Our New Normal

With official word that school is canceled at least through May (probably longer but MN hasn't made the call yet) we are getting used to a new normal. I am grateful that Corona has freed up some time to blog.

We've developed a new routine around here.  In the morning the kids hop on their Ipads and Chromebooks to do their assignments from their teachers while I try to help them with assignments they don't understand. David is usually on Zoom meeting with his fellow residents doing some sort of online classes. After a couple of hours he's done usually helps one kid or another finish with their homework and we all eat lunch. When Sophie wakes up from her afternoon nap around 3 we all go on a family walk down to Bailey lake that just happens to be border the backside of our neighborhood. It's beautiful and yesterday I took pictures of what this looks like.

The kids cruise in front of us on their rollerblades while David and I lag behind with the double stroller chatting and the littles ride beside us on plasma cars. Rachel rode her bike one day and for a 4.5-year-old on two wheels, she gets where she needs to go without falling but man she scares the daylights out of us.

Heading down to throw rocks in the lake.

Lucy decided not to get her shoes wet.

I dressed Sophie up all warm and clearly didn't want to waste time on socks. She must be the 8th.

All the kiddos smooshed on the bench.

 I tried desperately to beat the timer while David was pretending to swing the plasma car while I was running. We both lost.

Minnesota's beauty takes out breath away even in the winter. Spring will come soon and really blow us away.

And then on the walk home, this little gal decided she was done and put on her best pout face. We were enjoying a week of sunny 50 degree days and I knew the weather was going to turn. Sure enough, as I type this the kids are out playing in a dusting of ice and snow. I'm crossing my fingers that it's our very last for the year so we can enjoy the outdoors while we are all at home