March 9 - March 15

   Monday March 9th I took the kids to school then came home and unpacked the suitcases and worked on laundry. Mike was in Huston and talk of the Corona virus was spreading but still seemed to be contained in the US. I went to school at 3:30 and helped with GOTR, Alec and Becca also got to help which they thought was really cool. We had hamburgers for dinner that night and enjoyed relaxing before bed. Tuesday I took the kids to school and then came home to do more laundry. I picked the kids up after school and we took Becca to the dentist for a consult for braces, she needs another appointment but they think she is a good candidate for braces in the near future. Since Mike was still out of town we had Cassie, Seve, and Mace over for dinner. The boys all enjoyed playing and eating pizza. It was nice to have some guests over after school.  Mike got home on the 10:30 flight that night. The corona talk was getting to be more, states were starting to close schools, to help stop the spread. The US was trying to get ahead of the disease as Italy did not and they were having to let people die because the hospitals were so overwhelmed with patients and they couldn't help them all.
   Wednesday I took the kids to school then went to coffee with Capri and Sarah, little did we know that this would be our last coffee date for a long while. I then ran to Walmart and then home to unload before going to pick up Rachel at school and take her to her Derm appointment. I try really hard to not take the kids out of school for appointments but this was the only time we could make work. I then took Rachel back to school so she could finish out the day and then picked everyone up and we went to CCD. Becca then had practice and I brought Rachel and Alec home before going back to get Becca.

   Thursday I took the kids to school then came home and did some house work. I then went back to school to meet with Emma since we didn't have school on Friday due to spring break. We then went to town for ice cream since Rachel did not have Piano due to her teacher having parent teacher conferences. After ice cream Rachel had her first (and last) soccer practice. She was so excited to get back out on the soccer field and had a lot of fun with her new coaches and team. Mike was able to meet us for ice cream and was headed home so he took Becca and Alec with him. There were more closing due to Corona. Omaha had officially cancelled Friday and they were already off the following week for spring break but closed planning to go back the end of March.

   Friday the kids didn't have school but Rachel did have Piano at 10 so we all got ready and went to town for Piano then went to lunch with Mike at Tempura. It was starting to snow so we headed home after lunch. Becca was invited to go to town swimming and to stay overnight at her friend Josie's house. Mike and I had no plans for the evening and were watching a movie with Alec and Rachel when Traci called and invited us to Pals to listen to a band and have some drinks. Rachel agreed to finish the movie and put Alec to bed while Mike and I ran to town. We had a great time seeing everyone. The public schools and St. Pat's had already closed school for the next two weeks and everyone was talking about what the next steps were going to be. Boys state basketball was being held with only parents and people the school superintendent reported being allowed into the games. It was so crazy to see so few people in the stands for the state tournament. They had also cancelled March Madness at this point and NBA games as a couple of the NBA players had came out and said that they had Covid-19.
   Saturday we just hung out in the morning and I watched state basketball. We got a decent amount of snow overnight so we headed out south and took Rachel and Alec sledding. Becca was still with Josie and also got to enjoy sledding with her family. Rachel and I went to church that evening and then picked Becca up after church. The pope had announced before church that it was no longer an obligation to attend a mass. There were only a handful of people at mass that night. This was the last weekend that people were allowed in the church's. Rachel then went to Grace's that night as we still had school on Monday.

Rachel and Mike getting ready to go down a steep hill

   Sunday Mike got up and made us all a big breakfast. We then played some board games and then watched Frozen 2 that evening. By now all schools across the state had been cancelled for 2 weeks. Hershey decided to let the kids go back for one more day to get assignments and clean out their lockers as now there was talk that we may not go back to school due to the disaster that Italy was having trying to contain the virus and the success other nations were having with social isolation.