10th anniversary & Philips 37th bday

Celebrating in quarantine is different. When we told the kids it was our anniversary they were so excited because they thought that meant they got a babysitter that night. Wouldn’t that have been wonderful! While there was no going out to celebrate and reminisce, we did make the best of it! 

We ordered Carsons (one of our fav restaurants) and while we set up our spread on the kitchen table, the kids asked if they could eat on the porch. What a fantastic idea! So philip and i had a nice dinner while our kids had an adventure dinner on the porch. 

Ten years is tin / diamonds so staying true to ourselves, i got Philip tin (cheap) and he went with the diamond (not so cheap). So my measly tin bottle opener / keychain with a 2010 dime and some engraving, pales in comparison to the beautiful necklace. This is the story of our relationship though, so appropriate:) 

 

Philip worked the night before and the night of his birthday, so we had very limited time to celebrate. But we made the most of it! We decorated the garage for when he got home this morning, and taped streamers to the basement door (where he comes up after showering). We had lots of fun presents from each of us.

After he woke up we celebrated with gifts from his mom and brother, ordered his favorite pizza and ate the cake the kids and i made him:) 

Once he got to work he had a cake waiting for him that i had delivered from a local bakery. His coworkers helped me by decorating the break room and singing to him. :) 

Overall it was a fun and festive week. And while we didn’t celebrate the way we traditionally do (we did miss seeing family so much) , it was special nonetheless. 

Quarantine Chronicles

We are on day 33 of quarantine. We passed the month mark and we have all survived. Life is definitely different, and we miss our family so much. I think thats the hardest part. 

Some positives from this whole thing: 

• We eat at least 2 meals at the kitchen table together every day, taking turns saying the prayer each meal. 
• My kids are (for the most part) bonding in a way that wouldn't have happened if we weren't isolated. Yes, they fight, but they are also playing together, sharing, and taking care of each other. 
• Our neighbors and friends have been so incredibly thoughtful to us. We have received so many crafts from out 16 year old neighbor, so many desserts from 4 different neighbors, and one neighbor is working closely with Philip and made an intubation box for him to use at work. 
• my kids have gotten mail from lots of family and love opening their letters. Uncle Gary sent her a whole page of math problems to complete and send back to him. 
• I am learning that the Lord is sovereign and that His ways are not my ways, but that we can trust that His ways are perfect. 

Now, a few not so positive things:

• I am running a full service restaurant over here, feeding people 3 meals a day PLUS at least 4 snacks.
• I miss Mrs. Silvia. 
• Philip is still going to work. a lot. between clinical shifts and his new role as "medical director of pandemic crises", it leaves me and the kids here alone a lot. and that's hard in a lot of ways. 
• We miss our family. My kids ask daily when they get to go to NannyPops. They miss their cousins. I miss them all. 
• NTI work. Ainsley has so much work to do for school each day. Each day I send pics of the reading worksheets to mom, then Ainsley FaceTimes her and they do those together. The math and Spanish fall on me and lets just say Ainsley and I don't do well as teacher/student. 

Here are some pics of things we have done during quarantine.

I froze an ice block with various trinkets in it and we let them dig/smash them out. 

Ainsley learned how to ride a big girl bike! 

She lost two teeth in one day. Thanks to LEGOs. 

Her FaceTiming Nanny Pop, which happens frequently. 

We had some fun with the drones and Uncle Bri and Aunt Lindsay. They sent the kids a letter! Then we sent them one back. This was super fun. 

Art work thanks to Aunt Rachel. 

Car picnics have become a thing for us. gets us out of the house, change of scenery. 

Parker working hard on writing his name. 

Walks. Lots and lots of walks. Well, when it isn't snowing. I should have added SNOW to my list of negatives. 

Cupcakes from the neighbors! 

This playset has been such a blessing. 

Crafts from a crafting studio. 

Mermaid hair!!!! 

alllll the tattoos thanks to Gramma Joy:) 

Easter looked a lot different this year. Both kids were like "wait we're not going to nanny and pops to dye eggs with Anna beth and Amelia??" I love that they have those memories, but it still made me sad. 

My parents came up after the kids went to sleep and hid eggs all over the back yard. The kids were so excited to go egg hunting, each having 14 eggs of a certain color to find. 

Ainsleys school did a car parade around various neighborhoods. I wasn't prepared for how emotional it was going to make me. I love her teachers this year, they are so special, and I am so sad that she isn't getting to experience them more. 

FaceTiming her cousins. 

Dancing in the Rain. 

Looks like we might not even be halfway through this quarantine. But just trying to focus on one day at a time. and praying the weather warms up because it is so hard when we can't get outside. 

BUT we know sunny days are coming soon!