School Work

Robby's school year is winding down. It is now time for him to finish all of the assignments he skipped and to tie 8th grade into a neat little bow. He had been doing a great job of self-pacing until the pandemic. With Scott home everyday, Robby's motivation to keep working dwindled. Thankfully he doesn't have too many delinquent assignments, but he cannot take his finals until everything has been submitted. 

Math continues to be his weakness, especially since his tutoring suddenly stopped due to Covid-19. We did our best to keep up, but it was a struggle. I know the assignments he skipped were multi-stepped and laborious. Thankfully we have some friends and family members who are gifted in math and have been willing to help him through the assignments.

Yesterday he was feeling the pressure to finish and managed to submit all but two assignments.  Those will be completed today, so hopefully we will be ready to to take finals by Friday. This has been such a wonky year. It will be nice to finally put all of 8th grade behind us!

Drive-In

This weekend was fun, albeit laid back and way too short. Unlike other days of quarantine, cousintine days seem to fly by. With the house filled with giggling, games and water fun, it is impossible to not feel happy and at peace. 

Sticking with our protocols, we are continuing to self-quarantine. We didn't go out, and all of our adventures were conducted at Nana's house. We engaged in an epic lip sync battle and water gun fights. We also had a great time (especially Timmy) on the Slip 'n Slide. This was his first experience on the slide and he is hooked! For my little adventurer, the Slip 'n Slide reigns supreme right now.

On Sunday the Cousin Crew designed their own flag, which they plan to fly proudly whenever they are all together. Tie-Dyed and filled with memories of adventures, I hope that the pandemic continues to ease so that they can fly it a lot this summer!  

Last night we ventured beyond my Mom's yard for an adventure. I packed up the kids (minus Timmy, who was asleep) and we went to the drive-in movie. The kids had never been to a drive-in and, since we never left the confines of our car, I thought it was the perfect socially distanced activity. 

We saw the movie Goonies, which the kids loved. My niece was surprised that it was in color (she thought 80's movies were considered old) and Robby was impressed that the humor was still relevant. There is nothing like showing your kids a movie from your own childhood to feel old!  We had a great time at the drive-in, and we will definitely be returning this summer.

Cousintine

Happy Friday!

The Cousin Crew had a fantastic day of what they have dubbed "The Cousintine Summer."  They dyed t-shirts, engaged in the first water balloon fight, raged a war with water guns and finished the night with an epic glow battle.  Timmy was delighted to be fully included this year. He is very quick to remind everybody, at any opportunity, that he is in the Cousin Crew. 

The world feels like it is imploding, but these kids make me smile.

Hope

Our first full day the Cousin Crew, Quarantine Edition was a rousing success.  All of the kids know that we can't travel beyond Nana's neighborhood, and that we cannot invite neighbors and friends into the social circle right now. Instead of complaining about being "stuck" at home, they filled the time with games and sharing stories.  

Listening to teenage laughter and Timmy's giggling makes my heart feel better. In a world full of extreme chaos, listening to the Cousin Crew talk and play gives me increased hope for the future. These kids have zero tolerance for racism and racial exclusion. They make me so proud!

Happy Visit

My Mom, niece and nephews have been dutifully quarantining for the past month in the hopes of sparking a reunion. Yesterday, after consulting with Timmy's doctors, we were finally granted permission to visit. I wish I had videoed Timmy's reaction when I asked him if he was ready to go visit his Nana. His squeals and giggles of joys are something I hope to never forget.

We packed up and headed North in what felt like record time. Both boys were so excited about our trip that they chatted and planned adventures the entire drive. I kept reminding Robby and Timmy, and finally the entire Cousin Crew, that while we were cleared to be together the quarantine is still in effect. 

We are not going anywhere. There are no getaway adventures. There will be no trips to the mall or for ice cream. We are able to be together which, right now, is more than enough. 

This morning I am waking up at my Mom's house. Timmy is happily eating a blueberry muffin in my Nana's bed, grinning from ear-to-ear. Although I went to bed at 10, I know that the Cousin Crew was up for most of the night because I heard them laughing into the wee hours of the morning.  Somehow, waking up to sounds of laughter doesn't bother me right now. 

Swimming

The news left me feeling helplessly overwhelmed. While I am more comfortable with my head in the sand on the issue of racism, pretending that it does not exist is part of the problem. Racism is alive and thriving in our country. This admission has left me shattered. 

Robby and I had a long and open discussion about racism and the events unfolding. He was shaken but resolved to be part of the change. He took Timmy's sidewalk chalk to the end of the driveway and wrote messages of support for the protestors. Maybe there is hope for the next generation?

Timmy, who is too young to understand the protests, was content and happy to spend his afternoon in his new pool. I swore I would never do another Easy-Set pool after the disaster ten years ago, but this summer we felt like it was the perfect recreation solution. Because all pools have been closed due to the pandemic, our only options for swimming will be those we create at home.  

Sitting in the middle of our driveway, next to our trampoline, is our brand new 10 ft round by 32 inches deep pool. Obviously I won't be swimming laps, but it is the perfect size for cooling off with Timmy. It is a little lopsided, but it works. 

Timmy is delighted with his new pool. He hopped into it as soon as the hose began to flow. The cool temperatures and the cold water  over the past few days have done nothing to dissuade my little fish. (Oddly, he finds particular delight in swimming completely naked.)

Unplugging from the news and watching him play leaves me feeling happy and relaxed. 

Exhausted Weekend

A 14th birthday, a pandemic, riots across the country and a rocket launch. My goodness this weekend was eventful. I'm starting a new week feeling frazzled and emotionally spent from the events from the past three days. My heart aches this morning.

Despite all of the growing tensions and the pandemic, Robby had a fantastic birthday. He spent the day at home, enjoying being doted upon and receiving calls from all of his friends. We showered him with attention and love, treating him like a king for the day. It is hard to believe that my little Koopa is now a full blown teenager, but I could not be prouder of the young man he is becoming.  

Each evening Scott and I found ourselves glued to the television, watching the riots raging across the country. I am scared and heartbroken. We are at a cross roads in this country and I pray that we, collectively, chose the correct path. I fear what we will become if our course is not corrected.