Day 29-37- April 21, 2020

Let's go fly a kite...

 Oh look..... a zillion days passed and I forgot to get my butt on the computer to blog.  LOL.  

Don't worry, everything is okay.  We have been keeping busy with school in the morning and outside work in the afternoon.  My fence lines and horse pastures have never looked better! 

Brad has been busy swimming in the tub with his ducks, making moon sand, and completing his bridge in the pasture.  The kids is BUSY!  He has also taken a liking to the horses. :)

This is better than a rubber ducky!

Making moon sand

The bridge is done!

Mia has been busy with her school work, texting her friends, attempting to sleep in.....  She has really enjoyed her time with the horses and exploring out back in the wilderness.  

Ground driving the pony to begin spring training

All horses like apples!

Mia's sleep in buddies

The boys did haircuts this week........

The greenhouse is full and ready to be planted.  We picked up the rest of our plants on Monday.  I've been keeping busy with getting all this ready to go, planning a map of the garden, and figuring out how big I'm going to have to make it this year!  

I tried my first time making bone broth.  Not bad.  Will have to keep looking to add stuff to make it a little better. 

I started every day with my 3 miles walk.  I love getting out of my house... ALONE..... for an hour and listening to my audio book.  Good time! 

We did school pictures last week the morning after it snowed.  I really love how they turned out.  It was a beautiful morning with all the snow... but..... I'm glad it didn't stick around long either!  

Have a blessed week!

Love- The Ruley Family

Day 25-28/ April 12, 2020

Happy Easter!  What a weekend!  We've been so busy that I haven't had time to write.  😋

We have kept busy during Holy Week with activities for the kids.  On Thursday we did a traditional Seder (pronounced say-der) meal which is a telling of the Passover.  It is traditionally celebrated in one night and has 15 steps.  It is done on the Thursday before Easter as part of Holy Week.  This Sedar incorporated Jewish traditions with a Christian prospective.  It was fun and the kids were taken out of their comfort zone with some of the food.  We made Charoset (which is a mixture of apples, honey, and cinnamon), ate bitter herbs (horseradish) and hid the matzah.  For the actual meal, we make lamb and potatoes with rosemary.  Definitely an experience for all!  And a lot of grape juice!  You have to fill the cup four times for the ceremony!  Mia accidentally filled the cup full at the beginning of the dinner so.... she had a lot of grape juice!

Table is set!

On Friday, we cleared brush and dead trees.  A lot of trees.  We had a lot of storm damage last summer and in the fall and Grandma needs it cleared to mow.  Aunt Megan dropped off the Easter baskets while we were gone.  The kids were excited to have more candy and TP.  LOL!  I was pumped for the disinfectant wipes and coffee!  The kids also love the M4M bracelets! 

There was a surprise in the van!

The weekend was pretty low key.  I spent time getting the video and music ready for church.  I was very pleased at the opening for church that I put together.  They had taken some great pictures of the stained glass windows in the church and wanted them in the video.  I did a little recording of one of my favorite contemporary christian songs.   Not perfect, but I like the way it all came together.  It's sideways on here because I screen-recorded it, so you might have to flip your phone!

Click here for video!

The kids have been building a bridge behind the house.  It was still standing after the rain today, so that is a plus.  They are pretty creative with the build.  This is the second attempt and they have a new plan to make this better.  My little engineer CEO Brad tells everyone what to do and how he wants things done.  Pretty clever design for an 8 year old.  

Brad inspecting the bottom of the bridge

Buddy the cat supervising work!

Brad has also been keeping busy with his ducks.  O-M-GEE!  He loves his baby ducks so much.  Here's a video of him talking about his baby ducks. 

Mia and I made homemade cinnamon rolls for the weekend.  She has never done this before, so it was a lot of teenage sass as she doesn't like to be wrong or be told what to do.  Sometimes......she did learn that you can't put a half cup of milk and frosting with only a 1/4 cup powered sugar.  I tell ya, sometimes I wonder about this girl!  I mean, just look at her socks!  She has also been watching youtube videos on sketching.  Her most recent work is pretty amazing.  A lot of improvement in quarantine!  

Saturday Grandma Cindy and Jody dropped off their Easter stuff for the kids.  It was nice for the kids to see them from a distance.  Adam started the new walkway between our house and Mom's as well.  That will take a few days to complete, especially with the rain!  And Grandma Karen did her first mowing for the year.  Yes, my Mom LOVES to mow.  

Saturday night we did a little family lip-sync fun.  The kids got a huge kick out of Adam's skillzzzz.  I did too!  😂😂  Probably the most fun we have had so far staying home all the time.  I keep telling him this is why he was lucky enough I married him.  LOL.  The kids were laughing so hard having pillows stuck in their pants!

The greenhouse has some plants in it now.  Even with the weather, we needed to transplant some of the seedlings because they are too big for their first containers.  Hopeful everything goes well this week!  I doubled the plastic over them for the night!  And I hate wind advisories!   

Easter was fun.  We had our egg hunt this morning while it was nice out.  Grandma made a giant lunch.  Very thankful she lives next door.  It looks like Mia is creeping up on Grandma in height.......The kids scored big (thanks weeks ago Amazon shopping and LTD catalog!) and Grandma has worked on her online ordering skills.  Brad is pumped to see his dinosaur egg hatch in the giant bucket of water in the next 48 hours.  He asked to take it to his room, I replied with a solid, "no."  

Grandma, Brad, and Mia

Solid Easter finds....

Only a few pictures were taken this weekend for fun.  But, the skies have been beautiful for photography!

Have a great week and God bless-  The Ruley Family

Day 22, 23, 24- April 8, 2020

The weather has been a roller coaster this week.  A few sneak peeks of summer weather, storms, swimming in the creek, and busting out sweatshirts again for the rest of the week.  Gotta love Iowa. At least, I have my camera! 

We have been keeping busy with school work, Holy Week activities, new ducks and chicks, and keeping as sane as can be.  Aren’t we all????  I took my first trip to Walmart since this all started... that was interesting.  I wore my mask and did my part.  What an odd feeling????  Post-corona is going to be weird seeing people's faces again at stores.  LOL. 

Brad has been working in math on money, telling time, and multiplication.  He loves to play "Mom's Toy Store" where he has to buy his toys and pay me when money in the change jar.  (And yes, I washed the money before we used it!  GROSS!) 

Mia has been really enjoying our Holy Week activities.  We made bread for "the bread of life" and the next day we made french toast with it.  We watched a tour of the Holy Land online.  She is really interested in this and is actually turning it into a school project. 

The weather was nice on Tuesday... so I let the kids go creek stomping.  Probably the highlight of their week, especially when Mia fell in because she is super graceful!  It was a gorgeous day outside so I brought along the camera.  (of course!)

Adam surprise the kids with baby ducks and chicks today.  We already have a 4 pack Happy Meal, but we need more laying hens.... and I guess some ducks.  THEY ARE SO CUTE!  Brad was pumped!  The best part of bringing one inside and it jumped out of my lap and went after Mavis (our golden-doodle.)  She hid on the couch then!  Wuss.  Brad is already calling himself a duck farmer.  Oy vey!  We will see how he feels after a few days with more chores added before breakfast!  One of the ducks has one eye, so we call him One Eyed Willie after the movie, "The Goonies."  The others are Huey, Duey, Louie, and Uncle Scrooge.  The chicks do not have names yet.  We already have a Batman and Mrs. Peckers.........who knows what Brad will go with.

As for me... I am trying to balance some school things, teaching the kids, making sure things are safe here, planning bible study for my group, and finding peace in small moments.  I really just take it day to day and enjoy all the moments I'm having with the kids.  Throughout the week, I always take pictures.  I love to see the wonder and beauty of everyday.  Here is my favorite!  There is beauty in every storm is you just look for it.  This is how I truly see the world.  

Take care and God bless-  The Ruley Family

Day 20 & 21- April 5, 2020

This weekend has been busy!  We finished the chicken coop!  Whoop, whoop!  The girls are very happy to be out of the barn and into their new space.  We completed it with an old tractor tire they can climb on.  The worst part was not the building, but the cleaning out the stall they were living over the winter.  TOTALLY GROSS!  Good thing we had masks for the RONA.  It helped a little bit with the stench.  I did laugh at Adam gagging while shoveling.... it was the best entertainment in weeks!  LOL. 

Day 1

She is complete!

Happy Chickens!

I had the job of re-fencing once side of the horse pasture and clearing brush for the last few days.  I get an A+ in electric fence circuits.  :)   I also ripped out our cattle panel fence to utilize the shed more this summer.  My body tells me today that I'm in fact, getting old!  Holy cow am I sore from ripping out brush, moving panels, and 12 hours of raking.  The horses visited and did a few rolls in the dirt for me.  Mia was quite entertained.  Brad was more into building his bridge over the drainage ditch.  To each their own!  I'm sure this bridge will be epic by the time quarantine is over.   Brad just hopes it doesn't wash away next time we get a big rain.  

You see me rollin....

Had to clear the whole right side.... my body tells me today I did a good job!  Ouch!

Brad down in the valley engineering his bridge.

We watched church this evening after a long day outside.  We only had one piece of green construction paper, so we had to be creative with out palm branch making.  The kids read John 12:12-13 about Palm Sunday.  

Brad's palm art.

Mia's palm art

My cabinet is getting full!!!

It was a beautiful weekend with the sun shining!  I hope everyone was able to get out and enjoy it for a moment!

Love- The Ruley Family

Day 17, 18, 19- April 3, 2020

I'm a little late this week with our "daily update."  We have been busy this week!  As busy as you can be during a worldwide pandemic! 

This week our district did a "parade" with any staff member that wanted to participate.  We drove to all our small towns and waved and honked at the kids standing in their yards.  It was so overwhelming to be a part of it.  You never really realize the little things you take for granted until they change so drastically.  We all have days in education that are tough, but this is the toughest moments right now.  It makes me sad not seeing my "kids" everyday.  I also received all the photos from another teacher to put together the district video.  That in itself was an emotional roller-coaster!  I was very please the way it all came together. 

I feel blessed that I'm a teacher on the other hand to be able to plan for my own kids school routines.  The kids are enjoying their lessons.  As a Mom of faith, I have added devotional/bible study time to their daily routines.  As Holy Week approaches, we have daily activities planned and I will attempt having a Passover meal lesson.  Wish me luck on that!  I learn a lot as I find lessons for them as well.  Today Mia's "fun assignment" was watching a TED talk and writing me three paragraphs about it.  I have also found she really is interested in natural health alternatives.  She learned some essential oil protocols this evening and then practiced them on her brother and myself.  To each there own, but she's a believer based on her own experiences with holistic health practices for her anxiety and when she doesn't feel good.  It's been impressive watching her ask questions about stuff.  She even touched Brad's feet to apply oils!  LOL.  That was impressive in itself!  Overall, homeschooling is a lot of work for parents.  I spend nights and morning getting things ready for the kids, but am thankful that at home, I can do it my own way and the kids are done with school by noon.  Brad and Lucy took a nap today after his reading time.  I guess rest time is still important!  This teacher took a three hour nap this afternoon, too!  Brad is rocking telling time and basic single digit multiplication.  He has a review quiz on 3 digit addition and subtraction, too.  He was mostly excited for history video time.  He loves them!  

The kids have also been keeping up on their daily journals and they write letters for Adam to cheer him up because he is still working.  They like to hide them in his stuff.  I know it is hard for him and the kids miss him and worry about him while he's at work.  He is helping build COVID units for other states which is cool.  He has sent us videos of what he is building to show Brad.  

Brad and Lucy

Brad's morning routine board

Mia's morning routine board

We have spent the afternoons outside as much as possible getting the greenhouse area ready and cleaning brush to build the chicken coop.  Brad mostly loves the brush fires and the barrels we are going to use for rain collection and some larger planters.  He mostly enjoyed burning things and rolling down the hills while people weren't looking.  We got a lot accomplished yesterday and my body is TOTALLY telling me that today!  Mia and Grandma cleaned up the woodpile area and picked up walnuts.  It's nice to see them spend so much time together and not be rushed.  We plan on finished the coop this weekend so we can get more chicks this weekend as well.  

Brad...what are you doing?

Work break to roll the barrels

Mom has still been sewing masks at home when she's not outside.  I finally gave in and grabbed some for Adam and I to wear if we have to go to town.  Just trying to do our part to help on essential visits.  Adam said on his next visit he's picking up some Batman fabric.  LOL.  I guess floral prints aren't his thing!  

We continue to pray for all those on the front lines of this virus daily.  I hope everyone is well and had a quiet week!  If any other family wants the Holy Week activities we are doing, let me know!  I can email it to you!

With Love-  The Ruley Family