Captain's Log Week 10?

Wow, it is crazy to believe we are wrapping up our online learning for the quarter. It really went by fast. I feel like I just started to hit my stride as it was ending! 

The kids did a great job with their learning and I think they continued to grow as we worked at home. I hope this is something for their memory books. 

With my own classes, I started teaching live band rehearsals on google meet the past two weeks. It was fun to get back into playing with my students but it was different. I was also rusty on how to run a rehearsal- something I used to do six times a day and now only a handful of times a week. Use or lose, that is for sure. 

I am looking forward to packing up my home office and enjoying the summer break. As for the fall, I am not allowing myself to go into the multiple scenarios of could be when August rolls around. I really want to be back into the swing of things, so I can be the best teacher for my students. I have enjoyed creating new things for online learning but nothing can replace seeing students every day. 

I have started brainstorming our summer fun list and schedule: I will for sure share it as we get going. My best tip is to create a loose daily and weekly schedule and stick to it. It helps the days tick along smoothly and gives us all something to depend on and look forward to. I know we were all looking forward to going to the pool this summer, something we have missed out on as a family with my grad classes the past two summers, and we are bummed out they are will be closed. 

However, a silver lining is that with no summer municipal band season, we will have more time on the boat. Hopefully with lots of family and friends! :) 

We spent some time exploring new trails around Terra Park in Johnston- we love beautiful days!

I caught the kids playing nicely while Scott and I worked in the yard. A rare find! Our front porch is such a lovely space and often under-enjoyed. We plan to change that!

We also celebrated Trace's birthday. It always hits me in funny ways. This year it happened when was when I was buying a little planter for the cemetery. I picked out one that I thought was fit for a little boy. Then when I got back into the car, I couldn't stop crying because of course, no nine-year-old boy would want a planter of flowers for his birthday. He should be getting a new upgraded bike and Minecraft and legos and things to kick off summer. It is just not fair, I can hardly imagine what it would be like to have another little boy in our family to join in with the fun. 

We did purchase a big inflatable (and expensive!) pool for the kids and I am telling myself that is what we would have bought Trace for his birthday. This way I can think of him when we all play on it. 

Teaching and learning!

The kids got to say goodbye to their teachers. Both teachers stopped by our house which I am amazed at the feat of that. I was very touched! We missed the girls' teacher but were able to grab a photo with Michael's teacher. 

The girls have been having fun taking photos on my phone and iPad when I am busying working (I suppose they are being naughty but at least they are entertained, right?). It is funny to see the world from their perspective! I especially love the sweet selfies. 

It is funny to see myself through their eyes. Yes, I was there! :) 

We explored the little park around the Jester Park Nature center on a day where we had grabbed Mcdonalds lunch and a little bit of time to kill. It is lovely! The kids had fun with something new. We are excited when parks are open again on June 1st. Yay!

We exchanged cars with Scott's parents so we could use their truck and Grandma Margie came for a visit. We usually visit the pizza ranch buffet when she comes but this time we brought the buffet home to us! I think Scott will think twice next time before he lets me order the take out menu. Not pictured: dessert pizza! hehe 

One of my good friend's dad died and I dropped off a care package for her at her house. We used the excuse to get out of the house and take a little road trip to the Pella area. We had a lovely lunch in the town square and then explored a bit. We also drove around Lake Red Rock. It was a nice way to spend Memorial Day! All the shops were closed in Pella so it was really a ghost town and the restaurant we went to was very well socially distanced. 

I am so thankful for my family to spend time with during this crazy time. We are so looking forward to summer! There is just something about the warm sun, being outside, and having little obligations that just make everyone feel better. :) 

Mother's Day (weeks 8 & 9)

Happy Mother's Day! 

We spent an awesome day on Mother's day Sunday. Scott was awesome in asking me what I wanted to eat and the result was a bunch of food no one else liked so I got leftovers! Chicken salad sandwiches, salad, fancy pizza. I should have thought of that earlier. hehe!

The kids surprised me with a really sweet scavenger hunt which resulted in finding lots of yummy chocolates. It was so sweet and just that Michael and Scott spent time thinking of me was such a precious gift. Michael was excited about it!

This photo is so accurate to us these days. Yes, I looked terrible and tired but...that is just how it goes. :) Hopefully, you can tell I look happy! 

After my Mother's Dad rest, we went to Brenton Arboretum for a walk. It was a cool day but we had fun anyway. Scott had never been so we enjoyed showing him around and we even found some apple trees still in bloom. We even snuck in some (illegal) play time on the natural playscape. Don't tell anyone! 

The second part of my Mother's Day was spending a morning going plant shopping. This is so fun to me and I love looking at all the lovely possibilities at the greenhouses. I am lucky that we have several right in a loop close to our home so I don't even have to go far. I got some filler perennials and stuff for my pots. I am planning on redoing the front landscaping so I was just looking and will wait to purchase those plants later. I still have some shuffling to do, it is never done!

Obligatory "I wore jeans!" post! 

Otherwise we have just been clicking away on our daily routine here. It seems like all I do is work and hang out with the kids. I am looking forward to summer where I can spend less time on my computer. 

We really enjoyed our trees this spring. We got so much work done outside in the first week of May. Normally that would be a week of the year where I would be gone every night and all weekend. I usually don't even start to *think* about the yard stuff until after school is out. I guess there is a silver lining to this- our yard is going to be rockin (and expensive!) 

We celebrated Star Wars Day on May 4th with an online escape room from the library, a star wars workout routine, blue milk for lunch, and then a Star Wars movie. It was actually a pretty fun way to celebrate and all easy, low key ideas. Sometimes I dread trying to make staying home "fun" but this was an easy way that hopefully created some memories for the kids. 

We headed north to Boone for teacher appreciation day so I could get my free lunch (so delicious) and the kids got school lunch. Yes, these are exciting these days! I also had to drop some stuff off for a student so it was good to get out of the house. We stopped at the Iowa Arboretum on the way home and enjoyed the trails. I had never been: they were beautiful and we were the only ones there! A kind soul had even left really nice walking sticks right by the trail sign. 

I have been a little discouraged this week as continuous learning wears on. I've gotten some nasty texts from parents who tell me what I'm doing isn't important and that hurts. I do think what I am doing as a teacher is important and I'm trying my best with what I've got. 

Thinking about it has realized that what I am doing with my own family is important too, and I am trying my best with what I've got there, too. The girls have been playing so nicely lately that sometimes I let them skip their school work. Play is learning for five-year-olds. I am so thankful they have each other and an awesome big brother and we have a safe home to be in. 

The kids have one more week of learning left and I got until June 2nd. We are looking forward to taking a little break from our workbooks and then we'll figure out our master summer plan. The kids keep bugging me to come up with our summer list so they are familiar with the drill around here. :) 

Take care!