Monday (3/30) Mondays are always long and this was no exception. The babies still aren't feeling well. Maddie's breathing seemed to be labored as we went to bed last night so I woke up every 4 hours to give her a breathing treatment and I'm praying I see improvement soon so that we don't have to take a trip to the doctors. Thankfully the big kids played really nice today. In fact they spent almost the entire day in the boys' room building lego mobiles and playing games. Hazel and Evie played nicely too, mostly Barbies and baby games. They also worked on a little more fingerprint art. Our plan is to make their favorite creations into magnets. Oh and they got out all of their school supplies. We are going to give online schooling a trial run tomorrow. Wish me luck!
DAY 16
Tuesday (3/31) Well today was a doozy. The kids were so excited to try online schooling and I tried to let them after breakfast but things quickly got out of hand. Let's just say not enough computers, not enough independent workers, not enough Mommy, and WAY to many fussy babies. It basically ended shortly after it began with tears from Mommy and that was that. We will try again tomorrow and with a little more of a plan. I don't know what I was thinking? In my defense though, one of our biggest hang ups was how terribly fussy the babies were. Maddie seemed a little better today but they're soooo grumpy. I'm just not sure if it's because of the cold, teething, or maybe even earaches. All I know is I need them back to themselves ASAP.
So after my meltdown we headed out to enjoy a few minutes of sunshine, as we haven't had much lately. The kids rode bikes down the driveway again through our only puddle. This quickly escalated from riding and spraying water, to jumping in the puddle, to intentionally filling their boots with water. It ended up being a big mess but it was good to be outside and laugh. The babies didn't really nap but I was able to squeeze in a little time to plan for online schooling tomorrow. We also spent some time video chatting with the Wallaces today which was fun and Grammy sent us a video of her reading aloud a book. Hazel LOVED it and watched it at least 3 times.
Wednesday (4/1) Schooling went much better today. Of course we didn't have to get through an entire day since we did do a little yesterday, but still I think it was a better rhythm. We started our day at 7:30 with breakfast. Then from 8:00-9:00 while the babies ate and the little girls played the Bigs did an hour of work. Then it was free time until lunch. We ate at 11:15 and then at 11:45 I put Evie up in her room, the babies to bed, Hazel on the couch for more story time with Grammy, and this basically allowed us to do another hour of online schooling from 12:00 - 1:00. Thankfully the babies actually napped today so we were able to finish all of their work for the day and I still got a few minutes of down time, which felt so much more doable. After school the little girls had tablet time and the Bigs kept watching Little House on the Prairie. We just started reading our 3rd book in that series and they seem to really be enjoying it.
DAY 18
Thursday (4/2) Today we did school again. I learned how to scan and turn in work for the kids and Hazel started "homeschooling" with Grammy. She loves sitting and Face Timing with Grammy while the older kids get their afternoon school work done. Grammy also stopped by for a minute to drop off some Easter crafts. We maintained social distancing which felt really strange. The kids just wanted to give her a hug, but we're doing our best to abide by the guidelines so the kids sat on the couch and she showed them the projects she prepared for them. Today we made the wreath Grammy brought over with a bird in a nest. It made a huge mess but the kids loved it.
Daddy had to run up to Winco for a few groceries. He went right when they opened to try to avoid any crowds and came home with a little bit of ice cream. I guess this is how we plan to survive the next few weeks.
We played Uno with kids after dinner. Games just really don't work for us right now but the kids had fun!
DAY 19
Friday (4/3) Today was long! I guess it's bound to be like that some days. Everyone woke up kind of grumpy and although school has been going a little better the days are just too full. There's no space to breathe and no relief. Brandon's overwhelmed with all that he has going on at work, I'm overwhelmed with the kids, and it's just hard. Someone quite literally ALWAYS needs something and most days it all just feels like too much!
One fun thing today was that Grammy dropped of supplies to make Robert the robot. Hazels letter of the day is R. So the kids had fun making and eating those after we finished school. We also started jellybean necklaces, rode bikes, and in the afternoon we made surprise flower deliveries. We dove out to EZ orchards and picked up tulips. (They are selling tulips for the Woodburn Tulip Festival which didn't get to open this year.) Then the kids each got a turn dropping flowers at someones door, ringing the doorbell, and running back to the car. I also got some tulips which made me happy.
Today called for a hot chocolate break.
Grumpy twinnies!
Robert the Robot
Everything feels a little better with these in the kitchen.
Saturday (4/4) Saturdays still feel like Saturdays which I'm thankful for. We slept in a little, Daddy made skinny pancakes, I cleaned both of our bathrooms while Brandon helped with the twins, and then after lunch the kids played outside for a long time while I worked on this and listened to some videos by Jen Hatmaker which always make me laugh. I especially loved her homeschool plan. I could not stop laughing, which reminded me of this that Ashley sent me last week. Pretty much sums things up.
Shaken Not Stirred!
Sunday (3/5) Another week of church from home. This week I got a little over ambitious trying to find 45 minutes to actually sit and listen to the sermon and the whole thing fell apart. I tried putting Hazel and Evie in the bath, assuming they'd play the entire service, and gave the babies their breakfast by the T.V. Unfortunately, the girls only lasted 15 minutes so we had to pause to get them out of the bath and then by the time I had them set up at the table with their Sunday school lesson the babies wanted down and the big kids were tired of sitting. So this week was pretty much a FAIL! Live and learn I guess.
Brandon treats us to the yummiest food on the weekends!
My tulips are really beautiful today! I'm so glad I planned them this Fall. I never could have guessed how much I would have needed their bright cheer!
Things still feel hard with my family which stinks. I've progressively over the past years struggled more and more with who I am and where I fit within my family so this has been a tough 3 weeks for me. I'm probably just tired, but it feels important to me, and I'm trying really hard to figure out what God is teaching me through this time of being alone rather than just pushing the hard feelings away. Sometimes I feel like I'm doing that pretty well and other times, like today, I'm really struggling. I feel like I have no one that I can turn to, I don't feel like anyone understands me, and I just feel so out of place even in my own life and so in some ways I'm feeling lost and yet in a strange way I simultaneously feel like I am being freed to stand on my own two feet. I have a strong sense that for me personally there is much more to this than the simple surface disagreements which have stirred these feelings.
I think one small part of this might be learning to own my own feelings and convictions, not in an angry or judgmental way, but simply allowing myself to feel what I feel rather than always pushing my feelings down in order to please those around me. I'm learning that I'm not good at feeling anything on my own and I'm only happy when I'm making someone else happy. When I feel like I've failed to make someone I love happy or that I've disappointed them in some way my emotions and self esteem seem to always come crashing down. I don't know who I am if I'm not helping or pleasing the ones I love and I don't think that this is entirely good because way to much of my worth and joy ends up being tied up in pleasing, and not rocking the boat or upsetting anyone. I'm realizing more and more that this just is not always possible and this feels like a huge weight being lifted from my soul. I can't always please my husband and my family and I can't live a life that is both full of conviction and one that never rocks the boat. So today I'm allowing myself to grieve and be sad for the things I'm missing, and for the ways that I feel I'm disappointing my family, and for the discomfort I think I'm causing them by making a choice that's not the same as theirs. I'm also choosing to intentionally be thankful for the wonderful blessings that continue to come amidst this really, really difficult season.
I saw this on Facebook and thought it might be an interesting thing to keep. It really is interesting to know that we are living history.
Just so I NEVER forget..... April 2, 2020
Gas prices at a record low.
School cancelled till April 28th...but I doubt they will go back this school year.
Self-distancing measures on the rise.
Tape on the floors at grocery stores and others to help distance shoppers 6ft from each other.
Limited number of people inside stores, therefore lineups outside the store doors.
Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed.
Parks, trails, entire cities locked up.
Entire sports seasons cancelled.
Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - cancelled.
Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.
Churches are closed.
No gatherings of 100 or more, then 50 or more, now 10 or more.
Don't socialize with anyone outside of your home.
Children's outdoor play parks are closed.
We are to distance from each other.
Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towels and no hand sanitizer.
Shelves are almost bare.
Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE.
Government closes the border to all non-essential travel.
Fines are established for breaking the rules.
Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
Press conferences daily from our Governor and our President.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Fauci gives daily updates on US’ new cases, recoveries, and deaths.
People wearing masks and gloves outside.
Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.
7,000,000 applications for Employment Insurance as people go without.
School cancelled till April 28th...but I doubt they will go back this school year.
Self-distancing measures on the rise.
Tape on the floors at grocery stores and others to help distance shoppers 6ft from each other.
Limited number of people inside stores, therefore lineups outside the store doors.
Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed.
Parks, trails, entire cities locked up.
Entire sports seasons cancelled.
Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - cancelled.
Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.
Churches are closed.
No gatherings of 100 or more, then 50 or more, now 10 or more.
Don't socialize with anyone outside of your home.
Children's outdoor play parks are closed.
We are to distance from each other.
Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towels and no hand sanitizer.
Shelves are almost bare.
Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE.
Government closes the border to all non-essential travel.
Fines are established for breaking the rules.
Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
Press conferences daily from our Governor and our President.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Fauci gives daily updates on US’ new cases, recoveries, and deaths.
People wearing masks and gloves outside.
Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.
7,000,000 applications for Employment Insurance as people go without.
This is the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, declared March 11th, 2020.
Why, you ask, do I write this status?
One day it will show up in my memory feed, and it will be a yearly reminder that life is precious. To not take the things we dearly love for granted.
We have so much!
Also loved this...
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