Corona Quarantine -- Week 1

Pretty much all my dreams came true when spring break was extended by another three weeks, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sunday, church was cancelled at the building, so we stayed home, conducted familial meetings, played games, watched "Little Women" from the 90's.

Monday Meg drove nine hours home from Provo.  BYU is online, and track is over until fall.  We all greeted her from the mailbox, and Ryan got his own ride down the hill.

Molly can't get enough of her.

Everyday we maintain a very rigid schedule with built in recesses.

Tuesday was St. Patrick's Day.  We wore green, ate green food (here is stir-fry with all green veggies and Hulk muffins.)

A leprechaun treasure hunt finished up the day.

We now have tons of time for games and each other.

I made some sauerkraut.  It's not good, but I made us eat it anyway.

These two began their scripture study without any prompting -- this schedule is working!

Austin worked just a few days, so we played games and waded through the stormy weather.

We did pop off to the park for a couple hours.  Fun.

Maddie did this to Nick!  He's finally back from the dead after his surgery.

This is Eddie's paragraph for the day.  "The digestive system (works) because it had lots of parts.  First, mouths chum the food so it goes through the esophagus.  The stomach has juice to break it up.  The stomach broke the food so it goes through the small intestine, large intestine and rectum and anus.  It has lots of parts, so it works."  He wrote this from memory.

Ryan colored me yet another magical self portrait.

Saturday we went to the park and learned how to play, "Pickle Ball" from Carole (she approached us about allowing her to teach us.)

It was the perfect day in the park.

We cleaned the house, and I made this sign.

I am in total control of our time and outside influences -- I suppose that's why I'm so happy.  I'm a control freak, and I didn't want to admit it until now.  We are "safely gathered in," prepared for pandemic, and oh, so happy together.

Spring Break 2020

Whelp, we had one day of sunny weather and six days of drizzle, rain and wind!  Welcome SPRING!
Eddie and I are diligently reading our assigned BOM readings everyday.  I know our method is helping him to become a better reader, and allowing me to read the inspired words more than once everyday.

 Our garden has germinated.

 We went to the park for a picnic and flag football.

 Nailed that family activity. I think Eddie threw only one fit, Ryan walked away with only two bruises, and Molly only pouted for 40 minutes. 

 We eat such lovely food everyday.  We are blessed.

 Tuesday the we four went to see "Emma" in Sedona.  There is a naked bottom, but (HEHE) it was charming. We sure love Grandma B.

 Maisie has like eight cold sores.  Luckily she had the week to heal.

 Molly was excited to tell Meg about her new tooth brush.

 Lots of games while the wet weather stayed out, and we stayed in.  Cozy.

 I found her invading him one evening.

 He succumbed.

 The trees are in bloom.  Even in the rain the world is bright when filled with blossoming trees around every bend.

 Nick had his first surgery and said goodbye to parts of his lymph system -- his adenoids and tonsils.

 He was very brave.  He didn't move from the couch for an entire week.  I missed his gentle voice and kindness.

 Maisie forced herself into the role of poster child and PSA agent.

 Austin headed to the store to prepare for the worst.

 More games.

 My kitchen screams, "Spring, you're welcome here!"

 Lots of lazy mornings with little boys crowding in all around.

 I've found so much joy in using my meager piano skills to play the songs I love.  I play when my chores are done, and it's time to relax.  Maisie caught me.

Costa Rica

Austin and four other couples planned a trip to Thailand 1.5 years ago.  But, the Coronavirus shut us down.  Two week prior we changed our minds and headed to Costa Rica for 10 days.  What a lovely vacation it was!

The coast was dry!

 We traveled the rest of the day and awakened in La Fortuna in a mountainous tropical jungle.

 Our front porch was not in bloom, but all the colors of green made it feel really cozy.

 We spent the first two days white-water rafting and zip-lining through jungles.

 We spent the evenings eating and exploring.

 Sunday morning we drove back to the coast and enjoyed a testimony meeting in Espanol.  I could actually understand most of their testimonies, and it made me want to really learn Spanish.

 After naps and dinner a quiet walk on the beach finished our day of rest.

 Monday morning we surfed.  Seriously, every time the instructor told me to, "Paddle! Paddle! Paddle! Up! Up! Up!" I made it up and rode the waves.  When he didn't push me, I just spent the time trying not to get pummeled by the waves.  Luckily the water was warm and the air warmer.

 A day in the sand and the backyard pool, then dinner waited by a brand-new waiter, ensured lots of laughter, lots of sunshine and lots of friendship.

 I had to pose on the molar with board shorts.  Could someone please help me pose correctly?  I never get it right.

 Tuesday was back to the beach for more sand and surf.

 We found a little hermit crab.

 We shopped at the market and practically lived on pineapple and coconut cookies.

 The "SKYJO" card game was a kit in the evenings.  Some of us won big, and some of us lost big.

 Wednesday more relaxing in the sand.

 Oh, we found an open-air market with a global melting pot of options.  We ate eggplant parmesan made from a lady who spoke Italian and grew up in Napoli.  We ate falafel and naan from Indians.  We drank passion fruit smoothies and finished with nutella donuts.  I mean, it was pretty much the best street food, ever.

 More surfing Friday proved that Austin could get up and ride the waves solo.  I road the boogie board into the beach over and over whooping and hollering the entire time.

 Powdered sugar sand was magical.

  I reread, Boys in the Boat and spent hours napping.

 If we weren't at the beach, we lounged under the pergola and ate more pineapple.

 Saturday we headed back to the mountains for a final day of tubing in the gorge (probably my favorite water activity, ever) and rock climbing though zip lines.

 Austin and I ordered la comida typico for our final dinner at the resort.  I ate black bean soup and he ate a pile of beans and rice.

 Sunday morning we headed to church and I played the piano in our meeting.

 Here we are shuttling to the airport.

 Reading sciptures and Little Women on the ride home.  (That's a really nice picture of Austin.  He looks like he's spent a week relaxing and enjoying la pura vida.)

 Home again and asleep at 2:30 am just to readily be awakened at 6:15 am to begin spring break with those that allow me a pura vida.

I need to recognize the two grandmas that each took turns loving and nurturing my darlings while we were away.  Molly and Maisie were really sick, so they not only ran the household, but also nursed my daughters back to health.  

Spending time with Austin is sweet and fulfilling.  We laughed until tears ran down our faces, cried as we shared our deepest desires for our children, and simply basked in the sunlight, feeling the calming warmth spread through our souls as we reflected on our eternal union and the true purpose of our pura vida.

We do want to take our children back.  But alas, our little Mexico trip is just so similar and only six hours by car.