This week at home

We all survived another week, although this one brought us a few more curve balls!  

Monday's art project:

After dinner the kids and I took a walk and they enjoy seeing a cat that is around the same spot each time we pass.  They are calling her Professor McGonagall from the Harry Potter books.  Very sweet cat.

Tuesday's art project!  (Olivier's has his Lego model included.)

And to help out, I stayed home on Wednesday and got to see the kids make these amazing art projects. 

 And Thursday's shaving cream art!

And this is the curve ball we had to battle.  We had noticed the floor in Olivier's room/closet was very warm and seemed to be getting warmer.  On the other side of the wall is the water heater and sure enough there was a leak.  It wasn't in the pipe in the wall, it was in the slab...and it wasn't the pipe that would have been easier to fix, it was in the one that required jack hammering the slab, digging and all kind of work.  We are grateful that they stayed later and go the work done so we would have hot water in the house again. 

And on a happier note, here is Friday's art.

Matt took a photo this week of the homeschool setup.  It is a busy house with three kids school day to keep track of and there are still hiccups but Matt has been master detective to figure out all the issue and keep them going.  One day at a time...one day at a time. And Friday night we found out that homeschool will continue at least through May 1st.  One day at a time...

Quarantine Visit

My parents flight went smoothly into LAX and they were able to make the drive from LAX home in record time (only two and a half hours!) because the roads are empty, people are actually listening!  They had to drop off the rental car in town so they stopped by and we chatted for a couple minutes through the glass.  Nice to see them in person back in town.  Lets hope the next two weeks pass with no illnesses for them!  (My dad has tears he said.)  

Keeping Active

We are working to keep the kids active while we are home and their regular activities are no longer for an uncertain amount of time.  Yes, that means no volleyball and no jiu jitsu.  Horse riding is still happening but they are having to adjust how they tack up.  

Mason loves the basketball hoop that is on the back of his room door.  Given the limited amount of room in his room, we moved it to the back of the front door today.  That has given more space and the boys are enjoying it.  And Mason was using his volleyball bump to bump the basketball into the hoop.  

This afternoon we brought food down to my parents house to get them setup for their arrival tomorrow.  Unfortunately their trip of a lifetime has been cut way short (they weren't supposed to be home until mid May), and their house didn't have the food they would need to self quarantine upon their return.  We (my brother and I) managed to get them what they need, at least to get them started.  Bummer we won't be able to see them in person and that they had to cut their trip so short, but glad to have them heading back during these uncertain times. 

Loving all this art!

Late last night the governor issued a shelter at home for the entire state, starting today.   Things seem to change by the hour, so we continue to take things hour by hour.  On the plus side, the kids have been doing some amazing art.  Here is todays art project!  So amazed and proud of the kids during these uncertain times, trying things that are outside of their comfort zones!  

And shhh... Anna is giving her sloth to her friend for her birthday in May so keep it a secret!  :-)

More art!

We are continuing to practice social distancing, which basically has meant staying home.  I am going to work in the office.  Matt picked up his work computer so he has that at home and can work on a few projects at home around helping the kids with their school work.  On Tuesday they picked up computers for the boys to use for the remote learning from the school.  It has been a challenge for all of them, and the teachers, as they try to sort out what the kids school be doing and how best to communicate that information.  The mantra is one day at a time.  

And yesterday, the County issued a shelter at home declaration starting at 5 p.m. today.  That doesn't change a whole lot for us, or really anything, but knowing that we will have a long haul ahead of us as we do our part to address the global pandemic.  

Today the kids did another art project.  Getting some fun in while dealing with all the uncertainty.  

Social distancing due to COVID 19 - first weekday

Boy, things have been changing rapidly in the last few days!  There is currently a global pandemic as declared by the World Health Organization with the outbreak of COVID-19 (also know coronavirus) around the world. Last week we were told to do more distancing, travel was increasingly restricted, and on Friday, March 13th the school district informed us that effective today (Monday, March 16th) the school would be closed until at least April 14th.  Remote learning will be starting on Wednesday, March 18th.  All school districts in the county are doing something similar.  

We are taking it one day at a time.  Today Matt stayed home with the kids and I went into work.  We are still operating public transit but it has been greatly reduced and is really being directed for those who need it to provide more critical services within our community.  We did see large changes in ridership, largely due to the significant changes with schools.  

We worked to create a schedule for the kids today to provide them a bit of a normal routine.  That included art!  There was an online class that the kids watch and created these beautiful elephants!  

It was a crazy day for Matt as he worked to navigate a routine with the kids.  After dinner I took the kids on a long walk around the neighborhood since they were indoors all day, of course with all this it had to rain which make them more stir crazy.  It was a beautiful sunset after a crazy day. 

We are all taking it one day at a time.  And we just found out that Cal Poly is now basically closing the campus as much as possible and having all non-essential staff to stay home.  What curve ball will be next?

Mason Volleyball

In early February Mason started a volleyball program for kids at the university.  It is a skills program on Sundays.  We are enjoying watching him have fun with a new activity.  

Here is a photo and video from February 9th.

 And a couple photos from today. 

Have fun Mason!

Sweet friends

Anna spent the night at her friends house last night and this morning, her friends mom sent me this sweet photo of the girls.