We have survived 2 weeks of virtual school - woot, woot! (And no, I will not call it homeschooling, because that's not what this is. We are still beholden to the district, their standards, their curriculum, etc. Which I'm fine with. I'm happy to be the support person!) Anyway, there were some computer glitches the first day or two, along with getting used to a new schedule, all the new apps, and where to find assignments, but overall the transition has been pretty smooth and we've found our groove. That being said, I know things would be a lot more difficult if I had a bunch of kids in elementary school and toddlers on top of that. Basically, Lise and Kate are self-sufficient in getting their work done and can work at their own pace. Kate gets hers all done in the morning and is usually done between 10:30 am and 1 pm, depending on how long a section is. Lise likes to go back to sleep after family scriptures and starts working around 10 am, then will take breaks throughout the day and often still has work after dinner. So they've found what works for them and I just check in with them once a day and we're good. Kylie is also semi-self-sustaining, she just has more curriculum questions about what she's learning.
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| Kylie's Robot drawing |
Electives are still a thing as well, although they are pretty lax, which is nice. The Art, Music, and PE teachers actually offer some great projects, YouTube videos, and ideas and the kids get to pick and choose. Needless to say, these are the favorite subjects of the day.
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| The obstacle course the girls created for PE |
Zoom has really become a thing in our house. I have used it for Ward Council meetings, Kate has done a Drama Kids class online, and Kylie has done a dance class and multiple Zoom "playdates" with her friends. I guess if we're stuck at home, thank goodness for technology, right?
The first weekend in April was General Conference. It was amazing, as always, but considering the issues facing the world at the moment, it made the messages even more powerful. It was wonderful to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the First Vision, participate in a Hosanna Shout, receive an invitation to participate in another worldwide fast, and hear the announcement for the Tallahassee, Florida Temple! We may move before it gets finished, but the people in this area have been praying for this for a long time and I'm grateful they are finally getting a temple closer to them.
Of course, we had tons of yummy food, coloring packets, and puzzles going on that weekend, and I was able to update the girls 72-hour kits as well. (Kylie's still had 4T pants and diapers in hers! 😲 It had been a while . . . 😁)
Another new development has been the amount of cooking we're doing (hence the need for all those walks!) Since we have extra time, we've been making extra treats and trying out new recipes that we might not normally do. Kate helped me make deviled eggs (yay, Easter week!) and one day she woke up craving doughnuts so she went online and found a recipe for doughnut holes and made them from scratch. Pretty awesome. I think we're going to come out of this with a few new skills - and possibly a few more pounds. 😳
The girls created an easter egg hunt in the yard for each other. It's always good to have something to break up the day and get outside!
As this week has been the week leading up to Easter our family has had the wonderful opportunity to study the atonement of Jesus Christ and watch daily videos about the Savior's life and what He was doing each day leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection. Adding a worldwide fast on Good Friday also made the experience much more meaningful. Even though there is so much pain and turmoil going on in the world right now, staying home with my family 24/7 and having the opportunity to unite in fasting with people from all walks of life around the world has caused me to take pause and consider what is most important in life and reflect upon all my blessings. I am so grateful that in a world of turmoil, the Savior, through His infinite atonement, offers us healing, hope, and peace. He Lives! And because He lives we will all one day live again. Happy Easter everybody!
