May Chatbook 2020

It's always great to get another month completely squared away. It brings an immense sense of accomplishment. Just the other day I was watching the girls scroll through the blog and laugh at the pictures they found there. It made me feel so satisfied; that I am contributing a legacy to our family. 

So even when I get months behind, I will still press forward, logging our memories one day at a time. It is all worth it. 

Today you get all the randomness that was our month of May. 

I was taking morning walks during May and I passed under this lovely tree. I'm not sure what kind it is, but I love the pink blossoms. They remind me of hearts and I think they are gorgeous. They make me think of the heart trees in The Adventures of Mark Twain. (It is claymation and if you've never seen it, it is worth a look.)

This is a classic June picture. Feet up on her desk, reading a book and using a t-shirt instead of a towel in her hair after a shower. She read somewhere that it is better for her hair. I only dislike when she leaves the wet t-shirts on my wood furniture. Warping child!

Nova gets in some very interesting positions. I like when she stretches out along the couch. It makes her look like a greyhound. 

Pearl's cabbage (from last year!) reblossomed. I can't believe how big that thing got. The flowers were quite delicate and lovely. I think I appreciate them more than cabbage.

We got a lot of new games during quarantine. One of them was Throw Throw Burrito. It is intense since at certain moments you grab squishy burritos and throw them at each other. It is very fun, but you need the right kind of people to play with. It is definitely more interactive. We ended up chasing each other all around the house.

The girls played a game with the Young Women called Fugitive. You try to get from one neighborhood to another without being spotted by the leaders, who drive around in their cars. Robyn wasn't paying attention and she walked right into a trailer. She said it really hurt and later she had the bruises to prove it. Good reminder...watch where you're going.

I was working on my History Art and Hitler picture. I had another idea to use a mirror that never quite panned out, but these pictures are still pretty funny.

I really like this picture. It was Robyn working on online school, but also playing with the dog and organizing her papers. I think it is a good image of the regular day in quarantine.

Here I am working on my science art project. This was so fun. I had already made my litmus paper, so I was trying out different liquids to see what colors they would make. Lemon juice was my favorite. It made a bright pink, but baking soda, vinegar, and milk were pretty too. 

Tyler was on a salsa kick for most of May. He made so many different kinds and they were all delicious. We ate well that month. I'm going to tell him that I request more salsa this week. I'm suddenly having a craving.

I think it is funny that Tyler took this picture. We were all outside enjoying a conversation with Camie (since we never saw people) and he must have looked out the window and seen us. Bonus points if you can tell who is who from the back.

Tyler is really good at hurting himself. Especially with all the repairs and renovations he did up at the rental property, he was always getting new injuries (most of them small.) I always joke that he squeezes out more blood to make them look worse. So he sent me this picture when he got a small nick. All his scars just make him more manly.

Although there was plenty of social distancing going on, we were also able to see some friends and family and play some games. We had cousins stop by which was so nice, we played plenty of games with the Hulse's and we even got to see Jenaca (when she was in town) out at Camille's. Love those ladies.

Camille has some cute parakeets. I want birds so badly, but I know Nova would eat them for a midday snack, so no birds for now. These cuties are named Slayer and Aqua. (Neither is aggressive despite the scary name.)

I found this picture on June's phone. If you were ever considering a doodle or tattoo that has the infinity sign and a heart in it, here are plenty of ideas.

Daisy is in meditation mode. I have never been able to do that with my feet.

Robyn was still doing art projects for school in May. This is one of her projects using objects to create a color wheel. I really like it.

In English, Robyn was required to draw the connections between characters in Much Ado About Nothing. I love these little illustration people.

Snuggle buddies.

I've seen the girls stack every single petshop on the car before, but I've never seen these cute posers taking a selfie with it. Look at their little puckered lips. So adorable.

And finally, June was zooming through her stitching. With social distancing and less school, she had plenty of time to stitch and that girl can STITCH. At this point, she was over halfway finished with this project and it only took a couple more weeks to complete it.

Not a terribly exciting May and it was missing many of our normal end of school activities, but I'm not complaining much. May tends to have too much crammed into it, so I enjoyed a year off.

Graduation - Quarantine Style

The end of school was rather anticlimactic. In some ways, school felt like it was out since March, but online school was still a very real beast that the children hated encountering every day. So when the line was drawn in the sand and the kids could stop using the computer to look up canvas or google classroom, everyone was happy. 

I think graduation ceremonies are a bit overrated, especially for elementary, but I understand that they can be quite sentimental and important to certain kids. I felt bad for all the Seniors this year whose last hurrah faded into a few kind words on facebook and on billboards.

For us, we had only one "GRAD" this year and that was Daisy, leaving 6th grade and venturing in to the world of Junior High. Her teacher was pretty fantastic and made sure all the kids felt special. And they did a few things at the school to make it a memorable experience.

Daisy received a BOOK WHISPERER award in her class. This is very fitting since Daisy eats up books like candy. She reads huge series in a blink of an eye and then rereads them because she likes them so much.

She also received her own lemon in the mail from the principal. The mascot is the bear cub, but somehow they have incorporated lemons into everything as well. Fine by me. Also, when they send lemon drops, they usually aren't the REAL lemon drops. Disappointing, but they aren't for me anyway. Daisy loved her huge lemon and she made herself a cup of lemonade following the instructions on the card.

The surrounding schools did a fireworks show for all the residents. I think it was an end of year graduation type thing. We all sat on the grass and watched the show. From where we were, we could see two shows going on, since we live fairly close to two High Schools. 

Then on the final day of school, the elementary did a graduation parade. You could drive through and say hello to your teacher. I think we were supposed to stay in our car, but I loved Pearl's teacher and I had to get a last picture. 

Haha, look at the truck with the graduation cap. That is funny.

Also, Daisy needed to stand by the huge Graduation sign. In general, I really don't like when they spell Congratulations, CongraDulations, but I guess it makes sense in this case.

We even got a picture of Daisy with Henry. They didn't get to finish their ballroom season together, but they are still good friends. 

And so school ended and summer began, although it was really already going for us, with art and down time. Such a strange year. But each kid still graduated and felt some closure.

Working Hard or Hardly Working

 All during May and much of June and July, the kids would be kidnapped up to Layton each weekend to work on the rental house. Remember...you can't build too much character.

I did not go most of the time. Mainly because I'm lazy, but also because I didn't want to hurt my back. Painting can do that you know. Plus, it is really nice to be in an empty house. During quarantine, there wasn't much of that.

Here are some pictures of the girls working hard at the house. They did all sorts of things and learned some new skills. I have a couple kids that now know how to caulk. 

They can be really good workers when they put their minds to it. Everyone needs to take a break though. We have a large fan at our house. We used it up at the rental for a bit and then it came home. Daisy happened to be playing near it one Sunday when she found this fun trick.

Then everyone needed to try it. 

Even Dad tried it. His tie is floating if you look closely, but I wouldn't blame you if you got distracted by that awesome curl in his hair.

Daisy's dress was still the best. She looks like some kind of strange Barbie cake. 

It also works on hair. Check out these pictures of Ivory.

For some reason, it really reminds me of the Eastalian Witch from the Boy Who Saved the Stars. (Kids books sure stick with you.)

Working or no, we seem to have fun wherever we go.

Who is That Masked Kid?

 Man, I have been such a blog slacker recently. All my good intentions went out the window while we were getting the art show ready. It was tremendous and trust me that some day (in the unknown future) I will blog all about it.

Meanwhile, back on the farm...school started. That's right. We live in a state that is tentatively trying to send kids back to school. Who knows how long it will last, but all my kids are super excited to go back and see friends and NOT do online school. 

School started today (except for Daisy who went yesterday). I made lunches and we did the whole shebang of pictures and favorites. After all, even if they have to come back home and do school on the computer, they can still have favorites.

I added the new category of Art piece from the art show. They all chose their favorite piece that they did. (Pearl's happens to be from last year, but still one of her pieces.)

School is happening folks. And these kids are rocking it. You have to give people with glasses extra credit, because masks and glasses aren't really bosom buddies. 

Maybe with kids back in school, I'll find some time to blog. (A girl can dream.)