Our Week - The One with Quarantine, Week 23 (Jacob’s Well Visit and Baseball)

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Hello and happy Monday, y’all!  The kids had a great second week back at school, and this past week we added baseball to the mix.  Ready for the recap?  Let’s go!

Monday, August 17 (Day 157 of Quarantine)

Monday morning, I dropped the kids at school and then I got in three miles around the neighborhood.  My gym has reopened, but I’m still not going because I don’t like the idea of being indoors with other people who are working out and breathing hard and stuff.  Yuck.  I think my gym is requiring masks at this time (which is great), but I still don’t feel comfortable being there just yet.  So for now, it’s long, hot, sweaty walks around our neighborhood.  Our neighborhood is huge so I can easily get in 3-4 miles without walking the same route twice, so it’s easy to change it up if I get bored.  Now if only the weather would cool down a bit…

After my walk, I got showered and then spent the rest of the day working until it was time to pick up the kids from school.

The kids’ school hosts parent nights for each of the grades at the beginning of each school year, and we typically attend in-person and the teacher tells us what to expect for the upcoming school year.  This year, however, they had to host the parent nights via Zoom to prevent the spread of germs, so I hopped on to Zoom at 5:30 for Olivia’s parent night.  Olivia’s teacher is new this year, and she seems great, so we’re feeling confident that it’s going to be a great first grade year!

We popped a freezer pizza in the oven for dinner after my meeting, and the rest of the evening was spent hanging out, getting the kiddos in bed, and watching TV.

Tuesday, August 18 (Day 158 of Quarantine)

Tuesday after I dropped the kids, I spent the whole day working and getting caught up on “life” stuff.  I paid a few bills, filed some paperwork, made a couple of phone calls, updated the school notes spreadsheet that I keep on our bulletin board in the mudroom, and updated my daily and weekly to-do lists with the new tasks that needed to be included for the new school year (like washing and packing masks every day for the kids – something I never thought I’d have to worry about). 

Time flew by in a blink, and before I knew it, it was time to head to the school and get in the car line.  I don’t want to jinx myself, but so far, the car line this year is going much faster than any other year, and most days we’ve been getting home 10-20 minutes earlier than we used to!  It’s crazy!  There are several reasons why it’s likely faster – for one, dismissal times are staggered 10 minutes apart this year which means the car line starts moving 10 minutes earlier, second of all, teachers aren’t buckling students anymore (to prevent the spread of germs) which, I’m sure, saves a lot of time, and finally, some of the students chose the virtual learning option which means there are fewer students physically at school, and therefore, there are fewer cars in the pick-up line.  I have to say, it’s been really nice!  My round trip used to take at least an hour, and this year it’s been taking around 40-50 minutes.

Tuesday evening, we had a doctor’s appointment, baseball practice, and another parent meeting plus homework and dinner and showers, so the rest of the day was a whirlwind.  After picking up the kids, we ran straight home to get them snacked and changed, and then Jacob and I had to be at the doctor’s office by 4:20 for his nine-year well-visit with his pediatrician.  His appointment went well, and his doctor was able to put my mind at ease a little about the kids being back at school in-person and Jacob returning to baseball.

Jacob had his first baseball practice since March on Tuesday at 5:30, so B and Olivia were waiting for us in the doctor’s office parking lot so B could get Jacob to baseball on time.  His little league is not allowing spectators at practices, so Olivia and I went back home while B dropped Jacob and then hung out in his vehicle/at the park. 

Our little league decided to keep all of the spring teams together to play again this fall, since we weren’t able to finish our season, so Jacob has the same coach and the same kids on his team as he did in the spring, which is great.  That also means that he’ll finally get to use that baseball uniform that we paid for in the spring that he only got to wear once.  Lol.

The decision to let him return to baseball was another tough one as y’all can probably imagine, but our little league sent out their Covid protocol prior to the start of the season, and they have tons of rules in place to keep the kids as safe as they possibly can, so we ultimately decided to let him play again.  Since it’s outside and there’s hardly any contact in the sport, that made us feel a bit better about it, too. 

Their requirements are all very thorough, including sanitizing dugouts twice in between games, requiring all spectators at games to social distance (bleachers are off limits), requiring the kids to social distance in/by the dugout when their team is at bat, not letting the kids share equipment, not letting the kids use sunflower seeds or gum or anything else that requires “spitting” (haha), and requiring the kids to “tip their hats” at one another after games instead of the dreaded handshaking/high fives.  They’ve thought of pretty much everything!

The one thing they aren’t doing, though, is requiring masks.  I am a HUGE mask advocate, but I was actually okay with this decision because I would worry about the kids smothering in masks in the 95 degree temps and humidity.  I can’t even imagine how miserable it would be if they had to wear masks in this heat.  I talked to our pediatrician specifically about that, and he said since they play outside and since the kids will be spaced out, it shouldn’t be a problem.  Of course, the risk is always there, but he said in this case, the risk is lower than the benefits of letting him do what he loves.

While the boys were at baseball, Olivia and I played a game of Hoot, Owl, Hoot, and then I had Jacob’s parent night Zoom meeting at 6:30.  We love his teacher this year and she is soooo organized so it’s going to be another great year for him, too!  She is already fully prepared in case we have to pivot to distance learning again, and she’s already made sure each child is set up with a school Gmail account and an online account to access our school’s library, as well as several other accounts that may be helpful. 

She has also distributed several handouts to the kids with tips/tricks and other notes that they’ll need to have throughout the year for their different subjects.  She said that there are lots of different things that she has hanging around the classroom that are helpful to the kids this year, and she wanted them to be able to have access to those things at home in case there ever comes a point where they can’t return to the classroom.  As always, our school never ceases to amaze me… all of the teachers and administrators continuously go the extra mile to ensure our kids have everything they need to be successful.

Just as I was wrapping up my meeting, Brian and Jacob were walking in the door with Chick-Fil-A in hand.  Busy days like these call for takeout!!  Jacob was bubbling with excitement because he had ROCKED his baseball practice.  At the end of each practice, their coach plays a game called 3, 2, 1 with them.  Each kid gets three pitches in the first round, and as long as they hit at least one of them they stay in the game.  In the second round, each kid gets two pitches, and as long as they hit one of them, they stay in the game.  Then in the last round, each kid gets one pitch, and they keep going round and round with one pitch each until one kid is left standing… that kid is the winner.  Jacob won the game that evening!!!!  It was his first time winning it (even though he’s been close a couple of times), and we were just so proud of him.  Brian said his coach specifically talked about how well Jacob had done at practice during his talk at the end of practice.  I guess all of that wiffle ball we’ve been playing in quarantine has paid off.  Lol. 

Because of baseball practice, we had a late dinner, so the kids ended up getting in the bed a little later than usual.  By the time we got them in the bed, I was exhausted.  We haven’t had a day that busy since March, y’all!

Wednesday, August 19 (Day 159 of Quarantine)

Wednesday morning, I walked another three miles after I dropped the kids, and then I spent the day shopping the Nordstrom sale and working.  I was able to get a couple of things that I wanted from the sale, but pretty much everything I had my eye on was sold out.  Oh well.  If you’re in the same boat, feel free to check out this post that I wrote last week… I found so many lookalikes on Amazon for NSale items, and all of them are way less expensive, too!

Wednesday evening, Jacob had practice again from 5:30-7 and B whisked him over to the park while Olivia and I stayed home and cooked dinner.  One thing I am loving about this quarantine is that B is working from home which means that he can take Jacob to all of his practices now and I don’t even have to leave the house. 

When he was working in the office, I’d have to drive Jacob to practice, B would leave work and meet us there, and then Olivia and I would drive back home.  The league we have him in is on the complete opposite side of town from where we live, so it can be quite a long drive during rush hour due to all of the traffic.  It’s nice to not have to drive back-and-forth as much now, and it’s definitely saving us lots of money on gas, too!

I had dinner on the table when the boys walked back in the door at 7:15 and then we had a quick dinner followed by showers and bedtime for the kiddos.

Wednesday evening, the kids' school posted some shots of artwork made by the fourth graders, and I spied this one by Jacob.  So stinking cute, y'all!  Just look how sweet his self portrait is!

B and I watched another episode of West World, and after that episode (three I think?) I think I might bow out.  It is so weird and hard to follow… and kind of boring, too.  The wild, wild west does nothing for me, y’all.  I may keep trying, but goodness, I don’t see it lasting.

Thursday, August 20 (Day 160 of Quarantine)

Thursday, I worked again all day.  I’m still getting caught up on behind-the-scenes stuff for the blog and it’s going to take forever.  This year I had wanted to start looking into redesigning the whole thing, but that’s not going to happen!  That’ll be a lengthy process, I’m sure, and with school in constant limbo for the kids, I just never know what tomorrow is going to bring.  I could be required to turn back into a homeschool teacher at any moment.  Please, do not let that be the case, though.

Thursday evening, we had nothing going on for the first time all week, so we made breakfast for dinner, spent a few minutes outside, and then all vegged out on the couch to watch some of America’s Got Talent from earlier in the week.  It rained some of the evening and it was nice and cozy and gave me all the fall vibes for which I’m so eager.

B and I decided to try Schitt’s Creek again that evening because we’re desperate for something to watch.  Everyone I know raves about it, but the first time we tried to watch it, neither of us thought it was all that great.  We ended up watching four episodes Thursday evening (they’re short) and I laughed way more than I remember laughing the first time we tried it, so I guess we’ll probably stick with it this time and see what we think.  I do love that it’s six seasons, so we’ll have something that we can watch for a while if we decide to continue with it.  I hate starting a new show, only to find out it’s one season with 10 episodes.  Just as soon as you start it, it’s over, and then you’re back to square one with nothing to watch.  Lol.

Friday, August 21 (Day 161 of Quarantine)

Friday morning, I got out for another walk and then I spent the rest of the day working and relaxing a bit.  I had some reflux issues throughout the day, so I wasn’t feeling my best, but by the evening I was back to feeling much better.

Our mayor finally issued a city-wide mask mandate on Friday, which I found to be interesting, now that the Covid cases are supposedly going down.  Seems like it would have been smart to do that months ago.  <eyeroll>  But anyway, I’m glad it’s finally done even though now we have to put up with everyone’s whining on Facebook.  If my kids can wear one for eight hours a day at school without a complaint, then y’all can wear one to Walmart for 30 minutes.  #WearAMask

I grabbed the kids from school at 3, and we stopped by the library to pick up two library books (one for me and one for Jacob), and I spent the rest of the afternoon reading. 

B picked up pizza from Old Chicago for dinner, and then we all sat down to watch the new movie on Disney +, The One and Only Ivan.  Jacob had read the book in third grade, so he was really excited about it.

After the kiddos went to bed, B and I watched the new Jamie Foxx movie, Project Power, and it was pretty good.  Not fantastic or anything, but definitely watchable.

Saturday, August 22 (Day 162 of Quarantine)

Saturday morning, the kids randomly asked for donuts, and since we hadn’t had them in so long, we decided, hey, let’s get some donuts!!  B made a Krispy Kreme run and I unloaded the dishwasher and started on some laundry while he was gone.

After breakfast, the kids watched some cartoons, and then Olivia and I worked on her Star Student poster that’s due on Monday.  I keep tons of stickers and embellishments on hand, and she always gets so excited when she gets to go in my office and look through them.  She decorated hers with pink and purple marker, heart and flower stickers, and some blingy stickers that I had on hand, too. 

While she was working, she looked over at me and said, "I don't want a weekend... I just want to go to school."  Haha.  Needless to say, girlfriend is loving being back at school.

After lunch, Jacob had baseball practice, and the coach had set up a scrimmage game with a b-ball team.  Jacob is still playing c-ball (coach pitch) this fall, so most (if not all) of the kids on the team they scrimmaged are older, and they also pitch to themselves.  Jacob ended up getting a single on his first pitch of his first at-bat, and scored a run when someone batted him in, but at his second at-bat he got a little overheated and forfeited his turn to take a little break to cool off.

He recovered quickly and got back out there… he’s playing second base again this season, so his team needed him! 

It was a trip being at the ballpark and being around so many other people, though.  Instead of using the bleachers, everyone brought their own chairs and set up all around the grounds around the field, most keeping a 12-15 foot distance (at least).  That was the most people we’ve been around in months and it felt SO GOOD to just be out and about and see other human beings even though we weren’t able to get close to one another.  It was a little surreal at first and it made me remember everything we’ve been missing all these months.

The rest of the day was spent working while the kids played video games, and then B picked up dinner from our favorite local pub.  We frequent that place on Saturday evenings after church, and also after baseball games, so we’re trying our best to keep them afloat during this weird time where business is slower for them.

We spent the evening watching America’s Got Talent from earlier in the week and then B and I watched Set It Up, a newish Taye Diggs Netflix movie.  It was a romantic comedy, and it was pretty cute.  Not fantastic, but definitely watchable. 

Sunday, August 23 (Day 163 of Quarantine)

Sunday morning, we had leftover donuts for breakfast while we watched church, and then I got in a dance workout while the kids watched cartoons.  I spent the rest of the morning and a little bit of the afternoon doing laundry, tidying the house with the kids, quizzing Jacob for his religion and social studies test, listening to Olivia read her AR book, and prepping for the upcoming week of school.  Now that school and baseball are back in full-swing, we’ve been busy during the week again. 

B picked up Panera for lunch, and then he and the kids baked homemade s’mores bars from scratch (a recipe that he randomly found online and wanted to try), and then they played video games while I squeezed in a couple of hours of work.

We had a cheeseboard and wine for dinner and then enjoyed the s’mores bars (which were soooo yummy) before taking a family walk around the neighborhood. 

Once the kids were in bed, B and I watched a couple of shows and then got into bed nice and early to start the new week off on the right foot.

Now for a few current things...

Currently Reading

I’ve read four books this month so far – Come Back to Me, Since We Last Spoke, In Five Years, and Feels Like Falling – and I’m also working on White Fragility and 28 Summers. 

Come Back to Me was a YA book, but I really enjoyed it.  It kept me guessing until the end and I couldn’t put it down.  I finished it in 2-3 days.

Since We Last Spoke was not great.  It was another YA book, but this one felt too juvenile and honestly didn’t hold my attention very much.  It was a little slow, and I found myself not really caring very much about the characters.  Most of the time, when I read a book, I get attached to the characters and find myself rooting for them, but I really just didn’t care what happened to the characters in this book… I just wanted it to be over.  Lol.

In Five Years was absolutely fantastic.  FANTASTIC.  Probably the best book I’ve read all year.  I loved it, I was riveted the entire time, I was shocked and didn’t see some things coming, and even though I thought at one point I had the end figured out, I surely did not.  I highly recommend this book.  I’ll probably buy this one to add to my library because I’d love to read it again.

Feels Like Falling was a sweet book and I enjoyed it thoroughly.  The first couple of chapters were a little slow, but it ended up being a great read.  The characters were so endearing and it was a solid, light summer read.

Currently Watching

B finished Sneaky Pete this month, and he and I started and finished the entire first season of Love Life on HBOMax.  It stars Anna Kendrick and I loved it.  There’s only one season, and it’s short, so we watched the whole thing in just under one week.  I got really attached and now I’m sad because it’s over. 

We also started West World, and while the first episode held my attention, I feel like it’s gone steadily downhill ever since.  I think B is enjoying it, but I’ll probably go back to phone scrolling or reading while he watches it.

We also started Schitt’s Creek again to give it another try.  The first time we tried watching it neither of us loved it, but so many people rave about it that we decided to give it another go.  I really want to love it so we can have something to get into long term (it’s six seasons), but we’ll just have to see what happens…

We're also still watching America's Got Talent, Supermarket Sweep, and lots of movies with the kiddos.

Currently Listening To

I just cannot quit Taylor Swift’s new album, Folklore.  It’s officially my favorite album she’s ever done, and I can only hope that this virus goes away soon so I can see her perform some of these songs live one day.  The whole album tells a story and most of the songs are just heart-wrenching.  My three favorites are Cardigan, Exile, and Illicit Affairs.  Those songs will just rip your heart right out, though.  She is truly a brilliant writer. 

Happy Monday, y’all!

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