Could It Be That...

This social distancing is keeping us too busy?

With all kids home from school, all classes have moved to online platforms and there is a new plethora of free online educational goodies.

Before, we typically weren't bored and there many days where I struggled to fit everything into our day. Trying to add in all our virtual classes, lunch doodles, zoo safaris, pop-up classes, and get our regular school work done is actually making me a little crazy!

So we are continuing on, with plenty to keep us busy, and only missing our normal a little bit.

Here are the boys at "music" class:

and story time:

Here's just being silly:

Hanging around:

Building:

and doing school:

Playing outside:

Our rainbow of support:

A Taste of Spring

I could have stood out in the driveway watching the kids play "survivor" and basking in the sun for hours today. I probably stayed out at least an hour. It was the kind of day, after the winter we've had- especially with three weeks of being sick- that we so needed... and that makes me itch for spring. I love having the kids home with me because they were able to enjoy the day instead of sitting at a desk watching it out the window. They played outside before lunch and then after finishing a little school, spent the whole afternoon outside. It was so good for them!

Sadly, looking forward to cold rain, then snow, then temperatures back below freezing. But I will take our little break and remember it when we are shivering next weekend!

 

Week Three of The Winter Sickness

LittleL.G. finally got over the flu, after a week of being sick. Of course, just at the tail end of her illness, both the boys came down with a bad cold and fever. And since little noses are very boogery and little hands touch everything- especially Mommy faces- I came down with it as well. While it may not have been the flu, it was certainly the worst I've felt in a long while.

Gram came to the rescue, as usual. I am so lucky to have her! She came to collect the girls for a "just girls" sleep over at her house. It had been in the works but getting sick threw it off course. It seemed a little crazy to send LittleL.G. since she had been so sick for so long. The deciding factor was realizing none of their friends would want to see them anyway because they were afraid of our germs. So off they went to spend the weekend with Gram and Grumpy.

I moped around the house feeling icky while Daddy tried to keep the little guys from following me everywhere. While these little monsters appear to be cute and cuddly and adorable...

They are definitely a lot of work. Especially without the girls around. Especially when they do things like this:

We survived the weekend but when it came time to face the week solo with just the boys (no big sisters to help care for or entertain them) and I was still feeling terrible and somehow we had to get the girls home, I decided to just hop in the car and drive us to NH where at least the boys could play with the girls and my mom could take care of me. Isn't that all anyone wants when they are sick? Is for your mom to take care of you?

It was definitely the right decision! The kids were so excited to see each other. By the time we got there the boys were much improved and I got a little bit of a break. 

By Wednesday I was feeling well enough that we were able to do a few fun things while we were there like take tubes to the sledding hill and spend the afternoon at the trampoline park. 

Now, back home... to keep getting well and get back in the swing of things!

It Happens Every Year...

This year, we escaped the dreaded January sicknesses, only to have it catch up to us as we rolled into February.

Usually one of the kids starts it, but this year, it started with Daddy. We passed a stomach bug around and LittleL.G. started with a terrible cold and sore throat.

Poor kids spent all day Wednesday cuddled up together on the couch. They were so adorable, but I was just picturing their different germs crawling to each other...

Kids bounce back quickly, so SlimJim was back to himself yesterday, playing with Mr.T. who somehow managed to escape the illnesses. MiniM.E. never really got either germ, but needed a low key day. LittleL.G. woke up worse than the day before with a stomach ache. We thought she was next and had the stomach bug on top, but turns out it's the flu.

What a warm welcome to February. Looks like we are in for a couple low key weeks of recovery.

Lake George Winter Carnival

Today we ventured up to Lake George for their annual Winter Carnival. We've been in the past, and while we've never stayed the whole day, the fireworks are definitely worth going up for, primarily because the snow muffles the noise and we don't have to worry about hunting for the earmuffs! All the kids activities run 12-3 and we didn't arrive until 3:30. We were able to see the parade, which SlimJim loved, comprised mostly of trucks, firetrucks and more trucks. We ventured out on the ice and slid on the slippery spots. The kids were having sliding contests and even Daddy and I were enjoying ourselves until the loudspeaker barked that the ice wasn't safe. We booked it to shore with 90% of the other ice walkers and proceeded to walk around a bit on solid ground. The kids burnt some marshmallows, saw the bonfire, and waited anxiously for the fireworks while complaining of being cold.

They were worth the wait, but my plan for next year is to do the winter carnival activities one weekend, and go just for the fireworks another.