News:
Halito! I JUST finished my holiday shopping (I know, I know), so I feel like I can finally relax and enjoy the rest of the year (as much as one can during a pandemic with a virus that's evolving and becoming more deadly). I know we're all in the same boat, but I am soooo ready for COVID to be something we talk about in the past tense. We've been struggling with whether or not to send our kid back to school since online learning just really isn't working for him (and kids NEED those social interactions, especially at this age), but now the schools are saying everyone will be 100% online for the first two weeks of the new semester (since they doubt people will follow the rules and guidelines over the holiday break). It's just A LOT.
We're still making progress on the new house! The last of the trees came down this week, and now we're waiting for them to grind the stumps and clear the rest of the wood. Unsurprisingly, Jacob wants to keep some of the wood for future projects, but now we have to find someone for it to go. We'll have to pay someone to come out and cut it (whatever you woodworkers call slicing and dicing a tree), so it's basically a bunch giant logs that need a temporary home somewhere on the property. Our backyard is currently a giant mud pit, which makes taking the dogs out a chore, so we'll also need to put some sod down pretty soon. Oh, and have a fence installed...
How are your holidays shaping up? Excited about them, or bummed because you can't visit family?
Previous week on the blog:
Sunday: NA
Monday: NA
Tuesday: Rules of Enchantment by Wendy Tardieu (★★⋆☆☆)
Wednesday: My Weekly Pull [146] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [121]
Thursday: NA
Friday: NA
Saturday: NA
What I'm currently reading:
- The Bromance Book Club is adorable and I love it. Although, I'm not really a fan of Gavin as a character. I'm more interested in the tension between Mack and Liv. Sorry, Thea! I like their story, but there's just not enough oomph for me. It's super sweet, don't get me wrong, but Thea and Gavin are sort of...boring. There. I said it.
- Hollowpox is everything I wanted it to be and more! Really enjoying reading this one with my kiddo.
- I'm not very far into Ten Rules for Faking It, but I'm not hating it. ;)
- Sorry, Amber. I AM STILL READING Black Sun.
- Read the Alphabet Challenge 21
- Audiobook Challenge 32 / 50+
- Beat the Backlist Challenge 38 / 110
- Discussion Challenge 2 / 1-10
- Goodreads Challenge 281 / 365
Ah, the joys of home ownership. LOL The list seems neverending sometimes. We were just talking about replacing carpet and the living room furniture. Cha-ching! :)
ReplyDeleteWe've been here for several months now, and the list STILL seems never-ending! 😅 Having our floors done was one of our larger expenses - geez. However, the carpet that was in the house when we bought it was SUPER GROSS, so it had to go.
DeleteEven with the vaccines coming out, I think it's still going to be a long while before things are back to normal. It's scary to think about that!
ReplyDeleteA lot of people have been vaccinated now, but I think we still have a while before things go back to normal (whatever that is). I encounter anti-maskers at work all the time, and it's so frustrating. Like, we've been doing this for a year now, and you can't just wear one for 15 minutes while you're in a store? It's frustrating.
DeleteThe whole online/in-person school debate has to be tough! I hope that things work out in 2021 for your son! Yay for finishing up holiday shopping. I loved Nevermoor, but I still need to get the last two. Glad you're enjoying the final book.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
My son has been back in school since February and he seems happier. He wears a mask all day and they do gym, art, and music in their classrooms (usually via zoom within the school). They're taking precautions - and they still have asynchronous days - but if anyone tests positive everyone has to quarantine for two weeks. It's just a lot to keep up with, and the back-and-forth is frustrating.
DeleteWe're still reading Hollowpox (a chapter a night doesn't get you very far), but we're down to the last few chapters! I can't wait to see how this one concludes, although I feel like we might have a bit of a cliffhanger.
I’d love Covid to be in the past, we have a new strain of the virus which has closed borders and sent us all back into lockdown. Ours start at midnight on Christmas night. It never rains but it pours.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely Christmas and stay safe!
Aren't there several new strains now? It's insane how this virus keeps mutating to be more contagious. I know you commented back in December, but are your borders still closed? Still in lockdown? Thank you! We had a wonderful holiday. I hope yours was enjoyable as well.
DeleteHey, at least the shopping is finished before Christmas eve!! That's a win.
ReplyDeleteI'm also so freaking tired of the pandemic that I just don't have the words or energy to handle it any more. I'm DESPERATE to talk about it in the past sense and any hope I was feeling with vaccines etc is rapidly evaporating... But I'm trying to ignore it for a bit. We're home alone for the holidays and I'm planning to pretend that the world outside doesn't exist for a week or two.
Good luck getting the backyard sorted to make it easier with the dogs and with finding storage for the wood.
Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!
Still feeling hopeless about the vaccines? I got my first shot last month and get my second tomorrow. A lot of people seem to have a really severe reaction to the second one, so I'm not looking forward to it. I'm ready to get it over with, but the possible side effects are worrisome. I still have to be a fully functioning parent regardless of how I feel.
DeleteWe are STILL working on the backyard, although we've made significant progress. :)
I really feel for the kids. This situation is definitely not ideal for them. At least your son has his sisters, right? If you are liking Liv and Mack, you will be happy when you read their book.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I hate that this is happening to them (especially at this age). They should be socializing and playing with other kids at playgrounds. Now I have to remind them not to touch other people, to keep their masks on, and to sanitize immediately afterwards. It's a bananas way to live right now. Yes, he has twin sisters. :)
DeleteI hope Liv an Mack's story is better! They seemed to sizzle in this one.
I'm excited for the holiday, even though our big family get- together is canceled (like most everyone's I know). So it will be smaller key but still nice. Gotta roll with the times huh? Just finished my shopping this weekend too. Hope you guys have a nice Christmas. :)
ReplyDeleteThe Wife Upstairs looks interesting, I just saw a review of that on another blog.
What is a big family get-together? Lol! We stayed home and spent the morning on various video calls with family. It wasn't ideal, but I'm thankful my little bubble is healthy and happy. I hope your holidays were enjoyable despite the circumstances.
DeleteThe Wife Upstairs was excellent!
The new Covid developments are scarier than ever. I hope things are better at least in 2021, but seriously it doesn't look like so. I hope the kids and yourself have a great holidays!
ReplyDeleteWe're three months into 2021 and I honestly can't tell if things are better or not. I feel like we're making progress with the vaccines, but so many people are refusing to get one.
DeleteWe had a lovely holiday! Thank you!
It's hard on the kids, especially the younger ones. But at least his school is doing everything to keep them safe.
ReplyDeleteWhy am I not surprised that Jacob has plans for the wood? 😆
Christmas will be the most low-key of affairs - just me and the hubs (we're visiting his mom in a nearby town tomorrow - my parents live only a few blocks from me). I don't care though. I only want to stay home and rest. Happy Christmas!
I'm not a huge fan of my son's new school, but that could be because they LOST him on his first day back in-person. Like, WTF? How does that even happen??? His teacher is... frustrating, and her lack of communication really grates on my nerves.
DeleteI hope you and your hubs had a good holiday, and that your mom is healthy and well. <3
Good luck on progress with the house! I'm still tying up loose ends in clearing my room and that's enough for me to deal with!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I feel like our list of Things to Do is endless, but we're definitely making progress. Hopefully, you've tied up all of your loose ends these last few months, haha.
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