Summer! Kinda.

Fiona and Ethan are so very close to being finished with their schooling for the year.  As soon as they complete their math books and science workbook it's OVER!  Portland public schools pulled the plug on the year last week.  They just kind of gave up. 
I was super excited to be able to return our library books yesterday!  I was so sick of seeing those same titles over the last three months!  If I had known in March that it was my last chance to select reading for an entire season, I would not have selected "Gravestones of Southern Maine"!
Kids are settled into their routines that will likely carry through the summer months.  Wake up around 10am, work on school or independent projects for a few hours, head outside for walk or play, eat, visit with Dad when he gets home, watch T.V..  I allow them to visit with friends outdoors.  They have had a few kickball games in the field and we did go on an evening picnic with friends...but not much socializing.
Our biggest outing was a trip to Gammy and Gampy's a week after Mother's Day.  The weather was amazing and we enjoyed mom and dad's yard and all the space it has to offer.  Cullen and Gary got along swimmingly!  Cullen ran around the yard at 65MPH and Gary hid in the shrubs and managed to jump out at him at just the right time!
Fiona has her virtual awards show this week.  Curious to see how that plays out...  In the meantime she has been steady with her chalk art and even received a commission for a birthday message to a girl in the building from her parents.
Scott and I managed to secure a home for July!  A fabulous farm house in Falmouth.  Still minutes from downtown Portland but with the ocean and wooded trails nearby.

We are just so grateful that the weather has warmed!

Scott's been a very amazing math teacher.

This is what I stumbled on while Ethan was supposed to be changing his sheets...

Then Cullen "helped".

A "normal" trip to Walmart.  Line's not too bad.  Just the length of the store.

Not the most rewarding sewing project I've ever completed.

There could be worse places to be...This was the view as I rode my bike next to Scott on his run.

No baseball season for Ethan doesn't mean no baseball practice...

LEGO challenge!

Who could build the strongest bridge across the sink?

Fiona's design won.

Oh, yeah!  Easter happened.  Kids found lots of candy and small change.

Social distancing...with friends.

All from scratch!  Chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream frosting.

Found this outside Fiona's bedroom.  She stuck it there some time in the night.

The "new normal" litter.

Salon is open!!!

Theo still prefers my hair.

Here's a little taste of the new place.

Fiona and Ethan went INTO the Bread Factory to get cookies and bread!  Big day for us.

I baked this for the visit with my parents.

Meagan, Jason and Ellie were there too!

Barber is open!

Warm sunshine!

Frisbee and a picnic!

Scott and Scott at our 6 foot apart picnic spots.

And down went the sun as we ate.

Just a few of the latest...

This was her commission piece.  It is a Harry Potter symbol.

What a long year this week has been...

WTF?  Not even sure what to write about this whole thing.  Seems I have no excuse for falling behind on the blog.  I've just been soooo busy procrastinating and feeling entirely exhaustipated from all the NOTHING going on.  At first we were like," OK.  This is interesting.  Let's do some family hikes and lots of outdoor adventure."  Now the state parks are closed.  So we're like, " What a great opportunity to get things accomplished around the house."  But then you wake at 9, 10, (or 11 if you're Fiona) and realize that by the time you've eaten and dressed it's time to figure out what to make for dinner, and start washing up for bed.  Seriously.
      BUT before all the covid hit the fan...we were on a roll in this family.  Fiona entered four pieces into a nation wide art competition and won two silver medals and one gold.  Her gold then went on to win best in country.  Yup.  You read right.  BEST IN COUNTRY!  The award banquet for that was supposed to be at Carnegie Hall in NYC...but thanks to COVID it was canceled.  Poor kid.  They will mail her awards.  How anti-climactic :(
     The kids also participated in a climbing competition at their gym the Saturday before Maine shut down...and Ethan won the whole thing!  It was a fabulous comp. that was very casual, with lots of kids helping each other solve the problems.
     Since the lockdown we have climbed a mountain, walked the beach (before those places were off limits), watched some great movies, I highly recommend "The Shining" (some great quotes in there for those of you working from home and dealing with family members disturbing your concentration), taken lots of neighborhood walks, cooked creative meals, made tons of art projects, tossed many baseballs, lost our sh#* on each other, rough-housed, snuggled the dog until he growls at us, and pushed each others buttons.  What will the next month hold?  I don't dare guess.

Ethan and Beckett on Ethan's phone.

Fiona.  The proud owner of a new phone.  She only begged for two years...

Ethan and Beckett (back when kids could have friends over...).

Fiona and Pamela at Fiona's art opening.  Pamela is a well-known local fiber artist who has taken Fiona under her wing.

I am so proud of this kid.

Ethan working on his win.

                                                                             

Fiona using her long legs.

                                                                                 

My babies.

Ethan's winnings.  A new water bottle (filled with Starburst), chalk bag, chalk and frisbee.

A beautiful spring walk up a mountain.

                                                                                

Cullen in his favorite place. His bed.

We had one good snow!  Only lasted about a day.

Hot cocoa tailgate.  Yes.  We were sledding in the cemetery.

Fiona made these earrings!

Scott, at his "mega-desk" (little "Office" reference there)

This is a photo of Fiona's "Best in Country" award winning self portrait.

This dog LOVES ripping paper.

A neighbor was cleaning out her craft room and donated a million beads and jewelry accessories to us!

Here's what Cullen leaves behind after a good ripping session.

Oh Theo.  

Fiona and I researched some new braiding techniques...cause you know, what the *#ck else is there to do?

An outing a few weeks ago, BEFORE beaches were closed.

Cold school day picnic to the Western Promenade.

A couple of my favorite head shots for Fiona's award show.  They will still have a live online version in June.

And here we are.  Separate, but together.

All dolled up to go food shopping.

Henna.

Always creative.

We broke out some leftover sparklers from the summer.  Killed about ten minutes the other night.  

I swear to God it's gluten free, refined sugar free, and nut free!!!  This may be the one good thing to come out of this pandemic.

Ethan is creating a model of his ideal baseball stadium.

Here are the kids getting ready to participate in their online, live climbing practice.  Crazy.

This face was staring at me the entire time I participated in my live online fitness class.  Little disturbing.