Well, That Escalated Quickly!

This picture was taken on Wednesday of last week.  That was roughly a week and a half ago.  Corona Virus, or COVID 19, was on the horizon.  It was reeking havoc in China, South Korea, and Italy and had caused quite a stir at a nursing home in Seattle.  We were advised to wash our hands profusely as we were introduced to a new term--- social distancing.

Our awareness was elevated, but no panicked.  Early last week life was moving at it's normal pace. Faith taught Peter to ride his bike.

Team Middle Kids combined forces to negotiate for pro-scooters for their birthdays.  I came home to a conference table set up in the family room.

When Faith throws her full weight of will into a project, it usually ends well for her.  In this case, the three of them got the scooters and now I don't have to worry about what to get them for their birthdays.  Win/Win.

On Thursday morning, Clark and I drove up to Rexburg to catch Bethany's chamber ensemble concert that evening.  It was a lovely drive with my eldest.  But while we drove, it seemed like everything changed.  Schools were closed, church was cancelled, college classes went online, dance, water polo, swim team, mission MTC plans rearranged.  COVID 19 was definitely hitting closer to home now.  And I'll talk more about that later, but truthfully, it was a fantastically lovely time with Clark and Bethany up in Rexburg.

We met up in the Snow building after one of Bethany's classes.

We took Bethany shopping for food she didn't actually need because it turns out that would be the end of her time in Rexburg until the fall (hopefully by the fall in-person classes will be a thing again).

This is also right about the time the food/milk/toilet paper panic set in.  Little did we know what valuable resources were within reach at the moment.

We got smoothies at Boba Luv and played a card game and I felt quite hip hanging with my college kid.

And truthfully, I really do miss Clark and Bethany while they are away at school, so it was a real treat to get to be with and just enjoy them.

We tracked down cousin Ford and loved catching up with him.

Turns out Bethany's concert was the last such gathering on BYU-Idaho's campus for the semester.  It was beautiful and I was so grateful to get to be there for it.  The young man on the far left is Ethan-- a friend of Bethany's.  We ended up seeing a lot more of Ethan in the following days because he ended up coming home with us for an extended weekend.  I'm telling you, Corona changed everything!  Bethany was planning to come home that weekend anyway to do some Miss Utah photography stuff.  We figured, nobody had anything going on for a few days, so why not?

Bethany's violin buddy, Clayton.  I've heard lots about Clayton this year, so I was happy to get to meet him.  He's currently has a mission call to Spain.  With all the changes with the missionaries because of Corona, hopefully he'll still get to go at some point.

I don't know how long all this Corona/COVID 19 will last, but I'm quite sure many things will never return to how they once were.  These are certainly strange times.  

Who is Brian Vaughn?

Last week Abe and I attended, perhaps, the most interesting, entertaining, bizarre, but seriously cool theatrical event I've ever attended.  "Make a Scene" was a Shakespeare Festival fundraising event, and thanks to the generosity of Andrea, we enjoyed a loved dinner and a theatrical reading of Much Ado About Nothing performed by a couple of the Shakespeare Festival actors and several of Utah's government, business, media, and educational leaders.   This group included Governor Herbert and his wife, Lt. Governor Cox and his wife, Sean Reyes, the president of SUU, our very own Andrea and many others.

This was our group at dinner.

There was plenty of ad libbing and laughter.  The fascinating thing to me, was this is an activity that, on a smaller scale, we have done with our closest friends.  We have enjoyed doing Shakespeare readings with our book club for many years.  But this was almost surreal to see these people who we kind of know because they are sort of celebrities in the community, but really don't know at all, doing this vulnerable thing of acting together on stage.

 Do you know who I am standing with?  It's Brian Vaughn.  You might ask the question, "Who is Brian Vaughn?"  It is a reasonable question.  One that I myself asked on my first trip to the Shakespeare Festival about 17 years ago.  Abe and I were sitting in an auditorium during a question and answer session.  The person leading the discussion kept mentioning Brian Vaughn.  Well, I didn't know who he was.  So I ASKED.
The auditorium errupted in laughter.  The snorting, mocking kind of laughter (or so it felt to me)-- disbelieving that anyone could be so foolish as to not know who this Utah Shakespeare Festival legend  was.  I have since seen him perform a few times and I understand why that audience reacted the way they did.  He is phenomenal and so enjoyable to watch.
Anyway, we've gotten a lot of mileage out of the "Who is Brian Vaughn" joke.

And now, here are my own little thespians who have been preparing for an audition for Herriman's Newsies this summer.

Don't Stop Us Now

Faith was one of several young women-- including Elinor-- who got their Personal Progress Young Womanhood Recognition Award last Wednesday night.  This program is now obsolete as the church has begun the new program for youth, but the deadline was extended for those young woman who were hoping to still finish the old program.  Elinor wasn't able to be at the Young Women's in Excellence meeting because she had a water polo game in park city.

Funny girl.

These three were all among the girls who earned it.  They are so beautiful!

Abe was happy to be there with her

We have an awesome neighbor who plays wiffle ball baseball with the neighborhood kids on beautiful spring day.

A picture of a screen of Bethany's recent Sinfonietta concert.  "I love technology-- but not as much as you, you see..."
Please tell me you caught that Napoleon Dynamite reference.

I sure do miss her.

I apologize if anyone reading this blog gets tired of seeing pictures of the Foxy Ladies, but you know, it is my blog and I guess I can put up whatever pictures I want.  These are my happiest moments and I want to be able to remember them.

Abe really misses getting to watch Clark with his high school robotics team-- Prototype X.  So he was happy to slip away from work and head next door to the Maverick Center to see his nephew Samuel compete with Provotypes (no connection to Prototype X).  Abe was back in his happy place:)

Today when Peter was doing his piano practice, I pointed out the "P" dynamic marking.  It means to play softly.  Peter said, "Whenever I see those I get offended because they mean to play softly and I am more of a LOUD kind of person".
Truer words were never spoken.

And we wouldn't have him any other way.

This next little video just makes me happy.  Kitchen dance parties work wonders to lighten the mood at home and I'm thinking we don't have nearly enough of them.  "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen is pretty much my favorite song these days.

Elinor's 17th Birthday

Elinor turned 17 last week.  I could not be prouder of her and I wish I could slow down time to keep her here at home a few more years.  She is a remarkable young lady-- driven, incredibly hard-working, kind, funny, unique, focused, honest, authentic, disciplined, gorgeous, talented.  Elinor is never concerned with competing with anyone.  She just strives to be her best self and appreciates others for exactly who they are.  And I adore everything about her and feel so thankful to be her mother.  

Elinor threw herself a birthday party last weekend.  Organizing a big group of friends usually makes her nervous and she generally avoids it, so I was a little surprised that she went for it.  But I am so glad she did.  She had a great turn out and it was lot of fun. There were kids from several areas in her life-- swim team, water polo, childhood friends, speech and debate.   

The played dodge ball with very soft rubber balls-- we learned our lesson after Faith's concussion.  This is team Riverton-- made up of the kids who live in the Riverton city limits.

The kids who live in cities other than Riverton.

Another round was water polo kids versus everyone else.  Man, those kids were vicious!

Sushi tag will be a new favorite game.

Pretty fun stuff.

Cade's shirt got ripped in one of the games-- so it was refashioned into this tank top apron.  Ha ha ha!  I wonder what his mom thought when he got home!?

Oh my.  Teenagers really are so much fun!

Happy Birthday, Elinor!

March 6, 2020

At the end of our Sacrament meeting last weekend, a member of the Stake Presidency announced there would be a special meeting at 3:00 at the Stake center where stake boundaries changes would affect our ward.  We have about the smallest ward in the stake, so while we were fairly certain they wouldn't put any part of our ward in a different ward, there were some nerves.  These four little beauties were anxious that none of them be separated.  Their wishes were granted-- our old ward stays completely in tact, and we are getting another part of the neighborhood added to our ward boundaries.  Smiles all around (for our ward, anyway).

We were happy to see Clark for a quick visit this morning.  He stopped by to grab some camping equipment and "steal" a couple cans of chili and protein shakes.  I keep telling him it's not stealing if it is there for the taking.  I'm just glad we get so see him every now and then.  After not seeing him for two years, it is still a treat to be able to call him anytime and have him unexpectedly show up at the house.

A scooter ride with a ballet boy (George) is never just a scooter ride:)

  Aren't little kids awesome?  Can you even imagine two giants holding your body this way?  I'd be dead.  Greta was genuinely willing and happy.

Bethany had her symphony concert up at BYU-Idaho last week.  I miss being able to attend her concerts in person, but I am grateful they live stream them.  What a marvelous time we live in!  One of these days we'll make up there.

And we're back to these two little funnies.  They both had a piano recital last night. Faith did not have her best performance-- and "lucky" for her my camera ran out of storage part way through.  So when we got home she played it for me to video.  She even included her own special introduction😂

Elinor's piece went better-- believe it or not, this isn't the best she can do this, but it's still pretty darn good!

It is a treat to get to hear them practice 

Brotherhood of Man

This may be one of the best pictures of these seven gentlemen ever taken.  Abe and his six brothers spent the last several days together in Las Vegas on their annual brothers trip.  From all reports they had a wonderful time and as much as we missed Abe here at home, I am happy he had this time with his brothers.  Since I wasn't there, I don't know all the background of each picture.  So, I'll just post them for you to enjoy.

They are great men.  Great husbands.  Great fathers.  Great friends.  And greatly blessed to have each other.