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.

How are we REALLY doing?

I've been posting about our daily coming and goings.  

I know pictures can look pretty and seem great. Especially this one....

 but I just wanted to post about how we are really doing....

How is Momma?

Momma is good.  Momma is thankful to be with Daddy full time again. 12 or so weeks of living apart was hard.   Daddy works at an office away from home now, so that is different.  I am CEO of the daily household agenda again. I am the cooker, cleaner and bather of children.  I am the homework helper.  I like to have dinner ready when Daddy gets home.  I usually help the kids with their baths so Daddy can just hang out with the kids before bedtime and not have to do chores.

Momma is glad the utilities are all set up.  I was stressed out at first getting everything turned on and set up.  I had to change our address and then doing that changes your credit card address and then your bills won't process until you change the card billing address and so on.  You get me here?  That is pretty much all updated.

I'm making friends easier than I thought I would.  It is awesome!  I'm so blessed and thankful.  Everyone so far is genuinely nice and friendly.  We had our first ever babysitter on Saturday night and that was wonderful for everyone involved.  It allowed Gary and I to have a date and it allowed the kids to hang out with someone other than us or family.  Layla loved having a teenager in the house.

I'm loving the small town feel.  I love the scenic town we live in.  It is so picture perfect.  I know all small towns come with their own issues.  I'm sure eventually I will hear of drama, but so far everyone is nice and very welcoming.  When I say small town I don't mean a town like my hometown of Clifton that had a population of 3,300.  I mean small town with a population of 15,000-ish.  Way smaller than Fort Worth, but large enough for a Walmart, Kroger and a few other grocery stores.  Right now the Super Walmart is my preferred shopping place.  Kroger is just mehhh and Giant Eagle is different.  It's close to my house, but different.  I'll let you know more about my grocery shopping adjustment later.

Momma is not a fan of this house.  The contractor that remodeled the house cut some serious corners.  Most things are probably fixable, but he did things cheaply and we'd have to redo what he has already redone.  It is a hot mess of a house. Most things are little details like missing trim around the cabinets in the kitchen.  The tile was laid in the kitchen crooked and uneven.  I think a kindergartner (why does that looks like it is spelled wrong) painted this house.  There is paint splatter all over the wood floors and windows.  It looks really nice in pictures, but I wouldn't dream of owning this house.  #1 there is not much of a backyard and #2 i want a bigger kitchen.  I'm thankful for this house though and the neighborhood is to die for.  I'd love to own a house around here.  But this house is a learning experience.  Thankfully we are renting and now we have time to find where we really want to live our new town!

So honestly except for a few small road blocks (no heat being a huge road block) Momma is good.  The heater is working and the guest bathroom sink is unclogged, so Momma is happy!



How is Layla?


Layla is doing good.  She has been in school for about 9 days total with the Thanksgiving break and a holiday for Veteran's Day.  She was really nervous going to school Monday after Thanksgiving break.  This morning it was rainy outside and usually the students play on the playground before school starts every morning.  This morning they went straight into the gym.  This little change in Layla's routine made her nervous.  She was so uncomfortable and unsure where to go.  She is doing so well with adjusting to a new curriculum, but some of the day to day things still make her nervous.

Layla loves her room.  She loves our house.  She has always wanted a two story house.  She loves the friends she has made so far.  She talks about 3 or 4 girls in her class.  I think things will be even better for her once we get into a more normal routine after the Christmas break.  We are planning to enroll her in dance or gymnastics.  I'm excited for her!!

All in all Layla is doing good and she loves her new winter wardrobe.  That poor girl showed up here in Ohio stocked full of skirts, shorts, capri pants and flip flops.  She is all set now with a warm snugly wardrobe!  She is ready for the first snow!


How is Hayden?


Hayden is great.  He is loving this house.  He loves having two staircases.  He loves running through the house hearing his loud footsteps echoing through the house.  Hayden was very excited and ready to start preschool.  After we visited his school asked every day for a week when he was starting school.

Hayden has always been a laid back boy and I think his young age has helped make this transition easy for him.  Oh and he is getting to wear all the coats he wanted to wear in Texas but it was usually too hot to wear them!


How is Daddy?


Daddy is good.  Daddy is busy.  Daddy is finally challenged in his career again.  Daddy is using the college education he worked so hard to get and I am so proud of him.  He enjoyed his job before, but it was just a job.  This new job is perfect for him and he is rocking it.

Daddy might be a little overwhelmed with this house.  I think he wants to fix things that really don't need to be fixed.  On the weekends we have both been working on making things better around here.  It's just our nature. We want things to be nicer than nice.  We cleaned out the disgusting garage and manicured the backyard. He tried to fix the heater.  He tried to unclog the bath sink that was filled with nasty remodeling materials.  He hung a new ceiling fan.  It seems like he works more on the weekends around the house on the weekends than he did back in Texas.  Well, our house in Texas didn't need work.  Anyway, once things are more settled around here I think he will be able to relax more.  I know that both of us are looking forward to exploring the area and finding a home we would love to buy.

I think Daddy is doing great and I think once our house in Texas is sold or leased he will see more of the money he is working so hard to make for our family.  He got a nice pay increase, but paying for two households, we aren't reaping the benefits just yet.  I know everything will work itself out in time.  Gary is the provider and knowing the house is Texas is taken care of will make him sleep so much better at night.  I'm thankful for my hard working husband.

Many of our friends have commented on how nice our town looks.  It really is quint and homey.  I like it here and think we will be very happy calling it our home town.  Moving to a new state comes with tons of new challenges and experiences for the whole family, but we are all taking it in stride. I am so proud of the kids. I am proud of my hard working husband.  I am proud of myself for staying strong on some days when things got hard. We are good.  We are blessed.  We are thankful.