March and April Quarantine

Sooooo much has happened since my last post. To think it's July and my last post was in April, it has been 3-4 months.I wish I could say normal has returned but it has been so far from it. In fact, as I write this post I'm currently in a cabin in the woods and it's the best place to be to feel at ease.

The latest....

The pandemic has only gotten worse. When our state re-opened for business in May, there were no set boundaries so it was left to everyone if they were close to each other, if they wore masks (all of these are ways to prohibit getting sick - keeping distance from people and wearing a mask). Unfortunately it has become such a political issue in wearing a mask. It was left to our mayor to mandate wearing a mask in our city, which he has done. Largely that has helped increase the amount of people wearing them. However, damage has been done and we have seen increasingly more people sick in the thousands each day. School was eventually closed for the year and we finished with kinda sorta some online school. Basically, the kids had 30 minutes of homework but without much interaction with their teachers or class. It felt like we tripped our way through the year. 

At this time, businesses that were open are closing some as we grapple with high cases. With school returning soon, it has been quite stressful in determining how it will come back (each district is different). Our choices are in person school (with a lot of new rules and now a delay in start), online model or online model with a possibility of return to in person school at the quarter or semester. There's no way we feel comfortable or want the kids retunring to school with so many changes, and what I feel will just turn into last spring where school is open and then closed. Having the kids do online will keep things consistent which I think is best ultimately for us. I miss the social interactions the kids aren't having, but ultimately keeping them safe and into a consistent routine I think suits our family better. 

We canceled Preston out of preschool for the same reason. This coming school year, I will be homeschooling Preston and monitoring virtual online school for the other two. I can only hope with the time the district has had that our online model will be a lot better than that of the spring. At the end of the day, we don't really have much choice. 

It has been a lot to deal with. Josh is working from home (and I hope will continue for months to come), there seems to be daily decisions on choices in regards to school, or even in regards to going to places that are open. We have not been able to see our families much if at all. It hurts to not see the friends who are our friends, but who we know have may not been taking things as cautiously as we have been. It feels lonely and isolating. 

I started a weight loss program which for a time worked out, until it didn't. I wasn't able to use their equipment as businesses began to close, which is half of the purpose of the program. I began to lose motivtation (after all, there were no bikinis to wear for trips that were not able to happen). I was also tiring of the reporting to another person about my loss and keeping on track. I think because of the mounting stress, it even then started to become that "one more thing" to worry about at a time when we're just trying to live each day as it comes. Literally things change on a weekly basis. I've gained what I've lost and hope I find a way back to control something good. I've definitely been letting the emotions of a stressful world get to me. 

Figuring that school would continue to be a roller coaster this year, I decided to quit my magazine writing job. During school breaks I've found ways to still get the work done, but it is becoming too much. We're reaching a time where we really need to give ourselves grace and have less things to stress about, and this is one way I've decided to do that. Other than the teaching I do for Chinese students early in the morning and evening, that is my only job. I just think I will need to be available for the mess that school will continue to be. I'd prefer not to use all my free time/evening time to do work. Self care has become even more important, especially when it's limited to at home for the large most part. 

Anyway...during this time I've been taking pictures to document our very interesting 2020. 

Preston's rainbow box

Even more important to talk to friends virtually. Aaron talked to his one friend, Cooper were they created projects together.

A time of new creations and keeping busy

New playdough kits are a hit

Nate loves his aviation theme boxes. Coaster, airline snacks, airplane cookie cutters, map of an airport, airplane DVD's. 

Especially at the start, Aaron loved creating our own school and routine at home. This was his area (or extension of his messy room). 

When this all started, I also wanted to get the boys each a monthly subscription box to look forward to. Aaron and Preston each receive boxes form KiwiCo - Aaron's is a world box where he learns about a different country each month with activities. Preston's is for his age where he does arts and crafts, builds things with a different theme each month ( bugs, farm, rainbow). Nathan has a bi-monthly avaiation box. They have helped.