Friday Favourites

With virtual school happening here again this week, we needed to find some fun at home things to keep us busy (since the JK online school day doesn't end up being that long).  Q and I went for a walk to look and listen for birds.  Then we drew pictures of the ones we saw and heard when we got home.

This little monkey snuck Easter candy all week (but also shared some with me).  It's mostly gone now.

This is what the house looks like at the end of the day. Toys in the living room, table full of paper, markers, scissors, etc. and kitchen with remnants of lunch dishes. 

E does his work on his bed, but it works for him. 

Q has really improved on this bike riding.  He can stop and start on his own and is just a little wobbly to get going.

E saw me across the parking lot and said he didn't think I looked like myself since my hair was down and blowing in the wind. And he pointed out I don't wear white often either, and he is correct.

It is Masters weekend here which is always a highlight of the golf season for us.  The golf is good, but I also just enjoy seeing the flowering trees and shrubs. 

A reminder for students of history that it is Vimy Ridge Day today, a significant battle in World War I for the young Canadian nation. Someday we will get to France to visit the memorial and other war sites. 

I can't believe it is time for another Not Just a Mom Link Up on Monday but it is the second Monday of the month already.  Join me and the other hosts for Favourite Family Memories. 

Linking up with Andrea and Erika.

School Days (at home)

Well, here we go again.  Schools in Toronto are closed for in person learning as of today.  For Toronto, this is our third time having the kids home from school - first last year from mid-March to June (or September actually).  Then we had January to mid-February.  And now this "two week" break.  We actually only have three more days left in this week and then we are off on "March Break" (moved from March).  Allegedly the kids will go back after that week break, but I am not confident.  The Covid cases are climbing again here in Toronto as the variants are winning the race against the vaccines in this third wave.  Until a larger portion of the population can be vaccinated (including our educators) then I think we will be told to stay home for a bit longer. 

Here at our house we will be looking for small wins, for us that includes:

- No crying (parents or kids, hah!)

- Being able to take phone calls without having to mute and tell the kids to be quiet.

- Outdoor time

- For E, logging into all school sessions and getting work completed before the end of the day

- For Q, logging into school at 9:00 and 12:40 for attendance (and sticking it out for at least an hour after that)

- No arguments to turn off the TV or iPad when it's time to get back to class.

- Snacks at regular scheduled intervals (rather than eating all day)

We'll take any and all combinations of these things! It helps to know that we are not alone in our struggles and that many people are facing the same challenges. I also recognize that we are extremely privileged and our "struggles" are certainly first world problems.

Something I have found to be helpful is to communicate to my co-workers that it is challenging to get work done during the day as if I was just sitting at my desk all day without distractions.  No one wants to hear that I can't get my work done, and I do get it done, whether it's before or after "regular" work hours, but just to let them know I have different things on my plate while the kids are at home.  I will need to start getting up early again to work before the kids start school, and then put in some time after supper, but it's manageable. 

Something that works for us is to print out the schedule for E's class so he can consult it without having to flip back and forth between screens, and then I can remind him of what is coming up next.  I also make a written list of things he can do instead of video games when he's bored.  If he's got the list to consult, then he can try to figure it out himself.  

For Q, in Junior Kindergarten, he has a hard time staying engaged in the class.  The teacher sends out the themes/topics for the day ahead of time and so I will collect things from around the house that match the theme (space, dinosaurs, food, etc.) and then Q can play with those things and they are somewhat on theme even if he isn't really doing what everyone else is doing. 

Parents, we can do this! Stay strong! 

Weekend Recap

We had a great Easter long weekend.  On Friday morning we had waffles for breakfast and then we dyed some eggs.

Patiently waiting

E made this Easter egg art with a surprise in the middle.

I watched the Good Friday church service online and then we had lunch.  After lunch we joined the Sunday school to make hot cross scones (rather than buns that would have to rise).

They were really good and I will make them again.  This was before we iced them.

After we were done with that we walked up the street to do a virtual scavenger hunt put on by Bloor West Village's (BIA) Business Improvement Association.  We downloaded an app, entered the game code, and then followed the clues to 30 different locations in Bloor West Village.  When you solve the clue, you took a photo of yourselves there through the app.  It was great fun!

The Eastern most stop on the hunt was the library with two clues.

Check out our Easter artwork in our windows.

We iced the hot cross scones when we got home and sampled a few.

We had fish and chips for our Good Friday supper, a tradition for many.  

On Saturday morning I got to No Frills right when it opened to get a few last minute groceries as I knew it would probably be busy later.  While I was there I picked up a few things for the food bank and then we walked up the school to drop them off at the food drive.  We took the long way home down by the river.  It was grey but nice to be outside.

In the afternoon E had gone to the playground with friends and Q and I went to meet them but they were already back from the park so instead the boys played with the neighbours and the moms had a drink on the patio.

Then it was time to decorate our Easter cake. Dave's family always makes some version of this Easter cake and we share photos from across Canada.

On Easter morning we actually "slept in" past 7:00 but the Easter Bunny had been there the night before so the kids were eager to get downstairs to start the egg hunt.   E making a jump for the egg on the top of the door (he didn't make it).

The Easter bunny brings the candy but we bring the gifts.  This year my mom sent money for bow and arrow sets for both boys and these were a big hit!

A few treats for Mom and Dad.

Checking out the new books.

I made a blueberry French toast casserole for breakfast.

After breakfast we headed outside to try our new toys.

I watched the church service online.  Our choir section leads (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass) recorded the Alleluia chorus, edited together into one video. It is at the end and it was so good!! He is risen!!

After lunch Dave went for a run and E accompanied him on his bike. E and I walked to return some library books and buy some flowers.  I drew a hopscotch on the sidewalk earlier so E was hopping along. 

We played in the backyard when we got home and waited for the ribs to cook.  I also put together a couple of salads and we opened a bottle of Prosecco.  All was delicious.

We finished our evening with Mighty Ducks 2 and got to be early after a long day.  The kids were home from school on Monday but Dave and I were working so we didn't do too much. Dave took the kids outside after lunch and they played in the backyard for a bit but there were also lots of movies and iPad games. 

Easter Greetings

There can be no Easter without Good Friday.  For Christians suffering through the news of Jesus' death, we are an Easter people and for us the tomb will be empty on Sunday morning, the promise of an everlasting life.  Having been in some variation of lock down for over a year, I draw some comparisons to this being our "Good Friday" and soon it will be Easter morning.  

I'll be back on Tuesday, enjoy your long weekend. Whether you are celebrating Easter or not, I hope you have good food and good weather, or at least one of those.

If you do celebrate Easter and want to "attend" Easter service, go to my church's YouTube channel (here) at 10:30 EST on Sunday morning for the livestream. Our church does communion only a few times a year and Easter Sunday is one of them.  Recently we have been invited to play the communion video guide on our own rather than it being part of the livestream service, so if that is something that interests you, check out that video on this page (Lenten Communion, scroll down past a few videos).  At our church, everyone who seeks to live in the way of Christ is permitted to take communion, even if you are not a member of the church or have not been baptized or confirmed.

Easter Decorations

 Just a few photos of our Easter decorations this year.  

I few eggs in the kitchen window. The porcelain egg crate is something like this one from Crate and Barrel, although I think I got this one from anthropologie years ago.

Bunny stuffies in the front window.

We picked up our Easter tree on our hike last weekend in the woods.  It is a little crooked but it works.  Q hung most of the ornaments himself.

We have an egg garland across the doorway.  I made this years ago and it is hanging in there.  

A few eggs hanging from our dining room chandelier.