Weekend Recap

I don't really have much of a weekend recap because every day feels more or less the same.  I think everyone is in the same boat.

We've been going for walks everyday - thankful we live in a pretty big neighborhood and have been able to discover new routes and places.

We visited my mom as well as Nani and Papa from the driveway.  S even made a sign to hold up.  I think it was so good for the boys to see their grandparents.  They had a really really challenging Monday.  The entire day felt like one giant meltdown, but since then, things have gone well.  There are scuffles and arguments, but I'm grateful the boys have each other during this time.

My mom came over yesterday for a "social distance" walk - she stayed outside and walked 6 feet behind us, but it was great to catch up while getting some fresh air.  We ended up walking for over an hour.  On the downside, Charlie still smells like a swamp after our walk - so gross!

We've done quite well with meal planning and I'm proud of us.  W has surprised me with some of the things he's liked - mostaccioli, chicken tacos, and greek chicken with rice.  I've made it a point to let him know that I'm trying new recipes and if he doesn't like what I make, we'll find something else for him.  I think this has taken the pressure off in a way and he's discovered that he really does like different foods.  A major win!

Work is challenging because I don't have the office conveniences and the boys do interrupt often.  I'm just doing the best I can.

Weekend Recap

I think my next few weekend recaps are all going to sound the same.  And honestly, I can't really differentiate between the weekends and weekdays.  I know I work during the week, but I forget what activities we do when.

I do know that we've been going on walks every day.  I like the fresh air and exercise and it's nice to see so many neighbors out walking (though we keep our distance).  Many people in our neighborhood have written chalk messages on driveways and sidewalks.  We did the same.  The messages are so uplifting and give me hope.

On Saturday, the boys and I wrote down clues and then we all piled in the car for a scavenger hunt.  A had to locate the destination according to our hints.  It was nice to get out of the house and we had fun coming up with clues.  I think we'll do the same this weekend, only A will come up with the clues and we'll have to figure out the destination and direct him.

We've actually done really well with meal planning.  We're limiting our grocery shopping to once per week and dare I say I'm actually enjoying coming up with a plan for dinners in advance.  It takes the last minute guesswork out of dinner preparation and with no commute, we have plenty of time to make dinner.

This week has started off much more challenging than the last.  It's officially our spring break so W doesn't have daily assignments.  I think the novelty of all of us at home all the time has worn off.  The lack of routine is also resulting in some restlessness for the boys.  We're getting them outside when we can and just trying our best to keep life as normal as possible.

Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Is anyone still blogging these days?  It seems pretty quiet out there.  If you're still reading, I'd love your input.

This quarantine has been really tough.  I've been trying to focus on some of the positives, but it's hard not to think about the negative impacts.  I'll admit there are a few negative impacts that most would find trivial, but they're getting to me.

I'll share my thoughts, but I'd love to hear from you too.  No judgement.

Let's get the trivial negative impacts out of the way:

• Hair.  Ok, I realize this is minor and maybe it makes me shallow or vain.  So be it.  I was supposed to get my hair cut and highlighted this weekend and the appointment was cancelled.  The thought of going two-ish months without a hair cut and highlights is more daunting than it should be.  This is causing me way more anxiety than it should.

• A and I often don't get home from work until 5 at the earliest.  The boys are hangry and as a result we often eat out or pick up food 3-4 times per week.  It's a lot, but it just works with our busy schedules.  We also have picky kids so it allows some variety in our meal selections.  We're not used to meal planning.  Trying to get all of the groceries ahead of time and plan meals that all of us will eat well in advance has been challenging.

• Related, we're going through food fast!!  Again, we're not used to everyone home and not used to stocking up in advance.  At least we have toilet paper.

Not so trivial:

• Lack of interaction with parents.  My mom and I are very close (especially since my brother and dad passed away).  We're used to seeing each other at least 4 times per week.  My mom nearly cried on the phone when we discussed staying away.  The boys are also very close to all of their grandparents.  They were asking when Nani would be coming over and I had to tell them I really wasn't sure.  This one is breaking my heart.

Positives:

• All things considered, the boys have been getting along really, really well.  They have moments in which they argue and yell, but they also have plenty of moments in which they work together on puzzles, play games, read together, look at flash cards together, ride scooters, build Lego houses, etc.

• Home schooling is going pretty well.  We don't have a great routine, but we are working through homework packets and incorporating other fun activities like science experiments, neighborhood scavenger hunts, and book madness (each family member chooses 2 books, we read and vote for our favorites).  I even discovered S can write several numbers and letters... I seriously had no idea!

• Working from home.  Ok, so this has been challenging with multiple interruptions, distractions, and lack of computer monitors.  BUT.  I don't take for granted the ability to work from home.  It's been such a blessing during this trying time.

• Related, having a webcam has allowed me to have face to face meetings with colleagues.  I even had coffee with a colleague via virtual meeting.

• Family time.  I appreciate that we've gotten to spend so much time together.  Happy we have each other and like each other most of the time. :)

• Sleeping in and watching tv shows.  Not having a commute means I've been sleeping in until 6am, which is amazing.  It also means that A and I have been able to watch tv after the boys go to bed, which we hardly ever do.  We've caught up on This is Us and started watching Schitt's Creek, which is both terrible and hilarious.

I'm sure there are more, but that's what I've got so far.  

COVID-19

How is everyone coping as we practice social distancing?  We’re on day 3 of home schooling and it kind of feels like month 3.  We’re lucky because I’m able to work from home and A’s school is closed so he is caring for the boys while attempting to home school a first grader and a preschooler.  We are making the most of it, but I already miss our routines and our “normal” days.  In some ways it’s comforting to know that everyone is affected by COVID-19.  We’re all trying to figure things out and working collaboratively to stop the spread of this virus.  But it’s also hard.  I definitely struggle with change and self-quarantining is the ultimate change.  I’m worried that W won’t be returning to school this year.  We love his teacher and he was thriving in first grade.  This is S’s final year of preschool.  It breaks my heart that there is a possibility he won’t return.  He’s a social kid and being away from friends and teachers is going to be difficult for him.  I didn’t even get to say a proper goodbye to my boss because our office is closed.  We had to cancel our spring vacation that we were so much looking forward to.  My heart hurts.  Hoping and praying this virus goes away soon.

I've had quite a few work meetings while working from home and each one ends with someone saying "stay safe and healthy".  Wishing you all the same.

Weekend Recap

Gosh, what a freaking week.  The world is panicking, COVID-19 is spreading, the stock market is nose diving, our vacation is in jeopardy, and my amazing boss resigned (finally found a job I enjoyed and an awesome boss - annnnd that lasted a whole 8 months... UGH).  I’m ready to just hide in my house and eat nothing but Cadbury mini eggs.  Seriously, though.  Everything is a MESS right now.  I’m so disappointed/concerned/frustrated/distraught with this current state of life and trying NOT to focus on all the fun events that will inevitably be canceled.  

This too shall pass, right?

I never posted a weekend recap.  We were busy, busy.  Lots of errands: hair-cuts for the boys, gymnastics class, tax preparation, and outside time.  The boys decided to use the gift cards they received for Christmas and chose to purchase a garbage truck (W) and games (S).  We had lots of fun playing Hedbandz (though S is the biggest cheater!!) and Guess Who.  We also visited a nearby park and it was so great to get some fresh air!

Dreaming of sunny days sans COVID-19

Weekend Recap

I’m falling behind on my exciting weekend recap posts.  Ha.  They aren’t exciting at all, but I love re-reading what we we’ve been up to as the boys have grown.

The week A and I returned from vacation was a rough one.  We returned Monday night and the following Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning, S woke up around midnight vomiting.  I thought he was just getting W’s cold.  He has a tendency to puke any time he has a cold/cough (which is going to make for a really interesting year of Kindergarten, but that’s a worry for another day).  He stayed home from preschool Wednesday, vomited that morning, but then was ok.  By Thursday, he seemed to be totally fine and went to school.  Thursday around midnight, I woke up vomiting.  Friday, I felt awful.  I couldn’t eat anything and couldn’t get out of bed.  Also on Friday, S came down with W’s cold, which resulted in more puking for him (but this time it was definitely the cough causing it).  By Saturday, I was mostly fine.  No appetite, but otherwise, I felt ok.  W continued to get over his cold and finally, by the following week, we were all feeling much better.  Phew.  SO the point of all that was to say that last weekend was kind of a bust and I don’t really have much to recap.

This past Thursday, A turned 40.  I can’t believe it!!  When did we get so old?!?  In all seriousness, I’m incredibly proud of him for taking such good care of himself.  Hoping for continued health!!

Saturday, the boys were super crabby.  They slept in their bunk beds and I’m guessing they didn’t sleep well.  They had gymnastics in the morning.  A and I laughed as usual as the boys attempted to somersault, cartwheel, etc.  We took Charlie for a walk when we got home.  W got mad that he didn’t win some imaginary race and turned around and rode home on his scooter (with A following him) halfway through the walk.  Eye roll.  Then it was off to celebrate A at A’s favorite pizza restaurant.  The whole family came and we enjoyed apps and yummy pizza.

Sunday, another busy day.  Church, Starbucks, Family Fun Fair at W’s school, took Charlie for a long by myself (which was very peaceful), stopped at the grocery store, and made dinner.  Thankfully, the boys were in a much better mood.  They were super helpful at the grocery store and even took it upon themselves to bag groceries when they realized there wasn’t someone around.  I thanked them and told them they were such great helpers.  Upon hearing that, S exclaimed, “Well, that calls for a double high five!!”.  He still cracks me up.  We had a great day.

It's been feeling more like spring around here and I'm excited for time spent outdoors!

Surprise Birthday Trip!!

I need to share our incredible trip before I forget anything.

A turns 40 at the end of the month.  I asked him months ago how he wanted to celebrate his big birthday.  We could have a party, go on a trip, anything, but we definitely needed to celebrate such an important milestone.  A really liked the idea of going on a trip – especially to somewhere warm seeing as February in Chicago is typically cold and snowy.  A is really easy going (unlike myself) so we somehow decided that I would plan a surprise trip.  Let’s face it, I would have planned the trip regardless if it was a surprise so the surprise element was a fun twist.

I worked with a travel agent, which is definitely the way to go in my opinion.  I knew I wanted to head to one of the Caribbean islands and after much research on my own and input from the travel agent, decided on Turks and Caicos.  A literally had no idea where we were headed until we arrived at the airport at 3:30am.  Admittedly, it was a tad anticlimactic as A found out when the American Airlines desk agent asked what our final destination was, but it was fun nonetheless.  Even A’s colleagues were trying to guess where we were headed (and they were all wrong!).

The morning we left, it was snowing steadily in Chicago.  We had a connecting flight in Miami and realized that the next two AA flights from Chicago to Miami were cancelled.  Thanking our lucky stars we were able to flight out – we were very, very fortunate.  We were delayed about 45 minutes and as soon as we got off the plane in Miami, our next flight was boarding.

We arrived in Providenciales around 1:30pm.  It was such a weird feeling to leave 20 degrees and snow, fly 5 hours, and land where it was 80 degrees and sunny (but we weren’t complaining!!).  We soon arrived at our amazing resort, quickly changed clothes, and grabbed lunch.  We were starving!  We’d planned on grabbing breakfast in Miami, but there just wasn’t any time.  I ordered fish tacos and I should mention that I never ever order fish in the Midwest. If you asked, I’d tell you I don’t like fish.  But I change my tune when near an ocean.  And these were so good!  In fact, all the food we had was amazing!!

Unbeknownst to me at the time, our travel agent had called ahead and secured an incredible room (see, find yourself a travel agent!).  We were on the top floor of the resort (Penthouse) and had a view of the ocean.  A platter of fresh fruit was waiting.  It was the most amazing place I’ve ever stayed at.

We went out to dinner that night and sat outside under the stars.  I had butternut squash ravioli (so good!!) while A had coconut chicken.  We were beyond exhausted by the end of dinner.

Friday, we booked a tour and traveled by ferry (the fastest ferry ever!) to North Caicos.  Only 1700 people live on the island, most of whom are descendants of slaves who once worked at the plantations on the island.  We visited a sink hole, a plantation, a stunning beach, and then stopped for lunch.  A and I both had snapper and it was possibly the best fish I’ve ever eaten (fish again!).  I should also mention that our tour guide was fantastic and actually lives on North Caicos.

 After lunch, our tour guide took us to Middle Caicos.  There are no residents, only a couple resorts and restaurants.  You basically feel like you’re on a deserted island.  It was such an amazing experience.  We first visited an above ground cave.  Apparently, it’s 4 miles deep and I can’t imagine you’d be allowed to go in something like this in the US.  The walk was treacherous, there were bats, but it was so darn cool.

After the cave, we headed to Mudjin Harbour.  A and I walked up a cliff and then down a narrow stairway to a deserted beach.  This was the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.  The photos don’t even do it justice.

Once we arrived back on Providenciales, we headed to dinner.  I had lasagna and A had mushroom ravioli (I think).  This was my least favorite dinner, but our dessert was delicious.

Saturday and Sunday were spent on the beach.  Our resort brought out fruit on a platter and all the bottled water we could ask for.  Even our lunches were delivered to our cabana.  We walked along the beach and swam in the ocean any time we were hot.  I think it’s the most relaxed I’ve ever been. 😊 

 Our Saturday and Sunday dinners were both fantastic (and our favorite restaurants of the ones we tried)– beef tenderloin, mahi, steak.  One restaurant even had a menu that lit up when you opened it and live music!

This vacation was MAGICAL.  We had an unbelievable time and I’m so thankful A and I could experience it together.  Also incredibly thankful for our parents for taking such good care of our boys!

A couple more things to note:  You drive on the left side of the road!  I didn’t realize this and considered renting a car.  So glad we didn’t because that would’ve taken some getting used to. 

EVERYTHING is expensive.  I knew this before I booked the trip, but EVERYTHING was pricey. 

Each dinner we had was outdoors amongst the trees and the stars.  I think many of the restaurants are outdoors and I couldn’t get enough. 

Everyone asked if our resort was all inclusive and I think they were surprised I didn’t book one.  I did NOT want to be at an all inclusive hotel.  I wanted to get out and try new foods and different restaurants.  Also, A and I are not big drinkers so I don’t think we would’ve gotten our money’s worth.

I’ve never taken a relaxing vacation.  Typically A and I try to squeeze everything in when we travel.  We want to do as much as possible and see everything because we may not have the chance to return.  This was SO different.  I’ve never been so relaxed in my entire life and this was so so good for my soul.  I think we need more relaxing vacations in our future! 😉