Stay Home, Stay Safe

I do not mean to make light of the current situation we are in regarding COVID 19.  It is very serious-- or at least I believe everyone who is telling me  it is very serious.  Here in Utah the catch phrase is "Stay Safe, Stay Home".  This meme I saw accurately captured much of what our experience has been thus far.  You  know I am an avid Jane Austen fan under the best of circumstances.  But now, we are embracing the Regency lifestyle in a way we've never dreamed of before!  For example, going on a walk is the highlight of the day.  All day long we plan when we're going on our walk.  We practice our music, we read, we sketch, we plan our meals, we don't go anywhere and we don't really see anyone.
Truthfully, for us, it hasn't been too bad.

And can I get a shout out for the miracle of technology!!! Can you imagine this all happening 10 or 15 years ago?  What a mess.  I mean, it's rather a mess now, but look--- the boys are doing their ballet classes at home.  I am teaching piano lessons video chats (or at least starting next week I will be).  Elinor and Faith are doing their speech and debate class on Zoom.  Bethany and Clark are finishing all their college classes online.  We've done Zoom meetings with both sides of our family and friends. It's pretty amazing.

Elinor gave Greta a Jane Austen inspired hair-do.

My first puzzle of the Corona season.

At the beginning I mentioned that I believe the current situation is as serious as the experts (and non-experts) say it is.  Mostly.  We are strongly encouraged and directed to stay home.  Stay away from people.  Be safe.  And that's pretty much what we're doing.  But I confess, at times, I do wonder-- really?  REALLY?  Is this really unprecedented?  And is it it really necessary?  Is there really no time in our entire history that suggests we have been through similar pandemics and survived?  And yes, I am familiar with the 1918 flu pandemic. I suppose it's somewhat unprecedented that we shut down the entire world for such a pandemic.  I don't know.  The whole thing is crazy and strange and frankly, it's scary.  There is concern about the financial fall-out.  So far, Utah's numbers seem to suggest we are "flattening the curve" with all our social distancing.  There are places in the country that are faring much worse-- New York, California, Washington.  

I really liked this quote I saw this week.  I am grateful we have found a great deal of peace in our home from enjoying our relationships with one another and the simple, small enjoyments of family life.

Since Peter learned to ride his two-wheeler over the last couple of weeks, it was time for the traditional bike ride with Abe to Peterson's grocery store.

I guess it wasn't quite staying home like we are supposed to.  But it made Peter's whole week and tired him out a little earlier today.  Which seemed worth it.

Faith's Social Distancing Birthday

This was a birthday none of us will soon forget, thanks to our amazing friends and neighbors.  This morning I put the message out to our ward Facebook group and group chats that we'd be going on a family walk at 3:00 and it would be fun if anyone wanted to pop out on their porch and say hi and wish her a happy birthday.

They responded with such kindness and love and it filled us all up! The Chase's had balloons for Faith.

The social distancing dinosaur street party! Not something you see everyday, but it sure lightened our hearts.

The Navarro's sang her "Happy Birthday" from their porch and left her a little gift on the mailbox.

The Robinsons brought out the pots and pans and honked the horn as Faith paraded by!

The Snows met up with us on their family walk and they had a little treat for Faith.

The Hamiltons with their "Fai-Fai" sign:)

The Endemanos-- Enoch is the only following the 3-6 ft. recommendation, but since they're pretty much like family...

A social-distancing hug at the Shaws.

The Larsen's tracked her down for birthday wishes.

The Butterfields left a message just in case they missed us walking by.  So sweet!

Kind of funny how we all stayed on our side-- such strange times.

A sign on a front door for her.

I'm telling you, we live among some of the best people I have ever known.  I'm so grateful for their goodness.

The boys giving their best ice cream, blue-steel stare.

It was a simple family cupcake and ice cream celebration.  It seemed appropriate considering the circumstances.

She's 14 and she's celebrating her birthday in the middle of a pandemic, right after an earthquake and kitchen floor flood.  These be nutsy times, but the world is better because Faith is in it.

Isn't She Lovely

We don't know what will change with the Miss Riverton Scholarship Competition (currently scheduled for May 9th) or the Miss Utah Competition (currently scheduled for the last week of May).  I'm sure both events will at least be postponed.   But whatever happens there, she was scheduled to have her portraits done this weekend and we were very pleased with how they turned out.

The photographer threw this little beauty in for fun. Dang, I make her look good:)

The Magic House

Does anyone else relate to this lately?
On Wednesday morning Utah had a pretty good sized earthquake right around 7 am.  It was a 5.7 magnitude with an epicenter in Magna.  We didn't have any damage, but it was rattling.
On the same day we also awoke to a flooded kitchen floor from a leaky dishwasher.  So yeah.  The next day the power went out for the afternoon.  So, if you're keeping track, that is a pandemic, earthquake, flood, and power outage all in one week-- almost one day!  Admittedly, including Faith's concussion, 2020 is not going particularly well.

For a couple days we had loud fans blowing and the kitchen floor is currently torn up while we go through the process of insurance and choosing flooring, and getting a new dishwasher.  It has made more an even squishier, more chaotic social distancing time.  Oh well.  What are you going to do?  Our family motto of "Make it Work" is more applicable than ever.  In good news, when we come out the other side of this, we'll have a really nice new kitchen and living room floor!

We were feeling really classy having our 11 person corn dog feast in the living room.  And on that note, we were over Utah's recommended/mandated 10 person gathering limit.
Just think how nice my floor will look.  Focus on the floor:)
But now let's talk about our magic house.  For many years we have talked about our magic house-- how somehow this house becomes whatever we need it to become.  It fits however many people we need it to fit.  We rethink the living space and rearrange the furniture and somehow it always works.  We pare down what we really need and what's most important to us and we are snug and cozy and happy.

 Yesterday Bethany and I drove up to Rexburg to collect all of her belongings and check her out of her apartment.  Bethany is not known for her minimalist living, so it's a trick to get her comfortably settled back at home.  But I have faith in the magic house-- it will work.  It's working already.

These two got busy combining their belongings into the same room again.  Good thing they like each other so much.

And a good thing they both embrace the minimalist lifestyle!

The Show Might Go On

Last Friday night Bethany, Cannon, and George auditioned for Herriman Arts Council's summer production of Newsies.  Cannon and Bethany did Newsies with Bluffdale last summer, but I guess they just didn't get their fill of it!  I know I sure didn't get enough of it!  I loved it so much!

Bethany auditioned for the part of Katherine, Cannon for Crutchie, and George for Les. These audition process was quite lengthy-- at least compared to what we're used to with Bluffdale.  They sang a prepared piece on Friday night and they all made call backs, which were Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings.  

They spent the time in between learning the dances.  

I love watching George tap.  I won't keep you in suspense.  George didn't get the part of "Les" but he did get cast as a Newsie-- Which is no small thing because it's our understanding this was quite a large and competitive audition.  I was so proud of him.

Cannon didn't get the part of "Crutchie" (which he was really too young for), but he DID get the part of "Les", which he didn't even audition for since we thought he was too old and tall for.  So Cannon will be Les for two summers in a row.  It's a pretty big part and he is excited!

Bethany didn't get Kathrine, but she was cast as a named lead newsie, so she is thrilled.  She will also be one of the Bowery Beauties.  

And here they are all together and it makes me very happy:)

Rehearsals are about three weeks out--- IF THE SHOW HAPPENS AT ALL:(  I'll keep you posted.

Family Time in a Pandemic

In this strange time of the Corona/COVID 19 pandemic there are a lot of concerns about the availability of health care and the impact on the economy.  We can practice social distancing to help with slowing the spread of the virus, but I'm not sure what can be done on our part in regards to the economy.  These are uncertain times.  But something I am certain of, is there will be many beautiful moments amid all the chaos.  I am seriously DIGGING the family time.  Family walks are a favorite.

Family game time.

Team Middle Kids got their scooters and they ride day and night.

On her way to becoming an "accomplished" young lady:) Am I the only one craving Jane Austen books and movies these days?

The Legos are essential for keeping little and not-so-little ones occupied.  The ballet bar to keep our dancers in shape while classes are cancelled.

Family read-aloud time.  We are on the 4th book in the Little House on the Prairie series--On the Banks of Plum Creek.  I love these books.  The "Little House Effect" has perhaps not been scientifically studied, but I swear, it is a real thing.  "The Little House Effect" is that when children and families are exposed to the content of these books, they are calmer, happier, more grateful, kinder, have realistic expectations of work and chores and limited desires for material things.  They are miraculous and I highly recommend them for all ages.

And Abe is working from home now and it is going really quite well!  Are we surprised that it is going well?  Actually, yes, a little.  We are loving having him closer all the time and where he can just pop downstairs to join us for lunch and breaks.  No commute time and not gas expenses. Can we just do this all the time?

Clark is in and out-- sometimes at his apartment in Provo, sometimes at work at Subway and sometimes home.  He brought his Heroscape to play a game with the siblings.

Bethany began her classes online this week and it went as smoothly as could have been expected.

Green waffles for St. Patricks Day-- although we were a day late.  Faith usually keeps her hair tightly contained in a bun or pony tail, but this was one of those rare moments when it is down.  Her hair is doing what several Cannon family members hair has done when they reach teenage years-- the texture has completely changed and I dare say she is headed towards a VERY curly head of hair.  We may need some advice for taming it!

The traditional St. Patty's Day leprechaun hunt.

So exciting!

Tradition is very good at times like this.

The boys had a Two Towers movie night.

This was the Saturday night before all the dine-in restaurants were closed on Monday.  Abe and I and Bethany and Ethan were going to go out to dinner together for Bethany's 19th birthday.  We decided to go to Olive Garden-- the same restaurant Elinor and her friend Joe would soon be arriving.  Did we know they were going there? Did we do this on purpose?  Why yes, we did:) The four of us ate our dinner, then went and surprised them.  They were good sports and it was it was good feelings all around.