During spring break, we had the announcement that school would be closed through April 6th. Teachers scrambled to get us packets and work, and we created working schedules day-by-day. I was most concerned about Owen--he is used to being outside much of the day, running around for playdates and beach and bikes and outings. I thought it would be hard for him to be cooped up inside the majority of the day. Cue the 15 minute mandatory breaks each hour alternating between Zac and Kate, and Owen has someone playing hard with him for 30 minutes of every hour. He is a pretty content dude.
Brady set up shop at home several weeks ago. At first, he was upstairs in Zachary's room. However, when the Peloton set up camp there last week, he moved to the master bedroom to work. My favorite interruption so far occurred when he was on a conference call and Owen yelled out at top volume: "CAN SOMEBODY WIPE MY BUM?" We made it mandatory for one of us to wipe him since the TP shortage and the fact that he can't get clean without using 3/4 of a roll.
Owen has also diligently done "Mommy Preschool" and books each day. It is working out.
The Emergency Proclamations started March 4 and progressed throughout the month, going from no groups over 10 to a stay-at-home order. We are allowed to surf, swim, and exercise at the beach, but no more lounging or sand time. Police reinforce the rule and patrol the beaches regularly, kicking out anyone with an umbrella or chair. We are rule followers so these pictures were taken prior to those rules getting issued.
It has been dreamy for the kids (at least since it stopped raining all day every day during spring break). Each day, we do school for 5 hours, then they have one hour or media, and they finish it off with a few hours at the beach before coming home to cook dinner with the family and play games in the evening. But they definitely miss their friends.
My friend Jennie told me about Wendy Mac and her daily art class. Owen and Kate take them a few times a week.
Owen's preschool teacher reads stories virtually a few times a week. Owen still doesn't understand that she can't answer him when he asks "Miss Berta" a question.
Some normalcy remains, like eye doctor appointments. Kate has good vision for now--just some allergies, and Owen still naps in the car like a champ if it is after lunch.
This marks the only time in history I was excited to go the eye doctor. An outing! Whoo-hoo!
Another outing: Ms. Lois makes a music drop at her church and we picked it up the next day. She gave very detailed directions and we followed them like a treasure hunt. Outing!
Kate is working on her ramping and skim boarding.
Third time's a charm! We made rock crystal candy successfully! Also, her hair chalk is glamorous and lasts several beach trips.
Kate and Owen do virtual ballet with Ms. Hilary.
Kate and Zachary do virtual piano with Ms. Lois. Initially, I was hesitant to keep piano since I can fill in fine for a few lessons. However, I quickly realized that as long as Brady is still working, I need to do my part to keep people employed--especially people I have previously committed to. Lois is 72-years-old (I think) but doing exceptionally well with FaceTime lessons. It is inspiring to see the older generation embracing technology.
The dreaded late afternoon nap.
Another evening, another empty beach watching my skim boarders and surfers.
Kate is on a baking spree. Once again, she has tuned into Master Chef Junior and she is determined to bake and cook. Her favorite creation so far: peanut butter fingers. She bakes muffins for breakfast, picks and creates meals for dinner with me at least once a week, and begs to bake brownies or cookies for dessert.
Owen does not earn money yet, but he earns stickers on his preschool and reading charts and earns toys. He was stoked about this monster truck ramp.
More pancake fun.
Brady has resigned to hair growth during this lockdown. He calls his head a "wire whisk." I told him I could try to cut it but he gave me a hard pass. Looking forward to the next few weeks (months?) of fro.
Another kid with unregulated hair growth.
So many pancakes. I love the creativity. I still don't love pancakes.
Brady joins us every night at the beach. He and I are alternating surf time.
Family movie night.
Selfie Sunday.
First ride on the peloton!
Parking lot nap (Owen had his seatbelt on during the drive).
Science reactions--Owen's favorite time of day! He asks for a "science exkerament" every morning.
With all the missionaries coming home, we have had two zoom/webex calls for their homecoming talks. The first was Cole from our ward, and the second was Tanner, Angela's son.
More sand time.
More pancakes!
Kate dolls herself up before her school zoom calls.
More virtual ballet.
...and more baking!
Zac is also in charge of a full meal each week and his most recent meal was salmon bowls. The best part of no sports is that we are all together in the kitchen at night cooking and cleaning together.
Kate and her April Fools Day muffins--GREEN!
Peloton sweat fest.
Daddy/Daughter dance...just a different kind than the one usually associated with that title.
Owen decided he loves the ocean since "I am bigger now and I am am 4 and I LOVE HUGE WAVES." We go to the kiddie waves by the surf school and body surf tiny wave after tiny wave. He asks me every minute, "How big was that wave?"
Nic caught a couple cool shots of Zac in the water with his underwater camera casing.
The Clarks got us in on a plank challenge for April. By the end, we are supposed to be holding for 5 minutes. The second night, Zac decided to do a 9 min plank workout with me--but where you rotate after each minute for side planks. After that, he said, "I think I can do the 5 minute plank right now." We figured there was no way but of course encouraged him to try...and he did it. Unreal.
Kate likes live dance a whole, whole lot more than virtual dance.
After two straight weeks of nightly beach trips (where I surfed non-stop and Brady played with the kids and froze), Brady said it was his turn to pick the activity and we went hiking. He also decided he's ready to surf, too, and that is super exciting for me. Sorry about basketball, though, babe. I know you miss it so much!
Friday night hiking: the very best 90 minutes of our week, and we had some amazing moments this week in the water, at home, etc. It was so beautiful and just us, talking, laughing, finding shells, and letting Owen lead the way. He thought we said it was time to go home, and started bawling. We were only halfway, so that was good news.
Super hard to take a bad photo here.
AHHHH!
AHHHH!
AHHHH!
Zachary and Kate continue to cooperate and play together like they were never rivals. It is baffling because all over Facebook, I'm reading that kids are fighting non-stop, but for us, it has reversed trend.
Owen spotted the first sea slug Brady and I have ever seen. They are just as nasty as they sound.
Kate read a documentary on Bethany Hamilton and then watched "Soul Surfer." I was so apprehensive about it, knowing that she has vivid nightmares and was already terrified of sharks. It had the opposite effect, though, completely inspiring her. Brady had pushed her into waves earlier in the week, and every time she fell, there were tears. She could hardly wait to get out of the water. Two days later, after all the Bethany research, Spencer happened to be pushing Penelope and Ruby into waves and he pulled her into the lineup. She surfed at least 20 waves, and came out ecstatic. She said, "I think I might be the next Bethany Hamilton!" The next day, she begged to go a little earlier in the day. Not a soul was in the water and that would spook even me, but she jumped in and paddled into wave after wave. She has surfed every day since. It is so, so thrilling to watch her get taken in by the surf bug.
Zachary is watching Lego Master, which led to lego mania around here.
After four hours of surfing Friday, she fell asleep on the couch Saturday morning at 10am.
When you have zero sports, there is all kinds of time on a Saturday. I keep questioning my loyalty to organized sports during this break.
Sunday morning conference waffles. Kate, Owen, and I made the batter and Zac made the buttermilk syrup.
Despite the extra family time, surf time, and free time, Zachary still feels pretty let down by COVID-19. We are letting the kids feel all the feels, and then talking about the way it is impacting others in a very serious way. It is one thing to miss friends and school. It is another to not have money for rent and food. We have had so many thoughtful conversations these past few weeks, and yes, I hate COVID-19, too, but I am so grateful for this pause for the life lessons and skills my kids are acquiring and the family time we have spent together.
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