We don't get many bona fide "snow days" here in Utah. Several years of my schooling growing up were in Virginia, where even the threat of a snow storm was enough to cancel school, whether there were any actual flakes falling or not. Good times. But it's different here in Utah. There is the occasional "late start"-- meaning a two hour delay, but the schools almost never close. Our snow plows mean business and they get the job done! In fact, this is only the second time I recall our school district closing.
You might think snow days wouldn't be a big deal for homeschoolers. Don't we stay home everyday? Yes, we do stay home everyday, but friends aren't available to play everyday! When the friends are out of school, we usually call it a day as well and the kids play with neighborhood friends.
The three of us snuggled up on the couch to finish reading The House at Pooh Corner. Grandma Fox gave us this book when Clark and Bethany were younger than Peter and Greta are now. We've been reading a chapter at night for the last month or so, and it has been delightful. Peter, especially, has enjoyed it. And when Peter is happy, mom is happy:)
Here is a picture of Peter with the book right after we finished it. He really liked looking at the map and finding all the places in the stories.
Faith and George's latest Eureka Crate creation. This is a subscription crate they get in the mail each month. It comes with all the parts and instructions and building it keeps these two exceedingly happy for a few hours. They are enjoying playing with this pinball machine.
As of writing this, Cannon and Faith are off playing with friends, while Elinor happily toils away upstairs studying for the ACT. Even as a younger child, she has always found standardized tests "fun" to do. George has a bit of a sore throat, so he and Peter and Greta are watching the 1977 Disney movie, The Adventures of Winne the Pooh.
Honestly, a snow day couldn't have possibly come at a better time for our family. Last week's schedule was really intense, and I'm so grateful for how it all worked out, but a day like today-- when everything is cancelled and we don't have anywhere to be-- feels heavenly.
Last week, on Wednesday, Elinor came down with a terrible cough, sore throat, headache, body aches-- the works. It looked like the flu to me. In the past when someone gets the flu, we just take care of them the best we can and wait it out. Except that this time Elinor had her high school regions swim meet on FRIDAY!! So we rushed off to the Dr.'s office in hopes of a prescription for medicine that could drastically shorten her illness. We got the medicine and spent that day and the next in bed sleeping and pounding the vitamin C and Vapo Rub. Oh, and we prayed and Abe gave her a priesthood blessing. It didn't look good, though. By Thursday night she was better. Not great, not even good, but better. We talked about whether she should go or not. How it was a bad situation either way. She would feel terrible if she went. She'd feel so bad if she didn't go. She didn't want to get other people sick. She didn't want to let her team and her relays down. No win.
She decided to get up in the morning and go. Thankfully she felt even better the next morning-- and chlorine kills germs... right?
You might think snow days wouldn't be a big deal for homeschoolers. Don't we stay home everyday? Yes, we do stay home everyday, but friends aren't available to play everyday! When the friends are out of school, we usually call it a day as well and the kids play with neighborhood friends.
As of writing this, Cannon and Faith are off playing with friends, while Elinor happily toils away upstairs studying for the ACT. Even as a younger child, she has always found standardized tests "fun" to do. George has a bit of a sore throat, so he and Peter and Greta are watching the 1977 Disney movie, The Adventures of Winne the Pooh.
Honestly, a snow day couldn't have possibly come at a better time for our family. Last week's schedule was really intense, and I'm so grateful for how it all worked out, but a day like today-- when everything is cancelled and we don't have anywhere to be-- feels heavenly.
Last week, on Wednesday, Elinor came down with a terrible cough, sore throat, headache, body aches-- the works. It looked like the flu to me. In the past when someone gets the flu, we just take care of them the best we can and wait it out. Except that this time Elinor had her high school regions swim meet on FRIDAY!! So we rushed off to the Dr.'s office in hopes of a prescription for medicine that could drastically shorten her illness. We got the medicine and spent that day and the next in bed sleeping and pounding the vitamin C and Vapo Rub. Oh, and we prayed and Abe gave her a priesthood blessing. It didn't look good, though. By Thursday night she was better. Not great, not even good, but better. We talked about whether she should go or not. How it was a bad situation either way. She would feel terrible if she went. She'd feel so bad if she didn't go. She didn't want to get other people sick. She didn't want to let her team and her relays down. No win.
She decided to get up in the morning and go. Thankfully she felt even better the next morning-- and chlorine kills germs... right?
So, there she was at regions-- the biggest, most important meet of the swim season-- with the flu. But you know what? She swam her heart out and got her best times of the season. I was so proud of her I actually cried after her 500 free race. I anxiously watched her race worrying that at any moments she might pass out and wondering how long it would take for anyone to notice she was just floating in the water. But instead, she dropped 13 seconds off her time!!!
Not the best picture.. kind of a weird angle... but she amazes me.
One more because now it's a happy memory. Also, because of her 4x100 women's relay, she earned a spot at the State championship in a couple of weeks. That was her goal this year, and considering what a rough season it was her rotator cuff injury, she is especially happy to get to go to State.
Cannon and George had a super busy week last week. Their Ballet West Academy Contemporary Showcase rehearsals and performances were down in Provo at the Covey Center everyday except Tuesday. They did five shows on Friday and Saturday. They were wonderful and they were SO TIRED by Saturday night. Here they are when we finally arrived home after the last show.
Friday night Abe, Clark, Faith, and I went to the show. One of the fun things about a large family is there can be all sorts of groupings of family members that may not usually be the ones grouped together. Friday evening was just such a night.
We even went out to eat before hand... ooh... so fancy. We went to a nearby sit-down Mexican restaurant. Some of our children have rather picky tastes. Maybe they'll grow out of it, or maybe they won't. I don't really care, since the picky eaters probably have me to blame anyway. But on the way down Faith asked where we were going to eat. When we told her she said, "I get nervous being around Mexican food." We all had a good laugh and she went ahead and ordered chicken tenders and fries. Whatever:)
The choreography was set to Les Miserables music. George danced to "Castle on a Cloud" and Cannon's number was "One Day More. It was beautiful-- all the feels!
Now the busy week is done and somehow, miraculously, it all worked and everyone got where they needed to be. And a day to be snowed in has never felt better!
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