A Whole New World

Coop got an electric guitar, so much of our home time has been spent learning to play that:

Family zoom call:

A sign that quickly appeared following the shelter-in-place order:

My in my work from home office (and jammie pants):

Coop in his Dress for Success attire with online schooling:

Lunch with his friends:

Social Distancing

Washburn moved to online classes, so this is my new command central for class prep:

The Governor of Kansas declared that public school buildings are closed through the rest of the academic year, so Coop went to clean out his locker:

He wouldn't let me make a cutesy chalkboard sign "Last Day in the School Building."

BUT BEFORE we had to lock ourselves down, Cooper and his "friend" Sophia had a "special outing, just the two of them."  They met in a park and walked on Mass St. Stopped in a toy store, the book store, and a pizza restaurant.

I met them at an ice cream place where I stealthily snapped this picture:

 At the end of the "date":

The start of spring break

Cooper and his biker gang friends terrorized the neighborhood:

A group ended up people watching at the local ice cream parlor:

Coop started teaching himself to play the guitar:

And we celebrated Pi Day!

80s party

Every year, I host a group of students at the house for an 80s-themed murder mystery party.  My outfit:

The grown-up characters -- a school counselor and school principal -- both got legit 80s outfits from a vintage store:

 Other guests at the 80s prom:

Prom king and queen:

The whole group:

State Music

Cooper and one other student from his school were selected to be in the KMEA (KS Music Educators Association) state choir, about 170 middle school kids from the entire state.  They spent a day working with a conductor and then gave a concert at Century II in Wichita. 

Taking the stage: 

The crew from Billy Mills Middle School (and please keep in mind that Cooper's school choir director and the other student are both over 6 feet tall!):

With Aunt Ellen celebrating at Braum's after the concert:

Kansas History Day

Cooper decided to participate in Kansas History Day this year, and he chose to do a project on Sandra Day O'Connor.  The night before the event, Coop went to a school dance and when he came home at 8pm, this is how the project looked:

By 11pm:

And on display at the competition the following day:

With his teachers and the other classmate from his school who entered the competition:

BIRTHDAY

The weekend before Cooper's birthday, we hosted part for the family.  Ice cream cake!

Legos and a car model and candy and money!

And this useless box.  Flip the switch, the box flips it back.  HOURS of fun!

After school, we hosted a cactus-themed birthday party with Cooper's friends.  He chose the cactus theme because at a Christmas white elephant gift exchange, he received these cute cactus birthday plates.  Sold!  Green drink in cactus glasses, cactus cupcakes from Miss Ally:

And I had a cactus craft for them to do!