What a year! 2020 will be one that won't be forgotton any time soon. I am composing this post in the middle of December 2020, and we just canceled our Christmas trip to Utah as the number of those infected with Covid-19 continue to rise drastically. My Uncle Tom was just admitted into the hospital after he tested positive earlier in the week. Two weeks before Thanksgiving, I started having cold symptoms and Faye, Carter and I had to get tested and were all negative. During that time, Christian's whole class was quarantined from school and had to do remote learning for 1.5 weeks with the last half of the second week being Thanksgiving break. Middle school and high school kids were switched back to remote only learning immediately after Thanksgiving, which was a bummer for Edmund and Faye as they weren't allowed to attend school the prior two weeks while we were awaiting everyone's test results. Carter was very happy to return back to school once his test result came back. Christian had a hard time going back to school. We are all hopeful a vaccine will help life to return back to some kind of normalcy. I don't think things will ever return back to how they were pre-pandemic, but if we can go through our routines without masks, gather with friends, family and church congregations, and attend music and theater events, I will be most grateful! Nevertheless, this is how we survived 2020:
Happy Easter!
the egg hunters
success!
Devon built a clubhouse for the kids. It was his first big project, and he did an amazing job! He even let the kids help paint (something I probably wouldn't have the patience for)!
taking a break from painting
backyard fun with the new clubhouse
Devon included a zip-line!
Christian earning the opportunity to play 1775 with Dad!
pure joy
Edmund received the game Dominion for his birthday. Hours of play and fun!
Happy 4th of July!
Pandemic or not, Grandma and Grandpa came to visit!
Devon built Ramona a chair for the clubhouse...
and let her paint it pink!
just being cute
Sliding into the pool
so much fun!
posing with his artillery
making cupcakes and candy out of legos and perler beads
1st day of remote learning. You can just see the excitement on Christian's face!
Edmund, on the other hand, was happy about school!
1st day of in-person school in the hybrid model. School at home from 9-12, catch the bus at 12:45 and in-person learning from 1-4. Again, the happiness is contagious!
Carter was truly excited!
Faye, 1st day of middle school!
Edmund, an old-pro at middle school.
And, an old-hand at cross country!
Apple orchard time!
I sent Devon to buy the baskets...$80 later and we were ready to fill them up. I think it took us 3 weeks, but we ate all those apples!!!
Pics at the sunflower patch next to the orchard.
Happy 39th!
Happy 10th!
Happy Halloween! Our very own candy chute to hand out candy socially-distant style!
My very own Elsa!
On Halloween night, she decided she was a flying Elsa witch!
The most honorable Duke of Wellington
Percy Jackson (from the book series Percy Jackson).
And, Katniss (from the Hunger Games).
Fun at the park. Every afternoon after the kids went to school, Ramona would request to go to the park. Coffman Park, Wellington Park, Stonefield Park, and Wyndham Park were favorites!
My try at a photo shoot. I still have to learn how to work my camera!
2nd Fall Photo Shoot:
