Summer Vacation Week One!

I have decided to make the blogging title transition from "Safer at Home" to "Summer Vacation."  We had 12 weeks of Safer at Home/ Virtual home schooling and we made it!  It was wild to think that we now had the whole day to do whatever we wanted.  It was a bit daunting actually.  While school was tricky, it did provide structure and an orderly schedule we had come to know and appreciate.  

Our first week of summer vacation was a bit unique.  M had a fever the entire time. 

On Monday I did the grocery run and the kids went fishing (see previous post.) T started running a fever that night. 

This is how M carried the ranch to the table on Monday afternoon. 

After a long day of shopping the kids and I had some great cuddle time reading books at bedtime. 

It wasn't long before the cuddles began!

Sunshine:  Don't leave me out!  I work hard in T's room!

One Tuesday I took the kids fishing (see previous post.) On Tuesday night I started running a fever, but felt OK overall. 

Brandon sent me this pic of very relaxed cats while we were fishing.  I am sure they enjoyed the house to themselves!

On Wednesday Brandon had a follow up eye appointment in the morning and we had a parent meeting with a brain mapping person (for the kid's therapy) in the afternoon.  Wednesday night was supposed to be M's very first youth group.  Because of his fever, he had to miss.  He was so sad about this.  He and I sat down and wrote a letter to his Dr. on MyChart. 

Wednesday night cuteness!

On Thursday I started to feel the sickness more.  The chills and aches and sore throat were setting in. We heard back from M's Dr and he suggested that M and I both get a COVID test.  He was concerned that more people in our family were sick.  We were told to quarantine until we got the results.  We were not allowed to take pictures this time around.  We don't think our tests went as far back in the nose at Brandon's did before surgery, but it was much farther back than the tickle feeling that M had in his first test.  In case you are keeping track, this means our family has been tested for the coronavirus a total of four times, two for M, one for me, and one for Brandon pre-procedural.  We sure do like to keep things interesting at our house! 

M wanted me to record a video of him and I accidentally took a picture.  He looked so grown up I just had to post the accidental pic. 

How is he almost 11? 

T had Art therapy in the afternoon and she made many creations.  This is just a small sampling of her work. Yes, my house is very glitter laden.  I keep hiding it and she keeps finding it!

T: Do you love them?  I do!

On Friday morning I woke up and walked like normal, but as the walk progressed I started to feel more sick.  I skipped the hills and headed home to shower.  After showering, Bible time and breakfast I was done.  I was so weary I was laying on the kitchen floor while the kids ate breakfast.  They played outside and our dear neighbor let T play in their yard quite a bit.  I played many rounds of Yahtzee and some trivia game with them.  I tired to engage, but it was hard. I just laid on the couch, unable to get up, even if I wanted a drink.  I felt like a weight was forcing me onto the couch.  My chest/breathing felt heavy, like I was hiking in the Mts.  On Friday evening I started coughing, a lot!  At this point I thought, this is it... I have COVID.  It was a bit of a scary feeling.  I decided to sleep on the couch because I didn't want to ultra expose Brandon or keep him up coughing all night.  This wasn't the best idea as I barely slept on the couch.  

My Friday view!

I did manage to get off of the couch Friday evening to snap a picture of Brandon mowing our new grass for the first time!  How exciting.  Our rainy spring was great for growing think and wonderful grass.

Planted on April 22nd.  First mowing on June 12th.  

On Saturday my biggest accomplishment was taking a shower.  I did as little as possible, but as the day went on I could tell I was starting to feel a bit better!  On Saturday evening we learned that M and I both tested negative for COVID-19.   Brandon gave M his second at home haircut.  It turned out great.  At the beginning they decided to see what it would look like longer on the top shorter on the sides.  They weren't planning to keep it that way, but you can get an idea of the style.  I think give M a very grown up look, but could be harder to maintain.  He likes it nice and short in the summer. 

M: I will consider this for the future. 

T created a nest for the cats with some shoe boxes.  They actually love her homemade nests. 

This is a bonus Say What? to give you all a chuckle.  On Friday morning I managed to put a round steak in the crockpot to make some sort of carnitas.  I left the bone on the counter and T had the best explanation for what it was!  I guess she looked at it and said, "Oh yeah, that was the neck of the chicken."  HAHAHA  Later she told me.  "I know what it is.  It is a 'Dog Deliciousy' (Delicacy) I have seen them at One Wag (a pet store)."

What do you think it is?  A chicken neck or a dog deliciousy?!?!

Two days on the couch leads to more chaos in the living room.

This was my view on Saturday!

On Sunday I woke up feeling great.  I didn't go for a walk, but I felt like I had energy again.  I also no longer had a fever.  It was another chilly Sunday with temps right around 50 all day, pretty wild for June 14th.  In between online church and parking lot church I started laundry, began thawing things for dinner, and even did some unpacking of the quarantined nonperishables.  Parking lot church went well. I learned a valuable lesson (that I have been forgetting every day), when I put my head down to pray, I cough and can't stop.  It sure is a good thing we were outside, because I was coughing a lot and I think everyone was glad to be a safe distance away from me.  

After church I continued to do laundry and clean up the house.  I prepped a dinner and even made a rhubarb dessert.  It was so wonderful to feel healthy again.  T also was on the mend.  M's fevers continued.  I will do an M health update soon to get everyone caught up with his crazy sickness that is now over three weeks long. 

We uploaded the pics on Saturday, so I will and the Sunday pics to the week two post.