The Blomquists Visit

As I mentioned before, the Blomquists (Mara, Ricky, and Emma) arrived Saturday night. They are the first family members to visit us since February. We stayed up late talking and were all super tired on Sunday, but it was worth it. Sunday was a good day to rest and relax.

Monday, we went to McConkie Ranch to see the petroglyphs. I hadn't been in 8 years! It was fun to compare pictures from 8 years ago. I look a little older, but not much has changed. We hung out in the afternoon and then celebrated Mara's 25th birthday with grilled sausages, potatoes, grilled zucchini, and devil's food cake. After the kids went to bed, we played the new game Mara got, Robinson Crusoe. It's really involved the first time, but fun.

Tuesday, Ricky had homework, so we got a takeout lunch for a double date when he had a break. After dinner, Mara and I went to yoga, which was relaxing. We played another round of Robinson Crusoe but lost this time.

Wednesday, we hiked to Cassidy Crack and had a picnic lunch afterward at Josie Bassett's old cabin. I then made Joseph and Emma's cheesecake for today since it needed to chill. We made grilled pizza for dinner, bathed kids while the men went hunting, and finished the day with another round of Robinson Crusoe. I really like cooperative games since I'm not a very competitive person.

Today, we celebrate Joseph's 10th and Emma's 1st birthdays. Hers is today, and his is on the 30th. I can't believe I've been a mom for almost 10 years now. We're having fajitas for dinner (grilled, of course) and will then open presents and enjoy a chocolate peanut butter cheesecake. I can't wait! The other adults are out shooting right now, hence the blogging. It will be sad for everyone to leave after dinner today, but it's been a really fun visit. We will have just enough time to get ready for our trip to Rexburg on Saturday.

Fossil Hunting, The End of School, Garden

James went fossil hunting with his friend Devin last Saturday. They found a lot of cool and interesting things. Devin came for dinner Sunday since his family was out of town. He's the first non-family member to be in our house since March.

I didn't take pictures this past week because I didn't feel like there was much going on. The kids did their last school assignments on Tuesday. Yesterday, we drove through the school parking lot to say goodbye to all the teachers and pick up the last of the kids' stuff. I made some bread for them, and they seemed happy about it.

I finished my class on grilling. I still need to do the assignments for the photography one, but I haven't been in the mood. I made my first solo grilled thing the other day: yellow squash. It was absolutely delicious. If you ever feel like you're tired of cooking, try getting a new appliance. Cooking familiar foods in a new way is really exciting.

Though the nursery didn't have as much to offer as normal, I got plenty of things to grow for our garden. I unfortunately killed the tomatoes by forgetting to water them. Oops. While I was at yoga, James fenced in the garden for me! That means we can plant today or tomorrow, as soon as I feel not so lazy. Sometimes, it's hard to want to be outside, but once I've been in the yard for a while, I feel pretty good.

Next up: the Blomquists are coming to visit! They arrive Saturday night, and I can hardly wait. Until then, we're going to party through the last official day of school (tomorrow) by stuffing our faces with all the delicious foods we can. We'll start off the day with some treat cereals and probably finish with a movie. :)

Kenny's Baptism, Ice Cream Truck, Jones Hole, Mother's Day, Burned Out

(This is the quarantine, weeks 8 and 9. I am really tired of using that as my title because who knows how long this is going to drag on?!)

Though we weren't able to stick to the original plan with Kenny's baptism (inviting all the family), it was a really special experience. We got to the church in 2 trips since the big car was in the shop. Every family member got to participate in the program in multiple roles since it was just us, the bishop, and his wife, who is part of the Primary presidency. Kenny came up out of the water with a big smile on his face. I was really excited to be a witness with Joseph. I know we'll always remember this day. It was really special to sit in a little semicircle right next to the font.

The Primary presidency came around with an ice cream truck, and it was so fun to see everyone from a distance. They gave out ice cream bars to the kids and adults. The kids were so excited, they waited outside the whole time until it got to our house. I think we were the last stop because of where we live.

We took a trip to Jones Hole fish hatchery with a picnic lunch from Subway. The kids really loved it, and I even made a fun playlist for the drive.

Mother's Day was all right. I got some fun presents and tried to relax, but it was hard. I didn't do any dishes or change diapers, though.

James has still been using the grill a lot. I love trying new things, and grilled foods are usually a level up on deliciousness. I've been listening to a Great Courses class on grilling along with the photography one. I'm way behind on the assignments, but I'm keeping track so I can do them when I'm in the mood.

Everyone is sick of school, especially me. I'm trying to do the bare minimum to get us through next Friday, which is officially the last day!!! It's really hard to manage the burnout. Some things are completely back to normal, like grocery shopping. I can get everything without substitutions. Some are on the way, like yoga in person or going to the library (mask: mandatory). Spots for yoga are limited, though, so I have to remember to message the teacher beforehand, and I'm not always good at that. Though Utah is at "orange" for risk level, that still means no church, travel to NC, or playing with friends. James and I both have masks for the rare occasion we have to go inside a store.

I just want this to be over.