Caeden saw the orthodontist today. He was entertained by the long wires left sticking out of his mouth while they worked on him.

He got rubber bands!  Woohoo, fun!

Fun Orthodontist

Caeden was supposed to have an orthodontist appointment way back in March, but of course, they had to close their office for COVID19. He had a chain break a couple weeks ago, so I finally called on Monday and asked if that was considered an emergency.  It was! So, we got out of the house today!

It was annoying to have to wear masks (mostly because we wear glasses and they fog up when you have a mask on too), but we totally understand and complied! 

I had to sign a paper verifying the fact that no one in our house has had fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, fatigue/exhaustion or been around anyone who has. We were asked to use hand sanitizer as well.  No problem!

Dr. B fixed Caeden right up, and we scheduled his next appointment. This was the first place we had been inside besides our own home in 53 days. We talked with Dr. B about how, strangely, no one seems to be talking about how this shelter-in-place is so detrimental to mental health!

As we were leaving, Caeden said, "That was fun!" He is such a social boy; this shelter in place order is pretty hard on him.  And you know it's getting to a person when a teenager genuinely says that going to the orthodontist was fun! We do love Dr. B and his staff though; they're great.

 This evening, Jeremy and the girls and I took a walk around Arrowsmith.  We kept seeing these square concrete slabs that we had never noticed before. Sylvia decided they were spots for posing as a statue--until we saw one with a half-barrel planter on it and remembered that they all used to have them. I think the barrels just disintegrated and were removed. 

Another weird thing related to COVID19...

We received this information today for returning Chromebooks and other school property and getting the kids' items from their lockers.  They won't be allowed in the building.

 And, you know, the murder hornets are coming! (I actually read that praying mantis kill them, so I'm not worried because we have lots of those!). I also saw that these are shark birds are sure to arrive this summer in the midwest...!  ;)

Caeden had an orthodontist appointment today, 

and it was our first one at Dr. Bowers' beautiful new office!

Just a new wire and chain today, and he went with silver and blue school colors for his brackets.

Krampa and Gram came to see the play Saturday night, and they treated us to a fall birthdays (Caeden, Gram, Annah, Krampa, and me) lunch at Avanti's before they went home on Sunday!  It meant so much to have them there even for the little bit we were able to visit!

Caeden (aka Dooden) and Annah chilling at home before she went back to Greenville on Sunday evening...

On Tuesday, Caeden got rid of his bite plate and got top braces put on instead!

I've heard that "tin grins are in!"

Caeden's health project of the respiratory system...

I got to be an elementary music teacher for a day today!  It was fun and exhausting. This room is awesome!  

Just 4 random highlights: 

1) At least 4 kids gave me hugs.

2) One class asked if they could stay 5 more hours.

3) Kids who said they LOVE the song they’re singing for the Veterans on Monday

4) A 4th grade boy who told me multiple times that he loves Mark Wahlburg, aka Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch 

Hope I get to go back and sub there again!

Getting Braces

Last week, Caeden had impressions done.  He didn't have any trouble at all with it, and said it was no big deal.

Today he got a bite plate and had braces/brackets put on his bottom teeth.

Gotta get the picture with the lip-stretchers!

Not thrilled.

And he has to make this goofy face in order to show the actual stuff on his teeth, apparently...

Afterwards, we went to get him a nice haircut too.

Always an adventure.  While for Caeden the pain is in his mouth, Jeremy felt it in his "pocketbook!!"

Last day of summer

It's pretty nice to have family vacation right up to the time the kids go back to school.  Today, we finished the last errands of summer break.

They all had dentist appointments!  Still no cavities for any of them!  So thankful!

We had lunch at Moe's, and as we were getting ready to take a selfie, a lady walked by and offered to take our picture.  It always makes me so happy when people offer to do that, because the kids think I'm a huge dork when I offer to take pictures for other people all the time.

We bought the last of the school supplies, and they are pretty much ready to head back!  The summer started out moving kind of slowly, but once we hit July it sped right by!  It's been a good one though!

Braces OFF

Annah got her braces off today!  She had them on for 3 years and one day.

Here is what she looked like the day she got them put on... 

...and today before she got them off.

The first thing they did today was pop the brackets off her teeth.

Then she got some x-rays of her head.

Then Dr. Bowers drilled the glue off her teeth.

Then he put her permanent lower retainer on behind her teeth.

Next, she had more impressions taken, this time for her top slip-on retainer, which she will get on Wednesday morning at 7am!

Then they took new scans of every side of every tooth for the computer to construct a digital 3-D model of her new mouth.  

This is the thing that took over 40 minutes when Sylvia had it done for her phase 1 of her braces. Her mouth is tiny, and the machine was brand new. They had to select which side of which tooth they were taking pictures of, and it was miserable.  They must've gotten new software for it or something, because it took about 2 minutes and everything scanned automatically as the camera was moved quickly around Annah's mouth today!

Next Dr. B took extremely close-up photos of Annah's mouth--always a funny feeling!

She was taught how to use the threader to floss her permanent retainer.

I think she looks beautiful!!!

A happy day!  She is thankful for her new smile and happy mouth!

Break is over

The kids went back to school today after spring break.  I picked the girls up in the middle of their morning to go to the orthodontist.

Dr. B was really cranking things in Annah's mouth today.  I was standing at her feet, and her whole body was moving as he worked in her mouth!  She said it was really hurting.  She also has to go back to wearing her rubber bands 24 hours a day.  Boohoo.

Sylvia just had a retainer check, and gets to go without it a few hours a day now.  She doesn't have to go back for 3 more months.

This evening was the first tech rehearsal for Little Shop of Horrors!   

 Getting director's notes before starting a full show run-through...

 We are so fortunate to have Dr. M playing bass for the show!  He is a dentist in the Chicago area and comes down to stay with Mr. M for the week of the musical each year.  What a gift to Ridgeview to a wonderful professional like him musically supporting the kids!

Sound guys waiting to test mics...

Sylvia sat with me and snapped some photos during the rehearsal of the scenes.

Shannon and the crew, working out some timing...

 Annah is having so much fun playing Chiffon, one of the 3 "street urchin" narrators.

This is her favorite week of the year.  She loves musical so much! 

 There are 4 sizes of the Audrey II plant, each a different type of puppet. They are looking so cool!

Getting some more notes after the first run through...

Running a few scenes/songs again...

Good work, everyone!

(I myself have a lot more practicing to do before the performances!)

Sylvia was missing her orchestra rehearsal tonight because Jeremy was also at the school.  The wrestling banquet for both JH and HS teams was happening this evening.  After it was over, I received this text message from a friend with a son on the JH team.  It made my heart so happy.  I'm so proud of Jeremy and his work building the wrestling program at Ridgeview.