I hope that everyone is doing well this fine Monday morning. I didn’t intend to go this long without a post, but April has been busy with subbing, doctor appointment, and school events. There are only three days in April that don’t have anything on the calendar.
So, I figured this would be a great time to share some pictures from life lately.
Easter
I realized I never shared a picture from Easter, so here it is. I can’t get over how grown up Annabelle is looking.
The squirrel
So, we have this little red squirrel that has been feasting on pinecones on our deck. He sits at pretty much the place all the time just chowing down. The amount of “pinecone crumbs” he has left on our deck is astounding.
Baking
As always I am trying to come up with new recipes. After much trial and error I think I finally developed a sourdough discard bagel recipe I am happy with. My family has all said that this is their favorite one I’ve done. I hope to have it on the blog soon. I also hope to use this recipe to create a sourdough bagel recipe, but that is always tricky to time.
I also have been working on creating a multigrain bread recipe. I’ve tweaked it a few times, and while it makes an alright bread, I know I can do better. So I will keep working on it.
The Eclipse
Here in Metro Detroit we got a pretty nice show with the eclipse. While we didn’t see totality, we did have about 99% coverage. I was subbing that day and the school district provided all students and staff with glasses so we could watch! It was so cool to see.
Field Trips
Both Autumn and Aubrie had field trips that I got to attend. For Autumn we went to the Detroit Science Museum. We walked around with her best friend (and her best friends dad). We had a blast. I always feel so lucky that I am able to attend things like this.
For Aubrie we went to a Farm Center at a local metro park. We got to see and pet baby goats and lambs. They also let the goats out of their pen to “play”. It was so cute to watch the goats jump around with each other.
Some fun in spring
Here in Michigan April can be crazy in terms of weather. Some days it is 70 and sunny. Other days it is 30 and snowing. After a long winter when those warm days hit everyone is outside soaking up the rays. Our front tree was blooming, and covered in butterflies and bees. One day Aubrie decided we needed to have a picnic outside, and I wasn’t going to say no (she is pretending to be a cat).
Horseback riding
For girl scouts Annabelle got to work on her horseback riding badge. This was her first time on a horse, and I think she did great! This upcoming weekend I’ll be going to a place with Autumn to work on her making games badge.
Two wheeler ridding Aubrie
Near the end of fall last year Aubrie had just started trying to ride a two wheeler. She didn’t really have lots of time to practice, then we had to put the bikes away. Well, when the weather warmed up, we got the bikes down. In about two weeks she was riding by herself. That look on her face… she is so proud of herself!
Must read book for parents of tweens and teens
So another mom I know posted about this book, American Girls, Social Media and the Secret Life of Teenagers, and I knew I had to get it. While I don’t talk about it often on the blog (as it can be a hot topic), I try to limit screen time. None of our girls have a phone or a tablet. While we do have a Switch (which they play) it is not connected to the internet, so they can only play with each other (and video games are mostly only played on weekends).
The no phone thing has started to become a bigger issue for Annabelle (who is in fifth grade), as so many of her friends have phones. Some have phones that are only able to text, while other have full blown smart phones. There are kids in her class are up texting well past midnight, while others are watching Tiktok videos, and inappropriate things on YouTube. Some of the issues with phone use at home has even spilled over into school.
Now, I know this is super controversial, but Matt and I are in agreement that we don’t think most 5th graders need phones. I really do hope to “wait till 8th” to get Annabelle even a simple non smart phone.
Matt and I have discussed getting a “house” cell phone. One that will stay in the house (on the counter in the kitchen), but Annabelle can give the number out to approved friends. It would work pretty similar to a land line. I remember calling friends in middle school (from a land line), and want to make sure that Annabelle can still be social. But, I would also read every single text, and have no qualms calling a parent if something inappropriate was said.
While I have only just started reading this book, it is helping me stand firm in not giving Annabelle a phone, and more importantly keeping her off of social media. The affects of social media on teens and tweens (and in particular girls) just makes my heart sad.
I also know that it will be hard, as there are so many middle schoolers on social media. I don’t want my girls to be social outcasts, but also feel it is so detrimental to let them on social media. It is a bridge I know I will have to cross, so I am trying to arm myself with everything thing I can.
If anyone knows of any good books to help kids understand that dark side of social media, let me know.