128 months old

We made it back from our first family ski trip to a completely new world of Covid-19!  The adjustment to home-schooling has been relatively easy, though with both the hubs and I having to work from home as well, it's been a juggling game! It seems like every week we're dealing with another disappointment and this week was no different.  So far, Britton has missed out on her "teacher for a day" experience we won at the school auction, her choir concert (with solo), summer camp, swim team, and she's been the only one to show up to her dance class's Zoom meetings (they haven't cancelled the recital, but it's only a matter of time).  Don't misunderstand, we are of course appreciative we are healthy and able to be home together.  There's a ton more positives in life than negatives.  It's just that a 10-year-old isn't inclined to see the bigger picture, and each thing cancelled hurts a little bit more than the one before it.  

But she is trying to make the best of it - working on art, reading every book she can find on her bookshelf again and again, and teaching Barrett to ride his bike without training wheels.  And of course swimming in the pool and racing me on bike rides!

Likes:  "The Hunger Games" trilogy, snow tubing, doing puzzles 

Dislikes:  Not getting to see any friends except over Zoom

barrett: 82 months old

Barrett is fully embracing this social isolation we're currently under!  Since we got back from New Mexico, Barrett has been full-tilt into LEGOs, making trains out of boxes, and using clay to make a Titanic model.  As you can see from his picture, it's been hard to convince him to get out of pajamas. I did realize on our drive to New Mexico that it was his birthday picture day and took one in the car, but just decided to recreate it with the placard so I knew which month his picture went with.  

Speaking of New Mexico, Barrett was iffy on skiing, which is to be expected since it was his first time.  He and Britton both loved tubing, which of course involves much less work and skill! Ha! The hubs and I had no idea that tubing would be so fast, and found ourselves flying out of control down the lanes.  But the kids loved that aspect of it!

Likes:  snow tubing, snow, making his own Titanic models and sinking them, the movie "Frozen" (we watched it three times total on the drive), the show "Puppy Dog Pals"

Dislikes:  having to get dressed when we're not going anywhere

127 months old

Britton has the kind of hair people pay a ton of money to try and achieve - thick, shiny, bouncy.  She got a haircut and it makes her look so grown up, and is easier to take care of.  She's wearing her camp shirt in this monthly photo, and we've signed her up for a two week session this summer!  We were picking activities this evening, and I'm kind of jealous that my camps growing up didn't have podcasting and drama.  She also signed up for horseback riding, softball, riflery, archery, and tons more.  And she is working hard towards two fun culminations of hard work - her play Mary Poppins, Jr. in May AND her dance recital in June.

A new milestone - the dreaded cell phone.  We've been letting Britton stay home for short periods of time, where I need to drop off Barrett or run to the store.  But I was not comfortable with her not having a phone for emergencies.  So, Aunt Jessica suggested that instead of a land line telephone, it was so much cheaper to get an additional cell phone line.  And since we had an extra phone we'd gotten free a while ago, we ordered the SIM card and $20 later had a new house phone! Of course, Britton thinks of it as her phone.

Likes:  riding her bike around the neighborhood with friends, getting ready for spring break!

Dislikes:  any noise our noisy dog makes

barrett: 81 months old

Barrett had a great January (except for getting Flu B, which lasted 4 days and made the poor kid so tired)!  We're all back into our normal schedules of work and school, and Barrett is still doing his hip hop dance classes.  But soccer is over, so now Barrett is trying out baseball!  We got him a glove, balls, and a bat for Christmas, and he had his first practice on Thursday.  He's enrolled in a 4 week clinic, and if he enjoys it, we'll look at a regular team come March.  Of course, it'll need to start after Spring Break, because we're headed to Angel Fire in New Mexico for Barrett (and Britton) to try out another first - skiing!

Likes:  all things Titanic - he's obsessed!

Dislikes:  being sick 

126 months old

New glasses in her signature color

January might have dragged on and on and on, but this school year is flying by.  How am I choosing courses for sixth grade already?!  Middle school is a whole new ballgame, and while Britton may be ready and excited, I am trying to be.  I've been giving Britton her independence (riding around the neighborhood with friends), and opportunities to be responsible (be home at a certain time) and accountable.  We even rode our bikes to Starbucks!  She's got a "Friendship Party" coming up for Valentine's Day, and student council duties.  And Britton auditioned for Mary Poppins, Jr. and got the part of the bird woman, a kite flyer, and a customer.  The bird woman part is really exciting because she's just one of a handful of kids who got named character parts, and she gets a singing solo!

Speaking of bikes - Britton's was way too small.  It had seen better days, but man, that bike was a struggle for her.  I asked her what bike she wanted and she said "a dreamsicle bike" and lo and behold, Huffy makes an orange and cream beach cruiser!  I ordered some vinyl decals from Etsy (Turtle's Soup, amazing stuff, and I may or may not (I did) have bought myself a sloth pin) including a dreamsicle cat (yes, all things cat with Britton) and she decided to put them all on her bike.  Well, I took pictures of the decals, but not of the entire bike, so mom fail over here!

Likes:  her new bike - it's so easy to ride, chicken salad (her new lunch must-have)

Dislikes:  her new glasses fogging up so easily - I must remember to order defogger tonight 

barrett: 80 months old

I took these pictures yesterday, but of course forgot to write up his post!  Ugh!  Day late and a dollar short.  Barrett and Britton went back to school yesterday, which is the perfect opportunity for them all to brag about what Santa brought and find out what their friends did over break.  Barrett was excited because he was the only kid in his class to remember his library books - I take this as a win!  Report cards came out yesterday, and Barrett got all As again, and is reading well.  Barrett was itching to get back to school, and I do love how much enjoys being there.

Now that soccer is over, we are looking into baseball for the spring!  We gave Barrett a mitt, balls, and a bat for Christmas, and he looks forward to going outside and playing ball with the hubs.  

Likes:  buying school lunch, Fruity Pebbles, Slithero

Dislikes:  when I forget to tuck him in because I'm distracted by a puzzle (mom fail on my part!)

125 months old

So much change for this girl in 2020!  First, she's getting braces tomorrow.  Yes, she had them back in second grade, but only for six months.  Now she's looking at braces for 18-24 months, and is dreading the soreness I warned her about.  But the intrigue of changing up her colored bands every month may change her outlook!  Second, Britton is getting new glasses next week.  Her prescription has changed, and her glasses are too small for her now, so it's time.  The lady at the eye doctor thought Britton wanted contacts, but nope, just new glasses.  She thinks contacts will be too much to keep up with, and as someone who has worn contacts for over 30 years (ugh, hate that math), I agree!

We also have a parent meeting this month about pre-AP classes in junior high next year, where I essentially have to map out Britton's expected class schedule for her entire junior and senior high school years, so she doesn't happen to not take some prerequisite in the 7th grade and screw up 12th grade options.  It feels like yesterday I was scheduling playdates, and now I'm worried about prerequisites for AP Calculus?!  Britton also has to make her pick for art elective next year - band, orchestra, theatre, or art.  They only get one elective, so the choice is hard because she of course wants to do multiple.  Right now, theatre is winning.  And in two weeks, she'll get her first taste of real theatre, since she's signed up for the local theater's production of Mary Poppins, Jr!  Auditions are on January 22nd, so I'll keep you posted on the winning role.

Likes:  Garrett and Caroline coming to visit for a week, the American Holiday version of British Baking Show

Dislikes:  Garrett and Caroline leaving (we all feel the void!), thinking about going back to school next week