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Post by CoachTsWife on Jun 16, 2020 12:26:40 GMT -6
My Grandpa passed away yesterday.  He was 103 and lived a long, happy life, but I'm still having a hard time with it. He was a life-long farmer and a generous and kind man. We'll sure miss him. |
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Jun 16, 2020 16:03:25 GMT -6
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Jun 17, 2020 7:12:13 GMT -6
CoachTsWife I’m so sorry for your loss. Your grandpa seemed like a wonderful person. Sending comforting thoughts to you and your family.
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Jun 17, 2020 7:13:28 GMT -6
doodlemommy That is great news about your mil having more time than they thought before, and I hope the chemo/treatment gives her much more time with you and your family. Happy to hear about you having a job to go back to as well. Enjoy your trip to the mountains!
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Post by duskymonkey on Jun 18, 2020 22:59:44 GMT -6
CoachTsWife much condolences to you and your family. That is a great long life! and what a period for him to be alive to experience and see such vast changes in human history. I have so much respect for farmers - simple life it certainly isn't. Hubs and I always tell each other when we complain about our day that if we had a farm, we'd still have to care for livestock after the kids go to bed and be up before the crack of dawn to take care of them and then the kids. Frontier life be hard. We are mere whimps.
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Post by duskymonkey on Jun 18, 2020 23:09:05 GMT -6
doodlemommy, Glad to hear your job is secure and you'll have childcare figured out for the kids under our current circumstances. I sincerely hope your MIL will respond to chemo treatments. Thinking of you and your family. 
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Post by duskymonkey on Jun 18, 2020 23:18:17 GMT -6
Hi everyone, I caught up last week and then these kids of mine interrupted my posting. They basically interrupt anything I’m doing since I’m solo M to F. Things are the same here. Daycares open next week, I’m hesitant to send the girls back but we really have no other option. My mom offered to watch them but they are a lot to handle for 10 hours. I’m going to use her for a day here and there until we send the girls back to daycare in July. We don’t have a ton of cases in my area but it still stresses me out. It will be nice for my mental health to have the break so I’m trying not to feel too guilty.  |
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Post by duskymonkey on Jun 18, 2020 23:21:42 GMT -6
Update everyone: The new puppy has arrived and I'm not sure E knew how to contain her excitement. She spotted her (the dog) from her high chair and it was over from there. All done signs were flying, yelling at the door. Blololololol (word for dog) constantly and when she finally got to meet the dog, she just squealed and made happy feet tippy tappys. I don't know guys, it was chaos.  |
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Post by duskymonkey on Jun 18, 2020 23:26:12 GMT -6
duskymonkey That is amazing. The details on the frogs are fantastic! Taitai I’m jealous of you beach trip! Enjoy! I wish we had booked a cottage this summer, but the IL’s were supposed to visit. Stupid Covid wrecking everything. We had so many plans this summer. Meh. Taitai vacation vicariously for us. Need pics so we can day dream hanging out with you and ignore my destructive kids. Hope you're having a relaxing time. |
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Post by duskymonkey on Jun 18, 2020 23:42:53 GMT -6
danvers , aw man! how sunburnt are you? like on your shoulders arms or like all over? Ouchy! I got burnt badly once when I was a kid and so did all my cousins. We basically spent the rest of the week looking like scalded lobsters wearing the biggest clothes we could find screaming "Don;t touch me" at each other. It was awful. Speaking of forgetting sunscreen, the first week after school was over and I started biking with the kids everyday, I conveniently forgot to slather it on my hands. After a week, top of my hands looked like tanned leather with a nice tan line on my wrist. I wear a long sleeve bike shirt even if it's hot. Got no time to get sunscreen on myself after slapping it on the kids. Duh! Hope you're doing better. Also you and cythe need to update us on your remodeling projects! We are holding off ours until CV gets sorted out or stabilized in some way we feel comfortable to allow strangers into our house. Also when DS told me he wanted a Golden frog cake, I was like K, I need to source out edible gold leaf or whatever then he told me they were from Panama. After I made them, he told me they were the size of a teaspoon and I made them too big Oy! Didn't;t do my research lol!
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Post by August Blooms on Jun 19, 2020 14:33:58 GMT -6
doodlemommy I hope you guys are able to enjoy the extra time with your MIL. CoachTsWife I’m so sorry for your loss.
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Post by August Blooms on Jun 19, 2020 14:39:06 GMT -6
duskymonkey That’s great that you can get out on the bike everyday. I just got a very cheap road bike I’m sure the real cyclists will give me judgmental looks for but I don’t have $1000 to drop and used bikes are impossible to come by these days since everyone wants one.
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Post by August Blooms on Jun 19, 2020 14:43:51 GMT -6
Sorry about all the posting, I’m reading and posting as I go while the kids play in the sprinkler and with the water table. I never know how much time I have until they will destroy something else.
Our zoo is doing a drive through experience which has been impossible to get tickets for and I finally scored some. I think we will also plan a trip to a local conservation area since the reopening excitement has died down it shouldn’t be too busy. Other than that nothing new here, it’s like Groundhog Day every day.
Anyone have any good movie recommendations for the kids? We are running out of movies I think.
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Jun 20, 2020 16:38:07 GMT -6
The sunburn (approx. 10 days later!) is almost gone. So PSA everyone - put your sunscreen on first then your kids 🤦♀️ duskymonkey funny you should ask about the reno project. We spoke to the contractor Friday and they are a bit behind on manpower (apparently everyone is building and whatnot in quarantine) so he won’t be able to start till August.... in which case we said we’d like to wait till next Spring. H and I both may both be teaching from home, with two little kids, in an already small house (hence: the reno project). We just can’t fathom digital teaching, DD1 doing digital learning, toddler being toddler all cooped up in a Reno (with both our bathrooms being remodeled too!) We’re good with waiting for now. |
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Jun 21, 2020 8:50:52 GMT -6
duskymonkey I thought of you today when I had the crazy idea of putting that fake snow stuff you recommended to me in our water table, with a little bit of water. It was a love/hate experience for our kids. The snow was really cool to watch form, but then the kids kept wanting to add water and it turned into this huge sludgy mess! I had no idea how to clean it up, and DS2 was freaking out, because he couldn’t get these massive gelatin super soaked snowflake things off of him. We eventually got it figured out, but yeah - the whole package of snow is almost gone now! Thanks for the recommendation. I might use it out in the grassy area next time (not on my balcony) August Blooms What a fun idea for the drive through zoo thing! Glad you got tickets - have fun! In terms of movies - we introduced our kids to the origins Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. They love it. Other non-western ideas (both by Miyazaki) are: -My Neigbor Totoro -Panyo
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Jun 21, 2020 13:48:53 GMT -6
We are at InLaws today for Father’s Day. They apparently kept my youngest nephew (6 months) last night because SIL has a big thing for her H’s side today and the baby Is hot mess lately. 3 minutes into getting here I convinced MIL to give him to me so i I could walk and bounce him. She was very stressed trying to get this big meal for tonight and console him and I was very “this is what Aunts are for!”
It’s so much easier for me to listen to it as have no mom guilt associated with it (and lots of uninterrupted sleep at night which we all know makes a world of difference 😂)
I still have the white noise app on my phone so here I sit draining my battery holding a, finally, sleeping baby. Good thing we just sold the baby gear because right now I’m 😍😍😍
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Post by August Blooms on Jun 21, 2020 14:14:38 GMT -6
Taitai Thanks for the recommendations... I’ll add them to the list! danvers I have moments where I think about having another and then the 2 I have will conspire to destroy something or act up and I reconsider.
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Jun 21, 2020 17:41:13 GMT -6
danvers I have moments where I think about having another and then the 2 I have will conspire to destroy something or act up and I reconsider. I literally spent naptime googling “how long do 6 month olds nap?!?” and then googling “how much formula” when he woke up and watching him like a hawk crawls and shove everything in his mouth and now I think... I’m good past the baby stage. I apparently have forgotten all baby related matters and how anxious it can make me and so I think I’ll stick to Auntie babysitting duties 🤣😂🤣 |
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Jun 22, 2020 16:22:34 GMT -6
I’m taking the girls to my parents tomorrow for a change of “stay-at-home” scenery. We’ve seen them two or three times in the last month (meeting up at state parks and whatnot) and we will be able to continue isolating more or less at their place. They’ve been great about staying home, masks, etc so H and I are comfortable with it. They have a pool and really nice walking trails nearby which will be the will be the extent of our activity.
I’m sad I won’t be able to meet up with my childhood bestie like we do every summer but I don’t feel like this is the time for it anyway (and I know she hasn’t been staying at home with her family so it’s moot anyway)
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Post by curmudgeon on Jun 22, 2020 18:04:20 GMT -6
Hi strangers! I’m trying to read and catch up on everyone.
Things finally calmed down here with daycares opening back up and the distance learning being done (for now). And it’s all about to get crazy again. DS2 started a new daycare and his first week, they got a covid case and are closed for 2 weeks. We sold our house and have to be out in 2 weeks. And I’m starting a new job on Monday.
We are doing a new build that hasn’t broken ground yet so we will be staying in a family members rental house until our new place is finished. It’s only 2 bedrooms and no dishwasher. Send prayers.
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Post by CoachTsWife on Jun 23, 2020 9:06:35 GMT -6
I just got back from my Mom's, we buried Grandpa on Sunday. It was nice to spend lots of time with my family and see some cousins that I usually only see about once a year, and my boys absolutely adore my nieces and nephews who range in ages from 7th grade up to 25 years old. The feelings are pretty mutual and I love that the boys got some extended time with them. DS2 was fairly clueless and DS1 (almost 5) seemed to handle Grandpa's death ok. He definitely knows and remembers him and we explained things the best we could. It was several hard days and now we're back home and I'm trying to get caught up on work. Ugh.
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Jun 23, 2020 15:01:14 GMT -6
curmudgeon holy moly have you all been busy! The rental experience will hopefully fly by and you’ll get to move into a beautiful house before you know it 😬😳🤦♀️🤷♀️ CoachTsWife you’ve had a lot going on with your grandpa and now daycare - so sorry. I totally get the daycare thing. We could save some $ going somewhere else with DD2 but these people practically raised DD1 thru to kindergarten and, like yours, have become family so for now DD2 stays. I hope you find something. It’s definitely stressful.
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Post by curmudgeon on Jun 23, 2020 16:14:45 GMT -6
CoachTsWife I’m sorry about your grandpa. But glad you could visit family. Switching daycares is hard. We wanted to keep DS in his daycare until he started K, but they closed because of the virus also and have had a really difficult time reopening, dealing with mold, etc. We found the new place and he has integrated extremely well, immediately warmed up to the kids and teachers. And he’s not a fan of strangers. I hope you’re able to find a new place you love just as much as your previous provider.
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Post by CoachTsWife on Jun 26, 2020 9:08:20 GMT -6
We toured an in-home daycare last night and it was nice, clean, and the lady seemed nice and organized. But it didn't feel quite right. She's pretty rigid with a few policies and I'm realizing how flexible our old DCP was. I'd feel like he would be safe and cared for, but something just didn't feel right. On top of that, it is quite a ways from home and even further from DS1's preschool. Not sure if I'm just grieving the loss of our former DCP and resisting the change, or what. We tour another in-home tonight.
I've spoken to lots of daycare/preschool facilities this week and getting DS2 potty trained is going to be key in getting him into a center if we decide to go that route. We really like the preschool DS1 is enrolled in, and DS2 is on the wait list for there but really needs to be PT in order to have a shot at getting a spot. And, of course, he isn't interested in PT, but we may need to buckle down and see how far we can get without forcing him.
I'm afraid we're going to have to go with an in-home daycare until a spot opens up at DS1's preschool, and I really hate the thought of all that switching. Currently accepting head pats.
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Jun 26, 2020 17:07:04 GMT -6
CoachTsWife all the headpats. It’s so much... especially right now as everyone is trying to figure out a way back into some sort of normal or whatever. I’m currently very panicky at the idea of school for fall with DD1. Any sort of weird schedule and we will need daycare for her which isn’t easy to find for younger kids, let alone older kids, here. Hopefully the daycare you tour tonight feels better to you all!
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Post by duskymonkey on Jun 26, 2020 21:48:50 GMT -6
CoachTsWife all the headpats! A few school districts here have announced FT 5day week schools starting a couple of weeks later than usual with options for home school as well. Our district hasn't made any announcements yet. I am ambivalent about sending DS back to school but at the same time, I am unsure how I would cope mentally having to teach him with lil fella running around like mad max. Lil fella definitely isn't going to any daycare if we can help it at this time. It isn't critical at his age plus he has his big bro to play with although I admit I worry a little with both having to keep to themselves away from others for what may look like a really long period of time. We're also not having much luck trying to PT lil fella. He is so stubborn and unwilling. Bribery worked for just a short period. We've had a good 1 week streak then back to him refusing to sit on the potty. We're going to try again on 4th of July weekend coming up.
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Post by duskymonkey on Jun 26, 2020 22:02:13 GMT -6
Taitai Oh dear!I am so so sorry that my reco ended up causing so much trouble for you. With that stuff, I actually make it ahead of time and strict about no addition of water or the dry composite and outside so I can hose it off the patio. You must have a drain hole in your balcony I assume you can hose that stuff off? We've been playing with the water beads over here in their water table and strict orders to just keep it in the water table. They don't alway comply of course so lots of reminders and threats. How was your vaca? Glad to hear you're back and well. How are things over there?
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Post by duskymonkey on Jun 26, 2020 22:24:00 GMT -6
curmudgeon you've been on my mind! so glad to hear from you and that all is well especially with TX's rising CV cases. That's insanity with all you have going on. Congratulations on your house sale too. Must have been quick. Didn't you just move? Can't remember if it was shortly before or after DS2? What's the ETA for your build? Is it part of a new neighborhood or your own plans? They've broken ground on a new sub-D right next to ours which a lot of the townsfolk are angry about. It's crazy how fast they are building new houses. Ooff! to no DW! I never had one until I moved here and being single was NBD but with a family it's like essential. Only thing I have is to keep up with washing even 1 spoon and don't feel compelled to stack. Keep us updated.
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Post by duskymonkey on Jun 26, 2020 23:01:30 GMT -6
August Blooms sounds like great fun with the zoo. When are you going? Also your girls sound just like my boys. We call them Destructobots! We've introduced disney classics. Both kids favs are Aristocats, 101 Dalmations, Robin Hood. DS still loves Blue planet. Road bikes are an investment for sure. You can always upgrade your components if you want to. Hubs got me mine instead of an engagement and wedding ring. We looked for almost a year for a used one then but it was hard due to my stand over height so was very limited so he decided to just get me a new one. We're in cycling mecca so had lots of options and I got fitted and test rode several. He finally put my bike back together a couple of weeks ago so I am riding my bike on the weekends while he gets to drag the lil fella in my beat up city bike until he gets his bike put back together too! 
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Post by August Blooms on Jun 27, 2020 14:27:12 GMT -6
duskymonkey Nice bike! Some of the bikes I’m seeing cost as much as my engagement ring and it wasn’t cheap! I had no idea serious cycling was so expensive! We don’t have Disney plus yet but I think with Hamilton and all the old Disney stuff I may have to subscribe. Taitai We just watched my Neighbor Totoro. It’s just came on Netflix here, DD1 liked it. They are the opposite of helicopter parents in that movie. It was a nice change of pace. curmudgeon A new house is exciting times. If you can survive a small space during a pandemic you can survive anything! And I hope your first week at the new job went well.
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He was 103 and lived a long, happy life, but I'm still having a hard time with it. He was a life-long farmer and a generous and kind man. We'll sure miss him.
