At the one year mark

There has been a lot in the news about being one year since our part of the world shut down.  Bad things, good things and many differing opinions.  I think it is a great opportunity to be reminded of what is most important and be grateful for what we get to enjoy.  For example, while watching the Netflix show "Marriage or Mortgage" with Michelle and Natalie one episode touched on adoption while another touched on infertility.  I am so very grateful for the children that are in my home.  Much like the pandemic, they each have their different view about having me as their mom but I am so very grateful for them.  While on the topic of shows, we have been loving WandaVision, Secrets of the Zoo: Tampa, Nadyia Bakes, and The Repair Shop while watching movies such as the original 101 Dalmatians.  Somehow I also got sucked into Dawson's Creek while I clean the house because I knew friends who watched it 20 years ago.  Is it sad that it's so fun for me to see '90s clothes, hear '90s music and catch '90s references? I must admit it is fun to text a college friend about it since she watched it all back then.

I am also grateful for sunny days where children can play outside with neighbors (pictured are the beautiful drinks Kate made the girls), old houses can be painted (with the renter's money), a friend's birthday can be celebrated safely (and still have a lot of fun), for art work to adorn the refrigerator, being able to watch Michelle perform in her first competition (they took 8th place) and walking my children (and dog) to elementary school in the mornings.

Pro tip:  make Nadiya's strawberry shortcake cupcakes (with mock clotted cream for us Americans) as seen in Nadiya Bakes on Netflix.  They are beyond delicious.

After the beautifully warm weather we received a wonderful snow storm complete with a volleyball tournament, church, basketball games, dance classes and not one but two school days and work cancelations/virtual options.  Our day of heavy, wet, perfect snow consisted of shoveling, eating, and resting.  We shoveled four times in one day because it just kept coming.  Our children have never seen this much snow at once without going to the mountains.  (Denver news claims this is the 4th biggest snow storm for the city ever.) We are happy to have the precipitation, beauty and fun that it provides.  P.S.  My favorite part of our snow days were when it got warmer and we had an epic snowball fight.  What a joy to run around hearing the voices of your children and neighbor kids laughing as you toss snow in their direction (using a small shovel).  In that moment and afterwards passing out the hot chocolate, I felt like I had the best job in the world!

Said snow storm showed up a day late so we had absolutely nothing on our calendar for that Saturday.  I had read our closest Disney Store was closing so we went down to visit and get some deals.  I was surprised how sad I was to know I would never be back.  When the children were smaller that's the place they loved to go most to shop for costumes and gifts.  We hadn't been to the store much in the past few years but the strongest memory was when we went to a Halloween Party there.  Natalie was a baby and she was Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Michelle was Rapunzel and Danny was Captain America.  (Kate hadn't wanted to be around people she didn't know so stayed home with Hubby.) Some days it just hits you really hard that your children aren't little anymore and there are so many things you wish you hadn't worried about and so many things you wish you had done differently.  Like Hubby said, we will just have to go to Florida for our Disney magic.  He knows how much I love it there.  This may help me settle the question as to whether we should head to Disney World for spring break next year!