We Made It!

Happy Last Day of School to these kids! Here are the requisite first day/last day montage pictures. 

The kids each have a final zoom call today and then we are in full summer mode here! 

This summer might not involve camps, swim lessons or a whole lot of playdates, but we will make our own fun! I am proud of these two for rolling with the punches and adjusting to being home all the time so well. 

On to Kindergarten and 2nd Grade!

The Next Chapter

Husband went back to work today. He isn't super excited about it. I imagine that ultimately he will get less work done there due to interruptions but I am not the president of his company so I don't get a vote. 

C finished the bulk of first grade today. So much so, that I was able to sneak a bunch of things into the recycling bin prior to today's pickup. 

He has just a few things left to do. A reading comprehension quiz. A math test. 2 zoom calls. It seems so weird that after a quarter of the year being home we are now approaching "summer"  that looks an awful lot like what we've just been doing. 

Today or tomorrow we will find out if this summer will involve swim lessons at the pool we typically go to. If they decide not to open, I will try and get the kids into private lessons. Hopefully, I will be able to get some spots so we can salvage out something special. 

This weekend I disconnected and spent some time with friends at one of my friend's lake house. It was the perfect precursor to kick off a summer unlike any other. 

This is the view of the house from the water. Isn't it gorgeous?! It was the most perfect weather. Low 70s and sunny.

 

This is where I spent the whole morning. I was reading, journaling, working on a bible study I've been trying to get through, and just staring out at the gorgeousness. Plenty of time spent peacefully and blissfully alone. (We all needed that so much after months of being with our children every single second.) 

It's tiring to be "on" all day every day. 

But now I am rejuvenated and ready to rock and roll for summer to fully begin! 

Heading Into the Weekend Like...

It's all sunshine and smiles here. The weather is the most perfect, blue skies, fluffy clouds, a breeze, and right about 70. 

After Memorial Day and birthday stuff, this last hustle of school (one more week to go, but really just until Tuesday with real work) has been good but we are ready to be done. 

Happy Friday!

A Fun Birthday!

Well in weird times we made the best of celebrating a birthday. The best news was that for the first time in his entire life, it did NOT rain on his birthday. One little bright spot to make up for the other disappointments of the day. 

We spread out the fun. So much so that I was exhausted by the end of the day! 

He had breakfast presents. Including these new Garfield books from his sister. 

We got bagels for breakfast. Birthday boy's choice. (Good choice if I do say so myself, they were really tasty!) 

The other breakfast presents included his requested pedometer. Turns out mom and the gym teacher shop at the same place. Which is convenient since that's why he wanted one in the first place. 

And a Magic 8 Ball when you turn 8 seems right doesn't it? 

For lunch, we had the requested hot dog picnic. Hot dogs, popcorn, and fruit. He was very happy!

In the afternoon the climbing dome arrived. This was NOT a birthday present but it had good timing. I spent the bulk of the afternoon outside putting it together. C had a zoom with his class, like the regular class meeting but it worked out well. 

His best friend dropped off a treat and card for him! He really liked that. Later after our dinner of cheeseburgers and watermelon (may he always be so easy to please) he got to zoom with my family and open more presents. 

We also did his cake. (And I didn't take a single picture of that. Oh well.) And then after that, Husband and I went back outside to finish the climbing dome. We had to tighten all the bolts. 

And then we finished! And we let everyone stay up late to play for a while. I can already tell you that this was a great purchase for our yard. 

All in all, I think we celebrated well! He had a good day!

Birthday Wishes

C,

Happy birthday, Goose! This past year has been redemptive and wonderful. Which makes it hard to capture in a measly birthday letter. The growth and maturity I've seen from you are so wonderful, you're showing the world how fantastic you are. I am so completely proud of you. 

I am so sad that this virus stopped first grade in its tracks. It is not fair that you said goodbye to go on spring break and now you will never go back. Everything about this school year has been so radically different than kindergarten and I am so thankful. You got to be YOU this year and having other people see the wonder that is you is my favorite. 

You are so wicked smart. You read so fast sometimes your tongue has a hard time catching up, which is why we talk about "marbles" in your mouth. I get it. I was like that too. And don't for one minute think that because I tell you to go back and slow down do I think you haven't read it. 

It's funny, I so often talk about slowing things down and missing you. In some ways, this extra quarter of first grade has been nice. I get to hang with you every day. Obviously, this hasn't been without its faults and issues but I love that I get to spend your whole day with you, and I don't have to share you with school for seven hours. (Especially today!) 

Your imagination is one to behold. Many people have been wondering how I keep you busy during the days, and I am so so blessed that I don't have to! Other than a car trip, I don't think you've ever told me that you're bored. You just explore and pretend. Creating worlds, stories, books, and games to entertain you and your sister. I pray that you will use this skill your whole life with wherever your life carries you. 

And I am overwhelmed by your great faith. Spirituality just comes naturally to you, and whether it's playing Mass at home or creating your own metaphors for others to understand, I love watching your faith and trust in Jesus grow stronger every day.

8 is going to be a fun one! You're already excited for first communion and I can't wait to take that journey with you!! Happy birthday my sweet boy! I love you. Let's get this Star Wars/Mario/Garfield party started!

Love,
Mom

Bright and early wake-up with a Lego 8. 

Hello!

Greetings from here. There isn't a whole to report. It is cloudy. Again. Today is day 5 without the sun, and while it's not raining it certainly is gloomy.

I can't believe May is rapidly coming to an end. I can't believe the school year is almost over. We certainly have school year fatigue, but my good friend reminds me that even if everything was completely normal, we would be feeling the same way.

10 days. The last day of school for us is June 5. Technically, all of C's school is "voluntary" but I also don't want him to be behind in whatever the next year looks like. I don't think anyone really knows. We are all ready for a break certainly, but we will probably do some work this summer so we don't have the summer slump and we stay sharp.

M got a fairy garden from the Easter Bunny. But it was too cold to start it then. So we waited. And then we did start it but it took FOREVER for anything to grow. Even still, only one magic bean did grow at all. 

And she lost another tooth yesterday! One of her besties, not to be left out, managed to lose her second top tooth yesterday too! (She lost one of her top teeth on Friday, the day before M's first.) 

So these two friends are toothless before kindergarten. I love that they're doing things together even when they're apart. 

Things are slowly opening back up, and I am tentatively wondering how to best approach reentry. And there we are. 

Have a great day!

Worms and A Return to Panem

Yesterday was a big book day in our house.

First: the new Elephant and Piggie Love Reading book was released.

And you know us and Mo. Even if it's just for a few pages... we preordered it a long time ago and it showed up. Happily before C's zoom so he could bring it as his show and tell.

So all the kids in my house were happy.

Which is good because yesterday was also the release date of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

And oh my goodness. I spent all day reading it.

I admit, I originally did not think diving back into Panem during COVID-19 times seemed like an especially good idea. But man, Suzanne Collins is a good writer.

Snow's journey was complicated and beautiful. Do I like him as a character now? Not in so many words, no. But having a deeper understanding of him and how he got where he was going, well that clears up a lot of questions.

It was excellently written and well thought out. I think it was the perfect addition to the series. I especially loved the little details that connected the stories together. It really is brilliant. Knowing why Katniss cuts him to the quick so much makes the other three stories that much better.

I am for sure reading them all again now.