I have all these activities and websites written down for the boys, and I have a list of things to do around the house for me - paint the window trim, clean out the boys toys, finish knitting my sweater, etc.
But instead, I printed out a coloring book from one of my favorite independent magazines, Taproot. They were kind to offer this for free. They know coloring is relaxing and engages the creative parts of the brain. And so that is what I did on Friday night. I colored. Because I couldnt deal with all this.
I wont lie, its getting to be a bit much. Locked up in your house, the little news I do watch is not good, the boys are climbing the walls to no fault of their own. I didnt accomplish anything I wanted to this weekend. I'll give myself that break, be a little kind to myself.
We did make it out for a walk on Sunday afternoon, but not without complaining. I social distanced myself from their complaints. As always, the fresh air helped. We were in better moods when we got home.
Needed to feel something other than dreary today. I put the galoshes on and took a walk around the yard. I love the feeling of new this time of year. Dont ask me what was planted because I dont remember. I have crocuses literally in every corner of the yard, yet none are flowering. I will be busy digging them up when its warmer to salvage the bulbs and replant.
Oh my garden heart.
I'm currently binging on chocolate chips, drinking coffee in silence. Well not total silence, the birds are up singing. Makes my nature heart happy.
We've been social distancing now for eight days, and homeschooling/working from home for four. Yesterday we hit a boiling point. Between work frustrations and the boys off their normal schedule, I am not surprised Max has a fat lip, courtesy of Theo.
Walgreens was the only place that had laundry detergent. I made everyone go, though they stayed in the car. I return to both boys crying and Max bleeding from his lip. Theo punched him. According to Max, for no reason. According to Theo, Max was making fun.
I will side with Theo on this one, because Max has been blaming Theo for everything. If the sun is in his eyes, its Theo's fault. Cheerios on the floor under Max's seat, Theo.
I felt bad for Max, because Theo has an anger streak, that is triggered when Max teases him. And its completely normal. Siblings make fun of each other. Siblings fight, verbally and physically. This I know. (sorry mom)
After my head popping off and spinning around 100 times, spewing out discipline, both boys spent a couple of hours in their room. There went any kind of schooling for the afternoon. I took a nap, to which I was woken from by the tape dispenser. And voila, I have new wall paper.
I love it. Its what we need. Something cheerful, in this time of chaos. I dont care its taped to the wall, instead of a cork board. I dont care if it ruins the paint. (not that it was a decent paint anyway, stupid cheap ass flipper.) They used their imagination and creativity and I am celebrating that.
We've been social distancing now for eight days, and homeschooling/working from home for four. Yesterday we hit a boiling point. Between work frustrations and the boys off their normal schedule, I am not surprised Max has a fat lip, courtesy of Theo.
Walgreens was the only place that had laundry detergent. I made everyone go, though they stayed in the car. I return to both boys crying and Max bleeding from his lip. Theo punched him. According to Max, for no reason. According to Theo, Max was making fun.
I will side with Theo on this one, because Max has been blaming Theo for everything. If the sun is in his eyes, its Theo's fault. Cheerios on the floor under Max's seat, Theo.
I felt bad for Max, because Theo has an anger streak, that is triggered when Max teases him. And its completely normal. Siblings make fun of each other. Siblings fight, verbally and physically. This I know. (sorry mom)
After my head popping off and spinning around 100 times, spewing out discipline, both boys spent a couple of hours in their room. There went any kind of schooling for the afternoon. I took a nap, to which I was woken from by the tape dispenser. And voila, I have new wall paper.
I love it. Its what we need. Something cheerful, in this time of chaos. I dont care its taped to the wall, instead of a cork board. I dont care if it ruins the paint. (not that it was a decent paint anyway, stupid cheap ass flipper.) They used their imagination and creativity and I am celebrating that.
Thanks to my manager at work who said I should start a blog on the doings in our house during this weird time of national emergency-lock-down-social-distancing. The first six days of the Social Distancing Project we were still going to school and work. Life was still 'normal'.
Its Friday, March 20th. This month has flown by, surprisingly. Not without struggle either. Theo had a big hockey tournament, canceled. Max's swim lessons, canceled. School, canceled. Work from home. We are all out of sorts.
Tuesday night, we had the paramedics here at the house because Max had a gusher of a bloody nose. I couldnt get it to stop bleeding. The non-attending medics just wanted to know if they were taking Max to the hospital. Kept asking me. I kept asking them what did they think, how is Max. It was a complete round-about-who's-on-first crap for a good fifteen minutes. Either step and say he needs further medical attention or not.
Poor Max. He was so worried, kept screaming and saying sorry. So scared. He puked all over the attending medic. (whoops!) Bathroom looked like a war zone after they left. I looked like I murdered someone with blood all over my sweatshirt. I made him take a shower and lay in bed with me. He certainly doesnt like the unknown. He does not do well at all not being able to assess the situation before engaging.
So now we sit here on Friday lunchtime. I am exhausted. Boys need to go outside. And I need laundry detergent.
'til tomorrow ....
Theo was part of a travel-lite hockey team this past season. It gave us an introduction to what a travel team would feel like, and require from the player and the families.
We really enjoyed the team, great people. I just know that for Theo and I, it'll be another year or so before we can commit to that level of hockey. Its hockey all the time. Like All.The.Time. I still have Max and his interests to nurture.
But. The last tournament of the season was on St. Patrick's Day weekend (or the weekend before the day), and it was going to be a really tough tournament for our team, but it was going to be a good experience. Still today, three months later I think about it and my stomach turns from anxiety.
Like most other sports at that time, the tournament was canceled the night before due to Covid-19. Were we surprised? Not really. Were we surprised when we arrived at the rink ready to go? Oh you bet. You see the program director at the rink who runs this travel-lite program didnt think to call our coaches to let us know about the cancellation. And we were to take that little tidbit as, 'typical' and we shouldnt expect anything more than that.
We made the best of it though. Some families came back for stick and puck later in the day. Two hours of ice time for free for the kids. This was the very last time Theo was on the ice. Oh how we miss it. And yet we are good with the break. Really good with the break. Like I said, it was a lot of hockey.
Fingers crossed for a January season!
If I have done anything right as a mother, its was harboring the love for the outdoors in these two. They will go outside without complaints. And stay outside for a while too.