Covid-19 came into our lives like a beast. Schools shut down the day after Laney's Musical was cancelled, Patrick started a mandated work from home period the very next day, and then, as each day got worse, they closed restaurants, parks, gyms and just about everything you can think of. I think most of America is still in shock, I KNOW I am in shock. The kids are slowly realizing this isn't just a short, temporary thing, although we are trying to buffer it as much as possible. There's no sports, no school, no friends within 6 feet (which pretty much relates to no friends), and no family other than the 5 of us. I used to live off of my calendar, and I haven't even been able to get myself to take it out to look at it. I don't even want to see what else we are missing. There's no point really. I have my moments, but I'm trying not to complain, because we are safe and we are healthy and we have each other. The people out working in the grocery stores, driving trucks, the first responders, and hospital staff are the real heroes. I can't complain too much about being safe and sound here at our house with my family, healthy, and together.
So, how has our family been dealing with being shut-in? Patrick has been working from our basement NON-STOP. Like, daytime, night time, and all times in between. Gosh, at least he still has a job to be working hard at. Not everyone has been so lucky, with many small businesses shutting down during the first week. So I'm taking on the kids, and let me tell you, I've never been so busy and so exhausted. I'm grateful I was already a stay-at-home Mom and that I don't have to try to juggle my day job as well. On day 1 of no schools, we started our own schedule. I list it all down on the whiteboard in the kitchen for the kids to see each day. It has evolved a bit, and we don't have times listed, but everything we do on the schedule is done with the t.v. and video games off. The first thing on our list every single day is our family walk. That's right, we've become a hiking family! (minus Patrick, you know, doing the work thing) Every day we have either walked the Grand River Nature Preserve trail behind our neighborhood to the boat dock and back, or we've gone to another local park to hike. It was a fight to get the kids out of the house on those cold mornings for the first 3 days, but now, they don't even ask about it they just get their coats and shoes on and head outside as soon as breakfast is done. Getting the exercise, the fresh air, the wide-open space, and room to walk, run, and jump has been so refreshing and seems to be the very best way for us to start our days. For me, my runs, and our hikes have been what has brought me the most joy and peace.
Charlotte is REALLY enjoying these daily excursions. She's been jumping right into the Grand River even on the coldest days.
Laney had the flu for a few days last week. While she was resting upstairs Carson and Evie created their own "Carson and Everson Bar and Grill". They treated us to music, dancing, play food dinner, and offered us either real water or All Day IPA. Ha, I bet you can guess what Patrick picked. It was pretty creative and very cool. Carson even put on a collared shirt as the restaurant owner.
"Boom Boom Shaka Lacka!"....that's what Evie yells as she rides by. She's loving the new bike with training wheels.
We walk this log almost every day. Laney calls it the "CELL". It stands for the "Carson-Evie-Laney-Log."
We played at the park the day before they closed it down.
Most days we tune in to the Cincinnati Zoo's facebook live event. They highlight a different animal everyday at 3pm. It's been fun to jump on in the afternoon.
We've been baking! Oh boy have we been baking. And with no one to share with, let's just say I'm thankful for stretchy pants!
Only in Michigan, grass the night before, a couple inches of snow in the morning, and then we were playing soccer in the grass in the front yard that same evening.
Carson and Laney's teachers have been so wonderful about staying in touch with the kids. They give us lots of choices and direction for at-home learning every Monday and Wednesday, but they are much more concerned with the kids feeling loved, knowing they are missed, and making sure they are getting lots of time outside. Honestly, for me, Carson not getting to finish the year with his teacher gets to me the most. She's been just amazing, the perfect fit for him, and she's made this year so smooth, successful, and fun. She boosted his confidence and got him to read like that's what he was born to do. He holds in feelings for the most part, but when he got to have a morning meeting with his teacher and class this week on ZOOM, he almost cried. He LIT UP. He made me leave the room (good call because I started crying the moment I heard her voice), and afterwards he came upstairs all smiles and just so chatty. That ended up being our best day so far, and I know it's because he got to start the day with Mrs. Gootjes.
We do lots of creative play and we've been writing letters to send and making lots of crafts to drop off to special friends.
And we always love our facetimes!
This hike was at Peace Park. It was a REAL hike. We ended up going a little over 3 miles and I ended up having to carry Evie on my back up an extremely steep hill. But hey, we made it! It was a great workout that's for sure. Honestly I never thought I would enjoy hiking in woods so much. Carson and Laney loved looking at the maps and figuring out where we were on the trails. We will definitely go back and try another path there, now if only Evie's legs were a little longer so she could keep up.
This is a bridge Carson made to go over a small stream near our house. The kids were actually able to walk across it. Engineering lesson, CHECK.
My neighbor keeps giving us more and more suggestions of hiking trails in Grand Rapids. These pics are from the Ken-O-Sha Trail and Plaster Creek Trail. I can tell you we would have NEVER gone to all these places during our normal life. These trails had tons of man made wooden bridges, some even that moved and swayed! This was probably our favorite hike so far.
Carson and Laney made it all the way across this wobbly log!
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