We are having less beach days this summer because it was closed and now for safety going when there aren’t as many people, but today we all got to go to the beach together.

Today was Father’s Day and also our 12th Anniversary. We started the morning off making AJ blueberry pancakes with fruit and then he opened his gifts. I took the kids to the skate park so that he could relax at home by himself and they we picked up Chipotle for lunch. Back home, the kids surprised him with a chocolate ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.  Then AJ got the house ready and I took the kids with me to pick up dinner for our anniversary at a restaurant we hadn’t tried in Greenbrier.  When we got home the playroom was all set for them to have dinner and then watch their movie (Annie). AJ and I ate dinner in the dining room with relaxing music and cheesecake for dessert. We realized that it was the first time we’d had a meal without the children present in 15 WEEKS. Since it went over so well (they loved it and so did we) we are planning on doing it again.

As much as AJ and I did NOT want to put this pool in our backyard (ever), the global pandemic forced our hand. That being said, I am incredibly grateful we are able to give this to them this year instead of them being miserable and hot all summer. We are actually really enjoying it, but looking forward to selling this and a normal year of using a real pool next summer.

This was the last week of school! Woot! Brooke had her well check and then we raced home to pick up Alex and drop off our books at the school and say goodbye to the teachers there. We grabbed donuts on the way back. Tuesday Alex had his goodbye googlemeet with his class outside for a ‘picnic’ and shared his favorite memory of Kindergarten- going to the school library. The kids made a cool roads for us to use during Recess and we played in the backyard. Wednesday Brooke had her last googlemeet and they did a talent show.  She played piano for her class and I helped as her tech support for the camera. I had the kids complete their online assignments for both Wed and Thurs so we just called it the end of school that day.  I took them to the park to scooter and the skate park was open and they did a great job using the facility while social distancing with the few other kids there. They were hot when we got home and played with some playdoh to enjoy the AC. Thursday we surprised AJ with ‘Bonus Father’s Day’!  Since AJ had been working five days straight and had some stressful shifts, I decided to give him fancy breakfast, half of his presents, a chocolate cake, time to himself, and a nice dinner a week and a half early. Friday after a rainstorm I took the kids to our neighborhood park first thing, toweled off all the areas, then Clorox wiped everything so they could finally play on a playground after 13 weeks. We came home for lunch and then they played outside more with AJ. Brooke bought a princess tiara with her allowance and both kids helped AJ set up the tent to ‘camp’ in the backyard. After a fire and s’mores (of course) we got changed and slept in the tent (kinda). I made it an hour before the street noise wouldn’t let me sleep, both kids tossed and turned and had a hard time going back to bed after a 1 a.m. potty run, and AJ brought the kids in at 4 a.m. when the birds, light, and street noise was too much for them. Everyone slept until 9am inside! It was fun to try, but there is definitely too much noise in our neighborhood vs the mountains. The kids and I played in the tent for a really long time on Saturday and Brooke helped me pick some of our hydrangeas for the house. Sunday the kids and I played outside again and then I had drinks with Stephanie who I hadn’t seen in 13 weeks. Unfortunately, it rained so we had to huddle in her garage.

It is day 94 of quarantine. Now back to our regularly scheduled postings.