Day #70

The sweetest boy has 2 teeth! He’s such a happy, busy little guy!

Amy H came over and dropped off strawberries from her garden and it made my day. We visited on the porch for a long time and it was so nice to see someone new. 

We had leftovers for lunch and this little piggy is the slowest eater always. She was mid saying “what?” here. 

And then she continued to talk and talk and talk. She’s got loads of words. Always has. 

Addie read the new Hunger Games book all day. She’s probably done with it by now. She’s really enjoying it. 

Emmett has gone straight from toddling to running. He’s got places to go, just like his mimi!

This is a screenshot from a video lexi sent of how the found the one food he doesn’t like - hash browns of all things! Who doesn’t like hash browns?! This silly kid. 

He is just the sweetest. 

Addie had a special visitor today too when Anna dropped off cookies for her. So sweet. 

We went for a walk and when we got bike decided to decorate for Memorial Day. 

I had a second meeting tonight, a stake meeting on welfare thag was very good and informative. Then my dad came over to see our festive house. I guess not festive, because it’s for Memorial Day, after all. Patriotic. With gratitude for those that have made the ultimate sacrifice. 

I’m waiting for him to send me the real pictures he took, but he’s being a slowpoke. 

Delaney was being super silly. She said she was a Sasquatch, sneaking all around. 

We visited outside for a long time and it was a cool and crisp evening. 

I feel unsettled. I haven’t gone anywhere in quite some time and I need some new scenery in my life. We’ve planned 2 outings for tomorrow and I am full of happy anticipation. 

For our sacrament meeting we talked about repentance and everyone participated and it was sweet and important. I saw online that several other people talked about repentance too and i thought what a coincidence! But we just read about Alma the younger’s great conversion story and so of course. 

For our closing song we sang Now Let us Rejoice and the third verse really struck me. 

In faith we’ll rely on the arm of Jehovah

To guide thru these last days of trouble and gloom,

And after the scourges and harvest are over,

We’ll rise with the just when the Savior doth come.

Feels pretty perfect for right now. We can patiently wait till the scourges are over. We can do this. 

Day #69

I ran early this morning since it was a warm day today. It was so pleasant and quiet. Running has been so healing for me during this pandemic. After my podcast ended I spent some time just listening to my feet hitting the pavement, to my breathing, to the birds, and occasional car driving by. It smelled so good, all fresh from an overnight rain and flowers blooming. I never realized even the weedy flowers that grow on the side of the road smell so sweet. It was one of the best parts of my day. 

Addie and I cleaned out her closet and dressers and switched out winter for summer clothes. She’s around a size 12, but lots of clothes are 10-12, and Frankie is around a 10, so it’s more than a little confusing. Thankfully they’ve been helping with laundry while they haven’t been in school and they know what fits who. I had Addie try on every summer item and she really only needs jams, undies, shorts, and sandals. Not too bad. 

Frankie and I had a rough tutoring session. Rough. It’s the end of the book and I’m giving her the post test and she’s not doing great. I’m going to have her help write up a steps to remember page that will hopefully help. I really don’t want to redo the whole book, but if the post test results don’t  improve, we’re going to have to. 

Delaney and I made lemon bars and Frankie and I made a hamburger cornbread casserole. Both were good, not great. 

We watched Harry Potter tonight and I finally updated all my socials and ordered our new canvas print. Crossed a few things off. 

I’m looking forward to Sunday. I need it. 

Family pictures 2019

The coldest day in the history of ever was the one day that worked for our photographer while the Finlaysons visited in December. It was seriously cold. Like in the teens with the windchill. We had big coats and blankets for when whatever person wasn't being photographed. And poor Emmett. It was kind of a sad photo shoot because sweet Emmy was so sad. He cried and cried like he never cries. When she got him to the car, Lexi found that his little shoe was pinching his foot. Poor baby.

 I feel like I've written about this before, but this was a fail for me. I wish I would have just taken a beat and encouraged Lexi to take care of Emmett, because I feel like she could have figured out the problem and then he'd have been his happy self. But I was anxious about wasting Haley's time, and it was so very cold. Oh well, always room to improve. And really, the pictures are pretty cute, even with a sad baby.

 Dad joined us for some pictures, so that was nice.

 Prom photo 2019.

 Sweetest little family.

 I'm so happy to have my dad close by. It's been so nice.

 With 1/3 of the grands.

 He was almost ok while Mimi held him. 

 But then not again.

They are not my favorite family pictures which is probably why it's taken me 5 months to really share or order them. Family pictures are important to me, even the years they aren't the best.

Day #67 and #68

Readers Digest day is always a happy one. Earlier in the week Addie had plotted out her days. There was RD day, and then the day the new Hunger Games book came out. We ordered it from our small local bookstore and it’s still not here and it’s very distressing to Addie, who has checked the mail twice a day all week. 

Christian was home one morning and knocked two things off his to do list. One was putting up Delaney’s reading nook canopy. I swear she’s a cute girl, just going through an awkward picture making face phase. 

See? Frankie had a socially distant blading session with Morgan, so these 2 camo girls at their school nachos together.

Christian got my Mother’s Day gift mostly all set up for me. I haven’t used it to run yet because my running apps were purchased with Matt’s iTunes and like I know how to sync those 2 on an iwatch. Or whatever this is called. It was a very sweet gift and the little girls are #sojelly. 

Yesterday was National Strawberries and Cream day, and everyone, especially Delaney complemented me on my amazing homemade whipped cream making. 

Addies art project for the week - a color wheel. She made it a food color wheel because obviously. 

Today we did all the things. I made homemade ramen bowls that were pretty good, but no ones fav. About halfway through I got real done with washing, chopping, stirring, cooking; washing, cleaning, sweeping, and wiping. It’s never ending and I’m over it right about now. I’ll get over being over it, it just feels good to vent. 

Frankie took about 6 pictures of the ramen because she liked the way it looked. 

We skipped our family movie night to hang out at the stream, and even though I received 3 paper airplane messages begging to start Harry Potter tonight, I stuck to my guns. 

The to do lists are slowly being crossed off. But even as items are being crossed off, more is being added, soooo what’s a girl to do. It’s Memorial Day weekend, and will quite possibly be the lamest one ever. The RS was going to be in charge of the Memorial Day picnic this year and it was going to be epic. Add that to the corona casualties. 

Day #66

This cutie is 10 months old today! He’s got the mobile baby bruised head. He took his first steps a few days ago and takes the cutest baby steps in the world. 

The iPad and my phone share pictures, and so this came to me. I don’t even know. 

It was a dreary and windy day and I’m over it. Addie drew a cute mermaid in a pool. 

It’s Brother Wiest’s birthday today, and Bishop and Lily danced to a jazzy birthday song for him. We logged on late and I could only catch Lily, but it was cute and fun. 

And scripture power hour. Bubba helping Frankie read. 

We also made apple juice with our new to us $5 juicer. That was our excitement for the day. 

Day #64 and #65

The days are going by so quickly. Seems like we wake up and then before we know it, it’s bedtime. I’m having trouble getting things done and those are the lamest of days. Everything else was good, I just wish I could check some things off my list. Although, to be fair, we got family things done, and really those are the most important. I guess I really just wish there weren’t always so many other things not getting done. 

For science yesterday we made bath bombs. 

Each girl got to make 3 and they can’t wait to use them. 

We used essential oils to make them smell good and they were so creative and careful. 

I got home from my run and delaney was outside in her jams, coloring rainbows. This chic is the very best. 

Today we finished our doodle art. Coloring it together was fun and I loved all their ideas and meticulousness. 

Matt and I went for a bike ride today and the wind was coming out of the nne at like 80 mph, it was so ridiculous. 

Tonight we “met” with the missionaries, and they shared with us John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We can always choose happiness even when times are hard. We know the battle has already been won, the price has already been paid. Just have to remember. 

Sarah shared this picture from 2 years ago today. That was such a fun and special trip, from the surprises to the shopping to the food and games to playing in the rain. It was amazing. Wish we could do it again. 

Aaaand I must have been channeling the past because when I saw the pictures today, I was wearing my 39 & 4 quarters shirt. 

How perfect. 

Day #63

I had the girls take the Love Language test today. It’s all about the Quality Time for these girlsies. 

After our Zoom church meetings Matt took the girls for a bike ride and to drop off some groceries I had picked up for my dad last night. The Aina girls were outside, so the bike ride got sidetracked for some play time. 

And social distance visiting. 

I had some lunchables saved for end of year field trips, so I sent them with the girls because they were going to do a picnic. I guess they still did picnic, it was just different than planned. 



So much energy. 

And so much hair! Cutting it this week!

D assured me they were socially distancing. The photo shows that was false. We laughed and laughed. 

After my afternoon meetings Frankie and I made some jugglers and the girls promptly ate them up. 

Delaney loves to pick grass and spread it all over the deck and porch. Daddy is done with that, so little miss got to use the leaf blower to clean up her messes. 

We also worked a lot on our doodle art today. The three of us were working so dutifully that we decided to take a working pic. Except for the creepy creep there. She’s such a cut up. 

It was a decent Sunday. Not great, not terrible. Kinda meh.