April 3rd, 2020

Zoom meetings...
Preschool, 4th grade, 5th grade, high school, zumba...  a month ago I had never heard of Zoom now we use it daily to connect with teachers and classmates.

April 2nd, 2010

Follow up visit at the doctor today. Yet another reminder of how much life has changed in the last few week . ...

All looked well. 

April 1st, 2020

April fools day...
Somedays it feels like we are living an april fools joke.

These two took their classes outside today.

Loving our new porch. 

March 31st, 2029

2nd day of distance learning went much better...

T-shirts to commemorate  shelter in place and covid-19.

And today this one is 10 years, 10 months, and 10 days old...

March 30th, 2020

1st day of distance learning....

Totally  how I felt today.

March 29th, 2020

No longer know what day of the week it is.
Highlight of day getting take out from McDonalds.
A lot of cleaning and organizing has been happening.
Weather has been amazing, sunny and warmer.  So grateful that this is happening now and not January.  Being able to get outside each day has helped so much. 

March 28th, 2020

Movie this afternoon was Birds of Prey.
We also turned one window into a stained glass masterpiece using painter's tape and washable paint.  Had some fun with Google search... animals in 3D

March 27th, 2020

At midnight today shelter in place begins.
No unnecceary travel.  You can be outdoors but need to keep your distance from others.   No gatherings of more than 5 people.  Driving through town it is empty and quiet.  Parking lots that were always full are not.
We put a few bears in our window so kids and families out for walks could go on a  bear hunt.  A favorite book in our house. We have seen a few bears in windows when we have been out too.

March 26th, 2020

Yesterday the order for non essential business to remain closed was extended to May 1st.   I had to cut pedros hair because hair salons are considered non essential.
The library is closed, churches,  many businesses.   Restraunts are open but drive through or take out only.  Bank drive through are open but lobbies are closed.
Gas stations are open but there are taped lines to keep people 6 feet apart.
We are adjusting to all the changes and life in this  socially distancing world we now live in.  This illness is spreading quickly,  staying home to protect others just makes sense.  

March 25th, 2020

Trial run of distance learning today.
It did not go well...
Discovered many apps are not compatible with all devices.  It all felt overwhelming and everyone was quite frustrated.
We will get this sorted out...
Change is not always smooth.

March 24th, 2020

Reyna and Pedro both have journals sent home from school. They are suppose to write in them every day.  The note sent  with them said they are now  historians  and that years from now they will be sharing stories with their families about what life was like living during the covid-19 pandemic.

It's been challenging to get pedro to write.  I accidentally stumbled on a way to get him to document something each day.  We check the covid-19 dashboard it's a website updated several times a day with data about number of cases, death, and recoveries. Pedro has been documenting the data for minnesota each day.
We started doing zumba with beckie through zoom.  Kids zumba in the morning for adults in the evening.

March 23rd, 2020

Its monday
Actually remembering what day it is has become a challenge.
Toilet paper and hand sanitizer continue to be hard to find.  Seeing store shelves empty is very strange. We live in an age of abundance.  It actually is easy to stay home right now. Being out even briefly to buy groceries is filled with so much heavy energy from others.  Such a sense of worry and fear from so many people.
Appreciating the meals being delivered by the school.  Pedro saw joe today (his bus driver) it certainly lifted  Pedro's spirits.  He has missed these every day connections. 

March 22nd, 2020

First sunday of stay at home church.  We all gathered in the daycare room to watch the live stream of our church service.
Reyna thought it was great that she could eat her breakfast while attending church.  

March 21st 2020

First family home theater day.
Saturday at 1pm
Watched Onward
Complete with popcorn and movie theater candy boxes.
Before stay home life we would often go to movie matinees on the weekend.  Today we added Saturday movies at 1 to our very empty calendar.  It felt good to have some se se of normal.

March 20th,2020

Life has been bumpy this week for pedro.
Change in his routine and schedules always comes out sideways. 
Each kid has handled this stay at home life in different ways.
Anthony has just rolled with it. 
Yahaira is struggling with the not being able to see her friends. She is my most social child.
Rosie has always preferred home.  She connects through facetime with her friends.
Pedro misses his class and teacher. Escalated behaviours and all sorts of melt downs.
Reyna misses her teacher and friends.
I keep trying to maintain some sense of normal during this time when everyday brings new changes.

March 19th, 2020

Surgery day
I was a little worried, but as soon as we arrived at the hospital it calmed. There was so much extra measures in place.  Reyna had to be there at 9 she went back for surgery at 10 and was done before 10:30.  We left the hospital by 11:20. Home by 12:30.  So grateful that Beckie came to help with daycare.  Reyna was sleepy, but pain was well managed.  She handled this surgery like a pro. 

March 18th, 2020

Daycare numbers are decreasing as more families are choosing to work from home.
For now families will continue to pay whether they are here or not.  Which  is how my contract addresses absent days. 
Will re-evaluate if this continues beyond March  27th.
Phone  call today, clinic wants to move Reynas surgery scheduled for March 25th to tomorrow.  Deep breathe.  Mayo systems is cancelling all elective surgeries beginning  March march 23rd.  Reynas doctor wants to get her in otherwise we will have to wait 8 weeks.  Surgery tomorrow it is.

March 17th

Happy St. Patrick's Day.
This much anticipated holiday by the youngest members of the house was overshadowed this year by Covid-19.
Basically mom didn't get a whole lot of leprechaun antics accomplished.  Turning the milk  green was all that happened.  It was also the last day of school.
So much change.
Sadness.
Worry at the unknowns.
We will be fine. There is peace in knowing we are together, home, and safe.

March 16th

Today was possibly his last day of his senior year.  He received all the information needed from each class today so I gave him the option of not going to school on Tuesday.  He jokingly called it his Senior skip day.  As I write this a few weeks later it is far more real that he won't be returning to school and instead will complete his senior year through distance learning.

Dusting this blog off

Life right now is filled with a lot of change, uncertainty, unknowns.  It feels overwhelming at times. 
I want to document through pictures how we are doing life amid Covid-19.
January 20, 2020 1st case in United states
March 6th, 2020, 1st case in Minnesota
Match 30th, 2020 1st case in watonwan county.

Picture is from March 17th, 2020.  The last day of school.   Reyna had to empty her desk, cubby and locker.   It was a sad day for her and too much of a reality check for me.