March 16-20, 2020

I spent most of the day on Monday working with Danielle (our new SAYHA hire) and getting our "Quarantine Schedules" worked out for the week. Here's the schedule for each of the boys (Collin has set his own schedule, but still is working within the framework):

After going through the week, we did tweak it somewhat for next week (mostly who was going to workout when because apparently we cannot be in the same room to work out at the same time).

All in all, it was a pretty great week. We watched Explained on Netflix (although on some of the afternoons we just ended up sitting outside so only watched one episode during lunch). This week we learned about Extraterrestrial Life, eSports and Cryptocurrency (the last was our favorite).

Jacob has been reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding (Honors English), and Collin is reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (AP Literature). This week, Tyler is finishing up Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made by Stephen Pastis, and we we started reading the Mitchell Brothers Series: Fire in the North by Brian McFarlane. After a couple of days, we've decided that we just can't get into it, so we're going to start Stranded this week (although I think we'll still stick with Fire in the North in the evenings). This week, I've read The Witch Elm by Tana French, Collared by David Rosenfelt, Into the Water by Paula Hawkins and The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon.

We've also been listening to podcasts to keep up with current events (but not have the news on constantly - not a great things for kids OR adults)! One of Tyler's favorite discoveries this week is Smash Boom BEST - I think he's listened to all of the episodes! Jacob's list of daily listens mirrors mine: Up First, The Daily, Life Kit and/or Ted Talk Daily. 

A couple that have kept me going this week is The Ben Shapiro Show, The Dave Ramsey Show and most especially, Unlocking Us with Brene Brown (her FFT episode was much needed this week).

So thankful to all the teachers that sent and emailed resources this week! Tyler starts his day with a daily question with Mrs. Murray (and he loves to get her answers back)! Lots of great interaction from the High School as well - I think the kids feel much more settled and connected (even if it's just online)! There are no substitutes for what they offer our kids daily, and I hope that they know that they are appreciated now more than ever! Heidi sent this to me Wednesday (just two days in and it's completely true):

Tyler was especially difficult the first day. I think that he was under the impression that (like homework), if he busted it all out, he could just coast the rest of the day. I finally had to sit him down and tell him that this is like school, but at home. And he yelled "I hate home school!" To which I yelled, "ME TOO!" But after that, we came to an understanding and an agreement that he will not want to feel behind when he goes back to school. And that we are going to do lots of fun things if he would just give the schedule a chance. And he has been excellent ever since.

But I think that it's hard for him to understand why we are home and not at school (or hockey or the movies or anywhere BUT home), and why we can't really go and do (like we're used to). We're a pretty active and busy family (what family isn't?) and I just think that this sudden STOP has thrown him for a loop. He listened to a podcast for kids about the coronavirus, and that helped. I'm very thankful that the weather has been nice and the kids can go outside, too. That has helped everyone's moods. I can't imagine if this had happened during the winter.

But I think it's hard as a parent, too ... I want them to have information but not panic. And we're all feeling uncertain, so modeling certainty and stability isn't always easy either. But we're all trying to do our best, which is what we've talked about all week. This will likely be a continuing theme because if Week 1 was hard, Week 5 is either going to be better (or it's going to turn into The Shining).

But I did promise fun, so we've built that into the schedule too. Science was a big hit this week:

Tuesday, Jacob and Tyler worked on a Kiwi Crate that studied the science of Magic! The static electricity experiment was a favorite!

On Wednesday, Tyler and I worked on growing crystals with a National Geographic kit that he received for Christmas!

As of today (Sunday) they're growing really well!

On Friday, Tyler's ELA assignment was about "The Power of Electricity" so Collin got out his Snap Circuit Kit and walked Tyler through some of the experiments described in his reading. Then Tyler did a couple of his own.

For our Brain Breaks this week, we did a Shamrock Watercolor Mosaic and a Disney Castle Wax "Watercolor" Canvas (Jake helped me set up my new Cricut to prepare the resists for the Disney canvases)!

Here are ours:

The Disney castle project was awesome too (but really needed something more adhesive for the resist as the vinyl didn't really work as well as I'd hoped). Still ... a pretty cool technique to do with old crayons!

Here are ours:

So we'd do it differently next time, but I still like the funky way they turned out!

By Friday afternoon, our Brain Break turned into an extended afternoon outside! Jacob and Tyler cleaned up the entire backyard, put the patio furniture out and swept and cleaned everything! They were super helpful (Sophie too):

Last weekend, I listened to a great piece on Tom Hanks (This Tom Hanks Story Will Make You Feel Less Bad) so I thought for our movie nights this week, we would watch Tom Hanks movies! Here was the lineup (and Tyler's reviews):

"This movie was about Mary Poppins and it was very sad and also nice because P.L. Travers was very dedicated to her father and she loved him very much."

"I didn't like this one because it was very intense and scary because they had a lot of things go wrong and barely survived."

"This movie was nice because a man helps somebody get through their problems."

"This movie was very interesting because a man has to survive on his own for four and a half years and then has to come back to a normal life. It was happy because he came back and he survived but sad because nothing was the same."

We were going to watch "Sully" on Friday night, but ended up watching home videos until midnight instead! Which was way more fun! 

Saturday brought more cleanup outside (and inside), and generally a pretty low-key day. Made a great homemade Garlic Rosemary Stew (love my Instant Pot - only 35 minutes instead of 4.5 hours in the crockpot)! Tyler and I went to bed early while Deke, Collin and Jacob started off our Star Wars movie week with "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace." And this morning I finished another puzzle!

So we're hanging in there (and trying to have some balance and fun while we're at it). In that spirit, gratitude is a big piece of how we're going to make it through. So here's my gratitude for the week:

1. Healthy family members.
2. Food, shelter and security.
3. Wine.
4. Seeing my 18 year old do craft projects.
5. Malicious Women Candle Company (gift giving).
6. Amazon.
7. Kids spending time outside.
8. Family dinners and movie nights.
9. Puzzles, books and podcasts.
10. Brothers helping brothers.

Menus for the Week:

Breakfast. Smoothies, Breakfast Sandwiches, Pancakes, Breakfast Burritos

Lunches. Veggie Enchiladas with Beans and Rice, Pepperoni and Veggie Flatbreads, Uber Eats, French Dip Sandwiches with French Fries and Fruit

Dinners. Pork Carnitas Tacos, Sausage and Tomato Risotto, Thai Beef Bowls, Beef Stew

March 12-15, 2020

It's been a truly interesting week in the history of the world. Everyday, new information comes out about the coronavirus pandemic. Last Friday, March 13th, we were informed by the Mead School District that all students would be out of school until at least April 24th:

With recent events and serious concerns regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) surfacing for citizens across our nation and across the globe, we as a school district recognize, and take very seriously, our responsibility to ensure the safety and well being of students, staff, families and the community.

This afternoon Governor Inslee has issued a state-wide requirement for all public schools to close starting Tuesday, March 17 until at least April 24. Health specialists believe this essential measure is a necessary effort to aggressively slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We know this extended closure will have a profound impact on our entire community, students, families and staff – which is what makes this action so difficult. In response to this unprecedented event, our focus is supporting students and families during the period of time schools are closed.  

All schools will be open Monday, March 16, as a transition day for staff and families to adjust to the closure. We respect and support any family who chooses to keep their child at home Monday. Parents, students and families can also retrieve medications and other essential personal items Monday. 

This decision was made out of an abundance of caution, and is based on scientific recommendations that indicate the reduction of social interactions – or said another way, increasing social distancing – can ultimately have a beneficial impact on slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

As COVID-19 evolves, it affects all of us.  We are all learning about it, and we appreciate coming together to do that in collaborative and respectful ways – respecting that the disruptions that may occur in the short term will have a beneficial effect in the longer term – for everyone. I will assuredly keep you updated with all relevant information and, while I recognize that many questions will occur, we are committed to addressing each of those to the best of our ability and resources.

We will be communicating details regarding student learning opportunities, childcare services, and nutrition services to you through email, text, on the district website and through social media.

In advance, thank you for always giving one another grace – and especially for doing so during an unprecedented challenge such as this public health issue. - Shawn Woodward, Superintendent Mead School District

Tyler's team was supposed to be going to Abbotsford for their final tournament of the season. SAYHA had just made the difficult decision to cancel our 8U Shamrock Showdown Tournament, and so Tyler's coaches also determined that they should probably not attend either. I had made these treats for him to take to his team, so we sent them to their last practice of the season on Thursday night instead:

With all of the cancellations, I was pretty sure that school was going to be next (we just didn't know how long). We were informed earlier in the day that Collin's Leadership Camp was cancelled, so kind of had an inkling that school was next. So I decided to head out and run errands while the boys were at school. Regardless of the pandemic, it was looking like we'd all be at home together for at least the weekend, which meant feeding the troops! We were also supposed to get snow, so that meant an "inside weekend." So headed to Cash and Carry (trying to avoid Costco) and then to Winco. The parking lot was insane, so I went to Safeway instead. I had someone in line at the grocery store ask if I was stocking up for the pandemic ... Told her no - this was my normal "get ready for the weekend" shopping! And BONUS! Lots of Monopoly cards for Tyler:

That Friday night, we had a wonderful dinner at Churchill's Steakhouse, where we celebrated Collin's acceptance to the University of Washington School of Engineering! Despite all of the uncertainty and craziness in the world, we continue to feel grateful and blessed. Very excited for the future - Collin has worked so hard, and we were thrilled to all be together to celebrate!

Saturday, the boys went down to the rink to help with our own Spokane Jr. Chiefs 8U Skills Competition. Despite cancelling the tournament, we did hold these events for our own 8U teams. Then we made some homemade fish and chips and watched some Harry Potter. Sunday was laid back - I worked on a puzzle (my go-to stress reliever):

The boys were returning to school on Monday to get further instructions from their teachers. We talked a lot about the fact that this is not ideal but that we do get to spend more family time together. And you know who is loving the fact that the boys are home? This girl:

It's Been Awhile ...

Tyler and I are off to plant the garden, and I came to the blog to look up my past posts. While perusing, I forgot how much I miss blogging. Just the everyday moments of life - stuff you run across in your day to day. Some musings, some informational. So maybe I'll start up again? I really abhor Facebook, but do want to document life's happenings. The kids love to look back at the blog books that I've printed in the past - and it's such a nice keepsake - a moment in time - to pick up and "remember when."

It's been nice to have been off this past week - although recovering from pneumonia is hardly a vacation. But the time away from work has given me a chance to center myself again. Starting a new nutrition plan, getting the house cleaned top to bottom, catching up on reading, just providing my kids an after-school snack. Seems mundane, but in the hustle and bustle that has been life lately, it's been tough to get back to me. So even while feeling downright awful, it's been a nice departure to just  remember who I used to be.

So, we'll see how it goes. I'm trying not to put more (sometime arbitrary) demands on myself, but the things that are important do demand attention, too.

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I like Mindy Kaling - and enjoyed her first book - but this one was not quite as entertaining (and dare I say shallow)? There were some funny moments but all in all, I would recommend taking a pass on this one.


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A Busy Week!

Started on Monday with our February PTO meeting, where I decided to run again (last year!) to serve as Prairie View's PTO President. My friend, Sarah Green, offered to come back as the Vice President, which we would then designate as the President-Elect. Thrilled that we finally had a plan in place, we went home to find out that the Boundary Committee announced that same night that boundary lines would place Sarah (and other PV families) outside the lines for them to continue at Prairie View. To say that my phone (and email) blew up would be an understatement. Grassroots plans are underway to suggest new (and better) solutions to the growing Mead School District's overcrowding problems. But on a personal note, I'm just sad that Sarah (and Cara - our Treasurer) are on the "cut" list. Such great volunteers and energy and I'm committed to working hard to make sure they (and others) can stay.

Tuesday was more tournament preparation at work (two divisions this weekend - Jr. Mite and Sr. Mite). 18 teams total.

Wednesday was more fun as Tyler and I worked on getting his 100 items together for the 100 days celebration at school!



We had a nice dinner after the big boys came home from dryland and then Collin helped Tyler finish up his reading.



I thought that maybe Collin would be more patient with Tyler, but it turns out that Collin and I are very similar in the way we approach things (which is to say not so patient). Turns out that Jacob may be Tyler's best option as a reading buddy. I never thought I'd say those words.

Thursday morning, Tyler and I finished up homework and his Valentines. He wrote everyone's name very carefully - very proud of his efforts!



Then we finished up his Valentines box for school. He decorated the heart all by himself - loved the stickers! (I helped with glitter).



We took everything to school (with supplies for the party) so that we wouldn't forget anything (trying to teach to be as ahead as we can when we can - because it doesn't happen very often)! lol

Thursday night was practice for the boys - getting Jacob down there early with Deke bringing Collin and Tyler later so we could take the little ones back for bed at an earlier time (Collin doesn't get off the ice until 9:45! Ouch)!

Friday morning, went to school to pop popcorn, then meetings with administration re: the boundary proposals (principal and then the superintendent). All very productive. Then back to school for the Valentines party!




So fun! I manned the "love bug" headband station - they had a blast! Then met Jacob to see how his party was going (and was told that he got asked out by a girl who wants him to be her boyfriend). Gulp. He's 10! I told him to tell her that sounds good - when they're 26 and out of medical school.

The little boys walked home and I headed to work to see how the tournament was going. Then the boys picked me up and we met Grandma and Grandpa for dinner at Shogun! Lots of fun.

Then back home to drop off the family and on to a meeting of the core group of parents discussing the boundary line proposal. Planned marketing for the next weekend and the meeting to take place on Wednesday at Prairie View.

Finally home, and wrote up Collin's travel pass for his last weekend of the season to Canada (might be his last weekend yet as a rep player ... Still undecided for next year, but leaning toward house so as to concentrate on school).

Deke and Collin left for Castlegar/Nelson early Saturday morning, and the little boys and I worked on some things around the house (including an ad that I'm working on for Networks RX for their 20s party). Here were a couple of the designs:



Then to the rink for more tournament fun, and back to pick up Jacob for his game last night vs Cranbrook (lost 2-1 in the last :34 - so frustrating)!

Back to the rink this morning for Jacob's second game vs Cranbrook (and won this one 3-2 in the last :10 of the game)!! Finished up the tournament and now finally home to do a couple posts for the Prairie View PTO website blast that should go out in a few minutes. Expecting Collin and Deke here shortly - home from Nelson with 2 wins for the Bantam AAs!

Was planning a lovely Valentine's dinner with the family, but Jacob has now been invited for a sleepover, and laundry has piled up during this busy week, so contemplating calling in a sushi order and calling it good! Happy Valentine's Day! Looking forward to a down day tomorrow to catch up on this busy, busy week (and the start of another)!

A Valentine's Hug from Easton!

Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Audible had promoted this book as a great read if you liked "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime" (which I did, and which my 8th grader had also just read and enjoyed). So I purchased it.

Premise is good. Harper Lee-type author (one amazing novel written, published and made an instant classic) has a financial misfortune, and is then forced to write another novel to make ends meet. Publisher's assistant goes out to recluse author's home to assist while she is writing, and to become a nanny to her son, Frank.

I could never really figure out the relationship and animosity between Mi Mi and Alice. The Xander relationship also seemed forced (odd and unnecessary). Even the relationship between Alice and Frank seemed just a little too precious (and precocious).

In short, there wasn't enough heart and soul in the novel to make me care very much. The characters seemed rather one-dimensional and the storyline meandered. Really had great promise, but not one I would recommend.


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