Wordless Wednesday

Between computer issues and being back to work plus subbing, it's hard to remember to get this done. I'm working at the preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I've taken over a classroom for a teacher who was having surgery and decided to take the rest of the year off. I'm subbing in the kids' school district on Mondays and Fridays. Then Wednesdays are our days at home distance learning. Which are now my favorite day of the week since it's just one day! Distance learning 5 days a week was a super duper struggle, but one day is a nice break during the week and I enjoy the extra time with the kids. Now that Elise has experienced in-person school, she appreciates school at home and behaves so well. It's a breeze.

The kids built a play place for the hamsters. You can tell which one is more active. Katie's side has stuff to play on and a maze. Lil Cutie's had just a couple things.

Elise's first friend birthday party in over a year, outside at a playground. She wanted to wear her mask and just took it off for pictures and then to run around for a while at the end of the party.

Playing at the Gathering Place for the birthday party.

They love weekends because we don't let them sleep together on school nights.

I love it when Elise wants to go fishing, reading time for me!

Sleeping snuggled up to his book and his dog.

I was unloading the car and walked in to see this.

Elise was so excited Skippy didn't run away and let her pet him!

I went to watch one of my past 1st grade students run at his middle school conference track meet.

His mom made this comparison from when he watched me run a 5k to me watching him run at a track meet.

Elise threw up the night before so we were home the next day. Tesla was thrilled!

I had the window cracked and Tesla stood on the button to roll it down all the way.

Ready to run the kids' Virtual Fun Run.

Elise wanted to hold my hand as we ran.

Telsa hanging out with me while I did yoga in the backyard.

We ran/walked the first half-mile but the kids decided it was too hot and wanted to walk home.

Ty working on the kitchen to prepare for our remodel.

4-wheeler ride with Audrey!

4-wheeler ride with Audrey!

They got to collect their own eggs and were super excited about it!

Carter's haul.

They got to hold her new chicks.

Easter 2021

Easter this year was a little bit more back to normal than last year. My mom, Ty, and I all got our 2nd dose of the Pfizer vaccine the Friday before Easter. Everyone else had gotten their first dose, except the kids. I was exhausted on Saturday and did a few things but ended up laying around, napping, and resting most of the day. Luckily Ty had no side effects from the vaccine and was able to take care of things. I felt somewhat better by the evening so we dyed eggs together then. I was a bit bummed I missed out on the cascarones making. Carter's teachers made cascarones with them in class and he really wanted to make them at home so Ty helped the kids make some on Saturday. You take the yolk and egg white out of the shell through a small hole in the top. Then you wash out the shells and let them dry. Once they are dry you fill them with confetti and then glue tissue paper over the hole. Breaking one over someone's head is supposed to be good luck.

Sunday morning the kids were super excited to see their Easter baskets from the Easter Bunny and enjoyed an indoor egg hunt left by the Easter Bunny. Carter wrote a note to the Easter Bunny and was excited to see the responses she left. The kids took a bath while I headed out for a run and when I got back they put on their special Easter outfits. Mom and Dad came after lunch and we did some egg hunts with them. We each had a specific color egg and they'd hide one egg for each of us. Whoever found their egg first got a prize. The kids also had fun using their cascarones with everyone. Carter played with his new Mario Legos with Oma. Elise wanted to ride her bike with Oma and Opa but told Opa not to let go so he just ran along with her the whole time. The following day she wanted me to do it with her and I just let go and didn't tell her. She didn't ever realize she was riding on her own and there was no going back after that!

We had a ham dinner with cherries, cheesy potatoes, green beans, deviled eggs, pineapple salad, and home made bread. It was so delicious! We hung out in the backyard wearing masks. When we ate we each had our own separate table. The kids decided to put their table up in the fort so they wouldn't have to worry about the dogs trying to get to their food. I especially enjoyed the food because the day before one of my side effects of the vaccine was feeling nauseous so I didn't eat much. I was super hungry for Easter dinner!

It's so nice that the vaccine is allowing us to get a bit back to normal. It was fun seeing my family this year! Last year we were on our own for Easter which felt a little weird. We dropped Easter baskets with goodies off on Jeremy and Thomas' porches. We just missed seeing Rocky and Leina. Once Rocky is fully vaccinated, we look forward to getting to see them. With the kids in school and us living far enough apart a day visit is a bit of a stretch, we haven't gotten to see them as much as we'd like. Though we did get to combine Elise's birthday with Easter when we saw them in March at a "half way" point with is really about 1.5 hours for us and 2.5 for them. Read about past Easters here: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013.