Year end

I missed a week so I'll start today with wrapping up our 2020. 

The kids had school through the 23rd. As I had been mentioning, we isolated for 2 weeks before Christmas so we could spend the holiday with our families. Tuesday afternoon we were at the park for recess and Marlo threw a stick that of course hit Kasper square in the face. I saw it happen, saw blood rushing from his face and was pretty certian we were going to have to ruin our isolation and go see a Dr. for stitches or a broken nose and all our hard work would be for nothing. It was a dark 30 seconds for me. Thankfully it was just a bloody nose and he was totally fine. It was shocking, honestly, that that amount of blood was harmless.

   

So we made it! We weren't planning to leave until after dinner on Wednesday but a blizzard was expected midday so we got up, did all our last minute packing and hit the road right after breakfast! We got to St. Cloud right as the snow and wind picked up. Perfect timing.

It was AMAZING to spend Christmas with family. I think we all forgot there was even a pandemic out there as we holed up in my parents' house for a few days. I hadn't seen my nieces in so long! The cousins had so much fun together. 

It ended up being a full-blown blizzard! Rob and Kappy braved the wind for awhile, just to say they did it -- until the subzero windchills chased them back inside.

 

The only photo we got of the kid gift madness. Marlo wanted lots of white printer paper for Christmas and she got what she asked for! We can look forward to piles of art and paper crafts in 2021. 

 

 Big kids who had the best Christmas ever. 

Tried to get a cousin picture. 

This is the best we got. Though I love them all because they will always remind me of Christmas 2020. 

Uncle Tim brought his Oculus. 

After a few days at my parent's house, we went over to Grandma Sandra's! We even got to do a socially-distanced garage hang with Grandpa Steve and Carol. 

(Kasper got a pogo stick that's been pretty popular)  

Marlo LOVES to help.

Marlo REEEEAAAALLLLLLLLYYYYYYY wanted a stuffed animal sleeping bag called a Happy Napper for Christmas. It's a little sleeping bag/pillow combo she saw on YouTube or something. She got one for Christmas but it was the small size and she didn't fit in it. I'm not exaggerating when I say she cried for hours about it being too small and the animal she really wanted (the ladybug) not being available in the big size. Anyway, we were able to get a cat Happy Napper ordered for delivery when we got home Tuesday and I don't think she's been out of it yet. 

What ladybug? She slept on the floor of her room for the rest of 2020. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season.  New Years' to come! 

TEN

 

Tis the season!

Today is Marlo's birthday which kicks off the craziest 16 days of our year. Add to it distance learning and isolating and things get crazier from there. 

Distance learning went pretty well this week. Marlo had her moments but she went a couple days without tears.

We got out for recess every day but one this week because Marlo had a zoom call mid-recess time. We rode our bikes/walked the long way to the park, played at the park and wrestled. The weather has been nice so it's been easy to be outside. 

 

Today was Marlo's seventh birthday! She had a couple requests and I think we covered everything. 

 

I got the same dog for Christmas when I was 6!

Every year we look at these photos of brand new Marlo. 

 

Marlo had a couple drop bys today. Her best friend Lucy dropped a gift off then they met up on FaceTime to open it. I know it made Marlo's day to see her BFF through the door. She also got to see Grandpa Steve and Carol who stopped by to give birthday wishes and gifts. She got FaceTime calls with the rest of her family so I think she was feeling well celebrated. 

Dinner was Culvers and DQ Treatzza Pizza. I think it was a pretty good birthday for the new 7 year old.

 

 

We have a short week of school then our long awaited trip home for Christmas. We CANNOT wait to see family for Christmas. 

Hope you had a wonderful weekend! 

SEVEN

Holiday prep isolation

This week we started our two-week isolation in preparation for seeing family over Christmas! Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all isolating too, and we can't wait to see them in person again. 

Thankfully everyone but me was already home so it wasn't a huge adjustment. I worked Monday through Wednesday, frantically finishing up a bunch of work because I'll be out for over 3 weeks. Then I got to jump right back into distance learning facilitation. 

Basement learning one day.

Reading time

This week went really well. Marlo cried much less at the beginning of the week and by the end didn't even try it at all. The 1st grade teachers added a 10 minute, 1-on-1 session this week which I think was a fantastic idea. Marlo chattered away the whole time, showing her teacher all the art she's been making (believe me, it's a lot). It seems like a bit of undivided attention from the teacher goes a long way in helping the little kids not feel so lost in the shuffle. I have to give huge props to both kids' teachers. They each have a group of 3 teachers and 2 paras so the days feel very well thought-out and supported. Those teachers work SO HARD. 

I think the kids are VERY SLIGHTLY getting bored with screens. They won't necessarily pull themselves away on their own (Kasper especially) but once we suggest a walk or that they play a game together, they are pretty into it.

 

One more full week of distance learning before a short week and then Christmas! That happened fast, didn't it? Hope everyone had a great week!

Back to distance

 Distance learning started again this week! Thankfully it's nothing like distance learning in the Spring. The kids have their own desk spaces and materials and the days are fully planned out. The distance learning day follows a regular school day which is nice. Last time, Kasper could get all of his work done by 10 am then would be on a screen for hours. 

Marlo had some rough moments this week. She really isn't made for distance learning and it's a big adjustment for her. Thankfully the first grade teachers are adding a weekly 10 minute 1 on 1 session for each kid to just chat about whatever. That's something that really helped Marlo in the Spring. I think she feels lost in the shuffle. 

She continues to be super into art. I think she's so talented! 

 

It was a warmish weekend! We all got outside for walks, bike rides, disc golfing, etc. Rob took the kids out for a bike picnic adventure.

 

The picnic

 

 

Hope everyone had a great weekend!