Sunday, May 31, 2020

May

- Covid update: we've extended our circle to include our parents, siblings & cousins (including Morgan & Leslie) and most everything with other households is doing something outside.  We do have some limited playdates, but they are all outside for now, and we try to get the kids to stay 6 feet apart.  Andrew's best bud, Tanner, can't do any play dates, so they like to visit from across the street to catch up.  (see picture)  Grandma comes over to do piano lessons, and we are grateful since that part of our lives feels normal.  

- Covid Memes are on point.  My favorite one has been one that says, "When someone without kids is talking about how bored they are in quarantine."  I cannot related to this - haven't felt bored once. 

- We went on a date with Morgan & Leslie and we were basically wearing the same thing.

- There was a firework show - I can't remember what for exactly - it was at multiple places all over the valley to avoid large crowds gathering.

- Brandon and I got a new bed and it is fancy and moves up and down and vibrates and the kids think it's fun.  It makes us feel old, but we are hopeful that it will help us sleep better.  Update a few months later:  the bed hasn't really helped us sleep better (not worth the extra money) - plus our kids still wake us up in the night just like they always do.

- First trip out to Utah Lake - look at all that snow still on the mountains! We are looking forward to be able to boat this summer because it is a socially distanced activity.

- A quail laid eggs in our front bush!!  My excitement is through the roof since I absolutely love baby quails.  We cannot wait until they hatch!

- We went on a hike to the Jungle Trail in Draper and there was poison ivy everywhere!  It was mostly marked, but still a little stressful with lots of littles.  

- Carson and Ryan are a year apart, but are starting to become good little buds.  

- We got masks in case we are going to start wearing them in public.  Carson picked BYU, Kendall picked Sonic, Andrew picked Superheroes, Rachel picked a flower pattern from Frank & Buck, so I made her and bought the other ones.

- Brandon took us camping somewhere in Spanish Fork canyon - not a campground and no amenties (Rachel hates peeing in the woods), but we were allowed to camp there and it was very socially distant!  Brandon took the kids to the red rock area to explore, and we had a great little private set up.  Around bedtime, it began to rain (not forecasted) and then rained most of the night.  Rachel and I insisted that we could hear animals basically marching around the tent and also peeing on the tent.  It was right outside of where we were sleeping and we were basically freaking out.  We ended up sleeping on the same mat and kept scaring one another whenever it happened.  We kept hearing things, and we'd tell Brandon to go check - he went out at least once or twice to reassure us and found nothing.  It was the absolute worst night of sleep and we figured out in the morning, the peeing sound was the water puddling up on the rain fly and then dripping off right by our heads.  We still can't explain the marching - it sounded like a parade around the tent.  In the morning, Carson woke up exclaiming how good he had slept - glad someone did!  Brandon said he didn't want to go camping with us ever again! That morning, we didn't even make breakfast - we packed up all of our wet gear and came straight home.  

- I am on a quest to be able to make fluffy (not flat) chocolate chips cookies!!!  There have been lots of cookies flops, but the kids are loving it. 





























Monday, May 25, 2020

House Projects

We are so excited for our house projects this summer!  We putting in an in-ground trampoline and getting a 3rd car garage (for the boat) plus attic above (for all my holiday crap).  Brandon had to remove a large tree since it wasn't going to make it through all the construction (so sad!).  Carson has been appreciating all the new construction equipment that keeps showing up in our yard.  It is very exciting!







Friday, May 22, 2020

Renaissance Fair + End of School

Rachel "graduated" from 6th grade, and she is pumped to go to AF Junior High.  They did a great job with a drive-thru style covid graduation. Her home room teacher was Ms. Donahue, but was taught by Mrs. Watkins & Mr. Taylor since they rotate classrooms in 6th grade.  Her besties at school this year were Livvy, Payton & Ellie, but their group also hung out with lots of other groups.  Her friend, Tyler, signed up for the same graduation time, so we got a picture.  

One of the big disappointments of the end of the year for Rachel was missing out on the Renaissance Fair that the 6th graders usually put together.  Rachel decided to do one for the neighbor kids!  She passed out free tickets to the parents, and let them know that their kids could earn the tickets for good behavior at home.  Then a few weeks later, she scheduled the fair and everyone signed up, so they could come at different times and stay socially distanced.  Rachel made the bracelets, necklaces and slime and asked dad to make the wooden guns.  I was really proud of her for taking the initiative and turning a big bummer into something really fun.  (Kendall wanted in on the fun and made her own fair booth.)

I can't remember when exactly school got out, but it feels like it was early May.  It was fine, because we were all pretty much done with online school!  Kendall got to do a drive by to pick up her school supplies and she got to see Miss Brown.  She did a great job with online learning and we sure have appreciated all her efforts.  Andrew's 3rd grade teachers didn't want the kids to miss out on Harry Potter week, so they did that virtually and picked up all their supplies.  Their videos were even shot in a decorated classroom, in costumes and with an English accent.  Andrew got selected by the hat to be in Gryffindor, which was a relief actually since he was legitimately worried. :)