We've been trying to have Clara have 30 minutes of rest time most afternoons, but that doesn't always happen if she's busy doing other things. She had been wanting me to sit with her while she rested in her room. So, one afternoon I had my laptop with me while she asked me every 5 minutes if rest time was done yet. :-)
Last Thursday, I think it was, we were surprised with about 7" of snow. :-/ Clara had some fun out in it at least.
Brynn's PSA. I had bought each of the girls some poster board that they could use to create something and this is what Brynn did with hers.
I think it was Saturday morning I woke up to a very frosty scene.
One of the new puzzles I had bought for Clara.
We were excited for Disney trivia night which was hosted by the Weckerlys.
It was super fun and we even won! Tessa sent us a prize and all, though we haven't opened it yet because it's currently being quarantined. Thank you for organizing it, Tessa!
My pathetic bar and weights. :-( I had called Play-It-Again Sports in town late last week and they had just what I was looking and for a great price. I should have paid for it right away over the phone or something because when I finally made it over there on Saturday, everything was wiped out. I was so bummed because this is the set-up I've been running with for part of one of my exercise classes that we're still trying to do via Zoom in the mornings. One of the girls had a suggestion to put weights in grocery totes and then put that on a broomstick. I guess it's better than nothing. I do have some hand weights that I use as well. It'll be nice to get back to the gym with normal equipment!
On Sunday we became the last family on the planet (it seemed) to get Disney+.
I kept hearing the movie 'Onward' was really good, so that was the first thing we watched on Disney+. It was really good and everyone liked it, though it was a real tearjerker for me.
Afterward we had fun looking up other movies we wanted to watch next. Clara has been wanting to see the original animated Lion King movie and we spied several childhood favs of Dana's and mine.
Clara's opposite trees.
I know many people have really started to get pretty stir-crazy by now, but I am really loving the flexibility of working from home and having more relaxed mornings and evenings. I still don't feel like we have a lot of extra time per se, but I think the girls feel that way. Brynn is loving her new school schedule with having much of her afternoons and Fridays free.
I've really been feeling 'less is more' this past week. We've had less that we have to do, which has given us more time to be together, eat more meals (other than just dinner) together, we've baked and cooked more, spent more time outside and more screen time (the girls' favorite). And with the weather getting nicer again (now that our snow melted...again) and nowhere else to be in evenings, we can be outside and go on walks and such.
I actually almost dread when the time comes that I go back to actually putting on make-up, real clothes and doing my hair for work in the mornings and managing the time it takes to drive places. I've already gotten used to exercising from home, working from home and attending church from our couch. Plus, I get to see the girls all throughout the day.
Last week we received the news that along with the vast majority of salaried North American Case New Holland employees, Dana was being furloughed beginning Monday. I think we each felt different emotions hearing that news, and I'm sure you can guess and understand how Dana felt. To me, this last week has actually really been a blessing in disguise as now there is someone available to be with Clara and do things with her, rather than both of us trying to work during the day and her trying to keep herself busy, but still wanting attention, understandably. Plus, now I have the office to myself, which if I'm being completely honest here, has been pretty nice for me! ;-) The two of them have been working on a lot of projects together including a lot of house cleaning. Another win in my book!
The initial announcement said the furlough is to last for two weeks, though Dana is already anticipating that it will likely go for longer. We're very thankful that in addition to receiving unemployment benefits, Case will supplement up to 70% of Dana's salary.
One of their projects was these book ends for Clara's nightstand to keep the books from falling off the shelf.
I noticed our hearts that we have displayed were projecting their shadows right above my peace lily, Dottie (in remembrance of my grandma).
I couldn't pass up this deal! One of my earliest memories was eating Planters Cheez Balls while watching 'Jaws' in our family room. I still love that movie...and Cheez Balls.
I introduced Clara to the cheese-dusted goodness.
Brynn has been doing yoga in the afternoons, so she showed me one of her poses.
The girls collected some rocks one night and painted up a bunch of them. Brynn's turned out so pretty.
They were playing a camping game last night and came to dine at my 'restaurant' as orphaned children. Such imaginations!
We had some friendship bracelets made for one of our trade shows last year and I just kept wearing mine. Brynn got out some string today and made me another bracelet to match. I think we should have hired her the first time around! Hers is the top one.
Clara's "desk" has become a little bit helter skelter. She hasn't done the weather or calendar for a few days now and both girls have been doing some projects at it, but then fail to clean it up again.
Speaking of desks, last week during the snow storm that we had, I trekked to my office to get some more things to bring back home, like my printer and sit-to-stand desk. It wouldn't all fit in my home desk, so we had to set up yet another table in the office. It's working really great though.
This is what Clara did with her tag board, with Brynn's help.
Happy birthday to my sister yesterday! I wish we could have celebrated together in person.
In other birthday news, it was our Xabeat instructor's birthday today, so we had a Zoom birthday gathering tonight. Dana joined in as well and got to 'meet' some of my exercise buddies. Turns out Lana's husband ("Birthday Girl" below) used to work at Fargo Automation at the same time Dana did , May with the Malibu bottle is from Fergus and her husband currently works for Case as well as Sara is from Fergus and graduated with uncle John. Small world. :-)
Some of my fav memes from the week:
I feel like this every time I'm on a Zoom call, not because we have these issues, but more because of the Brady Bunch visual. Haha.
I have really been feeling this as we've been letting the girls stay up a little bit later since they don't have to get up as early for school.
Mmm, snacks! My weakness.
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