Today marks the beginning of the seventh week of our COVID19 Quarantine. The longer this has gone on, the more we really have settled into a new routine. Some days it is hard to remember what it was like before all of this. Has this happened with any of you?
During the first few weeks, I had a lot of anxiety because there was just so much unknown in addition to the anticipation of what things would look like, both locally and globally.
While there is still a lot of things we don’t know, it feels easier in some sense that things have settled into a bit of predictability again, even if this all would have been almost unrecognizable a few months ago.
Mental Health Struggles
(image from @stacieswift)
I have definitely been quieter on social media lately and I miss it. While I am glad my worries have died down a bit, a sense of sadness and feeling pretty down has settled in, which has been challenging in a different way.
I have been feeling pretty tired lately (and getting plenty of sleep) and it takes me a long time to do the simplest things (like writing this blog post for instance). My capacity for a lot of things just seems lower in general. I know some of this is just because we are juggling a lot right now with the kids but I also know myself and this is a sign that for me, I am feeling a little depressed.
This is something I am super aware of as this is something I deal with, but I also think it’s important to talk about it. Sometimes it feels easier to share AFTER, when things feel easier.
Right now I feel vulnerable because I am having a bit of a hard time, but I also know things are challenging for most everyone in different ways and I very much recognize all the things I have in my life that both help and support me.
Spring Break…
This past week was our school district’s “spring break” which meant we took a brief hiatus from our remote learning/school at home. We actually were planning on going on our first overseas trip with our kids and our close family friends. We were headed to Italy which was a trip we have been planning and anticipating for a few years now. It was obviously disappointing to delay this trip but we look forward to replanning this visit, hopefully in the not too distant future…
So anyway, when talking about what we wanted this week to look like during a time of so many restrictions, the boys and I made it a goal to go on a local outdoor adventure each day. We are lucky to live in an area where we have plenty of space to roam and I know how fortunate we are to have this, especially during this quarantine.
Raven Ridge:
While some of our local hiking trails are currently closed (like Raven Ridge), we did find quite a few places that were still open to visitors. We were bummed that we couldn’t fully check out Raven Ridge but we are hoping to make it back, maybe later this summer?
Bristol Falls:
On our first day, we visited Bristol Falls. It was a chilly morning and was hard to imagine that people will be swimming here in just a couple of months.
Mud Pond in Williston…
We visited Mud Pond in Williston which was a great place to explore and do some bird watching. Flynn wanted to rename it “Woodpecker Valley” because of how many woodpeckers we saw (and heard!)
LaPlatte Nature Trails in Shelburne…
Our favorite outing of the week was the Laplatte Trails that we accessed behind the Shelburne Supermarket. Our friends visited it the day before and told us about the Troll Bridge which I had never even heard of before!
Dirt Road Life
In addition, we have really been loving all the dirt roads surrounding us. They have made the perfect place to walk. While my car hasn’t gotten a lot of mileage lately, my sneakers certainly have.
All The Biking…
With the lack of car traffic, it has been a great time to practice biking on “the real road” for the kids. It has also been a fantastic way to get a “break” because they zoom way ahead.
Electronics Overload
While we had plenty of time outside, there has also been considerable time spent on electronics! It’s been hard to find a good balance and they are definitely using them much more than usual…
Sports during Quarantine…
Sometimes the kids do creative things and sometimes they watch way too much TV. I was amused when I found Parker deeply invested in watching random people playing Madden on ESPN, LOL. With two huge sports lovers in our family, the loss has been huge for them! We watched part of the Football Draft last week and I don’t think I have seen them that happy since the beginning of March.
Adult Conversation
While we have had many fun adventures, this has NOT been easy. My patience wears thin quite quickly lately and there has been plenty of bickering and tears in our home from both the kids and us. It has been particularly challenging to be a constant for the kids when we have so many things we are uncertain about.
Social Media Life vs. Real Life
We are all trying our best while also being pulled in very different directions. I am really missing my work (and my identity that comes from that part of my life) while also feeling fortunate that I have the flexibility to be home with the kids right now. It has been years since I have been home fulltime with the kids and it has been an adjustment for us all.
Kristy and I have spent many hours talking about what this year and beyond may look like for our work. I think the hardest part is just not knowing but still wanting to run through ALL the different scenarios. Maybe just because it gives us some sense of control when we have none?!
Lucas’ work is considered essential so he is still working outside our home each day. This has presented some challenges for us but it also has been nice to have a bit of regularity within this time of so much unknown.
Back to my Roots…
While I am not doing photography right now, I have been helping out with our family farm which is what I did when the kids were younger. It has been fun to be a (small) part of it again and help get local food to our friends and neighbors.
This has been such a hard time for so many small businesses and we feel fortunate about how our small community is pulling together and trying to help support one another.
Quarantine Entertainment
We have definitely broken out the game and cards and have been especially enjoying Monopology Junior and Rat-A-Tat-Cat. Like many siblings, the boys have had their struggles with being together 24/7 so we tend to take out the games in the afternoon when their patience with one another is wearing thin.
At Home Haircuts…AKA Traumatizing Your Child
While I really didn’t want to, there came a point where it became necessary to break out the scissors (and hair trimmer) which is something I have never done! It was quite a dramatic endeavor, and let’s just say Flynn can’t wait to see his regular hairstylist again…
Homemade Cloth Face Masks
Like many of us, a few weeks ago I broke out my old sewing machine and tried by hand at making cloth masks. Back in the early 2000s, my college roommates taught me how to sew (and quilt!) It had been many many years since my sewing machine has seen the light of day but I still had all my sewing accessories packed away in our basement.
I ended up using old t-shirts for both the mask fabric and ties and used this wonderful blog post as a guide. I loved that I didn’t need to have access to elastic and all the materials I needed I could find around my house already!
{Face Face Mask with Ties from madeeveryday.com}
While I was pleased with the results, it was a timely endeavor for me because I am not a regular sewer. While I successfully made three masks, my day of sewing resulted in using my seam ripper more times than I would like to admit and relying on youtube videos to remind myself how to thread my sewing machine, ha.
Foot Peels!
While I am not a manicure kind of person, I do miss getting pedicures! And while we may not be able to visit nail salons anytime soon, it is the perfect time for Foot Peel Masks at home! These things are super easy and quite satisfying when all the dead skin on your feet peels off a week later.
It’s also a great time to do them because no one is seeing your feet right now anyway! Social distancing perks! I snagged Kristy’s photo of her recent foot peel because she captured the booties way better than I ever have…
Keeping In Touch…
While I am missing my friends so much, I am so happy that we have facetime, snail-mail, and sharing books to keep us connected. The other day I dropped off books on Kristy’s porch and longingly looked into the windows of our office.
The Best Companion
And there couldn’t be better quarantine companions than pets right now. Buzz has loved all the outside adventures and lazy days around the house. If only the kids like to nap on the couch after our long walks. 😉
The Little Things…
I have been trying to embrace the little pleasures of life and homemade lattes and bubble baths have been great forms of self-care in the midst of the chaos of life at home with kids.
Currently Loving…
Alright, here is another abbreviated format of my “regular” currently loving section of this post…
Currently Enjoying…
That spring really is in the way, but can we skip the snow this week, please? The grass is started to get green and the buds on the trees are appearing!
Currently Reading…
Lots of contemporary fiction and domestic thrillers. I am looking forward to putting together my April reading recap at the end of this week, especially because April has felt approximately 12 weeks long.
Currently Drinking…
Homemade lattes in the afternoon. I have this Nespresso and frother and it has really upped my at-home coffee game. While we still brew a regular pot of coffee in the morning, I love having this treat to look forward to later in the day.
Currently Wearing…
I have been rotating between my Athleta leggings (the salutation ones are my favorite!) and my Old Navy Breathe Joggers for bottoms. All my LLBean pullovers and sweatshirts have been making their appearance and our Skida hats have been perfect for this chilly Vermont spring.
I have been loving my Skechers slip-on sneakers that make feel like you are walking on air (thanks for the recommendation Jess!) I also love that I can throw them in the wash and they look brand new again. I am a women’s size 8.5 and I found that they are true to size.
Currently Appreciating:
All the walks. Not only is it getting us outside and moving our bodies but it has been so helpful with my mental health.
Currently Admiring:
All of our bird visitors. We had to put away our yard feeders because the bears have been out and about at night but we haven’t had any problems with the ones that hang off the side of our screened-in porch. A couple of weeks ago we had our first pileated woodpecker sighting which was just incredible! This isn’t my photo (image is from shutterstock.com) but it looked just like this guy!
I hope you have a good start to your week and know that if you are struggling too, you are not alone. I am so thankful for this space and I am working on making it more of a priority to share here again. <3
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