While on a break today I was looking at Twitter and saw Glennon Doyle's tweet about Rachel Held Evans. I went down the proverbial rabbit hole and ended up on RHE's blog and discovered this post about "Mommy Bloggers". It's worth a read.

https://rachelheldevans.com/blog/hey-mommy-bloggers-thanks

Coronavirus Craziness

We are living in a really weird time period right now. You can't go to a web page or social media site without the words coronavirus or COVID-19 jumping off the page. I decided to dust off our blog so we can document this "unprecedented time"--yeah, I'm sick of seeing that phrase already too.

Brian and Evelyn have been out of school since March 13. I've been working from home since March 20. The Governor of Michigan just extended the Stay Home Stay Safe orders through April 30. It's still uncertain how long all of this will go on. All we can do is take it one day at a time and do the best we can each day. 

We're trying to keep a routine going in our household. Its easier to do this during the workweek since I am expected to work during my normal office hours. I wake up and shower as though I'll be driving to Marquette, but the commute is just a short walk upstairs to my makeshift office in a corner of our bedroom. I can't complain about the setting too much since I actually have a window! I can watch the birds in the trees outside our bedroom window and enjoy the sun when it's out. The really great bonus is my new coworkers, Gracie and Gizmo. They break into the room every so often and offer some great support in the way of snuggles.

Colors for the new house

Best Friends

It's Been A While...

We're still here and busy as ever! I'm realizing how much this blog has served as Evelyn's baby book and that I should really start blogging again. May not be as frequent as in the past few years, but I think I'll give it a go. Especially since I can do it right from my iPhone!

Photo Card

Joy From Us Holiday

holiday party invitations and thank you cards by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Another Milestone

The Binky Fairy visited Evelyn Saturday night. Evelyn had left her a sweet note asking her to please take her binkies and to leave her a dollhouse and dollies. She slept with one binky and left her other one with the note.

When she woke up on Sunday morning, the note and the binkies were gone. But there on her bedroom floor was a dollhouse and dollies! She was pretty excited! "Mom! Dad! The Binky Fairy came!" She was very excited to open up the boxes and for Daddy to get the dollhouse put together so she could play. And play we did, all day!

When it was time for her afternoon nap, she quietly inquired, "Where's my binky?" I had to gently reminder her that the Binky Fairy had picked them up last night and taken them to other babies that needed them. She quietly accepted my explanation and settled down for some shut eye. Whew! One down!

Bedtime was a different story altogether. She made me write another letter to the Binky Fairy pleading to "please bring my binkies back!" She was wimpering a bit while we went through our usual bedtime routine--tooth brushing, pajamas, reading a story and cuddling in the rocking chair. She fought off a few tears, but then asked me, "Mom, why am I crying?" I asked, "Why are you crying?" "No, you tell me!" "Well, I think you may be missing your binky." And then the sobbing started. The heart wrenching kind. All I could do was hold her tight and tell her that it was ok to be sad and to miss her binky, but that she would eventually get used to not having it. I told her that she could still kiss and cuddle her Monkey without the binky. In fact, I think that Monkey was tired of having that binky in the way everytime she kissed him (or her, depending on the day.) We had a late night. Tonight is turning into another late night of putting off and stalling going to sleep without the beloved binky. I know she will get used to going without the binky, but I don't think that I'll ever get used to my baby girl growing up so fast.

More Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011

Halloween 2011 - Tinker Bell

Photo Booth

Evelyn figured out how to use Photo Booth on the Mac computer. She tried every setting and took lots of photos!

Evelyn's 3rd Birthday, July 2nd

Camp, July 2011

Dress Up

Easter 2011

Time sure flies...

Time has been flying by lately. We were pretty busy the last few months with our vacation to Florida in early April, then traveling downstate to celebrate Tom's life after he died unexpectedly on April 26th, then another trip downstate to bury my Dad's cremains (he died November 5th) at the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly.

I'm glad we have a fun trip to look forward to again. Evelyn will be turning 3 next Saturday, July 2nd. I cannot believe that our baby girl is now a little girl! We'll be traveling downstate to my Mom's in St. Clair Shores and then going over to Mom & Tom's cottage in Ontario, Canada to spend the long 4th of July weekend with my family and to celebrate Evelyn's birthday. The weather forecast is looking good, so we hope to be swimming and playing quite a bit!

Evelyn and Grandpa Tom

More of Tom

Tom at Columbia University in New York. He was bringing my brother David to college.

Grandpa Tom

Holding Evelyn the day she was born.

Group photo by Richer Image

Grandpa Rice, Grandma Rice, Grandma Winterfield, Grandpa Winterfield, Brian, Evelyn and Lara

Snoozing with Evelyn

Grandpa and Grandma admiring Evelyn

Mom and Tom