Covid Week 2

I think if there was a theme that surfaced in Week 2, it would be called: Screens Surfacing.

Sure, the week generally offered a bit of the same... lots of family time with some outings, but what really began to emerge was the pattern of really reaching out to others through devices. It has started to become part of our daily lives - connecting with technology while we need to be disconnected physically. Oh, and we were able to celebrate a certain someone's special 11th birthday too (see the post dedicated to that wonderful celebration)!

Getting outside when we can...

The view of Lake Ontario never gets old

Staying in as we should and connecting where we can...

Ballet with Isabel

  

Hanging with our Favourite Ladies

"Seeing" our cousins

Mommy gets to "play" with her friends too!

MOMENTS: Togetherness is Still Good

I'm actually very happy with how well this is going at this point. We get along and are used to spending a lot of time together. What is strange is the hault to the hectic schedule we usually have going to get us to where we like to be and the doing the things we like to do...yet, we are pretty contented to be home too. Pretty fortunate, really. Fortunate to be able to be home while others are needed to be out helping others...

Tavish's (Covid) 11th Birthday

"A Little Party Never Hurt Anybody"

Sure, we may have to be socially distant from friends and extended family, but turning 11 is still a great excuse to party so we will just do it safely so that our party literally cannot hurt anybody! So, we partied from a safe distance but connected through technology. Plus, life is just one big party in this family, so we knew just what to do...

This is eleven!

Indoor Decorations

Outdoor Decorations

Sister Gift of Colourful Love

The Whole Gang Together Singing!

Call from his Cousins

Best Bakers - A Team Effort!

Self-Isolated Dynamic Duo

Exchanging Gifts from 4 Floors Away

Fortnite Birthday Bash with Buddies!

Birthday Boy Choice: Completo

Fire and Family Basketball

MOMENT: Partying Like is 2020

Well, what could capture the events and highlights of Tavish's 11th birthday better than it being reflected through the eyes of the birthday boy himself? That's right, this is Tavish's first entry into video editing right here on his 11th birthday! <3 p="">

*** TAVISH'S VERY OWN VIDEO POST ***

March Break - Covid Style

There really is a whole lot that can happen in a week, even when you've got nowhere to be and "social distancing" is all the rage. I've put together our "March Break" highlight reel and tossed in some screen shots I took throughout the week to help showcase what else was going on around us as our family blissfully nestled in together, starting with this one...

Well, we are willing to look like we over-reacted ... we don't really go out much, other than to do some #covidcleanup that I initiated to try to clean up our city for spring, might as well do some good when we've got so much time to do it, right? We were very happy to welcome Auntie Colleen and Grandma back to Toronto! We popped over for a 4-floor-away visit equipped with a reversible "Welcome Home" / "We Love you" sign. The world somehow seemed less scary to me once they were back in Canada... We took interest in all sorts of often-overlooked things like baking, colouring, creating, and old toys. All in all, it has been going pretty well while Daddy works away in his "office" (read: our bedroom). The kids even worked to help decorate it a bit... We could get used to this, but it's probably best to check in on us on occasion, just in case we've had it! ha.

Saturday Step Up

Well, we were planning on driving to Ottawa today to spend a few days of the March Break with family, but, the tides are turning in society due to this Covid-19 thing. After talks back and forth with family, we were going/not going a few times... When the K team left for Keva's ballet and silks, the T team was packing up to go. Part way through the classes, concerns stepped up a bit and we opted to stay put. Saturday would be our last time 'out and about' until we are told otherwise ... it's time to socially distance ourselves and tuck in. This ended the lengthy playdate with Zach and led us to remove the 'rink' from the yard and install the outdoor furniture and basketball net. Looks like we'll be spending a lot of time at home in the coming weeks...

Blissfully Unaware of Plan Changes

"Hit" When We Returned Home, Socializing Done for a Bit

Early Seasonal Yard Switch

MOMENT: Tone Change

All the while, Mom and Auntie Colleen are in Arizona. The tone change about Canadians out of country changed quickly, so the wheels are being put in motion to get our beloved back! Here are some screen shots of announcements from the government...note the change from avoid-non-essential-travel to get-home-while-you-still-can which transpired after the Prime Minister spoke with the US President.

Last Hoorah

In the wake of news that the coronavirus, Covid-19, is plaguing the world and spreading quickly, Ontario's Minister of Education announced that Ontario public schools would be closed. The announcement was made March 13th, the next day would be last day of schools being open until 2 weeks after March Break when wtudents are expected to return on April 6th.

School is Out!

It's Always a Party when there is Pizza

Girls on the Dance Floor!

MOMENT: Final Friday Fun

We had loosely planned to host another 'games night' with our friends tonight, but it suddenly doesn't seem appropriate in light of the "no large group gatherings" advice being shared. Though we did bring Zach home with us from school, so in a small group, the boys had some time to play together. Later, we added Georgia to the mix. There was pizza and a dance-off between girls and boys to finish the gathering. Keva and I walked Georgia home while Tavish handed Zach our spare toothbrush so he could sleep over!

Rute

Almost 2 years ago, I proposed to Tom that we get each other the best christmas present ever. This was a it of a stretch because we used to be so thoughtful and effortful in our gifts to one another until, well ... life). Anyway, my idea was to hire someone to help with deep cleaning our very busy home every 2 weeks. Enter Rute into our lives. The floors, bathrooms, and dust bunnies did not stand a chance! We have concluded that this is indeed, money well spent and a VERY thoughtful 'gift' to one another!

Then it happened... we are away at a hockey tournament in London, staying in a hotel. After a second busy day at the rink, we return to our hotel room. The cleaning staff has already been through. Without missing a beat, Keva says "has Rute been here?" Hahaha.

Halloween 2019

Another Halloween season and another bought of great costumes, creativity, and crazziness...

Grandma gets in on pumpkin carving crazziness

Kitty-o-lantern

Cat-o-lantern

A (not so) wicked witch

Killer Bear & Queen Elsa

Coady Crew in Costumes

MOMENT: Queen to Flash, Frightening to Frighteninger

Keva kept pace with the past and opted for costume diversity. The plan and focus (at least so far as I understood it) was to be Elsa. Turns out, that was just for the school Halloween situation. For the pre-Halloween-Halloween party, she would be a witch. For trick-or-treating, trusty ol' Flash came out. I like the diversity in costumes ... demonstrates her diversity and creativity. This year too, for Tavish just one costume would also not do. He opted for the consistent theme of gore and horror. He sat out the pre-Halloween-Halloween party this year for a sleepover with a hockey pal, but he managed to diversity his gore all the same. He was a killer bear for school and something even scarier for trick-or-treating. The common theme was blood. The special effects which were cool added touch for the bloody devil. Costumes are fun.

This year also brought the bonus of Grandma being in the house with us. We put her to good use preparing the pumpkin seeds for us to later gorge ourselves on. The extra cool part? Grandma and Auntie Colleen like shopping for a deal, so you can expect our decorating game to be upped next year from all their discount bin finds!

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