The Adventures of the Johnson Clan: May 2020

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Cuyuna, Minnesota

This past week we were so excited to see Travis return to clinic! His hours were still a little longer than normal due to his playing catch up, but the first day he wandered in at lunch time, I was shocked; I completely forgot he used to come home for lunches occasionally :D.

Even better than clinic hours... nO hOuRs! Travis finally had some vacation days (first since end of January) and he took the boys on a mountain biking trip, and they all had a BLAST! They rented an airbnb for a few days while the girls and I stayed home. The first day they were able to meet up with a friend and his dad who were up there biking as well. Once it got too hot in the afternoon, they went over and swam in a lake, fished, and had a fish fry at their place. The second day they just went biking together until the boys couldn't go any farther... so they decided to go back and watch a movie and eat ~~some~~ all the junk food they could get their hands on!! They ate:
- pizza
- onion rings
-cheese curds
-a blizzard
- Soda
- Mac 'n' cheese
- breadsticks

I'm gagging just writing it all down. The third day Travis went biking alone while the kids watched a movie...exhausted... then they packed up and hit the road.

Meanwhile, I took their absence to surprise Travis with an early Father's Day present. I gutted out the very messy and disgusting garage, as well as completely organized it from top to bottom. It took two days and yes, I found a dead mouse during the process; however, it was worth it. And for the cherry on top, I bought him a tool cabinet and placed a bow on it. Thanks to all the friends who helped in the process of setting it up, watching the girls so I could go, and advice along the way!

And the girls thoroughly enjoyed our time together. We went for walks, read books, watched Princess movies, and snuggled. During the cleaning hours, the girls wandered around the front yard, dug in the dirt, and chatted with the little neighbor kids that would stop to peak in.

Then when they came home, it was the happiest of reunions! Addie was concerned over Aaron's endless bandages from all his major wrecks, and Maddix was too excited to see his sisters that he pulled Avery out from her nap because he had to see her right away! Which was cute, and super annoying, especially when he held her all of 30 seconds before a large group of neighborhood kids came to invite the boys over for night games (their first, ever!)

Travis was so surprised, and absolutely loved his tool cabinet; I consider it a real success if I can ever surprise him, and it will be another several years before I can pull it off again!

It has rained a lot lately

We got haircuts!!
(Except Avery who needs to keep what hair she has)

She found a bunch of the baby clothes while
I was decluttering my totes

Lily is normally in Nala's face, but Nala hurt
her shoulder and couldn't move very well so
Lily just laid by her and was uncharacteristically
calm.

My Sister graduated and we
were able to FaceTime and be part of the
celebration!

Got dressed up and helped serve food at a wedding for our dear Ivy Rollene!

Splashing in the porch water was never so fun!

Sunday, May 17, 2020

The Straw that broke the Camel's Back

These poor kids have had to absorb just as much change as we have during these covid times. And on top of it, they can sense that their parents are unsettled or worried or stressed, but they don't know why. All that aside, they don't let it ruin their days. They still desire to run and play, learn and create.

But sometimes too much change can really set them back emotionally.

This week Travis yet again had his work hours changed.

At the beginning of this covid nonsense he was pulled out of clinic and put in charge of running the covid floor on nights. To say we were bummed would be an understatement. How many times last year as we finished residency did we say, "this is the last holiday you'll ever have to work." "This is the last weekend shift you'll ever work." "Your last night shift." "Your last 12hr shift..."

Boy were we wrong.

But we were also so wrong to be sad about the nights. In the end, those night shifts allowed Travis to be home and awake with us during the hours that counted the most. Was it hard for Travis and I to lose any and all alone time together? You better believe it. And was it hard for his body to run on broken and incomplete sleep for two months? You betcha. But it's what our kids NEEDED.

Every day we would move through our morning routines and by the time we were done the girls would be napping and Travis would up and ready to take the boys out for P.E. time: Mountain Biking, yard work, walks, etc. And I in turn was able to make dinner while he kept the girls off my legs. I could leave to the grocery store by myself whenever I needed because he was home. And I've been able to get out on afternoon runs to keep my sanity!

Such tender mercies we didn't even realize we were receiving at the time.

Well just as we fell in love with our new way of life, life does what it always does and changes... again.

Travis was switched to days on the covid floor, and his new schedule had him out of the house at 6:45am-8:00pm. B-U-M-M-E-R. We truly disliked this week. And to top it off, it rained most days, forcing us to stay inside where the days just seemed longer in the wrong ways. I can't tell you how many fits were thrown, tears were cried, and long talks were had. I even received a few "I hate you's" this week... those are never fun. But they weren't being bad kids; they were hurting. They didn't see their dad for most of the week and they were so so so so so so sad about it.

THANKFULLY it was only for last week!!!

We just found out Travis will be going back to clinic on Monday. We don't know for how long he'll get to stay in clinic, or if he'll be placed back in the covid floor... we've learned through this experience that we really can't predict anything (go figure, right?).

But once again, life is changing, and we will do our best to change right along with it and enjoy each day for what it has to offer.

P.s. Memorable Moments from this week

-Starting a large puzzle together (I've always dreamed of those rainy days when we work on a complex puzzle together and my kids are responsible enough to leave it out for days... we're there!)

-Going to Lime Creek with.... FrIeNdS! It was really needed for our mental health

-Addie sticking a sucker stick into her ear during our movie night and screaming out in pain! We though she'd ruptured her ear drum as her eyes rolled around and she nearly passed out from pain

-Going back to the salon and just LOVING my hair afterwards!

Yet again, she thinks she's a mud puppy!

Goodbye for now covid floor... may we never
meet again

Rollerblading is our new skill we're
working on

I love these crazies!

As soon as the kids were in bed
I grabbed a treat...
... but there were instantly two
sets of eyes on me still!

Mother's Day

This year's Mother's day was different than any other.

I saw that the church had ideas for gifts and one of them was to reenact a favorite childhood memory and send it to your mother.

Travis let his siblings know what we were doing and before we knew it, everyone had created a video representing the moments we've laughed over, teased about, and that their mom lived through from their childhoods.

Acting them out was one type of fun. The viewing party was another. We died as we watched the videos over and over and over.

This will definitely become a tradition, and ideas for Father's day are already in the works.

Other than that, life is the same.

Breakfast/C.F.M study

Walks

School

Chores

outdoor play

reading

video game time

outdoor play

end of night movie