It's Summer...I guess?

Nothing says "starting summer" like S'mores! 

School has officially ended.  That should mean that summer is here.  But "in fact", it doesn't feel like very much has changed since before school finished on June 5th.  Oh well.  At least we're all still healthy.  Here is my report on life during "COVID-crazy".  

Happy Summer!

Coop

**Except this is all Cooper got done when he started writing weeks ago. 😀  So while I might not be as humerous as he is, and because he and brother have been at 'Nana Camp' this last week, I thought I'd help him out and finish up this post.  Because in spite of COVID, we've been having fun...AND we have a big 6-year old now!  Thanks for staying tuned!

Amanda 

(aka: Mommy)

When school first closed in March, there was no actual school work, as it was just supposed to be an extended "spring" break and everyone was going to go back to school on April 20th. Tina and I did our best to find things to keep the boys busy, and I started doing school type work with the boys each morning just to maintain some sense of normacy. Legos have become an even bigger part of the boy's lives, starting in March with a "30-day Lego Challenge" and eventually, in a moment of weakness, they convinced us to let them move all of their Legos to behind the couch area in the den.  Their creativity is really beautiful to watch.  AND I do catch myself at times walking by the couch area and then having to take some really deep breaths.... 😒

        

                        

In the first month with my "school planning" the boys got to use the iPads for learning with a daily Scholastic lesson plan and other programs.  We did workbooks and flashcards, and since their math level is still within my wheelhouse, we did adding and subtracing with coins to learn currency values, and played Blackjack. (I haven't explained yet that usually money and Blackjack go together! 😉) The boys made forts, practiced reading, watched online story times and learned to use the Wii and GoNoodle on the TV for exercise on rainy days.  Porter even made a solar system from a kit that Graunty gave him at Christmas, then went above and beyond to research some space facts and write a report!  It wasn't such a bad month and we had a good routine.

                                    

                                             

A different and fun Easter was had, including our first egg hunt in our own backyard, a failed string-art family project and HAM for Easter Dinner.  😂  

School "resumed" on April 20, kind of, and we had to learn a new routine as the boys got to see their teachers and classmates on the computer twice a week, plus "optional" online assignments.  Right before Easter the school was able to distribute Chomebooks to all of it's students, and our sweet, wonderful teachers did their best to provide us interesting activities and fun assignments.   

Porter's tarantula (that I labeled,
while he named the parts)

Making Playdoh with Teacher online

The boys and I have gone EVERY Thursday morning to volunteer in our church garden, which produces food for those in need within our county.  With the college students leaving town and many retired folks needing to stay safe, extra volunteer hands have been needed...even ours! 😁

Garden Warriors

                            

Somebody has to turn the compost!

Amazing grandparents and aunts and uncles have kept us busy with special care packages that have included magnets, wooden 3D puzzles, various crafts, science experiments, streaming movie premiers and more! There have been regular FaceTime visits, Zoom Birthday Parties with friends, regular "Nana's Kitchen" baking classes (via FT), online drawing workshops and the completion of the Spring Lake Elementary School Yearbook, for the 2nd year in a row.  The boys celebrated the end of the school year by getting to go tell their teachers goodbye in person, gather their things from school (while wearing masks!) and having a backyard campout, complete with s'mores!

First episode of "Nana's Kitchen" and they made Reeces Peanut Butter Bars!

Here are a number of other pictures and videos from the Spring and being "safe at home".

COVID-Crazy

Tina has been an amazing partner in all of this, changing her work schedule to support me and help with the boys in the middle of the day. She starts her day early, breaks at lunch for the afternoon, works late into the evening after the boys have gone to bed, so she can be present with us as much as possible. One of the positives in all of this for us, has been the ability to (almost!) complete our backyard landscaping. Hooray!  And given the current situation, we remain home to get to enjoy it.  Now, if I could just find a little time to build a couple of raised garden beds at the end of the yard!  Take a peak here at our residential retreat: 2026 Read Ct. Landscaping

Like everyone else, our calendar pages keep turning and we have celebreated birthdays, Mother's Day (dinner to-go from Red Robin Burgers!), a Bar Mitvah for our dear friend Jordan, Teacher Appreciation Week, Memorial Day and the 4th of July, in non-traditional ways.  Cooper is finally on a 2-wheel bike (though we hope to get those training wheels off in the coming weeks!) and Tina earned an award from the UCD Graduate Student Association in May (via Zoom).

At the end of May we had a chance to have our first outing, back to the safety and wilderness of The Cabin for a weekend with Uncle Peter.  We were treated to beautiful wilderness and a thunder/hail-storm.  Check out our fun here: Dogwood Cabin in May

Hiking with Abby-pup on the Arnold Rim Trail

In June we returned to the Bay Area for the first time since January, to celebrate both Father's Day and Deb/Mom/Nana's Birthday.  A really special 4 days of walks, backyard fun and spending time with family again.

Filoli Gardens were open for walking

Cooper reading "Little Bear's Birthday Soup" to Nana
on her special day.

Graunty and Uncle Cliff road-tripped from Austin, to come and stay with us the first week in July.  While Uncle Cliff had to hunker down and work for most of the week, we all enjoyed meals together, lots of laughs in the evenings, walks with Graunty and Peach Picking with the other Denena Cousins at the end of the week (again, while wearing masks!).

We "hiked" at Lake Natoma, outside of Folsom, CA

    

                                                

Brentwood peach picking (with cousin Audrey in the picture)

July 4th was sad, as we couldn't have our annual block party.  7 families came out to their driveways around 8pm, however, so we could enjoy various fireworks together and a little street chalking.  At least we could still "blow stuff up" this year! 😇😈

yes...these were illegal ones, but also not on our street!

And finally, we now have a big 6-year in our home again.  Happy Birthday to Cooper, how did we get here and all the other cliches.  Per Cooper's request, we headed to The Cabin again for several days of beautiful nature, a customized, requestesd weekend menu and beginning golf practice for the boys.  Got ahold of appropriately sized used clubs for each of the boys in the last month and figure if team-sports are going to be a thing of the past, we better get them on golf cart sooner rather then later. 😉  And yes, we have a lefty and a righty...so much for passing down outgrown gear! 😖

        

                                  

Sharing the Arnold Rim Trail with Nana & Papa

You can enjoy more of the birthday fun here: Cooper Turns 6 at The Cabin!