Sunday, May 31, 2020

Goodbye May

The week seemed to melt on by with a short school/work week and 4 days of super hot (so lots of pool time) and then cooler weather for the weekend (good for weeding the gardens and picking rocks).  Goodbye May, we are looking forward to summer!  We hope that all of our family and friends are staying safe and healthy!!! We are also sending thoughts of calmness and peace to every human being during a time when hopelessness abounds and words seem so useless in response to the needless loss of life and the violent protests.

Fun in the hot, hot sun!


Seems crazy that we saw our first monarch already!


Adam leveling out our next door neighbors yard..using the tractor from another neighbor :)




The kids received post cards from the school librarian, Ms McDonald.


Ayson with his week 11 art assignment: Mosaic chalk :)


Addie showing everyone how it works!




TaDa!!


On Thursday, Ayson turned his bedroom into an "Enchanted Library" and he asked me to take pictures and send to Ms. McDonald :)


The kids reading books in the Enchanted Library




Lots of gardening on Saturday and Sunday:)  The kiddos picking up the weeds that Amy pulled


The kids also picked rocks out of the main garden - over 700 rocks removed from the garden.  Their reward was their own pint of ice cream (cones just would not do :)

Monday, May 25, 2020

Memorial Day Remembered

A gorgeous week with lots of pool time for the kiddos.  We spent Friday night and Saturday with family.  It was good to see Auntie Julie, Uncle Dan, the cousins, and Grandma Collene.  On Saturday, we visited Grandma at her house and Pama, Grandpa Chuck, Fran, AND Uncle Jay stopped by for a visit.  We hope that all of our family and friends were able to enjoy Memorial Day weekend with family and friends AND remember the men and woman that have died while serving our country.  There may be few parades this year but we remember and honor those we have lost.

A Tuesday evening walk in the orchard plus a little frisbee :)






Our apple trees in bloom


Addie left a picture for Amy on her camera


The kids had fun with a music assignment for the week - making songs out of various beats and voice distortions


Voice distortion fun




Ayson made caramel and chocolate covered pretzels.  Thanks, Ayson!




Yum!


Addie wanted a picture with all of her kitties :)


Addie and Flat Mrs Davidson on the trampoline




and in the pool


Thursday afternoon fun while taking a break from the pool



On Friday, we went to Auntie Julie and Uncle Dan's house
Homemade pizza!  AND we each got to make our own pizza :)






Kaela and Grandma


Ayson rolling out his crust




Amy and Adam's turn!




Kids...young and old :)


Ice cream!

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Hello Spring (and Summer!)

We made it to mid May!!!  Adam and Amy wonder how the kiddos will remember this school year (of being home since their birthdays in March- no parties, no seeing friends... no school bus, sleeping in, less school work, too much electronic time, swimming in the pool) when they are adults.  Will spring 2020 be remembered as if it were one long summer vacation?  I guess we will have to wait and see. 

As of May 15, Central NY is now starting to slowly re-open up (in a minimum of 14 day phases) while areas near New York City (to the east) and Buffalo (to the west) and the Capitol Region (in the middle of the state) have yet to reach the 7 metrics related to the downward trend of positive cases, hospital capacity, and availability of contact tracers.  Every "data point" is a human being and we wish health and mental peace for our family, friends, and all fellow human beings. 

A forgotten picture from Ayson and Adam's "camp out" last Saturday night :)  Ayson had so much fun:)


Amy's companion during a Monday conference call


Shadow, are you hiding from Monday?!?!?


Family fun!!


Playing NICELY together after completing their school work.


Another art assignment - drawing bubbles and learning about Autism Awareness  :)




Game night, round two!  Who will beat Addie!


Addie VS Mumma


Amy has been helping Mrs Oliver (Child After School Program Director) weed her gardens during the week and Amy got a sneak peak at the baby chicks that Mrs Oliver is raising!


Shadow giving Adam a bath.


Addie made a scavenger hunt for Amy and Adam on Wednesday - thanks, Addie!!  We had tons of fun looking for the next clue :)


Addie received a "Flat Mrs Davidson" from her teacher on Thursday and Addie has to take her Flat Teacher on outings and take pictures of different things/places that Addie does/goes.


First picture: relaxing on the back porch!


Ayson made cookies on Thursday!!  Ayson is working on fractions and had to follow the recipe using only a 1/4 cup measuring cup and a 1/4 tsp measuring spoon in order to work on his fraction skills.


The cookies turned out PERFECT!  Thanks, Ayson!!!!


Thursday evening was gorgeous so we took a walk to the creek after an early dinner (that consisted of cookies and fruit...hahahaha).






A braid of braids :)


Gianna is a graduating senior this year and her lacrosse coaches stopped by her house to congratulate Gianna on her hard work and scholarship (both for grades AND sports) for college.  May 15 was Gianna's official LAST day of high school :)  YAY!  Congrats, Gi!!!  We celebrated with her and Jo by helping them eat cake on the back porch:)   We have been explaining to Ayson that hard work, good grades, consistency, and integrity, can lead to privileges such as getting done with school early, getting into good schools, AND getting paid to go to school...what?!?   Ayson definitely took notice of those rewards:)



Our gorgeous tulips




Crazy Ayson got in the pool on Thursday...brr!


Saturday was gorgeous!


Of course the kiddos went swimming.  Kathy- we STILL have the turtle floatie that you gave us at least four Christmases ago.  Adam and Ayson did have to patch a small hole (which also involved the amputation of one back flipper but the turtle is still having fun :)


Go Addie!  The pool depth is above Addie's head so she has to swim!  So glad we had lessons last year:)


Amy planting sunflowers in the garden - SIX rows of sunnies to look forward too :)


Ah, Saturday evening was perfect for smores


Ayson and Adam :)


Addie with a pretty flower in her hair


Grandma Collene came by for a visit on Sunday.  The family LOVED seeing Grandma and eating McDonald's for lunch :)