a lovely living

Today wraps up two weeks of social distancing and schooling the kids at home. Well, actually doing everything at home. Many of us were full of energy and ideas last week and this week feels a little less enthusiastic. The reality of the virus is settling in. The numbers are rising (confirmed cases and unemployment rates) and a lot of it feels out of our control. Jack and I find ourselves helping where we can, staying put and praying often.

The past two weeks haven’t been anything near perfect, but I wanted to share what it’s looked like around here. Maybe it’ll feel similar to what you’re going through or give you an idea or two while we all venture through this uncertain time.

We started keeping a running list of all the good things that have resulted from the Corona Virus. This includes everything from getting to spend more time as a family to not having to go to the dentist ;) I also added that our dining room is getting more use than ever before. It’s become the work/class/puzzle room and the place where you can find most of us all morning long.

We have flexible arrangements these days.

My neighbor, Unoriginal Mom, ordered a bunch of crafts from Oriental Trading to share with us and the girls have been all over them!

School looks very different, but has been in session this past week. Seeing the kids on their own Zoom call has been entertaining to watch and uplifting for them to be able to see their classmates!

I honestly can’t say we’ve found a perfect rhythm to our day, but we’re trying to keep a good balance of having fun and learning in a different manner. Here the kids were making signs for businesses that they were creating on their own.

I’m doing my best to get a workout in at the start of my day. It gives me a boost, gets my blood pumping and helps me to focus on the day ahead. The kids jump in here and there which is fun for me to have buddy’s!

School projects are still in the works. This was Madelyn’s Canadian mobile.

We’re taking advantage of online resources too. The girls love listening to Storyline Online, Mo Willems lunchtime doodles and Mystery Doug.

My kids have used perler beads at friends houses previously, so I decided to order some to have here. They’ve actually kept my oldest (10 years) occupied for hours. He’s been creating rewards for good behavior :)

I may be finding myself in sweatpants regularly these days, but Audrey is keeping the bar high! She keeps our house from being anything but boring these days.

We’ve all become bread makers this past week and I can’t tell you what’s better. The bread itself or the glorious smell that results!

Here’s the recipe we’ve been using. Trust me, I’m not a bread pro, so if this can come out of my oven, it can come out of yours too ;)

Lastly, we’ve been appreciating every sunny day that we’ve been getting. We are thankful for walks and time to play outside. I’ve had numerous teachers tell me that the kids will appreciate this time home more than anything and they will not be lacking in their schooling in years to come. So I’m going to continue to do the same. Enjoy this time and count all the blessings that are coming from it!