I'm SAILING.

I've actually been improving some of my skills during this period of quarantine. I say "actually" because I'm pretty well known for having 3 billion goals at any given time and accomplishing none of them. Or even acquiring additional bad habits, making my number of accomplished goals in the negative. But some magical things have happened the past few weeks (and no I'm not saying I want to be in isolation forever--can things please return to normal??), and it has been a pleasant experience for me.

First off, the not-so-important:

I don't know if this counts as my own progress since Dan had to enforce it for me, but I have become better about not interrupting Dan at work. You may notice in the photo above a not-so-subtle sign he has put up because I could never tell when he was in a meeting or not. On the flip side of the sign, it says "Meeting". I didn't know, so I would talk to him, or like last week, yell while laughing uproariously, "I JUST ACCIDENTALLY GAVE JUNE A REGULAR EGG FOR BREAKFAST INSTEAD OF A HARD BOILED EGG!!!!" and then he would have to yell-whisper-mouth the words "I'm! In! A! Meeting!" and then I would run away. Or another time, I was practicing the piano (another goal I'm actually progressing on) and during a small break I heard Dan explain, "Yeah sorry about the background noise. Someone is playing the piano" after which I slinked off the piano and upstairs into my room, changed into all black clothes and mourned the fact that no one appreciates my musical genius.

Sometimes I think I actually understand what the Phantom of the Opera was going through.

Another not important goal: blowing bubblegum bubbles.

Little known fact about little ol' me: I am really good at blowing bubbles with my gum. It drives Dan insane. So we have been competing these past couple of weeks, and I will say he is improving. But I'm still the best. This is a picture I sent to him of an amazing bubble. I couldn't just run into his office and show him because of the aforementioned "meeting" sign being posted, but I did send him this obnoxious photo so he wouldn't miss a second of my amazingness.

Dan sent me this in response:

Decent!

Increasing in importance:

Riding a bike. You may recall that Dan has been teaching me how to ride a bike. I have come a long way. But there has been something holding me back (besides my extremely sore bum). I couldn't stand up on the bike. Every time I would try, I would wobble like crazy and sit back down. It didn't help that whenever I practice, I am also pulling one or two kids in a trailer behind me because Dan was working. But yesterday when Dan was off, he went outside with me and talked me through it. Riding the bike without pulling the kids was very helpful, and Dan was very helpful.

And wouldn't you know it! I did it!

I'M SAILING!

I am pretty sure our neighbors think I'm a weirdo needing bike lessons as a grown woman but I just own it. I yelled out to them, "Yes, my husband is teaching me to ride a bike, and I'm 35!" Because you know what? Riding the bike feels so much better than not riding the bike. I learned as a kid and then never really rode again. I was too anxious to do many physical things. I hope my kids learn from me to do things they think are scary or hard. I also hope my kids marry spouses like my Dan. He has never made me feel stupid when I don't know how to do something. I can tell him I don't know how to do something but want to learn, and he respects my vulnerability and helps me.

And now, I take the kids around the block whenever I can, and it feels incredible every time.

Now yesterday, Dan started off as a really nice coach but then all of that power went to his head and he kept demanding more and more of me. Is he entering me in the Olympics? Probably! I mean, I can stand up while I ride now and everything. Finally, I told him I wanted to go get some water and then he got on the bike and showed me all of his sweet straight-from-middle-school moves.

Church today:

I told the girls to wear pink and that I would wear pink too. And then I wore all black. Because nobody tells me what to do, not even me.

Trying our first pyramid.

This is going well.

After church, the kids asked for a snack and before I knew it, this was going on. Smart! Resourceful! Doesn't involve me! I approve.

School this week:

Making "junk sculptures" for art class.

And I happened to notice that for this class meeting, Gwen had found her crush and enlarged his screen on the ipad so she could watch him the whole time, while ignoring those other fellow kindergartners.

What we read: The girls and I are working our way through Begin, which is the first of the Growly Bear series. We've been reading it off and on for months and now we are finally committed to reading it every day, and it's getting good!

What we watched: The new Dora movie. It was enjoyable to all.

What I read: I'm working on Emma for a book club, and I am working on Saints Vol. 2 as well.

Gwen and I have been going through Teach Your Kid to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and this week her reading passages ended with "This is the end" instead of just "The End." I guess that means she's progressing too.

This is the end.