Savannah's sister runs a summer camp in Ogden called Astro Camp. Because of COVID restrictions they couldn't have it in person like they usually do, so they converted it to camp in a box. They sent out a new box every week in June with materials to do experiments and activities, and have a YouTube channel with videos explaining new concepts. We signed up so we could have some fun stuff that we didn't have to plan out. In June we hardly did any of the activities. We've been picking up the pace a little now and the kids are enjoying themselves.
There was a section about spacesuits and how they are designed to keep the astronaut safe from super heat/cold, no atmosphere, and micro meteors that could be zooming super fast. So the kids gathered their own materials had tried to build a spacesuit to keep their astronaut (apple or orange) safe from a pair of scissors being dripped from 5 feet.
Megan and Annie teamed up.
Rachel and Ryan were successful at keeping their astronauts safe. Megan and Annie could have used another layer of cardboard (which Megan had suggested), but they had fun anyway.
They also experiemented with what it would be like to try to write or build with Legos with bulky gloves on like the astronauts have to use.
It was tricky.
We continue to enjoy swimming at both Manny's pool and Sister Wagner's house. Sister Wagner brought out a bunch of pool floats last time we went over. The kids got a big kick out of the lips especially. And enjoyed jumping and diving through the hole in the donut.
Judy invited us to come help with some food distribution at a food bank last week. We brought the older kids along and sweat a lot. Wearing face masks out in the sun isn't super fun, but the kids were troopers and worked hard. They found a sweet spot to take breaks in, right where the A/C was blowing straight on them.
We worked for nearly 2 hours, then headed to 7-11 since it was July 11, 7-11 day. Unfortunately the free Slurpees were canceled this year because of Coronavirus, trying to avoid lines and crowds, I guess. But we were hot and we were there, so I just paid for a Slurpee for everyone. We all deserved one after working so hard in the Arizona heat. The kids even said they'd like to come next month to help again, though next time they want to come on the day that they work inside the warehouse instead of the day they load the trucks outside in the heat. I think we can make that happen.
Todd and Savannah invited us over for a game night. The kids had a lot of fun playing Killer Bunnies, then One Night Ultimate Werewolf.
We are super grateful to have cousins close by to keep the longest summer ever from driving us completely crazy.
More astro camp fun: We made our own paper rockets. The materials from Astrocamp were supposed to connect to an empty bottle to launch them, but we already had these stomp rockets (actually they belong to the Knights, we just borrowed them) and it was easier to do this than find an empty bottle to launch with.
The kids had fun making their rockets fly high.
The kids have long stretches of time where they will play nicely by themselves. One day I hadn't heard from anyone for a while so I went to check and found the older girls reading, Ryan playing with the city he constructed in his room out of tape on the ground, and Megan playing with her babies and stuffed animals.
They also have stretches where they play nicely together. But they also are starting to really get on each other's nerves sometimes. When we're used to a max of 7 weeks break from school, 20 weeks feels really long. There are 3 more weeks of summer before we start remote learning (still at home). The governor has a mandate saying in person school cannot start until August 17th, but it's likely that will be extended because numbers in Arizona are still pretty high. So we'll have been at home for a minimum of 24 weeks before the kids can return to school, likely longer.
We're implementing a new schedule tomorrow (the day they were supposed to be going back to school) to give us all a little of the structure that they so badly need. I'm hopeful that will help cut down on fighting a little. And maybe help some of the kids get back into the routine of reading their scriptures and brushing their teeth, which has fallen off sharply lately.
Megan finally got her glasses. She was super excited to get them.
She really wanted cheetah glasses and this was close enough for her. They're kind of dark blue with lighter stripes that look semi-cheetah-ish.
She also got a pair that is purple and pink (and a little light blue). Based on our experience finding shoes every morning I thought it would be a good idea to have an extra pair of glasses for when she can't find one.
Jacob had to go to Goodyear last week for work. The kids missed him a lot, especially every morning and night. He got back Thursday morning, but went straight to work, so when he called suggesting we come meet him for lunch the kids were super excited about it. And not just because it meant getting Eegees.
Since no one that doesn't work there is allowed in his building right now, and all the restaurants around are limiting how many people can eat inside because of COVID, and it's way too hot for a picnic in the park, we figured the easiest solution was to put the seats down in the back of the car and just eat there. We found some shade, left the AC running, and had a lovely picnic. The kids are super happy to have Dad back home.
More swimming at Manny's pool...
Jared figured out that swim shirts can turn into floatation devices, so the kids spent the last half of the time we were at the pool blowing up their shirts, looking like body builders.
It was hilarious, especially hearing them talk to each other. They had to keep their mouth in their shirt to keep putting air in as it leaked out, so as they spoke to each other there was this echo that made it sound like they were in a cave or something.
With Jacob home, they flocked around him when he showed them a video of the author of Hank the Cowdog reading one of their favorite chapters. They are their father's children. They quote it over and over and over.
We managed to squeeze in a couple more Astrocamp activities over the last couple of days. Making roller coasters for marbles out of gum tape and masking tape was probably one of the activities the kids have gotten the most into. They spent so long each building their own and adjusting it and keep going back to play with them more.
They also enjoyed making Scribble Robots, though there was some frustration getting everything working right, then the tape would come off or the wire would disconnect again. But in the end everyone had success and enjoyed building their own robot out of a motor, batteries, tape and markers and a cup.
They attached a bit of an eraser to the motor to put it off balance just enough to make the motor, and therefore the cup, shake. As it shook, it would move around letting the markers draw in cool patterns.
As we get into our new schedule this week we'll be doing more Astrocamp stuff, Spanish, Family History, and each of the kids will have some individual work to improve typing, math, reading, writing, etc.
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