, stay at home" directive for two weeks. Only essential movement outside of the home. This was an attempt to "flatten the curve", knowing that there still would be spread, but trying to control/slow it so that the hospitals would not become overwhelmed. Some obeyed, some pushed back. 

Restaurants, gyms and salons opened up again, with restrictions and safety protocols in place. Many people went back to work, but "work at home" will likely never be as limited, often still an option. Some businesses did not survive the shutdown, and unemployment/layoffs were issues for many. A stimulus package put money into most American's bank accounts ($1200). The NBA finally finished the season, with the players staying in a "bubble" with no contact with the world outside. School started up again in August. The Salt Lake School District was only online, but all the other school districts offered options for online or in-person learning. The kids had to wear masks. There were many quarantines and school shut-downs as positive cases were tracked. 

In the Spring, everyone watched as the numbers of cases increased ... in Utah, cases topped 100, then 200. Then there were 500 cases in a day. At first, testing was limited. Specific criteria had to be met; certain symptoms, travel from certain locations or contact with a positive person. Still there were long lines for an uncomfortable test (nasal swab). Soon there were options for a saliva test. Tests were required for travel and before medical procedures. As school started, there was required testing (every two weeks) for college students and student-athletes. Now, the norm for daily positive cases was in the thousands (2000-5000), with a number of covid-related deaths reported daily as well. Controversy and conspiracy theories were everywhere (the "plandemic", it's all a ruse, EVERY death is counted as Covid, people are testing positive who didn't take the test, it's all so the government can take away all our freedoms, the virus was made in a lab and released, everything should open/herd immunity, masks are dangerous or just don't work, this medication or that could be a cure, it's just the flu, etc, etc.) There was some good too though, as people attempted to work together, and there were many stories of environmental recovery. 

As time went on, most hospitals were at capacity and doctors and nurses were exhausted. Some states had crises earlier on (New York was hit hard in April/May) and every state was attempting control in their own way (as were countries around the world). The Governor of Utah set a second two-week shutdown mid-November. People were encouraged not to gather with family for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  As the year ended, a few companies had come out with vaccines, which were starting to be distributed (more controversy), but no one really knows how effective they will be, or if people will even remain immune after recovering from the virus. But there is a feeling of hope ...

Some days, life still felt normal (especially for introverts) ... 

Other days you'd open your eyes and see how odd it all was!

Check out this TIMELINE.

In the Blackham home ... there were no Covid-cases in 2020, although it did hit the extended family. I was a little surprised, as we weren't super careful, still out and about for the most part. Grayson, Landon and Callahan kept working. Keaton's job (Nike) closed, so he immediately went to work with Callahan/Camsen again. Sol (ortho unit at the U) kept working, but all the libraries closed, so Kate was unemployed. Colton is ever adaptable, and handled the school/sport/social shut down better than I'd expected. Things didn't really change for Coop much, as he was already online and didn't go out much. He would miss movies with Landon and Sol. Jen's Zumba was affected, stopping as the churches closed ... then she started teaching a couple outdoor classes a week once the weather warmed up. There was one church building that allowed their small Zumba class to continue when Fall rolled around. Colton ended up quarantined once, and Gray self-quarantined a couple times, getting a test done twice. Sol and Kate got tested - but no one else really had close enough contact or any symptoms. Cal and Kate had a Covid wedding, with reduced attendance. When school started up, Cooper was online again (and would have been regardless) but Colton went hybrid (four classes in person, three online) although that was more because of basketball than Covid concerns. Life went on ...

... and did I mention the memes?

See my Meme Album here.

Almost 400+ playful peeks at the pandemic.

#jenBsbooks 2020

 

I think everyone will say that 2020 was an unexpected and odd year. Definitely not normal! When Covid started to shut down everything, I wasn't sure how that would impact my reading. I was already a digital girl, so the libraries closing their doors didn't impact me as much as those who still checked out books physically. On one hand, I had MORE time to read, but on the other hand, I wasn't doing many of the things (driving, games, practices, shopping) that were my multi-tasking/audiobook times. Overall, I think it was a wash, and while I didn't get in quite as many books as last year, I still got a lot.

 

I would create a monthly recap - a picture collage with the covers, and stats (see them below) ... if I read the Kindle copy or listened to the audiobook (if it was KindleUnlimited, I had both options and would often switch between the two, although marking those as "audio" still). Where I got the book ... from the library, from KU, if it was a copy given to me for review. I bought a few (a very few!) With SO many books out there, I haven't been much of a re-reader these last years. I switched that up this year, and started listening to some old favorites I'd read previously. I also decided not to feel bad about not finishing a book if I wasn't enjoying it.

I track these things on different GoodReads shelves, as well as the categorizing the book by type (fantasy, dystopian, historical, etc). I LOVE GoodReads. It helps keep me organized, and I am a numbers nerd. I did a #jenBsbooks2020 post for my personal blog and you can check out the GoodReads recap HERE.

Bring on the books for 2021! But here's a scroll through last year ...

Blackham 2020 Recap

Hindsight is 2020 ... and looking back on the year, 2020 will be remembered most for Covid-19. That virus made such an impact, that it gets it's own post here on the blog (Covid 2020). It topped the news, even over an earthquake, hurricane-force winds and an insane election year. Here's a peek closer to home, at what was going on with the Blackham Bunch.

• Landon and Sol started off the year buying a new home! The papers were signed in January and they moved in February. Landon continued working at LKL, but was promoted and got use of a work truck (which is very helpful in their one-car situation). Sol continued working in the ortho unit at the hospital, and became a plant momma (in addition to their two dogs/two cats and some fosters).
• Cal and Kate had a big year. It started off on the wrong foot, literally. Cal stepped off a ladder at work and broke his foot. Again. Back to crutches and a boot. Cal moved forward at Camsen Electric, becoming a team leader (with a company van) and passed his residential journeyman exam. We had a WEDDING. He and Kate bought a house and got married in June.
• Keaton's Spring school and work had Covid complications. His college courses moved online, and Nike stores shut down. Cal said they could use him at Camsen, so Keaton immediately went to work full-time and ended up staying there, quitting Nike when the store eventually opened back up. Keaton was made a team leader and given a work van too. He bought his first car, bought a "purple" bed and bought LOTS of shoes!
• Cooper was already in online school, so the pandemic changes didn't affect him much. He avoided haircuts for a while, getting shaggier than any Blackham boy has ever been, before letting Keaton give him a buzz. He started wearing a cap constantly after that (not because of that, he just got the cap shortly afterward). Coop reconnected with some friends over the summer, and got his first job (school sweeper). He loves watching Ludwig on Twitch. Ping pong made a comeback at the end of the year, and he participated in the fantasy football league with Uncle Kolby again ... and WON again! $600!
• Colton still got in a bit of basketball despite some Covid cancelations. He finished up his season with the West Jordan 8th grade team, and played with his Wolves quite a bit, including a travel tournament in Idaho. In the fall he made the high school basketball team. With the rest of Utah, he finished his school year online. For 9th-grade, he got on a hybrid schedule, four in-person classes and three online classes (although this was more for basketball scheduling than Covid concerns). At Joel P Middle, with basketball class at the high school on A days.
• Grayson has been busier than ever at work - crazy busy, but there was financial compensation for all his extra hours. He still found some time for his getaways (Seattle, California, Moab, St. George, Bear Lake) and trips to Pineview with the wave runners. He said goodbye to the Sequoya and bought a big black truck. A new grill was added to the garage kitchen, and Tepanyaki style rice was added to the recipe repertoire. 
• Jen is still Zumba-ing (although it has been a lot less with Covid cancelations) and working out at home. After hitting a new high with weight, she had some small success on the scale in the last quarter of the year. She feels a little like she's in high school again, as she helps keep Coop on track with his studies. Lots of books and blogging (added Westra blogs) ... delving into some family history as well. No duck duty this year, but still grew a garden and spent some time on home renovation prep. 

Gadgets - Added the Occulus at the end of the year. It's another VR set, and the kids have been enjoying it. Coop had really got into Ring Fit on the Switch in January ... but it only lasted one month. Gray switched back to an iphone, and Keaton and Jen got new phones too (with Colton getting Keaton's old 11). Keaton lost his Fitbit, Colton/Cooper didn't wear theirs much. Only Cal was still competing with Mom. Jen added an Oura ring (after the Motiv died) and Amazon Halo devices ... can you have too many trackers?

Getaways - Gray likes to get away, and he did almost every month. A trip to Seattle in January. St. George in February, California with work buddies in March (right before Covid really hit). St. George again in May/September and December. Moab in June, August and September (Keaton went with him that trip). At least seven waverunning getaways (mostly Pineview) and then Bear Lake.

Group Gatherings - We had New Year's pastry wreath with the Blackhams. K&J came into town for the wedding, so there was another Blackham Bash in June. Father's Day with the Westras. Sam's baptism, Thanksgiving and Christmas with the Blackham side, but Covid canceled a planned Westra reunion in the summer and the annual Christmas Eve party. 

Home Sweet Home - As Cal moved out, water damage in the wall of his room was uncovered. That lead to a bunch of renovations. Drywall the damage, then paint. We went ahead and painted the whole basement, and then decided to do the upstairs too. New carpet in the basement. New lights and outlets (we have two electricians in the family after all). Lots of purging and donating and organizing (Jen got rid of all her scrapbook stuff). New beds for all the boys (that actually happened early on) room rearranging (Keaton downstairs in Cal's old room, Keaton's room now a computer room for the boys).  New washer/dryer, and downstairs fridge. Dishwasher repaired. The elliptical broke, and we looked into a new one, but decided on a repair for the Nautilus. LOTS of work on Maga's house too, then it was sold (Ana's family moved to a townhouse nearby, and Olivia to a condo in Daybreak) and the estate divided and distributed. 

Dogs Next Door - Cooper helped out the neighbors a few times, taking care of their dog when they would have a weekend out of down. Another neighbor hired him for some doggie daycare as well. Both dogs were named Remi! Next door Remi had puppies, and it was a puppy summer as we'd go over to play with them and watch how quickly they grew!

Cars - Keaton was without transport since the truck accident at the end of 2019. The repair ended up turning into "totaled" and now Keaton needed a car. We borrowed Grandpa's little blue truck for a bit ... Keaton learned how to drive a stick shift. He finally found a car he liked, but it couldn't be easy! It was a complicated purchase, then Covid shut everything down and the registration dragged on, the title never came in ... finally it was DONE but it was May before he was legal and registered. The driveway was full with Cal's van and charger, Gray's vehicle and trailer, and Keaton's car. Then Cal married, taking two vehicles ... which left the trailer open - and it was stolen. Gray switched out the Sequoia for a new Ford F-150, and then Keaton came home with a Camsen van. Cal had gotten into a car accident earlier in the year (similar to Keaton's last year, someone turning left in front of him) but was in the work van, not his car. Cooper has still shown no interest in driving. Colton turned 15 at the end of the year, so we'll be looking to getting his learner's permit.

WaveRunners - Lots of summer fun at Pineview. Trips with Kate's family and Sol's family and going with Symphony work friends. Dragged the machines to Bear Lake for a final weekend of fun ... and they wouldn't start! Jen and Coop didn't make it to the lake this year.

Derby Days - Gray got in a couple of derbies in January, and had a few scheduled for the year, although nothing like normal (before the whole church/scout breakup). But then ... Covid pretty much canceled everything. All the church buildings were closed, and scout/church/group gatherings were not happening. Gray rented a bigger storage unit and that's where the derby stuff is for now.

Entertainment - Jen hadn't been out to the movies in years ... but ironically hit TWO movies in January. The boys probably would have watched quite a few, but Covid shut everything down. The theaters AND Hollywood. The boys still made it to a few movies here and there. Gray even rented out a theater for work parties a couple times during the year. Gray and Jen went to Hale with Scott's crew.  We got Disney+ streaming (first season of "The Mandelorian" early in 2020, second season at the end, "Hamilton" in the middle and Jen got caught up on Marvel movies). While there are now dozens of separate streaming services, Netflix and Amazon provide plenty (with some favorites recorded to keep). 

Games - Lots of games going on! Bought a new card table, and then a new eight-sided table at the end of the year. Jackbox is still good for group fun. New game additions were Exploding Kittens, Poetry for Neandrathols, You've Got Crabs, ThrowThrowBurrito and Secret Hitler. Old favorites still enjoyed are Monopoly, Sorry, Ticket to Ride, CTM, The Great Dalmuti, Pirate, Racko and Sharp Shooters. Pokemon made a comeback with the kids, played on the old gameboys. Ping pong was popular again, especially with Cooper and Mom. Colton had basketball games year-round, even with Covid going on. Keaton and Callahan had groups that they would get together with ... but Covid (and the church buildings) did shut those pick-up games down. 

Food - Eating out was down with Covid concerns - we still had several family trips to Tepanyaki, although with Gray's addition of the garage grill and his own fried rice, who knows if that will continue to be as popular as we get so spoiled. There was still quite a bit of take-out ... Chick-fil-a, Popeyes and Little Caesars (pizza was pretty much a staple this year). Grayson made yummy cheese puff bites, breakfast casserole and continued with all things sous vide and smoked. Landon has still enjoyed baking, and Cooper tried his hand at making some breakfast sandwiches. 

Medical - There was the broken foot, again. Seriously? Jen struggled with eye issues (redness, swelling and she does need to get in to get glasses) and had some dental work done. Keaton had some chest pain, and then some skin issues. Cooper and Colton had skin issues too. Gray finished the year with stomach pain and fever (stressful during Covid, but his test was negative).

As mentioned ... Covid-19 was the big news story across the nation and the world. There were also fires in Australia, and Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash (I remember Cooper was the first to notice that on his phone and tell us all). Here in the U.S., there was also the ELECTION. Would Trump get re-elected? He didn't, but he didn't accept the results, said they were wrong, that there had been fraud. There were also protests and riots and a big Black Lives Matter movement. Here in Utah, we had another BIG SNOW, which resulted in a "snow day" for the schools (but not for Cooper, as he was online anyway). Then, there was an EARTHQUAKE. While it wasn't huge (5.7) it definitely shook up an already on-edge population! There were some WILDFIRES as well, causing concern and evacuations, although California had it worse. The smoke turned the skies red. Late summer, wild WINDS were forecast and they toppled trucks and a few unlucky neighborhoods were without power for a couple weeks. In our immediate area, there was a bomb scare (a house filled with explosives causing evacuations) and an airplane crash in the neighborhood next door

December 2020

 

At the Blackham home, we wait until after Thanksgiving to put up the Christmas decorations. Actually, we waited quite a while, and weren't sure we were even going to get the tree up at all. But we did get it up and decorated. Stockings hung and many a Hallmark movie watched (well, just by Jen, all while down in the home gym while working out). 

December also brought BASKETBALL. Tryouts happened quickly right after Thanksgiving. Colton is a freshman, but will be playing Sophomore and JV for the most part. He has played in a few of the freshman games, and has played a bit in a couple varsity games (he even started once already!) Each team has different uniforms, and each team has two (home and away) so Colton has NINE jersey/short sets (varsity has three sets). He got #5 for freshman/sophomore/JV and is #4 for varsity, as a senior already claimed that number. Only parents can come cheer, but often the schools will stream the games live - and Jen is trying to make her highlight reels too. It's been good to get back to games.

As a student-athlete, Colton has to take a rapid-covid test every two weeks. There have been some cases popping up. The team had to sit out the Christmas tournament when a few Varsity players got sick. Gray spiked a fever on Christmas Eve, his test came back negative (the fever is related to some stomach issues) but it did scare away our married kids for Christmas Day celebrations (we just had a quick drive-bye gift exchange). Sol was able to get the first dose of the vaccine. 

Colton had a birthday ... 15 years old! He can get his learner's permit and start practicing behind the wheel. We had some ice cream cake, and a yummy trip to Tepanyaki. The boys love the fried rice there, and Gray has been practicing and perfecting fried rice at home on his new grill. He also tried philly cheesesteaks. Jen got him the chef's hat for Christmas ;)

Earlier in the month, Grayson had a little getaway to St. George. Cal and Kate went there at the end of the month. Gray and the boys (Landon, Keaton and Uncle Adrian) spent a Saturday morning at the shooting range, and we got together with the extended Blackham Bunch for a Christmas celebration with soup/breadsticks and Bingo. 

The Oculus (a virtual reality gaming system) was the big gift for the boys this year. Keaton and Cooper really enjoy it, and Landon has played it more than Colton (just a little funny because Landon doesn't actually live here). Ping pong has still been a bit hit at the house ... lots of ball bopping going on. Coop even got Gray and Cal to play him (and Coop won three begedas from Cal in a bet.  A "begeda" is a type of Blackham currency ... but an exchange of three of them is a pretty big deal!) Cooper also won big in his Fantasy Football league. His Uncle Kolby got him involved last year. It's a men's league with decent stakes. Last year it was a $50 entry fee, but Coop walked away with the $300 first prize. They doubled up this year. $100 to participate ... and $600 for first place. Kolby has been doing this league for a while and said no one has ever won twice in a row before. 

Here's our monthly 1-second-every-day Video

... so that wraps up December, AND 2020. With the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn creating the "Christmas Star" will 2021 be a promising new year?

November 2020

 

November ... besides birthdays and Thanksgiving, what else was going on with the Blackham Bunch?

• Advancing Electricians: Callahan passed his test and is now an official residential journeyman. Keaton wasn't sold on sticking around as an apprentice, working during the cold winter, but when he mentioned his possible leaving to his bosses, they countered with a raise, made him a team leader (so there is a work van in our driveway again) and even offered to let him work just finishes (when the houses are closer to being done, closed up and a bit warmer). So ... Keaton decided to stick it out. He spent quite a bit of time cleaning out and organizing his tools and the van.
• Food Phases: Little Caesar's pizza is a staple at our house ... it's just such a quick and easy leftover for the kids. Jen loves the Italian Cheese Bread. Coop watched a food video about a french toast sandwich which he's been making for breakfast fairly often ... sometimes it sticks. Gray's latest new thing is a grill (in the garage) and he made some fried rice that was close to that of Tepanyaki (which is a family favorite).
• Eating Out: We went out to Tepanyaki with the whole crew to celebrate the November birthdays. We got it in right before the Govorner's announcement recommending contact only within households.
• Fishing and Fields of Geese: Gray's work buddies took him fishing for a birthday getaway, and we had to stop and grab a picture when we saw a field full of geese (at the old corn maze by our house). Gray loves geese. He doesn't really like fish (he's allergic).
• Skin Issues and Annual Exams: As mentioned last month, we've been having some skin issues. Keaton's cleared up, and I used the same medication on Cooper and that seemed to help. He's still got some shadows of spots on his arms and legs, they might be scars ... I'm so glad that the ones on his face cleared up completely (he had a LOT). Colton then developed a strange infection around a scratch on his thigh. It has cleared up, but again ... you can still see where it was. I got both boys in to the doctor for their annual exams, and to just double-check the skin stuff. 
• Pickleball and Ping Pong: Cal and Kate have been enjoying pickleball. There is a court quite close, and I happened to be driving by when I saw them arriving to play one day! At our house, ping pong has made a complete comeback (after no one playing for months). One day Cooper and I played for an hour, and he plays with Keaton and Colton too. And Joy - she likes to jump up on the table and bat the ball. 
• Other Games: Landon still comes over, for lunch and games. Some of the favorites are: Secret Hitler, Exploding Kittens, CTM, The Great Dalmudi, Sorry and of course Jackbox games!
• Plant Momma: Sol is a plant mommy, with a bunch of babies that she cares for at her house. She noticed one of my plants had outgrown its pot, and she had to come back the next day and repot it into something bigger so the roots had room to grow. The basket I received just over a year ago from the folks (at Pammy's funeral) is still looking large and lovely.
• Maga's House: After a year to let the girls settle, the guys felt it was time for some closure. There was a lot of work in the past month and more getting the house ready to sell, and it was only on the market for a day or so. Ana's family moved into a little townhome nearby and Olivia got a condo in Daybreak. The estate was divided and distributed. 
• Covid: Colton got the "quarantine" call and did school from home for two weeks. He went back for two whole days before the whole school shifted to online learning for two weeks. Gray had another possible exposure at work and did a self-quarantine for a couple days, working from home. 
• Jen's Exercise/Eating: I recommitted to attempting to lose the Covid 15 (and what was gained before that) and am back on IMF (intermittent fasting), counting calories, and upping the exercise. And down that first 15 ... Too cold for outdoor Zumba anymore. One small Zumba class still had permission to use the church gym (our Mon class, and we added Wednesdays) but we did stop for a couple weeks after the Governor's and the Church's announcements - But, we've been allowed back in! I'm lucky as I have a complete home gym anyway, but it's nice to get in a solid hour, keep up my memory of the routines and see friends (even if we don't ever get that close).  
• Basketball: Tryouts had to be postponed (they were going to happen Monday, November 9, but then there was the Governor's announcement). They were allowed back in the schools at the end of the month, so tryouts were the 24/25 and Colton made the team. He'll be playing sophomore, JV and dressing for Varsity if they need him there. Colton will have to have the rapid Covid test every two weeks (he has his first one this morning). Unlike October, there were NO games in November. The first game is Monday, and there is a good chance they are streaming all the games this year (only parents allowed to attend in person). 

As mentioned ... there were birthdays and Thanksgiving. We did gather with Clay's family, but they just had Covid last month, so it should have been pretty safe ;)  And that's what's up with The Blackham Bunch! In National news ... there was election day and Biden topped Trump in the count. 

October 2020

 

And October has ended ... Halloween finished up the month. We had had a small family gathering for pizza and games, putting the candy on the front porch (until one little boy just took it all, caught it on the Ring camera). Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin painting and a pizza jack-o-lantern. The weather turned cold, and frost killed all the plants. I'd picked all the tomatoes beforehand and gave almost all of them away. What else went on this month?

• Covid Concerns: West Jordan High School switched to online-only for almost all of October. Colton takes one class at the high school, and the "open gym" basketball had to cancel. Grayson had a Covid contact and quarantined himself to be on the safe side while awaiting a test (it was negative). He can work from home, and the commute and dress code are much simpler ;) Covid hit Clay's whole family but they have all recovered fine.
• Skin Stuff: Keaton got hit with a couple weird rashes. One on his stomach, and one under his arm. We ended up using the "telemed" option our insurance offers, and with a couple of prescriptions, they have cleared up. Now Cooper has little sores all over so I may have to call or take him in. 
• Home Improvement: Grayson redid his garage a while back, but has yet to add a cool finish to the ceiling and floor. He has a plan for the top, and part of that was redoing the garage door openers. There are no longer boxes and a bar across the top of the garage, it's all on the side now. Our dishwasher went out, so we were handwashing for a week before we could get that repaired. Of all appliances to not work, the dishwasher IS the easiest to work around. 
• Basketball: LOTS of basketball this month for Colton ... that happens when you are on three different teams. I think he had 16 games this month.

Coop has continued to work most days. Just an hour or two. The first quarter ended and both boys got all As. We voted ... Kate made sure of that! She waited while Keaton and I filled out our ballots, and then took the envelopes to a drop-off location.  I'm still leading Zumba three days a week. Gray has been extra busy, as the Blackhams are working to sell Pammy's house. It's been a year now.