Quarantine: Week 3

This week was our Spring Break. We were supposed to be in Palm Springs. Wah. We actually had a pretty great week anyway. Rob stepped away from work even though we didn't go anywhere. We sat in the hot tub a minimum of 2 times a day.



Thankfully we had some pretty nice weather here! Don't worry, the kids got plenty of screen time.



In true Marlo fashion, she spent a couple days making over 50 paper airplanes that she got Rob to throw off the deck with her.








Many of the mornings, Rob took one of the kids on a bike ride with him while he ran.







Marlo made her own lunch.


Kasper did tae kwon do over Zoom and loved it.


Lois would've turned 15 on April 1. We miss her.


Nighttime hot tub hangs.


Lots of walks in the woods.



I'm self isolating appropriately and started a sourdough culture and watch the Tiger King. I also smoked some salmon.



Marlo liked to wear Rob's robe for some reason.


We got to the home haircut portion of self isolation.


Kasper keeps in touch with friends.


Hope everyone had a great weekend! Tomorrow we start distance learning! Fingers crossed!

Quarantine Week 2

We finished week 2 of self isolation/quarantine/whatever we're calling it. If the first week was a surreal honeymoon week, this second week was more of an emotional "how is this going to be our new normal" week. School closures have been extended to May 4 at the earliest and MN started a "shelter at home" order Saturday for 2 weeks. This week is the kids' Spring Break so we can't even start distance learning until next week which is painful. BUT, we have a safe, warm place to live with plenty of food and good WiFi. We'll get through it.

We kept (mostly) to our schedule. Morning walk was Marlo's favorite.


After I ordered flour online we did some baking including cookies and these awesome pretzels.


Rob joined us for a walk one morning and we got pretty ambitious.



We found some neat ice!



Rob and Marlo finally took down the Christmas lights.


Another morning walk. It was pretty nice a couple days this week!



Marlo got to do a Google hangout session with her teacher and class! Distance learning is going to be a challenge for this Kindergartner.


We bought a hot tub a couple months ago but were waiting until the ground thawed to do some landscaping and lay a new cement pad before getting it delivered. The shelter in place order prompted us to push up the delivery and somehow the stars all aligned for instant delivery, our basement contractor making a base to account for our very unlevel slab and awesome electricians to run proper wiring all in 2 days. It was our gift to ourselves to enjoy these weeks/months at home and the cancellation of our Spring Break this week.


Hopefully this will light a bigger fire under us to get the backyard more functional and beautiful. This is the first spring we've had where the backyard isn't COVERED in dog poop. There have been some perks to being dog free but I think about her a lot being home all day long. Lois would've LOVED us all being home all the time.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and is staying healthy and taking care of one another!

Week 1

Week 1 of social distancing, self-quarantine, whatever you want to call it - DONE!

The week was fine. We made a schedule first thing Monday morning and followed it pretty faithfully all week. Our kids love a schedule and a routine so a schedule is what works best for us.


It was a challenge all being together all day long. Rob started upstairs but ended up moving into the basement. Which has been completely torn up for the most part.



Legos have been HUGE for passing the time.


We also do some writing practice - making books or working on some of the worksheets teachers had sent home.



We got outside as much as we could but it was kind of crummy weather this week!



On a really rainy day we got creative with our exercise.


Kasper had a Zoom date with his buddies Friday. This is what really made me sad - the kids might not see another kid in person for weeks. They are both so social and love school. I know it's hard on them.


Rob and I spent a large majority of the weekend painting the basement ceiling and walls. It's a big job! The kids got out for a long bike ride today but mostly spent the weekend on screens and with Legos. It's important that we all get some breaks after constant together time.




Of course Marlo "helped" Rob while he was working downstairs. Masks were because of the drywall mud dust being kicked up.





Painting on the wall before it gets covered up.






Here we go week 2. Maybe the homeschool curriculum will touch on Van Gogh's little-known Eden Prairie period? Hope everyone had a great weekend and is safe and healthy!