COVID-19 - Week 10 & 11 at Home - Memorial Day + Sad Times in Minneapolis

I can't believe I missed an entire week of the blog, not sure I have done that too often!

Let's see - what have we been up to :

• My work has been really busy due to COVID 19 Return to Office strategy creation, Digital Transformation re-organization that I continue to lead, engagement survey, midyear review/comp cycles etc etc etc - that said I can't complain as I enjoy the majority of it, have great leaders and a wonderful team of colleagues and direct reports
• The kids continue to love our sitter Liz and she will be with us through the summer so Connor is never going back to New Horizon and Maci will miss out on Homebase with her pals at school this summer - I caught myself having a good cry after I cancelled both programs and I had to sit on thinking WHY?  We are saving money and we didn't have deep emotional connections to either care situation but here is what I realized
• Nothing is normal - I miss our "normal" summer routines
• Kids grow so fast - we started with New Horizon in 2013 when Maci was a baby and to just say bye over an email feels strange
• Maci is such a social butterfly and LOVED her experience at this program last summer
• Clint is finding a good mix of Cargill work, house/landscape work, exercise - I should learn a thing or two about balance from him ♥️ 

Week of May 18th Highlights

• I had a wonderful happy hour call with some of my favorite leaders from Cargill the Wed before Memorial Day weekend - I smiled so much that my face hurt afterward - those are good people - so grateful for the people we "stumble" upon on this journey called life
• My work encouraged everyone to take the Friday before Memorial Day as a PTO day so that the entire company would have a 4 day weekend - Clint also followed suit and we had an AMAZING 4 day weekend, hence no blog!!!
• Thursday - Hot Tub with the Harty pals
• Friday - Introduced kids to The Princess Bride - Maci was in awe
• Saturday - Swam & Played Yard Games
• Sunday - Carpets Cleaned, Late night corn hole with the Harty's by the pool with a fire
• Monday - Swam and played afternoon corn hole with the Harty's ended the amazing weekend with our good pals, KFC buckets of chicken and happy hearts 💕 

We have been enjoying Goetta quite often!!!

Maci and Breck

Week of May 25 Highlights

• Kids had a dentist apt on Tues - Clint was a pro with 2 kids and masks etc - thankfully no cavities but M has to go back this Tues for sealants
• Maci and Clint went golfing on a gorgeous Wed night with Ben and Molly from our neighborhood - Molly is in 2nd grade now so 1 year older than M - Maci LOVED it and can't wait to go back - I just love when my kids get special time.  Tena wasn't feeling great that night so instead of our daily walk, I let Connor get some 1:1 mom time.  He whipped around on his bike while I FaceTimed with Grandma and attempted to keep up with him. 
• Thursday Clint had to return many of Maci's supplies in prep for this last week of school - it was a drive up, pop the trunk, they grab pre-labeled bags and you move on - again nothing is normal
• I had a Dentist apt Thursday night - also a strange experience also thankfully no cavities - scary part was on the drive there I heard protestors started to throw bricks off viaducts on 94 due to George Floyd's death
• I have so many thoughts and so much sadness for George Floyd's loss of life and all the pain that our communities are feeling - I will not share it all here and instead use my energy and time to do something about this ongoing injustice in our country
• Friday - Happy Birthday Dad and Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!!!  I had a going away happy hour for my dear teammate Kate - she is taking a new opportunity with Optum Tech
• We had gorgeous weather this weekend!!!  Clint and Nate stump grinded 17 stumps between old cut down trees, bushes etc.  They also planted flowers and did other yard work while Tena and I took care of kiddos and laundry etc.  We were able to swim both afternoons and last night we enjoyed a gorgeous night for a fire 🔥 Today I did some work on the deck and got a gosh darn sunburn without realizing so had to lather up for the hot afternoon sun by the pool
• Wrapped up the weekend with dinner, showers, family walk and then my final work prep for the week 

Golf Fun for Maci & Dad

 Our Group of Little Rascals Hunting for Frogs 🐸 ♥️ 

 Happy Birthday Dad!

 A Friday night walk with my fav girl after a LONG week

 💔 😢 

 These 2 working the stump grinder 😂 

 Saturday early evening post swimming and a sunny day, what do you do?!

 My fav part of quarantine lifestyle may be the slower pace

While not normal, I like all the special slow moments we have together ♥️ 

Maci is so excited for her last week of school fun, even though remote, this week!  Her last official day as a 1st grader is Thursday.  Her amazing reading teacher dropped of a donut 🍩 today for her to eat during their final group meeting tomorrow morning - how flipping sweet?!?!

We hope you all are enjoying these early weeks of summer fun, even if summer feels less "normal" than usual!

Lots of Love,

C, K, M & C

COVID-19 - Week 9 at Home

We had cooler temps move in a good chunk of the week even though we had sunshine.  Friday was gorgeous and I worked from the deck all day long.  We had pretty lazy evenings and busy days with work and kids and school and errands.  Clint is all excited because the Golden Tee is back up and running!  We enjoyed our regular hot tub dip on Thursday night.  Clint did a fire with Harty's on Friday but I was exhausted from the week.  Saturday and Sunday were complete wash outs which lead to some much needed naps, couch time and just pure laziness all in all.  I already did my work prep for the week and now Clint and I are watching Million Dollar Listings together and I am hooked on Candy Crush on my phone 🍭.  While we enjoy this, the kids are playing with 2 Harty's in the basement because Maci spent 2 hours cleaning her room and playroom and I won't allow them to mess that up.  Clint will pick us up some Sunshine Factory for dinner later today.  We are looking forward to WARM temps rolling in later this week and the Harty's opening their pool.  In an effort to not burn out our employees, Rally is giving everyone Friday off as well as the Monday holiday!  Clint is also taking Friday off and we have our 🤞 for warm weather and no rain!!!  We hope you all get to enjoy a long holiday weekend, even if it doesn't feel like the normal holiday weekend fun!

Lots of Love,
C, K, M & C

Rainbow View on our Thursday Walk

Cuties in a Hammock on a Beautiful Friday!

Goof Balls by Some Pretty Trees on a Gorgeous Friday Evening!

COVID-19 - Week 8 at Home

I can't believe this has been week 8 at home - 2 whole months!  We continue to figure it out day by day with some being better than others.

Monday : 

• Regular old Monday with a slow moving start for many of us but ended at a good point and enjoyed a walk and some time together as a family

Tuesday : 

• Happy Cinco De Mayo!
• My high school pal Emily had her birthday and gave birth to their first son so now they share a birthday!!
• It was a busy day at work but we ended the day by joining the Harty's for a taco bar and margaritas which was a fun way to wrap a crazy busy Tuesday!

Wednesday : 

• It was a nice day!!
• Clint road with Nate to pick up a 1/4 cow that they purchased from a farm down south
• I facilitated a 3 hour org design workshop along with my team and our senior leaders
• Thankfully the kids were good and didn't interrupt throughout the entire workshop

Thursday : 

• My big 37 birthday!
• After work we headed over to the Harty's for my birthday dinner - carryout from Taco Bell for the kids and COV for the adults
• We enjoyed a home made ice cream cake thanks to Tena's culinary capabilities 
• The kiddos were so excited about my birthday 🎂 and they were so happy to give me my presents 🎁 It was a strange birthday to spend it at home all day but it was full of love 💕 

God Mommy Christie Sent Bubbles

 My Ice Cream Cake for 37!

Friday : 

• Who doesn't love a Friday?!
• After work we got the kids ready for bed and then dialed into a Gilroy family zoom call and game of cards against humanity - such a fun way to spend a Friday night at home!!

Bubble Fun w. Liz

 Maci finished her sewing unicorn before bed which she had started with Liz during the day 💞 

Saturday :

• We lucked out and had some sun in the morning even though the day was supposed to be a wash out
• Clint and Nate cut down some random little trees on the hill in the backyard and even got to rent a chainsaw
• I then took an afternoon nap after a late lunch and the kids played on their tablets
• We rented a family movie - Sonic the Hedgehog - actually pretty good 🎥 🍿 
• After putting the kids to bed we tried to do a fire 🔥 at the Harty's but it started to drizzle cold rain so we all called it a night and got some good sleep by being in bed at 11p

Boomer lounging in the grass and sun like a King 👑 

 Birthday Flowers from the Rally Health Team 🌸 🌺 

Sunday : 

• Happy Mother's Day!!!
• I got to sleep in until 830a
• I opened a Lulu Lemon jacket from Maci and a Bengals 🏈 sweatshirt from Connor
• After gifts we headed over to the Harty's for a brunch of egg bake and French toast bake - yum!
• We headed home for to dos around the house and I sat on the couch watching The Office
• We will head to the Harty's for dinner and enjoy Applebee's carry out - so fancy ♥️ 

Right now I am watching the Office and finishing some random to dos but also enjoying a lot of relaxation!  Maci and Clint are cleaning Gidget's cage and Connor is outside in the cold with the Harty boys.  A nice slow paced Sunday in honor of the Moms!  We are doing dances hoping for the sunshine and warm weather to return soon!

Lots of Love,

C, K,  M & C

COVID-19 - Week 7 at Home

We are having amazing weather so this week's update will be brief so I can get back to some fun in the sun!

• Our deck repairs concluded on Monday and I was working outside in the front grass Monday - Deck on Wednesday and more deck on Thursday!!  LOVE Great Outdoor Working Weather!!
• Maci continues to do well with her e-learning, she and I try to work on it for a little over an hour each morning and whatever she didn't get done for that day she does with Liz (sitter) before lunch and outdoor play
• Thankfully weather has been great so the kids basically play outside from about 12p-4p when Liz leaves - good fresh air and exercise!
• Maci wrapped up her virtual Descendants sing, act, dance class this past week - cute!
• Connor thinks he is one of the big boys and is constantly asking for backagon so that was his reward for keeping up good boy behavior all week - they will arrive from Target tomorrow
• Clint is LOVING this weather - he has been golfing at least 2 times already and went this past Friday afternoon with his boss
• Work has been busy for me but interesting deliverables, good challenges and I am balancing pretty well too so no complaints on this end
• We have stuck with some of our best new traditions - Thursday hot tub with the Harty's, daily 630p walks for me and Tena followed by the guys taking their walk after dark, Fridays are a lazy night with either family movie, walk etc, Saturdays are fire nights and family yard game days and then Sundays are good get stuff done around the house days.  
• This weekend in particular : Clint and I took a night walk post kids bed Friday night, we spent all day outside Saturday doing yard work (new fire pit at the top of the hill and pulling out pavers for the Harty's) but then we shifted to yard games and the girls got killed in corn hole this time.  Lots of fun afternoon beverages and then had a fire at about 830p - GORGEOUS day!  Today, another beauty!  Clint has been taking down some small trees/brush, did a Lowe's run and I am getting everything prepared for the week ahead.  I am about to go chill with Tena in the driveway for lazy mom chat time.  All in all, quarantine has gotten a lot easier now that we have our outdoor space!!

Picnic Lunch with Liz on Monday

 Ahh she is back and all ready to go!!

 Maci making faces as Tena/I left on our walk Wednesday

 Cuddle Sleeping w. Boomer

 This kid and his iPad 

 What do you do for fun on a Saturday??

Lawnmower cart rides HAHA

 Rock Painting

 She is so Aunt Molly 

 He is so stinking Cute and yes I am biased!

 Where has our baby gone?!?!

We hope you are finding ways to make the most of this unique time!  We have everything crossed that the delayed soccer season will still occur - officially moved from a mid May start to mid June 🤞 

Here's to a great week ahead with Cinco De Mayo on Taco Tuesday, some Birthday fun for us later part of the week and then a Wonderful Mother's Day Weekend!  Lots to celebrate and be grateful for!!

Lots of Love,

C, K, M & C