Summer Vacation Week Two... LOTS of Fishing!

I decided to combine all of the highlights of the week into one longer post.  When you have sick kids during a pandemic, sometimes the highlights are fifteen minutes at a park.  The important thing is trying to find joy in each day. 

6/15/20 Monday - Summer vacation is much more relaxed than the school year.  We still start the day with Bible time, Breakfast, and chores, but we have a lot of freedom in the rest of the day.  One or both of the kids has therapy or a lesson from 10-11 each morning.  After therapy we often spend some time outside.  Because of the fevers, the energy levels fade pretty quickly.  

Enjoying their roller blades!!  T loves going down the hills too.  

The after exercise crash time.  

After being active for a while the kids crash and usually eat lunch and listen to Adventures in Odyssey.  After that down time they are often ready for another outdoor activity, indoor games, or puzzling.  After 1-2 hours of that they are allowed to have 2 hours of TV/movie time.  This is not computer screen time, just TV time.  T loves sweet little shows like Pippy Longstocking and Babar.  M likes to watch library movies or movies from our home stash.

Rollerblades and a helmet make this guy look a lot taller.  

6/16 Tuesday -   On Tuesday we took a field to school so we could pick up the kid's yearbooks. We brought along M's Class of 2028 T-shirt so he could stand by the sign like he did on the last day of Kindergarten.   Of course I had to go and find the 5K graduation picture so you can compare!  I think he has grown a little bit!  I can't even handle that little M picture!!  He was much more willing to take  pictures when he was younger. 

Heading to middle school. 

The big 5K grad!!

6/17 Wednesday -   It was a lovely day and I wanted to bike to the park, but the kids thought that would take all their energy so we drove.  It was probably a good idea, because they were able to play a lot more at the park.  

Upside down  kids in an up upside down summer!

Thankful for our local parks that provide hand sanitizer and good signage to keep everyone healthy. 

I ordered a smoothie from this beauty!

We spent a long time sitting on the hillside and watching the semi's on the highway like we used to when M was little.  Such precious memories.  The kids were feeling nostalgic too and decided to sit on the lions like they used to.  I just spent 20 minutes trying to find a picture of the kids doing this when they were little.  I saw MANY adorable pictures, but couldn't find it.

M and T:  These lions used to seem bigger.  

Wednesday was the first day of youth group and M had to miss it.  He takes this hard every week and I can predict that the evening will be rough. Providentially, he received a new book in the mail that afternoon and life felt a lot better for M as he read it.

M: A good book is a great thing!

4 of the 6 thermometers we have used during our months of fevers!

We decided that Brandon should take the kids fishing after dinner since we thought it would be helpful to be away from the sounds and sights of youth group next door.  Brandon took the kids to a  lake, and the kids enjoyed some of the time.  Finding a good fishing spot often leads to some drama, but they usually settle in for a good time eventually.

This is a nice one!

T: I decided to wear gloves so my hands wouldn't smell fishy. 

Summer girl beauty. 

T: Take another picture Dad!

A gentleman near them caught a nice size fish and T wanted to pose with it.

T:  See this huge fish I caught haha!

6/18 Thursday -  After the kids exciting time fishing Wednesday night they wanted to go back to the park again the next day.  I agreed, and sort of regretted it.  The lake has a lot of cliffs, so we had some near accidents and it was much more stressful than my previous fishing trip.  It might also be the reason I have not taken them fishing since. 

T: Mommy and I were both cold so she shared her jacket with me. 

T: I caught this fish in the first 10 seconds. 

M: This was my best catch of the day. 

6/19 Friday - On Friday we stayed close to home.  The kids (mainly M) were really not feeling well.  I finally convinced M to go to the park for a short while.  He climbed up to the top of the play structure, but then needed me to come help him down and he was ready to go back to the van.  Being sick and feeling tired all the time is rough. 

One is extremely cautious and one doesn't know the meaning or the word.

6/20 Saturday - On Saturday Brandon took the kids on a fishing trip to a new location.  The first location had a lot of promise for Brandon and T, but M was not having it and was pretty angry to be there, totally convinced that it was a bad place to fish.  

M: I was super disgusted. 

T: I thought it was nice and I saw some frogs.  

They decided to try another place and enjoyed themselves much more.

M: Life is better now. 

T:  Here to help!

The area under the bridge isn't huge and that causes some major line tangles.

Yikes!

T: I love fish!

Look at that JOY on his face!!!

M: This is the biggest fish I have ever caught!

T:  I need a picture of this one too!

Content kids. 

Brandon had an interesting catch.

It started to rain, but they decided to wait it out under the bridge since they were dry.  The rain turned into a downpour.

T: Oh dear, what will we do?!?

Suddenly they noticed that a waterfall had been created.  Since the waterfall rocks were their way out they didn't want to wait too long.  All the water from the waterfall was making their dry area pretty wet. They realized they needed to make a run for the van.

A downpour created a need to escape. 

The made it to the car safely, but they were all were a bit wet.  T had standing water in her shoes.  Brandon and the kids made it home in the rain and the day went on as usual.  

I was just starting to make dinner when the tornado siren started going off.  Brandon quickly checked his phone and it was the real deal (sometimes someone bumps something or the siren malfunctions).  We grabbed our shoes and some blankets and headed to the basement.  The kids got right under the stairs and put on football helmets.  One of my children was very scared.  One of my children admitted they had been waiting their whole life for a tornado.  I will let you guess who is who.

T: I had a slinky stuck to my helmet.  

Brandon trying to catch the cats and get them to the basement.  I was sitting under the stairs with the kids trying to calm fears and manage expectations.  After just a couple minutes in the basement we noticed the siren ended.  We looked at the radar and the storm had moved north and we were free to go upstairs.  We decided to leave the helmets and the blankets in the closet under the stairs so they will be ready if we need them again.  The child who wanted the storm was not impressed.  This child has been hoping for another chance.  My children are so different from each other. 

6/21 Sunday/Father's Day  We had a pretty good Father's Day.  The morning started sunny and lovely.  I snapped a quick picture of our living room with the piano.  It has been so long since our family has visited that I wanted to post a pic of the moved around space.  The piano has now moved a bit closer to the end table, but this is still pretty much the view.  It actually feels much cozier than before. 

I love sunny mornings. 

We watched online church service and then the kids gave Brandon their Father's Day cards.  They each like to read their responses to the questions out loud.

T: You make me laugh when you tickle me. 

M: I like it when you take me fishing. 

After cards it was time for outdoor church.  T fell asleep in the sun and woke up with some awesome tan lines.  She was so sweaty that she changed outfits and we all got a chuckle at her exposed shoulder lines!

Very unique tan line. 

I have transitioned to a Sunday clothes washing day in this season because it was way too hard to do laundry and school work.  The schedule sort of stuck.  I decided since it was the first day of summer it might be a good idea to wash the kids winter gear.  I just really hadn't thought about that it was all hanging in our back hallway since winter time.  I call Spring "Second Winter" so the start of Summer is a big deal.

The perfect way to celebrate the end of second winter!

We had a pretty relaxing day.  Brandon went for a bike ride, the kids watched a movie, we grilled food for dinner, and we talked with our dads on the phone.  It was a good day.  

At some point on Sunday afternoon M decided to drive an RC car.