Making it through winter

Well we are almost a year into this! One year anniversary will be March 14th- when our city/ the world shut down. We are all in a routine/ new normal. School and work from home. I have figured out teaching online/ working from home. And now it’s time to think about the school reopening. I am supposed to return next month- mid March We will see. Middle school is supposed to start up in April Pandemic silver linings -remote life- Abby and I enjoyed a week at the coast last week. It was wonderful. Galentine’s week at the coast. We watched Ted Lasso, 16 Candles, the Breakfast Club and Mean Girls. We had Mother daughter heart to hearts about people and life. We walked on the beach and checked out new trails. We got seafood takout three times. Yum! -Time- we have so much free time in evenings and weekends. We have candlelight dinners as a family many nights per week. Pre covid we only managed to do this once a week- maybe Sunday nights. Downside- the kids don’t see their friends but maybe once a week right now. And that’s only if I organize something which takes thought and planning and working around schedules. - Some activities are impossible right now- all the indoor activities. - Not seeing the grandparents like we used to - Not being able to travel -Kids not having independence Hopefully after all this we will realize what matters and what doesn’t. Who matters and who doesn’t . Simplify and keep the good stuff. I think about all the people I haven’t seen/ spoken to in a year. I think about who I don’t miss. Lol! Who I will dread seeing again/ have to see again. I think about who is in our life right now. We don’t do much/ see many people. We have kept who we need to see/ want to see. I see one of my best friends now for long visits at least once a month right now, sometimes more. Before covid we probably only got together once every few months because we were so busy. I love that I have more time. Of course sometimes I climb the walls and miss events/ people. This week Kyle has been hanging with kids every evening- watching superhero movies, playing board games. It’s been so nice. I usually escape for some me time. Everyone is happy. I still have the same survival life lines that I am doing : exercise, self care, keeping to a schedule and routines. We have kept this the whole pandemic- our schedule, routines, bedtime. I think I only let the kids stay up late twice- during winter break. This keeps everyone sane and rested and in a good mood. I walk or run every day. I listen to music or a podcast. This helps with headaches from so much screen time. It also helps me with stress release. Our current schedule: Breakfast Work/ school 11:45am Andrew and I walk Teddy that way he gets some outside time before zoom. Sometimes Abby will join us. 12:20-4 Roosevelt zooms 12-1 I usually go for a long walk during lunch break 1-4pm work, if day off- errands, clean house 4pm Kids get outside to get exercise 5pm cook dinner 6pm eat as family 9pm Kids go to bed