June Happenings, a/k/a the week I home schooled my kids

June.. the last month of school. With only a few weeks left, and nothing but endless class parties and beach trips to look forward to, I was gearing up for the final stretch. Unfortunately, the universe was not on board with my plan, as I soon discovered.

"Mrs Trimarchi, can you please call me back as soon as possible? We need to discuss something urgently. There's been a confirmed case of chicken pox in your daughter's class this week," said the chirpy voice on my phone message.

Most kids these days get the chicken pox, i.e Varicella/varivax vaccine early on, and a booster at roughly 5 or 6.  Mina had both of them before we moved to Bermuda.  So I wasn't too worried about her. 



Unfortunately, there's this guy to worry about.  He can't have a live virus vaccine like this one.  As a transplant patient, chicken pox is considered "life threatening" according to his cardiac transplant team, whom I immediately consulted.



"You'll have to pull him out of school, to be completely safe.  If he is exposed, he will have to be hospitalized and given antibodies to fight it off.  It's preferable to keep him home."

And so we did.  In an abundance of caution, we kept Mina home too.  Just for a week, to see how severe the virus was spreading in the school.  The lower primary school had 16 confirmed cases, which then made it up to the upper primary through siblings.  Jordan and Mina are at the upper primary, so I was hoping their exposure during the incubation phase was minimal.



Of course, I was also worried about this guy, who is too young to get the shot.




So, with all three kids at home, and unfortunately no sitter that week, I created a school plan:

Reading
Math
Science/I.T. (computer work)
Practical skills
Music
History
Art

Each day, we got to it.  It wasn't easy, but the kids rallied and actually did the work.  They read daily, practiced their instruments, worked on art projects, including one Mina had due in school the next week.  We studied a history lesson (Bermuda Heroes Day) and learned how to research a topic online using multiple sources.  The kids learned about the history of vaccines, and as part of their computer work, created a narrated power point presentation which we sent to their teachers.  We got a field trip in as well to the local aquarium (a first for Theo).  For practical skills, they learned how to do their own laundry and read a recipe and make it from scratch.  And to celebrate, had a beach day on Friday.

Best parts:
No rush out the door in the mornings, so Mina could sleep in.  No lunch packing or yelling to "Don't forget your water bottle!"  We got to decide when we wanted to do what lesson, and the kids could choose what they felt like working on.  If they wanted more time on something (Mina's 3D chair construction) then they could do it, as long as they worked on the rest of the items later.

Worst part:
Having no real clue what I was doing and winging it.
Nagging, as usual.
Juggling baby through various tasks while supervising big kids working.  Still finding time for the daily grind of grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc.

But, we survived.  Kids are back in school now for the final days.  A couple more cases of chicken pox, but I think they made it through the worst of it (fingers crossed.)

God bless the teachers, and especially those who manage to do it at home with their kids. 

You are amazingly patient human beings.  One week was fun, but I can see the novelty wearing off very quickly.

The baby's nursery - Beach theme.

They say "nesting" is one of the hallmarks of pregnancy. That, plus an enormous belly that sticks straight out and shifts around night and day of its own volition. With baby three, I've been in full nesting mode all spring and summer.

 I had hoped to get his room ready before August, since Bermuda summers are notoriously hot and humid.  That is draining no matter what condition your body is in.  I can assure you mine is in pretty miserable shape right now.

I only finished this last week, but since the baby is still not here, I am ahead of the game!

I failed to take any BEFORE pictures, which completely defeats the purpose of a redecorating post, but I know what it looked like. The only room available in our rental house was the one we were using as a guest room/office. It was a hodgepodge of mismatched furniture, drapes, and disorganization.  I hated it.

First step - picking a theme and color. I went with coastal/beachy as it seemed a natural fit for living in BDA.



The walls are stark white, which is not what I wanted.  Despite protests from Jeff (if we paint, we have to re-paint it white when we leave) it was time to paint - Benjamin Moore, Ocean Breeze. Pembroke Paint matched the color.  I found a painter via a friend's recommendation. Normally, I would do the painting, but I thought it best to avoid the fumes and step stools.

The say there's minimal fumes, but I still think there some.  Better safe than sorry.



The second big issue was storage. Having gone through the kid rodeo twice now, I know how critical organization can be. The room is relatively small, but it has a good size closet. I had hoped to either create a closet storage system or find a dresser, used.  Bermuda has a Craig's List type service called "Emoo" to resell items.  I've used it quite a lot to buy and sell things. I hoped I'd find something appropriate.

Closet storage systems that I liked were too expensive here and not worth the investment given we will eventually be moving when Jeff's work permit is up. Jeff was attracted to the cheap plastic bins that stack atop one another, which didn't appeal to me. So - the search for a dresser began. I kid you not that I have been looking since March.

I finally found this one at a consignment store. Its dimensions fit the closet, it was made all of wood, and I figured I could resell it once we leave the island. Resale is a big factor to consider as an ex pat.  It doesn't always pay to reship this stuff back to the states.  Apart from potential damage and cost, you have to think about how the furniture has soaked up the humidity and mold spores.  The last thing you want is bringing something back to your home in the US, that's releasing moisture and is warped and smells.

I wasn't expecting to find an enormous living cockroach in it, but such is Bermuda.  They are everywhere. It also wasn't cheap, like you would expect from a consignment shop, but I negotiated delivery down and saved Jeff the agony of throwing his back out again.  Plus, I knew I could make it work.



Cleaned up and defumigated, I think it looks lovely.  It has a lot of deep storage, so the baby's clothes can be organized by month while hanging items can be right above.  There's a lot of space on top for baskets to store blankets, wraps and bibs, as well as decorative items.  I may replace the knobs if I can find something more beachy.

There was also a bonus!



Unbeknownst to me, the dresser had a mirror that wasn't displayed when we saw it in the store. The shop owner sent it along with the delivery. I plan on using it in my daughter's room to create a vanity table. She's been admiring the very fancy one I have and promised we could create something for her. One more project to look forward to!



The walls were bare, so I pondered how to decorate them.  After searching for ideas on Houzz.com, I pictured framed shells/ burlap, bursts of orange to pop.  Luckily, while I was in the states, I spent a morning at Home Goods.  Beachy must be a popular theme this year because coastal decorating items stocked the store.  I bought two framed shells to bring back, baskets, and bedding for the guest bed.



The other major decor item was this canvas portrait.  I took this picture of Jordan over Easter weekend when we went kite flying on the beach.  To me, it encapsulated the best part of living on this island, and the colors were an exact match for what I wanted in the room.  I had hoped to find a place on the island to create the canvas in the dimensions I wanted, but alas, that did not happen.  So, onto Shutterfly - where I designed it and had it shipped to my parents house in NY (ignore the red shag carpeting in the room - that's their project to work on.)

While I was in the states, I picked it up, and brought it back to BDA as a checked item.  It was worth the duty we had to pay.



I also wanted something to personalize the room.  On Etsy, I found someone (Mangoseed) who creates hand made signs from beach driftwood and tin.  They are so gorgeous.  I got a Theo sign to hang right above the changing table.



This is the finished product overall.  The crib is a lent item from a friend.  The bedding is in the aqua/white and coral theme.  The guest bedding is from the Home Goods collection with some re purposed pillows.  The rug was ordered locally from Souza's.  They were fantastic and it arrived in less than 2 weeks.  Their customer service was top notch.   Drapes were ordered from Bed, Bath and Beyond as well as the shell finials that you can't see too well.  I tried to find locally, but failed.  Another duty item.  Sigh.  I also loved the wall decals of fish and coral.  Unfortunately, the walls in our house are textured concrete, so the decals do not lay flush the way I would like. 

Oh well.



Overall, I love this room.  It's bright and colorful and decidedly beachy - which I think makes sense given our locale. Unlike the nurseries I designed for Jordan and Mina, this one has no glider or such, but I can see myself using the guest bedroom to crash on when I have late night feedings or need a nap when the baby does.

The baby won't care what the room looks like, but I know I do!  Given how much time I expect to be spending in here, I think it's worth it to create a serene environment that makes us/me happy.

Staying Healthy.

As much as I love running, I realize others don't always share the same enthusiasm. But that's ok. There are countless ways to stay in shape.



Strength training, for one.. arm curls..



Standing weight lifts..



Gymnastics. I'd caution those of you over 30 before trying this move. Even Mina looks dubious.



Riding up and down the street on a zippy scooter.



Or even power washing the deck in 90 degree heat.



But don't forget to take days to rest (tiara optional).

And recharge.

And be sure to eat something to refuel. Tonight, we had a lightened version of enchiladas. Delicious. And both kids ate it. I gave Jordan a deconstructed version (tortilla, cut up into smaller bits, filled with stuffing, no sauce, dipped into sour cream), and Mina, who had that kid version on her plate, opted to eat the full-on grown up version sitting on mine instead (cheese, sauce, cilantro on top).

Don't you wish you could just bottle the energy the little ones have? If I could just pour that into a tall cool glass.. oh man.

I'd be running marathons every day... my house would be clean, the laundry would always be done, the floors mopped every week, counters waxed, home projects completed, walls repainted, stack of work assignments done without working over lunch or bringing things home on the weekend, closet reorganized, basement finished, fireplace remodeled, ceiling respackled and painted, etc.

Alas. With our limited energy and time, we can only handle one project at a time. Right now, we're getting our side steps redone.



Disaster zone. It's pretty horrible.



What's really awful is what the masonry guy discovered buried in the cement rubble.



aluminum cans..



glass bottles...

I mean, seriously??? Who the hell did this work and what were they on? Burying your empties into the brickwork?

Wow.

Busy clippers..

And the weekend was upon us. Time to get things done around the house.

Exhibit #1

The mop.

Before.



After.



Just in time for the record high temperatures we got this weekend! Short and clean.



Post nap - Jordan kicks back and does his Abercrombie pose. Minus the employment discrimination lawsuits.



Saturday included birthday parties, shopping, grocery trip and at last - summer planting. Miss Mina was a big help. Of course we always plant flowers wearing a dress, red satin headband and apron. We - meaning Mina.



There. All done.



So pretty.



Later, the two of them worked on their mad soccer skilz. They are both signed up to play soccer this fall. I'm looking forward to this, although given how crazy our weekends are now, I can't begin to imagine what they will look like once we add organized sports to the mix. Jeff is also signed himself up as assistant couch. hee hee..



And this is Mina after a few minutes of playing goalie. Goalie might not be the best position for her, methinks. Or soccer either, for that matter. Is she looking at her nails?? Whose child is this?



post-bath, it was time for dinner, al fresco!




I was pretty excited too. Saturday mornings are my long run. As I huff and puff my way through ten miles, I assure you, I am thinking about dinner. Bear in mind my run starts at 6:45 a.m. and dinner is 11-12 hours away. It doesn't matter. I'm still thinking about it. This Saturday, Jeff was cooking. Steak, creamed spinach, cauliflower puree. This is the spinach in stage two - cooked and SQUEEZED out.




Saturday dinner. Nom, nom, nom. Worth every agonizing mile, hill, sweat drenched t shirt, shorts, aching knee and cramping back. Steak - courtesy of Costco, which has the best deals for meat, hands down. The spinach recipe was of Jeff's own creation. He's trying to perfect the creamed spinach recipe akin to the one served at Peter Luger's in Brooklyn. Of course, these days, you can buy the creamed spinach recipe from Peter Luger's at .... Costco. Where else? They happened to be out that day.

For those of you like me - who like your meat with a big serving of potatoes on the side, this cauliflower thing must be tried. It's really grown on me. And it's sort of lighter. Like mashed potatoes, it's creamy and smooth and goes well with meat. Unlike potatoes, it's lighter and let's you enjoy both the meat and a side dish without filling so stuffed that it hurts.

There's a lot of variations on the cauliflower puree recipe. Here's one. We also sometimes use half and half, substitute lighter milk, use yogurt, etc.



Sunday was another busy day - yard sales, Lowe's, street fair, cooking, cleaning, and yard work. At Lowe's the kids were let loose long enough to explore. They still hold hands though.



Too cute. I wonder how long this will last. Lowe's/Home Depot will be a frequent destination for the next few weeks. We're working on our basement this summer. Renovating the basement and making it into a playroom. Jeff is so excited. He's looking forward to reclaiming the office (where the kids have all their art supplies and art table and hang out on the computer). I'm pretty excited too. It means I will reclaim the current playroom (I feel like I JUST renovated the playroom) and turn it into a dining room.

One day. If we win the lottery.



After all the grown up nonsense, the kids were rewarded with a trip to a local street fair. We hit some bounce houses, grabbed some pizza, and tried to enjoy the breeze with some chocolate ice cream and sprinkles (Mina) and some mango ice (Jordan).

I scored some great deals on yard sale stuff, particularly at one sale that was an unplanned stop we saw on the way to the fair. Later that evening, as people in our neighborhood put stuff out for trash pickup, Jeff told me that one of the yard sale people had all their stuff out. Guess who was out there dumpster diving? Yep, yours truly. I have no shame. Picked up a load of Playmobile toys and accessories I am cleaning up and will recreate into sets for the new playroom when it's ready.

I don't know why I insist on bringing more things into the house that define themselves by the number of parts and itty-bitty accessories they include... but I just could not pass them up. And they were FREE! And if you buy these sets in the store, in their packaged kits - they are EXPENSIVE!! ANd damn, if I don't feel like playing with them myself they are so darn cute.



photo, courtesty of chrisglass. I picked up two bags worth of people and miscellaneous accessories. I found this picture on Flickr. And if you really want to see some amusing Playmobile pictures, do a search on that site under Playmobile. All I can say is, some people have a lot of time on their hands.

Whew. Exhausted. But in a good way. I'm so glad the warm weather is finally here.

Home Projects - The Side Hallway.

For whatever reason, our side hallway has become the door of choice we use to enter and exit our house. For such a narrow and confined space, it is utilized for all manner of things apart from entering and exiting.

It's where everyone leaves their shoes, wipes their feet, dumps their backpacks, purses, briefcases, junk. It's where we recycle, store Oscar's walking bag ...

and we hug there too.



I've always disliked this hallway. It's too narrow, too bright white. It has such a high traffic of little hands smeared all over the place. Little hands and little paw prints everywhere. It's also right off the kitchen, so over the years, cooking grease and smoke have left their mark on the walls too. When we first moved here, I did a major scrubdown, and I still try to keep it clean... but after four years, it was time for a change. This year I decided to do something about it.



I had a vision in mind. First, of course - the paint. Golden straw or Straw? In other words, yellow ... or yellow? This is the first time I've ever actively sought out a color based on reading about it. Awhile back, I read an article in the Times, in the "Habitats" column, that described this color in one of the apartments it featured. I can't ever recall seeing such detail paid to a color choice, as the writer did here. So, I was intrigued. I tracked the color down at our local hardware store.

And I chose something else.

Naturally.

But I did get to know our local hardware guys very well. And I also learned that his daughter used this very color on her dining room walls. "Golden Straw. "

So pretty. So yellow.



The off to do what I do best. Paint. Taped and ready for the prime.



I left the math and sketching to Jeff. I needed to find some seating/storage items to fit the tight corners.




Voila. The finished product. I'm happy that this project involved mostly repurposed items from the house. The runner, we've always had. The artwork and mirrors - same thing, just from other parts of the house. The cubby has been in my closet for several years now. Time to donate it to the greater good.



I love these keys. I bought them in Pittsburgh when I went to visit my brother and his wife months ago. I thought I'd use them to frame the upper plank wall of a door, but that didn't work out. Instead, I decided that I'd use the keys to highlight the walls' narrow space directionally.

The seating was a big thing. It's odd to have an Ottoman in your hallway, I suppose, but the monkeys now have a place to sit and wait their turns for the bathroom. That's the door over there.

I was getting tired of the rush and the fist fights breaking out, to be the "first one to use the potty!" Now, whoever gets there second has a place to wait in comfort. The Ottoman was from Bed, Bath and Beyond and actually came as a set of two.

Getting them to leave the keys alone will be another battle to add to my daily list of chores. But I figure, the first time one of the keys comes crashing down on them, they'll learn their lesson fast.



"A place for everything; and everything in its place."

Hence - the cubby for shoes, and space for backpacks and my purse. Ninety-nine percent of this cubby space is occupied with the kids' shoes. I have one pair of sneakers there, and poor Jeff... I don't know where he's hiding his shoes.



I kept a recycling bin close by, since this hallway is right by our kitchen. It's smaller than our old bin, which mean emptying it out more frequently - but that's a good thing too.



And we can now hang our favorite art gallery-style. My sister-in-law, Dallice, took these pictures for us. Doesn't she have a great eye?



One of my favorite places in the world - Nantucket .

One project down for the summer, and another one in progress. All told, I have three small ones on deck. Stay tuned!

Projects - The Deck.

About a year ago, Monkey Sr. purchased himself a little fire pit that he intended to park on the deck. He envisioned hanging out there, after the kids were in bed, enjoying a beer around the fire on a chilly evening.

For about a year, that fire pit sat in our garage, still packed in its original box.

Until this weekend!



First, to humor me, Jeff spread some varnish on the deck. (That was really supposed to be the big project, but it remains uncompleted). Then he sent me out to Target to go buy some appropriate lounging deck furniture. I found a couple of pieces that were low-key and hopefully indestructible.



We moved the old bench and chairs further along the deck and set up an umbrella for that section, while reserving the lounge furniture for the fire pit. Jeff likes to call it "the dining room and the living room." He might soon move a bed out there for himself and a flat screen tv too.



I do have to admit, kicking back on the chair felt nice. It might not be Nantucket, and I might not have a Bombay Sapphire and tonic in my hands, but I did feel pretty chill.



And this, dear Reader, is what happens when two lawyers attempt to build an outdoor fire. Some people become engineers, and some people go to law school. I was waiting for our local volunteer firefighters to show up again. We just about smoked out the neighborhood.




Oh great, mighty pit of fire!



Once the smoke cleared, it looked kinda pretty.



The dream, though deferred, has arrived at last.



The problem, of course, is that late night lounging doesn't take into account the 6:00 am awakening time of your four-year old. And yet another reason why our neighbors love us - he was out there in the yard that early. By the way, I bear no responsibility for this outfit. He chose it himself - swim trunks, argyle socks and Spiderman t-shirt and all.

Look how nicely he sets up for the swing!




And then closes his eyes. This move comes to him via his Uncle Osman. He's known for swinging at baseballs with his eyes closed. Right, bro?




Miss Mina, on the other hand, knows there's no crying in this game. Check out this eye of the tiger.




Getting up early has one advantage. By 1:00, this is what they looked like. I caught them "napping" in the guest room - complete with hats pulled out of the winter storage box.