Whooo-eee this month hit the check-marks on a number of different crazy lists. The weather has been unseasonably warm, a lot of school quarantines and switch to virtual schooling and just general ramp up to the holidays. But like each month before it, we survived and I'm here to tell the tale of it!
We made quite a few trips to the beach this month. The kids enjoy playing in the sand as much as playing in the water, so it was a great excuse to get out of the house and get some (safe) fresh air. With the warm temps and the time change, we were able to catch our first beach sunset as a family too! Colin was underwhelmed and Blair enjoyed it more than I expected so it all evened out.
With the rise of COVID cases in our state, we have been playing it pretty close to home. Blair had to quarantine for 2 weeks in the beginning of November due to a positive case in her class, so we were tethered to taking walks around our neighborhood and playing in our own yard. It was rough going those two weeks, but we made it! Once she was finished we went on our own little adventures outside and enjoyed the warmer weather while it lasted.
Both kids are officially virtual until after the holidays. I expected this to happen, and felt a little relieved when the decision was finally made. I go back and forth between "our home is a cozy nest" and "I'm the mother and wife of dirty little hamster people" but overall, I'm happy to know that we are safe at home and if we do get sick, our exposure to others is nil.
Colin really does well with the virtual schooling. We have our schedule down pretty well, and he follows along with the teacher without too many issues. He can operate the computer himself (signing onto the meets, muting/unmuting, etc) but I make sure to listen just in case the teacher has something to say. The hardest parts are when he has breaks because all he wants to do is play with Blair and all SHE wants to do is continue playing alone. Sometimes they really play well but, it can be a struggle for me to stop the fights when really neither of them is wrong.
Blair was always scheduled to have Thanksgiving - New Year off because her teacher is immune-compromised, but before Thanksgiving her teacher and husband drove around to each home and dropped a bag of crafts, one for each day of December. This was so special and meaningful to us, and we think of her each time we pull out the next activity.
Thanksgiving came and went. We made the decision to stay home for both holidays this year. It wasn't an easy choice, especially knowing we wouldn't see some family members for over a year, but we thought it best considering the circumstances. We made the traditional big meal, and Chris did excellent on the turkey. I made pumpkin pie from real pumpkins, and used the turkey carcass to make delicious turkey soup.
The last big thing we did this month was venture out to cut & buy a Christmas tree. It was a sunny beautiful day so I wanted to try to sneak in some "formal" pics of the kids and I sure got some good ones. We found a tree pretty quickly so got to sawing. Chris did a great job but Colin did the hard work by detaching the last bit from the stump. I loved doing this as a kid and have so many awesome memories of it, so I hope I have passed that to them as well.
Colin is really such a hilarious kid, and in the way where he isn't always trying to be funny. Sometimes I wonder what goes into his brain (like, why would he spray febreeze into his mouth??) but he is so creative and imaginative, I am always surprised with his artwork and wit. I have been incredibly impressed with how well he's done in virtual school. He has always been a kid that thrives on playing & being around other kids that I know it has been very difficult for him. But Colin has kept a positive attitude about it and I try to encourage that and point it out as much as possible, letting him know how much I appreciate him.
One morning Colin decided I was sleeping too late and decided to stand in the doorway hitting the buzzer on the "Operation" game because it was time for me to get up.
Here is a picture of Colin's "always" "sometimes" and "never" foods. You will notice on the "never" list is poop, boogers and poison berries, so I guess I'm doing something right!
Colin brings a small notepad with us on hikes, and he draws what he sees or things. This is a picture he drew after he climbed a tree and a branch scraped his belly.
Colin was sent to his room for a bit for not listening. I went in to tell him he could come out, and he had changed into all awhile clothes. I asked what he was doing and he said "Mom. It is a disguise." I said, "How?" He exasperatedly explained, "Well, the doors are white, the walls are white, so I was going to sneak past you blending into them and go into the room with Saucy." Here he is thinking he's blending in with the walls and shelf.
Colin drew a picture of a town - complete with a building on fire and walkways to the front door, and even a meteor set to wipe the whole place out.
Blair has opened her own playdoh bakery this month. It is her absolute favorite thing in the world these days. She found a cooking show for "witch's hat cupcakes" and has watched it so many times she's memorized the directions. So Blair will be playing in her room with her playdoh and I'll hear "Today, we are making thee witches hat cupcakes." and "I'll put this here, so it is a nice surprise when you bite into it." or "We cut out three little circles, and put them like this, you see?" Then she will bring our her creations to us. It is SO cute, but don't you DARE interrupt her while she's playing. She has her way of doing things and it will stay that way!
She also started drawing her first smiley faces! She will say "Mom there's you, that's dad, this is Colin and that's Figgy (the cat)!"
When Blair was quarantined her teachers attempted virtual school, but there's one boy Blair does not like because he never follows the rules, so she just puts her hand over his face. Her father would be proud.
Like I could ever forget Blair and her furry friend(s).
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