Leo's school orientation day

 Leo had a day full of school orientation today.  They don't get into the academics until later this week.  He happen to wear the same shirt as he wore for his first day of school last year.  

This happy smile faded fast as he sat through online meeting after online meeting.  He was pretty miserable and he made sure to come out of his room often to tell us so.  He managed to get through it, but he was bored.  Maybe once they start doing actual lessons it will go better.  But if Serafina's experience is any indication, there is going to be a lot of grumpiness going on around here.  Sigh.  

Serafina's socially distant 11th birthday party

Serafina's 11th birthday is coming up this week.  When the pandemic changed our lives, one thing Serafina held on to was the fact there was no way this would still be going on by her birthday, and she could have a pool party and a sleepover and go to a restaurant.  As her birthday drew closer and nothing around us normalized, it became increasingly apparent that she would not have a typical birthday.  She struggled with this.  She's so social and loves having people over.  I knew I wanted to do something "in-person" for her.  I came up with the idea of inviting just a few girls to the park and keeping them separated by six feet with hula hoops marking where they should stand and they could keep the hula hoop as a party favor.  Serafina liked this idea.  We got lucky that it wasn't too hot or too smoky today.  

Here's Serafina making sure the hoops are six feet apart.  

She was so delighted that I got her these birthday balloons.  Sometimes it's the little things that can make her feel special.  

She invited four girls, but since Millie said her farewells yesterday and was already headed out of town, she only had three girls there.  Alissa, Sunny and Nora.  

We played games and listened to music.  They didn't stay in the hoops but they did a pretty good job of keeping socially distant.  All the girls were really, really happy to see each other in person.  It was such a wonderful change from the Zoom parties, FaceTime calls and distance learning.  

 

Art with Millie and more

Serafina is making her way through online school despite her extreme displeasure with it.  Leo starts on Monday, though he doesn't have a full academic day until September 8th.  One highlight of the week is having socially distant art time with her friend Millie.  They have been very good friends since first grade.  They are both enrolled in the same art class and have a guided lesson each week.  Sadly, this was the last one they will do together in person.  Millie and her family are moving back to New York.  We said our farewells to her, her parents and her old sisters tonight.  We are going to miss them dearly since we've had so many good times with them.  

It was National Dog Day earlier this week so I joined masses posting pictures of their dogs on Instagram.  Of course, he's the cutest one. 

Here he is providing moral support to Serafina as she does a math assignment.  

I got a new Theo picture today.  He looks just like his dad but with hair.  

Mousse again.  We had a private session with the trainer on Thursday.  Mousse is a sweet boy but he could use some improvement on some of his behaviors.  She's going to help us a lot.  She said that Mousse is smart but sensitive.  He has definitely come to the right family.  

 

First week of Distance Learning done

 Serafina has survived the first week of online school for the 2020 - 2021 school year.  It hasn't been pleasant, but hopefully as the weeks pass the content will improve and so will her feelings about it.  

Yesterday she did an art lesson with all the kids in her grade.  She came out to the dining room table to spread out her materials a little more and Leo took a peek at what a Google Meet with over 100 kids looks like.  Hint: it isn't pretty.  

Online dance classes started on August 10th.  Monday and Tuesday she dances in the living room for two hours.  On Fridays she has tap class, which she does in the garage if she can handle the temperature. 

A very rare lightening storm last Sunday sparked countless fires in Northern California - many of them in the Santa Cruz mountains very close to us.  The air quality has been terrible as a result.  Here's what I look like when walk the dog in the morning.  We are lucky to have a couple of N95 masks from the last time fires raged nearby and Tom's work was handing them out to employees.  

Here's a picture of Mousse with his lip folded up, looking extremely goofy.  

Serafina's First Day of School

 Serafina started fifth grade today, which is the last year of elementary school for her.  It is "distance learning" for now and possibly the whole year.  There's no real way to know what will unfold in the coming months.  It was so hard to feel excited about this day.  She wants to be with her friends in-person and, like most kids, doesn't learn as well through the screen as she does in the classroom.  I'm just so angry that the administrations - federal, state, local - didn't prioritize opening schools and now we are in this situation.  

Serafina will make the best of it.  She is resilient and positive.  But I can't help but be disappointed that we are in this situation and she's missing out on so much. 

Recital 2020 - Jazz Dance

 Serafina is in the top row, first box from the left.  This costume was really cute in person.  

End-of-summer beach trip

Serafina starts school on Monday.  It's so hard to believe we are at the end of our "summer break".  It has been the most non-summer feeling summer I've ever experienced.  No camps, no trips, no backyard parties.  But here we are.  At the end of summer and the beginning of the school year.  Leo's school doesn't start until after Labor Day, but he has some meet-and-greet activities the week before.  Both kids will be fully distance learning to start the year.  I have no idea if and when they will return to in-person instruction.  It's so heartbreaking that our leaders - federal, state, local - have failed us so thoroughly that this is what has to happen.  I'm also really angry at all the people who can't follow the basic rules to keep people safe.  

I asked Serafina what she wanted to do to celebrate the end of summer and she said she wanted to get Marianne's Ice Cream in Santa Cruz.  We drove down there today and after a little beach time, we got our ice cream.  

Mousse likes the beach but not the ocean.  

Happy ice cream eaters.