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Post by doodlemommy on Apr 13, 2020 13:35:05 GMT -6
My mom has been sewing masks too! She has made 3 for DH so far and is going to make him 2 more so he has one for each day of work and I can just wash at the end of the week. She is going to make one for me and the kids too and we will practice wearing them at home just in case they ever have to wear them out. They go nowhere right now but we figure they should have them and try them out
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Apr 13, 2020 20:07:44 GMT -6
My mom has been sewing masks too! She has made 3 for DH so far and is going to make him 2 more so he has one for each day of work and I can just wash at the end of the week. She is going to make one for me and the kids too and we will practice wearing them at home just in case they ever have to wear them out. They go nowhere right now but we figure they should have them and try them out Good idea to practice at home! DS1 (5 yrs old) is really good about wearing his mask - for pollution mainly here. He’s been regularly wearing one since he was 3. DS2 is hit or miss, but we try to make it a positive experience. Having cool patterns really helps, as well as rewards for keeping the mask on a certain amount of time. We found the best way to get DS1 to wear his mask was to sit down with him and explain that he needed to do it for his health. Once he understood air quality issues (or additionally now - virus issues), he was like - okay, I’ll wear it. That makes sense. All kids here wear masks - Southeast Asians are not some super breed of mask wearers. It just takes practice, diligence, and commitment from the parents. You all can do it O17!
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Post by curmudgeon on Apr 15, 2020 18:19:54 GMT -6
It’s been quiet in here these last 2 days. How’s everyone holding up?
H and I traded our evening walks for evening cornhole while the boys run around doing whatever. The weather this week has been absolute perfection. I wish my WiFi connection worked way in the backyard so I could work under the trees and supervise the boys. May have to hotspot it tomorrow.
No word on layoffs yet. I wish they’d rip it off like a bandaid and let us know which segments are affected.
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Apr 15, 2020 19:09:56 GMT -6
All still good over here - good being relative and all 🤷♀️
I’ve actually started working out most mornings and taking walks - one is for my actual health and one is for my mental sanity 🤪 I used to love working out pre-kids but could never muster the energy to get up before work/kids or do it after a day of work/kids. Right now I’m just doing free stuff I find on the internet or an old Jillian Michaels DVD we had
We made soft pretzels today with the girls. They loved it. That’s about all the baking I can handle that doesn’t involve a box mix so I’m pretty stoked to have pulled off something involving yeast and a “baking soda bath 😁
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Post by CoachTsWife on Apr 16, 2020 7:51:40 GMT -6
The Stay at Home order for our metro area was just extended to May 15. We live just outside the major metro area that is included, but our county usually follows what they do so I'm sure our county will do the same. I work inside the metro city limits though so I think I'll be working from home through Mid-May but will find out for sure in the next couple days I'm sure.
Our stimulus payment was deposited yesterday. It is going to help us pay for some new windows. So, super fun way to spend money......
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Apr 16, 2020 7:55:53 GMT -6
danvers Way to go on the soft pretzel baking! That sounds complicated to me - I’ve never baked with yeast or starter or used a baking soda bath. You’re a natural! Glad they turned out and the girls liked them. curmudgeon Like is for the weather and the kids being able to run around/play outside. Sorry for the uncertainty regarding your job though - that is hard and I hope you receive more clarity (and good news) soon. CoachTsWife - just saw your post! Yay for the stimulus check. Responsible spending is nothing to be ashamed of - those windows will be a good long term investment 👍. Hope you can get back to your work office starting in mid-May. As for us - we’re doing okay. Our family loves to travel, and just realizing that this virus might forever change our ability to travel anywhere willy nilly, it just sucks. I’ve just been reading a lot of expert opinions saying they we’re never truly going to get back to pre-COVID “normalcy” - that makes me sad. But, we’re healthy and well. I haven’t gained weight, so there’s something! The kids have really bonded with some other kids in the building, and we’re very lucky that at least we’re isolated in a great community. I think I’m going to bake another flourless choc cake this weekend - why the hell not 😂🤣😁
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Post by CoachTsWife on Apr 16, 2020 8:10:01 GMT -6
danvers I started working out in January and I'm really glad I had that habit, it has helped my mental health during all of this. I usually take a half hour break from work at some point during my work day and get my workout done. I used to do it every evening so it has been nice to get it done before supper and evening routine. I workout in our downstairs, which is where my home workstation is set up, so it's super convenient since my work attire and work-out attire are one in the same right now. lol ETA I started out doing Bikini Body Mommy videos on YouTube. She has 9 different challenges you can find online for free. Her most recent challenge has ended, it was her 9.0 one. She is pregnant so she makes a lot of modifications but I know she has other challenges where she's a little more fit/able to do everything that might be more motivating. I enjoyed it for the most part - it was a great way to ease back into working out.
Taitai I haven't weighed myself and keep telling myself I need to put a pair of jeans on to make sure they fit but I haven't yet.
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Post by curmudgeon on Apr 17, 2020 6:49:36 GMT -6
danvers you reminded me a vendor gave me a box of frozen soft pretzels to bake at Christmas and I never baked them! Maybe tonight we’ll have a pretzel night.
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Post by August Blooms on Apr 17, 2020 7:24:09 GMT -6
I can’t find yeast anywhere or else I’d jump on this pretzel bandwagon. A fresh out of the oven pretzel sounds amazing. I’ve been doing a lot of baking and cooking lately. My kids aren’t such a fan of some of the new stuff but the recipes have turned out and were delicious so I’m going to put them in the rotation.
I’ve also been working out, I started a strength training program that takes an hour a day since I have finally have the time. I’ve never really focused just on strength training so I’m really enjoying it.
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Post by doodlemommy on Apr 17, 2020 9:54:30 GMT -6
I have been getting into a routine of working out again too and it’s been a good mental break for me. DH works an early shift and is working shorter days because of changes in policy to eliminate customer contact (Canada post, still being paid a full wage thankfully 👍🏻) so he is usually home around 12:30/1. I put the baby down for a nap at 1 and then go work out while he entertains the older 2 and puts them down for naps/quiet time. I would prefer to workout mornings but I’m solo with all 3 kids and doing school so it’s just not possible. They are also up at 6:30 as is and I don’t want to get up any earlier
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Post by curmudgeon on Apr 17, 2020 13:15:19 GMT -6
DS1’s elementary school had a teacher parade today. They came right by the house and he was so excited. I may have cried.
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Apr 17, 2020 17:11:43 GMT -6
DD2 was almost completely potty trained (except for night time) but has now starting having accidents every single time... I mean, we have no where to go or be so we will just retrain but she was doing awesome and now we’re running through underwear & pants multiple times a day.
We’re gonna go underwear free tomorrow with just pants and see if that helps. Living that exciting parenting-a-toddler-life over here I guess. 🤷♀️
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Post by duskymonkey on Apr 17, 2020 21:21:43 GMT -6
My mom has been sewing masks too! She has made 3 for DH so far and is going to make him 2 more so he has one for each day of work and I can just wash at the end of the week. She is going to make one for me and the kids too and we will practice wearing them at home just in case they ever have to wear them out. They go nowhere right now but we figure they should have them and try them out I didn't even think about practicing at home with the kids. Will have to do that once I make some to their size. I can see lil fella ripping it right off.
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Post by duskymonkey on Apr 17, 2020 21:26:10 GMT -6
My mom has been sewing masks too! She has made 3 for DH so far and is going to make him 2 more so he has one for each day of work and I can just wash at the end of the week. She is going to make one for me and the kids too and we will practice wearing them at home just in case they ever have to wear them out. They go nowhere right now but we figure they should have them and try them out Good idea to practice at home! DS1 (5 yrs old) is really good about wearing his mask - for pollution mainly here. He’s been regularly wearing one since he was 3. DS2 is hit or miss, but we try to make it a positive experience. Having cool patterns really helps, as well as rewards for keeping the mask on a certain amount of time. We found the best way to get DS1 to wear his mask was to sit down with him and explain that he needed to do it for his health. Once he understood air quality issues (or additionally now - virus issues), he was like - okay, I’ll wear it. That makes sense.
All kids here wear masks - Southeast Asians are not some super breed of mask wearers. It just takes practice, diligence, and commitment from the parents. You all can do it O17! How do you even get to reason with you kids. I try but fail miserably. It may just be my boys or me. Lil fella is just being his age - difficult but DS - almost 6, I swear has no common sense and I told hubs this week that I think there's only so much common sense you can teach someone. Lil fella at 2.5 seems to have more common sense than his big bro.
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Post by duskymonkey on Apr 17, 2020 21:47:43 GMT -6
DD2 was almost completely potty trained (except for night time) but has now starting having accidents every single time... I mean, we have no where to go or be so we will just retrain but she was doing awesome and now we’re running through underwear & pants multiple times a day. We’re gonna go underwear free tomorrow with just pants and see if that helps. Living that exciting parenting-a-toddler-life over here I guess. 🤷♀️ KOKO... they tend to regress from time to time from what I read. I thought of trying last weekend but lil fella took a poop MOTN ( this hasn't happened in well over 1.5 yr?? ) and then over the weekend pooped 3-4x a day. He isn't consistent so I don't feel he's ready yet. I really do want out of this diaper life meh!
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Post by duskymonkey on Apr 17, 2020 22:21:08 GMT -6
y'll are making me want to work out and have a pretzel! August Blooms ...yeast and bread flour has been sold out here in the past month. I actually keep a 1lb yeast in my freezer. I am not a bread baker and not a good one either. We also don't really eat much bread. Mostly the kids eat bread/carbs. I do love carbs so will eat it all if we got into the habit so I just stay away from it but I do like me a pretzel. Maybe I'll try to get frozen ones for the kids tomorrow as a treat when I run out. Like everyone for my own mental sanity, I actually started getting back to yoga practice last week and I felt an immediate calm after getting to almost complete the sequence. This of course happens only if lil fella takes a nap and I can set DS up with either reading or watch a movie and I plug in to a podcast. It really has been helpful plus rereading my Iyengar books is helping me. I would really like to find a time I can dedicate to practice with no interruptions. I really love yoga and was a devoted practitioner and forgot about it all when the kids showed up and folding over became so uncomfortable with my fibroids that I just stopped. I was a gym rat pre marriage and pre kids, hubs and I were out on our bikes practically daily and so active. August Blooms , cardio and strength training upped my game tremendously back when I was young ROTFL and actually got me in the best shape physically and mentally and it really just made me stronger if that makes sense. I like to get there but the aches and pains for almost getting to 50 is catching up Sometimes I forget and think I am still young oy! Anyways... we got pummeled by snow and got about 8 inches yesterday. Last week was pretty good and I managed to get the boys out and hitched up the Chariot for a ride around the neighborhood. I've also been sewing more masks. I just sent a bunch out today to peeps in the tri-state. I seem to be the only one everyone knows that own a sewing machine?? anyways #friends don't let friend's go out maskless. We also donated to the county food bank last week. Planning on getting the zoo pass this weekend eventhough they're closed but they need the funds. Since hubs company is going to be matching donations we've decided to donate the stimulus money to charities. We consider ourselves lucky and hubs is still employed. I started thinking of actually donating to a Native American organization to help fight COVID. I know little about the history but what I know is it has been such a crime. All this came about when I was doing some research on a project I was working on last year and came across articles of so much injustice to a nation that was it's first inhabitants. In a way I can relate because my culture has been swallowed up by colonialism. Anyways it's just makes me sad and appalled that many reservations have no access to running water and that the elderly who are the knowledge bearer of their culture are at the brink of extinction. Anyone knows what Native charities that are good to donate to? I hesitate to donate to charities I don't know about due to not knowing how they distribute their funding. Charities are so notorious for the careless distribution of funds they receive.
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Apr 18, 2020 1:51:48 GMT -6
duskymonkey I think it’s awesome that you are donating your stimulus to charity, and how cool that your H’s company is matching it. We’ve regularly been donating cash, food, and hygiene products to the poor and homeless here in my city. The need is so incredibly great - this country doesn’t do food stamps, there’s no welfare....it’s just so hard to compare the lack of safety nets in the developing world to what you all have in the USA, Canada, and other 1st world countries. People will starve here - due to the economic impacts of coronavirus. It’s heartbreaking. The other thing that really pisses me off about where I live is that 1% of the population controls 70% of the wealth. I have a lot of really, really wealthy Thai friends. The amount they donate to charity is pathetic - most don’t donate at all. Call me judgmental, but I can’t help but be extremely disappointed in them. They will make sure to spend $50,000 - $10,000 per year on handbags though. FFS. I guess my expectations are also affected by the fact that charitable giving is expected and very common in the USA. I never really realized how generous Americans were (both from a government and private donation perspective) until I lived overseas. Study after study shows that Americans (as well as New Zealanders, Australians, and Canadians) are by far the most generous (as a percentage of wealth/GDP and in total, gross figures) than anywhere else in the world. This is also both in terms of monetary giving and donating time/volunteering. Not to say other countries don’t give or have charity, but there is a huge difference. Below is an interesting report. Graph 27 at the bottom is particularly interesting, as it compares countries per private philanthropy. www.philanthropyroundtable.org/almanac/statistics/u.s.-generositywww.cafonline.org/about-us/publications/2018-publications/caf-world-giving-index-2018
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Post by doodlemommy on Apr 18, 2020 19:08:46 GMT -6
My kids have been wearing their masks for a bit every day and are good about it! So that makes me feel better if I ever need to actually take them somewhere. They each got to pick their fabric and DS in particular loves his
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Apr 19, 2020 7:43:44 GMT -6
danvers DS2 has lately been having little pee accidents through his undies and sometimes a little goes through to his pants (he’ll get like a silver dollar sized spot). He’s been potty trained for months and just is going through a stubborn phase - doesn’t want to stop playing, doesn’t want to comply with our instructions. It’s annoying - but normal and you’re not alone!
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Apr 19, 2020 7:54:56 GMT -6
We made cornmeal lemon zest cookies today, and they were so easy/fun to make with DS1. Turned out really tasty too. We also made fresh squeezed lemonade. Lemons are normally super expensive out here (think $1.50 for ONE lemon), so we rarely have them for baking/juice. But somehow DH scored a bag of 10 lemons for only $4.30, so we went nuts and had a lemon day today!
The fresh squeezed lemonade reminds me of summer in the USA. **Cue feelings of nostalgia** We introduced fresh squeezed lemonade to our nanny and her daughter, and they were amazed. Our nanny immediately asked how to make it. We were like, lemons, water, sugar! 🤣😂 DS1 and DS2 also gobbled up a few glasses - so many potty breaks today for them 😂😂
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Post by curmudgeon on Apr 19, 2020 10:06:10 GMT -6
We had hot dogs last night in pretzel buns with everything seasoning and they were so good. And now I want lemonade too. Lol I should stay out of here. We have a lemon tree but of course they are far from being ripe.
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Post by CoachTsWife on Apr 19, 2020 11:12:46 GMT -6
Taitai I LOVE lemon things. I made a lemon bread over Christmas and need to make it again. I've now cut both boys' hair, with scissors because our clippers died. DH is next but I'm not too worried because he sits still and I've had to trim his before. 😂 DS2 has a few spots that need cleaned up because he flipped out halfway through and I had to finish asap. *poof*
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Post by curmudgeon on Apr 19, 2020 11:32:02 GMT -6
CoachTsWife their haircuts look great!! H is keeping DS1’s buzzed and I miss his hair.
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Apr 19, 2020 17:06:59 GMT -6
CoachTsWife your boys are adorable and the haircuts look great! Taitai all those lemon things sound delicious! Will be heading to my Pinterest board soon to look for lemon recipes. It feels so “summery” and we could definitely use some pretend summer here as it’s still below freezing most nights 😑
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Apr 19, 2020 19:18:09 GMT -6
CoachTsWife Your two boys look so cute! I love it! You did a great job with the haircuts - especially for your DS2. I think his hair looks really good! It’s harder to do the little ones - they don’t stay still. Thanks for sharing those pics - they are such handsome little boys!! 💕💕
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Post by CoachTsWife on Apr 20, 2020 8:35:28 GMT -6
Thanks, guys. We think they are pretty adorable but obv we are biased. lol Taitai DS1 has extremely thick, hard to manage hair. The hair at his crown wants to stick straight up no matter how long or short it is and he has a strong cowlick in front. DS2 has very fine hair and it isn't thick (yet) so it is much easier to manage. DS2 wakes up and his hair is generally laying down and looks decent. However when DS1 wakes up his hair is pointing in all sorts of directions - we have to use lots of water and gel to tame it. lol
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Post by duskymonkey on Apr 20, 2020 21:19:27 GMT -6
CoachTsWife your boys have stolen my heart. You did a smashing job with scissors. The last cut we did, hubs buzzed their hair and thankfully lil fella did ok with the trimmer. I had been using scissors and he was so wiggly that I am relief I no longer have to cut his hair. Speaking of hair, I was just about to make an appt. to get my hair cut. Bah! now my hair is going to get waaaayyy too long. Luckily the last time, my hairstylist thinned and heavily layered it so hoping it won't be so heavy.
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Post by duskymonkey on Apr 20, 2020 21:32:49 GMT -6
Taitai Score! with the lemons. I make an Italian cookie using cornmeal and lemons too! So good. I love lemons so awfully much, I would marry a lemon tree I have the best lemon cake recipe and I am not kidding, it's really good and have Herme's tart au citron recipe too. The lemon cream is so luscious and so velvety and wickedly delicious. LMK if anyone want's it, I'll post it or pm you. Also save your rinds! you can make lemon syrup. Another plug for Stella Parks!
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Post by duskymonkey on Apr 20, 2020 21:37:07 GMT -6
My kids have been wearing their masks for a bit every day and are good about it! So that makes me feel better if I ever need to actually take them somewhere. They each got to pick their fabric and DS in particular loves his That's brilliant, I will need to do this once I make them theirs. I am taking a break, I've been up past midnight the last 2 weeks sewing and sewing until I ran out of fabric. Now I just have kiddo prints left and looking to get more shipped. Anyways...great idea to have them pick their own prints. Hope I have prints they'd like.
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Post by duskymonkey on Apr 20, 2020 22:04:30 GMT -6
Sorry guys. I just realized my last post was so incredibly long. I often log in on my laptop so...typing just gets out of hand. Oops! Also I didn't mean to sound sanctimonious ( right word?) about donating our stimulus check. Everyone's needs are so different and we're all so impacted with the current crisis. For me, the guilt accepting it would be much greater than our needs plus taking up on the double match donor offer, we both feel we can actually make a huge contribution which we typically cap out every year. CoachTsWife I think it's a great investment for your windows and windows are expensive! We were thinking of replacing our builder grade crappy sliding door but not in the current situation so we're just going to get the glass replaced until something else happens and we really have to replace it. Taitai thank you for the links. I think we have touched upon that subject and it's something I cannot live with and see back home. The disparity of the super wealthy and poor are so wide and deep. Philantrophy is just not a value that SEA posses and it disturbs and irks me to no end. I remember during my NYC working days, a co-worker commented that I must be making more money than my other peers since I was able to purchase my own home to which I replied - you don't see me sashaying around in gucci shoes and prada bags do you? Come to think of it, my first salary was 18K a year! and I work hard and earned every penny.
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