2020 Blue Jeans Week 17

Man, what a week.  This week was kind of hard.  We should have been in Utah with our oldest and at her college graduation.  That didn't happen.  My two youngest should have been in Washington D.C. for a National school competition.  That didn't happen.  At my husband's work, he had to lay off some people.  That was tough.  Lots of things going on right now.  I went grocery shopping in a mask.  When in my whole life did I ever imagine I would need to do that?  Kind of disconcerting. Lots of hard things, but we have a lot of be grateful for.  We got outside a lot and enjoyed nature.  We are grateful for technology that allows us to stay in contact with our college girls.  So much going on, but then we are just at home doing nothing it feels like.  What crazy times!  Take a look at our week....

Our Sunday "church" with our college girls.  Grateful for zoom!

Our Sunday walk on the trails.  It has been beautiful weather!  I am grateful for nature!

What I have been studying lately.  I am grateful for scriptures and for my Savior Jesus Christ!

My son's socks that were in the laundry this week.  Seriously?  We go on where and he wears this many pairs of socks?  But I am grateful I have a washing machine and it is easy to wash all these socks, and then he has to put them away. 

Some beautiful tulips from my yard.  I am grateful for flowers and the color they bring!!!

Did my once very two week grocery shopping, and I had to wear a mask!  That was like of crazy.  When in my whole life did I ever think I would need to wear a mask in public and to go grocery shopping?  Never.  Crazy!  Kind of disconcerting and I had to convince myself that, yes I could breath through it, and no I was not going to have a panic attack as I felt like I couldn't breathe (even though I could). But I am thankful that the store had everyone I needed on my list and I went right when it opened so there were very, very few people there.  The new "normal" shopping in a mask.

Went on a family bike ride this week.  I am thankful for my family and we enjoy doing things like this together and that we can do things like this together!

Miss A and her graduation pictures, minus the actual graduation :)

Super, super proud of this amazing young lady!  Wish we could have been there to be with her, but so love her and so proud!  

Excited so see what her future holds!  Law school in the fall!

Ben and Miss E playing a game one afternoon this week.  I am grateful we have lots of games as we still continue or daily routine of playing one every day.  

Saturday we had a bonfire and roasted hot dogs and had s'mores.  S'mores are one of my favorite things!  I am grateful for bonfires, roasted hot dogs and especially s'mores!

Hope you had a good week.  Stay safe!

2020 Blue Jeans Week 16

In some ways we seem to be adjusting to the "quarantine normal" but in others, I just struggle.  We are fine and healthy, Ben still has a job, my kids at college are fine and healthy.  We just stay home and only go to the grocery store once every two weeks.  We hike or bike or walk outside every day we can.  That has been our saving grace.  We read books, watch movies, play games, and try not to get on each other's nerves too much.  We try to give each other space.  Such a weird, unique time.  Kids are still making dinner every night. I love that.  We miss church, our friends, and normal school activities.  Today we should have been flying out to my oldest daughter's university graduation. Hard to see that on the calendar today and that it is cancelled.  So, yes, hard times, but we are blessed.  Take a look at our week.... 

Easter Sunday we did a turkey breast in the instant pot.  First time for Miss E to do that.  It was not her favorite thing, but it turned out amazing!  Happy Easter!  He is Risen!

And thought I would take some pictures of "school" right now.  Mr J doing his jazz band class in the basement.

Miss E doing her "school" one day this week.

And the kids trying to entertain themselves and not drive each other crazy.  Getting outside helps a lot.  We are grateful we have had nice weather to get outside!

One of Mr J's school projects was to write a story.  Very appropriate title to our lives right now!

I had a bunch of strawberries that needed to be used, and so I made our favorite strawberry jam!  Yummy!

And then I made another new recipe for me this month to go with the strawberry jam--homemade English muffins!  

Hope you and yours are safe and healthy!  Wash your hands, stay home and prayers things return to normal as soon as possible!  Have a great week!

2020 Blue Jeans Week 15

Even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, there is much to be grateful for!  I am grateful for good books, friends who keep in touch, family who is always there, a warm home to live in, food to eat, eyes that see the flowers of spring and ears to hear the birds that sing.  I am grateful for sunshine and light, and I am especially grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and the peace and love He gives me.  Even when life seems unreal, He is real.  I was grateful for Holy Week last week and the time to study His live and His words, and it gave me great peace.  I hope you are also able to find some peace in this crazy time!  We had a good week.  Talk a look...

I made cinnamon rolls on Sunday as we watched our church services online with our worldwide General Conference.

Miss O at Miss A's place also watching General Conference, but she was also watching it in sign language as she is studying that in college.

We try to get outside every day in our yard or to the trails by our house.  Got to the trails today and enjoyed a beautiful hike!

Trying new recipes as the kids cook for us each night.  Tonight Miss E made shakshuka.  It was good!

Kids getting outside and playing some "tennis"

Making Easter cards to mail to family and friends this week just to keep in touch and hopefully brighten someone's day.

My new recipe for the month of April was homemade marshmallow eggs.  Miss E and I did it together and Mr J helped dip them in chocolate.  Yummy!

Our annual Easter egg hunt looked a little different this year than in years past, but I think these two still enjoyed it.

And our egg dying results.  Looked good!

Hope you were able to enjoy your Holy Week!  Prayers all are safe and healthy where you are!  Have a great week!

2020 Blue Jeans Week 14

What a stressful, crazy time!  Miss E said the other day, "we will be able to tell people 'We survived CO-VID 19'"  yes, this will be a historic event for sure that we will be talking about for a long time.  We are healthy and doing well.  Ben still has a job, so that is a blessing.  "Home schooling" week one was last week, and I think it went pretty well.  We are grateful we can walk outside and go to the nature trails close to our house.  Still playing a game every day, and that has been good.  Ben is also reading a book out loud to us.  We just finished Brandon Sanderson's Star Sight, and we started Harry Potter #1 last night just for fun.  Can't go wrong with those books, and it has been a while since we read them.  So much to be thankful for!  Hope you all are safe and well!  Stay home, wash your hands and stay healthy!  Take a look at our week...

We played the board game Pandemic today.  It is a cooperative game.  First time we played it we lost in 5 minutes, so we played again and actually WON the 2nd time we played.  Feeling optimistic that we can beat this thing!

Are they doing bear hunts where you live?  They are in our area.  You put out a teddy bear and then kids can walk around and go on a "bear hunt" (based on the children's book Going On a Bear Hunt) in the neighborhoods and find them in people's windows.  I have seen a lot of bears out.  This is ours.  

Spring is here and the trees are blossoming!  These are the ornamental pear trees in our front yard.  So pretty!

Continuing with my goal this year to make something new and unique each month.  For March I waited until the very last day and was limited by what I could make because we hadn't been to the store in a while, but I did decide to make Joanna Gaines' cinnamon squares.  They were good, but we all decided we liked regular cinnamon rolls better :)

The new "normal" piano lessons today at home over the computer.  So grateful for technology that still allows us to do these things!  

Enjoying the outside--Mr J showing off on the trampoline while Miss E watches.

Our Easter Eggs to put up in the front window.  Now our neighborhoods are replacing our bears with big Easter eggs so the kids can walk around and find Easter eggs in people's windows.  Fun stuff!

I have put my kids in charge of planning and making all dinners here for the last 3 weeks.  They are doing a good job.  These are their menus for the last two weeks.   They plan the 2 week menus and then we make a grocery list, and I head to the store, so we only have to go once every 2 weeks which is nice!  Lots of yummy stuff they have been making, and I love not having to make dinner!!

Thanks for visiting!  Stay health!  Wash your hands and stay home!  We will get through this!  Prayers for all!