The Gauntlet Begins

Even in a pandemic, October is where things get busy for our family. The past couple years we've done the full rundown - Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Imogen's birthday, Halloween, and random other things. This year, we'll focus on how 2020 is adding wrinkles to our jam-packed October.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel's mom (the Queen of Corona...), Wonder Woman, and Hawk (superhero invented by Everett) - Halloween 2020

Virtual Service of Remembrance

We weren't sure what to expect, but we're glad we Zoomed the HAND Service of Remembrance this year. The theme this year was bees, which of course are very special to us. Elizabeth usually helps make the centerpieces and was a bit sad not to be able to craft some bee-autiful things for the group. Even so, the virtual service went very well (technically) and was quite powerful (emotionally). The side conversations are always a nice benefit of this event, and we were able to have some chats with folks we don't otherwise see.

Service of Remembrance - October 4, 2020

Dance Show Taping

Elizabeth has been choreographing and dancing in shows with a local studio - Ariel Dance Productions - for nearly a decade. This is the first time the show is going online and that meant pre-recording the numbers. The safest option for everyone was to film it outside (thanks, back yard!) and keep very few dancers in frame at a time so everyone could stay spaced out. Everett and Imogen were glued to the windows watching the dancers perform in costumes right here at home. Of course, masks on unless we were actively taping. It was - again - weird, but both technically went well and emotional to wave at people we're used to seeing in person regularly. 

All the world's a stage - October 11, 2020

This also meant doing some recording with some very special guest performers. Mark your calendars for November 21 at 5pm Pacific if you want to see who (Zoom webinar 964 9747 4774).

Sneak peek!

First Family Outing - Mask Edition

We took Everett and Imogen back to Spina Farms for some Halloween "normalcy." We met a daycare family there and had fun riding through the fields and exploring the pumpkins. The kids all impressed us by keeping their masks on for more than 95% of the time. Sometimes we forget just how much kiddos take our lead - if we don't make it a huge deal they won't either. The only hiccup was when Imogen tore her mask off and threw it on the ground right before the barrel train started. Oops.

Masks on, flowers on, Halloween ready - October 17, 2020

Imogen's Tangled-Up Birthday Party

You probably already know that we enjoy throwing big parties for beastie birthdays - for both the kids and the grown-ups. This year was different, but our wants were the same. Imogen wanted a Tangled theme (do you remember what her kingdom was called? Oof.).

After lots of brainstorming and planning, we think we threw a pretty good pandemic party. Thankfully, everyone besides the smallest kids was fine with masks. We were also outside and staying far apart (expect those daycare kids... making us look bad by showing off their bubble). Typically we serve a meal, so that was less work on one hand and justified a little extra money on individually boxed cupcakes. 

Immy's birthday party! - October 24, 2020

Our outdoor activities came down to:

• Chalk Rapunzel tower activity course
• Pin Pascal on Rapunzel
• Take-a-turn painting

The painting was the big hit, and Imogen has some nice group artwork on display to celebrate her birthday.

Looks like we weren't the only ones craving some together-apart-ness. We had over 50 people come through over about four hours. That little bit of catching up with friends old and new was an invigorating way to spend the day. The birthday girl was thrilled - to be dressed as Rapunzel, to play with her daycare friends (it's tough at this age to expect her to remember friends she hasn't seen in almost a year), to paint, and to play. Everett morphed into a spectacular junior host - welcoming new guests, explaining the hand sanitizer, book selection, goody bags, and games. He also was very good at ensuring he said goodbye as people left. Color us impressed.

Family Time

Our first houseguests in the pandemic time were the SoCal family. After negotiating pre-trip quarantines and activity plans, we were thrilled to get the cousins together for some quality time. We all needed it. 

Who said you need a big party to justify a bounce house? 

Bouncing is the best - Oct 30, 2020

They came on Imogen's actual birthday and stayed through Halloween. It gave us the chance to have a mini party to celebrate both occasions and add a little extra magic for the little beasts.

Maybe trick-or-treating looked a little different, but we're still dressing up, carving pumpkins, and sharing a Deel family tradition that we missed out on when "Christmas in July" was canceled... The Money Tree. 

Introducing the Thoma cousins to the Money Tree - October 31, 2020

All dressed up and ready for fun - Halloween 2020

Trick or Treat "stations" on our walk - Halloween 2020

How We Feel

Exhausted. It is worth it to do these things, to bring the magic... but it is tiring. November and December, here we come. 

One Last Thing...

Wonder Woman says to make sure you VOTE!!!

Boo'ing the neighbors

This Is Fine

The days are long, but the years are short. It feels a little like groundhog day, and it's getting hard to remember if it always felt like this - or if it's because of the pandemic. 

Superhero poses (maybe) - September 1, 2020

Things that are not normal:

• No travelling (last month's Tahoe retreat being the one exception)
• No visiting (same)
• No summer parties
• No birthday parties
• No playground walks
• No random family outings
• No museums, aquariums, or zoos
• No office
• Longest "spare the air day" stretch ever - due to very bad fires and air quality

Carcassonne: A new favorite - September 7, 2020

Things that are pretty normal:

• Kids in day care / JrK
• Cats went to the vet
• Kids had to stay home a couple days with a cold (COVID negative)
• Flu shots
• Making pizza together

Home sick - September 14, 2020

If we had to guess, it's the lack of big events and togetherness that makes it feel so repetitive. It's hard to mark the passage of time when so much is remote or not happening at all. That's not to say it's bad. We are certainly fortunate to have our jobs, our home, our care situation - and we know it. At the same time, it's hard to back away from that urge to help our kids have new experiences and adventures.

Mickey Ice Cream Bars - September 5, 2020

Finding the balance is going to take some time. What are reasonable risks to take? If the local zoo was open, would we go? When will we brave a farmer's market? On one hand, it will be so nice to let the kids experience these things again. But on the other, will things be so roped off and sterile that it's even worth it? 

We can say this though - a bubble isn't great long term, and we're starting to get more active in discussing what the next year looks like. 

Please wear your masks, make informed decisions, and be careful out there.  

Approaching Normal

Normal. Expectations. Bubble.

It can be hard to even define these words now - the meanings shifting with the wind. That wind bringing a refreshing breeze or choking smoke. Impossible to predict which.

We had some normalcy in August. Of course, it was wrapped up in unusual, stressful, and downright strange. But it was there! 

The first "normal" thing? A vacation. We drove a few hours for a change of scenery - only stopping once each way for a bathroom break. We prepared the littles to wear their masks and touch NOTHING, and it went mostly OK. Once the women's was being cleaned and than a lady with her mask pulled under her chin came down the narrow hall asking questions about it. Elizabeth gestured towards the cleaning sign and ran out of the hallway clutching Immy. Maybe not that normal after all.

But we got there. To Donner Lake, to a rental house, and to grandparents.

Backyard at the rental house - August 10, 2020

Grandma and Grandpa Fiorani drove thousands more miles and dozens more hours, but we all made it safe and sound (with possibly a few more gray hairs). We can only speak for ourselves, but it was so worth it. A week of forgetting the outside world (mostly), crafts, games, meals, stories, hiking, and beaches.

Lunch on the patio - August 10, 2020

We stayed in the house more than we would have in non-pandemic times, which did make it feel more "normal." Our outings were the beach twice and Chris and Elizabeth took one hike. Instead of braving the overcrowded public beach, we explored the far less crowded beach at the state park on weekday mornings. Many people were wearing masks and most people were very aware about social distancing. A few exceptions caused some heart palpitations but were quite minor (like when the guy who wanted to take over our beach space crowded too close and offered to help us pack up).

Lake life - August 13, 2020

Hiked to the top of Donner Peak overlooking Donner Lake (and yes, that Donner) - August 12, 2020

Everett and Imogen did very well with the change of space and schedule. A few meltdowns here and there, but mostly good spirits. Imogen is in a very "boundary-testing" phase, which can be exhausting. Luckily, she doesn't hold a grudge.

Our little mermaid, Donner Lake - August 13, 2020

China Cove Beach at Donner Lake - August 13, 2020

Another "normal" thing? Everett started JrK. He's too young for kindergarten and also too young for any transitional kindergarten or programs offered by the school district (not that those are operating or would work for us anyway - most are part-time). His JrK is essentially full-time pre-school with an academic component. He loves it. He already knew his teacher because she was sometimes at his preschool location pre-COVID. 

Evie's first day at JrK - August 17, 2020

One of the biggest benefits of sending Everett to (low class size) care is outside play time with other kids. We have a play structure in our yard, but it's totally different to have access to a large playground to run, climb, and jump around on. Watch those expectations though - he hasn't been outside there once since he started because of the extreme heat and then the poor air quality from the fires. Outside time will have to wait.

The heat and the fires have been very hard on our state. We are safe apart from unhealthy air quality, and we are grateful for that security. We are also so very grateful that we took a vacation when we did. That always seems to be the case. We've talked often how grateful we are for trips we took in 2019 and even early 2020. Expectations for travel and visits now are so nebulous and fluid... and we aren't getting our hopes up that things will change in the next few months.

As the pandemic continues, we all have to get creative and thoughtful about the risks and tradeoffs we're willing to make. How big does our bubble get? What causes us to make changes? How long will all this last? How will we manage if the kids come home full time again?

We don't know. And for now, we have to be OK with that. 

Summertime Grooves

It is amazing how quickly we adapt. We're in a pretty solid groove now, and no end is in sight. The office keeps putting return dates out there, and they keep passing by. When we stop and think - of course life is so different than six months ago. When we think of what we are missing out on - there is some melancholy, but it's mostly fine. Because what we have is pretty great, and we are so very fortunate.

Running through the sprinklers - July 4, 2020

We didn't get to go to Michigan for the 4th of July and we didn't get to celebrate "Christmas in July" with our extended family. It's sad and frustrating, but we all know it's also not worth the risk. Instead, Chris and Elizabeth hiked Uvas Canyon sans beasties (so we could hike a trail they aren't quite big enough for yet).

Fourth of July outfits - July 4, 2020

Contour Trail at Uvas Canyon - July 2, 2020

Everett had his first dance recital. We didn't get to watch it live, but we do have a video. He loved wearing his costume, taking pictures outside the studio, and (of course) watching himself perform. This isn't how we imagined it, but he still felt proud, accomplished, and celebrated.

Everett's first dance performance - July 19, 2020

Everett and Imogen returned to swim class. It's an open-air pool and a small, stable group of families. Everett only has one or two other kids he is near, and Chris swims with Imogen so they can stay socially distant. They LOVE being back in the water. We tried to virtualize so much of their pre-pandemic lives, but you can't Zoom a pool.

First swim class back! July 11, 2020

We spotted Jackson Storm at swim - July 25, 2020

We also had a play date. Gasp! It was with a girl that goes to daycare with Immy, so we are already in a shared social bubble. The adults still socially distanced outside (and masked), but we let the kids play. Our backyard is a good space for kids and we have missed sharing it. By this time in the year, we'd typically have had at least one "summer party", opening our home and enjoying the company of our friends and neighbors. Someday, but not anytime soon.

Imogen - July 2020

Oh yes, and Everett turned 4-and-a-half. We don't do parties for half birthdays so it was pretty much what we would have done pre-pandemic. We enjoyed treats (he chose donuts) and a few gifts we'd accumulated over the months.

Everett turns 4.5 - July 7, 2020

This pandemic is clearly sticking around for awhile longer, so now we have to figure out what fall and winter look like. We have to prioritize and mitigate, plan and reevaluate. How do we visit loved ones safely? What can wait and what can't? Is Halloween totally cancelled?

That last one is a bit tongue in cheek, but Everett did ask (unprompted) if germ time would be over before Halloween. At this point, the answer is most likely no.

And yet, on we groove. Our little family, full of love. We're not sure how long we can coast like this, but we're not worried about that now.