Simone's Climbing Regionals

 Simone and Jared headed to Boise this weekend for her climbing Regionals!  It was a great comp.  She had some really tough boulders but she flashed three of the four and got all but the very last move on the other.  

She took 2nd place.  Her team is super stacked at always.  Regionals comprised multiple states and the Team Momentum girls took almost all of the spots to move onto divisionals.

Her next Comp is in Oakland!  We hope everything goes well because the county where Divisionals will be held implemented a vaccine mandate at the last minute and a lot of athletes (including us) had to get a waiver and I'm hoping it all goes smoothly.  Cause competing in Nationals depends on her Divisionals in Oakland.  She's worked really hard for this.

Testing Testing

If you want to know who is using up all the rapid tests, its us!

Saturday was my MRI.  I was trying to be all low-key about it and I honestly put it out of mind until I had my appt.  

Anyway, the next day I had a headache which I read can be normal from an MRI with dye.  Even some gastro issues.  But it could also be just the extra stress and not being able to sleep.

So I didn't think too much of it.  Until I got a little sore throat.  Then Soren did too.  So we all took the at home tests.  Which were negative.  A couple days later Miles had a headache.  He had already been home from school the day before to get some vending machine stuff done.  So then we went to the very long mile line of testing (because I didn't know what my options were even) and got another test just to be sure.

Miles came back positive.  I was again negative.  Not super surprised Miles has been sick off and on since getting mono last summer and went to a school dance on Saturday where he said he knew lots of people had recently tested positive.  So he's quarantined to his room and/or the basement.  I figured I'd let Soren be his quarantine buddy so they can get it out of the way at the same time.

I got another PCR test this time (on the exact same day as my negative rapid test from the testing place with Miles) because now I'm paranoid that I might have omicron but getting a false negative.  Plus now I've been exposed to Miles so I have to stay home anyway.  

Three days later and we were all still negative via the at home tests.  Miles still positive.  Plus I got my T-detect T-cell test back and I'm still positive for t-cell immunity.  Which doesn't mean I can't get omicron, I know.  

We had to be very careful to have Simone stay away from us so that she could go to her comp in Boise!  Despite all my negative tests, I sent Jared with her just to be on the safe side.  

Finally on Monday (five days later!) I got my PCR results and they were positive for the test I'd taken the previous Wednesday.  Good thing I stayed home!  The good news I guess is after waiting so long I was already feeling great again and done with quarantine!

Now I'm worried Soren got a false negative and Jared took all the kids to get PCR tests.  Then today I had Simone take another rapid test (very annoying app one and hard to find) and hers was again negative.

Its probably going to be another 4 days until we get PCR results back!  So I kinda hope they all come back positive because then at least I can rest easy knowing we all dealt with it already (again).  But who knows.  No one has been very sick and mostly just stuffy nose.  It was like having baby covid.  I did lose my taste and smell but just for one day.  Mildly stuffy, headache, gastro issues, and fatigue.  It wasn't fun, but it wasn't bad either.  Just makes you stir crazy to stay home so long.

**Update:  All the PCR tests came back positive!** Also, we may never be able to trust rapid tests now!  How were they so inaccurate?  It's weird.  Even from the same day we got different results.  I'll have to research.  

Anyway, I am glad to know that since we were sick anyway, at least we did get the positive tests and I don't have to worry about catching it during a difficult time we will likely have good protection for awhile.  

Also if you are interested at all about reinfection rates with Omicron, or how much protection the vaccines are giving, it is an interesting thing!  I've been reading all about it.  Here is one Swiss study that compares neutralizing antibodies vs different variants.  Its not real world application and it doesn't test T-cell immunity, etc.  But still interesting.

Until December 2021 I only knew a couple of people who had been infected twice.  But I started hearing that people we know with prior infection AND fully vaccinated and boosted were getting Omicron, which had been considered the highest level of immunity in the Israel data.  Anyway, kinda interesting.   According to the Swiss study, the neutralizing antibodies are 23-56 times less effective against Omicron than previous strains depending on the variant that you originally got.  The immune escape for the vaccine is 86%.  Vaccine plus natural infection is still the most potent, but diminished compared with Delta, etc.

"For Omicron, a stark loss of neutralizing activity of up to 46-fold or 86-fold was observed for both convalescent and vaccine sera, respectively. Thus, fold-change reduction was even higher in vaccine sera than in convalescent (previous infection) sera, although titer in vaccine sera were higher and therefore percentage of specimens with complete loss was lower (31% of specimens vs. 83%). A similar loss of neutralization capacity against Omicron was observed in other studies."

Sorens Goals

 

Well Soren had online school the other day because of the surge in Omicron.  It was fun to see what he is working on and I especially liked this goal essay he had to do. 

I love the confidence of little boys.  The part where he says, "I'm already pretty good at lacrosse" just makes me laugh.  The truth is all my kids have been pretty average at sports in 4th grade.  He is really just catching on to what he's supposed to do.  But I like that he thinks he's good.  I'm sure a big part of that is Jared's encouragement.

Anyway, the "math just keeps getting harder" also cracks me up.  He's right though.  It does.  

And today they went skiing and he got two more double blacks!  Last week he called us on the way home he was so excited about it.  So he reached his goal and he'll have to make a new one.  He and Miles have been about ten times now and it makes me pretty happy that they are having so much fun.  

Come on kids send me a better photo of Soren lol.  He looks less than happy.

We've started thinking ahead and realizing Miles will be heading out on a mission in a year and a half.  That isn't too much longer honestly.  I'm glad they are having these memories right now.

Another cute thing that happened is that Miles and Soren pooled their Christmas money and bought an Xbox.  I have never been a big fan of video games.  Here's the truth.  I'm a little distracted sometimes and I will hyper focus because that is how I compensate and Soren loves it when that happens and takes full advantage by watching TV all day.  So then adding video games to the mix just seems like a way to complicate my life even more.  But Miles is quite a salesman and he convinced me that Soren needs to learn some skills to be able to hang with the bros.  And that I should use video game time as motivation to get other things done.  And there are apparently parental controls.  Well hopefully it goes like that.  Anyway they were very excited and they've been playing together a lot this week.

And one more reason I love this is because Soren is our baby of the family.  He's not a big loud kid and sometimes it surprises me when he says (Or writes) what's on his mind.  Like there is more going on in there than I ever imagined.  Haha.  We need to let him grow up and realize that its happening! 

Christmas 2021

Not the greatest photo but I love their dual recliners, the spoon collection in the background.  Their home is always so comforting and such a warm, happy place to gather.  They don't just wave goodbye when we leave, but have always walked out of the house and down the front walk as they wave goodbye.  These two are really wonderful, loving people.

Monet loves Jareds new reMarkable!

Jared bought her this crazy hard puzzle.  Most of the dang thing was just blue sky.  So they went skiing and I thought I'd surprise her by getting some of it done.  Nope!  I only found four pieces.  I almost just "did her a favor" by throwing it away.  But I knew she would not like that after all.  haha.

The best part of Christmas was seeing the thoughtful gifts each kid bought for each other.  I loved seeing how excited they were to give each other their gifts.  They were very generous with each other.

Jared also really loves buying the kids Christmas presents.  He's funny because he wanted to stick to a budget this year.  And I was like of course, sure.  Good idea.  Then right before Christmas he goes out and buys all this stuff.  Definitely like him to wait til the last second, and then go all out.

And its like me to have a thoughtful list with the budget next to it and have asked each kid what they want and to be concerned about getting too much.

Anyway, they loved his gifts.  He has this source on eBay for jewelry that the girls all just love.  He picks out their rings and earrings and I think that's pretty brave and he feels proud because he nailed it.

The kids went skiing a few times together.  Which made for a very quiet house!  Which I didn't like.  I had no idea I have to buy my passes a week in advance now.   So I have to wait for the Christmas rush to be over to go with them.  That's okay though, I'm excited!  Happy they all loved skiing together so much and that we have this to look forward to.  

Christmas Eve we did gingerbread houses (just from the cheap kits) and played some wii games.  We have an ancient wii.  And its still going strong.

Christmas mid morning we go to Jared's mom's house for her big breakfast.  This year, Grandpa G had a heart attack a few days before Christmas.  He got all patched up with a quintuple bypass and was home with an amazing recovery by Christmas Eve.  We couldn't believe it.  We are all so lucky it was a mild heart attack because he was able to get to the hospital without being in too much distress.  Was even joking with the nurses.  They tested some enzymes I think and they were sky high.  He didn't even know he had heart disease.  His mom had the same surgery and lived a very long healthy life afterwards so we are hoping for the same for him.  They feel very blessed.  

Over the break we went to our traditional Salt Lake pre-Christmas shopping and downtown sleepover and that was super fun.

Other than that, we've just played games and did lots of puzzles and spent a lot of time at home!  

We ordered sushi for New Year's Eve.  And the kids went their separate ways.  Jared and I visited with his family in Provo and Soren watched a movie with his cousins.  Then we visited some friends and kinda felt bad leaving Soren with Simone and her friends.  But we came home to celebrate midnight with him and he looked a little impatient with us!  Haha!  He just wanted to play the VR and hang with the teens.

Updates

Updates!

So time for an update around here.  

Elise and Ethan:  I think its been months since I saw one without the other.  Probably just our girls breakfast!  They are so similar to each other its a little uncanny.  They are building a doTERRA team and really doing well. Spent all day yesterday brainstorming with Jared.  And they are starting a new semester with a ton of classes.  Elise and Monet have been working out together.

Monet:  Got straight A's!  (I count A- as A's still even though she doesn't).  I think it's cute how she loves to plan her week.  I asked her the other day now that she got a sub 3 marathon, what is the next goal?  She said it's more of a lifetime goal.  But she wants a 2:45.  I think she could do it!  She didn't even have a running coach and didn't do many workouts, and still managed that time.  Plus with age she could get even faster.  She's starting to run with the BYU Farm team which is basically kids who aren't officially on the team but do the workouts.  They even have track meets but they only meet twice a week so it isn't too intense.  It was so great to have Monet home for Christmas Break.  Lots of skiing, Settlers of Catan, puzzles, MarioKart etc.

Miles:  He wants to do the jumping field events in track, and I realized that I'm going to have his meets and Simone's meets in different places.  So I talked him into going back to Lone Peak.  I really wanted to have him and Simone in the same school.  He liked Skyridge too, but I think once he realized it wasn't that hard to go back (plus for sports his transfer didn't get approved anyway) he thought that sounded like the best option.  But also it takes a good year to really make friends and he was just coming home for lunch.  I hate to see that since off campus lunch was one of the best parts of high school.  It was fun to take him back to the registrar at Lone Peak.  The counseling office was packed and so many friends were happy to see him again, I think that made him feel good.  He has had a fun time skiing with Soren and Monet over the break.  Also we convinced him to shave.  I think what finally did the trick was Jared's brothers teasing him about his scruffy beard.  He just had another TikTok go viral and got 8 million views in the past few days.

Simone:  She was so excited to have a climbing trip right before the holidays.  We love her coaches and her team.  They really invest a lot of time into these athletes.  They went to Vegas and she couldn't stop talking about it.  She's playing rec basketball and its so fun!  She's never played before.  She just started track at the high school and wants to do pole vault and field events mainly.  But she was so excited about the track class and the ability to have a class just to workout again.  She made spring rolls with her climbing friend August, who might be the nicest kid we've ever met.  They also went skiing.  It was only her second time and she did a double black.  Or more accurately "fell down a double black."

Soren:  Soren was in heaven playing with his toys!  He finally got a hoverboard that works for more than an hour.  He loved his X Shot nerf gun and put together his Kiwi Co. box yesterday.  He really looks forward to those!  He loved learning to ski and had a great attitude about it.  He still always wants to sleep in Simone's bed or next to our bed.  He's actually really good at games and usually beats all of us.