I think the amount of blogging (or lack of) in the last two months is a pretty good indicator of how busy it has been. The last two months seriously feel like a blur and a weird time lapse where time passed but it didn't feel like it did. We were waking up doing the same routine every day like the movie Ground Hog day.
We got into some good grooves through the first few weeks of April with home school and me working from home. The best days went like this:
7:00 I clocked in and started working.
8:00 Kids wake up and eat breakfast
9:00 Kids start school
12:30 lunch break
1:30-2:30 I finish my last hour of work
2:30-4:30 film craft or baking video, edit and post on YouTube
4:30 make dinner
5:30 eat dinner
6:00-9:00 family time
We had a few weeks with this routine and it was awesome! I loved making the YouTube videos with Lynnlee and Sienna. It gave me something to look forward to when I finished work.
Then we had some rough days where no one wanted to do their school work. On those days everyone ended up doing school from 11:00-3:00 and it threw things off.
There were days when Lynnlee didn't understand math and it was hard to teach her. She didn't understand how I was teaching her and I didn't know another way to explain it. Same with Kaden. There were some hard days but we all learned some patience and figured it out.
I enjoyed relearning some concepts along side with them. I also liked the times we were all in the same room together listening to music or enjoying a learning video one of them had to watch. My mom posted videos each morning on a family chat and we would all watch it together. There were times when we all had headphones on and the room was completely quiet. So many different memories were created because of COVID-19.
Another blessing has been increased availability of learning websites, videos, music, etc. So many companies, musicians, teachers, artists, actors, etc have been so awesome to share their talents and abilities.
I also learned that when no friends are allowed my kids play really well together. They are all close enough in age that they found things they could all do together....legos, wii games, pretend play, and board games. We also started playing roller hockey. With seven of us we've had some good games. Ali's family has gotten into it also so we've had some really fun hockey nights. It brings back memories of my sophomore year when I played on a summer league.
The official last day is next Friday but it has pretty much ended. It's a weird feeling not having their school work to do each day. This week we are trying to figure out our new summer routine. It has been a little rough.
All of the kids were learning the same things in math for the last two units: geometric shapes and measurements, but in different depths. Taggart's class made geometric shapes with toothpicks and marshmallows so everyone made them with him. It was so fun!
Cul-de-sac hockey has been so fun. We've even got some neighborhood boys out to play too.
One night we had a social distancing hang out with aunt Bets at Rita's. There were other groups in the parking lot doing the same thing. It was fun to catch up with Betsy and the Italian ice was delicious!
We have been riding this trail north of Utah Lake. We saw an owl, a swimming racoon, deer, and heard lots of frogs. We went back a few times to try and catch a frog.
Sienna's teacher "heart attacked" our door. Sienna loved it!
We have had a lot of time to complete projects. Another blessing of the quarantine.
This is what one of the school mornings looked like. Sienna is doing school on the floor in her sleep sack. The first two weeks of home school were very rigid. I made everyone get dressed before "coming to school." On Friday they could wear PJs. By the third week I couldn't get anyone to get dressed and I lost the battle each day until now. This morning Sienna lost it when I told her she couldn't wear her nightgown all day.
The cul-de-sac is also good for pickle ball.
Family paint night
Free riding
The school had a teacher parade. We loved it!
Family movie night...
