Goodbye April

April is the cutest of months and it always goes by so fast--even when you have nowhere to go. But I am so excited for May that I am okay with it being over.

Erica missed her friend Finley from school so much we arranged a video call. At first they were awkward and didn't know what to say but by the time they had to hang up an hour later, they were giggly and silly. Finley will be going to a different school next year because of a boundary change so Erica is sad about that.

 

This is my month. During a nonpandemic month, I have something on nearly every day. Besides a video-call piano lesson for Sarah on Thursdays, we got nothing.

 A couple of Fridays ago we drove to "Little Moab" on the west side of Utah Lake. It was so nice and a little weird to see so many people out and about camping and jeeping.

 We found a lot of cool rock formations to climb. My kids are too brave.

 Justin let the kids take turns steering on the dirt roads. I am so glad James doesn't drive for 13 more years. He was turning the wheel back and forth as fast as he could and get pushing Justin's hands away.

 This is our TV after the kids knocked it over. They had built a fort around it and when they took the sheet down, they pulled the TV over with it. I wasn't too mad since it was really old.  We discussed not getting a new TV since Justin and I rarely watch it but I didn't want us to be "that" family that didn't have a TV.

 We were that weird family for 48 hours. All is right in the world. (I have since straightened out my pictures on the wall, don't worry.)

Social distancing be d@#$%& we went to Justin's parents' house to roast hotdogs and marshmallows. It was sooooo nice to be outside and away from our house. The kids got to play on a swingset!

 I've been taking turns baking with my kids and trying really hard to only make something just once a week. One Sunday Erica chose to make Funfetti Bars. They were really easy for her since there was no measuring and this girl loves anything with sprinkles. They were okay--definitely a kid dessert.

 Erica made these flowers for Justin. I took a picture of them after a couple of weeks and threw them away. (We can't keep everything!)

 Pretty sure Erica took this picture of Henry.

 Because we 💗 smores and eating outside, we went up the canyon last Saturday night. There were tons of cars but the picnic area was empty.

 The kids kicked the ball around, the boys did some fishing, James got "really good" he says, at hitting a baseball.

 My good little smore maker.

 Here's more of cute Erica doing her homework. Schoolwork has been going well--especially after hearing stories from others at what a battle it has been in their homes. My kids seem fine about doing it and it doesn't seem to be to onerous (I keep expecting to hear from their teachers that they aren't doing it right or not doing it all but so far so good). Erica asked when she would get to go clean out her cubby and when I told her that her teacher would bring all her stuff out to the car, she started to tear up and then I started to tear up. This is hard. We mourning what we have lost. The losses dawn on them a little at a time and pile up. Field trips, track meets, kindergarten graduation, no mother's day crafts, never got so-and-so's phone number, all the good-byes.

 I hope that once May 22 rolls around and school would have been dismissed anyway, we will not feel the loss.

Speaking of school, look how cute my mom was in 1st grade! She's on the left in the dark dress with the lace ruffle across her dress.