Painting and the end of school…

"It is not your paintings I like, it is your painting."
-Albert Camus

Ashlyn decided that it was time to paint her room.  The light pink color with the fairies on the wall needed to go, and so we went to work.  James and Isla joined in to help out, and the room was painted a flamingo rose color over the weekend.  Ashlyn is happy and has now started working on decorating.

The school year ended not with a bang, but with a whimper.  Assignments stopped, and that was about it for Ashlyn and James.  It didn’t stop Mommy from making them go outside to take pictures on the last day of school though.  Now summer begins, which doesn’t feel much different than the school year in quarantine.

The kids wanted to take Sadie out to run at a dog park and noticed the children’s park right next to it was completely empty.  They took advantage and were able to play outside of our neighborhood for the first time since the pandemic started.  That was until James noticed the sign stating the park was closed.  Oops!  They left shortly afterwards, but it was fun while it lasted.

Finishing school, blackberries, and the loss of a pet…

"What a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be."
-Ellen Burstyn

School basically came to and end this week and it was a rather muted affair considering we’re all still stuck at home.  Ashlyn did her school work from the kitchen table and they started going back to gymnastics on a limited basis.

James and Isla entertained themselves by picking the blackberries which started ripening this week.  Most of the time, very few blackberries make it back into the house because they are usually eaten as soon as they are picked.  In fact, the only blackberries that made it into the house this time were on Isla’s dress.

James also enjoyed some board games with Daddy this week.  He usually wins, and I wish I could say it was because I was going easy on him.

On a sad note, Leia the hamster passed away over the weekend.  We knew her time was coming and Ashlyn, James, and Isla all got to say goodbye.  It hit Ashlyn the hardest since it was her pet of course.  Leia had a good life as far as hamsters go, with plenty of fresh vegetables and pets from the kids.

How to entertain yourself in a quarantine…

"That's safe fun!"
-Isla

The kids continue to find ways to entertain themselves, often in creative ways.  This week’s activities included a game where they made themselves busy before attempting to place a frisbee on a pole, making slime out of things found in the pantry, learning to skateboard, and playing dress up with Daddy.

That doesn’t mean we didn’t find a few opportunities for some social distancing meet ups with friends.  The kids gathered to watch the blue angels fly over in support of health care professionals and they found a spot right under where they flew.

Sometimes it’s the simple things that keeps kids entertained.  Nice weather, a walk, and a tree are all you need for a brief respite.

Happy Mother’s Day!

"It's not easy being a mom.  If it were easy, fathers would do it."
-Betty White

Ashlyn had an assignment this where where she was supposed to cook something following a recipe in Spanish.  Instead, Ashlyn decided to make up her own recipe so she didn’t have to read it.  While we applaud the creativity, I think she missed the point.

Another week of a closed gym meant more conditioning at home.  Ashlyn and Isla now do conditioning together so they get to double up on the workouts.

Nighttime at our house is always an interesting affair because we never really know what’s going to happen.  Sometimes the kids go to bed quickly and quietly, sometimes they play, sometimes they decide to dress up and look cute, and yet other times they decide it would be more fun to camp out.  At least things never get boring around here.

Like many events impacted by the Coronavirus, Mother’s Day was a quieter affair this year.  We made the best of the weekend though.  PePa came over with fudge pops for the kids, Nina and Papa stopped by to play with bubbles, and Grandma and Grampa visited on Sunday.  The kids had fun making the Mother’s Day crafts and there was a minimal amount of fighting on Mother’s Day itself.

To all the Mothers out there, especially those dealing with kids stuck at home, Happy Mother’s day!