April 22, 2020

I've been suspecting this for a few months, but I think this is proof enough--- FAITH'S HAIR IS GOING CURLY in a serious way!  This makes me so happy!  It's a family trait on my side of the family that in the teenage years hair can go from straight to seriously curly in a matter of months.  The under layers are  even coarser and curlier.  I suppose right now, really wavy is more descriptive.  But you just wait-- it's coming.

Considering how thick her hair is, this could be very exciting!  She wears is in a pony tail or bun so often that I wasn't entirely sure.  Every time she wears it down it has more body than it did the time before.

 I am about to reach out to a couple of cousins to ask for their curly hair tips and products.  

  This is how George felt during his math today.  Multiple digit multiplication.  He was a trooper.  School work is tough on days with perfect spring weather.  

Greta is usually quite good-natured.  Not so much yesterday.  She woke up on the "wrong side of the bed" and stayed there until she fell asleep that night.  I guess we all have grumpy days from time to time.  We just aren't accustomed to them with her.  

Today she was much more cheerful and our "Kitty" was back to her normal self.  

She likes to drink her kitty milk in a bowl on the ground.  And I can't think of any reason she shouldn't:)

More Cannon ballet pictures.  I really enjoy watching him during his virtual classes.  Here are some videos of him during his class today.  Sadly, his barre/chair wasn't a very secure, but hey, you make do during a pandemic.  Also, our new floors are great for ballet!

The last couple of days have been amazing weather.  The kids always want a "water day" before I think it's really quite warm enough.  Fortunately for them, Abe's temperature runs warm and he agrees with them.  This water party and this picture and pretty much all the fun in your life is brought to you by Dad!

How did people used to survive a pandemic before trampolines?  

... oh wait.  Maybe they didn't?  Sorry, that was a bad joke.  But anyway, we do have a trampoline and it is getting A LOT of use these days.  

Also, I got a new phone-- my first iphone.  Mind you it is a refurbished iphone 7 plus, but still.  It's an iphone and can I just say WOW!  Where has this camera been all my life?  I expect I'll be taking a lot of pictures in the next little while.  Also, was my old phone really that slow?  This sucker is FAST.

But even bigger than my new phone, and markedly more expensive, is the new roof we are getting this week.  I shall not go into details about just how badly we needed a new roof and how one company gave us a bid and the guy said it was the worst roof he'd ever seen (drama much? Sheesh!).  Sufficeth to say, it needed to be replaced and it's getting replaced and we are very happy.  And the next time it rains really hard (which hopefully will be when they have the roof all finished) I am going to sit on the spot where the roof has leaked in the past and just look up at it and enjoy my safe and secure shelter.

Also, the kids have really been enjoying playing baseball in the backyard.  Abe is convinced they will break a window, and I can't really disagree with him.  Our windows could probably use replacement as well, but let's deal with one major home expense at a time.  Roof first.  

One of the roofers was so nice and brought the kids a bucket of baseballs to use.  I don't know if he just has buckets of baseballs sitting around his house, but whatever the reason, it was thoughtful of him and the kids were thrilled.   

 Yesterday they delivered the shingles.  I suppose I'd never thought about it, but I didn't realize getting a new roof would be so loud.  Not complaining-- just commentary.  We haven't done anything much by way of home improvement since we moved into this house 13 years ago.  I swear, we've done more during "quarantine" than all those 13 years combined.  Based on the parking lot at the Home Depot when we drove by today, we are not the only ones sprucing up our home while we've got the time.   

Just Another Week in Quarantine

Okay, well, technically we are not "quarantined".  We aren't "locked down".  We aren't "sheltering in place".  Salt Lake County is under a stay-at-home order-- which basically means stay home unless you have to go out.  That does leave some room for interpretation, but for us, we stay home a lot.

We do go out to grocery stores and Abe and I do the occasional take out.  We have snuck out on a couple of car double dates with Daniel and Lori (Abe's brother and sister-in-law).  That is perhaps our "most dangerous" behavior.  I suppose a trip to the grocery store is more dangerous.  Our highlights are family hikes-- which you would think would be quite removed from many people, but a lot of people are out enjoying nature these days.
Anyway, a week at home passes so quickly and it is quite pleasant.  It seems strange, but I think we will look back with great fondness at this time of unprecedented family togetherness.

We got some good laughs with a game of Kahoot with friends.  For the record, I know nothing about Star Wars, but am really good with Jane Austen.  I mean, I don't want to brag, but I was the best with Jane Austen.  I am considerably lacking in many valuable life skills, but at least I've got THAT!

Cannon and George are doing Zoom ballet classes at home pretty much every day.  I have been really impressed with the quality of classes and the experience the boys are having with classes at home.  Peter and Greta and George also have classes with Wasatch Arts Center and once again, I am blown away with how resourceful they have been in providing effective and enjoyable dance instruction.

They are getting to know and work with faculty members at Ballet West Academy that they wouldn't have an opportunity to work with under normal circumstances.

I also really love that I am getting to watch them dance.  Normally I get to observe once or twice a year.  But I am getting a better understanding and appreciation of what they are learning.

On Monday morning I post on the refrigerator the dance schedule for the week.  Between classes and online music lessons (for the kids) plus the piano lessons I teach, our days are pleasantly full and pass quickly.

Faith was Greta's school teacher this week.  It was so cute and Greta was in heaven.  Faith made her a desk with all her supplies.

Greta knows a lot of her letters and sounds thanks to older siblings and Reading Eggs and The Letter Factory.  Faith was helping her learn to write them.  Like I told Abe, I don't think I'm even going to need to homeschool Greta.  I think Faith will have it under control! 

I remember loving to "do school" with my youngest brother and teaching him to write his name and such.  So as much as Greta loved it, I think Faith enjoyed it just as much.

Back in December or early January we were introduced to this super fun game-- Camel Up.  It was out of print for a while and this week we finally got a copy of it.  It's a camel racing betting game and as such it is somewhat addictive!  Great fun!  We'll probably play again tonight.  

When you can't get together with your besties.....a Zoom playdate is the next best thing.  They each got out their toys and played with their own toys simultaneously.  It does leave something to be desired, but at least it's some interaction!

The Brothers Fox rocked out in the basement.

Clark is staying busy finishing up the semester at UVU.  Of course it's all online right now.  He'll start summer classes which will at least start online.  Hopefully they can transition to in person partway through the term.  He is also working a lot at Subway.  He's got a job lined up with the Census Bureau, but that has been put on hold for now.  

In sad news, The Cat died this week.  We don't know what happened.  Abe found it dead on the grass near the drive way.  Now, I know we were not good pet owners.  I know we didn't really ever give the cat a name other than "The Cat".  I know it was known as our evil cat for quite some time.  Clark and Cannon might have felt some sort of actual attachment to The Cat at times.  We never touched it and it never touched us (its decision, not ours).  It birthed 14 kittens in it's short life and had more on the way.  We were not good about providing any appropriate veterinary care.  

Even still, we were shocked and saddened at its death.  Even so, most of the family was shamefully irreverent at its funeral.  We all tried to think of something nice to say about The Cat.  It was a stretch for some.  My gosh!  We are horrible people.

Can you still be friends with us?

On to a happier topic.  HIKING!!!!! Hooray!  It's warming up and we are back to hiking.  On Friday evening we hit up our favorite trails up Rose Canyon.  Lovely, just lovely.

All that hiking a couple summers back must have sunk deep into their souls.  They love it.  Peter is putting his full weight of influence into hiking and constantly asks when we are leaving on the next hike.  He likes it and that's good--- except when it's not good.  I do mean asking constantly.

Saturday we hiked up Corner Canyon on the Canyon Hollow Trail up to Ghost Falls.  We hadn't done this hike before we LOVED it.  There were lots of mountain bikers, but they are a very pleasant and polite group in our experience.  Anyway, we will look forward to going back there.

So yeah.  Hiking with the fam is my favorite thing these days.

On Saturday morning before the Canyon Hollow Trail, Bethany and I walked to the Jordan River Temple.  Of course, the temples are all closed right now and even the grounds are closed-- but it's about 4 1/2 miles, so we went for it.  And it was a lovely walk with a lovely daughter.  I think we'll try walking to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple next time.

Sunday evening Faith called for a Foxy Ladies Meeting on the trampoline at 8 pm.  If Faith feels she is being left out of important "more grown-up" conversations with older sisters, she has found it is very effective to call for a somewhat sacred Foxy Ladies Meeting.  In such a meeting all questions and topics are free game and answers must be truthful.  Faith will not be left out.

I guess we think we're pretty hot stuff:)

To get the most accurate and sensitive information, Faith insisted it we wear out uniform jackets.  

Easter 2020

It has been a truly lovely Easter Sunday.
From the top...

We're shameless, but it's tradition!  The kiddos (college kids included) come to our room and then line up to go downstairs for the Easter egg hunt and to see what the bunny brought.  I suppose at some point our adult children will refuse and we will respect their choice.  But until they do, line up and take the picture!

The mad dash down the stairs.  It's also tradition that the youngest child nearly gets trampled to death.  Good times.

Don't try to act like you aren't excited, Faith!

Nothing we do for Easter is terribly over-the-top, but the favorite tradition is the hunt for the little foil-wrapped chocolate eggs hidden all over the living room.  The hunt is over in about 45 seconds flat, but it's a tradition from my childhood and everyone gets a kick out of it. 

The littles are supposed to look low and big kids look high.  George, the master collector usually comes out with the most.

Greta was pretty thrilled with the whole thing.

All eight of them trading their Easter candy.  We don't understand how George came out with so much stuff, except that he loves stuff and he must be shrewd trader.

Greta insisted on wearing her Easter dress today.  She makes us happy.

One more of her just because. 
We did our home church service at 10:00 and it was so wonderful.  We sang Easter hymns.  Abe gave a talk about the resurrection and shared some thoughts that his dad, Jim Fox, shared at Tessa's graveside service.  Bethany threw together a musical number to share that was absolutely perfect.  We videoed it afterwards.

At Tessa's service, we had a friend sing "Consider the Lilies" and it sort of became Tessa's song for our family.

I will always treasure this recording of Bethany singing it.

After our church we all went to the cemetery to visit the grave sites of my mom and Tessa.  We made the comment that somehow cemeteries aren't sad places on Easter, rather because of Christ they are bright and hopeful and have a wonderful spirit about them.

Now this picture.  This picture is CLASSIC Peter.  We were wanting a picture of all the kids by Tessa's grave.  Peter was being "dead boy".  It's a game he likes to play.  We asked him to please stop being "dead boy" so we could take a nice picture.  Peter's response?  "I'm in a cemetery! Why can't I be dead boy!". 
So yeah.  Dead boy won with sound reasoning.

My loves.

George organized and planned and prepared an outdoor egg hunt this afternoon.  All Abe had to do was actually hide the eggs, George did everything else.  Hard to complain about that.

Once again, George the collector found the most.  He has a gift.  Now how to harness the gift and channel it for good?

Clark didn't stay all day, rather he headed back down to his apartment.  He was on the computer playing a game with Cannon when it was time for our Easter dinner, so he joined us virtually.  That couldn't have been very satisfying for him.  I told him I'd save him a plate and he could swing by tomorrow after work to pick it up.  Even still, I did feel rather guilty eating with him watching.
And now, the little ones have been put to bed and I think we'll finish the day off with watching a musical together.