speech

So, we've known for a long time that Seth has a hard time saying certain sounds.  Sh, Ch, and R are his hardest.  We were told that he needed to go to the speech therapist at the school by his teacher and pediatrician.  The therapist told me that he had to see an ENT to make sure that he didn't have a malformation of his palette first because that is common with people with those specific sounds.  Where that's a family gene, I wanted to get that checked out.  Then the quarantine started and the offices were closed unless for emergencies.  So...… while we have been reading, I have him hold his hand in front of his mouth and make sure that he's blowing air out of his mouth instead of his nose on certain sounds.  It's worked for the sh sound and I'm so proud of him.  He's worked hard.  His R sound is slightly better, but I'm not sure how to get him to do the Ch sound..... it's a work in progress.

this week.

Week 7 or 8 of quarantine.  I can't wait til this is all done!  I'm very excited to move on to the next step.... hopefully it will be a positive and upward step. My goal is to stay healthy at least through the end of Judy's radiation, then we can have permission to get sick if we need to.  Hopefully we don't get it at all.  We have three more weeks of school left.  A lot of what we have to finish is mostly making sure that kids turn in what they've done and helping Ada finish math.  It's interesting, I'm remembering a lot of math, but there are some things that I remember that don't quite jive with the way Ada has been learning.  She's finishing 7th grade math.   She thinks she's failing because she's stuck right now, but she's not.  She's going to be taking the advanced math placement test in about 2 weeks and depending on how that goes, I'm going to let her choose whether she wants to keep doing advanced math or go more slowly.

My Great-Uncle Frank passed away today.  I have a lot to say about him, but I'm going to post about it on my genealogy blog.  

I'm loving listening to the spring storm outside though.  I've always loved spring storms.

We had the military do a state flyby with their F35 bombers.  They flew from the top of the state to the bottom, directly over as many hospitals as they could.  We live right next to one, so we saw it pretty well.  Sam was so mad.  He waited outside, gave up waiting and went in to get his shoes and that's when they came.

Pictures from my phone

We're starting week 6 of quarantine.  We have given up on making the kids sleep in beds.  They've taken over the family room downstairs and just switch up who sleeps on what.  We're still making them brush hair, teeth, bath and exercise.  It's harder to make them remember to practice ballet, piano, chores, etc... We have started back to yard work, which I LOVE after being inside too much.  The kids have been finding sticks and making staffs out of them.  They go adventuring in the backyard.  We pruned our yard, gathered sticks and went down to Jim and Judy's to gather what Jim had pruned and mow the lawn for the first time this year.  We got to talk to Grandma from a far for a minute.  Her hair is growing in marvelously, she's scheduled to begin radiation on Friday and she's definitely looking more perky and more herself than she has for a bit.  She still has some residual problems with her eyes, feeling in her feet and hands, and her lungs.  She thinks that her hands are starting to heal though.  She's almost there!

My Mom put found a chalk obstacle course somewhere and copied it out of the kids.  Sam took it and drew it down the sidewalk and in front of 3 neighbor's houses.  It's really cute and the kids take turns going down it forwards and then backwards.  How do you do a backwards lunge by the way?

I'm enjoying having our Saturdays, though I miss the kids running and playing at soccer.  Sam and Ada have been having a hard time sleeping lately.  I'm guessing because they are not as tired as they usually would be from all their daily routines.  I feel like an official adult though, we bought a weed eater for the first time.  The other one was a hand me down and died.... Jer was pretty excited.

I need to cut Sam and Jer's hair.  It's gotten out of hand.  This week, that's on my list of to-dos.  I think we finally killed Sam's warts, and I think I just found some on Seth's feet.... so here we go again.

Right after conference, we chatted with both my family and Jer's.  It's so fun to see everyone.

We had our traditional conference lunch.

Sam made these crinkles.  He was very proud of himself.

These kids are way too cute.  Sam has taught both of them to play chess and they decided that they would play together.  

Ada's my good helper

The biggest worm was under the leaves I picked up for the trash.  Sam loved it.

We're sadly saying goodbye to our lovely Party Tree.  I really am going to miss it.  Especially the shade it gives for the kids to play during the summer.  We'll have to hope the tree we planted to replace it will grow faster now that the big tree will be out of the way of the sun.  I feel like it's the Giving Tree.  The kids climb and hand and swing.  It gives us shade and leaves to play in during the fall time.  I'm trying not to be too sad over it because it's just a tree and was only meant to live for about 30 years, but I am.

My Mom's cousin, Brook, posted pictures from her 70's cookbook.  They are hilarious, but some of the recipes were from my Grandma and my Great-Grandma.  Here's one from my grandma.  I've never tried it, but black bean fudge is pretty good, so maybe I'll give this one a go.

Easter 2020

Easter was pretty low key.  We dyed eggs the night before, I stuffed the plastic eggs that my sisters brought over with jelly beans and Ada was super cute.... she got up early, got dressed and did her hair to hide eggs for the kids to find.  She is a cute Easter Bunny.

Sam is so funny about his hair.... he hates when I cut it short, he says that he looks like a q-tip with short hair.  I think that's backwards.  I think he looks more like a q-tip when his hair gets fluffy like this.

We're all a bit of a mess, but we did our yearly Easter family picture.  These guys are growing so fast.

The dog decided to be part of our picture and even looked at the camera.  That made the kids laugh for sure.

April General Conference 2020

I'm not even sure what to write yet.  Several things have happened this weekend while listening to our prophet and the apostles.  There was a general call for putting our faith in Jesus Christ into action around the whole world.  I don't fully understand where this is going to hinge us as a church in the last days, but I do understand that we're in the final preparations.

This was the bicentennial conference, or the 200 years celebration, since God the Father and Jesus Christ showed themselves to Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove.  We've been asked to prepare spiritually for this conference.  I read the Saints v1 book to the kids and I have loved every minute of it.  I was impressed with how well the kids listened and I'm looking forward to reading the v2 together.  It is beautiful, faith lifting, and 100% from original sources.  They said that if the book says it was raining that day, the historians have it documented in original documents that it was raining that day.  We've read The Living Christ together and studied it as a family.  We took a church history trip to the early church sites this summer to help our kids humanize the stories that they've been hearing.  We read and finished the Book of Mormon and the New Testament as a family.  I'm reading the D&C.  I think the best thing that we could have done that didn't happen, was helping each of the kids to identify the Holy Ghost.  I've tried, but I still get kids saying that they don't feel it or they don't understand.  Maybe they will.  Enos took a while to understand.  My last effort is telling them that they have to intentionally invite the spirit, it won't just magically be there.

The things that I loved the most were:  Pres Nelson talking about standing in Holy Places and be not moved, the Hosanna shout and Solemn assembly, Bro Ballard talking about the Smith family was united through their trials, Ada commenting that she was probably one of the angels at the restoration (That would be so neat!), Joy Jones talking about how the Lord loves effort, , Bro Homes talking about choosing repentance for ourselves, Pres Eyring telling us to pray, pretty much everyone telling us to stay focused on Christ, Elder Renlund talking about having reverence for the givers, Bro Stevenson talking about foundations while the world shakes around us, and I especially loved Bro Gong's talk... he made me feel like Christ would be coming again at the end of the week, it's so thrilling to be in the last days.  

I loved that they spoke about temple work around the world and the world getting ready.  I also feel that this was a dedication of our homes all around the world in preparation for the coming of Christ.  I keep thinking about how exciting it will be to see grandparents and friends again at the resurrection.

After speaking about temples, we all got out our white handkerchiefs and the kids got to join us in the Hosanna shout.  I've been able to participate in it several times, but this one was my favorite because we got to do it as a family and with the entire world.  (I have gotten to do it at the Mt Timp, Winter Quarters, Provo City Center, Nauvoo, Oquirrh Mt, Draper, West Jordan, Brigham City, Ogden, Conference Center, Payson, temples and maybe a few more dedications.  Ada got to go to the Provo City Center temple dedication when she was 8.  She says she doesn't remember it well though.)   It was hard to get Seth to sit still for it and for Sam to sit up and pay attention, but hopefully they will realize what it was someday.

My Uncle Brad was called into the General Young Men's Presidency.  He's going to do great job.  I've loved seeing his spiritual progression through the years as he's gone from speaker and author, to mission president and religion teacher and now to working with the young men.  Perfect timing as they switch to doing churchwide FSY.  I've seen him as he's progressively understood more of the gospel and humbled himself as he teaches others.  

Personally, I wouldn't have met and married Jeremy or been able to work at home for the first 7 years without him, my dad and my Uncle Chris.  My sister and I lived in and helped my Dad upkeep and care for his home while he and his wife served as mission presidents in Chile.  That put me in Jeremy's ward where we dated and were married.  I worked with them as the MightyAuthors office manager, IT, shipping, design work, trainer, etc... I loved it.  He was also my professor for an education course that I took at BYU while I taught school in Kenya. He was so kind and let me drive his car for 2 years while they were gone, which helped me be able to get to school and work without a car payment which helped me get through school with no debts.  I'm excited that he will be part of the new YM program as Sam becomes a part of it.  It probably means that Sam will not be doing his maturation program with Uncle Brad (that was supposed to be in the next month or so, but with COVID-19...), but we'll survive.

After conference, we did a zoom meeting with my family and then Jer's family.  I love being able to see everyone.

This week's pictures

Seth was more motivated to work as long as we had a zoo live stream running.  He'd complete a page and check up on the panda/elephant/mole cat/etc....

The school kept asking if we were sure we didn't need to check out any electronics.  Yeah, Jer had us covered.  He's been collecting and fixing up old machines for years.  And now we have 5 of the 6 of us that needs a computer for 5-8 hours a day.  "All of his training has been for a moment such as this." (If you couldn't guess.  I'm the one that doesn't need a computer.)

The neighborhood had a chalk the block.  Decorate your sidewalks, then take a walk and enjoy everyone else's.  

On Sunday we got to talk to a lot of family.  It was so fun.  Jer set up a Zoom meeting and invited all his Robertson family to join.  Over the course of 2 hours we got to see and talk with 7 of the 9 siblings and his parents.  We also got to see Lizzie. She and Dusty had a suspected case of COVID, but they seem to be recovering okay.  She's working hard on her nursing courses and is as pleasant as always.  Grandma got another drain put in before they could officially begin the radiation... hopefully she heals soon so that she can finish off treatments and begin full recovery.  Jay had COVID.  He's a doctor in California.  All his elective procedures have been put on hold and he's just been doing what's necessary.  They ran out of masks and scrubs and have been having to improvise.  Amy has been sewing masks ever since and has actually put some good tutorials on youtube on how to make them and how to fit them to your face.  Robert was making bread while we chatted.  It was fun to see him all grown up.  He's supposed to be graduating this May.  I'm assuming that they'll let him even if he misses the last 3 months of school.

After we hung up with the Robertsons, we sat down to have dinner and my brother McKay and his wife called from Washington DC.  That was fun.  We got to chat and see that they're doing okay.  Sophie lost her job at Amazon and McKay can work from home, so they haven't been leaving their house a lot.  Aubrey loves homeschooling.  I loved seeing them smiling so much!  

I finished my "big" project.  I've never done anything with thread and nothing this big before.  I like how it turned out, but I wish it was about 4-5 inches bigger.  I'm not willing to buy more yarn for it though.  

Ada's been drawing all over the place.

The kids have all been running a mile a day, jumping on the tramp and doing Karve with Ada and I.  It's different.  My kids like to goof off on the treadmill and I don't want to end up in the ER with any skin burns so I have been supervising that particular venture.

Second week homeschooling

So we just finished our second week of homeschool and modified stay at home orders from the governor.  We're doing okay.  Some of the things that I have noticed as a mom: it's harder to get everyone to consistently brush their teeth, hard to track all 4 kids' school progress, there are more dishes to wash because we have everyone home 24/7 and also because Jer is more excited to bake because he has extra time on his hands.

Changes for this week:  I'm trying to be more organized because we probably will not be returning to school this year.  I have Seth and Ada mostly organized, but Sam likes to organize himself and Evelyn says she did things that she hasn't even tried looking at.... so there's that.  Ada and my Karve classes are online now, so Ada and I have been showing the family what we've been doing.  Sam thinks it's too hard.  Evelyn's ballet studio will start streaming their classes starting this week, so we'll have to make sure she's ready for them.  I wonder if I should ask for the $50 uniform fee back for the ballet in June.  I'm guessing that it won't be happening.  My daycare partner will be taking another 2 weeks of daycare for me.  I probably won't be open until the end of April.  (Even if I close during this outbreak, the state said they would not take away licenses from people who choose to close.)

We're halfway through pruning trees and bushes... then it has snowed off and on for the last week.  When it gets warmer we will finish prepping the garden and digging around the snow ball bush.  Unfortunately we need to cut down our big mulberry tree this year.  The tree guy says he gives winter discounts, so maybe we will wait until winter.  It's ready to split and I don't want it damaging our house, fence, swing set or kids.

I've had some virus.  Coughing, sore throat, swollen glands, diarrhea, tight chest.  The doctor did a virtual visit with me and doesn't think that it's COVID-19 or if it is, it isn't severe enough to even test for.  Apparently they are having a hard time getting testing available for regular doctors. He said that it takes about a week for them to get the results of their tests. I'm staying in the house just in case.  Seth and Evelyn coughed with me for a couple days but they all seem back to normal.  In Utah county we went from 11 known cases last week to 26 known cases this week.  I'm sure that there are many unproven cases, but we're looking okay so far.  The US has passed the number of cases over ever other country.  Over 120,000, with about 2,000 deaths.  Of course that's expected between our size, population and access to medical diagnosis, whether or not we actually have more cases than the rest of the world?  Who knows.  But we also have a smaller death rate than the other countries with high amounts of cases.

I suspect that our neighbor was a death from COVID-19.  I'm not sure, but it sounds suspiciously like one.  He was fairly healthy but older.  He and his wife got a severe cold, he was in his room getting dressed one day and passed out.  He ended up in the ICU, wouldn't let anyone see him.  His lungs filled up with fluid and he died about 3 weeks ago.  They said complications from pneumonia, but I don't know if they even thought to check for COVID-19.  We've only been looking at it locally for a couple of weeks.  He died right before that.

I kind of wish I had access to some different data too.  I have a hypothesis that I'm curious about.  I noticed that high altitude areas didn't have as many deaths.  I'm wondering if lung strength because of altitude has had an effect on recovery.  I've heard that humidity looks like it has been better for recovery.  But Switzerland, Austria, Luxemburg, etc.... tend to have very few deaths.

Today was supposed to be our neighborhood Easter Egg hunt.  We all put giant eggs up to decorate our houses.… then the kids could take walks and count them or chose their favorites.

So the month has been a different one

This month alone, we've had 2 snowstorms, the COVID-19 outbreak spread to Utah, a toilet paper shortage throughout the world, social isolation started including: all church meetings cancelled, General Conference all digitally, travel bans internationally, a 5.7 earthquake in Salt Lake Valley... a total of 107 in a 2 day period, the airport shut down, the Kennecott mine had a huge chemical spill because of the earthquake, school being done from home, all extracurriculars cancelled, dentist and doctors offices closed, the local nursing home closed tight (we can't even deliver a package), etc.... A lot of people being affected, worse internationally.  As a side note, our cousin Cyrus was baptized recently.  So excited for him.  I wish we could have been there.

Last Saturday, we threw a baby shower for Emma and her new baby Peter.  She wanted a dragon theme.  Ada and cousin Kate provided the artwork, Jer made flatbread to eat with our medieval meats, cheeses and fruits, and I put up construction paper to make our house look like it had brick doorways and fire in sconces on the walls.   It was 10 people instead of the 40 that were invited, but I was glad to tell her that we love her in person before everything gets bad.  She has about 3 weeks left because she's due on Easter, so we hope that there will be some normalcy before her life becomes so extremely different with her baby in tow.

For our home personally, all these changes has given us more time to deal with everything in general.  Jer is still handling the Bishop's schedule and setting up online meetings.  He's working from home (took over my sewing room. I don't mind because I'm more busy homeschooling and don't have time to sew.)  I have had last week and this week off from daycare, but there is a call for daycare providers to be open for medical and emergency response workers.  I'm debating whether I will or not.  Ideally we need to stay COVID free at least for the sake of Judy, who is starting her last step in her cancer treatments, radiation for 28 days, on Tuesday.  The doctors say that she's doing spectacularly.  Of course, she doesn't feel spectacular, but if she hadn't been as active before she wouldn't be doing so well now.  At least she has all of her drains removed finally and is much more comfortable.

I'm also a moderate risk person.  I've had pneumonia 3 times, allergic to mold, and high blood pressure.  I'm going to have to see how the spread is looking over the next week.  Financially, we're okay.  Jer and I would still both have incomes (mine would be about half as big as normal, but we're not living off mine... just using it to catch up on debt).  I'm not sure the money is worth me staying open.  We've so far been able to get everything that we've needed at the store.  Long lines and waits, but we've been okay.  We had toilet paper in our storage because of the daycare, and Macey's is wonderful about not letting people hoard things so that there is always enough on the shelf.  It does make it harder on larger families to get everything that they need though.  Many of my friends have to try several stores to find basic needs, but so far has found what they needed.  My neighbors are very good about trying to make sure that people that need certain things can find it.  

All of Ada, Evelyn and my exercise classes have been suspended.  We haven't stopped paying them, because we still have an income and we want them to still be open by the end of this.  Soccer got cancelled, so Ada and Sam have been left wanting on that one.  Piano lessons have been suspended too.  I don't mind that I don't have to run all over the place, but the kids are getting bored and both Ada and Evelyn have to be very on top of exercise for their adult feet to be able to carry them well and without pain.  Ada's and my exercise class sent out a couple of small videos to do from home so that all three of us can keep up with it.  I'm very grateful for technology.  Sam and Ada have been running on the treadmill and using the backyard to keep active.  Seth is constantly bouncing, so I'm not worried about him getting enough.  Jer is running during his lunch hour, so I think that's great.  I'm a little worried about Evelyn getting enough.  Her favorite thing to do at home is curl up in her bed and read.  Which is great, but now that she's home all day....  If this turns into a long term thing, I'm going to start teaching the kids piano lessons again.  Maybe I can get Seth interested and started as well.  He is reading now, so it would be much easier.

It's been interesting to work with different people on this.  Some people are fine not seeing people and going out.  Other friends are really struggling.  One of them, 3 of her 4 kids have special needs and she just had her 2nd foot surgery.  Her husband was given permission to work from home with one of his two jobs, but he has a second job just to make ends meet.  They live in a little townhome, so there's not a lot of room to run around and play especially for her autistic 10 year old.  I've been checking in on her, and physically she's okay.  Emotionally she's having a hard time homeschooling.

Homeschooling for us has been different.  I've always said that I wouldn't do well homeschooling.  I used to teach all the kids fencing and piano.  After those plus the normal moral and emotional lessons that moms teach, they were tired of hearing from me and would withdraw from me more.  I'm now sending them to a piano teacher and the fencing center closed down so I'm not their coach anymore and it's been great... but now I'm homeschooling.  Evelyn and Sam's teachers sent very clear instructions on what they expect from the students each day.  Ada received a pile of work and an expected due date for the pile.  Seth got a pile of papers and I get weekly emails from his teacher on what they would have learned in class that week.  This week was Ireland and St Patrick.    Ada's doing well, but has a heavy math load.  Sam is doing well, but he doesn't like being self-sufficient... he manages to do it anyways.  Evelyn says that she does it all, but I don't think she really is.  I'm not sure how to make her more accountable without me hovering every step of the way. She is doing some of it for sure, but I'm not sure about all of her work.  Seth is tired of sitting at the table about an hour in and gets frustrated with me for having to sit with him.  He tells me he doesn't want a run around break in between, but he sure acts like he needs one.  Yesterday he sat with his last two papers of the day in front of him.... He wrote SSSSSSS all the way across the Name line.  Then he complained forever that there wasn't room for his name and wouldn't move on from that point because it was awful.  Yeah, he went to bed after Mom tried being diplomatic without success.  He definitely came back a lot happier and was able to finish.

I have a harder time enforcing kid chores after enforcing kid schooling.  Luckily PE is still part of their curriculum and they generally like doing that one on their own.   So far, it's doable, but I honestly feel like they are not receiving everything from me that they could from their very capable teachers at school.  I can keep them from falling behind, but I don't feel like I'm enriching the curriculum at all.  Maybe if this turns into a 3 month thing I will have the hang of it, but I'm not enjoying it at all and I'm definitely a grumpier mom after school hours.  I've seen some things saying that this will be more of an 18 month thing.  If that's true, then Ada will be sad to lose out on her first year of Jr High and her international trip with Aunt Janelle.  We'd just registered for her classes last week and she is very much looking forward to it.  If that's true, we'll be fine, but probably we won't flourish.

Home church has been half and half.  Regular scripture study has been the same, and our "Primary" meeting went well.  But the sacrament meeting was full of grumpy kids.  Two of them were way more wiggly than they are regularly.  Sam was all doomsday and cloud over his head.  Ada shut her brain down and you could see her just trying to stay out of the way.  I talked to Sam after and I really think that it's just his reaction to having so many changes all at once.  It led to a very good conversation about inviting the Spirit into our own lives no matter what's going on around us.  We'll see if tomorrow goes any better.  Our Stake President authorized us to help our ministering families bless and pass the sacrament at least monthly.  Our ministering brother came and helped Jer bless and pass the sacrament.  It was special to me to see Jer taking his duties so seriously.  I've had stay at home church before.  Often growing up we would get special permission to hold sacrament meeting at Bear Lake during our reunions (Often we had 3 or 4 Bishops present with Uncles, Grandpa, my Dad or my great Uncles).  It's not a new concept for me, but for the kids it is.

None of my ministering families felt comfortable letting people into their homes, even briefly, so I just let them know that Jer is willing if they want him to come in and help. (Two of the three families are converts and often their priesthood holders have told me that they aren't comfortable using their priesthood on their own.)  Jer's ministering families said that they would do it on their own.  One thing that I feel like is great about having that extra minister in, it brings a sense of normalcy, a bit of peace and a chance to serve.

Here are my kid's impressions so far:
Ada - says that everything is kind of exciting.  She likes the changes and loves all the new things going on.  She looks at everything like a scientist I think.
Sam - says that it's all annoying and doesn't like it all.  Definitely not a big fan of big changes.
Evelyn - says that she likes the homeschooling, doesn't like staying home from church, thinks the earthquake was funny and the Corona virus.... not a fan.
Seth - likes all of it.  He likes everyone being at home with him all the time.

Emma's blanket that I made for Peter.

Ada on St Patrick's Day with her green pancake and whipped cream.

matching Sunday outfits

I sent everyone to get ready for church and we all came back somewhat matchy.... So I wanted a picture. Ada was too upset to take it before church and Seth was too wiggly to smile after church so it is what it is.

this week

This week Seth made his first homemade sushi. He had a great time. We also made wontons without Uncle Son for the first time...

I finished this for my niece's baby shower on Saturday. She said greens and blues, I hope it's okay. I'm excited to meet baby Peter in less than a month.

Our YW did a scripture scavenger hunt at the mall. Such a fun idea.