barrett: 7 years old

Look who had his golden birthday today!  We had planned on having a party with his whole class at one of those trampoline places, but he hasn't seen his friends in two months and the trampoline place is closed. Was Barrett upset?  Not at all.  He woke up this morning so excited about his birthday, and not once did he complain about things he didn't get to do today.  Instead, he was thrilled when he saw his birthday message sign in the yard, and counted down the hours until Memaw and PawPaw would come over (he hasn't seen them in 2 months either), and couldn't wait until his Zoom party with Aunt Jessica, Emily, Jason, and Cammy.  He saw only the good on this day, his day to turn 7.

Barrett is a wonderful kid, ever ready to learn something new, and investigate things further - bring out a microscope or a book, and he's ready to jump in.  Barrett is a student of life - when something interests him, he will seek out anything that helps him better understand it, whether it's space, dinosaurs, the Titanic, the pyramids of Egypt, construction equipment, and cruise ships.  He draws all the time, and tapes his pictures up on every wall.  I find Legos everywhere - on his dresser, in the tub, all over the living room, and every fiber of my being wants to confine them to one place in the house, but I just can't stifle his enthusiasm.  He got a yacht Lego set for his birthday and had it put together in minutes.  He loves animals, but especially dogs, and especially Ruby.  His first reaction to challenge is to encourage others.  If you've had a bad day and tell Barrett, he will ask what he can do to make it better, and he will do it if he can.  At minimum, you're getting a hug, and this kid never lets go first.

Barrett had a FB messenger video chat with his friend Ariana this morning, lounging about with his ever-present best friend Ruby

Likes:  Legos, Ruby, "Puppy Dog Pals", "T.O.T.S" (Disney Jr. shows), being included in helping out, like making dinner or putting away dishes

Dislikes:  riding his bike - he's still not sure he can do it, so he's not yet mastered riding on his own

129 months old

Britton is living her best quarantine life, though she (like all of us) is getting a little tired of it.  It's been almost 2 months since we went on our Spring Break ski trip to Angel Fire, and we have been socially distancing ever since we arrived back home.  School hasn't been in session since the first week of March, and Britton and her friends have not seen each other in person since then.  Every day, she and Barrett do their schoolwork, break for lunch and a bike ride, then spend the afternoon doing something fun, like swimming in the pool or playing on the iPad, while the hubs and I work at the kitchen table.  Britton has done a great job keeping up with her schoolwork on her own, and having that daily responsibility has helped her not treat this time as one giant weekend.   

Not late, because there's nowhere to go!

The swim team season is officially cancelled!  We are all bummed, and I'm especially ornery because both Britton and Barrett would have been competing as the oldest kids in their age groups.  Perk of those summer birthdays - my almost 11-year-old would have been swimming against 9-year-olds (and 7-year-old Barrett would have been racing 5-year-olds).  Only Britton has been showing up to her Zoom dance classes, and the recital got moved to August, but Britton decided she was done with dance.  It was a hard decision for her, but in the end she wasn't enjoying the virtual experience, and I understand that.  On the flip side, she has taken to her acting/theater classes on Zoom - with the play cancelled, they have changed it up to a twice-weekly acting class, and she loves it!

In school-related news - Britton did get her elective assignment for next year, and she got her second choice.....band!!  This tuba-playing mom is not disappointed in the least, and Britton says she is looking forward to learning the flute!

Horsing around.....burning that cooped-up energy!

Likes:  bubble tea, drawing people (she's getting really good!), coming up with ideas to redecorate her room

Dislikes:  not going anywhere ever and never seeing anyone but the 3 people she lives with