12M ~ May 2020

Happy (the one where we were quasi-quarantined) Birthday to my favorite person on the planet. 🥳

We celebrated all weekend starting with dinner on Friday night on the new outdoor deck at Revival, a socially distant reunion with his soccer teammates on Saturday and ending with some ice cream at Arnie's and an episode of Man in the High Castle tonight. Love you 3000!

12M ~ May 2020

Homeschooling Day 43: 22 minute virtual math lesson. I know this because Evan made sure to point out to me how long the video was. 😆 Math is not his favorite...🤷

12M ~ May 2020

Homeschooling Day 41: Reading Block - Freak the Mighty. 📚

12M ~ May 2020

Podcasts and rhinestone art!  Missing being with our friends for our annual cookout but made the best of it.

12M ~ May 2020

More quarantine baking.  Homemade hot dog rolls and potato hamburger rolls.

12M ~ May 2020

When in quarantine - find dumb projects to work on and then make all of us help.  🙄

12M ~ May 2020

Homeschooling Day 40: RMS Strong! #glc2020

12M ~ May 2020

You know you're at home workout is a good one when your glasses fog up at the end!

Homeschooling Day 39: Virtual spirit week - Hat Day! 🎩

12M ~ May 2020

Homeschooling Day 38: Virtual spirit week theme of the day was Pajama Day. But every day is pajama day in the world of homeschooling! 😂

12M ~ May 2020

Homeschooling Day 37: Virtual spirit week Crazy Hair Day was not really a challenge. 😂 The eldest is sporting the quarantine hair while the middle sports the botched quarantine cut he got from Dad last week! Crazy hair all around! 😂😂😂

Homeschooling Day 37: Google Meet with his cluster! He's been looking forward to this for days!

Homeschooling Day 38: Shop class with Dad

12M ~ May 2020

Homeschooling Day 36: Fancy Day for virtual spirit week was convenient timing for the virtual piano recital recording session we did this morning. 🎹🎶

The boys recorded their videos for their upcoming virtual Recital!

12M ~ May 2020

We packed up the bikes and took the boys for a ride on the Northern Rail Trail, riding a total of 8 miles!

12M ~ May 2020

Day 30: A song that makes you think of yourself!

The Doc: He passed again - he couldn't come up with a song.  It's the last day, I let him off the hook!

Me: You Learn - Alanis Morissette

David: Piano Man - Billy Joel

Shaun: Believer by Imagine Dragons

Evan: Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves

I cannot believe this is the last day.  I had a lot of fun doing this.  I got to reimburse myself in my favorite music past and present.  Today's theme was hard though.  I love music and singing songs but I don't usually think of them in terms of myself.  So I went to the last influential album from my those influential musical years that had not made it to my list yet, but deserved a place on it - Jagged Little Pill.   I loved the angst of You Ought to Know and that song brought me to this album and I was hooked.  I am choosing You Learn because it's suited for the theme, Hand in my Pocket was the other, but that song is probably my least favorite on that album.  I'd like to think that I put myself out there, did the hard things, swallowed the jagged little pill and learned from past mistakes.

12M ~ May 2020

Day 29: A song you remember from your childhood!

The Doc: Patience - Guns N' Roses 

Me: Live to Tell - Madonna

David: Pumped up Kicks - Foster The People

Shaun: Animals - Maroon 5

Evan: Magic - B.o.B ft. Rivers Cuomo

The Cranberries defined my adolescence, but Madonna defined my childhood.  I legit preformed many concerts in front of my bedroom mirror (with the classic hairbrush microphone) and this song was my encore!  True Blue and Like a Prayer were my favorite albums from my childhood (which I defined as ages 5 to 10 (because I used 11 and 12 as the "pre-teen years in an earlier category).

Since we could not get together on Mother's Day, my sister brought my mom up for a social distancing visit.  We ordered breakfast from Tucker's and I did my mom's Color Street nails for her.

Socially distant belated Mother's Day picture taken by Evan.

Charlie took Shaun and David for a bike ride out of our neighborhood and onto the main road.  They both did great.  He sent me this selfie!  I love when he thinks to do this! 🥰

Remy has the right idea!

12M ~ May 2020

Day 28: A song by an artist whose voice you like!

The Doc: Oh Well, Oh Well - Mayday Parade

Me: Winter - Tori Amos

David: You'll Be Back - Jonathan Groff from Hamilton

Shaun: Billy Jean - Michael Jackson

Evan: Tiny Dancer - Elton John

I have so many artists whose voices I love, but Tori Amos was another artist that I was obsessed with during the years when music is most influential in forming musical tastes.  No Need to Argue was my favorite album during those years (and as I also stated before, I lovea Dolores O'Riordan's voice), but Little Earthquakes was a very, very close second.  And since I already chose The Cranberries twice during this challenge, I wanted to mix it up and so Tori's Winter was the most obvious next choice.  It's one of my most favorite songs to sing carpool karaoke style!     

Homeschooling Day 34: Virtual Krypto Club

Date night - COVID-19 style. #thirstythursday 🥃

12M ~ May 2020

Day 27: A song that breaks your heart!

The Doc: With Or Without You - U2

Me: Words Fail from Dear Evan Hansen

David: See You Again - Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth

Shaun: Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac

Evan: The Sounds of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

This song is a gut punch.  And I said as much already on day 10 - "songs that make you sad".  You can hear his emotion on the soundtrack and seeing the show live was especially gut wrenching.  I ugly cried.  I also had Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven on my list.  I remember hearing about what that happened and then the subsequent song being released, I cannot listen to it without feeling heartbroken.  

Homeschooling Day 33: I took a personal day! 😆

We borrowed our friends clippers so Charlie could give himself a haircut until the Barber Shop was able to open.  It didn't turn out too bad considering!  Haha!

We also decided to give the boys one too, but after Shaun and Evan got botched quarantine cuts, David declined! 😂

12M ~ May 2020

Day 26: A song that makes you want to fall in love!

The Doc: Somewhere over the Rainbow - Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole

Me: In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel

David: Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes ft. Adam Levine

Shaun: Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars

Evan: Hold Each Other - Great Big World ft. Futuristic

Totally cliche, I know.  But I can't help it.  Who didn't have the fantasy of having someone standing outside their window in the rain playing this song on a boombox?

Homeschooling Day 32: Taking advantage of the open campus policy to dine outside of the "homeschool cafeteria". 😆

12M ~ May 2020

Day 25: A song you like by an artist no longer living!

The Doc: Original Fire - Audioslave

Me: Me and My Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin

David: Armed & Dangerous by Juice WRLD

Shaun: Thriller - Michael Jackson

Evan: Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson

My Dad introduced me to Janis Joplin after watching Beth Hart on Star Search (do you remember that show!).  She sang one of her songs and she reminded my Dad of Janis and we would watch her compete every week.  I asked my Dad to dig out his Janis albums and I was hooked on this song.

Homeschooling Day 31: A case of the Mondays.

Homeschooling Day 31: Presentation quarantine style.

12M ~ May 2020

Day 24: A song by a band you wish were still together!

The Doc: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - Wham! 😂 I think he's messing with me!

Me: No Need To Argue - The Cranberries

David: Welcome To The Jungle - Guns N' Roses

Shaun: Any Way You Want It - Journey

Evan: Thunderstruck - AC/DC

I have said this in a previous post. The Cranberries are one of my all time favorite bands and I was so saddened when I heard about the lead singer Dolores O'Riordan's passing.  I regret so much not getting to see this band live.  No Need to Argue is probably my favorite album of all time.  I love every song on this album but this one, in particular, is so haunting and beautiful.  I love her voice so, so much.

It's Mother's Day - it was cold and windy and we are still on stay at home orders and so I wasn't able to host my traditional Best Mom's family brunch, we made the best of it!  The boys even took this very special photo with me without complaining! 😆 Happy Mother's Day to all the awesome Mom's I know! 💕🌷🥰

One last picture with Charlie's quarantine hair!

Mother's Day Quarantine Style...started off with virtual bootcamp (see sweaty selfie), a Bloody Mary and Tucker's for brunch, made a delicious loaf of sourdough with my new bread baker, snuggled with my cat while listening to some podcasts in peace and quiet, found a surprise gift on my front porch (thank you secret friend!), and finished with an ice cream treat from Arnie's while watching a couple episodes of Parks and Rec! The only thing missing was seeing all of our family. 🌷💕😊🥰

Sweaty Selfie!

Bloody Mary! 🍹

12M ~ May 2020

Day 23: A song you think everyone should listen to!

The Doc: Lazy Eye - Silversun Pickups

Me: Waiting for My Real Life to Begin - Colin Hay

David: Peaches - Presidents Of The United States Of America

Shaun: We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel

Evan: Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

There are literally thousands of songs that I think everyone should listen to...sn't that the whole point of this experiment?  One song that came to mind was From Now On from The Greatest Showman but I wanted to go with something that might not be as well known that I think everyone should go and listen to, so I chose this song.  I also had Maroon 5 - Lost Stars, Great Big World - This is the New Year, Chantal Kreviazuk - Surrounded and Lenka - Everything's Okay on my list.  Waiting for My Real Life to Begin is such a great song that I first heard from watching Scrubs.  They actually did their own version which was great and it made me seek out the original Colin Hay version which I also love and I think you should listen to both!

We had some crazy weather today.  Snow, wind, cold AND quarantined on Mother's Day Weekend??? That is NEXT, NEXT level bullshit. ❄️ And you know on Father's Day it will be gorgeous, sunny, warm and stay at home orders will be lifted for most places...🙄😒

🤷‍♀️❄️😂🏊‍♂️🥶

When else would you be able to get a picture being in the pool while it was snowing!?!

Mum.  I haz sushi?

12M ~ May 2020

Day 22: A song that moves you forward!

The Doc: Still Breathing - Green Day

Me: Glorious - Macklemore ft. Skyler Grey

David: Not a Love Song - Tyrese Pope

Shaun: September - Earth Wind and Fire

Evan: Don't Stop Believin' - Journey

This song is my jam and one that definitely moves more forward.  I heard it by random chance when I really needed an anthem and it has stuck with me ever since.  

Also: Quarantining is hard work! 😹

Homeschooling Day 30: Another week in the books and Shaun made a cardboard and Popsicle Stick Trojan horse. 🐴📚

12M ~ May 2020

Day 21: A song that has a person's name in the title!

The Doc: ¡Viva La Gloria! - Green Day

Me: Ana Ng - They Might Be Giants

David: Baba O'Riley - The Who

Shaun: Jesse's Girl - Rick Springfield

Evan: Hey Julie - Fountains of Wayne

This was a hard one to narrow down because there are SO many choices and songs I love with names in the titles. Did you know there was a song by Toto called Pamela? The Beatles have Polythene Pam (but I don't think I look like a man!) too, so I could have just picked one of those and called it a day. 😆 And speaking of The Beatles, they alone have so many great ones, (Dear Prudence, Penny Lane, Hey Jude, Lady Madonna, Martha My Dear, Rocky Raccoon), but I already did a Beatles song and while there is no reason I can't choose another one, I am trying to show off a variety of my musical tastes!  Other songs on my list, were Dear Jessie by Madonna, Jeremy by Pearl Jam, Romeo & Juliet by Dire Straits and Buddy Holly by Weezer.  I chose this song because it's just one of those quirky songs I remember from high school that brought me way back when I found it!  I couldn't believe I had forgotten this song but as soon as I listened I remember most of the words!  Haha!  

Oh Remy! 🤦‍♀️ 😹

I have some flour now. 😬😆

Homeschooling Day 29: Outsourcing math tutoring to the 13 year old! 😬😆