Adventure Update # 048: Our New Reality!

We are adjusting to our new reality, just like everyone else. We are also finding that the additional family time and slower pace of life is indeed the silver lining of this whole ordeal!

Haircut

So I have been needing a haircut – and sure enough now everything, including barber shops is closed for at least another two weeks. There was no way I was going to make it that long without a haircut!

I asked Melani to cut my hair – but she was not brave enough to do it. So I asked Dominick – since I have been cutting his hair for almost 10 years – and it seemed like the right thing to do. What could go wrong with asking a 10 year old boy to cut my hair???

Well Dominick certainly stepped up to the plate! I think he was a little nervous – but I told him not to worry about it and to just cut it and do his best! I explained that not only would no one be seeing me – since we are not meeting with clients right now (other than phone conferences), and that it will certainly grow back!

Neither one of my business partners even noticed anything different about me – so great job Dominick!

Homeschooling

Homeschooling has been going really well so far! I am really impressed with everyone – and especially Melani!

The kids continue to plug away in their workbooks and are now also getting assignments from their teachers. Some of the teachers are also creating videos for the students to watch. Apparently even Sophie’s teacher made a video the other day of her reading a story just like she does in class.

I didn’t get to see Sophie’s reaction to the video – but I am sure she must find this whole situation a little odd. I know she is craving some individual attention from Melani – because she keeps asking when the bigger kids are going to go to school!

We have also been watching a lot of educational YouTube videos in the evenings. I know Melani’s next post will be covering some of the channels, videos and even Netflix series that we have found helpful in stoking the kids curiosity.

Zoom Meeting with Melani’s Family

Every few years there is a new group or collaboration application coming out. It seems recently I have been hearing advertisements and friends & family talking about Zoom video conferencing. We typically use a different services at work – but the other day Melani told me that her siblings wanted to do a group conference using Zoom. So I set an account up – and it did work pretty well and was fun to conference with everyone at the same time. Chaos everywhere for sure! Our kids, her sisters 3 boys, Melani’s mother and her other sister and husband. Side conversations – kids fighting (OK – they were ours) – but all -in-all a lot of fun and good to see and talk to everyone.

Since then I have also gotten an email from Dominick’s scout master and his next den meeting will be a virtual one, and at least two of the kids are going to be having a virtual class in the near future – all using the same service. Real sign of the times!

Since it has taken me an extra week to get this out – UPDATE: We have done this twice with Melani’s family – fun both times! This time there was no fighting amongst our kids!

Leprechaun Traps

The kids keep trying to catch these crafty little creatures that faithfully visit us every Saint Patrick’s Day – but to no avail! Here are some pictures of their traps this year.. I have pictures of the traps BEFORE the leprechauns came, & AFTER!

The only thing captured was our Christmas Elf Mistletoe – who seems to be guilty of aiding & abetting the leprechauns!

It is difficult to tell from the pictures – but that is Mistletoe that is captured in the one trap!

Dinner Battle

Lately a certain defiant little girl has been giving us some trouble eating her dinner. Well – being home more has given me the time to wage this battle with Sophie. Last week it was some spinach and turkey pot pie that were the cause of her not eating (OK – really it was just the spinach!).

Sophie could not & would not eat it for dinner – so no dessert that night.

We served it to her for breakfast the following morning – no interest…..

We served it to her for lunch – her stubbornness still won out over her hunger.

We served it to her for dinner again – and finally with a lot of cajoling – she finally ate it!

The irony here – now she says she likes spinach! Hum…sounds a little like someone found their “Green Eggs & Ham” – and I was Sam I Am!

Fun & Games

We are enjoying the additional family time that this quarantine is bringing (Again – the silver lining). We have been playing more games together as a family (Catopoly, Bingo, Hay Day) and spent a LOT more time on the trampoline!

I used to play “KelpMan” with the older kids when they were little. I used to lay on the floor and pull them into me – tangling them up with my arms and legs. They loved it! Now we have expanded the universe of SuperSlow Menaces that can be found around our house! In addition to the return of KelpMan – we now have SlothMan as well!

Oh how I do make myself laugh and the kids squeal in delight – as I chase them very slowly and pull them into me!

Finally, we have also been playing a lot of catch lately too. Dominick and I have been trying to improve our co-ordination and throwing power of our “non- Dominick” hands / arms. Yes – most people would just call it their non-dominant hand – but why when “non-Dominick” hand sounds so much better?!?!

Miscellaneous

Signatures

We recently all digitized our signatures – so we could use them for blog posts. Here they are:

Something interesting to watch:

Virtual Reality video – Seeker Goes to the Edge of Space

Seeker: Edge of Space

3D Printing

We continue to 3D print – and are having a lot of fun doing it. I am impressed that the kids are already able to design such interesting things and then actually turn them into something physical! When the models are printed – we sometimes need to use supports to print areas with sharp angles – so there is something for the printer to print onto. Here you can see some of the models with the printed supports (which we then subsequently remove).