Quick social distance trip

The kids and I went down to San Diego for a quick vacation. We took advantage of everything the hotel (a fancy Marriott) had to offer and went kayaking and bike riding and swimming yesterday. We had the pool to ourselves, given the lack of hotel guests and the fact that it was cold and foggy. 

Calvin helped paddle, kinda. I did teach him how to turn and we did some nice tight 180 degree turns in the marina. I was able to get some good speed so he had fun. After some mild panicking Ellie caught on. She now thinks it was amazing and wants to go again. 

Vamoose

Not everything in 2020 is bad...

Zelda

Calvin loves playing the latest Zelda game. Well, I think he would love playing any Zelda game. If I let him he would play Zelda all day and night. And, well, the latest game isn’t anything like Zelda of my youth (which is a great game). It’s logic games, solving problems, and yes using a sword to dismember weird beasts. And it’s beautiful with a good soundtrack. 

He combined his latest drawing hobby and love of Zelda. He drew Link below following a tutorial. But everything else was his own design to replicate things in the game.

Negative

Last Monday (the 9th) Ellie visited her friend for the school day. We later learned (on Sunday) that the dad had a cough, fever, and sniffles but he hadn’t been tested yet. So on Monday, me and the kids went to Dodger Stadium and all got COVID testing. 

We got results in about 24 hours. All negative.

Found out later her friends dad also tested negative. 

Doodling

Today I asked Calvin to illustrate one of his sentences with his spelling words. And that spurned some creativity in him and he drew through music, through math, and through the afternoon. Pretty sure he found some tutorials online instead of attending the majority of his class. 

Too quiet for too long

The kids were in Ellie’s room and had been too quiet for too long. Like no yells, smashes, wrestling noises, or even loud laughter. I got worried. 

They were playing dolls. 

Turkeys on a fence

Just like his pumpkins, Calvin had an assignment to write a poem about five turkeys sitting on a fence. Cal decided to make one fly because the fence wasn’t quite long enough for all five. His poem referenced the flying Turkey. There is debate in the house whether the Turkey without a neck is Fred or Ted...or one of the others. Calvin won’t say. He did the assignment all on his own. 

As close to actual baseball as he will get in 2020

I got absentee. Typically have since I first could vote. I voted in person a couple times in IL and for Obama in 2008 in Boston. But generally I vote by mail in every election.

Nick has always voted in person. Always. He enjoys the experience. He has modified his thinking slightly and voted early in person this year. At Dodger Stadium. Which is the closest to actual baseball as he is gonna get in 2020. 

Randy’s donuts

A Randy’s donuts opened across from my office a couple months ago. I needed to drop off some hand me down toys and a new birthday book for a colleagues daughter at the office so we decided to avoid crowds and get donuts at 2pm. The kids definitely went for the over the top donuts while I went with probably my favorite donut on the planet, the Randy’s plain cake donut. 

Library

Today we ventured to the library to pick up books I put on hold. A new adventure during COVID. It was curbside pickup of books. Call and then they brought them out to a table outside the library. 

And disregard Calvin wearing pajama pants in public. I can only win so many battles. 

Pod learning

Today, Ellie spent the majority of the day at her besties house. They have the same teacher. Apparently they spent the day working on their Ancient Egypt project, math homework, and other schoolwork. They also played soccer and chit chatted. They did their virtual class and school work outside and wore masks. But that was the only weird thing about hanging with her bestie who she hasn’t seen in person since last March. They had a blast and got their homework done. And they have asked to do it again soon, very soon.

Preview

Halloween is different this year.

But one costume is getting a third chance at the spotlight.

Hard works earns rewards

Ellie’s teacher acknowledged her hard work by giving her a homework pass/extra credit! She was so happy to open her email and see the certificate for 10 free point to be added to any class she wanted!

Hard at work with math homework at the dining room table. 

Decorating pumpkins

Ellie’s school is having a mini-pumpkin decorating contest. They gave out pumpkins (drive thru, masked, socially distances of course) and the kids are asked to decorate and submit their designs via google documents (so 2020). Well Calvin wouldn’t be left out and had to be part of the fun too. 

Ellie made a zombie and Calvin made a clown. 

(Don’t mind the giant branch in the background, it just fell down from the winds yesterday)

New swing

The old disc swing reacted the end of its service life. It had a good run, but I think the quarantine sped up its demise. It saw many more hours per day of activity than it would have had things been normal. 

So we got a new one! Interestingly enough, the tree had grown around the carabenier. So we had to modify the attachment for the new swing. 

So enjoy a little boy drinking milk wearing a mask in clothes that are too big. 

 

A tale of two P.E. classes

Versus

Don’t worry, she still has to submit a fitness log. I think they were watching a video on a sport or something. 

Computer school

Except Calvin discovered his laptop can become a tablet

Bits and Bobs

Made a new friend at the guest house door this morning. 

Also, spent a couple hours on Saturday and made oatmeal creme pies. Made them too big, but they are absolutely delicious. A grown-up sophisticated version of the original Little Debbie. 

 

Frankie does Fall

Frankie does Fall better than any other New England baby that has ever existed.

School pumpkin project

Calvin read a poem with his teacher and then he wrote his own version. And did some arts and crafts.