COVID days...

Our days have slowed way down.  No school, no work, no errands (except for essentials), no workouts, no after school activities, no church, no nothing.  We start our days later and later every day.  Distance learning started this week.  The kids get their school work done in a couple of hours.  We try to take a family walk every day but are not 100%.  The rain and occasional grumpy kid has kept us inside.  

I have a lot of gratitude for this time right now.  I feel like life had become so harried and busy for the world, we had to be paused by nature.  I know it is causing problems with the economy but I am letting Will worry about that...he is really good about worrying about the economy.  

Here are some things I want to remember, little snapshots of our days this week.  The weather is typical March/April for Northern California.  And typical is windy, cold, blue skies, rain, puffy clouds, sun, hail...basically, its a mess.  We enjoy walks when we can.

The tooth fairy has NOT been practicing social distancing.  Adell lost a tooth over the last weekend and Colter lost a tooth this week.  The tooth fairy pulled up the very next night with dolla-dolla-bills y'all. 

Chores are kind of happening.  Kinda.  I did laundry on Thursday and discovered Adell is the only person who is still getting dressed every day. 

Zoom video conference calls have saved many companies bacon.  Clare started ballet in the kitchen this week.  You can't see it but her ballet teacher was on an iPhone propped on the bar.  Her teacher called out improvements and critiques to each dancer, including Clare.

Colter is usually the last one to get his school work done...sometimes he starts after dinner.  He asked on Thursday for a more concrete schedule for school, including recess and snack time.  

I miss my Orange Theory Workouts SO MUCH!  I feel like a slug and have been eating my feelings in brownies and banana bread.  Feelings taste delicious.  Orange Theory posts online at-home workouts every day but they aren't the same.  I miss my classes.  I did find a good app to time my runs but it is hard to keep a steady pace and push myself on the road. 

Friday is house cleaner day!  But we aren't having our cleaner come...social distancing and all.  This Friday I told the kids, if they did all the work our cleaner usually does, I would pay them.  They agreed and got to work.  It didn't take long before they each acknowledged how hard Ana's job is and how much work she does for us.  When Colter was wrestling the vacuum cleaner in the hall he exclaimed: "I feel bad for Ana!  She has like the hardest job!"  I agreed. 

We watched the 80's version of Clue the movie.  It was so good!  I'd watch it once a week and have a laugh every time.  Colter was not in love...the stabbing scene was too much for him and gave him nightmares. 

Rain and cold temperatures have kept us in more than I'd like.  I'd like to kick the kids outside every day for an hour or more. 

Sometimes we can make PE happen inside.  I picked up a couple of super bouncy balls at the grocery store when I went out for bread one day.  The kids played kick/pass/soccer with their hands in their pockets. 

Life was so slow..Adell decided to spice things up with lice.  It was easy to find when I started to look so she's probably had it for a while.  Also, her best friend also has lice...so they probably gave it to each other when school was still in session two weeks ago.  Ugh, two weeks is a long time for lice to party. 

When the kids fight, I try to bring out a simple game I can play with them for a few minutes.  I am a terrible game partner.  Usually, the kid gets sick of playing with me and wants to play with the sibling they were just fighting with.  Works like a charm...most of the time. 

One last memory/acknowledgment.  This is hard.  Some days are harder than others.  I miss my house being empty for a few hours every day.  I love my family.  I love this slowed pace and its many blessings but I miss plenty about "normal" life.  It is good to have perspective.  Some days I need two Cadbury Creme Eggs, a glass of milk, and to eat them hidden in the laundry room.