A Trip to MN.

Well, a couple more weeks have flown by, and things continue to change around here. I worked my last scheduled shift at the call center yesterday, and now I head back to the ASC tomorrow. We are open for surgery again, but of course things have changed due to Covid-19. We basically have to wear N-95 masks throughout the entire surgery, and wear our other mask the entire day. We can only take them off while eating. It's so crazy how things have changed. I'm excited to be back, and to see my co-workers, but I really wish we could just go back to normal. I am going to miss the call center. They treated me very well, and I learned to really like the staff. I am going to continue to pick up shifts there if I am short on hours some weeks.

I also made a trip to see my parents last week. They were super-duper excited to see us. It had been a couple months, and they are getting pretty lonely on the farm. Also, mom got laid off of work, so she needed a little cheering up. It was a really nice trip. The kids had a lot of fun just exploring the grove and all the buildings over at Ryan's house. Both kids also got to drive the 4-wheeler which they got was the greatest thing ever.  We also spent some time in the shop and washing vehicles. We were outside pretty much the entire two days and everybody had a great time.

On Tuesday evening we had a campfire and made steaks and potatoes over the fire. It was delicious. It was also pretty nice to sit around the fire and chat with my parents and brother. This pandemic has really disrupted all aspects of our lives, and it was nice to feel like things were normal for a couple of days.

Today we got the official word that the Sioux Falls City Pools will not be opening this summer. So, that is going to be a shock for all the kids in town. It's sure going to be a different summer. Luckily, we can still go camping this summer, so that will make up for some of this. I think most of our summer will be spent at home out in the yard, or biking on the bike trail. We will make the best of it.

On the positive side of things, some businesses are starting to open up around here again. The hair salons and restaurants are open again, but with some new regulations in place. My women's league softball team is starting on June 1, but we are recommended to wear masks and cannot hangout in the dugout together. It's going to be weird, but hopefully fun. And like I said earlier, surgery and clinics are opening up, so hopefully Avera can start making some money again.

Emma finished school on Friday. We were all so ready for home-schooling to be over. It was long, painful, and very emotional to do homework at home. Emma was so relieved to be done. And frankly, so were John and I. I can handle a lot of this Covid-19 stuff, but I don't think I can handle another session of homeschooling. I really, really hope that schools are open in the fall.

Right now we are just trying to get into a new summer normal routine. The kids are in daycare and summer care and we are going to try to keep them going there everyday. They spent a lot of time out of daycare earlier this month, and they just do better on a schedule. I am getting back into my normal schedule, and it will be nice to be home on weekends and evenings now. We also have some camping weekends planned, and the rest we will just make day trips to some State Parks, or trips out to the farms. We can definitely make our own fun, and we will have to do that this year. This is where growing up sheltered on a farm really comes in handy.

We also are trying to plan a birthday party for Emma right now. We are planning on a Yogi Bear camping trip, which at this point in time it sounds like they are opening the pool, bouncy pillow, and mini golf course, so that should still be fun. We are just still taking things a day at a time around here, and trying to adapt to all the changes.

Daycare Fun

Fun at the shop 

The chicken coop

Rock pile

Homework is finally over