Week 5 of Social Distancing

Dear Nathan, Hannah and Hailey, 

Besides some of you coming along once a week to pick up some take-out, you guys have not left our neighborhood for 5 weeks and it looks like this is going to be the case for the next few weeks. I think this week, grief has finally set in a little for me. I grief for Hailey, who just wants to go and explore the world. I grief for Nathan, who just wants to play with friends. Hannah, I actually think you are taking this the best. You continue to get to have playdates with your "bestie," who lives right next door, everyday and you get to make and eat a lot of yummy foods that you love. 

Here are a few of our highlights of the week. 

Physical Activity 

I've been trying to incorporate lots of physical activity for you three during the day. This can take the form of garage hockey, which all three of you love to play.  

 This could also be a hike through our neighborhood's extensive hiking trails. We hiked for about an hour and a half the other day and explored trails that we have never been on.

We bike a lot. Like everyday. Sometimes it's just to ride around the neighborhood, sometimes it's to go catch Pokemon. 

Homeschool 

Sometimes Hannah's bestie comes over in the mornings and joins us for school. Most activities usually involve you guys watching a short video clip and then working on something written or drawn. You guys use an app called seesaw to submit your work and often the teacher asks for an audio explanation of your work. Hannah, I was actually a little embarrassed when you sneaked in a message to your teacher asking for less work. You seem to really like listening to yourself talk, so you will record a message with each lesson that you submit, which is about 4-5 a day. 

Imaginative Play 

Hailey, I am so impressed at the way you make connections in everyday life. You sometimes even crack jokes and will say, "fuh-nee!" One day after dinner I heard you sing "row, row, row your boat" and then suddenly I feel a tug on my shirt and you say, "mommy, come watch!" you grab a broom, sit down and start to sing the song as you scootch your but across the floor. I was flabbergasted. Where did you come up with that? 

 Camping. We set up the camp in the back. We actually don't have flat land in the back of our yard (I blame the landscapers who said that berms are better for the lawn and trees) so Daddy set the tent up on the porch...which turned out well because it rained the second night. Tonight is actually night 5 that you are sleeping outside. I slept outside with you guys for 2 nights. Daddy slept outside one, but came in during the middle of the night. Last night you slept on your own and you are doing it again tonight.

Crafting

We continue to make a lot of crafts. I've started a gallery wall in our dining area. Each night, I will catch Hailey, looking at the different pieces and identify who made it. I suspect that this wall will be covered before this is all over. 

Eat
We've been eating so good. With all this extra time from not having to rush around town, I've been able to plan and make lots of yummy food. One afternoon we had fancy pina coladas (Spiked with Kefir for you kids). I even broke out the fancy glasses and paper umbrellas!

 We've made all sorts of baos (chinese steamed meat filled bread), sweets, and other yummy things. My cookbooks have been well used lately!

On the second night of "camping" we made s'mores.

 And Hailey, you have fallen in love with mangos. You love to flip the mango yourself and gnaw off the flesh from the peel or the pit.

And overall, life is just crazy and loud. I create a rough plan for the next day at night after you all go to bed. That, has been the key to my sanity. If I know what to transition to next, you all do better. I do better. 

I found an extra carton of Cascarones and I had planned on you guys doing egg races with spoons and obstacle courses. Too quickly it turned into confetti throwing fun. 

 That is when I just sit back and tell myself, "they are having fun." It's ok to not stick to the plan.

Oh, and I leave you with one last photo. This is church. We have been watching our church's streamed services online. I had to snap a photo to show how crazy services can get. Church crowd surfing.

Well, that's about it for the week. We have one full week of April before May arrives. Wow, time is flying by too quickly.

Love,
Mommy