Will the Bookworm

Our littlest has become quite the bookworm. I've found him a few times this week in his bedroom or with a pile of books. I LOVE it and remember Drew doing that all the time when he was little.

Schoolwork

Sometimes we just have to take our electronics outside to escape if only for a moment. Yep, our backyard has been used to the fullest extent during this pandemic!

Family Biking

We got every night after dinner. Every night.... well almost every night. For weeks now. WEEKS. My legs better be super toned considering I'm running AND walking most days also. But I LIVE for our bike rides. The fresh air and getting out of the house is the best. And now Derek pulls Will because Ady has been solo for a few weeks so it's even better. Ha!

Entertainment

It's SO hard entertaining 3 kids on a daily basis. Sure they have workbooks and schoolwork and other academic ideas but I also try to stimulate them creatively  as well. We paint, draw, do puzzles, have free play time, raise ladybugs, do play-doh, bake, do science experiments and everything else out there.

 

Outside Play

We basically live outside once reading and schoolwork has been completed. It's been our saving grace every day. And not just for the kids! I got on a walk with 2 friends who live on my street everyday once Will goes down for a nap and the kids do their reading. It's SO good for my mental health to get out and away from the house for a bit.

Easter 2020

Easter is such a favorite Church day for me. Getting all dressed up and hearing about the miracle of the day is so glorious and I love it. So naturally, I made my family get all dressed up just to watch church on the TV. I cried and we held hands and we sang and it was as good as we could do for Easter at home.

I was NOT going to settle for my parents eating in their own home 15 minutes away from us on such a special day. So we set up a table and chairs and socially distanced a delicious Easter meal. They brought their own food and even though we couldn't hug them it was wonderful having them on the patio with us!

Our street decided to have an egg hunt that afternoon at the same time! We all did our own hunts in our own yards and Will actually did great! I didn't know what to expect with him but he grabbed several eggs and tossed them in his basket!

He is risen indeed.

Annual Bluebonnet Pictures

We ventured out to our bluebonnet spot a few weeks ago to snap our annual pictures in them. I was SO excited for these outfits this year! Drew agreed to match his siblings and they were going to be SO adorable at Easter so, yes, we did get all dressed up for that Holiday. Man my children are just beautiful.

Coronovirus Update: Day 42

Can't believe we're on day 42 of this quarantining stuff. There are so many things I want to say and so many thoughts that I would never be able to get them all down. I read this thing the other day and it summarized how I feel. It says "I'm fine. And then terrible. And then crying. And then laughing. And then screaming. And then grateful. And then over it. And then determined. And then terrified. And then anxious. And then happy. And then exhausted. .... all in the same minute". It's perfect. And so true. The emotions are exhausting.
Sure, Derek's job is secure and we don't have to worry about that like so many others. Sure we have our health and the kids are happy. Sure we are lucky to have a great home to be stuck in with plenty of resources for activities and enjoyment. But does that make the pain and struggle go away? Nope. I'm fortunate that Derek has been able to help me but I'm SO ready for a girls trip, or a solo trip. I'm ready to hug my mom and dad and see my brother again and hug him. I'm ready to stop worrying about when live will go back to normal if it ever even does. I'm worried about how hard this summer will be without Derek and no city pool, play places open or zoos, parks, etc open. I'm sad for the kiddos who didn't get to enjoy the rest of their year with amazing teachers. It's just tough.
And sure, our parents all had young children once but they did NOT go through this. No one understands the struggle unless you have children at home right NOW. It's just not the same. Today we went hiking (more pics on that later) and it was good to get out. I love my kiddos and husband but man am I ready for a small break of being with them all 24/7!!

Coronavirus - Sibling Love

I've started to notice a shift within the family and around the world. It's slow but happening and I love it. The negativity and stressing out and yelling and bitching has come down a bit. We're on day 26 ourselves and I have to say that last week was much easier than the first 2 and this week has gone pretty well. Drew and Ady have played together amazingly and I love watching their relationship grow. Drew hasn't really said no once to them playing together and asks often if they can go play. They like to be in the same room when reading and can often be found in the playhouse outside reading. I've also personally lost 9 pounds with all of the working out and eating healthy. Derek and I have been crazy good about counting calories with the exception of 1 cheat day and the kids are always wanting to go on bike rides and walks. There is some good happening and I won't mind another few weeks of this. Now, you take away their and my summer and I'll be pissed! I'll be so sad if they don't get some pool and friend time this summer so we hope and pray each day that doesn't happen.