We didn’t accomplish as much today as I had originally planned and that’s OK. Some days will be like that. As we navigate eLearning and isolation the biggest lessons often come in the unplanned.
Encouraging Play and Clean Up– We began our day cleaning up. With spending all of our time at home our house was getting out of control! So I put on some music and mommy, daddy and our reluctant little one began putting away toys, dishes and art supplies. My daughter loves to play and in doing so she creates scenes that she does not want to destroy by putting the pieces back in place. The latest project was a well designed Doggy Daycare swimming pool complete with a deck for cats to sit on so they don’t get wet. The other project was the bear den we constructed the day before. As she ran around the house, screaming that we were ruining her life by cleaning up, I was reminded that play is a child’s work. I also recalled the “Work in Progress” signs I often see in her classroom. That gave me the idea of compromising and telling my daughter she can keep one “Work in Progress” out per day but the rest will have to be put away. Satisfied with our new agreement it was decided the bear den would be dismantled while the swimming pool would stay open.
Muffins– My daughter loves to bake so today we made raspberry muffins. I pulled out the book If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff and after reading we made muffins together. Through baking my daughter was learning a lot…how to follow directions, how to measure and how to be generous as we saved some to take to Maw Maw and Paw Paw and to their neighbor.
Maps– A mom friend suggested we read Me by Joan Sweeney. I know we had the book upstairs (working for a textbook company has its benefits) so I pulled it out and daddy read it to our little one. Click Here to read a digital copy of the book. Then the two of them set out to draw a map of our house. But our little one had other ideas. She wanted to draw a map of her Doggy Daycare so that’s exactly what we did! 
Gratitude Journal– Per her teacher’s suggestion we began a Gratitude Journal. Her first entry was a picture of mommy and daddy and her beloved blanket! She knows how to write mommy and daddy on her own and I helped her write the word blanket. We will add a new page to the journal everyday.
Generosity– Perhaps the best part of our day was delivering a weekly care package to Maw Maw and Paw Paw and to their neighbor. While practicing social distancing we were able to see our loved ones and model an example of generosity for our impressionable little one. Without a complicated lesson plan or an on line resource, children are learning. By watching the adults in their life, by listening to the sounds in their environment and by being actively engaged in activity, children are learning. Through play and imagination, children are learning!
This is a photo from our weekend. Taken right before sunset it epitomizes the innocence of childhood, a care free little girl simply experiencing joy in her journey. The photo was taken as we walked (she ran) around the pond in our backyard. Earlier our neighborhood rang with dogs barking, children laughing and lawn mowers humming with the sounds of spring. In this scene people had retreated inside to start their evening routines and our soundtrack came from song birds proudly singing a tune and allowing us to listen in. The grass we walked upon, once dull and brown in color, had awoken to a luscious green. The smell of pollen from flowering trees was in the air giving us another reminder of rebirth. Spring is not in quarantine and neither is God. He created this beautiful day and He is with us on good days and in trying times. Love embraced me as I gazed at our house (shown here in the distance), knowing we would return home to a nutritious meal prepared lovingly by my husband. The wind began to blow indicating a spring storm was on the horizon. But when I looked up at the sky there was hope among the darkness. God was sending a visual reminder as rays of sunlight were peeking through a mass of clouds, reassuring me that we will all get through this.
Holes in the Jelly Beans?– We cut out our jelly bean shapes and punched holes in the jelly beans by using a hole punch to punch the correct number of holes on each jelly bean. Then we strung them together and made a necklace. My daughter needs to work on hand strength and this activity suggested by her teacher really challenged her. 
Backyard Animal Discovery– My daughter’s teacher shared the brilliant idea of watching for animals (in our backyard and on our daily walks) and graphing how many of each animal we found. We watched for ducks, cardinals, sparrows, robins, rabbits and squirrels and after printing out pictures of each animal my daughter helped me create a chart that we hung on the wall. We enjoyed looking out the window to see if another duck took a swim in the pond or if we could spot a robin on our daily walks around the neighborhood. My daughter loved adding tally marks on our graph and sharing the final count with her teacher. The activity was such a hit we are going to do it again next week!
Chapel With Gary the Puppet– Our senior pastor and Gary the Puppet occasionally lead chapel at my daughter’s school. They recorded a special message and the huge smile on my daughter’s face was proof that their efforts were a huge success. 
Letters to Loved Ones- Like her momma my little one loves to write. We have been writing letters everyday. Today she chose to write a letter to her teacher and to my parents. Through the letter writing she is learning how to address a letter, add a stamp and put the letter in the mailbox for the mail carrier to pick up. 
Building With Daddy- My husband and daughter created structures out of toothpicks and marshmallows. Daddy taught her how to build a strong foundation and they enjoyed building together. 
Hop Scotch– Daily physical activity along with “brain breaks” are imperative for learning and growing. My daughter got this Melissa and Doug hopscotch set for her birthday and we have been using it as an option for our daily movement.
Today was a peak weather day. With the sun and warm temperatures we took advantage of this gift and played outside enjoying the SONshine!
Recyclable Art– My daughter asked if she could use this paper tube to make a butterfly for our neighborhood art walk. Without any direction from me she planned and created this work of art completely on her own! It was a reminder that sometimes the unplanned activities, led by our children, are the most successful! I encourage you and your family to make works of art out of recyclable materials you have lying around the house. 
Signs of Spring– After completing the 
Spreading SONshine Project- A few days ago I began the Spreading SONshine Project where I encouraged others to share the love of Jesus by drawing a sun with a cross and or sharing a bible verse on social media with #spreadingSONshineproject The movement hasn’t caught on but my dad, who is an artist, began drawing daily SONshine crosses. If you are interested in seeing more please follow Spreading SONahine Project on Facebook or Instagram.
Connecting Virtually- We connected with my daughter’s teacher, Mrs. Stanglein, this morning via a FaceTime chat and after dinner had a Talley family meeting on Zoom. My daughter enjoyed seeing Maw Maw and Paw Paw Talley (who live nearby) along with my sister in law and her family who live in Georgia. As virtual meet ups become our norm, seeing familiar faces brings comfort.
As the news indicates that isolation will be extended through April 24, I pray you and your family create some special memories together. Make a personal or a family goal to try something new. While practicing social distancing, reach out to friends and family you haven’t talked to in months or even years. And in the darkest of days, remember the SONshine.
Crazy Hair Day– My daughter’s school is having a virtual spirit week and today was Crazy Hair Day! We read the books 
Friend, Friends, Friends– My daughter misses her friends terribly so I set up a 
We began day 4 with a bow and a smile! Today was supposed to be spirit day at school and a group of moms suggested we have a virtual school spirit day by dressing in school colors and sharing pictures online. Seeing familiar faces brought some normalcy to our day. 
Story Time– Technology continues to connect us to others. We enjoyed story time with Lillian’s teacher and with Santa Claus. Search for Santa Frank (our favorite local Santa) on Facebook and enjoy his daily story time. 
