Another week in lockdown, and another birthday celebrated in lockdown. Sadly this is the second birthday in a row that Monkey has celebrated IN lockdown. Monster (our eldest) didn't get a birthday party this year either, although we weren't in lockdown at the beginning of the year, because there was an outbreak on the Northern Beaches and I didn't want to risk planning something only to have it cancelled. So for 2021, it looks like Munchkin is the only one who was able to celebrate his birthday with people other than our immediate family.
But, we are determined to make the best of our situation, so we celebrated in style for Monkey's 12th birthday and his last year of childhood before entering his teen years!!
I discovered, when we first started doing lockdown birthdays, that our birthday sign that we normally hang at parties, fits across the entryway of our kitchen. This means that the particular boy who is celebrating his birthday, see this sign when he walks out the bedroom door.
A lovely photo of the birthday boy...
We started the day with a birthday video chat with my brother and his family... and through the miracle of modern technology we were able to get a photo of both families together!!
The ONLY good thing about our current birthday lockdown, is that Monkey got pancakes and bacon for breakfast. As his birthday fell on a Sunday this year, had life been "normal" we would have left the house by 9am for church and breakfast options would have been cold cereal only.
Munchkin was my cake baking helper again... these pictures show him mixing the cake batter (left) and the icing (right)
Opening presents... Monkey was very happy to find art supplies and expansion packs to their Exploding Kittens game.
The process of decorating the cake... Munchkin came up with the idea of putting the chocolate sprinkles INSIDE the cake as well as on top and I think the finished product turned out really nicely.
Singing Happy Birthday and blowing out the candles...
Monday it was back to reality and back to school...
Monkey and I work through his Year 7 maths together... So we sit side by side and work through the problems together for each section. This is another bonus of homeschooling, I can refresh my math skills as it wasn't my strong suit when I was in middle and high school.
Monkey and I noticed this beautiful cloud formation from the dining room window so I rushed outside to get a photograph, and I'm pleased with the outcome of my photo as it is truly beautiful.
Playing around with some shots of one of Munchkin's succulents that we noticed is blooming.
More interesting clouds that Munchkin and I noticed on our walk, though this photograph was taken on my phone and doesn't really do the clouds justice...
Munchkin working hard on his handwriting assignment for the week...
Working out the next problem on his set of practice questions on Khan Academy. I highly recommend the website for anyone who needs some extra support/practice with their math skills. There isn't JUST math on the Khan Academy website either...
Another afternoon exercise session with Munchkin... he scooters as far as I allow him and then backtracks to me while I work on getting up to a power walking speed.
We ditched read alouds one evening so the boys could try out the Exploding Kittens expansion packs in a game with their father...
Munchkin working on his writing assignment for the week... He is less than impressed that I no longer agree to scribe for him. This means more work and more concentration for him. But I'm using our lockdown situation as a perfect time to focus on improving some of our skills while we don't have the distraction of outings and get togethers with friends.
We have had several warm days that feel almost spring like, but in the late afternoon the wind picks up and the dark clouds roll in... rain is often forecast but has yet to arrive in our suburb.
I've had a dinner helper several nights lately... this particular night he was keen to do some of the vegetable grating for me. When I cook spaghetti sauce I always grate carrot, zucchini, and mushroom to add to the sauce.
Monkey and daddy enjoyed a game of chess on afternoon... the two younger boys are working really hard to one day beat their father at chess.
Our Friday afternoon art session with Mark Kistler on YouTube - drawing treasure boxes
Left photo: Mum, Right photo: Monkey
Munchkin likes to get comfortable on the floor when he draws... and his finished product is the photo on the right.
After our drawing session was finished, Munchkin asked for permission to use my phone for more drawing videos, settled himself at the dining table, and got busy. He recently got given a new little sketch book (right hand photo) which he has decided is his "art class" notebook. So he spent a good portion of the afternoon getting it the way he wanted it and getting to work...
He made a table of contents page and a "welcome" page (not shown)...
And then he found all the videos of all the art lessons we've done so far and drew them again in his new notebook...
The treasure box lesson...
The fat rat lesson...
The hatching dinosaur egg lesson...
The seahorse lesson...
The shark lesson...
The fanged fish lesson... (I think I'm making that name up)
The deluxe house lesson...
Another glorious day for some outdoor time... Again, Munchkin decided to accompany me.
Again, per our Saturday routine, once their household cleaning chores were done, the boys settled down for their extended computer gaming time.
I got school planning done and some marking done, and then did some more "lockdown deep cleaning"...
This time I tackled my desk in our "home office" area. I share this area with Monster as he needs a place away from his younger brothers to study quietly independently. This is the BEFORE photo of my desk... we were having some problems with the way the folders were arranged on the left and right hand sides of the monitor, and the desk was in need of a good wipe down as well...
The AFTER photo - it looks MUCH better and now Monster will test it out for school time next week and we'll see if the new set up works better for us.
Some independent reading of Munchkin's...
We finished reading this aloud as part of Munchkin's literature selections for this school year. This is the first time Munchkin has heard the stories, the second hearing for Monkey, Monster is now hearing them for the third time, and as I read the books independently when the boys were really little, I'm now reading the Narnia series for the FOURTH time - and STILL loving it!!
More independent selections for Munchkin... he LOVES reading and he is a fast reader. His appetite for books is VORACIOUS and it is extremely difficult for him when we do not have access to the library... BUT it is teaching him a good life lesson.
Two more non-fiction (cancelled library books) that we read aloud this week... the photo on the left was for Monster's unit study and the one of the right for Monkey.
Munchkin finished off his week with these books...
Monkey DESPERATELY wants some books from the library that he was working on earlier in the year, but had to be returned. He is enjoying reading these books while he waits for the time when our library is open once again...
