celebrating sunshine and a birthday!

enjoying the pool today

our outdoor setup... Steve has been working hard!

We are in the middle of a heat wave! After a drawn out dreary spring (after a long enough winter) we are enjoying warm weather. The pool has been very well used over the past few days, and we are so thankful to be here in this amazing house, using all of its spaces.

Even though it seems like the Coronavirus hype has died down a bit, we're living the same routines; we leave the property once a week for groceries, and once a week (or so) for other errands (garden centre, hardware store). Alana has just started having physically distanced playtime with our neighbour, and Hendrik had a friend over this afternoon for a physically distanced swim. They miss their friends, and we miss our friends! We celebrated Jordan's 4th birthday last Sunday with some cake on the front lawn with our neighbours from Grosvenor (Sandra and Bruce and Liz), but the weather wasn't great so it didn't last long. We had a great day though! He woke up nice and early and after presents and some time at home, we went for a nature walk in Arva and... what else did we do?! I'm sure there was some Paw Patrol. He's still loving that show, and has also latched onto a trains DVD we have from the library (which hasn't opened yet). I tried asking him the usual birthday questions (what is your favourite toy, food, etc.) but he wasn't interested. So, I'll answer them for him! His favourite foods are salami, mozzarella cheese, yogurt, toast with butter (or butter with toast), and guacamole. His best friend is probably Jack, but since school has been out we haven't been able to see him! He likes construction vehicles (toy diggers etc.), and helping around the house (yes, really). He has also just started swimming in the shallow end on his own without his puddle jumper, and he's doing so well! Yay. Fingers crossed that he's swimming confidently in the deep end by the end of the summer. For his birthday the big hit was a Paw Patrol watch (from Liz); other loot includes a Tippy Toe board (used by all), a baseball pitching thing (also used by all), new PJs (trucks), gardening tools and gloves, and books. It was a great day!

I'm still sewing items for Canada Sews, and have been working on a set of headbands for what feels like forever! It's tricky to find the time. I usually try to sit down when the kids are doing their schoolwork, but that's hit and miss; sometimes they constantly need my help and other times they let me work away. This morning I went for a run instead, and that felt great. The fact that I've found time to exercise during the pandemic is a positive, but since I only go every three days (or so), I never actually feel any better or more physically capable. Maybe one day? Anyways, I'll get some pictures up and get this posted while I can!

The latest!

With everyone home all day every day, some days are better than others, and yesterday afternoon was a first. The kids each found something different to do on their own, and everyone was playing quietly without bugging anyone else... it was amazing! It was a first. Steve and I were each busy doing something, and we didn't have to stop and stop and stop again to help solve problems or tear someone off of a sibling. Fingers crossed it happens again!

We woke up to snow the other day (May 11). I do not like seeing snow in May.

On the heels of the snow post I can add that our pool is open! Steve worked hard to get it all ship shape and the kids have been in a few times. After we wrangled the gargantuan tarp off of the pool and attempted to clean and fold it, first in the back yard and then in the driveway and then on the front lawn (to the amusement of neighbours and passersby), the pool was cleaned and prepped. But unheated, it sat at 52 degrees. Who jumped in? Hendrik (7 times) and Jordan (once). We heated it for the one warm day we've had, just to be sure everything was working as it should - and to give the kids something to do that day. We are going to be extra grateful to have a pool this summer...

I learned to sew! I have made several masks for our family and some friends, and made 20 for the London chapter of Canada Sews. The output of some of the people in this group is incredible, but even though my numbers are paltry compared to others, I'm proud that I was able to put these things together. Next up on the project list is sewing some headbands...

School is going well for the kids, but handling the distractions of technology has been the biggest challenge. They want to play with the font size and send their friends (or each other) silly messages, insert enormous emoji faces into assignments and so on. They are working fairly independently, and all things considered, I feel good about our routines and what they're able to do every day (most days).

I had a great Mother's Day on Sunday. Highlights include homemade donuts (so good!), being sent to my room (I was there by myself for at least 5 minutes), and a walk with Jordan and Alana. It was a slow and easy day, and the kids gave me lovely cards and spoiled me with treats (donuts, dinner, coffee). I did reflect on how it is a difficult day for some, especially those that have lost a mother or daughter. I'm thankful for my time with my family and for my health, and I hope to enjoy Mother's Day Sundays for many, many years!

It's our first Spring in this house, and it's been fun seeing what comes up in the garden. There are some beautiful flowers and lots of weeds and I wonder how Gladys kept her garden going.

We have a piano/keyboard! My mom and dad very generously researched and purchased a keyboard for us and we have been enjoying it in different ways. Hendrik and Alana both play around on it, I've played a few songs from the book that came with the piano, and Jordan loves pushing the automatic play button and leaving the room. I think Steve has been on there too, playing hockey songs. I'm debating lessons (online or in-person) and have to figure that one out, but would love to get them some Frozen and Harry Potter music.

It's been sort of confusing, what we're allowed to and not allowed to do, with the COVID restrictions in place. For quite a while I was under the impression that we weren't really supposed to drive anywhere to go for walks, that we were only to leave the house for necessities and really limit travel. With parks open again (and after some looking/reading), we've decided to venture out for a few nature walks. Last Monday we went to the Elsie Perrin Estate, and this week we went out to Riverbend. The kids sometimes complain about going but then LOVE being out there, and I love seeing them explore and clamber and build. It really does make a difference, being out in the woods. Hopefully we can spend some time in BC (next summer?) doing the same... it's a different kind of beauty, but it's beauty nonetheless.

I LOVE this photo!

That's all for now folks, I hope everyone is staying happy and healthy! :)