I can’t even make some of this stuff up.

We have an almost five year old! We masked up and left the house for a drive to the Milk Bar pop-up today for some treats. Believe me, a breath of fresh air and a socially distanced sugar high was bliss:)

This is what happens when we’re mostly confined inside. Lightning McQueen vs. Cruz Ramirez and I think they went around the track approximately a zillion times yielding panting and pride that they were sweating. Water stops were gas filling stations. Exasperation turns to hilarity so quickly here.

(Admittedly, we’re supporting this activity by taking pictures.)

“I’ve been practicing COVID tests in my room with smell markers.” - Meryl
Kids are so resilient and adaptive. We have tested for COVID three times in the last week (all negative), starting with colds, then for positive cases reported to school. Quarantining. Testing again next week. We’ve learned a lot about viral loads, testing types and testing locations, we’ve created testing rituals, and our parent network has strengthened (better together!). Still, Delta is surging, staffing is short (EVERYWHERE), it’s smokey outside from all the wildfires, and we’re bound to experience frequent and sudden shutdowns, program cancellations, and quarantines well into the fall. Be kind to those who show up, be kind to yourself, and consider buying cheddar cheese powder for the dose of comfort that hugs you back:)

Lummi leaped into the lair:) Why not? Nobody loves being a part of the scene more than Lummi. And, well, we’re literally stuck with (to?) each other for a while.

Holmes decided that he was going to build a house for ghosts. While on the topic of housing ghosts, I asked him what ghosts eat…”MILK!” Totally appropriate and we’re lucky we have it in the fridge.

In all honestly, listening to Frozen all the time isn’t awful. But it does spark a desire for literally any other genre of music:) In the meantime, the quietude that comes with focused listening is pretty nice.

So to set the scenario up here, it’s quiet time and this kid is supposed to be napping. I thought I’d lie down with him to settle the silliness and he came up with the grand plan of lying on top of me and…blowing raspberries on my leg:) We both could not stop giggling the whole time he continued afterwards and I have to give him credit for his charming creativity. So proud, him especially.

The early morning walking crew expands!

Ice cream cake, candles that seem to live on forever, another trip around the sun, alllll the characters, and lots of “Happy Birthdays!”