Shop Local

Our goal during this pandemic is to go each day and buy something at a locally owned business. It could be something as simple as a cup of coffee (like on today's walk) or a cookie or something more elaborate like a gift certificate or new kettlebells (both of which we have been checked off the list).We want to make sure that during this time of social distancing and staying home that we do our best to support local shops over the big box stores. Shopping local has always been a priority for us, but even more so now. xo

This Afternoon

This afternoon I held my first Zoom meeting with the youth group. It was wonderful to get to catch up with the youth and hear their thoughts on life during this pandemic. Not only did Rev. Bonnie and I get to spend some time with them this afternoon but we also got to meet their pets which was super fun! While I was hanging out in our kitchen on Zoom with the youth group kids Dave and the girls (and Gretchen!) were in the living room playing yet another game of Villainous! xo

Today's Girl Scout Meeting

In which Troop 76205 goes virtual! xo

{This Moment} Family Game Night

{This Moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Hoping that each of you are enjoying this time of social distancing and reconnecting with those you share your world with. xo 

CSDS Spirit Week::Parent Picture Day

Or let's see how much Emma looks like me and how much Grace doesn't! xo

A Bit Sooner Than Planned

With everything (Girl Scouts, dance, etc) moving to Zoom due to the pandemic we decided it was finally time for the girls to have their own computers. It was on our agenda for them for next year but with our lack of webcam/old iPad (that's mot able to download Zoom) we figured there was no time like the present! And many thanks to Grandma Joan and Grandpa Ron for making this possible too! We are so grateful! xo 

One Final Visit

 Last Friday night the tooth-fairy made one final visit to our house. And much like when Grace's tooth-fairy made her final visit Emma's tooth-fairy left a beautiful fairy necklace as her final gift. 

The next morning, Emma came downstairs, covered in fairy dust and clutching her tooth-fairy box and note. She was very quiet and very teary.

Me: "Oh Emma, what's wrong sweet girl?"
Emma:
Me: "Are you sad that Violet made hr final visit last night?"
Emma (with tears flowing): "Yes. I am really going to miss her."

And, while I have no doubt that the tooth-fairy will continue to stop by every now and again I am sad that we have completely come to the end of this part of our girls childhoods. I take great comfort in the fact that both of our girls still believed in the tooth-fairy through loosing all of their teeth, and my guess is that they will, on some level, always believe in fairies (tooth-fairies and otherwise). I am so grateful that our girls have had such long and magical and extraordinary childhoods. The magic of childhood still remains for them and I have a feeling that it always will. And when the time comes for the tooth-fairy to visit their own children I hope that they enjoy every moment of it as much as I did.  xo

This Morning, This Evening

This morning, we gathered in our living room, snuggled together on the couch under cozy blankets and attended worship. We sang, prayed, listened to Will's sermon and the day felt (almost) like any other Sunday. 

And so Will would feel like he was preaching to a congregation he printed pictures of each person/family and hung them in the pews. Love that he put us with who we usually sit with (though we are missing one family from our pew)! 

This evening there was homemade pasta and meatball making and some of the best red wine we've ever had (from Dave's childhood friend's vineyard) and a chocolate tart for dessert. It was a lovely Sunday all around! xo

Wegmans. Last Friday And This Friday.

Last Friday, Dave and I woke up early to head to the food store to see what we could get. We had heard that the Northborough Wegmans (our usual one) was super crowded (at 6:30am) and pretty much empty so we decided to head to the one in Natick. We arrived and were pretty shocked to find a fair amount of stuff (and stuff that we usually buy no less) still available and a fairly peaceful store too. 

 Our cart, last Friday, full of all the items we buy weekly! We were beyond excited about this!


Since we did so well at the Natick store last Friday we decided to do our weekly shopping again today. Not knowing what to expect we didn't make a menu or a list. And once again the store was quiet and the selection was good. Unless, of course you wanted chocolate chips, that is. 

 Clearly, people planned to do a lot of baking this past week and next!

 We discovered a very big change (that wasn't present the week before) once we arrived at the registers. There are now lines on the floor and you cannot approach until the belt has been sanitized/wiped down.  

Hmmmm....wonder what we'll discover next Friday when we head back?

As our first week of social distancing draws to a close we hope that you all are finding the blessings in the chaos. We are really loving the quieter/slower pace of the world (though we miss things like dance, the library and church). It is our sincere hope that when this is all said and done that the world stays a more peaceful, kind place. The kindness that everyone is showing is truly remarkable and such a joy to behold. We love that Mother Nature is having a chance to heal during this time too. It's as if the higher powers (whatever you perceieve them to be) finally got sick of the behavior down here and decided to put us all in a time out. And really, it was way overdue (the time-out, not the pandemic). xo

Mission Accomplished

On Monday, Emma started reading all about Helen Keller. She had read the page about Helen in Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls and then I pulled out the Helen Keller book that I used to use in my teaching days. Next thing I knew she came to me and said she wanted to do a project on Helen Keller.  Not wanting to derail this fabulous idea I put a pause on the main lesson block that we going to start this week (the much loved medieval block that I did with Grace last year) so that she could get lost in all things Helen. 

And as she learned more and more about this extraordinary woman, 

 and excitedly shared all that she was learning with each of us, 

 and as I watched this project move from idea, to graphic organizer to rough draft to final draft (today), 

 I realized that the goal that David and I had all those years ago when we began homeschooling had in fact become a reality. We had created two life long learners. Two girls who loved learning so much that they didn't see a division between lesson time and non-lesson time. Two girls who saw only learning as a part of life. Who love getting lost in whatever their passion is/was or wherever their curiosity took them that hour, that day, that week, that month or that year. 

If I had "assigned" her this project I doubt she would have gotten as much out of it as she did. Watching this project take shape over the course of this week and seeing her confidence not only as a learner, but also as a researcher and a writer, increase exponentially was a true joy! I couldn't help but think: mission accomplished! Our plan worked! We laid a solid foundation, but these girls of ours have built an amazing structure upon it. And that, dear friends, makes it all worth it! xo

Lunch Doodles With Mo Willems

On Monday when I was scrolling through my Facebook feed I noticed that Mo Willems would be doing something called "Lunch Doodles" during this time of social distancing (and homeschooling for all). We absolutely love his books (Waiting is Not Easy is one of our most favorites) and so I shared the link on Facebook and the gathered the girls around my phone (with paper and pencils). From the moment it started we knew this was going to be a much looked forward to part of our day. As I listened to Mo chat and the girls giggle I couldn't help but think that he may very well be the Mr. Rogers of this time. And I have no doubt  that if Mr. Rogers was still alive he and Mo would absolutely be friends. And so on Tuesday I snapped a few pictures during Lunch Doodles (episode two). And gracious, were we thrilled to see our most favorite of his books was the one he used that day! 

In this episode he taught the children how to draw Gerald. 

 When Mo pauses himself for the children to get their supplies....oh my gosh, so brilliant (and so fun)! 

In this episode he also had the children turn letters into creatures. 

Emma was inspired to create crocodiles. Here the mama crocodile is a bit upset...

since the daddy crocodile forgot to pick up one of their babies from dance (this may or may not be based on true events). 

And Grace's dragon came out beautifully!

If you haven't yet discovered Lunch Doodles be sure to check it out each day at 1:00pm. Mo Willems is the first ever Education Artist-in-Residence  for the Kennedy Center and these episodes can be found on the Kennedy Center's website and YoutTube page.