covid19- week 10

we got to see meme! she came over for a few hours last saturday afternoon & the girls, not having seen her since march 10 or having had anyone in the house in as long, had about one million things to show & tell. she made me whipped coffee & made us all long to get back to seeing our family & friends again. the visit was too short and there were a ton of tears shed when she left.

this week brought the last days of 1st grade for lucy, kindergarten for eloise & betsy's 1st year of preschool. relieved is an understatement. i'm so ready to just have my girls home, enjoying free time together. it's been a wild, confusing and emotional 2.5 months, and we need time to decompress, process and be. businesses are slowly beginning to open up as the state of kansas works through the phases set by the governor, but playgrounds, pools and the rec center [our summer favorites] haven't yet made the cut. even as places begin to open, we have the emotional struggle of how to handle these situations best for our family- we can't live in a bubble and we all need to see our people and be out in our community... but by risking what? we continue to take life and these decisions one day at a time, as the waters are unknown and our world and its guidelines continue to be ever-changing. we were able to continue our fruit-picking tradition that great gramma helen began, and i have never seen the girls so excited for an outing! we all had a really fun afternoon that was so needed.

here's to a summer of nostalgia. focusing on our priorities and the little things that make life big. and in less than one week- our middle sister turns S I X! we cannot wait to celebrate that extra special girl. 

xoxo, 

-ivy

covid19- week 9

this week brought mother's day, socially distanced. we spent saturday preparing meals for our moms & ms shirley, then loved getting to make porch deliveries with 6ft apart conversations and lots of little girl giggles. jon is always so thoughtful on mother's day and i usually take the day "off", spending it with my mom in conversation and time together. this year, i took the morning to exercise solo, and the afternoon for a target pick-up and the coffee drive-thru. by myself! then i spent the evening going on a walk with each of the girls by themselves. that one on one time is so so good for the soul. for this year's untraditional celebration, it was definitely a nice, needed recharge.

like us, my mom has been self-isolating since mid-march, so after discussing with my physician sister, we are so excited to have meme over for dinner this weekend! we want to keep her safe from transmission, and feel now is a safer time to gather than in a month when some activities are likely to have resumed in some capacity. we're navigating a whole new world, and are truly learning to take it day to day. living in the present and being more thankful than ever for the simple gifts in life is the silver lining to our new normal. 

xoxo, 

-ivy

covid19- week 8

in our 8th week at home, we continue to do loads of reading for lucy and eloise [lucy started a sweet valley book last night in bed and woke up early to finish it in bed this morning... she's getting lost in these books and it's been one of the biggest blessings of this time for her], journaling, drawing, walks/bike & scooter rides, barbies [play schemes with the dolls, watching the show, playing on the app... it's a favorite for all 3 girls] & squeezing in dance classes in-between school work and playtime. for now, the girls' dance recital has been moved from the end of may to the end of august. i'm honestly not sure what the summer will actually bring, but i'm hopeful for a safe return to small gatherings, easier grocery runs, some swimming and possibly a small camp or 2 in late july. i love spending time with my family more than anything... and also love our life of errands, school, family & friends and less regulation of the freedoms we've taken for granted. 

eloise turns 6 this month [!!!] and we're all so looking forward to a few days at the lake for a change of scenery and celebrating on the water! 

a socially-distant teacher appreciation for mrs conard- the girls were all just beyond to get to see a few school friends for a bit!

3 ring circus- i love em :)

xoxo, 

-ivy

covid19- week 7

week 7! this is insanity. today marks day 51 our family has been in quarantine, with the at-home order just being extended until at least may 10. we had a good week, with lots of gratitude feels for our health. we do not take it for granted. there are so many who are hurting right now, whether directly from covid, or as an indirect result, and they're constantly in our hearts, minds and prayers. we're doing our best to make the most of each day, which sometimes comes easy and other days is more difficult with the scare of the unknown. we're missing our people and so much of our routines that we love, but i'm certain we're living lives with more grounded eyes and bigger hearts for others. 

4pm sprinkle pancakes with the music turned up!

caught-

lots of redneck hours, running around in the yard sprinkler-

jazz class zoom with miss annie!

kona came to our street!

homemade disney dole whips-

working on those center spilts-

worm & rollie pollie enthusiast-

lu the bow designer-

and avid reader... she's averaging one of these per day!

guess who with miss mcbride-

and the sweetest text exchange with mrs conard- lucy's been recording herself reading to her teacher [mrs conard's idea because i'm the meanest mom ever and won't let my girls start a youtube channel]-

may 1 was a memorable one! we delivered may day baskets to our school teachers, grandparents and neighbor friends, only to discover may day baskets on our own porch from both miss mcbride and mrs conard! our holy trinity community is a true gift to our family. 

we're on the countdown to summer break- less screen time, fewer zoom calls, no more google classroom [if only for 3 months time!], and fingers crossed tight for time with friends and family!

xoxo,

-ivy