Homework

I have a love/hate relationship with homework as we started seeing more of it this week. On one end, “Ew.” On the other, it is so sweet seeing these kids focused on their school work!

There were only a few tears as we worked through sight words and spelling. I forgot how hands-on first grade can be as kids are learning how to read. I love Matthew’s little tongue slipping out while he concentrates. I love how William will focus so intently and rewrite words so everything is spelled right and looks tidy. I also love that Johnny loves Math because heaven knows I do not!

Yesterday after soccer, I scurried around the kitchen prepping dinner helping three boys simultaneously with their schoolwork while a 14 year old sat on the counter recapping her day. I was a little overwhelmed maintaining four conversations at the same, but also felt a bit of thrill realizing how full this season of my life is right now. A quiet voice whispered in my mind, “You will treasure nights like this when you look back some day.” It’s exhausting, but it’s fulfilling raising these kids. I am so proud of their hard work and so grateful for them. When we sit around the table for dinner every night I try to savor each of their voices and faces as we recap our days and laugh at silly things one or the other is doing. It is always a calming ritual to end these hectic school nights.

Rise Up and Reach Out

I really love September. I love Back to School time—watching all the kids with their backpacks, new school supplies, excited to meet their teachers. I love the harvest and canning that happens in the fall. I feel similarly in how I nest and physically hunker down for fall and winter, each September I find myself emotionally and spiritually harvesting what is needed to get through the darker months of the year. I find September is often a reflection to me of ways I can come “Back to the Savior.” I start nesting and organizing, I bring out my planner, I make new job charts, menus, Come Follow Me and scripture reading goals. I feel this craving to gather all that’s good and store it in my home.

One of my favorite traditions is our family’s Back to School Celebration every year. I feel like this event productively channels the nerves I feel about sending my kids off to the world. It is my way of giving them an emotional hug and they set out on the next season in their journey. 

We set the table with my wedding china and gold-plated flatware, decorate with fresh flowers, bouquets of sharpened pencils and crayons and scatter apples down the middle. We break up our dinner into a four course meal, making special dishes. I relish my summers with all the kids home, as someone who gets nostalgic in the moment, I love how this tradition pauses time for an evening and celebrates the next thing instead of mourning the passing time. To me, this meal is celebration of gratitude for a wonderful summer and of hope for a wonderful year. 

This year’s menu was as follows:

Course I: Punch and Appetizers

I always make punch for this meal. This year’s had frozen pink lemonade concentrate, sugared strawberries, a third a can of orange juice concentrate. After blending those ingredients together and freezing, we just added tonic water to the punch bowl—it was so yummy and a huge hit! 

Everyone got a plate with a cut of watermelon, pineapple, a couple carrots and cucumbers, then some meat, cheese and a cracker.

Course II: Bread and Salad

For the salad I made a simple poppyseed dressing served over romaine lettuce and chopped strawberries, grapes, cucumbers, cheese (goat for the adults/string cheese for the kids.) Then sprinkled with candied walnuts.

This summer my goal was to learn how to work with sourdough. I am quite proud of myself actually accomplishing this feat since I am a hit-and-miss goal keeper! So naturally: we had fresh sourdough artisan bread and I whipped cinnamon-honey butter. The sweetness of the butter with tang of bread was a heavenly. (Yes, when I think of how heaven must feel I imagine it’s what I experience biting into fresh bread. 😂)

Course III: Ham and Funeral Potatoes

This was a treat because I never make ham and everyone loves it. Also, the dishes could be made ahead and kept warm while we ate. (Not to overlook:  the recipes made a enough food for leftovers to have later in the week! Go me!)

Course IV: Dessert

I wish I would have snagged a picture of the pie I made! I baked a pie crust with cinnamon sugar, then spread a layer of cream cheese whipped with honey and heavy cream, then topped with remaining sugared strawberries from the punch. It was tasty and refreshing.

After our fancy dinner, we headed upstairs to reveal our family theme! I felt touched by how excited the kids were to find out what our focus as a family would be this school year. 

This year the Brassells are going to “Rise up and Reach out!” John and my hope is that we can all rise to who we were born to be as sons and daughters of God; then, reach out and lift others. 

I usually make a lesson teaching the kids what the theme can mean to them.

This year I went about it by comparing them to the sun. We talked about how like the sun, they have the opportunity to rise up each day. We talked about different qualities and habits they could do to “Rise Up.” The list included things like: reading scriptures, daily prayer, eating healthy, working hard, learning, trying again and again, doing Come Follow Me as a family, following the prophet, making and keeping goals, and so on. We compared this idea to the Lion King (big time fans of that movie at our house!), and how just like Simba had to rise up and remember who he was to stand in his birthright, they also are born for something noble. And what good is the sun if it stays hidden away? 

Although it may take effort, and leaving comfort; there are blessings and opportunities as they tune into their divine nature and recognize responsibilities attached to being covenant makers and keepers, and disciples of Christ.

We watched a clip by Elder Uchtorf talking about how like the “ugly duckling” we must hold on to who we truly are, even if it’s different than others around us.

For the second portion, we discussed that just like the sun, we can provide light and warmth to those around us. We talked about different ways to “Reach out” like rays of sunshine. For example, making new friends, choosing kindness, forgiving others, bearing testimony, looking for ways to help, and so on. We watched a video about two boys making cookies for a friend who was struggling, and discussed the many ways the boys reached out and spread light. 

We also talked about how clouds can cover the sun and block its ability to give light and warmth. Some clouds could include: bad choices, unfairness, it’s too hard, self doubt. But just like wind can blow away clouds, God has given them tools to combat clouds that hover. Some productive wind could be: repentance, praying for added love, making small and simple goals, praying for courage. We again compared this idea to Simba and all the “clouds” that surrounded him, making it difficult to rise up and do what he was born to do.

We closed the lesson by watching the music video “Arise.” I really felt the Holy Ghost touching our hearts. There was a feeling of love that I think calmed and softened hearts, and; helped our kids know they weren’t alone during this transition.

John then gave us all Father’s Blessings. It was sacred and strengthening. 

Finally, it was off to the races as everyone was bathed, lunches packed, clothes laid out, leadership introduction speeches practiced, “one more snack” eaten, books read and bedtime prayers said. 

Despite my exhaustion and aching pregnant body, I determinedly marched to the kitchen to clean up before bed. I felt gratitude that everything came together and we were able to enjoy such a beautiful evening as a family. Yes, there may have been a breakdown in my closet at one point (if we’re being transparent), but I was so proud of myself for pushing through and for the help from heaven that sustained me. I feel like this celebration is my way of repairing my kids’ armor as they leave our home for another school year. I’m grateful for this family and life I get to share with John and as years pass, I feel the joy of God’s plan. Seasons come and go, and I feel like I am beginning to see more clearly His plan is one of growth, joy and redemption. What a beautiful journey He has set us on. 

And like that, another school year begins!

Back to School Prep Covid Style

It would be cliche to talk about how this school year is going to be a learning curve for all of us. I know I have no authority on what will guarantee a positive impact on how this "At-Home-Learning" will flow. I am full force prepping for what is ahead, despite having very little direction from the school as to how school will look come September 8th. I love hearing others' ideas, so I thought I'd share mine.

1. Make the First Day of School as Traditional as Possible. I'm planning to:
• pack lunches for my kids, 
• help them organize new school supplies in their backpacks, 
• have them wear a new outfit (that was one of my favorite parts!) 
• take back-to-school photos, 
• (Per Johnny's request), have them walk around the block, then back to our house for school since every year we walk on the first day. I'm a firm believer a good walk, let's out the first-day jitters!
• have homemade cookies for after school snack, so they can tell me all the details about their first day. 
2. A Back to School Celebration. We will introduce a family theme to keep us focused on the Savior in some way during the school year. This celebration is one of my very favorite traditions. We have a fancy dinner where the meal is split up into different courses and we make a special drink in my punch bowl. I decorate the house with my cheesy-but-I-love-them-dearly school themed decorations. I teach what our new theme means and we talk about Jesus Christ. John gives us all Father's blessings to prepare us for the year ahead. I feel like traditionally this is our last big send off to school every year.
3. School Supplies Shopping. Do we really need supplies this year? Probably not, but it always adds to the excitement for us. I always buy extra Ticonderoga pencils and crayons because I have a serious issue and love freshly sharpened pencils and the waxy smell of crayons.
4. Menu Plan. I made a meal plan for all meals and snacks for the first three weeks of schools. I even made accompanying grocery lists so I know what to buy each week. I think I'm going to be pretty tired keeping everyone motivated all day in their various classes, and this will not only help me stay consistent, but it will set a positive and stable routine for my kids. (Summer has been a little sporadic in the food category over here!)
5. Morning Meeting. At 7:30 AM every morning, I will meet with the kids and go over what each of them has going on that day and what they need to accomplish. I plan to have a white board where I keep notes, so kids can report the following day if they finished tasks. We will then read scriptures as a family and say a family prayer. All their morning responsibilities will need to be done before we meet together. I plan on having a regular playlist starting at 7:20 PM so the kids know it's getting close to finish what they are doing to come to the table.
6. Mom Bucks. This is a Johnny idea. As kids work hard at school and around the house, they can earn Mom Bucks that will buy them privileges like "educational game" screen time or staying up late with Mom and Dad. They can also trade twenty Mom Bucks to the dollar, so they can save up for things (like a lego set, ahem, Johnny.) I am most nervous about this system because I'm typically weary of incentives. With that said, I am willing to do almost anything to get my kids excited about school after their not-so-wonderful experience last year online.
7. Weekly Bonuses. I have a few week-long reward systems that I will pull out as needed. For example, the first week as I see kids make positive choices, I will reward them with a Hi-chew (as in "Hi-chews the better choice.") Another example: I have punch cards and as kids fill their punch card they will earn a personalized prize one week, and another week a one-on-one activity with mom. I also think it will be fun to try to earn points as a group to have a family movie party. These will not be used as bribes, but as recognition for their hard work. It will not be something done weekly, but as needed.
8. Prepped for "Pause Days". I am positive there will be a day in which we all just need a break. I figure pushing "pause" for a day is more productive than pushing the bright red "I QUIT" button. Option 1: I purchased fall/winter pajamas for my kids. On a day when morale is particularly low and endurance spent, we'll pull out the new pajamas and get comfy (even if it's 9:00 AM!) We'll close the blinds, and watch movies or read aloud, and cuddle all day just taking it easy. Option 2: Perhaps the same circumstances, but instead of a "comfy break" we beeline it to the coast for the day. Essentially, I am preparing to be OK if we need to step back for a day in order to reset and recommit. 
9. Learning Spaces. Caity pointed out it would be beneficial for every child to have their own special place to do schoolwork. We bought lap tables at Michael's and will fill needed supplies into the cubbies. William is already quite taken with his little lap table, and worked well into last night on his kindergarten workbook from last year. The night before school, we will set up everyone's mini-office, so they know where to go and how to get started when we divide for school in the morning. I will post a note in their space with all their pass-codes and school schedule. Last year we were all clustered around the kitchen table and it made for a chaotic day. 
10. Plan for the Worst. This is definitely a "me thing." Worst case scenario I am going to be bouncing around from Chromebook to Chromebook putting out fires from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. It sounds exhausting. I mentally role play through the school day and will myself to stay positive among the glitches and frustrations. I think about how chaotic it will be figuring out each teacher's system and expectations, but I plan to give myself plenty of grace. I will need to focus on the small and simple things right in front of me so I don't get overwhelmed. I am determined to search for solutions among the inevitable frustrations. My goal is to be firmly optimistic...but perhaps have some special mom-only ice cream in the freezer to boost my morale as needed!
11. Create a Binder. It took me six weeks last spring to realize I needed a binder organizing all my kids' classes. In my binder I have a folder for each child, and to two sections to store finished work, important documents and notes. Current and unfinished assignments will go in the folder.
12. Deep Clean my House. This is pretty self explanatory. Clean house = happy Mary. It will be so much nicer to work in a tidy, organized space. I have already started organizing closets, drawers, and cupboards. The Saturday before school, we will do more of the scrubbing, wiping, laundry, and vacuuming.
13. Squeeze the Last Day of Summer for All it's Worth. On Labor day, John and I want to take the kids to float the river, perhaps go on a hike, and end the day with a bonfire. As a sidenote: I hope to wrap it all up by 6:00 PM that Monday so we have time for showers, next day set up, story time, and early bedtime.

So there is the hopes and dreams, I am sure a follow up will come in the next month updating on how everything went. I fully aware none of these could work or I am underestimating burn out. Either way, it so fun to document what is in my head as I walk into the unknown. I am sure years from now I will find joy in this short season prepping for the 2020/21 school year!