School year 2020-21

Well, we’ve finished week 2 of distance learning, and have what feels like eternity left to go. It’s not easy, it’s disappointing and frustrating and difficult and sometimes maddening. 

But we’re doing it. 

There is a silver lining, we are learning a new way of going about school work, and we have experienced more family togetherness than we have in the last 14 years (....is that a good thing!? haha!). 

Bonus, the toy room got a little cleaned out! 

We rearranged the toy/game room to accommodate this table set up for Lincoln and it’s working quite well. 

He knows when he sits there, it’s time for school. 

We aren’t perfect, we’ve missed a google meet (because whoops!) and sometimes his assignments don’t get finished until late in the day. But he’s in first grade, and he needs a lot of help to understand the lesson and so I give myself grace. Having 2 parents working full time means we don’t have the luxury of sitting beside him 6 hours/day to provide instruction. So instead, life becomes a lesson. 

For example, Regan took him on a bike ride the other day, he asked about a yard sign with MLK’s picture. She gave an excellent (first grade) lesson about MLK as they rode home. 

The girls pretty much hang out in their rooms for their "school" day, participating in their video classes or doing assignments. They appear to grab breakfast, lunch or ask a question, and then disappear back to their rooms. We are incredibly blessed that they are self-starters, self-sufficient and just get it done day after day. We know they don't love it, and would much prefer to see their friends in person. Although on mornings like today, where Regan missed her alarm and rolled out of bed at 9:05am and still wasn't late for class, I think she sort of appreciated it :) 

 

Life during the pandemic

I want to be able to look back on this time in our lives and remember what life was like.

Social distancing

Schools moved to online "distant learning"

Parents moved their offices to home

Grocery store shelves went bare (que hoarding!)

Toilet paper, paper towels and Clorox wipes flew off the shelves

A few photos to capture this strange time.

Lots and lots and lots of screen time, including fun apps for kids to have chats with kids and family members all while different face filters create all sorts of giggles.

Game night. Pretty much any  night of the week. Our kids have learned card games, new board games, puzzles, and more.

All gyms closed, and so I dug out any workout/exercise items we had laying around. Lincoln took it upon himself to open "Lincoln's gym". We workout daily.

Memes like the one below flooded social media.

I liked this one

We cleaned out the garage, and pulled out all of the toys we haven't used in forever. Stilts and a pogo stick to name a few!

Lincoln face timed me, and laughed himself silly with these filters :)

While it might have been the nicest April on record so far, there is no softball practicing allowed. I liked this meme on a softball group facebook page I follow.

Jimmy Fallon (and any late night talk show host), moved filming of their shows to their homes. This show in particular makes me laugh, because his kiddos often come into the view of the camera and it reminds me of how it feels for all of us trying to work from home with kids underfoot.



Did I mention we are having a LOT of screen time?

But at least they are huddled in front of the warm fire together :)

We are giving ourselves grace on this whole screen time. They're (fairly) happy and frankly, just trying to figure this all out themselves too.

We can't really do a lot of home "projects" because that would entail going to the store to buy necessary items. But we are cleaning out drawers and closets.

I finished Lincoln's baby book (better late that never!) and in the process, cleaned out a drawer holding all of these expired epi-pens.

There's a lot of expired money sitting right there.

We're contemplating getting a dog (like so many other families right now). We're stuck at home, it's the perfect time. Ryan has nicknamed our fake dog "Covid" already; ….for the record, he's not on board with this idea.

 At all.

However, a month ago our neighbors brought home this adorable pup.

She found a hole in the fence and comes over daily for a visit and to burn off some energy.

The kids adore her, and so do we :)



I taught Regan how to play Yahtzee.

And then beat the pants off her :) HA!

The first official "stay at home" request looked something like this.

Although we had been staying at home two weeks prior to the start of this.

Doing our part. Fully expecting this to be extended beyond 4/10.

Some of my teams started Zoom meetings.

never had I heard of such a platform for meetings, but we all quickly learned to talk fast because there is a 40 minute limit and we are used to 60 minute meetings!

(and yes, I'm sitting outside on this particular meeting, because Ryan and I share the quiet space indoors for meetings. And he beat me to it during this meeting, so I went to the next option for some quiet: outside)

More of Lincoln having conversations with family, this time Grandma Jan. He made her laugh so hard with these dancing bear filters.

Distant learning with Lincoln is a lot of hands on help. The girls take care of it on their own, and for that we are thankful!

Here is Lincoln's teacher "reading" to the class. He giggled and smiled when he heard her voice. It was almost like she was right there in the room. Sadly, by day 3 of story-time, he was over it. It's just not as much fun when we aren't at school. Hang in there buddy.

Passing time with "art" class: dyeing Easter eggs.

More screen time.

Silver lining, she's hanging out with us a little  more :)

The problem with not driving your vehicles very often....the batteries tend to die.

Seriously, Ryan's truck died TWICE in one week because we didn't start it every day.

Fine. you win.

We now make a point to start it daily.

These are some strange times. Scary times. 

Hang in there folks! Stay safe!