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.

Great ShakeOut

Distance learning may be the thing in 2020, but that doesn’t stop the school and district from participating in the Great ShakeOut. Both kids during class participated in earthquake drills including sucking and covering...while still being in their virtual classroom.

I voted

Spirit week

It is Homecoming week at Ellie’s school (she attends a 6-12). Homecoming week is Spirit week where kids dress up with themes daily. It’s still spirit week although there is no Homecoming. Yesterday was pajama day (like most days for most kids in 2020). Today was Mask Day. 

I was unable to get a photo of Ellie with her mask on in class, but Calvin wanted to be part of Spirit Week as well.

Tough day

And then Hobbes lost an arm.

Rare moment

His own recipe

Calvin made a smoothie for himself for dessert. It was his own recipe.

Class presentations

New Class

Due to higher enrollment numbers and the teacher to student ratio being higher than the district average, Cal’s school had to do some class adjustments. So they created a new 1-2 combo class. Calvin got pulled into the new class supposedly for his ability for independent learning. Fortunately he knows the teacher, it’s his kinder teacher from last year! (There was quite a shake up of classes and teachers for the lower grades). So at least with the chaos there is a familiar face. He has his first new class today, but it was a short day so he didn’t get a full experience. So, tomorrow will be interesting. Hopefully he gets pushed a little academically this way. 

And he really wanted to bake over the weekend...so we made cinnamon rolls from scratch. 

Playgrounds?

Today Pasadena announced that they are going to start reopening playgrounds in the city. But, there are quite a few rules that you have to follow to play on the playgrounds. 

We will probably sit them out for a while longer, I mean...we still have trees to climb.