Homeschooling Day #3

Homeschooling in the Gwilliam household changed abruptly by day three.  The boys discovered they were able to go back to sleep after seminary and were thrilled.  Instead of the work being mostly completed by noon they weren't out of bed by noon.

We have all day anyway, so for now, if that makes them happy, it works for me.

I borrowed a computer from my parents.  Our Ipad is loosing charge quickly and someone always needed my phone.  That left me without a device for hours everyday.  I'm not picky but I do enjoy listening to conference talks or Audible books while I do my chores around the house.  It's also nice to be able to blog or work on our 2019 family album.

That fourth computer has saved us.  And I feel totally guilty even typing that....we are spoiled.  We have our family laptop, and Bryn has her laptop from graduation.  We also have one hand me down laptop from my parents and then the one we are borrowing.

I heard this homeschooling thing that is happening all over the world called "crisis" schooling which I think is probably more accurate.  Luckily my children are older, capable and for now, willingly doing all of the work their teachers send their way.  There are lots of memes going around about kids having their own challenges because they are "homeschooling" now.  Their new teachers (aka as their parents) are not really up to par.  It's definitely true over here!

On day three, Aubrey asked me for help on a question.  I looked at it, gave her my best guess and then said, "Sorry, I haven't done math in forever."  To which she rolled her eyes and replied, "It's science Mom."  I then mentioned she might want to ask Brinley.  Problem solved!  (Bryn was always our go to before she left for college.)

Speaking of Bryn.  With her college classes starting back up, she has been scarce.   She is one dedicated student and spends 5-8 hours everyday on her course work.  BYU even gave the students the option of choosing pass/fail instead of a letter grade.  She can't do it though, and I can totally relate.  She can't do just the minimum.  Bryn is still giving it 100% and working on making As in all of her classes.

I guess we will see how this homeschooling/crisis learning evolves over the next few weeks.

Missing Gram and Gramp

Gram and Gramp live only eight houses away and we miss them.  We are staying away in hopes of keeping them more protected from contracting Covid-19.   It has been hard to not just stop by and say hello or grab a snack or share a snack or use the massage chair or do puzzle together.  I am usually over there at least once a day.   My boys miss seeing Grandpa each morning at seminary.  (Although they do not miss having to wake up early one little bit.)

I miss sitting in the long row all together at church each week.  It seems Parker often ends up by Gram who will massage his hands and scratch his back throughout the meeting.  We have to divide Grandpa from the boys because then it is like having three teenage boys in the row instead of two!  (He's trouble, that guy.)  The first week of home church they just joined us at our house but week two we decided we better go the online route.

I miss hanging out with them (and my siblings and their families) each Sunday night.

A couple of nights ago Bryn and I were on a walk and we stole Grandpa.  We just rang the bell and asked him to go on a little walk with us.  We didn't hug.  We stayed apart, but we walked and talked to the end of the block and back.  

It was the best!  

Gram has horrible allergies in the springtime so no outside walks for her.  We didn't want her to feel left out though so the next morning Aub and I decided we were going to marker a message on the back window. 

Gram spotted us through the front window and so we visited a little while there.  Then Aubrey snuck around back to start designing, and I kept visiting with Gram through the window/on the phone.  It was fun to be able to see each other face to face while visiting.

I snuck around to join Aub.  She was almost done, but we got caught!  See Gram and Gramp in the reflection?

We love and miss you Gram and Gramp!

Homeschooling Day #1

Homeschooling day one went well.  Aubrey was up at 8 and ready to start her assignments.  Parker and Tanner woke up for seminary at 8.  (A big shout out to their amazing seminary teacher, aka Grandpa, for getting Zoom figured out for the class.)  

I was surprised the boys didn't go back to sleep once it was over, but they opened Google classroom and started doing their homework.  Bryn even set an alarm and was up working on her college classes.  It was super impressive watching and listening to all four of them quietly work for a couple of hours straight.  

I have to admit that homeschooling was a welcome addition to our long days at home.

Social Distancing Teen Style Part II

By the end of the week, we were a little better at social distancing.  I have gone a couple of walks with Britney and run a couple of errands, and that is about as social as I have been outside of my immediate family.  The kids didn't do or ask to do as much with friends.

The girls practiced and perfected their sock hair routine.  Lots of super cute waives in the morning...but no where to go!

(Wavy hair example)

We've used our ping pong table more than ever.  This was our FHE activity last week.  I think we have honestly used it more in the past week than in the past 6 months combined.  (I have been trying not to have bad feelings towards that huge object that was never used that took over my front room.)

Bryn took advantage of the beautiful weather and studied her scriptures outside.  We also took lots and lots of walks this week too.  (Brinley and I; Brinley, Britney and I; Britney and I; Aubrey and I; Parker and I...so many walks.)

Some reading has taken place...mostly "forced"....I asked Aub and Tan to read 30 minutes, exercise 30 minutes and do something "good" 30 minutes everyday.  (The good could be things like: drivers ed, practicing the guitar, service etc.)  Oh the moaning and arguing and complaining I heard from Tan and Aub was ridiculous.  Once they realized it wasn't changing, they just went with it.  (Such a very, very small part of some very long days!)

We cooked some or our Hello Fresh meals together.  We ate a little fancier than we usually do, and I enjoyed trying new things.  Candied onions with your pork tacos anyone?

Lots of snuggling and I think we watched a movie almost every night.  Some of the movies: Contagion (it seemed appropriate), The Proposal, A League of Their Own, Patriot Games (We used Vid Angel filters with some of these which was appreciated.)  I am not a huge movie person but with things in slow motion, I watched quite a bit.

Lots of snuggling... 

Brinley was trying to take a picture, and I was trying to hide Parker's armpit hair.

Online school here we come....