Covid Socialization

There's no denying that it's a strange, strange time. Stay-at-home when possible and keep-your-distance expectations has left differing comfort levels around small outdoor gatherings. We feel fortunate that we found our kindred covid peeps to still gather with outside with this fall. We kept safety as our primary focus but mental health and overall happiness as the goal...and it worked. We kept it up until the weather cooled and our family quarantined for upcoming holiday visits. 

MOMENTS: Safe and Spacious Socialization

The usual suspects were Maggie and the girls (Pippa and Cleo) and Alyssa and the boys (Callum and Casey) on Fridays. The usual gathering continued most Friday nights with us hanging out in the back. We introduced our fire pit or utilized Alyssa's outdoor heater to fend off the fall chill. Auntie Colleen was also a regular around here, sometimes with special appearances including Alanna and Caroline! I'm not sure how we would have fared without our friends and family. We were safe, careful, and also happy. We cherish these opportunities even more than before during these crazy covid times!

Fall Family Fun, 2020

With covid restrictions ever present, our family made the most of it by committing to at least once a week family outings near to home. The lovely leaves are an extra draw for Mommy, but being active and together is always the best motivation. We visited a number of places that are near and dear.

MOMENT: Fun with the Fam

Wherever we ventured, we included a stop on our way home for a treat like pizza lunch, hot chocolate, bubble tea, sushi, cookies, and the like. The sweetness was always a welcome way to celebrate the outing and our togetherness!

Halloween 2020

Nothing can take Halloween happiness away, not even covid and cancelled trick-or-treating!

MOMENT: "Eevie" and "I will Dress Up Next Year to Trick-or-Treat"

Keva was introduced to "Descendents" on Disney by her pals Pippa and Cleo and the three had plans to dress up together as characters from that series. Keva was Eevie, the daughter of the Evil Queen from Snow White. Tavish took a pass on donning a costume this year. He gets more in the spirit for trick or treating, it turns out. Costumes or not, both kids made the most of the changes. The house was still decorated, pumpkins were creatively carved, they partied (Halloween was on a Saturday...with a full moon, no less), and they enjoyed candy...so very much candy. The Switch Witch did pop by, but with an unusual year, she opted to help herself to a few candies and leave the rest for the kids...and $5 each with a promise to return next year. The small, distanced, and masked alley party hosted by Alyssa and Callum was wonderful and an evening celebration ended with a bundled up movie in the backyard with the fire pit aglow. What a wonderful and memorable year!

Thanksgiving 2020

 Well, it was a smaller, more intimate meal of thanks this year (thanks, covid). Our dear neighbour shared their catered Thanksgiving meal when her company was no longer able to join them (more thanks to covid). This allowed us to really channel our feast fantasy energy into pie making. So pie making we did! So much delicious pie to accompany the big feast that was delivered and needed only to be warmed up. We even had time to take in a bike ride!

MOMENT: Feeling Thankful 

Meringue Master

It's an art...

YUM!

Brisk Bike Ride

Stairs + Bikes = ...

Need to Rehydrate!

Fantastic Fall Foliage

Fantastic Feast

Thankful Family

Sugar High of Happiness

Feeling Thankful Indeed...

Gratitude Jar, Year 3

We got to the gratitude jar a touch later than we traditionally do, but it was as rewarding as ever. Kids are settled into Grade 6 (Tavish) and Grade 3 (Keva). It was great to look back on some highlights from the past year, plenty include expressing gratitude amid covid living. September 2019 - August 2020 appears to have had a lot to be grateful for...

MOMENTS: Sharing Gratitude

It seems we each have a bit of a theme ... Daddy seems to be often grateful for coming home to a cooked meal (4), spending time as a family (3), and visiting with Grandpa Mike (3). Mommy's are typically long winded and mention the weather (4) and some sort of work being done around the house (3). Tavish really liked the backyard rink (4), sports in general (6), and safety amid covid times (3). Keva went more on the wandering-thoughts vein including an honourable mention to Penny (3), Halloween (2), and our family trips (3). Regardless, they are all delightful reflections of another family year well lived. <3

Daddy:
Sep. 9 - grateful for the nice weather this afternoon so I could sit outside and enjoy it with Grandpa.
Sep. 28 - grateful that Tavish is sitting at the table ... finally.
Oct. 9 - grateful that the kids made dinner and set the table so Mommy and I could sit together for a few minutes.
Nov. 27 - grateful for being able to see a doctor then right away be able to have an x-ray for my knee.
Feb. 11 - grateful for being able to come home to a ready-made dinner after having to work late.
March 14 - grateful that Grandpa Mike got to have an apartment so close to us for 4 years.
April 13 - grateful for the health of our family.
July 16 - grateful for our safe and fun adventures across Ontario in the RV.
Aug. 26 - grateful to get to work from home to spend more time with my family.

Mommy:
Sep. 3 - grateful for a new school year where I can be more present for school drop off and pick up!
Sep. 18 - grateful for a lovely September canoe camping trip with Megan that included 3 swims!
Sep. 28 - grateful for these jokers that I call family.
Oct. 9 - grateful for a big swim yyesterday and getting to watch Tavish's soccer games the day after watching his first hockey game of the season where he scored his first hat trick!
Oct. 24 - grateful for the projects getting done around the house and all the help Grandma has been for getting it all done!
Nov. 2 - grateful for getting to share the "Come From Away" experience with my Mom and my son.
Jany. 21 - grateful for the dentist - I love clean, cavity free teeth!
Feb. 25 - grateful for VWs - old ones that have been good to us and new-to-us ones too!
May 14 - grateful for all of the wonderful Grandpa Mel memories on this sad day.

Tavish:
Sep. 3 - grateful for going to Ed's for ice cream and having a water balloon fight on the street!
Sep. 18 - grateful for the street party coming up.
Sep. 28 - grateful for my new shoes.
Oct. 24 - grateful for Grandma being here and coming to watch so many things we do.
Nov. 2 - grateful that I have a good hockey shot...I just need to get it into the net though and not just hit the crossbar!
Feb. 11 - grateful that we have the water supply to make a rink in the tiny little space we have.
March 10 - grateful I have one parent who cheers me on (and a sister) at hockey and baseball AND that I have a Dad that coaches me in both.
April 13 - grateful for all the doctors helping the people with the virus.
May 14 - grateful that all our relatives, especially Grandparents, are safe during covid.
Aug. 26 - glad that baseball and hockey both (sort of) got to resume.

Keva:
Sep. 3 - grateful for ice cream!
Sep. 7 - grateful that we have Penny here who stays with us for a long time. Also for going out for brunch with Mommy and Daddy - thank you for that. I also like playing at the park and the show we watched today (Anne of Green Gables). Oh, I also really like Porch Fridays.
Sep. 18 - grateful for the Street Party coming up and that Sophie didn't bother me today and I am super glad fire alarms don't come in the morning and in the afternoon on the same day!
Oct. 9 - grateful we get to go to Ottawa where we get to see Penny again and take her for a walk. And that we get to see Sam, Lucy, and Anny. I hope their dog doesn't bark too much... And that we will get to see Beckett and Quinn. And Grandpa, Auntie Michele, and our cousins. Oh, and see Auntie Michele's house.
Nov. 2 - grateful for Halloween... even though it passed ... and I look forward to it happening again. And it will happen again, but next year. I might be a ballerina. Also, I'm excited for winter too. I also had a great time playing hockey in the alley with Daddy, Mommy, and Tavish.
Nov. 27 - grateful that we will get to go to London for the hockey tournament then Arizzzona, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, and Vancouver then to Toronto and then another hockey tournament!
Feb. 11 - thankful Daddy made the rink but I'm sad that it's gone now.
Feb. 25 - thankful to Mommy for coming into my room to sleep with me every night - I like it.
March 10 - grateful for playing with Georgia at her house.
May 14 - grateful that Alyssa had a baby and that people can come over, even though we can't hug them.
July 16 - so grateful for your guys taking us on that cool camping trip in the campervan. Thank you!
Aug. 26 - like that Daddy works from home so that he can play with me sometimes.

Guest Gratitudes:
Sep. 7 - Grandpa Mike
"I am grateful for my knees not hurting (like my friend's)... and my body in general not hurting. And, it goes without saying, that I'm grateful for dinner with my family. So, health, family, and plans for the future (this week and this year)."

Oct. 24 - Grandma
"I'm grateful that the rink was warmer than last week and that the time went so quickly because the entertainment was pretty good." 

Nov. 2 - Grandma
"I'm grateful for the time I have been here and to see Tavish's activities and Keva's activities, the play, and for all the careful drivers who treat me like china. I like being treated like china." - Grandma

Nov. 2 - Auntie Colleen
"I'm grateful for time because I had time to watch Tavish play hockey, time to stop and get gas in my car, and time to be able to enjoy a beautiful dinner here with my family." 

Strange Start to School

Keva is off to grade 3 and Tavish is off to grade 6 - his last first day at Morse!

Keva sported her 'kitty mask' to start her day. Tavish chooses the buff as his mask of choice. Such a strange start to school this year...

On your mark, get masked...

...and go!

Same

yet...

...different

Grade 6 smile

Masked boy

Side note, I walked Tavish to his first day of school, which he said "you don't have to Mom". 

"I know that silly, I want to".

Then proceeded to tell him I'll walk with him because I want to on his first day of High School and first day of his first job...😁

Tom piped in "on his first date..."

To which I clarified "no, no, that's big stuff, I'm going with him for the whole thing" 

It's super fun teasing tweenagers.

End of a 6 Month March Break

Well ... it's a strange, and very delayed start to this school year! The kids were initially both signed up to do virtual school because Tom would continue to work at home. That plan folded when it was announced that his return date was pushed up, so off to school they go!

I try to take the kids out the night before school yeach year as a bit of a celebration. This year, we were celebrating the end of a 6 month March Break! The school staggered the start dates to try to work out some extra covid kinks, so Keva started September 16th and Tavish on the 17th. Yay, two back to school dinners!

On the 15th, it was just Keva and I (T&t were off to baseball...or hockeyy...or both). We went for a bike ride to a local restaurant/pub to dine together on the patio.

On the 16th, it was a full family outing for Pho at their recently covid-renovated outdoor space before we were off to watch Tavish play baseball.

It's hard to believe it's been a full half a year since the kids were last in school. Oh, it's also back to work for Mommy after her year 'off'. Some things come to an end, and plenty gets started back up...

Mommy Daughter Dinner, eve of school return

A bike ride and fun sun

Fantastic Pho

Mom & Son, eve of school

The family feast at the end of a 6 Month March Break