Corona -- over the last week

Oh my goodness what a crazy time this is.  

I'm taking it in and slowing down.  I'm adjusting to the slower days and lots of family time.

We got home from a trip to Pagosa Springs, Colorado a week ago and it was a hard day for me.  Pagosa and Wolf Creek both have horrible cell reception.  We were pretty much disconnected for 5 days, and it was nice in some ways. We did have WiFi at the VRBO house we stayed in, but we weren't there very often.  I was in for a rude awakening once we got back to reality.  The 13 hour ride home scrolling social media had me worried, but didn't prepare me for what was to come.

We got home and I need to go to the store.  I usully don't let our supply run that low, but we only had two rolls of toilet paper.  We were leaving town, so I didn't go to the store prior.  Who does that?  We have 4 bathrooms in our house.  I HAD to get toilet paper, but there were zero squares to be purchased.  I finally went to the Dollar General and thankfully I got some paper.  Gary calls it John Wayne paper, but we have toilet paper. Hallelujia.  

I was blowing off the corona stuff because we all know how the media can make us all crazy.  I prayed and calmed down, but in the back of my mind I thought I should go to the grocery store.  I jumped on the Walmart app and $355 later we would pick up our groceries at 4:00pm. I felt so much better.  We had 3 days left before school started back up and I was stocked and ready to enjoy the rest of my Spring Break.

Then we got the news the kids officially wouldn't go back to school until March 30.

Monday was here and I ran into work for an hour, but man I was nervous.  I love my work family, but I didn't want to be around anyone.  I had just been in Colorado.  I shouldn't have been around anyone. When I left work to head home I was in a panic, so I stopped by Walmart and picked up another couple hundred dollars of stuff.  I got ice cream and cake mixes.  I got all the things to use to make bread in my breadmaker.  I just wanted to feel like we were set for the 2 weeks of home time.  It was a peaceful trip.  I was trying not to spend $6,000 because I can easily go into panic, hoarding mode.  I made it out and made it home to the kids and pups.  Gary reported to work to pick up all the things he needed to stay home also.  He is working remotely until further notice.

Kids, the kids.  Hayden seems to be doing just fine with the quarantine.  Our school district doesn't start instruction until next week, so he's been chilling and hasn't had a big issue staying home.  Layla isn't very happy.  She is our social lady.  She doesn't want to just Facetime her friends.  She wanted to hang out with lots of friends that had been in Florida and Califonia, but I'm a mean momma and wouldn't let her be with anyone.  What do we do?  Parenting is so hard.  I have to keep her safe though.

Of course the puppies are all happy we are home non-stop.  It will be great for the potty training that is going on with the newst Sipes pup, Whiskey.

I can't believe how much life changed in one week.  I am thankful for the slowdown and will fully embrace it.  I think and know this is God's plan and he knew this would happen before we did.  I will be happy though it all!!!!  Praise him.

sausage and sunsets

We are loving our outdoor space in our new house.  I'm loving all the things we've done to make it fun and cozy.  I especially love stepping down the back starts and taking pictures of the sunset.  I'm obsessed and it makes me so happy!  I get to see this every night!!!

Tonight we ate outside.  Gary grilled sausage.  I steamed broccoli and I made baked potatoes in the instant pot.  It was one of my favorite meals.  I just love sausage.  I wish it was more healthy, but I really don't even care.  It's a wonderful treat and one of our go-to meal ideas.

Spring Break 2017

We stayed in town for spring break this year and we ended up having so much fun!

 

We found the Pokey O's truck and had ice cream sandwiches.

 

We went to the Dr. Pepper Museum and to the zoo.

Hayden rode his motorcycle and we all went to watch him.  I loved watching him and I ended up sitting in the cool breeze watching him ride.  It was a nice day in the sunshine, but it was cloudy some too.

 

We had dinner with friends at the lake. 

 

The sunset at the lake was perfection!

Layla has been on the trampoline every waking moment perfecting her back flips and back handsprings.  She moved to the gym mat for a bit.  She's just loving tumbling so much!

 

We went roller skating with friends and then out for milk shakes. 

 

And when Hayden wasn't riding his motorcycle he was riding his bicycle.  The boy is obsessed with everything that has wheels.

The first Saturday of spring break we made a quick road trip to Georgetown.  It was a rainy mess, but we had fun exploring.  We made a pit-stop at Buc-ee's.  The kids declared it the best store ever.  It was a fun outing.

We did tons of exploring here in town and had a wonderful 'staycation' instead of traveling.

can I get a sunset view?

I will never take sunsets for granted.  

When we lived in our house in Haslet I loved every evening.  I saw the sunset every single day for almost 7 years.  I remember the last year we lived there I hated summer.  It was so hot you couldn't open the patio door without an oven mit.  You think I'm kidding, but I'm not.  It was one of the hottest summers on record and I was dreming of trees and shade.

Driving out of HEB parking lot tonight made me think of our current status.

House shopping.

We have months before we will actually move, but we look and explore homes all the time.

The kids wake up excited every single Saturday asking when we are going to head out to house shop.  They are just as excited as we are about finding our new home.

I have such mixed feelings about our home to be.  I want to see the sunset every single night because I am obsessed with sunsets.  BUT I want trees.  Will the trees block my view of God's beauty?  In Haslet we had no trees.  In Ohio we lived down in a valley and so the mountains blocked the sunset.  In Georgia we were surrounded by so many trees we couldn't see the sunset.  In our 4 years of adventures in other states I realized I miss the sunsets!  I missed them so much.  I'm thankful to be back in Texas enjoying the sun.  

God has led our litte family on a wonderful journey and I know he has the perfect home in store for us.  I can't wait to trust and see where he plants us in our town!