Still Here

Well, we're still here.  Social distancing.  No where else to go.  Trying to not lose our minds.  Trying to figure out if this is really even happening for any good reason.  Probably we'll never know the answer to that.  We definitely have a routine going on, which is good as I can't survive without routine.  Breakfast at 8, then the kids get going on school work.  Kate and Sage are usually done around lunch time.  Zack finishes at some point in the afternoon.  He's much happier when he's busy, so I'm not complaining that he spends so much time doing school.  Sometimes the afternoons get a little long, I'm not going to lie.  We've been doing this long enough that any newness has worn off and we're maybe starting to get on each other's nerves a bit. 

We continue to do puzzles.  The Johnson's gave us a puzzle that was almost harder than I could do.  I say I , because I've realized when the puzzles are hard the kids don't help much.  We've been working on the pond area getting that finished.  Finally.  We've got lights installed, pumps installed.  Almost done!  We're all trying to grit our teeth and just push through and finish so that when this is all over we can go play instead of working.  Fingers crossed.  We went to the salt flats for the first time last week.  Definitely a been there, done that, kind of thing.  But still cool and we had fun playing.  Until we all got we too hot and thirsty.  It was a good field trip.

Sage has probably been struggling more than any of us.  Extroverts definitely have more of a struggle with all of this.  Who knew it would some day pay to be an introvert.  Anyway, she tends to break down in tears at some point every day.  One week she was really struggling and told me she had lost her smile.  She decided she wanted to plan a family party.  She figured out what she wanted to do and then we ordered supplies on Amazon.  Unfortunately, they weren't going to get here until May sometime.  Two days later she came into my room so excited that her party supplies had already come!  It was a miracle!  I truly think God knew she needed a boost and got those supplies to us quick.  She told me she found her smile and put on a great party.  We had pizza, played games, danced, and watched a movie.  It was just what we all needed!

Jake continues to work, mostly business as usual.  Definitely grateful for that.  He feels like it's a little slower and customers are a little more patient, so that's a good thing.  I am enjoying the extra family time.  I feel like we're all getting to be better friends, which is awesome.  And I'm getting used to having nothing on the calendar.  So much so, that the rare moments I have something I almost forget and can barely get myself there.  Grateful for the chance to decide what we want to keep doing, and what we want to stop when this is all over.  I think everyone's hoping that as we enter May things will slowly start opening.  I hope that's the case.  Anyway, here are some pics of what we've been up to.

What I look like at work right now

Sage made delicious muffins

Lots of mountain biking happening.  Thank heavens for good weather and not a lot of snow this year!

Doing Grandpa's challenge

Sage got a new bike

Pump track fun

Sage painted this shirt

Our kids wrote down all funny covid jokes they could think of

We got chickens.  We'll see how long it takes Chester to eat them.

Party time!

Another Grandpa challenge

Jake and Kate are growing all kinds of seeds to eventually go in our garden.  

Salt Flats

Our family's efforts at jumping in a picture.  Hilarious

Kate and Sage keep experimenting with cute hair dos

The puzzle that almost won

COVID-19

Life has changed a lot in the last couple of weeks.  A lot.  It's hard to believe this has all happened in such a short time.  We're all experiencing our first pandemic.  Something that will impact us forever I think.  COVID-19 - started in China and has quickly moved across the world.  Most people don't get very sick from it.  But elderly, or people with pre-existing conditions can end up in the ICU, or even die.  And it's very contagious.  Very.  Italy is a mess and their hospitals have more patients than they can handle.  When the world saw what was happening in Italy they freaked out and decided we need to take steps to make sure that doesn't happen here.  So there are now two new terms that never existed before: flatten the curve and social distancing.  Flatten the curve means try to slow the spread of the virus so instead of a huge influx of patients you have a more manageable spread, which means the hospitals don't get overwhelmed.  This is done by social distancing, among other things.  So two weeks ago school was cancelled.  As of right now it's cancelled until May 1, but there's a very good chance that we won't be going back this year.  Church is cancelled and temples are closed.  All large gatherings are cancelled.  In fact, they recommend you don't get together with more than 10 people.  Social distancing is staying home unless necessary.  No play dates inside.  Stay 6 feet away from other people at all times.  Limit any outings.  State parks are closed to tourists.  Only residents of the county they're in can go.  Most national parks are closed.  Restaurants are closed to dining in, only takeout and curbside pickup are available.  So life has changed.  A lot.  And there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.

We've been very blessed that Jake is still working and busy as usual.  A lot of states have shut down and only allow essential businesses to keep operating.  We're hoping that Utah somehow manages to not have to do this.  We have enough money to be fine if Jake can't work, but going to work every day helps keep Jake happy and less stressed.  I've definitely seen God's hand in our lives.  Little things that have happened with the company that at the time seemed hard, now we realize were blessings.  President Nelson invited members and non-members alike to participate in a fast today.  It's been good to see people turning more to God.  Never a bad thing. 

We're trying to make the best of all of these changes.  I'm trying every day to notice the little moments we get to have together and appreciate how much life has slowed down.  These aren't bad things.  Being together a lot more as a family is not a bad thing.  But sometimes it is hard.  These are times I'm grateful for my introvert nature.  I don't need to be around people, although I do miss it.  Sage is probably struggling the most.  She misses her friends and has a hard time understanding everything.  But she's good at using her imagination to stay busy.  We've already participated in two scavenger hunts, brought to us by Sage.  School has moved online.  Luckily our district was already digital, so this hasn't been a big deal.  The kids having school work to do every day has really helped keep everyone sane.  Or should I say keep me sane.  We do breakfast at 8 and then the kids work on school and chores until 12.  They've all been doing great at managing their own classes, so this is when I get to get my things done and take a deep breath.  We get creative in the afternoon.  We've been doing puzzles, playing outside when it's not too cold, and working on lots of projects around the house that have been on my list for a long time.  All in all I think we're doing pretty well.  I hope I can say the same thing a month from now...

The first of many pandemic walks.  This one in Red Ledges for a change of scenery 

First project: paint Jake's old desk

No school last Friday for the end of term.  I let the kids sit around and watch movies all day.  They're not even fighting!

We went for a Jeep drive to get out of the house

Cool railroad tunnel

Puzzles!  We've never done many puzzles as a family, but they're a hit now!

Kate's room before paint

Crown Burger date.  This is how we do dates now.  Or last week we got takeout and took it to the office.  Getting creative.

This is how Zack does school.  I think he's in no hurry to go back.

No more pink room!  So much better.  But this project about killed me.  Her ceilings are high!  So glad it's done though

Pre-Pandemic March

It seems like social distancing has been a part of our lives for an eternity.  Turns out though, it's only been a couple of weeks.  Heaven help us all.  So here's a little of what we did before the world turned upside down.

Jake, Zack, and I went to the Off-Road Expo in Salt Lake.  We saw some pretty cool vehicles and trailers.  If we'd known it was one of our last weekends to be out and about I'm sure we would have found something more exciting.  Kate had her piano festival and did a great job.  She and Zack introduced the festival to the electric guitar when they played their Christmas piece.  The festival will never be the same.  Sage's school had a reading carnival that's pretty amazing.  They work hard all of February to earn tickets by reading.  At the end of the month they get to spend them at the carnival.  The kids love it.  And Kate finally brought home some of her pottery projects.  They make me smile.  The Saturday before everything locked down we went skiing.  We had no idea that the next day they would lock everything down.  Nor did we realize that we were venturing in to Summit County, hot spot for COVID-19.  It appears we survived, but we were apparently taking a big risk.  Who knew?

Jake and Zack in deep discussion of the cool jeep

Sage with her cute friends Zadie and Alba at the reading carnival

The first playing of an electric guitar at the piano festival

Kate's awesome pottery projects.  Sage turned the green chicken into a butter dish.

Jackson Skiing

Another ski vacation.  Gotta do something to make it through winter.  This time the winter was totally different.  Nice and sunny.  My kind of skiing.  They had some inversion happening though, so when we left our hotel in town it was 18 below!!  Not to worry, at the top of the mountain it was 30 degrees, so we stayed up high all day.  It was crazy though.  When you would ski to the bottom you would suddenly cross a line and all of the sudden it was freezing.  Due to sun and no recent snow, the snow conditions weren't super awesome.  But it was still pretty good.  I can't decide:  Better to have crappy weather but great snow or sunshine and crappy snow.  Pretty sure I lean towards the sun side of that question, which makes serious skiers crazy.  Which is why I'll never be a serious skier.

This was my first time skiing Jackson.  I really liked it, but it sure is steep!  Like really steep!  There's no messing around.  There are hardly any green runs on the whole mountain, so because of that everyone who skis there actually knows what they're doing.  It was really nice to not have to try to get around the skiers who don't know what they're doing.  They have a tram that takes you to the top of the mountain.  Jake and Zack would be quick to tell you that when you ski from the very top to the bottom you ski 4000 vertical feet.  This is an amazing number apparently.  Sage and I only went up the tram once.  Sage was really scared, even though we knew she could do it.  When you get to the top they explain that the runs off the top are experts only, so if you're not an expert ride the tram down.  Sage thought she was going to die.  But then she did a great job going down.  Even handed a guy the ski he lost when he fell.  I'm sure it feels good having a 10 year old hand you your ski.  She was so proud of herself for making it down.  Now she'll tell you she's an expert skier.  Not a professional, but an expert.

Anyway, we had good times in town.  We went to yummy places to eat, enjoyed the pool and hot tub, and did some shopping.  Jake made everyone's night when he let all of the kids spend $30 on some type of souvenir.  We usually make them buy their own souvenirs, so this was pretty exciting.  We skied more than 25,000 feet every day, which is pretty awesome I think.  Sage skied every one of those feet with us, which is pretty amazing since I was so tired by the end of the day I could barely make it down the last run.  Kate was quick to point out that her legs are the same length as Sage's "little legs," so it's pretty amazing she skied that much as well.  And it is.  Jake, Zack, and Kate would take off on really crazy steep stuff while Sage and I stuck to the groomers.  Which I was fine with.  It will be a sad day when Sage ditches me to go on the crazy steep stuff as well.

Waiting in line for the tram

At the very top!

Jake and Kate's glasses after being outside

Taking a break in the lodge

I'm sitting in the back because....

Zack drove!

This burger place was yummy

They're waiting for me to make it down

Too bad she wouldn't let us buy this shirt for her!