September Overview

Summer is officially over now that September is here.  Mixed feelings on that for sure.  It was seriously such a great summer, despite being in the middle of a pandemic,  so hard to say goodbye to that but even harder because school is virtual.  There is always a bittersweetness of summer ending but it feels good after a week or two to get into the fall routine, but this year, with that not happening it is harder.  The schools pushed the start date back until September 2nd so on the 2nd the kids started virtual.  We found out mid month that they will be able to go back in person starting Ocrober 1st for half days and we will take that and knowing that the full day virtual is only for the month makes it seem a little less daunting.  The kids have done amazingly well with it all though and I have been impressed with how the school has it set up.  The teachers seem great and are working hard.  We are figuring schedules out and making it work for us-it definitely isn't ideal and we want the kids back in school but we'll make the most of it.  The kids are all being super responsible and really taking their learning into their own hands-they all have created different techniques that work for them for things such as time management (Julia immediately asks Alexa to start a timer during every break she is given), completing assignments and navigating their online learning platforms.  Nani has been coming over to read with Ella 3 times a week which has really helped Ella and is a treat to see Nani on those days, too

Joseph has Mrs. Turner-she has the reputation of being strict, but a very strong academic teacher.  .

  

Ella has Mrs. Ostrander who we've heard really good things about, especially with academics, which we are hoping is a great fit for her.  

Julia has Mrs. Barton, who we have heard such amazing things about and we are happy to have her!  We are so thankful that Julia had the TK experience last year so that this crazy year doesn't seem so crazy with a kindergartener!

The schedules...they're crazy and I'm basically serving lunch from 10:45-noon but we're just rolling with it and making it work.  I'm thankful that I'm home and not juggling a job so I can navigate all of this.  

After they are done with school we have either been swimming or getting outside-soccer started for Joseph, Ella, and Julia this month so three days a week they have practice which has worked out really well and almost makes things feel somewhat normal again.   We are still getting plenty of use out of our pool and loving it!

Lots of swimming in Nani and Poppa's pool still, too!

We've even squeezed in a few more beach days this month since it has been so hot and since we have a quieter schedule this fall it has worked out great.  

Charlotte started school on the 9th of September and although I can tell that the other kids are a bit envious that she gets to go to actual school it has worked out well since it is a bit quieter without her around for 3 mornings a week and it is good for Charlotte, too, since I feel like many mornings I'm asking her to wait while I help the kids with their virtual learning.  She was hesitant to go on the first day and the drop offs have been tough (Christy is picking her up in the morning and she has been in tears almost every morning, other than the day when she was the star student; however, when I pick her and Spencer up in the afternoon she is all smiles and by the end of the month her teachers are saying that she doesn't get as sad during the day for me, which is good

Charlotte and Spencer hit it off the moment the Clintons moved here and are so excited to be in the same preschool class.  

It sure is quiet without her around 3 mornings a week! 

Her first self portrait from school!  So great!!!

 

Christy picks Charlotte up every morning so we always hang in the driveway while we wait for her.  

Joseph was stung by a bee by his ear one afternoon in the pool and by the next day his eye was swollen shut!!  He wasn't in pain but it was definitely annoying.  Thankfully his teacher let him keep his video off during zoom so he wasn't embarrassed to be "at school." 

We camped in the backyard one Saturday night which was super fun, even though I was nervous that we were going to start a fire and burn down all of Rancho Bernardo with Rich's homemade fire pit.  Ha.  Ella, Charlotte and I all ended up sleeping up inside (the girls decided they didn't want to stay out) but everyone had a great time.  I even snuck away for a run the next morning while Rich made breakfast outside for everyone which they loved!  

There are a lot of fires this month in CA (mostly northern CA) but the skies have been really hazy.  We had ash in our backyard one day from a fire out east but thankfully none of them were close.  

Lots of time outside this month:

We went to find another swing one day and ended up finding a bunch of crawfish which half of them loved and half of them were scared about.  Ha!  

We went with everyone to wish Mr. George a very happy 94th birthday.  It is so sad for all of these people in assisted living places since they have really been cut off to everyone since March and the beginning of covid.  Mr. George doesn't remember much these days, which in a way is a blessing, because he seems to be doing ok with the isolation, but we were so happy to hopefully bring him a little bit of joy on his birthday.  He has lived such a remarkable life.  

Nani and Poppa watch Finn every Tuesday and Thursday and have been picking Charlotte up on those days as well, which has been a nice break for her from the homeschool routine here and helpful for me, too.  Char and Finny (as she affectionately calls him) have a special relationship-they definitely love each other but are very similar with stubborn personalities so definitely clash a lot, too.  All of the other cousins play together so easily so I think their relationship makes Nani and Poppa work a bit harder! 

The following are randoms from the month:

Always selfies on my phone!

So many walks, still!  

Just messing around and being creative.  We are still goin through so much duct tape, regular tape, painters tape, cardboard, construction paper!!  

The girls got pajamas and matching stuffies from the Tirado family for their birthdays.  They were so excited!  

Julia got a birdhouse from Aunt Gina, Uncle Brian, Michael and John for her birthday so the kids hung it up in the tree in the front of our house.  

Just hanging in the trunk of the car in the garage having a snack...

Joseph started a "lego masters" zoom on Thursday nights with three other buddies.  It has been fun for them where they are given a theme and then have to build something out of legos in thirty minutes.  There are trivia questions during the thirty minutes about the theme and whoever answers the questions correctly gets an extra minute to build.  He has been enjoying it every week!  

Halloween costumes are in so of course we had to try them on!  Joseph was a little hesitant about going as Carlos from the Descendants but the girls think they've talked him into it ;). 

Charlotte, on the other hand, took no convincing at all!

We're loving watching this baby girl grow!

This view does not get old!  So thankful for it and for these warm summer nights, still, to be able to enjoy it!

September brought a big change with the start of school but we are so thankful that our kids just roll with it and overall adapted really well.  They definitely prefer (and wish that they could be in) real school but we are making the most of it...plus, it doesn't hurt that I told them if they finish all of their school work each day then they earn a star which equates to a dollar so the motivation of earning 5 dollars a week is definitely helping.  We'll take all the motivation (aka bribery!) we can during this year!!