Pause

Sometimes I wish I could pause time. This month is one of those times. I've been worried about what life will be like after this month ends. We have made so many memories. James and Isabelle's ages are prime for this season. Here are some of our favorite traditions:

Christmas Cards

The first Monday of December, we try to address our cards and get them ready to send out. Getting the mail in the month of December is less of a chore and more of a treat. Our wall is filled with friendly, smiling faces.

Neighbor Gifts

We try to get neighbor Christmas gifts delivered early on. My sister-in-law, Sara, suggested giving neighbors a "Don't Eat Pete" gameboard. I paid for a board on Etsy. I got the gameboards printed and laminated. We delivered those along with a Christmas Card and M&M's and Swedish Fish. The one downside of this gift is that not everyone can use it. Yes, I gave it to a grandparent in the ward and I even gave it to my single friend who sees her nieces weekly. We didn't feel like we could give the bishop a "Don't Eat Pete" board along with some others who don't have kids, so we used Bath and Body Works Soap for them. We typically gift soap or wrapping paper. I got lots of compliments about the game!

Santa 

Yes, things looked a bit different this year. Santa Claus was behind a fence to ensure families kept their distance, but that didn't stop our kids from the magic of the moment. It was chilly outside, and our masks kept us extra warm. To finish the night off strong, we grabbed Suss Cookies. I'd say the night was truly a success based on how upset the kids (especially Isabelle) were when we got back in the car.

Lights

Several friends have mentioned cheap, drive-by lights. We decided to join the bandwagon and trekked out to Spanish Fork. We made it extra special by allowing the kids to get out of their car-seats and sit in our laps for the short duration of the lights. Best day ever! The caramel chocolate popcorn was a must for the drive home to keep the exhausted children from dumping it. (Keeping James awake on the way there was quite the challenge-- when 5:30pm rolls around, it's pretty difficult to keep those heavy eyes open.) We also drove by some local lights in Pleasant Grove and saw the infamous "Ditto" sign. My OBGYN said that he always thinks of this house when he sees my name.

Stories and Movies

Christmas stories are a must and we read our fair share. We've exchanged many Christmas books at the library this season. My kids love to listen to books, so I know I've done something right. Nana also let us borrow a big box of her Christmas stories. Nana made a special debut and read Christmas books to my kids. Singing Christmas carols has also become a new favorite. Our kids know lots of the words now and sing/scream along. Singing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" makes James happy. James has been listening to the story "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" almost every day during quiet time. "Deck The Halls" is also a crowd pleaser, especially on the "Fa-la-la" parts. "Angels We Have Heard On High" was also requested numerous times, with a plea to repeat the chorus.

We've upted our movie viewing game. During "A Christmas Carol," we ate pizza and breadsticks. "Elf" was accompanied with more pizza and Root Beer. (Root beer was a first for James.) During, "The Santa Clause" we ate homemade caramel corn pops. James was fascinated by "The Polar Express." 

Dollar Store Gifts

We decided to start a new tradition this year. We took the kids to the dollar store and let them pick things out for each other. James was so hyper and couldn't keep what he bought Isabelle or Andrew a secret. We opened our gifts to each other on Christmas Adam. James picked out a Spiderman Santa Hat for Andrew and ducks for Isabelle for bath-time. Isabelle got James lollipops and me purple nail polish. We will definitely be doing this again next year. It was hilarious and took James no time at all to pick things out. He did not want any help or ideas from me.

Gingerbread Houses

The kids lucked out this year. They got to decorate gingerbread houses twice! The first time was just with our little fam, but the second time was with Nana, Papa, Jessica, and Chris. They were big fans of eating as much candy as possible and making big messes.

Jammies

Christmas jammies have always been a must. We usually get them on Christmas Eve and take a group picture with my family, but this year, things were a bit different since not all of us were able to be together. (Covid) My parent's Christmas Card featured each family wearing their pajamas and turned out pretty cute.

Light the World

We enjoyed doing the "Light the World" challenge from the church this year and had many cool experiences. I'll share one. One of the suggestions one day was to send a book you enjoy to a faraway friend. I was trying to decide who to send it to and felt strongly that I should send the book to my friend in New York. After sending it, I didn't think much of it. I later heard from my friend. Through tears, she told me that she had been feeling down and lonely. That same day, she got my book and it helped her feel loved. I'm so glad I listened to that prompting! (I'm working on being better at following promptings.)

Christmas Sunday

Puzzle

My parent's also started a new tradition this year. They got each family the same puzzle and we had a competition to see who could complete the puzzle first. We were all given the same starting time with a promise that the winner would get a gift-card to their favorite restaurant. Andrew and I did not win, but we did finish the puzzle which was an accomplishment for us. We aren't good at puzzles and it took us a long time to complete. 1000 pieces is no joke! My mom had this tradition with her family growing up and I think it's neat she wants to keep it going. We are definitely leaving our finished masterpiece out for awhile to admire all of our hard work!

Nativity

This year, the Nativity looked different. I'm glad we were able to still see all of my family over zoom, but it wasn't quite the same. Daisy got to be baby Jesus all the way in Massachusetts and Simon and Esther were Mary and Joseph virtually from Provo. James was a Donkey, Isabelle a Wiseman, me an Angel, and Andrew a Shepherd. (Although some say he looked more like Obi-Wan Kenobi.) Jess and Chris as well as Joel were with us at my parent's house. Christmas Eve was special with many thoughtful gifts exchanged and of course, PIZZA!

Pandemic Update

I got tested for the coronavirus about a week after we returned from Boise. I wanted to be extra careful and was sick. My test was negative which was a relief! In other news, vaccines have now started to come out. What a blessing! Andrew and I are anxious for the day when we are able to get the vaccine. I recently had a dream I got the vaccine which excited me. We should be able to return to more normalcy in the coming months.

Unfortunately, December is nearly over no matter how much I want to pause time. I'm open to all suggestions for how to make January exhilarating. 

So Long, Farewell!

The Sound of Music soundtrack has been on repeat over here. My kids love it, so apparently I've taught them well. After over a year of employment at the Piano Place, I decided to say, "So Long, Farewell." Employment is kind of a loose term in my case. I only taught at The Piano Place once a week-- on Wednesday afternoons.

Initially, I started teaching at The Piano Place to have a built in break from my kids. I thought it would be a good outlet for me. I enjoyed interacting with coworkers and students and not only being described as a mom or known only for my adorable children. The money was an added perk too! Oh, and I almost forgot to mention one of the best parts-- Jessica. She teaches at The Piano Place too, and a scheduled excuse to see her each week was something I looked forward to.

Lots has changed since I started working at The Piano Place in October of 2019. In March of this year, I got to tackle teaching zoom lessons. I applaud teachers who are still doing this. I have been back teaching at the studio for the last several months (masks included). My feelings about motherhood have changed this year too. I'm no longer dying to have something else to fill my time. And just to clarify... I definitely still want, need, and plan on having breaks from my kids. I'll just do something more relaxing. 

Teaching at The Piano Place has become exhausting and that needed break and rejuvenation that I was seeking, was instead replaced by a feeling of dread. This is partially my own fault. My schedule used to have some breaks and I complained, so my breaks disappeared. Teaching from 3:00-6:30 strait takes its toll! Even when I taught as a full time teacher, I would get breaks throughout the day for recess, lunch, when the kids had specialties, etc. Having 7 students back-to-back tested my patience, hunger, and bladder for that matter. Each week, I'd come home grumpy, starving, and ready to collapse. I discovered I would rather have my patience tested by my own children than by a random 10-year-old boy with an attitude. This experience gave me a whole new appreciation for working moms. Hats off to you!

I said my final goodbyes to my students at the Winterfest Recitals this weekend. I even performed a duet with a student. (She happens to be my favorite, but don't tell the others.) Jessica started the recital off strong with her beautiful rendition of Away in a Manger. She set the bar high and I was glad to be there to watch her. 

Jess and I

Leaving makes me sad in some ways. I'll miss my most advanced student. He's getting so good and it's exciting to hear him play challenging pieces. I'll miss my student Annie who cried when I told her I was leaving. She was my friend. I'll miss Motivosity (earning points to buy giftcards) more than I should admit. I'll miss my built in Jess time. I'll miss seeing how excited my kids are when I get home after being away from them for a few hours. I'll miss working in my grandma's neighborhood, so I'll have to be sure to take the time to drive to see her.

I said, "So Long, Farewell" to The Piano Place for now, but my music career isn't over. I still teach a couple of students in my house and will continue doing that. I don't find it coincidental that right after I quit at The Piano Place, someone reached out to me about lessons for their 2 kids and I'll start teaching them in January. I'm happy to have my Wednesdays back!

Risks Worth Taking (Knock on Wood)

Navigating life in the midst of a pandemic has been challenging. We take things a day at a time and don't plan much. After many discussions, prayers, and headaches, we recently decided to take 2 risks. These decisions weren't easy. 

Risk #1: James started preschool this month. 

James was signed up for preschool initially. We pulled him out before he ever went due to Covid-19. Since Andrew works from home, we don't go many places and decided to add preschool to our list. Twice a week for 2 hours each day isn't long either (and masks + daily temperature checks are reassuring). So far, we haven't regretted our decision. In fact, a little break has done wonders for my relationship with James. 

After picking him up one day, I asked:  "James, do you miss me while you're at preschool?" He replied: "No, but I miss my teacher when I'm at home." Clearly, he loves Miss Ruth. It must be mutual. The other day, Miss Ruth told me how glad she is that James is in preschool and that he is thriving! 

James got to bring the snack and report about the weather earlier this month which was a highlight. His friend, Maeve, is in his class which is an added bonus. James has homework that we work on together. He is smart. Yes, I'm his mother, but I'm also a teacher, so does that give me more credibility? One morning, he cried because he didn't want to go to preschool. I was surprised. I later learned that James was working on writing instead of scribbling. He missed the first couple months of preschool when they talked about tracing and how to hold a pencil. James is a quick learner though and figured it out. He proudly reported, "I no longer scribble! No, not at all!" Isabelle gets so upset when we drop James off at preschool. She misses her best friend tremendously. 

First day: Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Risk #2: We spent Thanksgiving in Caldwell, ID with Andrew's sister, Tavia and her family. 

Deciding whether or not to go to Caldwell caused me an immense amount of stress. Since returning, we are being even more cautious to ensure we stay healthy and don't spread Covid-19.

We left Pleasant Grove on Wednesday, November 25 and returned home on Saturday, November 28. It's a 5.5 hour drive. Our kids are trained travelers. I can't complain about the journey. Both kids slept for 2 hours each way. A forced 1+ mile walk, pre-drive, definitely did us favors. James kept us entertained with his random quotes throughout the drive.

"We might see some fireworks on our way!"

"There are big sprinklers everywhere, but not in the desert."

"Let's try something new... I want to make a shark in the snow."

"My blankets are smelling different." 

"My blankies make it funner. Without them, it's boring."

James and Isabelle were in heaven surrounded by their cousins. They ate up all of the attention and played hard. We barely saw them during our stay. I was able to finish my book. James bawled when we left. He later said, "It's okay. We'll see Eliza again someday in heaven, after we're resurrected." 

Eliza

Isabelle was OBSESSED with the chickens 

The Thanksgiving meal was incredible. I wish my stomach had room for more. I made 4 pies-- 2 oreo cream pies and 2 peanut butter cream pies. Tavia went all out. Even the brussel sprouts--a Ditto tradition-- tasted better than expected.

Andrew spent the majority of his time playing board games with Vaughn and Calvin and reading Brandon Sanderon's newest book. He was definitely in his happy place. One round of Risk apparently didn't cut it because another round commenced. Both lasted over 3 hours a piece. I joined in to play "The Farming Game." After several long hours, I demanded that we stop. Olivia happily agreed. One evening after pizza, we saw Christmas lights in Caldwell. It was freezing and crowded. Luckily it was outside and we didn't stay long. We finally watched the new "Mulan" now that it's in Redbox. I was a fan, although I didn't see the second half. Many of us dozed off. I plan on watching "Mulan" again before 11PM next time. I'm old.

The never-ending farming game.

Tavia became Isabelle's favorite person. I was impressed by Tavia's multi-tasking skills. She cooked much of Thanksgiving dinner while holding her sidekick. Izzy constantly walked up to Tavia saying, "Hold you!" The way Isabelle says Tavia is adorable. Isabelle had many fans, but what can I say, she's pretty adorable. Seeing Tavia and everyone else love and dote on my kids meant a lot to me.

This Thanksgiving was memorable. We're grateful the Kimball's invited us to join them. We finally got to see their "new" house. It's been 5+ years since we've made a trip to see them. Here's to hoping we all stay safe and healthy.

Thank You Covid

Covid-19 has brought about some positive things, yet it's easy to focus on the negative ones. As I've looked for the happy things that have resulted because of Covid-19, I'm amazed!

Who knew staying in your car during an oil change was even a possibility? Not me! Having my kids strapped into their carseats during the 10-15 minutes was a dream come true. Why isn't this "staying in your car during an oil change" a permanent thing instead of just a Covid-19 precaution? 

There have been many times that I've had a massive zit (or 2 or 3) and I sigh a breath of relief when I realize that I don't even have to attempt to cover it up with makeup because my mask will do the job! Not wearing makeup has been a highlight.

I worry more than I should about having a clean house. I don't like chaos and clutter, but kids make that nearly impossible. We haven't been having anyone come over (especially since the governor's mandate) and it has been wonderful not to care about what our house looks like. That being said, don't worry, we aren't living like pigs. I've just been able to relax about messes a little bit more and limit my vacuuming to once a day. ;) 

My dad is the Gospel Doctrine teacher in his ward. At the beginning of the pandemic, he recorded Sunday School lessons and I watched those. Now, he teaches lessons over zoom. I look forward to attending these meetings. I can thank Covid-19 for the chance to be taught by my dad again regularly. I've felt the spirit strongly, even over zoom.

I've figured out how to workout from home and keep my kids entertained. I mean, not every time is perfect, but what can you expect? My piyo instructor recorded several workout videos at the beginning of the pandemic. Doing these workouts at home has been so convenient and helps me feel safe. I also attend some weekly workout classes over zoom. My parent's graciously gave us a stationary bike they no longer need. We put the bike in our basement and the kids play while I workout. The bike has been a life-saver. Many days a week, both Andrew and I use it. We're considering purchasing a treadmill to add to our "at home" gym.

Monday nights have changed dramatically for me. I used to attend "bachelor nights" after the kids were in bed. (Even though I had little interest in the show.) Instead, bachelor nights have been replaced with a "Come Follow Me" study group. The study group is with family over zoom and we rotate who leads the discussion. I have been in awe at how differently we look at the scriptures. I'm glad to be filling my time on Monday evenings doing something better.

Babysitter Jenna has come back. She took a long break (I think being a teacher and having kids burned her out a little bit), but she's here now! She plays Don't Eat Pete! Tic Tac Know! Memory! You name it! We have lots of family time in the evenings and instead of sitting around twiddling our thumbs, we've started playing games and doing activities together. The kids would play "Don't Eat Pete" every night if we let them. Isabelle talks about Pete and asks for "mellows" (marshmallows) regularly. Andrew and I have been teaching the children Christmas songs and actions which has been cute. Family home evening this week lasted over 2 hours... We don't have much else to do, so why not pack in the fun? James wants every night to be family home evening and right now it kind of is.

When you look for the good, you find it. I've been grateful for this shift in mindset for me. President Nelson's inspired message about gratitude definitely helped. 

This week, President Erying's most recent conference talk has stuck with me. He described his mom and some of the health challenges and trials she faced. At her funeral, Spencer W. Kimball said, “Some of you may wonder why Mildred had to suffer so much and so long. I will tell you why. It was because the Lord wanted to polish her a little more.” Yes, Covid-19 has been going on for a long time and all can agree that we wish it was over. I do think I'm being polished though and it looks like I might need some more polishing, so let's get through this together! 

Hawaii--With His Brothers, Not His Lover

Andrew went with his brothers on their annual hike recently. This year marked their 20th "All Brothers Hike" (ABH), so they did something epic and went to Kauai. These brother's hikes started the year Andrew's dad passed away, and it's special they commemorate him. I'm not going to pretend I was thrilled by the fact that Andrew went to Hawaii without me. I wasn't. I am glad he was able to bond with his brothers though. Also, I think he missed me because he came home saying that the next time he goes to Hawaii will be with me. Thank goodness! 

Vaughn (BIL), is the only brother who didn't go.

From left to right: Logan, Brent, Kelly, Andrew, Ryan (BIL), Birch

What about the coronavirus pandemic?

Covid-19 is not over and was a concern of mine (and Andrew's). Andrew booked the trip with his brothers thinking that things would be settled down by October. For a long time, Hawaii required a 2 week quarantine for incoming travelers. Andrew and his brothers actually changed their flights, so they would arrive in Hawaii the day that the 2 week quarantine was lifted. Instead of a 2 week quarantine, Hawaii now requires that you show a negative COVID-19 test proving you're healthy. (They are very specific about which Covid tests they accept.)

Andrew had a Covid-19 test delivered to our house and took it in front of someone over Zoom, then sent it off to New York. Andrew had not received his results by the time he was supposed to fly to Hawaii which was stressful. He decided to get on his flight anyway. It was a miracle that Andrew received the confirmation email while on his flight saying that his Covid-19 test results were negative. It was pretty scary and a huge miracle!

How long was Andrew gone? How did I survive?

Andrew was gone for a week! Surprisingly, it went by pretty fast. I like to keep busy. After dropping off Andrew at the airport, I headed to my parent's house with the kids. We stayed with them Thursday-Sunday. While there, we did a lot. 

I'm not going to bore you with all the details, but eating fabulous food consumed a lot of our time. I met a friend at Leatherby's and of course ordered my favorite peanut butter sundae. Another day, we had "The Pie Pizzeria" which is the best pizza in UT (in my humble opinion). We also made peanut butter delights and I lost count of how many I ate. I could go on. I enjoyed using my parent's workout equipment in the mornings and attempted to build up an appetite after all the good food.

While at my parent's, we spent time with lots of family! We saw my cousin Jake and his wife Hailee who are currently living in my parent's basement. Jeff, Lindsey, Simon, and Esther came over for dinner one night. James was ecstatic to see his cousins and ultra hyper (let's not talk about the marker situation). Side note: James has big ears... He has heard Andrew and I talk a lot about the election lately. James told Esther, "I voted for you!" Esther cheerfully responded, "I'll vote for you too." It was adorable. I'm glad James understands the importance of voting. 

We were happy to see my grandparents, Giggi and Go-Daddy (outside). It had been a long time and Grandma made superb cinnamon rolls! Izzy loved their dog Scout, and James was terrified of him. Joel joined us for Sunday dinner. I spent a fair amount of time at Jessica and Chris' house. My mom graciously watched the kids while I helped Jess paint her house which was a nice break! Staying with my parent's was so helpful and we were all sad that our time with them went so quickly. On our drive home, James wept, "Look mom, even the mountains are sad we're leaving Nana and Papa's house."

The remainder of the week was spent at our house. I have some good friends who watched out for me and set up play-dates, dropped off cookies, etc. I also indulged and got myself a pint of Cold Stone ice cream to power through. That was worth it for sure! I promise food wasn't the only thing that helped me survive my time without Andrew. I read and liked, "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone" By: Lori Gottlieb. The book referenced an essay, called "Welcome to Holland" which I LOVED. You can read it HERE. My parent's and I also watched the newest episodes of "The Great British Baking Show." I'm so sad to be caught up. I now have to wait until Fridays to watch new episodes. 

Who knew mowing the lawn could be so fun? Reason #2890410 why I want a backyard.

What's it like to have Andrew home?

It's amazing! We sure did miss him. Isabelle seems to be holding Andrew's absence against him though and has been quite clingy to me since his return. She's definitely making him earn her love back. Andrew brought us all home souvenirs which was really sweet. I was impressed by how well he knows the kids and me! (He even got all of us the right clothing sizes!)

Look at their sea turtles and Hawaii shirts! 

I'm drooling over these pictures and can only dream about warm Hawaii as I sit here freezing--covered in 3 blankets, wearing fuzzy socks, and my warmest sweater. You're lucky Andrew! (You deserved it though.)

General Conference

Earlier this month, we watched General Conference. This fall especially, I've been yearning for peace. The messages during conference helped bring me hope during this pandemic. Since conference, I have been off of social media. As a result, I feel like I've been able to feel the spirit more and I've been happier. 

The birth of my newest niece, Daisy helped put things in perspective for me too. Things were very scary in the beginning. It's a miracle she's alive. The election and coronavirus are short-term things that don't really matter eternally. Daisy, and my other family members mean the world to me and I was devastated at the thought of losing Daisy.

I had some questions and thoughts going into conference. There were various themes, but the one that stood out to me was: racism. This was validating and has been a topic I've been thinking a lot about. Here are quotes from 3 speakers about racism:

1) Elder Oaks' talk really resonated with me. Titled, "Love Your Enemies," he said: "This country should be better in eliminating racism not only against Black Americans, who were most visible in the recent protests, but also against Latinos, Asians, and other groups. This nation’s history of racism is not a happy one, and we must do better."

2) Elder Cook said this: "With our all-inclusive doctrine, we can be an oasis of unity and celebrate diversity. Unity and diversity are not opposites. We can achieve greater unity as we foster an atmosphere of inclusion and respect for diversity. During the period I served in the San Francisco California Stake presidency, we had Spanish-, Tongan-, Samoan-, Tagalog-, and Mandarin-language-speaking congregations. Our English-speaking wards were composed of people from many racial and cultural backgrounds. There was love, righteousness, and unity. Wards and branches in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are determined by geography or language, not by race or culture. Race is not identified on membership records."

3) President Nelson said: "Each of us has a divine potential because each is a child of God. Each is equal in His eyes. The implications of this truth are profound. Brothers and sisters, please listen carefully to what I am about to say. God does not love one race more than another. His doctrine on this matter is clear. He invites all to come unto Him, “black and white, bond and free, male and female.” I assure you that your standing before God is not determined by the color of your skin. Favor or disfavor with God is dependent upon your devotion to God and His commandments and not the color of your skin."

I was grateful to hear these messages and hope that members of the church and people everywhere can be more united. Throughout this year, I've done some reading to gain more understanding about racism. Here are some of the books I've read:

"Just Mercy" By: Bryan Stevenson

"American Dirt" By: Jeanine Cummins

"The Vanishing Half" By: Brit Bennett

"How to be Antiracist" By: Ibram X. Kendi

"Let's Talk About Race" (Picture book I read with my kids) By: Julius Lester, Illustrated by: Karen Barbour

I want to focus more on the good, eternal things that surround me. (Which might help explain why we want to move even closer to my family and just attempted our 3rd offer on a house.) I want to be bold enough to change the subject and avoid getting into constant political conversations. I miss talking and laughing about naughty kids, latest TV binges, and best food joints. I'm done letting politics and loud opinions run my life. Thanks to baby Daisy and the prophets and apostles for opening my eyes. Here's to keeping the peace!

Grannie Visits Utah

Grannie made a trip to Utah! The kids were thrilled and so were we. We did a lot while she was here. I cooked like crazy on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday evening was pretty low key and we ended up watching SuperNanny. (I promise we weren't trying to scare Grannie away.) Sunday, September 20, we went back to church for the first time since March. They've split our ward up by last name, so we don't all go the same week. It was nice to be back! Sunday night, we had a dinner with Alex and Alexa, Alysee, and Malia. (who happened to be in town to shoot a wedding). We shared lots of laughs and played 2 new games... Rook-O-Lee and Making a Million. I was a fan of both.

Monday, we went to a nearby park in the morning. Later, we stopped by the library. Andrew had an early work meeting, so we were able to drive through the Alpine Loop in the afternoon. The fall colors were breathtaking. For dinner, we had Cubby's and to top the evening off, we got Cravings Alisha's Cupcakes for dessert. Malia joined us for Rook and cupcakes which was a highlight. Andrew and I didn't get killed in Rook again, thank goodness.

Tuesday morning, we picked up free Crumbl cookies (for showing that we have the app). After quiet time and nap time, we went to a pumpkin patch. It was deserted. Yay! There was only one other car in the parking lot. James had the time of his life at Hee Haw Farms. He was so daring and went down a HUGE slide (at least 2 stories high) all by himself which shocked me. Jill had baby Daisy Tuesday and we had an emergency fast. I was pretty exhausted and weak after chasing the kids around at Hee Haw Farms. Let's face it, I typically nap my fast Sunday afternoons away... We broke our fast with takeout from a local restaurant-- Kitchen 88. 

James had a soccer game Tuesday evening and Alysee joined us which was a treat. James decided he wasn't in the mood for soccer which was unfortunate. It was pretty tricky to even get him on the field and once he was there, he didn't last long. At one point, he said he was mad that his team was yellow this week instead of maroon, so we switched his jersey and he played with the other team for all of 2 seconds. Watching 3 year olds play soccer is hysterical. Lots do summersaults and have no idea which goal to kick the ball into. They have no concept of out of bounds and have continued into other soccer fields interrupting other games multiple times. Given how crazy COVID is in Utah county, we just got word that James' soccer league is now requiring masks. Good! We'll see if we make it through the rest of the season due to lack of enthusiasm. We ended up leaving the soccer game before it ended. We spent the rest of the evening playing games (once again) with Alysee and Malia. The yummy Crumbl cookies made for an excellent dessert.

Grannie has plenty of grandchildren (34), yet she still manages to have unique relationships with each of them. She brought James a board game about red and green lights which he wanted to play constantly. She also gave us a box full of fresh peaches which we gobbled up. Izzy followed Grannie around nonstop and wanted to be held by her at all moments. She also demanded a bite of anything that Grannie ate. We were all disappointed when Wednesday morning arrived and Grannie left. Until next time, Grannie!

Disappointing Week

This week brought 2 huge disappointments.

Disappointment #1: COVID-19 spiked here in Pleasant Grove.

In fact, they shut down the High School to readjust the schedule due to the high number of infected students. Our house is a half mile from the High School. James' preschool shares a parking lot with the High School. He was supposed to start preschool next week. I don't know who was more excited about it, me or him. Truthfully, probably me. 

Now it doesn't matter. I withdrew James from preschool. I had been feeling uncomfortable about sending him and was unsure about what to do. 2 years of preschool isn't necessary and I didn't want to put my family at risk. James will do preschool next year. I feel like the covid outbreak so near to his preschool and our house was a pretty clear answer for us. The preschool was very gracious when I let them know James was dropping. I was pleased to get a refund. I did buy James a preschool workbook a few months ago, and we do several pages in that together every day. He loves to learn and is so smart! (Coming from his unbiased mother.) We're still bummed though.

Disappointment #2: We ALMOST bought a new house!

Last weekend, we toured a home and decided to put in an offer. We tried not to get our hopes up too high, but it had good bones and was a rambler. Here is the cover letter I wrote that we attached to our offer: 

Saturday, August 29, 2020

To the Owners of the Riverton Property,

We walked through your property yesterday evening. Wow, it is everything we dream of in our future home. In fact, I was so excited about the prospect of owning this property that I didn’t sleep much last night. I grew up in the area and I’m eager to get back. Your beautiful home is in the ideal location for my family. It’s a half-mile from my parent’s and 5 minutes from my sister. We have been looking for a long time to find a home near our loved ones.

My husband and I have 2 young kids, James (3) and Isabelle, (1). The instant I saw the spacious backyard, I was sold. My kids have lots of energy and our current yard has no fence. I can picture countless evenings spent in that gorgeous backyard. The mature fruit treats caught my eye as well as the grapes. I’ve always wanted to say I made this pie using the fresh fruit from my backyard! Living here would finally give me that chance. James has been asking for a trampoline for as long as I can remember and, in that beautiful yard, he could finally have his trampoline.

As we toured your house, I was in awe of all the custom designs and finishes, the vaulted ceilings, gourmet kitchen, massive dining area, and glass french doors in the entry room add so much character. My husband is excited about the 3-car garage and special lighting in there. The layout is perfect for our needs. I can see our family living in your property for many years. Your home could be our forever home. It checks all our boxes and then some.

Please consider our offer and know that we would care for this home with the love and attention it deserves. We are so excited to think that our search for the perfect place near family could become a reality with your amazing home. 

Sincerely,

Jenna and Andrew Ditto 

It's noteworthy to mention that the home is in a cul-de-sac and 3 of the surrounding homes have boats. This was a big selling point for Andrew. We joked that in the mornings, Andrew would just wait on our driveway in his swim trunks ready to hop on and join one of the boats going out.

It seemed very likely that we were going to get the house, but we didn't. It didn't help that the sellers really led us on and made us believe they were going to accept our offer. Example #1: The seller's agent requested that we write a new offer changing 1 thing which we did immediately. Example #2: The agent called our loan officer. Why do that just to turn around and tell us no? Dun, dun dun.. The plot thickens. The home currently had renters in it which made getting a loan extremely challenging. (Especially since their lease went through April 2021) At the last minute, the renters decided they wanted to buy the home and we didn't get it. Yes, we too are wondering why this was not decided before listing the house.

Clearly, the home wasn't meant to be. It did have a few flaws too, so maybe the perfect house is going to pop up and we won't have to buy it and let renters live in it through April. Maybe we were being overly optimistic, but we even had a professional come in and take pics of our current house, so we could list it.

Wanna see this said house? I've built it up a lot. I think I'm too sad to show you pictures of the perfect backyard.

Life goes on. These cuties in their matching Daniel Tiger pajamas help me get over the disappointments and smile.

Camp Na-Bor-Lee

My sister recently had several mishaps while traveling. As she recounted her car troubles, airbnb issues, and more, my dad's response was: "that's why we don't do fun things." 

With that lead, I'm sure you're expecting to hear something went astronomically wrong on our camping trip. I'll put your mind at ease. No, we didn't crash. Our tires remained in tact, and we have yet to get the dreaded COVID. (Knock on wood)

Our colossal, bad thing was: a long drive with 2 young children. This might sound silly, but it was challenging. How long of a drive was it? It took 11 hours to get there. Camp Na-bor-lee added extra distance increasing our drive time home to 12 hours and 45 minutes. I will note that Andrew doesn't speed (thank heavens). Thinking about the drive makes me cringe. Isabelle did her fair-share of screaming. 

We left Utah on Friday, August 7 and returned on Wednesday, August 12. We tried to align our drive to Washington with nap/bed time to alleviate some entertaining on our part. Our rough drive to WA definitely inspired our spur of the moment decision to leave Washington after dinner Tuesday and drive through the night (instead of waiting until Wednesday morning). Leaving was a good call, even though it was risky and we had to miss seeing Tyler get set-apart as a missionary. (Many of the awesome pics of the trip are because of him!)  I'm grateful we didn't hit a deer in the darkness. The drive home was much more bearable. The kids only woke up for the final 2 hours. I even got a turn driving (seeing that Andrew hadn't slept in hours) and drove the familiar freeway from Idaho Falls back to Utah.

When choosing how to vacation and use Andrew's precious, now limited vacation days, CAMPING would never make it on my list. Add small kids and it's my dream vacation (just kidding). As predicted, getting Isabelle to sleep was no easy feat. She wailed anytime we put her in the pack and play. We gave her part of a sleeping aid gummy the first night which worked like a charm. The downside was that it caused her to throw-up the next morning 4x. Once we all got to sleep, we slept well. Our kids even slept in until after 7am both mornings! My parents let us use their super cushy camping pads and we finally broke in our brand new tent! It got cool in the evenings which was a nice change and I actually wanted and needed to use covers (aka my sleeping bag) for the first time in months. Side note: James called it a "sleep bag" which was so cute.

We were in charge of dessert one night and stopped and bought cookies. Lots of strangers were impressed Izzy had a mask on. I'm surprised the mask lasted.

Isabelle loved all the extra attention. Aunt Tavia played with her lots.

Candid moment

Staying with Logan and Julia before we went camping was an excellent choice. Our kids, especially Isabelle, LOVED their dog, Maggie. Izzy wouldn't leave poor Maggie alone and chased her around at all moments. Seeing Isabelle play with Maggie was priceless and has made me consider becoming a dog owner someday. Julia knows me well and ordered pizza one night, so I felt right at home.

Saydee and Izzy are about 7 months apart!

Our nephew, Dallin was baptized on Saturday and we were grateful to be there. Granny gave a talk and used a stuffed animal dog as an object lesson. Isabelle was so excited and couldn't contain herself. She said "doggy" loudly, so many times throughout the message. I ended up having to take her to the back/out. It was adorable.

James had the time of his life being around so many playmates. He definitely wore himself out and played hard. I was so proud of James for being brave enough to go tubing. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of that. He even went tubing a second time, so I think it's safe to say he was a fan.

James and Eliza walked around the campsite holding hands. Precious.

James loved playing with Rhett

In other news, Andrew achieved his goal for the year... He went water skiing! My dad is an especially goal-oriented person and we were once talking about our aspirations for the year. The only thing on Andrew's mind that year was water-skiing. I still like to tease him about it.

Approved by Andrew. He likes that it shows how well he cut around the buoy on the slalom course.

I did not grow up doing water sports and haven't had much success getting up when attempting water sports in the past. I was relieved to hear that a "beginners only" boat full of people went out to learn how to wake surf. I happily joined. All I wanted to do was get up and I did this time! I struggled to stay up and am definitely not at the point of being able to let go of the rope, but I'm one step closer.

Yes, Andrew sent this pic to my family. Yes, I knew he was going to and was totally ok with it. My face says it all. He says this will be his new phone screensaver. As you can see, water sports are very relaxing for me.

Despite the inconveniences that come with traveling too many hours in the car and camping in general, we made some wonderful memories. James' prayers have been extra sweet since our return and he randomly will pray for members of our extended family. That being said, I can see why my dad said he doesn't do fun things. Fun things are a hassle and require lots of work, but they are usually worth it.