Monday (4/13) No one was especially excited about school today but we got it done and actually they settled into it well and it turned out to a good day. I counted and we have 7 weeks left. That feels like a REALLY long time but I know we will make it. Our school has moved to pass/fail for the last quarter so if they complete half of the required work they pass and otherwise they fail. Its nice that there's not too much pressure I suppose, but I still feel like they should be doing all of the work provided as their teachers have worked hard to prepare it for them and we're still paying for their education even though they are at home. I guess we will see how long I can keep them motivated. This week Sadie's class is doing a spirit week, which is fun! Every day they send a picture to their teacher dressed up and then they get entered into a drawing to win a $10 gift card. She was excited and I really appreciate that the teachers are trying so hard to keep things fun. They are also making video birthday cards for some of the kids in the class which I thought was pretty neat.
Another fun thing today was that Daddy played kickball with the kids for "recess" and lets just say it was playground rules and Daddy doesn't hold back. Schooling in the afternoon went really well too. I think this was actually our best day yet. It's amazing how adaptable God has made us. In the matter of a few weeks we have adapted to things I thought might break us like 7 kids under 10 at home together ALL day EVERY day, Daddy working upstairs every day, 3 kids having to complete online schooling, and babies at a difficult and fussy age. However instead of breaking us we are already looking at the future and realizing that going back to "normal" will be an adjustment all its own. Who would have thought!
Crazy Hair Day
I think this is how Sadie would choose to do school everyday. She loves her little helpers.
"Recess"
We spend a lot of time walking this path up and down from the mailbox.
I want to always remember these sweet snugly babies. Especially on the days when they're not so sweet and snugly.
They still always want to hold hands.
Homeschooling with Grammy. This is by far the highlight of Hazel's day and she is making so much progress. I can't believe how many letters she is learning.
We are loving the weather and the chance to be outside.
Tuesday (4/14) Today the babies woke up kinda grumpy so we just barely got through school in the morning and then I strapped them into their stroller while I folded laundry. That's the kind of morning it was :) The boys discovered You Tube drawing tutorials and had a lot of fun drawing a football player for art and then moved on to drawing other Star Wars characters. Around 10:00 Grammy stopped by to drop of school stuff for Hazel. She's prepared an activity for every letter and a craft. So much work!! Hazel LOVES it and I am so thankful for the time it frees up allowing afternoon schooling to be so much less stressful. For "Recess" today the kids played dodge ball on their bikes. I'm sure that's something I should have put an end to but I guess I was feeling risky today!
In the afternoon the kids where just kinda grumpy today. We bought them a new four square ball and for the life of them they COULD NOT figure out how to play without fighting. So that lasted not even 5 minutes cuz this mommy is done solving those kinds of problems. We did however end the day on a good note with swim suits and sprinklers. The babies played in their jumpers on the back deck and I got to sit for a minute enjoying being outside with everyone while I ordered groceries and worked on my blog.
Hat Day
Hazel's projects really are turning out sooo cute!
This is true desperation.
Dodge ball on the bikes.
Playing in the water is their favorite!
Wednesday (4/15) Today was a little cooler so we didn't spend as much time outside. The kids spent a ton of time drawing instead. They love to print coloring pages and then color them and make them into books. They've also continued to watching online drawing tutorials which has been fun and even found some origami tutorials that they were excited to try out. We also enjoyed our 2nd all school chapel which was a lot of fun! It's so good to see other people even if it is only on the computer screen and it makes it feel like we're still at least somewhat connected to our school community.
Beach Day
Paper Projects
Chapel
And we were mentioned in the newsletter.
The Barbie playtime in our house is intense right now.
DAY 32
Thursday (4/16) I woke up with a headache today. Booo! but we survived! More of the same today...drawing and schooling and playing outside. The boys' new bikes came in the mail this afternoon and Brandon spent a long time setting them up this evening and getting everything adjusted just right so that they can enjoy them tomorrow. Oh and Uncle Robert came and picked up Zoey for her first date with Jace. I don't know what were thinking considering puppies right now but I guess it's not really the craziest thing we've ever done :) It was good to see Robert. It feels like it's been a REALLY long time.
Crazy Socks and Sunglasses Day
They laundry just isn't getting done this week. Uggg!
It's seriously always there and this right here is why I'm not sure I need puppies. I feel like I already have 2. Maddie is always crawling around with something hanging out of her mouth like this. She's so funny!
Maddie (L) and Aubrey (R)
They even sit on the floor and eat out of a dish like a puppy.
Miss Maddie
Friday (4/17) The kids had a lot of fun with their new bikes. Cooper's is pretty big for him but he's doing a good job. Such a big change from a year ago when he wouldn't even ride a bike with training wheels. In the afternoon we went up to the school to pick up Cooper's remaining supplies. Sadie and Wyatts teachers are going to do a supply drop on Saturday but we did a carline pick up for Cooper. It was nice seeing other people although it also felt really sad and final. I honestly never would have thought that this could have lasted this long. I really thought this whole quartentine thing was being done out of an abundance of caution and that after a couple weeks we'd atleast be headed toward normal but it definitely doesn't seem that way. In some ways it's starting to feel normal and there are days when I think we're doing fine. The kids don't really ask to go places any more and were settled into a pretty good routine and then we hit days where i can just feel the tension in myself and the kids and Brandon. No one can really articulate what is wrong but everyone just kinda feels done.
Spirit Day!
Just hanging out...sippin' their drinks, chatting, and watching the kids play like a couple of old friends.
I can't believe how much progress Cooper has made. It wasn't that long ago that he was still riding his WAY to small green dinosaur balance bike. He sure has gotten brave.
DAY 34
Saturday (4/18) Daddy worked on the bathroom some more today. He is starting to frame everything back in. It's exciting to see the progress little by little. Also today Sadie and Wyatt's teacher's came by with their remaining supplies. The kids were so excited to see them and they made it a lot of fun decorating their cars and honking all the way up the driveway. I'm really so sad that they're missing this last part of the year.
Tonight I am grieving. I’m grieving the loss of being with my students again. Experiencing the end of a school year with them, their hugs, their highs and their lows. I knew Oregon cancelling school for the remainder of the year was a strong possibility, but it stung so hard when I heard it today.
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I went into my classroom last week to grab a few last things for online teaching and it looked just like we left it. Not cleaned up for the summer, but looking like kids will be returning to use their pencils, books and markers. It didn’t look like it was finished. It didn’t feel finished.
.
My email has been flooded by sweet parents whose children are experiencing the same grief. This is hard. My heart hurts and I know all the teachers are feeling this way, too. Yes, we are teaching online (our school started that last week) but online can’t compare to being in the classroom. It can’t compare to the love, hugs, sweet smiles, laughs, and so many interactions.
.
Tomorrow I will wake up and start adjusting to this new reality but right now, I am just sad.
We are ALL so sad!
Mrs. Hinderks and Mrs. Morehead
Mrs. House and Mrs. H.
I spent some time organizing all the stuff that was dropped off. Up until now we've just had stacks all over the table but I figured we might as well accept that this is going to last for awhile and get a little more organized.
DAY 35
Sunday (4/19) Another week of church via you tube and while it's nice not having to rush out the door I'm a little bit over it. The 3 big kids are bored, the babies are fussy, and as result it feels like it's impossible to actually listen let alone engage in any way. I don't have to worry about babies getting sick in the nursery though so there's that.
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