covid19- week 3

this week brought a bit more structure as we're settling into what's quickly become our new normal. the initial shock of it all has worn off a bit, so jon & i are able to sleep better and wake up with better attitudes despite how scary the prognosis outside the walls of our home is. i'm back to my typical waking up before the kids, and i've realized that getting my workout in before they're awake is key to being as present as possible with them throughout the day. i knew that with online school starting (& dance, too), i'd need to be more available to be "on", especially right when they wake up and for those first few hours of the day. they love waking up and getting dressed on their own, and we get our schooling done in the mornings after breakfast. honestly, the girls love the schoolwork part of their days! lucy and eloise are both bookworms, love a challenge, and math is their jam- a huge blessing to me! their school has done an outstanding job of bridging this gap for families, and it makes me cry just thinking about the love and support we feel from our principal, their individual classroom teachers, and even the specials and resource teachers, providing daily supplemental activities that i leave up to the girls if they'd like to complete (seeing eloise do her typing class was pretty sweet the other day!) they're working on the stations of the cross in religion, which has led to many meaningful conversations each day. their principal posts morning and afternoon announcements, and each of their classroom teachers posts a morning circle where they talk about the day, and mrs conard reads a chapter of junie b to the kids. our afternoons are filled with journaling, facetiming grandparents and friends- reading to meme & gmom has become a favorite for the older girls as they work to complete the reading challenge (still hoping to earn an lol doll!) i made for them at the beginning of this whole stay-at-home thing. they're taking their dance classes, and we do our daily walks & bike rides. we've been blessed with some dreamy windows-open days! we tune in for miss mcbride's nightly bedtime stories, and both big girls have weekly zoom meetings with their classmates. it's a bizarre thing, knowing we're all in this together. the grief is different. but ultimately, i'm so thankful for our health, the information and education we have on the virus, and our ability to comfortably stay home and safe. 
having 3 built-in-besties running around this house really is a dream come true.
these memories will last a lifetime, no doubt. 

you know it's a global pandemic when jon asks me to cut his hair-

my very professional school signage-

yes, eloise has her schoolbox from her kindergarten teacher, yet she chose to make her own variety-

lucy devoured this book in less than ONE day.

to another week of continuing to do our part in flattening the curve-

xoxo, 

-ivy

covid19- week 2

it's been an emotional week- more so for jon & me than for the girls. in a matter of hours, everything in our lives, in our world, with the exception of our own family's health, turned upside down. we've been living in physical distance from everyone outside of our immediate family since march 14- fifteen days. there's no definitive end in sight, so many exciting things that we've been looking forward to are no longer, and monday starts school & dance curriculum online for the girls. all of our essential groceries are being delivered, but getting a time slot for grocery delivery takes several days. when the groceries and amazon packages arrive, we spend an insane amount of time in gloves, cloroxing packaging and washing food. everyday little luxuries like running to the store to grab fresh fruit aren't currently a part of our lives, and oh my goodness do i miss going to the gym! i've started running, which has never been a favorite of mine, but it allows me the chance to zone out and grasp at normal again for a little bit. jon's job is constant interactions with clients, and while he's doing what he can via technology, it's not at all what fuels his fire. on the flip side, the girls have gotten more time outside to ride their bikes & dig in the dirt than they've gotten in as long as i can remember! they're blessed with free time to create and play. we've had some of the most spectacular sunshine & weather, windows open and nowhere to be. the world, not long ago feeling so divided, is coming together in beautiful, tender ways. it's a crazy time to be alive... and we're safe at home- the best place to be. 

miss mcbride reads her class a bedtime story through facebook live every school night- the girls look forward to this time all day!

roadside wildflowers picked by e-

one can never have too many bubble wands- hours of "bubble shows" & entertainment!

we're doing lots of reading & the girls hope to each earn an LOL doll when they complete their daily challenges :)

bea flies through the hood on her barbie trike multiple times per day- she has a particular hill she goes so fast on, legs straight out on either side of her little body. she's fearless. 

the most random games have been created each day for entertainment-

rock painting for the neighborhood rock scavenger hunt-

zooming with her classmates- she was dressed and ready hours in advance! miss mcbride has blown us away with her continued love and presence. 

lots of journaling each day- they're being saved with the girls' baby books. 

pizza & oven s'mores in the driveway! any time we don't have to clean the kitchen... again... is a happy time!

dog walker extraordinaire- charlie is living his best life in quarantine ;)

letters to gramma, also quarantined in hillsville, virginia-

and another gem from miss mcbride. we cannot wait to hug these dear classmates again!

onward. to another week. with my family. at home :) prayers for health, and prayers of deep gratitude for those on the frontlines, including auntie amy & uncle brian, who suit up to help their patients, the grocery shoppers & clerks, truck drivers, restaurant take-out workers, mail carriers. and so many others. 

xoxo,

-ivy

covid19

we are "socially distanced" for the foreseeable future, as the world navigates this global pandemic. today marks one week. we haven't seen or physically interacted with anyone outside of a 6 feet radius since last friday, march 13. school has been cancelled for the remainder of the year, and we are figuring out online instructional dance. we'll start school work in another week or so, but until then, as jon works from home and we all adjust to this new normal, we're keeping ourselves responsibly occupied, choosing to be intentional in our time together and with the little, simple, beautiful things of life, and praying for medical interventions and miracles. 

from eloise's kindergarten teacher- oh, how we look forward to the day we can see our family members, friends, classmates & teachers, without worry, again!

xoxo, 

-ivy