Safer at Home, The Weekend Edition

We had a great weekend over here. The weather was awesome. Friday, Virginia entered phase one - Safer at Home (instead of Stay at Home) - of reopening, which really means nothing exciting for me. Virginians are required to wear masks in public inside buildings now as well. Most things are still closed, or have very strict limitations/guidelines. There was also an HOA meeting last week to determine the fate of our community pools. You might know that I am a huge pool fan. For now the pool is remaining closed, and it will be re discussed when we enter phase 2. My prediction is that it will remain closed all summer. Which brings me to our weekend...we broke out the insurance policy...

POOL IS OPEN! I was trying not to open this thing, but I am so glad I finally did. This blow up pool has provided HOURS of entertainment for Quinn all weekend. Saturday was pretty warm out, so even I got in...today I refused, but she spent the afternoon in there entertaining herself. I will take this all summer. If you haven't been to my house, you should know that I don't have a backyard for this thing to go in. It's planted right in my front yard for all my neighbors to see what I am doing and all my packages to be delivered while I watch from my pool. Sorry Amazon driver, truly. It's awkward.

The Queen was even served her lunch poolside. Saturday was also exciting because we got groceries! We were pretty much out of everything, so this was very exciting. Sunday we did online church and then took a walk to the creek to go fishing. We had our first catch of the season! We also walked past the flamingos on the way home and they too were fishing. Hilarious.

This week is the last "teaching" week of the school year. I am also allotted a half day to go in and start the wrap up of the year and to close out my office/move out. I will also go back next week to finish what I can't get done. It should be super weird to go back in, and really to pack up my work life after so many months/years.

Junior Kindergarten Graduation

Last day and first day of Junior Kindergarten

Quinn graduated today via Zoom! While it was not the day originally planned, it was fun. They sang their daily songs and the teacher described each student as she held up their certificate. This year Quinn's description was: "a born leader, loved being the teacher helper, and being allowed to direct the class. She is a girl with brown eyes." Last year she was awarded the "popcorn award" for always popping in to help others, and let the teachers know if someone needed help. I mean those of us that work in education can translate...lord help me. Of all the regular things I miss during this, Quinn's school is at the top, so I am glad that she will get to go back if there is traditional school in the fall.

In other news...this week has been FULL of Zoom meetings. It's been a lot this week. I am ready for a break from virtual obligations and anxious to find out what next year will entail for us in K-12 education. Other than that it's been getting outside in the heat and humidity between meetings as well as trying to keep Quinn busy while on meetings. We tried Q-tip painting today...it was something new and different!

Weekend Ten Highlights

Hiking at the Battlefields (not pictured is the NPS on horseback coming to investigate the child screaming bloody murder for half a mile because we were "walking the wrong direction"). At least she stopped screaming after that. 

Happy Memorial Day everyone! I hope you enjoyed the long weekend. We packed a lot into ours. The weather was great all weekend long. We spent a lot of time outside logging miles and doing various other things. The highlights include planting a potted garden of veggies, the first fire in our fire pit and s'mores, a hike at the battlefields, visiting the flamingos memorial day parade (during the day and a drive by at night for the lights), a movie night (Zootopia), sprinkler and water fun, and just hanging out doing the regular stuff. The rest of this post is just a photo dump (with some captions)!

Home school Friday

Imaginary play now involves zoom conferences (sets up a Wizard of Oz lunchbox and old keyboard) and take calls on the Fisher Price rotary phone

Our community pool is completely full and looks super nice. Now to find out if they will open this summer...

Flamingos celebrate Memorial Day

First fire pit night

Bringing back the potted garden this summer. I think I have skipped two years, but I am pretty sure we will be home a lot this summer to take care of it. Two better boy tomato plants in this box.

Sweet banana peppers in the terra cotta pots (so sad they were out of hot peppers), herb box with rosemary, sage, and basil, and cherry tomato on the ground.

My gardening helper!

Suggestions Needed

I missed a day yesterday. Maybe because this is now the new normal and it's pretty much just everyday stuff at this point. I think I am going to start spacing posts out a bit more. I do have a couple things to mention from today and yesterday, and I need some opinions!

Yesterday, I finished my first book on Audible. I was listening to Before We Were Yours, which I definitely recommend! I wasn't 100% sure I would be really into an audio book, but I will say that it was more motivating to get out the door to exercise once I was into the book. I didn't like how I couldn't just be reading it whenever I wanted the way you can a paper book. I mean I suppose you could, but if I ever get to read when Quinn is awake, she's usually asking or telling me something every few minutes so that's better for a paper book. Now I want a new Audible book, but they are so expensive! Now I need your opinion on what I should read or listen to next...I still have a copy of Where the Crawdads Sing on my coffee table, but I need more. I also just finished Such a Fun Age, which was kinda eh for me, but still decent.

Quinn reading to her kids.

While you are thinking of books...also think of TV and movie recommendations for us. Yesterday the possibility of Star Wars came up because neither Matt or myself has ever been into it. Quinn and I were shopping online for summer clothes and there was a Yoda shirt she wanted. So random, but then we watched Star Wars clips and she had a lot of questions. So then there's the question of how to do watch Star Wars...what order do you go in?

Star Wars

Matt and I have been working on some projects around our house, and getting various issues fixed. One of the things next on my list is painting our dining area and living room, mostly because I want our living room to be lighter. I need paint recommendations. I think it's going to have to be a "greige" color. Help us, friends!

I think that's all I need in the way of suggestions right now. Our main events the past few days include the regular academics, time spent accumulating steps and miles, Zoom meetings, picking up an order at Target, and returning the power washer. Quinn did get a special gift today, her own watch to track her activity. It also has a chore tracker which I plan to use as well. Oh and I cannot forget that we met the flamingo owner yesterday. She told us the schedule for upcoming movement. Today they are working out at the gym.

Straberries

Today was successful. I willed myself out of bed for early exercise, we did school work and meetings, and we got produce boxes dropped off again. This means I got an in the yard/in the car visit with my people too.

We also went to pick strawberries today! The farm closest to us has their strawberry picking on lock. I thankfully got a spot for us and our neighbor friends as soon as they released the times yesterday. They do not last long. You can to reserve a time slot the day before (limited number available), you have to buy a container (they aren't doing reusable ones), and they assign you a row to stay in. I was still slightly worried about how respectful people would be of space, and how limited the access would really be, but it was definitely safe. Luckily, the weather was pretty great - minus some serious wind at the beginning. Upon arriving home, Quinn ate an entire box of strawberries with a little help from me, but not much. Local friends - get yourself hooked up at Yankey Farms...they have pre-order pick up too!

Flamingos

It was difficult to get motivated this morning. It's Monday. It was pretty gray and cool all day today. I just wasn't feeling it. It was pretty much the same old for schoolwork this morning. We worked on Quinn's stuff (sight words and reading, weather and calendar) first, and then I did my lessons for the week and posted them online, and got through some email.

I have come to really enjoy the flamingo yard in our neighborhood. These people are creative. The are currently camping flamingos. They have camping games, they have a fit pit and smores, camping chairs and beverages, and of course tents. We went to go see them on our walk today. I was also able to finish my power washing escapade, neighbor free. 

Tomorrow should include some helpful info about how to retrieve things from my school, and I guess my move out. We are also going strawberry picking and getting some produce. Should be a good day!

Weekend Nine

This weekend was completely dedicated to outside chores and deep cleaning the house. I finally figure out that Home Depot has curbside pickup last week...and that they will even load mulch in your car. You better believe I jumped on this opportunity. Saturday morning Matt went to pick up my order and we spent the morning weeding and mulching our yard - one of my yearly reminders that I do not need a bigger yard. We also put the borrowed power washer to work that afternoon. We got the driveway, sidewalk to our house, and half sidewalk along the street finished before we quit for dinner and movie night. Power washing is simultaneously the most satisfying and most annoying task. Quinn was about the best help we could have asked for - we basically gave her the hose, a sprinkler, sand toys, and buckets to keep her occupied and she lasted most of the time. She did demand to get her Glinda costume on and do apps for about the last half hour.

Today was much cooler and the goal was to finish the power washing escapade. Matt will get mad if I tell you the whole story here, but I will just say you can't choose your neighbors and some of you may remember a little feud from seven years ago involving cat litter...well today it was the same neighbor and a power washer. End result is power washing will be finished another day. After that was cut short, we deep cleaned the house and then went on a walk down to the creek. We also ate some leftover frozen cake this weekend after all our hard work. It feels like we have almost turned the corner into summer...minus the distance learning job I have found myself in these days. Someone told me this week that we have been out as long as we would normally be off for summer vacation. That is just so unbelievable to me...it seems like this time at home has gone so much faster than a summer off usually does. I hope summer comes with a little more freedom. Let's hope it doesn't rain all the live long day every day this week.