Sunday, March 15, 2020

SLOWLY Opening Back Up (Part 1)

This is one happy girl right here. Extracurricular classes are still not allowed, but because she is a coach, she got to go to a special class just for the "workers" She has missed taekwondo AND her coaches! Our city has had ZERO active cases for 2 straight weeks, so this is what opening back up looks like. Masks are still required and many apartment complexes are still closed to outside visitors, but more and more people are getting out little by little. Oh! And the bread store has opened back up! YEAH!
Katherine and I went to the mall. Now temperatures are taken on your wrist instead of your forehead AND you have to register to enter. To register, you scan a QR code. It tracks all the places you have "visited" and accesses your GPS locations so they know if you have left the city.
Grace and the guinea pig racing to eat the carrots ;)
Playing one of our new favorite games (somehow these pictures got loaded in reverse order, so I'll explain later in the post)
Benjamin and I went out for a haircut. We were only allowed to enter after they checked our travel history, temps, and signatures. One cool thing is that when you get a haircut is is customary to be given a glass a hot water or tea. Since everyone is being more careful, we were given free bottles of water.
We also had to keep the masks on the whole time. That felt a little strange during the hair washing part ;)
Here's sweet Gracie. I was trying to get her picture, but she wouldn't get off my shoulder, so this was the best I could get.
We've been enjoying lots of family games in the evenings :)
The girls just hangin out on the top bunk :)
My NCIS buddies...we've been watching an episode as often as possible...at night after the others have gone to bed ;) Sometimes their mother just may or may not make it through the episode without falling asleep.

Two of the girls were able to meet KK for her birthday....trying to play duck duck goose as spread out as possible :)
Lauren was BEYOND excited that she got to hold the baby and take care of him for two hours.
Happy birthday, KK!
A special treat :)

The kids have been taking turns playing gin rummy.
More cards...Hudson is still learning the do's and don'ts to the game...but he's getting it. His hardest part is holding the cards. He usually fans them the wrong way and then he can't see any of the numbers. I have to close my eyes, fan his cards out, and hand it back to him so he can keep playing.



Lauren and I went a walk...just the two of us.


Real quick for the picture!
I love this one :)
We've seen the lighthouse many times from a distance, but have never made it over there to see in person.
So, one of my friends from America asked for our address because she wanted to send a care package. She sent it back in January and it just now got here, but the timing was PERFECT! They called me and said I had a package that I needed to sign for. I was blown away by all the fun treats inside.

I have to admit that the card was one of my favorite things...especially this part of the card! "Cough Cough" "NO NO NO" :)

A box of masks (MUCH APPRECIATED) and the best game....Virus! Who knew! It's really fun and educational at the same time. Fun for all ages. I just might be a little biased because I like medical things, but all the kids love it. The goal is to build a healthy body to win. There's medicine cards, and virus cards, and trade bodies cards, organ thief cards, etc. My kids have named all of the different virus cards. 

This is the super excited crew over this box of goodies....it was a fiesta themed box with stuff to make tacos, candy, a piñata, chips, and games. Thank you so much! It came at a time when we were needing a little levity in our life :)
Even the dogs got a treat! They were so excited!
(Oh, and notice the dog's got a haircut)
We had tacos and wore our little sombreros. :)
Happy Tacos
Here's the little piñata...All the kids took whacks at it. I'm on the other end of the stick looking terrified that either I'll get hit with the stick or the TV will. I insisted on NO BLINDFOLDS!!! ;)
Here's what the package delivery looks like every day. They are trying to put them in groups by the building so that it's easier to find yours. I expect that they will start letting delivery guys in complexes in the next few weeks.
Katherine and Benjamin comparing their super long fingers!!
Jonathan and I went on a shopping date!! :)  Yes, the sign on the window beside Jonathan says that the taxi will not let you in without wearing your mask properly.
We took the taxi out to Sam's to see what we could find (the selection is very asian, so don't picture a US Sam's...but we still enjoy going because it's one of the few places we can get a big thing of milk)
We are starting to see more and more kids out with their parents.
He's just too cute. He likes his haircut, but some days he gets a little cold ;)
Family movie night
The beach opened back up!!





Yes, those are my feet. I knew something felt strange when I walked out the door. The kids thought it was hilarious that I put on two different shoes.
GRACE IS BACK!!!!!!!!! Happiness!!
Getting some "fresh" air :)
The kids and I went to see if the island was open yet (we love to walk around the island) It was still closed, but McD's was open...two ice cream cones and a thing of fries.
The workers are fever free :)
still not allowed to sit inside
The beautiful flowers right at the entrance to the island...at least we could enjoy these. There were TONS of butterflies. You can see a black and blue one on the left side of this picture.

We could see all the cars trying to come to the island. They have to wait in line for each person to get their temperature checked...but still can't go to the island yet.
Lots of these white butterflies (bottom right of picture)
Out for some exercise and fresh air

My kids teaching little Naomi how to climb a tree :)



I'm a sucker for the little babies in these masks. They are so cute.

I guess it's a good time to go fishing :)



Birthday Week

 My birthday was actually the end of February, but I'm just now getting around to the pictures. My morning started off with Regan and Lauren making homemade donuts to celebrate.
I had a surprise visit from Xiao Jun and the girls (the day before my birthday)...made my day!! A month and a half into quarantine and our first time to see our friends. They had been to NYC on vacation before the virus hit hard and had brought back surprises for the kids.
 They brought back a colorful owl to Regan.

 The girls also brought me some gifts that they picked out by themselves and used their own money. I just love these two :)

 Xiao Jun said that I needed Starbucks for my birthday. She said she had trouble getting it, but found a store open. She had to order online because they didn't allow her to go in. They brought it out to her.
 We then went for a short walk so that we could spend a little time with them before they drove back home. WE would have invited them in or to stay for dinner, but both were not allowed yet.
 Instead, they decided to climb a tree :)
 Winter, Lauren, Regan, Yoyo, and Katherine
 They made up some games to play.
 Plus, the classic rock, paper, scissors
 Katherine! :)  haha....She's literally climbing a tree. I think they really needed the time outside! ;)
 This is my gift from Winter. She wrapped it MANY times and used TONS of tape! She did not want it to break (again).
 She bought this mug for me at the United Nations in NY. She also packed her own suitcase and didn't know that the mug might break. Her mom said that she cried and cried when she opened her suitcase and the handle was gone. Her mom convinced her to give it to me anyways. I love it and love her! She's always been my little buddy. She's still wanting to know when she can have a vacation with just the two of us ;)
 My birthday gift...an eye massager and a little unicorn
 I wake up on my birthday and have a phone call telling me that I have a package. My friend in another city remembered it was my bday and sent me some lotion.
 The kids filled the table with surprises for mom :)
 trying to get us all in the picture...harder than you think :)

 Two more little surprises!!
 The sun was out an we intended to enjoy every bit of it! We found a lizard sunbathing. It entertained them forever!!
 Check out the super long tail!
 A close up of their little friend ;)
 Grace couldn't be here for my birthday, but she made me a card and texted the picture to me.
 Lauren wanted to draw something and looked up a step by step on the internet for drawing a white tiger. She said it's so much easier when someone tells you what to do next.
 Katherine enjoys quilling. She made me a card and a really cool flower, plus bought a little plant for my desk.
 Lauren found some chocolate covered raisins...mmmm.
 Hudson gift....it was in the HUGE bag in teh earlier picture :) Sweet boy.
 Katherine drew me this kitten.
 Jonathan asked what I wanted for my birthday. I said I just wanted to go on a walk as a family. Wish granted!
 More tree climbing

 Hudson wanted to know if EVERYONE could have a coke since it was my birthday :) Sure, why not. He was so happy and loved carrying them all home!
 Enjoying the balcony with Shadow beside me (I know. The puppies need a haircut. We are waiting for them to open up for business. It's high on our list)
 Scout is looking pretty scraggly, too
 Homemade cake...lots of icing on a still warm cake :)

Oh, and then there was this gift....a new shower curtain :)