We've had our rough days and there have been tears, sometimes over missed opportunities like track season for Ellie, plays (this is the year we have season tickets to Hale Center and the girls were pretty upset we missed Strictly Ballroom), & just a few shed for the uncertainty at times. There was a particularly rough day when I was feeling a little overwhelmed with making 3 meals a day for everyone, homeschooling 4 kids which includes a preschooler who thinks he needs as much homework as the other kids, and just trying to figure out how to meet the needs of my young women through these times. I was grumpy. I tried taking the kids out to play pickleball to get us all outside and thought that maybe some fresh air would help turn all our moods but that turned into a disaster. Steve ended up on the lawn exasperated by the situation and both the boys ended up screaming in tears for one reason or another and neither of the girls wanted to play in the first place -- good times. ;)

Andrew has really been struggling these last few weeks and lashing out or throwing fits of frustration. He is a very smart boy and when things don't come easily he can snap. It's been difficult for me to deal with it as his "teacher" and as his mom. I'm sure that it is difficult for him too to have me as the authority figure in both things in his life.

This past week I bought some bags of muddy buddies and we printed little tags that say, "I Miss My Buddies" and the kids have been writing little notes for their friends. As I've read a few of them they say things like:
"I miss you!"
"I hope you are not bored."
"I cannot wait for this to end!"

Even Andrew had a little moment during his school work where he was supposed to draw a picture of a friend and tell his teacher about them. He drew his friend Wes and said he missed riding home from school with him and playing soccer together -- yep soccer was cancelled too.

and we find ourselves with only 3 more weeks of the online home curriculum. Ellie is excited she won't have to do school work on her birthday and then we'll find ourselves with an interesting start to summer break. . . well we'll cross that bridge when it comes. Here's some of the fun we had this week.

Unbeknownst to me, Lila's teacher has been encouraging weekly at home science experiments. Without knowing this the kids managed to do a grow crystal kit one week, we did some egg experiments before Easter, and just this week we made a bunch of different slimes and then later that day Lila's teacher emailed us recipes for slime -- so ironic or maybe a little divine intervention for our timing of things.

Ellie made volcano slime, Lila made confetti & glitter slime, Andrew made chalkboard & glow in the dark slime, and Marcus made color changing slime.

Tuesday we gave Ellie an early birthday present. She kept talking about wanting rollerblades and she is really the one that could use a little encouragement to get moving (Lila still has dance via Zoom for 5 hours a week and the boys are always running about 🤣). So we decided to give her the gift early and she has been outside using them at least 3 times this week so I think it was a good choice. Lila decided to strap on the older pair of rollerblades and give it a whirl a couple of times. It's also inspired us to get out the heelies and now a pair fit Andrew so they have all been trying to wheel around outside.


The boys had a picnic on the trampoline during the girls piano lessons so they wouldn't disturb them.


I decided to start emailing the girls recipes because it allows them some autonomy with a little push/encouragement from me. Wednesday they made a giant peanut butter cookie from Our Best Bites that was quite delicious. Then Thursday they made these divine pretzel bites from Mels Kitchen Cafe. After which we had a little discuss about salt. Did you know it was once called white gold and it is also believed that the word salary is derived from salt. We talked about it's properties and how it can absorb water and then we did some salt art painting.























Also pictured are the aforementioned pretzel bites that we dipped in hummus, cheese sauce, honey mustard, and a garlic butter. So yummy and quite easy to make.

Friday morning after breakfast we went for a hike. We were hoping our early week day approach would help us beat the crowd and it did. We had the trail to ourselves going up and only passed a couple of groups coming down. The trail was beautiful and followed a stream which was pretty full and running fast with the rain and snow melt. The rushing water was beautiful both to the eyes and ears, but did make the trail a bit difficult as we were supposed to cross the stream in several places. . .


































Saturday we once again got out right after breakfast and went for a bike ride. Lila bowed out and vowed to read while we were gone. We made it three miles farther than we normally do in the outing (bike riding is still not Lila's favorite so she tends to take a leisurely pace and is usually the first one who wants to turn around). We made it all the way up to the tunnel under the 1-93 which the kids all thought was great. Then Steve turned on the outside water and was doing sprinkler checks at which point the boys thought it would be great to put in swim suits and play. After dinner we had a few more rounds of Clue before putting the boys to bed.

Today we had another wonderful home sacrament meeting with our Come Follow Me lesson. Then we decided to go for a drive to the Bountiful temple while listening to our book. When we got home there was only an hour left in the story so they all snuggled on the couch while I made lunch and we finished it up. After lunch we played a game of Settlers then the kids Kiwico boxes arrived and they were off to craft and create for hours. It was another wonderful week here in the Moore home. We continue to pray for all the frontline/essential workers and those leading the fight against COVID-19.

It's been stated before how much I like to schedule things. So the first week the kids were home we began working on routines and I, you guessed it started scheduling. It's just a notebook piece of paper that I make a list of the chore I'd like to get done that day and an activity we can do as a family. You can see there are arrows for when things shift around.























Friday, I had a talk with the girls about goals and schedules because they are really doing well at school and getting things done quickly and we're almost done with the Marvel series (which has been a fun distraction and bonding experience -- Lila is a lot of fun to watch movies with and she picks up on the littlest things). So they have a lot of free time. I told them that they should make goals of what they want to accomplish during this period of time and then make a schedule to help them accomplish it. I told them I would be happy to help them schedule their days, but then neither of us would be happy because they probably wouldn't like my schedule and I'd be unhappy they weren't sticking to it. 

Since then I've seen them both working on schedules. Ellie started setting her alarm and getting up at 7:15 and practicing her instruments and this is my girl who likes to sleep in. She also has made a goal to contact a member of her young women's class each day to just say hi and see how they are doing. Lila has also been working on a schedule and I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with how on top of it she has been with logging on to her zoom school meetings and dance classes without any reminders from me. I would like to see Lila reading some more so I challenged her to finish 2 books before we watch Spiderman Far From Home. Life is good and we're just trying to make the best of bizarre circumstances that occur during a pandemic.

That is what Andrew has been calling it this past week. He'll say, "yeah we were going to do that until the stinky stinky coronavirus" or "I miss my teacher, darn stinky stinky coronavirus" or "do you think the stinky stinky coronavirus will be gone by July 31st so I can attend Hogwarts school?" Yes, you know we're all getting a little stir crazy when the kids start using a British accent and pretending their wizards. 😂


We survived another week of crisis home centered learning. To be honest the kids are gems about doing it and I hope they truly are learning and progressing -- that is one of the down sides of this style of learning is I don't feel like I really have a way to measure they're learning. Ellie's teachers are good about posting grades and I can see some kind of measurements which is good, but I don't get that kind of feedback for Lila. . .oh well, we just do our best.


This week the weather has been a bit cold again. So when Tuesday afternoon looked a bit warmer and dry we decided to get out and go for a hike. It was amazing and just the adventure we needed. The boys did great -- we never had to carry either of them, just hold Marcus's hand and help him over some rocky spots. There was a waterfall at the top that was still covered with ice and occasionally a huge ice chunk would break and fall off. We sat there and had a snack and chatted for a bit. Marcus ate 2 granola bars and 1 applesauce and wanted more. He claimed he needed 4 granola bars. Lila was kind enough to share another 1/2 with him. (have I mentioned how the kids appetites are ferocious right now and they are eating everything we put in front of them -- which is good and also crazy because I cannot just go to the store on a whim, but fortunately we're stocked, we may eat everything in the freezer, but it's all good) Alas back to the hike and some pictures.









 


Wednesday was rainy and gloomy so we used the day to do laundry and wash sheets. Thursday was Mimi's birthday so we all logged on to an app Nessa found called Houseparty to play games and wish her a happy happy birthday. It was a lot of fun! 



That evening the kids painted rocks with cute uplifting sayings to put around the neighborhood. Friday we played pickle-ball and worked in the garden. 

Saturday the girls and I sewed face masks for Hill Airforce Base who are sending some medical personnel to help in New York. We had quite the assembly line going. Ellie did the initial sew, Lila turned it right side out and ironed it and creased it, then I did the final sew, and Steve burned the edges of the ties so they won't fray. It took us a couple of hours but the machines did well, only a couple of hiccups: I broke a needle at one point and Ellie's bobbin got knotted up. The boys were also in the craft room playing Legos the whole time we were sewing. They just like to be in the same place as everyone else. Then we went for a bike ride and played several rounds of Clue which has quickly become a family favorite (the first time we played I managed to just randomly guess right my first guess and then I won the next 3 games so they've been out to get me and I'm happy to say they all did really well and have each won a round -- it's fun to hear Andrew's thoughts that some times come out loud 😉 and he's even managed to win a couple of rounds and trick us all with a sneaky move).


Today I have a youth zoom meeting scheduled where all of the recently returned missionaries from our ward will share their testimony and lead a discussion (we have had 7 come home in the last few weeks due to the coronavirus and we've been praying for all of the missionaries). I also will have a zoom RS lesson based on this talk Knowing, Loving, and Growing so good! Then we'll have another sacred home sacrament meeting followed by a digital Come Follow Me lesson with the Buckley Clan. Life is good. Even though we have our challenging days we know we have a loving Heavenly Father who can provide us the peace and guidance we need.























Marcus sat on my lap and listened to the RS lesson a bit -- she read a story which drew him in. Then Andrew listened to all the return missionaries share their testimonies. It was sweet.

Thursday evening we colored eggs. We had a kiwico egg experiment box so the kids had fun doing that and I realized my Easter coloring supplies were getting low so I'll have to stock up next year again, but we made do and had a couple hours of fun.


Saturday the kids found their Easter buckets. They each got a color by number book and a game.

They sat and colored and talked for almost an hour and then we sent them out to find their eggs so we could eat the hard boiled ones for breakfast. This year both the girls were out front and the boys were in the back (they had certain colored eggs they were supposed to find too).




















Lila had a pink one hidden in our beautiful pink blossoms. And the train of kids following Steve who was trying to help the girls find their last couple of eggs.



Then we did some yard work. Steve trimmed a few more bushes in the back while I dug up some pesky dandelions. Then Ellie and I mowed the lawn while Steve edged and trimmed. Then we decided to do the pinata before the forecast of rain. The boys enjoyed helping stuff the pinata but left Lila to decorate it by herself.

Everyone took several swings. 


























After the girls the pinata was compromised so we let the boys have one more turn and Andrew split it pretty good then Marcus gave it the final blow. He didn't even go back for his bucket he just ran over to the candy and was grabbing it by the handfuls (pretty smart move for a rookie pinata guy).

Then we spent the rest of the day playing the new games they got and letting the kids watch Spies in Disguise again. It was a nice relaxing evening and we really like all of the games so far!

Sunday morning we did our family sacrament meeting and watched He is Risen then we did our Easter story Easter egg hunt where there is an item in each egg that represents part of the story and has a scripture to be read along with it. Then Steve gave everyone a father's blessing. It was beautiful. It was a much needed boost for this Mom, nothing earth shattering was revealed but just to know that my Heavenly Father knows my innermost concerns and desires for me, for my children, for my calling and doesn't find them frivolous or silly (even though I know some of them are). The kids all did a big group snuggle at the end.





Happy Easter!  He lives!

Marcus has always said, "I Are" instead of I Am. It's so funny to hear and no matter how many times we correct him he still says that and sounds like a little pirate. He also thinks he needs homework every morning with the rest of the kids so I've been doing preschool with him and the kid is doing really well -- if only I could get him to hold a writing utensil correctly because he breaks a bunch of crayons each day with how hard he colors and the way he holds it. Oh well, if broken crayons is what it takes to survive quarantine, then thus is life.

This week has been a little difficult for me. I've been having a little anxiety, not sleeping well and in turn having really bad headaches during the day. So it's been a little rough, but we survived and I think managed to still have some fun in the process. Hopefully next week I can manage my sleep better and feel better about what we accomplish.

Today we are following President Nelson's request, we again join our fellow Latter-day Saints and the world in fasting "that the present pandemic may be controlled, caregivers protected, the economy strengthened, and life normalized.” So the kids and I decided it would be nice to get out of the house as we fasted so we went out to Antelope Island. And it was a beautiful day. The sign as we went in said the biting gnats had hatched so we were a little nervous, but for the first couple of hours there was a breeze that kept them away and we flew our kites.











Ellie and Steve enjoyed a bike ride -- they went 6 miles and really had a good time. They even saw a bunch of antelope on the trail in the picture on the right.





When they returned Steve showed Lila how to skip rocks and Ellie finally got into the sand playing minutes before we left (we were saying 5 more minutes for 45 minutes -- we just couldn't bring ourselves to leave).



Andrew again was super excited to do the world wide fast with us and was a little concerned that he drank water during the night (he keeps a water bottle by his bed because he is a night cougher) and just instinctively took a drink last night. I told him he was fine and that I'm really proud of him and his efforts to fast as the prophet asked. We said a little prayer at the beach and let Andrew and Lila have some snacks with Marcus. Ellie and Steve were determined to make it the 24 hours and held out.


We arrived home to chicken tacos in the crockpot that everyone gobbled up. The boys showered all the sand off and we noticed everyone had a few gnat bites on their face (except Steve, but he managed to sunburn his arms because he refused to sunscreen). The bites seem pretty minimal so hopefully they'll go away over night, but it is probably our last trip out there for a long while because of the bugs so I'm glad we soaked up every minute of it.

Lila is really excited that she doesn't have to go to school on her birthday. She usually doesn't because her birthday typically lands on spring break (the last time she went to school on her birthday was kindergarten so 5 years ago). She woke up and opened some presents which included a new mp3 player since the one she bought was left in a pant pocket after our trip to Idaho and got put through a wash cycle -- so sad.














She picked all of the meals for the day which included a breakfast of crepes and fresh fruit. Then they did have to do their school work. While Andrew was doing his imagine learning lesson I overheard the book about pinatas and thought sure let's make a pinata so Lila and Andrew took on the task.

They did pretty good, but I did have to go in at the end and finish it up. Then we realized it would need a lot of time to dry so we're hoping to do an Easter pinata on Saturday.

The afternoon she spent video chatting with Mimi, playing Minecraft, just chilling. The girls had piano lessons via skype and then we did dinner, cupcakes and a couple of more presents.












Then after the boys were in bed we continued our Marvel movie marathon per Lila's wish. It felt a little like a normal day despite my efforts to make it special. I hope she knows how much we love her and are so grateful for her in our family. Happy 11th birthday Lila! We wish you a magical year!