Sale PSA: Cozy slippers from Ugg, now 22% off, suede mules from Aquazzura, now 50% off, and a pretty button up blouse from J.Crew, now $40 with code GIFTY.
Hi! I hope you are having a good start to your holiday (soon at least)? A basic blog update, below:
First off, please behold my latest puzzle. I really liked the design – Zodiac 3000 piece from Ravensburger – however I will say, putting my insane puzzle lady hat on, that I was disappointed for the first time in a Ravensburger in the solid black pieces on the edges were extremely similar with the exact same fit and it was easy to get two pieces confused. They are famous for each piece being unique so this was the first time it happened to me. And I do a LOT of Ravensburger. OK, is anyone still reading by this point? Sorry!
Covid: Oh gosh. OMICRON. I feel like it went from being just another piece of bad news in a string of bad news to the news, EVERYWHERE. I was exposed but luckily a week after my booster and have been testing negative so far. It’s freaking me out. When can 2-5 year olds get the shot? There is this feeling settling in, that we are in for the long haul….Covid is here to stay, right? A lot of people I know gave up this week after the delay in the Pfizer vaccine tests for 2-5. Seriously, I felt absolutely gutted when I read that. I don’t think I’ve fully processed what that will mean for us, the potentially cancelled trips…of trips we’d re-booked last year.
Holidays: Are here, are nice, yay. The kids are off for two weeks. At least they are off at the same time. I’m a little stressed this year about it, I am not going to lie. I don’t know why..just this general feeling of gloom, maybe because of the Covid stuff above. We are focusing on making it nice for the kids. I was also very disappointed that Trader Joes ran out of ALL my favorites. Have been compensating with Costco’s excellent chocolate/holiday yummy selection this year (anyone else notice how much Costco has)?
Shopping: Has been good. I bought some stuff on sale. Will share if they are nice! A lot of my shipments are taking forever but I don’t really care…they’ll make it eventually (hopefully) and all the kid’s Christmas items made it, at least.
This is a short post this week. I am very very wiped out. As I’m sure you are. I hope you are all doing well and please share how you are feeling about….OMICRON.
22 Comments
Anonymous
December 20, 2021 at 9:27 amWe are doing puzzles right this morning. It’s a good couple’s activity haha! Happy holidays! I’m somehow relaxed about covid now. Went to Disney with our 4 year old not long ago. What I really wonder about these days is the Metaverse, post pandemic white collar job outsourcing etc.. Would love it if you could share some thoughts or interesting reads in the future.
A.S.
December 20, 2021 at 9:50 amI’m an inpatient-based doctor in a large hospital in a large city with high vaccination rates (thankfully!). We’ve been seeing a ton of positive Covid tests, but very few severe cases–nothing like March 2020. I have a small child, too young to be vaccinated, so I’ve been checking in with my pediatrics colleagues and they say that they have also been seeing a ton of positive tests but overall the kids have mild illness. They are seeing more admissions with the regular pediatric respiratory viruses (like RSV) than Covid. I still have this feeling of, well, I’ve come this far without my family getting Covid, so I would be disappointed if we all got it now, but I’m not terrified like I used to be. I find the data for this variant mostly reassuring. Caveat: I think elderly and immunocompromised people need to be more careful. Things can always change, and viruses can always mutate, but I’m hoping that this pattern (high transmission, low severity) will continue.
Kat
December 23, 2021 at 9:25 pmThank you so much for sharing this!
HDS
December 20, 2021 at 10:17 amId rather hear about your Trader Joe’s favorites (and Costco’s)!
Anonymous
December 20, 2021 at 10:35 am+1
M.Y.
December 20, 2021 at 2:00 pm+1
Hayley
December 20, 2021 at 10:03 pm+1
Kat
December 23, 2021 at 9:14 pmOK – I will start putting together a post!!
Anonymous
December 20, 2021 at 10:34 amI think scientists are more concern of the variant after omicron. From what I heard, omicron’s symptoms are pretty mild. Sore throat.. A variant like omicron with 30 mutations and severe symptoms like Delta would be very scary especially if vaccines totally do not work.
For small kids, the percentage of severe cases from covid is 2%. More concerning is the Mis-C which is also pretty rare among children. I think people hit covid fatigue and don’t really care anymore. They just go about their day with no masks unless their city requires them to. To each his own, right? People are talking about heart inflammation caused by the mRNA vaccines seen on adults to young children. France recommended Pfizer over Moderna for young people because of that as well.
Out of curiosity, do you ever put your assembled puzzles in frames? I could imagine that would be pretty to look at especially if it was a hard puzzle to solve. 3D puzzles are pretty fun as well and make a nice display.
Happy holidays!
Kat
December 23, 2021 at 9:15 pmI have one framed Liberty puzzle – they sell custom frames and so I had my favorite one (of California) framed!
Anonymous
December 20, 2021 at 10:55 amHave been obsessed with the frozen taiyaki with custard from Costco. A must buy and amazing after a few minutes in the air fryer!
Kat
December 23, 2021 at 9:15 pmI always see this!! Good to know that it is yummy, thank you!
C.Michol
December 20, 2021 at 5:56 pmI’m worried (and very discouraged by the vaccine delays for children aged 2-5, which will affect my household) but I’m also absolutely exhausted by the uncertainty and the whiplashing expectations we’re all supposed to just…somehow live with? I don’t know if people can handle another lockdown, myself included!
Lara
December 20, 2021 at 10:07 pmMy toddler son just got caught Covid. We have been so careful since March 2020 – took him out of daycare for a year, barely go anywhere, etc etc but we had an indoor play date with a friend who tested positive and sure enough he did too. He didn’t have many symptoms and I feel so lucky but what a logistical nightmare. I am 16 weeks pregnant so I spent a week with my parents while my husband took care of him. Luckily we are both boosted and stayed negative. He also had RSV in November and that was way worse. I was hoping he would be vaccinated when his natural immunity waned but now we will have to wait longer. I had also hoped that Covid would be a thing of the past when I deliver in June, but that’s looking doubtful. It’s such a hard time – I don’t know how much longer we can keep this up.
Kat
December 23, 2021 at 9:14 pmI’m so glad to hear about your son doing well (and it’s awful luck about the playdate but with the spread of Omicron I’m expecting this to be the case for many of us). I am wishing you a healthy and smooth pregnancy, I hope this is over soon.
H
December 20, 2021 at 10:12 pmCOVID (Delta variant I presume) infected virtually all of my in-laws in November. They were vaccinated but not boostered yet. We (two boostered adults and a toddler) live several states away, and flew yesterday to visit them for Christmas. We figured we’re very unlikely to transmit COVID to each other since recent infection and boosters both provide protection. I am worried about my toddler catching it, though I try to remind myself that 1) toddlers have mild symptoms even if they catch it, and 2) all of my ILs have fully recovered, so if genetics have anything to do with the likelihood of serious illness, the odds are in her favor. But yeah. I would be absolutely devastated if she got it and I am already dreading the flight back home a week away, which is a week’s time during which Omicron would spread like wildfire.
Sorry about the novel. I am so tired of COVID. So freaking tired.
Catherine
December 21, 2021 at 11:46 amIn Canada, with no children, so my perspective is a bit different. We are just starting boosters here and have also had somewhat of a shutdown starting yesterday. Omicron off the charts around here (Quebec). I’m immunocompromised and on an immunosuppressant, so my life is much the same as the last couple years. Only mandatory excursions outside the home. I am triple-vaxxed (had no immune response to first 2 shots) with a booster coming in January.
My autoimmune disease resulted from a virus exposure while traveling for work in 2002 and I’ve never fully recovered. I was living in Atlanta at the time and even my Emory docs working with CDC were never able to determine the culprit. I know first hand what long covid sufferers are going through and for me, it’s almost encouraging. There’s so much research now, that maybe it will help me as well.
My thoughts about Covid19 and Omicron are that people should do whatever they can to prevent themselves (and their precious children) from being exposed. Thankfully I live in a place where masking is mandatory and everyone does it and have since early 2020. I am cautious because we know that immunocompromised people can incubate these strains and I want to protect others as much as possible. That’s what I keep in mind every day. And I’m so grateful for at least having good days.
Kat
December 23, 2021 at 9:15 pmThank you for sharing your perspective – it’s very unique and nuanced and one I hadn’t heard before. I really hope they can have more research into immunocompromised people and that it will benefit you as well.
Yumi
December 22, 2021 at 4:35 pmI’ve pretty much given up on COVID. I got the vaccine and booster, wear a mask when I’m out and about, but that’s about it. Honestly the constant stress of worrying about COVID wore down my immune system; earlier in the year my child got the RSV and while she and my husband recovered within days, I was out of commission for weeks. And I suspect it has to do with the stress destroying my immune system. It’s purely anecdotal but I used to never get sick until I started constantly worrying due to increased responsibilities. So I chose to give up and it’s been nice – there are times where I do worry but I talk myself out of it.
Kat
December 23, 2021 at 9:16 pmThat’s a good point – the stress takes a toll.
Lizzie
December 24, 2021 at 2:13 pmI love the Trader Joe’s Sipping Chocolate and I finally found it this week at my local store – yay!
Nvie
December 26, 2021 at 8:39 amIt’s the Covid stress that I’m more concerned of than Covid itself. Having infected while receiving my second shot, I lost my sense of smell and it returned two days after with no other symptoms. None of my family members were infected and my viral load on the PCR test was super low.
Now with Omicron, and we’re all in Hong Kong right now, yes, after 21 days hotel quarantine and 7 PCR tests during the stay. Will return back to home country after less than a month in HK, more PCR tests and another 7 days home quarantine, I’m really fed up of all these measures…but am very concerned for my 7 year old, the only person who’s not vaccinated at home.
I’m super tired of the Omicron, 2022 will be another 2020 and 2021. When will we get back to pre-pandemic?