Getting Ready for Fireworks

The boys got to do a couple sparklers tonight. They are getting ready for their big firework show. No, not Vashon's big firework show. That was cancelled for this year. Just the one they are planning on doing in our yard. They are very excited though.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2yDymBbMVqi8fmUr6

Be Smart People

As everyone makes their summer plans I want you to keep in mind this. Regardless of what you think about COVID-19, this is what I am looking at daily. Not opinions. Data. The data that will determine if our governor moves us from phase 2 to phase 3. Or maybe even back to phase 1. If we don't move to phase 3 in September it will hurt my job and income. If we don't move to phase 3 I will be homeschooling again as our school district has already let us know. Please be smart people. My sanity is dependent on everyone continuing to follow guidelines. Listen to Tommy's advice. Come on people.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1uwoxpYHL4TUVwRbA

Fisher Pond

We had a pretty low key day hanging out around the house. In the afternoon I took the boys for a walk around Fisher Pond again. We saw a few birds. And the boys collected leaves from different trees and bushes. Tommy had fun still talking about all the things he learned in his class.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YQFDnpxJ2SbXKLfH6

Kayaking

We took the boys on a quick kayak trip this evening. We tried to find a beach we thought would not be crowded. All we have heard is all the popular beaches have been full. So we went to Dockton. It was also packed. So we went on the far side of the boat launch where no one was. It was fairly low tide though which I hate because it is so muddy there. We didn't stay long, but the boys had fun. They are definitely getting better at it.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/L82ofcxmsfk78Uje9

Dani's Birthday

It was a low key birthday. Well, everyone has a pretty low key birthday these days. I worked most of the day. The boys gave me some cards, Eric gave me some flowers, and my parents dropped off some dinner they made for us. I watched the Griffey special from Father's Day with Tom. We didn't watch it on Father's Day because Eric didn't want to watch it, but it was really good. Eric got me a cake. But who are we kidding, he really got it for the boys. They even blew out my candles.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XSzdTmt54AmkAEbk6

Escape to the Beach

I took a little time off work today so that we could escape to the beach for the super low tide. I did manage to get one geoduck all by myself. The boys played in the little stream. There was only one other group on the beach, which was our major motivation. We heard that all of the public beaches were packed since it was such a nice day, low tide and school had just let out. So we didn't have to worry about constantly telling them to stay away from other people. It made it so much more pleasant.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xTGX8A5q98u4RXzQ9

Total Wreck

The boys have been a total wreck lately. Bruised. Scraped. Battered. Today the boys did not close the door on the trampoline. Tom was pushing Jake. Jake pushed back and shoved Tom right out the door. Tom landed hard on the chair that they use to climb into the trampoline. He broke his foot right through the seat of the chair and it scratched right up his leg. Jake comes in and he has a black eye. Boys, boys, boys.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Nc4fx1pk1wWdyRoC9

Summer Schedule

Here we are at the first day of summer. We are going to keep a schedule even if we don't follow it exactly. That way we don't get complaints when we start our schedule back up.

Time	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
8:00	Wake Up and Potty
8:15	Breakfast with Music
8:45	Brush Teeth and Get Dressed
9:00	PE
	Go Noodle App or Mom's Choice					Lesson - PE
9:15	Flash Cards - Jake Read, Tom Spell
9:30	School Work
10:00	Recess
12:00	Lunch with Storytime
	Storyline	Mr. Lance's Yard	Owls	Spanish	Specialist Party	Storyline	Storyline
12:30	School Work
1:00	Science Show or Experiments
	Comedy Show pswd: comedy!	Magic School Bus Mystery Science	Blaze 2nd Grade Get Together code: mrlance	Mystery Doug	Planet Earth	Mom's Choice
2:00	Art Time
	How to Draw	Play Dough	Paint	Collage	Color Books	Mom's Choice
2:45	Cleanup Time
3:00	Recess Outside
5:00	Call Grandma and Grandpa
5:30	Jake Reading -  Tom Writing - Journal of Day's Events
6:00	Jake Writing Tom Reading - Mark in Log
	Epic	Epic	Epic	Epic	Epic	Tom's Choice
6:30	Check Writing
7:00	Dinner
7:30	Rewards Time (maybe)
8:00	Brush Teeth and Pajamas
8:30	Story Time
9:00	Bed Time

Father's Day

We had a pretty mellow day. Eric just wanted to spend the day relaxing. They boys made some cards for Dad and Grandpa. We did have a bit of a rough day the last 2 days with Tom and his summer reading program. His teacher was so happy with his progress she moved him up a level. Just like every time he starts something new, he started throwing fits about how he couldn't do it. Here we go again. We did go to see my parents briefly. The boys played a game of socially distanced croquet with grandpa. They thought that was pretty fun. We finished the day with having Eric's choice of chicken enchiladas. And I also made berry smoothies.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RSZE5TELUDgCyh1B8

Jake Lost Another Tooth

Jake lost another tooth last night while we were doing our camp out. He thinks he swallowed it or it dropped out of his mouth. So he wrote a note to the tooth fairy and put it under his pillow. He ended up with a pretty special coin.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/T3pimeucDqmgBrFc7

Backyard Camp Out

The boys have been asking about camping. I was feeling too exhausted to actually go camping. But I told them we could do a backyard camp out. So we started a campfire and made up foil pouch dinners. They boys had fun hanging around the campfire listening to country music. And they mostly liked their foil pouches. Why don't these boys like potatoes? We capped the night off with make a banana, marshmallow and chocolate foil boat and also smores. Then Eric and I played a round of cribbage while the boys sort of watched and learned. I would have let them sleep in the tent in the back yard but rain was in the forecast so I told them they should wait a few days to try.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zMz8UHykeSZazhjZ9

Home School Day 99

Day 99
100 days ago was Tommy & Jake's last day of school in the classroom. We made it through home school. Not easy, but they turned in all their work, their teachers were happy and I think they learned some stuff. They were a little sad with the ending and how the only were able to celebrate online. I think they will be missing everyone over the summer. But they will not be missing their laptop and tablet. At least for now. Here is Jake's slideshow of the ABC countdown to the end of the year on here. He had fun doing all the days. And here is a slide show of Tom's Journal which he is really proud of. He finished page 99 today and says he wants to keep going. Goodbye Kindergarten and 2nd grade. Here comes 1st and 3rd grade.

Today King County moved into phase 2. It is not really that different from phase 1.5 so it is not really that big a deal to me. Eric did get a hair cut today so that was good. He went 100 days without letting me just do it for him. He was totally looking like bozo the clown. I could barely look at him without laughing. But I don't really plan to go running out into public since 2 people tested positive this week on Vashon. In fact I am not feeling super great again. I woke up this morning with vertigo. The whole room was spinning to where the floor was the ceiling and the ceiling was the floor.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/V6JsFWtutpbJk2ea9

Home School Day 98

Day 98
Tommy's class tried it again today and it worked. They got to say goodbye to each other. Everyone seemed a little on the sad side. I don't know if it was because weren't going to see Mrs. Morrison anymore, or worried about how school will be in the fall. It didn't seem like what I would imagine kids would be like on their last day of school. I don't know what is going through my boys heads right now. But today they acted like they have no brains at all. Running around going crazy and I could never get them to settle down. Ugh!

We did get to have pick stuff out of our little container garden today. We have managed to keep the deer out so far. Last year they broke in just hours after I said to myself I should go in and pick. So we get to enjoy the strawberries for the first time that we kept from grandma and grandpa's house.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/j4TwLTqmV16ZP7ZB8

Home School Day 97

Day 97
Very busy day today with Tommy's classes and wrapping up last bits of homework. Tommy's class had a technical difficulty so they are going to try again tomorrow. Jake's class was doing tick tack toe day. So we did tick tack toe over video chat with Grandma and Grandpa. Jake managed to win. We also played a couple board games tonight. It didn't exactly end well. Tommy lost 3 games in a row and it ended in him shoving the table at started screaming even though I didn't win. Jake won all three games. Darn competitive kid.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/664SCCLn7GWBdj668

Home School Day 96

Day 96
Wrapping up last bits of school work for the year. Tommy's reading teacher bumped him up a difficulty level because he has been doing so well. I shouldn't have told him it was leveled up because he started freaking out. So we had to do a bunch of practice runs instead of the typical 3 to get it to where he could pass. If only he would not freak out when approaching something new. Ug. Jake was excited to get to do the Flat Stanley project today though. Tommy sent his to Lena when he was in Kindergarten. So that is where Jake sent his as well. He can't wait till she gets it.

Today it was posted to Vashon Be Prepared that a new case of COVID-19 is on the island. They only publish numbers. No names. I am interested to see how this contract tracing works. Did you go to Thriftway in the last 2 weeks?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RMUpnRvW5XZaRCfk7

Home School Day 95

Day 95
Last week of school. I had a busy work day. So the boys had a pretty mellow day. They don't have much work this week. So they went out to their trampoline this afternoon and created their own Star Wars movie. They begged dad to video tape. They a silly boys.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Bx1A6BgXZZD2SAvu6

Home School Day 94

Day 94
We had a pretty quiet morning today. The boys spent a lot of time on their trampoline acting out Star Wars. Then they would create shows they would have me come watch. Whatever keeps you busy boys :) Then we took a hike this afternoon to Maury Island Marine Park. It was a pretty tough hike as there was a very steep elevation. I don't know that we will be doing it again any time soon. I practically had to drag Jake back up the hill. And I am not in great shape myself right now as I have been mostly tied to my computer for the last 3 months. I have hardly had time to even go out in our yard and do anything with all the homework. But we made it. We then went to Grandma and Grandpa's to pick up some stuff and say hi. We were all pretty tired. So we ended the night with a movie. Empire Strikes Back. Now that we started the series we have to keep working our way through.

Cases of COVID-19 keep rising. The deaths have slowed down a little but hospitalizations are going up so I am sure it is only a matter of time before the deaths begin to rise again. It is still hard to believe we can't get our shit together.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/FjohhzJaW6Pe7bTU8

Home School Day 93

Day 93
Oh man. I sent in Jake to put his laundry away. I told him he needed to straighten up the clothes in his drawers. I come in to find all the clothes in a giant pile on the floor and all of the drawers pulled out of the dresser. Well it only took  hours to get the boys to straighten their mess out and put away their laundry properly.

Once that was done we went up to the high school's graduation parade. Congrats Class of 2020 VHS Pirates! The boys had a great time having something to cheer about.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2vvvmzDmDDZgASGp6

Home School Day 92

Day 92
The boys got to see their teachers the last 2 days. Of course with masks on and from a distance. They made them posters to say thanks for all the things that they do for us. Seeing school come to a close we started realizing all the things they have really missed out on that generations of Vashon kids have gotten to do and I am sure other schools too. Field day, end of the year parties, end of the year school performance, field trip to the zoo, flight museum, KVI beach and Dockton Park. Looking back at Elementary school these are the things that I can actually remember. I am so sad they had to miss out on these. I know that it was necessary and they are going to continue to miss out on things. I just hit me really hard this week with how much they really are missing. The prospect of school reopening in the fall does not seem great to me. At least not school as we know it. The state has already said that all schools will need to have all staff and kids with masks on and everyone at a 6 foot distance. For for my kids I just don't see how they are going to follow the rules. They have huge problems keeping their hands to themselves. I wish the school good luck in figuring it out. We'll try to follow whatever format. But I am not super hopeful that they are going to get back to these experiences that they are missing out on. As the seniors graduate tomorrow I can only imagine how they have felt missing out on all of those things they have heard about for years and looked forward too. I know being sad about it is not going to change anything, and we need to continue to keep people safe. But we have been so busy that as this week slowed down it really hit me how much they are missing.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bvwYwsSaB44wnnSaA