I'm teaching the girls how to tell time in German, and Camille whispered to Audra, "If we ever go to Germany, let's not ask anybody what time it is."
Then, in an effort I'm pretty sure was meant to avoid doing school, the girls orchestrated a massive Birthday party with games, muffins, homemade presents, and a candle for one of Camille's stuffed animals.
So that's what is happening in our world right now.
Our monthly Yummily box took us to Colombia this month. Our favorite, by far, were the penguins. They were so cute, and delicious!
I think Claire should run for president. Her campaign slogan is something that can really bring our country together:
"I should be elected because I know the secrets of the underworld."
Our state is on fire, which is the only reason I'm even slightly OK with us getting SNOW the day after record breaking heat.
Why isn't "MILD" ever in the cards for Colorado?
Here's Camille ready to go enjoy one of the last few days of summer.
Covid question #6: What has been your biggest loss/disappointment during all of this?
(I'm thinking specifically of events/trips/lost opportunities, not disappointed at people or society:))
We didn’t get to go on our WDW family reunion trip that had been in the works for 2+ years
We were set to go to DL the day they closed it down to celebrate my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary with the kids and grand kids.
We didn’t get to go to Prince Edward Island in Canada for my cousins wedding. Going to try for next year. My students did not get a graduation.
I lost my job that I love. My second child graduated and turned 18. They lost a lot which was difficult to see.
Honestly, I cried when our 20th anniversary trip was canceled. It wasn't anything super exciting or anything, but would have been the first time we went on a real vacation without the kids. I had been looking forward to it for a couple years and it just hurt to not go. Totally a first world problem, and we will still get to go in the future, but it was the straw that broke the camel's back for me.
I went completely out of my comfort zone and auditioned for a singing role in our churches musical revue. It's a production they put on every couple of years where you put on performances to songs from musicals. I participated two years ago, but not in a soloist part. I am not really a soloist, as you know. However, this year I tried out and got a part. Not a huge part, but a part. And, that got cancelled. That's probably what my biggest loss was; not being able to do that. Maybe I will have the chance again, but I really had to talk myself into trying out in the first place.
Our 10th anniversary trip to Chile
Austin missing the Bon Jovi concert he had waited years for was a big blow. The loss of years of work on his social anxiety is a way bigger deal, though. Possibly the biggest deal. After not being socialized outside of our immediate family really for months, just being around other people has become extremely challenging for him and something he often can’t handle even in small doses now. I can’t imagine how much worse it must be for more severely-affected autistic kids. My heart goes out to them and their families too. It will take a lot of time to get our gains back.
I didn't get to go to a week long retreat/training for special needs parents in April. II'm automatically given a spot for 2021, but I was really looking forward to connecting with other parents and participating in all the advocacy workshops.
My husband and I were going to hike in Hokkaido for our 25th anniversary.
My tennis team won and our sectionals tournament was cancelled. Our Disneyland trip with my parents was cancelled. Those were my biggest things I missed. And Taylor Swift concert cancelled.
Regular day & camping trips to the beach. Only our second year here. It's been a heartbreak.
We missed out on a good friends 50th birthday celebration trip to Austin, Maylee couldn’t get her ears pierced for her birthday and a couple of concerts.
Okay I'll bite. We had passports, airline tickets, car leased, apartment paid for, and logistics all ironed out for a 3 week vacation in Italy and the south of France followed by a 6-month stay in the Alsace region (June - December 2020). It was to be the experience of a lifetime doing all that with our kids before Cora left for college/mission. Alas.
Playing the 3rd Orchestral Suite by Bach on my harpsichord with my orchestra- the Parker Symphony Orchestra.
We had a whole 10 day Spring Break trip planned in California with a free place to stay at my niece’s near Laguna Beach. We also had tickets to Maui to a friend’s house. My biggest loss is for my high school junior who is missing nostalgic events like the Back-to-school dance, Friday night football games and bonding pep rallies.
We had to cancel my spring break trip to NYC to see Hamilton with Penny. She was heartbroken. We also cancelled our trip to Oregon for the summer. But never fear, we got an RV to be able to make it there this year anyway! And NYC is rescheduled for April, cross fingers. No Hamilton though.
I was in England with my husband and 4 boys on a family trip we had planned for a very long time when Covid hit Italy hard and the US started closing. We had to cancel the second Half of our trip (France) and they canceled the premier league game we had tickets to which was supposed to the the highlight of our trip (We are huge soccer fans). We had to come home early and then spent months in quarantine. My oldest was a senior at the time so the last part of his senior year and graduation was cancelled. Also our 20 year anniversary trip
Will have to happen another year. But through it all we have had some pretty awesome and some pretty rough together time. Like everyone I suspect. Though I was sad for my senior, I don’t think I would have had that much time with him before he left for college without quarantine.
Probably kids birthday parties. We promised them all friend parties this year, but sadly had to go back on that. The first one was in April, back when it seemed like things might normalize in a few weeks so said we were just doing a small thing, and would do more once things went back to normal. Like normal is a thing anymore.
We got some hand me downs that are perfect Camille sized, and oh my cuteness! I'm dying over here because she is so dang adorable!
Covid Question #5: What's something positive that came out of quarantine/lockdown?
It's been really good mental-health-wise for one of my children to be *out* of in-person school.
Zooming/reconnecting with ourAmeriCorps team!
Kayaks!
Gratitude for our homesteading and homeschooling lifestyle.
Mental health wise it is 200% better for several of us that needed it the most. These particularly impactful years with my kids. The resilience we are building. Turns out it is possible for the disabled to be at home comfortable while participating in the world - cici can see so much more! Less crowded places. Timed entry with accommodations. Less driving. Suddenly our “always at home life because we aren’t very mobile” is NORMAL. Intentional relationships develop and so does mutual respect. Closer more intimate relationships. So so many things.
Turns out Matt was MADE to be an educator. This is going to be such a formative year for our family.
I nice break from the rushing around all over town to be somewhere. Sometimes it’s nice to have a break and not have to be anywhere or do anything. We already have a lot of together time but it was nice to have longer chunks to work on projects and not feel the need to rush off to the next thing.
Our pediatrician told me last week that it's been great for lots of people with social anxiety disorders. Sounds like he's doing a lot fewer prescriptions for those kinds of medicines.
I got to have so much time with my kiddos and much needed “down time”. I just wish Tom would have been able to have it with us
We HAD to have the little one home all the time, which made a good trial one for homeschooling her along with Big Sis. And I noticed and was grateful for how well they played with each other.
Curbside pick up.
And also, my kids get along and play together a lot better with fewer fights
I finally had time to watch Stranger Things on Netflix. It was so fun to watch that with my husband each night during the early quarantine days.
Suicides stopped at Jenna’s high school because parents were forced to be home with their kids. Jenna has had 2 suicides per year since 8th grade. Last year, it went to 1 and that happened B.C. (Before Covid) Let’s see how this year pans out.
DH gets to work from home. Less running people to things all the time.
LIttleton District has a measly 4-day fall break. Due to the combination of hybrid on/off days, a teacher furlough day and the usual 2 days off for ‘fall break’, we now have 8-days off in October! AND it miraculously coincides with Douglas County’s! Very excited!
Lastly, the pandemic exposed the terrible education my youngest was receiving and she got daily 2-hour lessons since March with lesson books, lesson plans, smart software and manipulatives by a terrific tutor! Me!
Getting to reconnect with my kids. Getting to know my neighbors better.
I got one! I used to call around every other week trying to find someone in the ward who would be willing to video me in to church. Each week, I consistently would find 3-4 people who would say they didn't know how to skype/facetime/duo/whatsapp/etc before I'd find someone willing. My guess is that after this, everyone will know how to video me in to church! Which will be nice, cause I would really like to rotate who I ask so it's not always the same 3 people.
I have my 2 college kids back home and all of us under one roof again! I didn’t think that would ever happen again.
Our next door neighbors moved in only a few months before this all happened. We barely knew them...but we have like minded ideas. Our kids spent every single day with their kids as we all quaranteamed together. We ate dinners together every weekend. Our older children would not visit us and their family would not visit them so we became a family and now...they are our very best friends. As much as I disagreed with the lockdown, and do to this day, there is always a silver lining.
We have seen lots more birds and other animals in our backyard and neighborhood. I will really miss them as things pick back up and they go back into hiding.
We ventured farther north than usual and went to the Anne U. White Trail. It is so beautiful! I honestly thought we had entered into the Land of Fairies. It would have been even more beautiful if we had gone when there was still water flowing down the rivers, but I guess that means we will need to go back in May, because honestly- it is well worth the drive! I say this all the time, but it might be my favorite!
Covid question #4: What did you do to break up the monotony and/or keep up with your mental health during lockdown/quarantine?
For 2 months I walked 100 miles each month It was wonderful!!
Workout, workout, workout
I have been very vigilant about working out every day. In the past school breaks were hard with the kids home. But most days I do a Sidney Cummings YouTube video. Other days I run or take Ellie for an extra long walk. Has saved my sanity for sure and I am so glad I started it Day 1.
Started a Homeschool LEGO group, joined an adult LEGO group and did many of the weekly challenges. We kept our community garden and got that ready to plant. Lots of gardening and bike riding... and more school than we normally do in April and May.
Secondly, after a couple months Dave stepped in and re-did our nightly dish/clean-up routine. Vastly improved my quality of life. Sometimes it takes someone else to say, hey, we can do this better and help you out! We already had a good dinner cooking rotation which is another lifesaver for me. Plus, math and cooking class for the kids.
Cleaned out every cupboard, drawer and closet in the house.
Started school early
Memes. All the memes.
I’m pushing to make art and provide paid work for my artists.
Change of scenery. Either in house or outside.
Covid Question #3: Looking back on when we were in full on quarantine/lockdown/whatever you want to call it, what was the hardest part/biggest struggle for you and/or your family?
Staying in touch with all the people we were used to seeing every week.
Early on, the weather still sucked up here, so keeping the cabin fever at bay was a day-by-day game. My kiddo is an only child, so not playing with other kids exacerbated that.
Yes, having an only child was so hard. He had no one to play with, and it really started to cause some depression.
Living in an apartment building with shared hallways/stairwells meant that just leaving our front door to get down to our car in the garage felt dangerous for awhile. It was exhausting.
I also wasn't entirely sure how safe grocery shopping was so I had this whole protocol when I got back to my car - I still do it, I think I've just gotten used to it.
Being trapped inside for long periods of time was challenging too. I am NOT a homebody, so I've had to really adjust to that. The weekends are hardest for me still. It's why I started baking challenges - because I needed a weekend purpose that didn't require going anywhere.
The same thing that sucks right bow, isolation from people other than my immediate family
It was difficult as a teacher not to be with my students. I missed the sweet, funny, silly, challenging, and real moments of being with them. And my son is sadly an only child and he was very lonely.
Moving during the lockdowns and all that that entails. Plus, not being able to secure curbside checkout for groceries ever, yet having no one to watch the children. Finally things have calmed down enough to get curbside whenever I need!
Trying to have enough patience with my kiddos during lockdown and homeschooling
Working.
Not having any family near by. Worries about what we would do with the kids if I was hospitalized in an emergency (pregnancy complications). As it turned out, I was hospitalized for over a week and it was really hard not having my husband for most of that time because he was staying with my kids, and it was officially the longest I've ever been away from my kids. That really sucked.
All the login passwords and emails and software platforms and class dojo notifications that my kids teachers were sending me. It was chaos and it felt impossible to be on top of the situation. I'm sure there were other things, but that's what stayed with me as the worst part.
My husband and I never stopped working so not much changed there. The biggest challenge is still the biggest challenge and that is not being to attend church in the manner of which I am accustomed. Missing that spiritual connection with others of the same faith. The fact that the right to assemble and worship was so quickly and easily taken away before we knew what was happening.
Not seeing extended family and close friends! For sure!
Not spending time with kids, grandkids, and church friends.
I thoroughly enjoyed it! It wasn’t a struggle at all! It was a wonderfully cocooning, nesting experience. My 3 independent, happy teenage girls are all taking flight and I’m having to sadly let go. They are out of the house constantly at parties, at jobs, sleepovers, varsity sports, with friends and boyfriends. This brought them all back. If I had to name a struggle, it would be that I had to fully take over homeschooling one of my daughters and tutoring her for 2 hours every day. I realized that I am perfect for a pandemic. I’m an engineer so I know all the math to school our children, I’m handy with fixing and making things, I color my own hair, I install a 5000 gallon pool every summer, I sewed my own N95 masks out of hepa vacuum cleaner bags, I’ve been shopping Amazon for a decade before it was cool, and I’m a couponer so I have 6 months of groceries stored in my basement. I would love if happened again!
Pandemic schooling. Not hugging my mom good bye when she moved 10 hours away. Watching my business crash and burn.
I am a homebody and a substitute teacher so I liked everything being cancelled and staying home. My daughter is in 2nd grade and struggles with reading so I was able to sit with her every morning and she is picking up so much more. I miss my paycheck but we are doing ok.
