Week #2

What I realized this week...

Never again in our life will we have a time like this. A time where we have nothing to do any no where to go. What we’re getting is more time. More time with our sweet little immediate family. More time to enjoy each other.  In our home. In our pjs. Around the table. Playing games. Eating brownies for breakfast. Cuddling on the couch watching our shows. Fortnite battles. Turning off the tv during dinner and asking questions.  Sleeping in. Building forts and taking messy bubble baths.  Eating green pancakes. Brother sleepovers.  Going for walks and throwing water balloons on the trampoline. Riding bikes.  

Just us. No big todos, no homework after a long day at school, no quick stops to make here or there, no crazy sport schedule or obligations. 

Sure, it’s stressful and scary and I’m a ball of worry. I miss my parents and my new nephew and all my family. I miss my friends and my class at school. I hate that my boys are missing their friends and teachers and school work and sports.  I hate that Colton is missing all the fun of the end of year 5th grade.  But, hopefully, when this is over we will have all faired well. We will be healthy and we will have a better appreciation for life and how we live it and what’s really important. 

Something to make you laugh.. Or at least these made me laugh! 

I miss this guy.  I hate that we can't see him now.  I feel like he's growing up and we're missing it.  Today, is his 1/2 birthday.  

Times flying and I don't want to miss any of it.  

 This week, we started "official homeschooling".  

It went pretty smooth.  Sure there was complaining but we eased into it for this week.  The boys really enjoy some of the computer programs they are asked o do.  They both are keeping a journal. It'll be nice to look back on in years to come.  

Dawn and I are missing our kids.  Parents are emailing and texting pictures and saying how much the kids missed school.  So, we decided to do something to brighten everyones day.  It was very special. Something I never imagined I'd have to do but something I'll always remember! 

 Thursday should have been Astros Opening Day.
Zak should have been at the game with Matt and Nick.  Their yearly tradition.  

Now, we hope Baseball will still have a season. 

 Mid week, a very special delivery FINALLY arrived!  

Grandad and Nanny gave the boys an early birthday present. Chrome books! 

They couldn't be more excited about this.  Colton even called it "The best day of my life!"

Thank you Nanny and Grandad! 

We've spent the week inside. 

I did my weekly shopping trip .  HEB And Costco plus one extra super fast trip into HEB when I discovered they had my disenfectant in stock.  See that line in the bottom pic? There was a line to get in when I arrived about 8:05.  I did not wait in it.  It died down after about 10 minutes.  

We played outside, did school work, relaxed, had brownies for breakfast, made a delivery to grandad and sat on opposite sides of the yard, watched the boys ride scooters and chatted for a bit.  Zak worked (a lot) from home, the boys slept in, we went for walks, and took a drive out in the country.  The boys had sleepovers, built forts, took drawing classes online.  We made lace cookies and homade pizza and both the boys helped me in the kitchen with the never ending cooking.  We spent a few nights out front with Matt and Amber talking from a safe distance.  The boys probably played on electronics way too much but they also created slides about Fortnite and got so creative about it! Zak and I started and finished watching Tiger King on Netflix.  We called it our "date night". It was a great distraction,  a train wreck we couldn't look away from.  

I've lost track of days.  I'm counting weeks now. I hope we don't have to start counting months.  

COVID19-Week one

Welcome to the chaos!
What a week or so it's been!
Last week were were enjoying our Spring Break when panic swept over us. On Wednesday 3/12, while we were visiting with friends at Yogi Bear Campgrounds, they closed down the Rodeo.  We knew things were about to get crazy.  I'm not sure how CRAZY or SCARY we thought it was going to get but we one week in and I think it's only going to get worse.  Actually, I know it is. And, to be honest, its petrifying!
I keep going back and forth as to when we started our full quarantine.
Monday 3/9 Zak was asked to stay home from work.  He got word of this as we drove to the Rodeo. We laughed at this...Little did we know.
3/9-3/13 Spring Break.  We carried on with almost all of our plans,  all plans that weren't cancelled.
3/14- Andi and Byrd get married in College station. Every one was able to attend.  The Mayor said no gatherings over 200. (As the week progressed the gathering numbers got less and less. By Wednesday, there were no gatherings of more than 10 people allowed in our area.)
Sunday 3/15- The last time the boys would leave the house but we still weren't in full quarantine. I went to visit mom in the morning.  Becky went up in the afternoon.  They were only allowed one visitor, immediate family only.  Sunday night, they shut the whole facility down to any visitors.
Monday- I had scheduled matinence on my car.  We decided I should go ahead and get it because it was already months overdue.
Tuesday- St. Paddy's Day- We stayed in and did LOTS of green things!  Went on a family walk around the neighborhood that night.
Wednesday- We had ATT scheduled to come fix our internet. We reluctantly went along with it.
Thursday- Had to get a warranty issue fixed on Zak truck.  We were limited on how long we had to get it done without having to pay, so we decided to go ahead and do it.  Today was the day I realized, while we were pretty much staying in our home,  MANY others were not.  Shopping centers jam packed with cars.  Clothes stores, mattress shops, phone stores, dry cleaners, nail and hair salons,  so many unnecessary stores open and packed.
Friday- Zak finally stopped going to the gym.  I did a HUGE shopping trip in the pouring rain and vowed to not go back for at least a week. We picked up and dropped off a couple things for the Grands.
Saturday- While we should have been on the lacrosse and baseball fields, we didn't leave the house!

After looking through our list from the week, I'm not sure we can say we "quarantined".  But, it sure feels like it and we have done our very best not to go out.  The boys haven't left the house, unless they rode around with us in the car, since Sunday.  We're trying very hard to only go where we have to.  With each passing day our "necessities" are being prioritized.
 Today,  Sunday, we're on DAY 3 of rain and I'm ready for that to stop!

Here is a little look at our week....

This is for real!  Stores wiped out of everything, lines and police patrolling the paper towel/TP isle.

In my panic and normal hoarding ways, we are fully stocked!

 Sunday visit with mom!
I am so thankful I was able to see her.  I'm petrified it could be longer than weeks, more like months, until we see her again. I hope so badly I am wrong!

Sunday 3/15, we should have been getting ready to head back to school but instead had a cousin sleepover! 

Let the "homeschooling" begin.  Monday we

also found out that school would be Closed until after Easter-Though April 10th.  

At the dealership. Can not believe people were eating the donuts!!!!

Picking up dinner while we still can.  

All restaurants and bars will close to togo only, tomorrow.

Happy St. Paddy's Day

Shamrock hunt around the neighborhood

And, I can't believe we didn't know it (I always thought Sadies Bday was in February) but got an email from the vet saying 3/16 was her birthday.  We aren't sure of her birthday since she was a rescue. Even though I think its closer to February, we went with it and sang to her all day!

                                                               These make me laugh! 

Official "homeschool" starts TOMORROW!  I have to admit, I'm pretty nervous!!!!!

While I know my dad and aunt and uncle and inlaws are safely quarantining at home, my BIGGEST WORRY is my sweet momma.   As this progresses it gets scarier and scarier.  I pray all of the staff and care takers are taking the HIGHEST priority in keeping themselves safe so they can keep their residents safe.   I am very thankful for their dedication to my mom.  

Please take care of my mom while we can't.  We miss her very much.  

PA GETS MARRIED!!!!!!

SPRING BREAK 2020

SPRING BREAK! What a week its been!!!!!! We got in some real good times on the boys Spring Break before everything crumbled....
Time with nanny

Free icecream and Brusters (in our PJS!)

New nurf guns for good grades

Our yearly trip to the Zoo with Gaga and Pa.  It was a beautiful day! 

Ending the day with Call of the Wild at the Movies

More time with Nanny

A trip to the Rodeo

A couple days at Yogi Bear with one of our favorite famliys

Even a sleepover

On Wednesday, while we were minding our business and enjoying our time, things started getting crazy!  Started with the shut down of the Rodeo...  

and the NBA.

Then, we heard Tom Hanks and his Wife had Covid19 which somehow made it even more real.

Then, school was cancelled for a week. 

Thursday, the boys had a night planned with Zak at the Rock climbing place while the girls headed to the rodeo. Rodeo was cancelled but we decided to go on with our girls night and go to dinner.  The boys loved rock climbing, dinner at Whataburger (their pick), and snowcones.

Panic definitely set in this week. When they closed the Rodeo down I think people believed it was REAL.  

On Sunday, I went up to see mom.  Her home hadn't been shut down yet.  I went back and forth on going or not but I went and I'm so glad I did.  That night, they shut down to all visitors.  While I know its the right thing to do, it still hurts and I still worry.