Breaking up the Quarantine Blues
I rented this beach condo back when my trip to Europe was cancelled in May. My mom always rents one for a month and we typically spend every weekend down there visiting and enjoying the beach. This year it seemed possible that the virus might still be causing trouble with schools reopening, so I took a chance and decided if the big kids weren't able to go the whole month, it would at least be easier to come and go without dragging our stuff back and forth. Plus, the one month rate is pretty much cheaper than renting for just all of the weekends.
Well, September rolls around and we have the chance to keep them home for the whole first quarter and we took it. We packed up our 3 laptops and a printer/scanner, all their textbooks (not to mention all the three youngest's school books), and a card table and headed to the beach. Praying the whole time that the wifi could handle the three of them online at the same time from 8am to 2:40pm every weekday. (Yes, it's too much screen time, but that's a topic for another time.) Brian wasn't able to stay during the weekdays, but he came down most of the weekends.
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On the ferry to the island to hunt for shells.
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So, it was cramped during school time, but it totally worked. We did it, and it was great! Most weekdays, I would get the little ones started on their independent work and then go on a walk alone on the beach. Then I'd come back and do schoolwork all morning with the littles. After lunch together with the bigger three, we'd head out to the beach or pool for the afternoon. The older kids would join us if they could after school was out.
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Listening for the ocean in some of the shells on the island.
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One day we went with my brother and his family to an island that was supposed to have good shells and fishing. My brother went fishing, and my sister-in-law and the kids went shell hunting. The big kids had to stay back at the condo to do school. There had been a tropical storm in the gulf that had brought up so many amazing whole shells. We picked the exact right day because my mom went after us and there were no more shells.
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A pelican close by the boys.
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Snack time on the island
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Waiting for the ferry to go back after a long day
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Judah, Turner, and Hannah watching a movie
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By the pool
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Out at dinner with their cousin
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Once we returned home, the kids were eager to take their rock painting and apply it to the buckets of shells we brought back. They are planning to sell them at the Children's Christmas Bazaar.
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Genevieve's Painted Shells
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| Isaac's Painted Shells |
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| Drew's Painted Shells |
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| Hannah's Painted Shells |
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Hannah's Work, as well
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