Quiet Time

One hour of alone time mid-day is critical for my sanity. James is 3 and doesn't necessarily need naps anymore. He dislikes playing alone though and many times, we find that he falls asleep during quiet time. These are the various positions and poses we've found him in throughout the last while:

Classic. Watching neighbors play outside and got too tuckered out.

Note that he has a blankie in every picture. James is very sentimental and treats his blankets like his "babies." It's adorable. Recently he colored a box to make into a crib for his blankies. We've had parties for his blankets' birthdays, he's blamed his blankets for doing things that he shouldn't, I've woken the said blankets up by being too loud, "his blankets don't like it when I...", the list goes on.

Now, going to get James when the timer goes off is kind of a game to see what position he'll be in. (If he's asleep.) I always make sure I have my camera handy. We love this sweet boy who plays hard and sleeps even harder. 

When in Quarantine

When in quarantine, how do you escape from your kids? Luckily, my parents offered to watch them for us. We picked up take-out, ate in an empty park, and played tennis. Nothing says "social distancing" quite like tennis. As for the score, Andrew did win the first set, but we had to stop before finishing the second set. I will say that I made quite the comeback in the second set. I was down 5-1 and we were tied at 5-5 when we had to leave. I'm glad we didn't set stakes like we usually do...

When in quarantine, how do you get a haircut? Most salons have been closed due to the current pandemic. Andrew's hair was out of control. I offered to cut it for him and he was hesitant. Last haircut, March 1, 2014, did not go well. Mother's Day was wonderful and I told Andrew that the icing on the cake would be him letting me cut his hair. He agreed! See for yourself, but I actually didn't destroy his hair this time. (Thank heavens as he has had many video job interviews.) In fact, me cutting his hair might be a regular thing now. He said so himself. I think he enjoyed watching a show during it. (At first, we attempted watching one together, but I couldn't look at the screen while trying to cut his hair, so he turned on some nerdy thing I don't care for.) I will say that I am quite slow when it comes to cutting hair... It took me about 40 minutes. I also am that person who sees a stray hair a few days later and gets the scissors out. His hair can be found ALL OVER THE HOUSE. I think I'll need a designated broom for sweeping up hair. In the future, I also might just take him outside for haircuts. Enough build-up.

If I do happen to change my mind and not take on the "hair stylist" anymore, many salons are now open.

When in quarantine, what do you do with your spare time? Paint, eat lots of food, paint some more, go on multiple walks daily, do piyo workout videos from home, binge-watch a T.V. show, read way too many books, teach Zoom piano lessons, re-evaluate how many children you want, play games, paint.

One of my previous posts shows more of what I've painted. (James' room, stairway) I'm about done painting all of our baseboards. I no longer have to tape the wall and the floor which means I've done too many. All of our doors are finished. Our archway needs a second coat of paint. I'm considering painting our bathroom cabinets. The list goes on. We'll see when I decide to stop. 

More times than not, I can be found baking. I tried a peanut butter lasagna recipe that was as rich as it sounds. I've made my favorite whole-wheat bread recipe. I finally tried the chocolate chip cookie recipe that my sister swears by. I can see why now. It's an intense process that requires a minimum of 36 hours refrigeration time. That hasn't stopped me though. I've made those cookies twice. This morning, I tried a new cinnamon roll recipe. I've also stumbled upon a new pizza dough recipe. The list goes on.

The weather has been dreamy. I thrive this time of year, even with allergies. James is now a pro at riding his bike and we walk the trail in our neighborhood frequently.

Books I've read in quarantine: 

"Love, Aubrey" By: Suzanne LaFleur

"The Girl with the Louding Voice" By: Abi Dare

"The Silent Patient" By: Alex Michaelides 

"Maid, Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive" By: Stephanie Land

"I Capture the Castle" By: Dodie Smith

"The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust" By: Edith Hahn Beer

"The Paris Hours" By: Alex George

"Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption" By: Bryan Stevenson

"The Language of Flowers" By: Vanessa Diffenbaugh

"The Widows of Malabar Hill" By: Sujata Massey

"The War that Saved my Life" By: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

**I got 200 pages into "The Water Dancer" By: Ta-Nehisi Coates and decided to stop. (Wasn't my fav.)

Zoom piano lessons:

Imagine trying to keep a 5 year old occupied virtually. It's hard. Especially when reading isn't mastered, opening books to the correct page is challenging, and finding middle C independently isn't possible. Enough said.

As my sister told me, "You've kept 2 children alive during quarantine, Jenna!" That's what's most important, right? 

Finding the Good

Andrew came down (yes-- downstairs from his temporary at home office) from work last Friday, April 17, and I could instantly tell that something was wrong. Andrew got laid off via zoom. This is not the easiest news to deal with. He was shocked and so was I even though I had brought up the possibility.

That being said, once we were over the initial shock we have felt peace. How, you might ask? Several reasons. 

First of all, we are in great financial shape. I could not have said the same thing even 7 months ago, so I'm not saying this to brag. Just last week, we were strongly considering paying off our van and we were excited to do so. We sought advice from my brother-in-law who recently graduated with a finance degree from BYU and he agreed that we should. I had even gone as far as calling our credit union to see how much we owe on the car. That being said, we kept feeling hesitant about the whole thing and decided not to move forward with paying the van off immediately. Thank heavens we didn't! Andrew got laid off later that week. Had we paid off our car, our bank account would have had $8,000 less and this unemployment business would be much more terrifying.

Also, Andrew's last layoff in November was probably one of our greatest blessings. Double pay for a couple of months was amazing for our bank account and makes our situation right now not dire.

Another small, but noticeable blessing or prompting we had also came last week. I've been itching to buy lots of things lately. (Boredom?) We talked about buying 2 adult bikes and a bike trailer, so we could go on family bike rides on the beautiful trail close to our house. This would have cost several hundred dollars. We also looked at some organizational shelving for our basement since we don't have any furniture down there. We were having a hard time deciding if we should spend money on bikes, basement furniture, or none of the above. Andrew wisely suggested that we wait a bit and think about it. (This isn't his typical response. He usually gives me the green light when it comes to money because I tend to be very cautious.) Little did Andrew know that the very NEXT day, he lost his job. What a relief that we hadn't spent several hundred dollars on things we didn't really need.

Something else that is noteworthy to mention is that we've been seriously looking at homes since January. We have a realtor and everything. She's toured our house and we've considered putting it on the market. We haven't been going into homes during the virus, but we toured several houses before this all started. Very recently, we found a home we loved. We took a virtual tour and drove through the neighborhood. What a relief that we aren't closing on a new house right now or having to pay an even higher mortgage.

I have told some of my close friends the news and we have been spoiled. The day after the layoff, my parents dropped off homemade cinnamon rolls and Papa Murphy's pizza which made my day. My friend door-bell ditched a box of Crumbl cookies. My other friend also dropped off a massive peanut butter cookie. (She knows me well.) My grandma brought by our favorite donuts and got me a Reese's. The list goes on. Several friends and family members have texted and called. It's been so comforting to know that other people care, love, and are praying for us. I was touched to hear from all of my siblings shortly after letting them know the news.

Andrew had multiple interviews this week which is encouraging. Due to the virus, the economy is struggling right now and we have been unsure about whether or not Andrew will be able to find work. The fact that several companies have reached out to him has helped ease some of that stress. Andrew had a second interview with a company and we're hopeful we'll hear some good news from them soon. It's a great opportunity. If not, something else will workout. 

For now, I'm enjoying some help with the kids. As my pediatrician told me this week during Isabelle's 9 month appointment, it's so much easier to play man-to-man defense with the kids instead of zone. I think every member of our household is glad we've retired zone defense for now.

Quarantined

Life is pretty quiet around these parts. Actually, I don't think quiet is accurate. Life is pretty unscheduled which is rare for me. We don't really leave our house. It has been an adjustment. James frequently says that he will kill the sickness, so we can go out. The Corona Virus (Covid-19) is spreading quickly and we've done our best to stay away from people. The end doesn't seem to be near. Andrew's work told him that he'll be working from home for a minimum of 2 months! He locks himself in our bedroom during the day. School is now canceled through May 1st minimum. I've heard many rumors that children won't be returning at all this school year.

In spite of all of this craziness and uncertainty, I'm trying to remain positive. Just weeks ago, I was complaining to Andrew about how busy our evenings are. "We have something every night of the week." "I never get to see you anymore." Well, now everything is canceled and we have all the time in the world. I have enjoyed spending more quality time together.

Looking back over the past several months, we have been extremely blessed. I am so grateful that Andrew was able to find work before this virus hit. I can't imagine having to stress about money right now on top of all the other worries and unknowns. What a blessing that his job is one that can easily be done remotely. Also, I don't find this coincidental, but Andrew switched teams a mere 2 weeks before this working from home situation occurred. Andrew had not been liking his job much and was seriously contemplating getting a new job. We both felt a little confused and conflicted because we strongly felt that this was the right job for him. Andrew feels like he understands his work and role on his new team much more already and says it would have been hard working from home while on the other team because his responsibilities were unclear.

While being forced to stay in our homes, I've made quite the list of home projects. Most of them are cheap and semi-annoying, but I'm grateful we have the time and means to complete them.

Here's a funny story about that: On Wednesday, I started jotting down some things I wanted us to accomplish over the next bit. Some of the things on the list were more immediate (mopping) and some more long-term. I left the list on the counter and went upstairs to do piano lessons via ZOOM. (what a challenge) Once I finished, Andrew told me he had a minor panic attack when he saw the list. He thought I wanted him to accomplish all of those things that afternoon while I was teaching (but then realized it would be impossible and he was mistaken). Here is the list:

(P.S.-I didn't make this list knowing it would be posted)

Project #1:  Goodbye clock that never matched my style. Marriage is about compromise, right? Andrew loved this clock. I figured 4 years was plenty of time for him to admire it. I wanted it down as soon as we moved in. (The previous owners left it.)

Project #2: Get rid of our shedding red couch. Our next door neighbor took it to the dump for us which was much appreciated. Now we need to decide what will replace it.

Project #3: Paint Railing

Before

After-- This project was much more work than anticipated and took several coats.

Project #4: Get rid of our cheap white curtains and replace them with blinds.

The best $115 I've spent in a long time. If I had know what a difference this would have made, I would have done it years ago.

Project #5: Paint James' Bedroom and Closet

Before

After-- The color was less subdued than anticipated, but it really makes that white wall by his window pop. This color won "color of the year" at Home Depot and is called "Back to Nature."

Closet--Please note: the closet hanger railing broke during this process. In other words, it hasn't been broken for the 4 years we've lived here. Also, we forgot to paint his closet when we painted his room "Cottage White" when we moved in. Look how hideous that color is!

In other news, I've read 3 books this week-- eh maybe 2 weeks. It's easy to lose track of time these days. Reading is helping me stay sane. Oh and limiting my time on social media. Nobody is posting anything cool anyway because we're all stuck at home. People have LOUD opinions about this virus and a break from social media has made a world of difference for me.  I've also found relaxation and routine in doing recorded piyo workouts at home with Andrew. I'm so grateful that Jessie, the piyo class instructor, is willing to record 3 workouts a week! Also, door-dash has been a life-saver and we cherish our kidless nights eating delicious food in bed. 

Whew! If you made it to the end of this, I applaud you. I can't really see anyone these days, so I just word vomited instead. Let the projects continue... 

Birthday James!

James gets giddy about birthdays. So giddy that back in January, we created a paper chain countdown to help him picture when his birthday would actually be here. Apparently that means I've successfully done my job at spoiling him over the last 2 years. (Oops.) It also adds a lot of pressure. A couple of weeks before his birthday, we decided we wouldn't do a party this year. Then, with the Corona-Virus going on, I'm so glad I didn't have a party planned because basically everything is cancelled (including church) and nobody is really leaving their homes.

We talked about taking James to the movie theater for the first time on his birthday, but we didn't because of the virus. We did take James to "the donut shop" also know as the Lehi Bakery the weekend before because it was closed on Monday, James' actual birthday. James picked out his own donut and was thrilled with the green sprinkles. We meet Grandma Langlois at the Lehi Bakery sometimes, and he is very fond of that place. I can't blame him because the donuts are so light and fluffy.

On Sunday, March 15, we sang to James at Nana and Papa's house. He loved the attention and left quite a bit of spit all over the apple crisp dessert. Nana and Papa gave James a big car carrier and Simon and Esther gave him a coloring mat!

On Monday, March 16, James' presents awaited him downstairs. In fact, I think he knew something was up the night before. He may have heard us working on getting everything ready and got out of bed a couple of times (which is rare). We got training wheels and a helmet for James' bike! My friend Kaitlin gave him an astronaut book along with an astronaut launcher. Balloons made everything even more exciting!

(Still working on learning to ride this)

We had a big breakfast of pancakes and eggs! For dinner, we went through the drive through at Chick-Fil-A and got James his very own kids meal with chicken nuggets, french fries, and chocolate milk. Later, we watched the movie "Frozen 2" which none of us had seen. To top it all off, James got to pick his own cupcake (pupcake is how he pronounces it) from Cravings. I have never let him have his own before. He wanted to get a cupcake that wasn't messy. Good luck with that!

Although it was kind of a different birthday due to the unique pandemic, I'm glad we could spoil James. Here are some things I want to remember about James right now:

James is extremely smart! He talks constantly and speaks well. Most people think he is much older than 3. James has lots of energy and I have to remind him that if he wants to be wild, he can run around in the basement. James likes to know the schedule for the day and what's going on. He asks, "what's happening after that?" He enjoys going to story-time at the library weekly and is stoked to be big enough to attend "preschool story-time" for big kids. He can listen to me read him stories for A LONG time which makes my heart happy. He loves going to the gym (or gymboree) while I workout and I think it's mostly because of the unlimited T.V. 

He cannot wait until preschool begins in September and is extremely disappointed that a yellow bus won't be picking him up.  He LOVES Macaroni and Cheese (He definitely doesn't get that from me). He knows the words to some primary songs (I Love to See the Temple, I am a Child of God, Families Can be Together Forever, The Wise Man, Nephi's Courage, etc.) I said he knows the "words" for a reason. We're still working on his singing voice. ;) He absolutely LOVES nursery and is very social constantly asking about his friends. James is the best big brother and often asks if we can go wake Isabelle up when she's napping because he misses her. He lives for playing outside! We sure do love this tender-hearted boy.

A couple of days after James' birthday, he continued to ask me when his friends were coming over for a party. Next year it is, buddy!