Play Store

One of Madeleine's Online School activities today was to set up a "store" in the house and come up with prices for various items.  Then someone else in the house would shop at her "store" and Madeleine would calculate the total of their order.

Ethan took things to a whole new level when he decided to make some "money" for this "store."

Madeleine was NOT very happy with Ethan's foray into criminality.

MADELEINE: Mommy.  Daddy MADE money.
ME: Yeah, I saw.
MADELEINE: No, it's bad.
ME: It's bad?
MADELEINE: It's ill-EEEE-gal!  It's COUNTERFEIT!


I'm pretty sure it would only count as counterfeit if he was really trying to pass it off as money.  But since he was "buying" items of clothing from Madeleine's drawers that she already owns, I'm pretty sure he knew he wasn't ACTUALLY required to pay for them.

When it was my turn to buy Madeleine's clothes, I just gave her my credit card number instead.

Books, Books, and More Books

Since they suddenly have so much more time on their hands, the girls have been reading a LOT.  Madeleine is finally making her way through the pile of books she's had on her nightstand since summer time, and today she finished a book she started back in August, "The Unicorn Quest." Last night she got to the climax of the book and was absolutely bursting with the urgent need to tell everyone in the house about it.

First she visited Ethan and I in our bedroom, wherein we were watching "Tiger King," and chattered on and on about every detail of what had happened in the last few chapters. (MADELEINE: Mommy!  The Unicorn SAVED the day!  And it was seeming like all hope was lost, but then I had to remind myself: that NEVER HAPPENS in books.  Plus, Sophie and Claire are on the cover of the next two books, so I knew they must stay alive.)

Next she traveled to Julia's room for a repeat of everything she'd told us.  I guess she still couldn't stop thinking about her book, because about an hour later, she burst back into our bedroom, hair mussed up and eyes squinted, to announce that she couldn't fall asleep.

MADELEINE: I'm just so awake because I was thinking about what I JUST read, and then THAT led me to think about "Founders of the Timeline Barrier,"* and THAT led me to think about "KOTLC,"** and then THAT led me to start thinking about what I'm gonna say in my High School GRADUATION speech...


*The so-far 45 page book series Madeleine is currently writing
**The "Keeper of the Lost Cities" book series by Shannon Messenger, with which Madeleine is currently obsessed


Like to good parent that I am, I sent her to Julia's room to get a melatonin to help her fall asleep.

Today is the end of the work/school week, but since every day is kind of like the next one around here, it doesn't really affect us that much.  I foresee more reading in our future over the next few days...months...feel free to pass along any good book recommendations!

More Rowe Household Music

More family music making:







Hopefully this can bring you some calm in this unstable times.

Quarantined House

Another day, another creation.

Madeleine wrote some new lyrics to the old Sesame Street classic, "Capital I::

She's got some quality lyrics in there, like "to keep it nice and germy so we're germing up the germs."  Take a listen for yourself!:

Spring Photo Fails

In which Madeleine cooperates and poses acceptably for a spring photo:

I mean, is it really too much to ask to just get a smile?

Music Making

Today's Coronavirus Quarantine Home Entertainment is brought to you by the flautists in the family.

First, a Mozart duet played by Julia and I:





Second, a flute trio that I arranged (from a vocal trio by William Byrd) and that Madeleine, Julia and I tried sight-reading today.  Stay tuned for more progress on this.  Our progress was a bit hindered today by Madeleine declaring that she's terrible and just can't play the flute over every mistake she made.  Out of about 20 recordings, here's one where we finally made it to the end, although you can tell things derailed a bit in the last two measures. Not bad for a first day's reading, though:





Madeleine has never played in an ensemble in which there are different parts happening at once, yet she found it unforgivable if she made a rhythmic or note mistake.  I assured her we have pleeeeeenty of time stuck at home to perfect this piece. 

Now she's consoling herself by getting cozy in her bedroom, reading, and has, for some reason, opted to bundle up like this:

Looks totally comfy, right?

School/TV Balance

While I am attempting to do as much "school" at home as I can, there has definitely been a lot of tv watching going on during this quarantine. 

Clearly, the kids' brains are as sharp as ever though.

JULIA: Mommy!  I finished Season 5 of "The Office." And I'm GREAT at math, because I told Madeleine that I'm on Season 7 because I finished Season 5.
ME: Uh-oh, great.
JULIA: (delighted) Yeah! I forgot about the number SIX!


What will we be like at day 20?!?  We're already at backwards Cs and an inability to properly count from 5-6 and it's like Day 6.