CoronaVirus Week #4

Our week began listening with our hearts and minds to 10 hours of General Conference. 

 We joined in the world in a historic "Hosanna Shout" commemorating 200 years since the beginning of the Restoration.

 All took notes, except Molly, and she played with baby bunnies.

 We ate lovely food, as is usual.

 Monday was roller skating. 

 We also went hiking.  I love that we are so good at social distancing.  Everyone can hear us coming, and they move way off the path.

 Maisie paints her nails and her sisters' nails several times each week.  Molly was lucky to walk into her nail salon.

 Some of the children needed some physical labor as a consequence.  When some finished before the others, they helped each other without prompting.

 I followed a prompting, and we illustrated "The Living Christ" for our CFM.

 This makes me so happy.

 Oh, I bake the such beautiful bread.

 Maddie made a lovely tea party for her little friends.

 She made them dress up.

 I've been pining for my own corner desk in my room.  While reading Jo's Boys one evening, I went to the basement, stole the girls' desk, and made it my own.

 So I know have a place to go that is mine to read, study and write. 

 The next afternoon, Eddie made his own desk space at the foot of his bed.  What a cunning little dear.  He even put his scriptures, knick knacks, and a picture as decoration.

 I overheard Andy giving her lessons in armpit hair.  I took a picture and whisked her away.

 Our grandparents are now the proud owners of 16 baby chicks.

 Austin and the boys helped build the mansion.

 

 The chickies are cute, and the kids love to pet them.  Grandpa said that he whistled, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" in celebration of the upcoming Easter weekend.

 Maisie spent three weeks and sewed bunny bags for each of her siblings.

 She then filled them and presented them at breakfast Saturday morning.

 All the children were so happy about them.

 The rest of the morning was Eddie's baptism.

 These were all the attendees, plus the bishop (who is taking the picture).

 Our ministers hid eggs for us while we were there.  Molly was quite happy to come home to the Easter bunny's hunt.

 We are still so happy at home. 

Ryan #6

Ryan is 6! (We're getting pretty good at celebrating birthdays around here.)  He was up bright and early to begin celebrations.

 Nerf bullets, a hands-free drone, a watch, a ball shooter and tic-tac-toe made him feel special.

 He wanted monster toast and fried eggs for breakfast.

 I think they are so pretty.

Breakfast is always the most exciting meal.

 Then the Nerf war began.  For two hours the birthday boy and his "guests" shot guns and warred all over the basement.

 After lunch (I failed his request.  He wanted grilled-cheese and tomato soup for dinner, not lunch, so he was sad that I presented it for lunch.), we headed to Grandma's house to see her new chicks and float boats in her irrigation ditch.

We raced the boats in pairs and kept it fair with a losing bracket.

 We made the boats from the yard clippings we found in the backyard.

 Molly was the winner (I made her boat -- grin).  Grandma and especially Grandpa are practicing social distancing.  However, she did make us cookies, and he made us crackers and dried apples.  Although we can't hug, we still enjoyed their company from afar.

 Maisie made a football cake.

Austin grilled us some grub.

 Ryan is holding his grilled-cheese sandwich and tomato soup that he insisted I get right this time.

 We finished off his cook out with marshmallow roasting and smores.

 Our hour outside was heavenly because we simply talked and tried not to burn the turf.

 Although we ate our fill of dessert, he still wanted us to sing, "We still need to sing to me!"  So we did.

 And it made him very happy.  We didn't even cut the cake, but saved it for another day.

 Ryan is just a little lover.  If he is sitting, he always places himself beside a sibling/parent and then drapes a heavy limb over that person.  He is our first child to actually weigh something.  He's one of the "big" kids in his class, which is also a first.  He loves to eat fresh bread, he is so close to being able to sound out any word, he laughs so loud and easily, he takes huge beatings from Ed, but has learned how to wallop him right back, he is steeped in family tradition, and knows how to pray for "Tessa, Elsa and our missionaries."  Ryan runs fast, tires easily, wraps both his arms and legs around me when it's bedtime, and then he never lets go.  Oh, that's easily my favorite thing about him.  He also plays every game that is happening -- even complicated ones. He's just gem.  He will be a bright missionary one day, a boy that obeys quickly and act reverently.  Ryan is our best boy that is 6.