Finding Things to Do

I feel like each day is a challenge to find something that we can do.  While we aren't fully locked down right now, we are still being extremely careful and so doing our normal summer activities just isn't happening.  One thing we decided to do was to participate in the Douglas County Scavenger Hunt.  Douglas County is just to the north of us (we are on the north edge of El Paso County) and so it's not too far.  There are 8 markers with numbers hidden throughout the County parks and public lands and when the 8 numbers are collected they open the locks on a treasure chest.  To find each marker, there is a booklet with a list of locations and general description of where to look.  Each marker then gives you the location of the next marker.  Last week we set out to get the second marker in our code (the first marker we found wasn't the actual "first" marker, so we are waiting to see where it falls in the code. So, technically, last week was our 3rd found marker.)

This marker was found on a trail that we had never heard of before (actually we haven't heard of any of these trails are they aren't super close) and we were thrilled to discover the trail utterly empty as we hiked out to the marker.  Even the trailhead parking lot was empty.  It was a pretty trail and one I'd like to go back to and see how far it goes.

This is the trail map at the trailhead.

The view at the marker.

The trailhead was in Larkspur and when we drove past the playground we noticed it was completely empty.  Playgrounds are open in Colorado now, so we couldn't pass up an empty playground.  If it had been crawling with kids, we would have not stopped, but the kids were so excited to get out and play for a bit.  It was horribly hot, which is probably why it was empty, but they had a good time.

See Bree way up there?

Even Kai "played" for a bit

This kid.  I truly think outside is his happy place.

The kids had never seen horseshoes before, so they wanted to give it a try.  They found out it's a lot harder than it sounds.

Checking the curve of cases in our count.  This was as of June 15.

That same day our governor announced our third and "final" phase of reopening.  The "Protect our Neighbors" phase will be moved into on a county level when they meet the criteria to advance to that phase and it will be the "new normal" until there is a vaccine or treatment for the virus.

One of the things I've realized this summer is that my kids need something to look forward to.  Since we aren't spending money on swim or music or gymnastics or dance or all of the other things they want to do, I decided we could spend some money on subscription boxes.  We have enrolled in several monthly boxes and we are really enjoying them.  This is our monthly "Conundrum Box", it's like an escape room in a box.  It took us several hours to get through these clues and as you can see there were lots of props and clues to go with it.  Kai, in particular, really enjoyed working on it with me.

Bree is receiving a monthly craft box that sends at least three crafts each month that are themed to the holiday or special event of the month.  Bree was so excited to make these Father's Day crafts for Reid and it really added to our celebration of the day.

Bree and Finn are also participating in the Raddish Kids box.  They love to be my helpers in the kitchen and so they love getting their own kitchen tool and recipe and making new things.

The kids have always wanted a garden.  I have a black thumb.  No kidding, but I kill everything.  I spent hours watching YouTube videos on gardening and I researched so much I was overwhelmed.  But we finally decided to bite the bullet and try.  It might be a really bad idea, but it's giving us something to do.  In this picture, Finn's helping to break down an old pallet that was sitting where we wanted to put the garden.  He's a fabulous helper and loves to work.

Then the boys helped assemble the garden bed.

Ready for dirt and plants

Bree and Finn went with me to Home Depot to pick out plants and dirt and compost and then they helped me poor it in and mix it together.

On the left (which is our back row) are two bell pepper plants, with a watermelon plant in the middle.  The middle row are two cucumber plants.  And the front row is zucchini.  Spoiler alert, the cucumbers have both died already.  The watermelon looks to be holding on by a thread.  The zucchini is also looking a little questionable.  And something is eating the bell peppers.  I am trying.  Really I am.  I don't know what to do to fix things!

Bree likes to take pictures with my phone and so I found these two.  I like the filter and I don't look horrible so I decided to share them to prove that I am here even if I'm not often in the pictures.

I don't know what I was doing here.

After being alone for so long, we finally caved and met a friend at the park for a play date (Bree's friend Daphne and her mom and little sister).  We went back to the deserted park from earlier only to find it crawling with kids.  We had masks, but we also brought Popsicles to share so the kids took their masks off to eat.  We played for about an hour and a half and the kids did well with their masks for a little over half of that.  None of the other kids at the park had masks on but I was so proud of hearing my kids shoo them away by telling them that they were trying to keep their distance.  Way to advocate kiddos!

Masks on the playground

And unfortunately cases continue to climb.  This was data as of June 24th.  

In all of this, our dog has really taken to having us home all of the time.  She seems much calmer and I can't tell if it's because she's bored or if she's content and happy we are here.  She follows me around most of the day.  And this is her new favorite spot for a nap--right next to the treat cabinet.  Normally she won't lay down on the hardwood floor (she's spoiled and prefers soft spots like blankets and her bed), but now she knows that treats are there and if she looks sad enough she can get some....she's totally figured out how to sucker us!

As of June 25th, Colorado joined the list of states with rising case numbers.  We were doing good for so long.  It's frustrating.