Week Two

 We've now been in for two weeks and it's surprising how busy we still seem to be!  I spent several days sewing masks.

 I've gotten 15 done so far, which have gone to Jay's clinic and to a friend's daughter who is an EMT.  I have a few more half done that will go to a 4H mom who works for a hospice.

 Wednesday was Waffle Day!

 Thursday we had a grocery pick up scheduled so we got some lunch while we were out.

 We also had a curbside pick up for craft supplies!  I was so excited.  (I'm making this free pattern from one of my favorite designers.)

 Alice is having dance classes over Zoom, so we cleared the living room for her class.

 Not surprisingly there have been lots of pictures of cats taken while we're with them all the time.  They definitely keep us entertained.  (Tycho is on top of the laundry room cabinets in this one.)

 We worked on this project for World Theater Day on Friday.

 I was having trouble with my sewing machine, so my mom and dad came by to do a porch drop off of my mom's machine.  Thanks to Facebook advice I was able to get mine going again!

 We had beautiful weather this weekend!  My little tree is finally turning purple!

 Saturday evening we made an impromptu visit to our friends and visited from a socially acceptable distance.  It was fun!

 We also stopped for Andy's!

 We usually go to my mom and dad's for Sunday dinner so since the weather was nice we brought Billy Sims and had a distant picnic.

 Sunshine and sweet kids!

 Alice picked some flowers for us while we were there.

 Yesterday was rainy, but that didn't stop them from going outside.

 Jack and I read on the porch while Alice played in the rain more.

 We also finished up our Shakespeare projects.  I love how these turned out!

 Our terrariums we planted last week grew a lot!  This is how they looked a few days after planting.

And this is how they look now!  We've caught the cats trying to eat the grass more than once!

Week One

 We've been home (with the exception of grocery pick up trips twice) since last Tuesday (March 17) and my kids have been great about writing every day about what we've been doing.  I, on the other hand, have not.  The first effect of this pandemic that personally affected me was to make an event I had been looking forward to for ages--a talk and book signing with Erik Larson--into a livestream event on March 12.  If you're looking for something to keep you occupied, his new book is terrific.  It also talks quite a bit about the Mass Observation diarists during World War II, which I mentioned to the kids at the start of this.

 Tuesday was also St. Patrick's Day, so we had some green food and Alice gave me a knitting lesson.

 One of the things Alice is missing is GAs, but every Wednesday at 2:00, there is a live lesson on the Girls in Action Facebook page, so she's been watching that.

 My tendency to buy crafts and activities we don't get around to has benefited us!  We got these terrariums on clearance at Hobby Lobby last year and set them up--with Tycho's help.

 Our first trip out of the house for grocery pick up!

 Finally on Thursday the sun came out and we were all able to go on a walk.  The gray and chilly and wet weather was definitely the worst part of last week for us.

 We have been doing a lot more art, which has been fun!

 Sunday we had a game day.

Overall, we're doing well.  I know the kids are disappointed about some of the things that have been canceled, but they have had such great attitudes about the whole thing, and I'm so appreciative.


So far Week Two is going well--the sun is out and things are warming up!  I hope you are well wherever you are!

Share the Fun 2020

 February was a blur!  Most of it was spent working on Share the Fun, our county 4-H talent show.  Normally our club does one large group act, but this year there were so many kids wanting to participate that Jack wrote another large group act and I became the adult in charge.  This was such a great group of kids and they worked so hard and did a great job!

 As usual, lots of nights were spent practicing at the clubhouse in January and February.

 We had some bumps in the road with people having to drop out due to scheduling conflicts and sickness, but the kids rolled with it and always adjusted!

 

 They won second place!!

 Alice did a dance to Bulletproof for an individual act.

 

 She choreographed the entire thing herself!

 Jack adapted a Mrs. Wiggins skit for his and Abby's small group act.

 They were so funny!

 First place for Alice!  She rocked it!

 First place for Jack and Abby!  They were great!

 The judges were very complimentary of their acts.

Post show dinner at IHOP!

I'm glad we're not having to think and work on it all the time now, but I'm so proud of the kids and how hard they worked and the maturity and creativity they showed!  As of now, the plan is that they'll both do their individual and small group act at District Contest Days at the end of May!