Escaping Isolation Day 6

It was harder than ever to say goodbye to my hometown.   We all needed some freedom and space to do things like lay in the middle of the road so your sister can take some "pinterest idea" pictures. 

Escaping Isolation: Day 5

Hiking with the cousins down to Single tree waterfall and miraculously getting everyone on the rock and looking for the cutest picture ever!!

Escaping Isolation: Day 4

Spencer had the best day celebrating turning the big number 4 with cousins!!

Escaping Isolation: Day 3

The joys of holding hands strolling down to take another sneak peak at the bottle house!

Fun with Chalk art on the old church basketball court.    Spencer and Clara were the best of friends all week.  Clara even asked me if she could come home to my house and see her imaginary friend who lives next to me. 

Escaping Isolation: Day 2

Freedom to drive the motorcycle, can-am and 4 wheeler all over town!

Escaping Isolation: Day 1

The decision to move our quarantine in place with my sisters family for a few days in her airbnb in Teasdale was the best decision I've made in a long time.   Finding this dead tree for the kids to climb all over was just pure luck today!

Two boys, a big rock, sticks, bones and a pocket knife.    Life is good.

Bart's baby

Bart came home from his good friends Ryan's memorial dinner with an Orchid.  He said Ryan's mother told everyone to take the orchid home to keep her favorite plant alive in Ryan's memory.   I had little hope that we would do it knowing my track record with plants.   Bart faithfully watered it but after about a year one of the shoots was for sure dead and the other two had lost it's flowers and I was sure it was dead.  I went to throw it away and Bart said no give it some time and see if I can bring it back to life.  Well by golly Bart babied that flower back to life and it started to thrive.    

This winter I worked with a lady who also worked at this lovely flower shop called 'Orchid Dynasty" so we started chatting about Bart's orchid.   She recommended that because the roots were overgrowing the little tin pot come spring I bring it into the shop and have the owner rewrap the roots and repot it into a larger pot.    I had so much fun shopping for a new pot.  Here's the finish product.   Bart's baby seems to be saying thank you I'm happy here in this pot and Bart said wow it looks like a real houseplant now.   

Isolation Gratification: Day 42

Emily's friend group arranged a birthday car parade for her friend Preslee.   Oh how these girls were so excited to see each other, even if they respectively stayed away 6 feet from each other.   Emily said how happy she was to see her friends again but it felt really weird not to hug any of them. 

Isolation Gratification: Day 41

A little neglect can go a long with with kids.   I often have early morning virtual staff meetings which means I'm on the computer and cannot be disturbed as my kids are waking up.   This leads to fend for yourself breakfast i.e. cold cereal.  Yesterday I walked in the kitchen after the meeting and found Aaron had made him and Spencer some scrambled eggs all by himself.  Today I heard the shuffle of them rising and heard Aaron say "Want me to make you some more eggs Spencer?"  Aaron often helps me make eggs in the morning but this was his first solo run and he did a great job.  Even cleaned up the kitchen after he was done today.    Social Isolation with a working mom just checked off his church goal to learn to cook!!!

Isolation Gratification: Day 40

I had a couple of things that needed to be mailed.  I could have walked out to the mailbox on the road but my mood told me to go all alone and drive it to the nearby post office.   My mood then said to take the really long way back home.    It was good to be alone back with my old friend the Pilot. 

An empty quiet car= a few happy moments of solitude

Isolation Gratification: Day 39

I'm thankful the D.I. is closed .  It forced a couple of good neighbors to send out an "anybody want these things group text."  Around Christmas time Spencer saw an American Girl bowling alley for a mere $400 in a magazine and has been asking for one for his doll Mencie since.  I jumped at the chance for this monster bowling alley and after I showed him how to play with it he said "my dolly always wanted a monster bowling alley."  🙌

He's also been reassembling these fun toys all afternoon and would come up to me to introduce me to his newest friend such as Mr. Mustee. 

I've been passively searching for an Easter wreath for a couple of years.   Removed the ugly bow and my search is over!!

Isolation Gratification: Day 38

I'm thankful I'm learning that even when I'm in a grumpy and in a I just want to be left alone mood if I just go along with bossy Spencer's request to play a game he made up, he is much happier kid and his delight when he won that game warmed my heart with his laughter and excitement.

Isolation Gratification: Day 37

At 3:30 AM this morning I was startling awoken by a blaring alert on Bart's phone that sat me straight up in bed.  Now what Utah?  Are we like the Egyptians.   Is the Lord is just going to send us more plagues?  My heart was thumping so hard and I grabbed his phone and saw an amber alert.  Poor kid who may have been kidnapped but Whew!!!     Mary if you read this and have any power with the National Broadcasting alert people you should inform them that during Pandemics and Earthquakes our hearts can't take amber alerts in the middle of the night.    My adrenaline was pumping so hard I couldn't go back to sleep. 

A couple of days ago Jane was looking over my blog and told me that this years book is going to be so long and boring because we aren't doing anything.    Well I'm thankful to have long and boring right now because I don't want to be handling any more  turbulent events right now. 

Isolation Gratification: Day 36

Mary shared with me a hilarious video tweet from Jim Gaffigan all about the joys of distant learning.  In it he said "Taking away screens from kids is like trying to convince an addict that it's a good idea to go to rehab."

I hate how screens turn my kids into half zombies.     It's a necessary evil right now because everything is screens, screens, screens, screens.  I'm so sick of it and Zoom!

Well today I announced it is Saturday and we are having a screen free day today!    Oh how they have all roared louder than ever they've all become major addicts.    But finally it's late afternoon and I am grateful their  brains have calmed down, their personalities are back and they are outside enjoying some time together. 

Isolation Gratification: Day 35

I was surprised at how emotional I got when the Sprucewood Elementary parade of teachers came through the neighborhood.      How grateful I am to have a community of people who love and support my kids.   Teachers are amazing!!    If anything good comes from this I think we will all feel so much more appreciation for the gift our country gives our kids of a free education for all. 

Jane's teacher Mrs.  Allan is the best anyone could ask for.  She even put a chicken on top of her car 😂

Isolation Gratification: Day 34

I've been sleeping so great lately.  I'm so grateful I haven't had a lot of insomnia through this time.   I usually sleep in until around 8 and especially enjoy it when Spencer, the sole early riser comes in my room and jumps in bed with me and gives me morning cuddles. 

It feels like a vague dream that I use to be up, dressed, lunch packed, have gotten Spencer ready for Cindy's and out the door at 7am.    I also wonder how I will ever do that again. 

Isolation Gratification: Day 33

Our house has always been divided.   The quarantine has only exemplified this.    Three of us have always liked to get up and get dressed and stay that way until we are ready to go to bed.   Three of us prefer 'comfy' clothes and always arrive  home, no matter what time,  goes directly to our drawers and change into our comfy clothes.   Can you guess which ones are grateful they are living their dream life right now and seldom get dressed?    Here's a hint.....

I had to put my foot down and force 2 of these 3 (the other one sleeps in his g's and changes into new P.J's in the mornings) to strip down, shower and put on new P.J.'s after not changing for 3-5 days. 

Isolation Gratification: Day 32

I don't think anyone could love this quarantined life more than Spencer.      He's got most everyone in his world at his beckon  call every day all day long.    Heaven help me when we return to normal and the kings people go away. 

These frienemies are either fighting or being "bestest brothers"  There really isn't an inbetween.  I can't tell you how many time a day I hear "AARON" or "SPENCER" at the top of their lungs at each other.    

All day long he says  "Anyone want to come jump with me?"  He hardly ever gets a no.   

When he feels like being a cowboy.  He makes it happen

He's always up to anything Jane does with him.  Here he is sporting a boy bun.  

"Jane calls him her buchie buchie boo and will do anything for him"

One day Spencer enjoyed running through the sprinklers when Bart was turning them on for the year.  Since then about every day he gets in his swimming suit just hoping his dad goes out and plays around with them again.  

For work I've been sending videos home to my students parents giving them tips for talking to their children.   Spencer loves being the example child  

I also send home a weekly "language group"  videos of story kits I've put together for circle time at school.  Spencer loves these kits and asks me all the time to go do another movie from the toys in the back of my car.  

Occasionally he'll ask about when he gets to go to Cindy's and talks about his friends there and how he's going to show them this toy or that toy when Corona is gone.  It breaks my heart to think of him missing his friends but I am so grateful for all the entertainment his big spirit in his little body brings into our isolated life!   When I start to feel any despair about all the effects this virus is wreaking on the world, Spencer's smiles, giggles, love, energy and enthusiasm lifts my spirits and reminds me that come what may the most important thing in life is the love we have as a family!   

Isolation Gratification: Day 31

Evenings use to be busy.  Always running our kids here and there with music, sports and church activities.  Now our nights often turn into family outside play time.  We especially love to play the basketball game "speed." Jane and Spencer love it when we agree to a family soccer game in the backyard.    I think my kids will always treasure these not so busy all together evenings.

Isolation Gratification: Day 30

Somebody in conference referenced President Nelson saying something along the lines of the youth being the best that's yet to come to this Earth.      My kids often remind me the church is in good hands with them.  Jane cleaned her room out a couple of weeks ago and found a carton of Easter Advent Eggs that she did in Activity Days a few years back.  She wanted to share these eggs that each contained a scripture and token about the days leading up to the resurrection.  

She also asked me to buy marshmallows so she could make resurrection rolls with the boys.   I'm thankful it's not soley on my shoulders to invite Christ into our house!

I also can't skip over Easter Sunday without the greatest admiration and thankfulness for the knowledge that I know My Redeemer lives!!!

Isolation Gratification: Day 29

Not going to lie.  I would much rather be spending our weekend with extended family.  We were suppose to be in California ending our spring break there with Williams baptism.  Or we would have  either been going down to Teasdale rolling our eggs and having a family picnic in Capitol Reef or going to Bart's parents for a yummy Easter dinner and an egg hunt with the cousins.     But we still had an enjoyable Easter together as a family.


My girls helped me put together these baskets for the young women in my ward.   I had each of the yw leaders fill an easter egg with a treat and their favorite scripture and delivered them to their porch. 

My kids woke up early and were surprised that their Easter baskets were gone from the mantel where they left them the night before.  Here's the conversation I heard from my bed.

S:  Aaron the Easter Bunny took our Easter baskets.  How rude
A:  Oh well lets just watch a show
S:  (I imagine he glanced over under the table and saw Emily's)  Aaron! Emily's is right here.  Wow but ours are still gone.   The Easter Bunny is so rude.
A:  (went into the bathroom to use it)   Hey Spencer you might want to come see what's in the bathroom
S:  (ran into the bathroom and did he loud intake of breath whenever he gets excited)  What!!!!  The Easter Bunny gave me a little soccer lego set!! (its really a play mobil picnic set with a little soccer ball but he calls playmobil his little lego sets)


My kids led by Jane really wanted me to do an Easter egg hunt for them in my backyard.  It was too late to for the Easter Bunny to go tromping around the backyard when he arrived in the middle of the night so the Easter Bunny instead of putting candy in their baskets only put a game for the girls and a lego set for the boys and gave me instructions to fill the eggs and hide them once the kids had helped their dad in the yard.    I'm so glad the Easter bunny understands how to motivate my kids.


In their downtime the girls enjoyed playing Uno and speed on Emily's new mini deck of cards and the boys busied themselves putting together and playing with their sets.

I'm surprised at how fun it was to do our own little Easter egg hunt in our backyard.   I mean where else will you find a boy in his Santa PJ's gathering eggs.  The cutest moment was when Spencer darted off to grab another egg lost a few from his bucket.  He turned around and saw the scattered eggs and as he gathered them up like he just found them for the first time said  "Wow look at all of these eggs mom.  I'm a good finder."   Bart also hid one way up high on our deck and it took the kids multiple attempts swinging sticks to get it down.  When it finally fell into Emily's hands she opened it up and saw it was full of jelly beans she said "All that work for some nasty jelly beans geez mom why can't you be like Grandma Becky and hide some money in a few?"

Bart showing a little favoritism giving some hints to Spencer about where to find a missed egg

We had our favorite Papa John's pizza for dinner and then played some more Uno.

What I've learned and am grateful for.......  Is that it's possible to enjoy Easter with just my little family.