Corona Chronicles: February Recap

It’s been a while. February was a difficult month in the Radford household. Technically February is the shortest month of the year, but we packed a lot into every one of those 29 days.

We had a gymnastics tournaments, forensics tournaments, parent teacher conferences, concerts, and all kinds of stuff I can barely remember. On the plus side, everybody was relatively healthy, though each of the girls had to stay home at least one day. COVID did impact our calendar a couple of times in February, but none of us were directly infected. Thank goodness.

The major highlights included a big family party, where the kids got to see all their great aunts and cousins. We even broke Grandma out of the nursing home for the evening. I decorated the Valentine’s Day tree and surprised my husband and kids with small little tokens. I took my first train ride in ten years, and spent some much needed girl time with a good friend. The big girl had one of her short plays performed at a local theater and the littlest Radford got to dress up as her favorite Disney princess in the elementary school musical, complete with a 40-inch wig. The boy hasn’t quite found his thing yet, but we’re working on a couple of things. I expect big things out of him soon.

We tried a few new recipes over the last month. The kids loved the vegetable curry with yellow rice, and cuban sliders. I’m not sure what’s on the menu this month, but I think it’ll be fun.

Much like my son, I haven’t been able to find my own footing either. This year feels like it’s running away from me. It’s already spring break. The big kid gets her cap and gown soon. What is even happening in the world?

Corona Chronicles: January 2024 Part 2

I recently started a new position with my employer. In one of our introductory sessions, I told my classmates that being a stay-at-home mom was my dream job. I’ve been getting lots of practice lately…because these kids hardly have been to school at all this month. 

I was caught completely off-guard by today’s school closure. I didn’t even know we were expecting bad weather, but a friend, who happens to be a district employee sent me a text before 5am. About 20 minutes later I received official notice from the district. My husband and I both muttered some cuss words and rolled back over. When the kids started stirring around six, I got up to break the news. The oldest was upset. Apparently she has not been able to attend several of her classes at all this semester due to the closures. The boy did the happiest happy dance I have ever seen him do. School has been a struggle for him (and me!) this year. The baby wasn’t planning on going to school today anyway, because she had a dentist appointment.

I want to give a shout out to her dentist, who sent me a text early this morning, asking to push back her appointment by half an hour due to the icy roads. I highly recommend Honey Bee Pediatric Dentist. The baby and I prayed our way over the highway, and while we saw several cars that had slid into embankments, we made it there and back safely. My kid was extremely loopy after her procedure. I am so glad I could stay home with her. It took us three hours to get her to go back to sleep. She definitely needed her mommy.

Because the kids have been home so much, we’ve gotten to try out a lot of new recipes. We baked cookies from scratch. Last night we dipped bananas in chocolate and then froze them. Last week we attempted a recipe from my son’s Pokemon^(R) cookbook. It was a disaster. But we had success with tonight’s dinner from the Dungeon’s and Dragons Miner’s pie. I had never cooked with leeks before, but it turned out well.

Earlier today, I was beating myself up about not being able to do all the things on my to-do list. But now, as I prepare for bed, I am grateful for the things I got done that were not on my to-do list. All that invisible labor all the mommy podcasts talk about are things I often don’t give myself credit for doing. Today I’m proud of myself, even if nobody else is.

As for COVID, it only slightly ruined our lives this week, as I had planned to take my little budding playwright to see a production. I was sad to see that the performances were canceled due to a COVID outbreak. Nobody in our immediate circle has been impacted at the moment. So I’m going to cross my fingers and put my mask back on. Y’all be safe, and pray that these streets don’t freeze over again tonight!

Corona Chronicles: January 2024

I had hoped to wind this blog down. We are no longer on lockdown. Masks are no longer required in most places. Supposedly, the pandemic is over.

Except last week my mother was hospitalized with COVID. She was released from the hospital on Saturday, and her quarantine period was lifted today. I’ve been reluctant to visit, because I do not want to get sick, nor do I want to bring that mess home to my family. 

I am back to carrying masks in my purse. I’m back to worrying about sending my kids to school. I’m back to antibacterial body soap, and stocking up on hand sanitizer. I am back to taking elderberry gummies, and bei by anxious about everything.

Tomorrow is the first day back to school. I’m wondering how long it will be until one of the kids picks up some sort of bug. The flu is going around in this area. I’m sure there are other random germs floating around, too.

The kids do not seem worried at all. Each of them has an engagement on the calendar for January. When they are out, it means I also have to be out. All I want to do is put on my pajamas and curl up in a ball. For the sake of my kiddos, I’ll throw on clothes and a mask, and get outside of my bubble.

Positive tests and hospitalizations have both been on the rise. While COVID is slightly less scary, it is still out here wreaking havoc. Y’all be careful out here.

Corona Chronicles: 2023 Wrapped

It is one week before Christmas. I’ve bought like five presents. I have wrapped none of them. They are mostly scattered across the basement, still in their Amazon packaging. But even if the gifts aren’t all wrapped up, I can at least wrap up the year.

Musically speaking, it’s been a good year. I got to see both Queen Bee and the Queen of Christmas. I even took the girls to Renaissance movie. They both got their lives, and I was beaming the entire time.I’ve gotten to see my kiddos, and a few other kids that I love, perform their little hearts out over the past few weeks.

Monetarily speaking, I didn’t quite meet my savings goal, but I do think I had a more gross income than I’ve ever had. I’ve got some work to do on that front. I am hopeful that next year will be better.

Motherhood wise, this year had its highs and its lows. As I prepare to help the biggest baby bird out of nest, I am keenly aware of the things I wish I had told her before now. My muchkins are growing up before my eyes. The big one has started getting college acceptance letters. The baby competed in her first gymnastics tournament. The boy got accepted into Sumner, and invited to the middle school honors chorus (and there are little girls calling him on his phone.)

I don’t necessarily want time to slow down, but I do hope for the strength to keep this pace. I don’t want to waste a single precious second. 

I don’t know what 2024 is going to look like for any of us. But I know I want to be there, cheering them on, and laughing all the way. I hope you all end the year on a high note.

Thanks for keeping up with me and my tribe this year. It was a windy and sometimes rocky road. But we made it this far, and we’re glad you’re along for the journey. 

Mama Radford

P.S. Kwanzaa is coming and a bonus blog just might be in order!

Corona Chronicles: Thanksgiving 2023

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Food is my love language, and there is no bigger food holiday than the fourth Thursday in November. Besides my excitement about putting as many carbs as I can on one plate, I also get excited about a day off from work, and time with my favorite people. This year did not disappoint.

This year, we gathered at my home for lots of laughs. My siblings, my mom, and all of our children. I cooked way too much food, and I have eaten more than my fair share. WE played the board game, Rigamarole, which was a lot of fun. Then we turned to Netflix where we indulged in “Floor is Lava” and “Nailed It”. These two shows helped get me through the toughest parts of the pandemic, and they provided solid entertainment between stacking my plates on Thanksgiving this year.

The kids had been out of school all week, and they still managed to do very little work. On Wednesday, they went for their well-child visits with the pediatrician. The two little ones celebrated because they were not required to get any shots. The big kid wasn’t as lucky and had to get jabbed in each arm. Still it was a relatively easy visit to the doctor. WE got out of there before 5:00, which is something we rarely do at our doctor’s office. We have literally walked out of the exam room to a completely dark and empty office before, so leaving on Wednesday at 4:45 felt like a win.

I also got the chance to kick off the Christmas season by watching Mariah Carey perform live. Ms. Mimi, herself, had her first concert in Kansas City, and a dear friend of mine invited me to join her. I am so glad that I did. Mariah looked and sounded amazing. Her kids are super-cute, and she sang a few of her hits from non-Christmas albums. Also Mariah is hilarious. I don’t follow her on any social media, so I didn’t know, but she made me chuckle quite a few times. She ended her set with “All I Want for Christmas is You”, of course, and then it snowed on stage. Today, we got our first snow storm. I have to think Mariah helped usher in the Christmas spirit (and the weather) to all of KC.

I don’t know what this last week of November is going to bring, but I am walking into it full of hope, and extremely grateful for all that I have seen so far. Let’s finish up this year, being thankful for all that we have and open to all that might be in store.

Corona Chronicles 11/09/23

This has been a crazy three weeks.

The big kids had their first vocal music concert of the year. The baby competed in her first gymnastics meet, and mommy Radford traveled west of Denver for the first time. It has been a very busy season.

First, the concert was lovely. I’m fairly used to seeing the big kid perform. Watching my son on stage is a fairly new experience. I have to be honest. I quite enjoy it. But seeing them perform together is my absolute favorite thing ever. The only thing that would make it better is if I could get the baby up on that stage, too. The thing I miss most about church is watching my babies perform.

The baby’s first gymnastics tournament was a sensory overload for all of us. There were too many people and entirely too much going on. Nobody explained the process, so I missed both her awards ceremonies. I found out after the fact that she had won first place in her first event. She struggled a bit in her second event, as she was quite upset that her dad couldn’t make the event due to a plumbing emergency at our home. Even in her struggles, she persevered and finished her routine. I am incredibly proud of her.

The next day, we boarded a plane for the City of Angels. I was super-nervous about getting on a plane with the kids. I did not know how they would do through security. The big kid, who is now a travelling professional had no issues showing the TSA agents her passport and breezing through the screening. Much to my surprise, the younger ones had no issues either. They are young enough that we didn’t need ID for them. We only needed their boarding passes. I am grateful that they didn’t have the dogs at KCI when we flew out. I’m sure the baby would have had a meltdown. We got to see plenty of very cool things while in LA, but one of our favorite things, but I think one of our favorites was watching the members of SAG-AFTRA picket outside of Disney Studios. We are a pro-labor family. We are glad the strike is over. I celebrated my birthday on the west coast with a few of my favorites and it was so great to get away.

This week, as we prepare for our second vocal music concert, the second gymnastics competition, and a play at the local high school, my stress level is high. A death in the family and a number of medical appointments have made it hard for me to get a handle on things. Nevertheless, I keep trying to get it right. So if you see me at one of the aforementioned events looking crazy, then you know why.

I don’t even want to think about Thanksgiving. I need a nap.

Corona Chronicles: Renaissance Edition

The last few weeks have been crazy busy at the Radford household.

First, there was the homecoming dance. Then, mommy went to the Beyonce concert. Then the kiddos had their first vocal music concert. (We did all that in 3 days time.) We supported the Sumner Academy orchestra concert, and we went to the local Renaissance festival.

The Renfest is standard family fun for us. We watch the joust and eat turkey legs. The menfolk participate in the strong man competition. (My husband won this year.) Sometimes, there is axe throwing. This year, the kids took a chance at throwing stars. There were tears, and lost prizes, and still it was an amazing time. We did try something new this time. The girls wanted henna tattoos. So we spent way too much money for the kids to get their forearms painted with an elephant, a fairy, and stardust. The fairy, which was the most expensive didn’t even survive the second joust. The baby of the bunch picked the tattoo off her arm before we finished watching the second show.

We have now finished the first quarter of the school year. Hopefully, now I can get over my back-to-school blues, and get back to my regular blues. The calendar is already jam packed for the next few weeks with doctors and dentists appointments, a debate tournament, a vocal music concert, a theater performance, oh…and my birthday is coming up.

Good times are ahead!

Mama Radford

P.S. Neither the picture, nor the kid in the picture belongs to me.

Corona Chronicles: September 5, 2023

School has been back in for 2.5 weeks. We have had had 2 Covid scares already. I’m not quite paranoid, but my anxiety is way up.

In the past 3 weeks, four people in our immediate circle have contracted COVID. My mother’s apartment complex has reinstated their mask mandate. I don’t think the schools will be far behind. I’m back to stocking up on hand sanitizer. I have 2 different types of Airborne, and 3 bottles of cough medicine on hand.

I’d like to retreat to our personal bubbles again, but the baby just had a birthday, so that means a birthday party. She wants to go to trampoline park. Actually, her first choice was slumber party, and that was vetoed immediately. So on Sunday, a I’ll throw on a mask, and try not to freak out.

This is my life now. It’s me trying to avoid human interaction, and my kids dragging me outside. Actually, that’s probably been my life for the last 17 years. It just feels different now.

Y’all stay safe.

Mama Radford

Corona Chronicles: Back to School 2023

Every time I think I can bring this blog to a close, COVID flairs back up and attempts to send me back into my bubble. In the last three weeks, I know of at least three people who caught COVID again. School starts tomorrow and I’m paranoid about this late summer rebound of this virus.

I hate back to school season. I like that my kids can sleep as late as they want and eat whenever they feel like it. I love it on days when there is absolutely no reason to open my front door because nobody is coming in or going out. I love it when nobody has anything on the calendar for days at a time. Going back to school ruins that for me.

I am writing at 11:00PM on Tuesday and I have already had 3 school-related meetings. My inbox is flooded. My brain hurts and school hasn’t even started. This is dumb.

Our end of summer celebration includes my husband taking the big kids to see the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, while the baby and I went to see Barbie. Heads up: The Barbie movie is not for children. It’s for moms, and I rather enjoyed it.

We then spent way too much money at an Italian buffet where one kid only ate pizza. Another kid had mashed potatoes as her main course, and the third kid only wanted the food on my plate. We will not be returning there any time soon.

To prepare for their first day of school. Each of my kids did something different. The oldest is rushing to finish up her summer reading assignment. The baby set up a spa day for herself with candles, a whirlpool bath, and a foot spa. The boy did nothing. I made a gigantic to-do list, freaked out about the length of my list and then proceeded to do very little of it.

Anyway, I have to go to bed now, because apparently, summer is over, and Covid is not. Yay!

Let’s try to have a good school year!
Mama Rad

P.S. Right now, I have blonde braids and a tan, but I rarely take selfies, so you’ll probably never see it😂. Use your imagination!

Corona Chronicles: June Recap

So officially the pandemic is over, but we had several family members who had Covid in May and June. So the Corona Chronicles series continues.

Usually, I tell stories about how crazy these kids are, or how crazy they are driving me…and that is still very much the truth. But I am so incredibly proud of them this month that I am going to focus on that.

The big kid competed in her third national competition for speech and debate. While she didn’t come home with any trophies, she is already a state champion. She spent a little over a week in Phoenix with her team and chaperones, and she had a great time. I, personally, have never been west of Denver. I know she will go much farther than I ever did. There are several schools attempting to recruit her. Yale is among them. How cool is that.

I sent both the boy and the baby to summer school. They both did well, and even enjoyed it. For the last two weeks, I sent my son to Coterie camp with his big sister. At the end of the two weeks, they performed a devised theatre production. It was amazing to see my son on stage, delivering his lines loudly and clearly. He is usually a quiet kid, except when yelling at his video games. My mama heart skipped a beat as I watched him coming out of his shell.

Besides the baby completing summer school, she also completed a week of acting camp. The play she and her classmates created was very cute. She also had her first few practices with the competitive gymnastics team. She wanted to quit after the first practice, but she persevered and is doing much better now. But the thing I’m proudest of is that she went to Vacation Bible School with her best friend, and she memorized her bible verse. Every day she could recap her lesson for me. Last year, she attended the same VBS and couldn’t tell me anything except the games and the songs. I am grateful for improvement.

We ordered a few HelloFresh meals this month, and everybody in the house helped cook. It was a fun way to get everybody involved. The meals were healthy and balanced…and it felt good not to have to make a grocery list for once.

I am hoping that July will be restful for them. It won’t be for me, but that’s another story.

Praying for a safe and happy summer for us all!