Back to (Current) Reality

 Last week was Spring Break. It was a Stay-At-Home Spring Break. It wasn’t the first time I stayed home for Spring Break, and I know it won’t be the last. It’s often relaxing and productive when I stay home, though Mr. Arnwine was still working, and both of my daughters had virtual Girl Scout meetings.

For my outside projects, I worked in the yard, moved dirt, pulled weeds, finished installing garden trim around my small hosta garden under the stairs, cleaned out my vegetable garden to turn it into a perennial bird/butterfly garden, and pulled more weeds.

For my inside projects, we cleaned and organized (a never-ending process!) the kitchen and my "classroom" desk office space. I even ordered my George Mason diploma frame so I can finally put it up on the wall with our other diplomas! That only took me a year! When I sit at my work space, I can see the gap on the wall where I left room for my GMU diploma, so now that I'll be working there a lot, I decided it's time for the frame! I also worked a little on report cards and recorded some How-To videos for Google Classroom. We also baked and watched some Shaun the Sheep. More on those later!

My family also walked. A LOT! Since the weather overall was pretty nice, we tried to get outside and walk as much as possible. We walked *LITERALLY* miles daily while chasing/following my younger daughter on her bike. I'm still stopping to take pictures of everything, much to Ellie's delight and Mr. Arnwine's frustration... I'm noticing how much everything changes daily, especially during Spring. I'll have to wait until next year to see these things again, so I'm going to enjoy every moment of them now. The quote I put in Tuesday's morning message makes me think of that - it reminds me to enjoy the moments, not count the days, weeks, and months. Does that make sense?

So overall, it wasn't the Spring Break that we'd planned with friends. It wasn't a warm beach, blue water, and sunshine on an island near the Equator. That will have to wait until the future. But it was time spent chatting with my neighbors across the fence at a safe distance, texting with Ms. Idowu (she says hello!), and FaceTiming with my Mom, sister, and nephew. I even went through my old photographs, which was an amazing trip down memory lane! I found pictures from my high school trips. (More on those later, too!) We watched a slug cross a sidewalk. We watched the Full Moon rise. We watched wind blow all the petals off the cherry trees like snow. We fed geese and squirrels. I even watched a friend get MARRIED over the computer! Then we BAKED! But most importantly, it was time spent with my family, and that's the best.

Go, Slug! Go!!

Redbud Blossoms

Full Moon Rising!

Puzzles with my daughter