tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39191527236227745142024-03-13T23:19:12.567-07:00EvY at HomEEvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.comBlogger2284125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-59041033851240422152024-03-07T14:50:00.000-08:002024-03-07T14:53:32.134-08:00Our Joyful Winter<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica; white-space-collapse: preserve;">March! How is it March? In a few weeks we will celebrate a resurrected life and welcome the feast of Easter and usher in Spring and Eastertide. The snow will thaw (figuratively I mean come on I live in Los Angeles), the flowers will bloom. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-85f5a22a-7fff-47a5-ff2f-3f2e116c6fb9" style="font-family: helvetica;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It’s been quite a winter. Our best ever! I took the bull by the horns and knew that if I didn’t set up a system in place to survive the winter and fight the dementors of depression that the winter would feel barren and dead instead of how the Creator intended it with hibernation and rest. I wanted to embrace the beauty of winter and surrender to its truths and rhythms. There is a time for everything and this was the time of preparation for growth and life. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I started small and found a pinterest article on how to embrace winter and one of the ideas was to try some “Hygge”. Oh boy did I! It’s the Scandinavian way of embracing the cozy lifestyle during winter. I listened to the </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30045683-the-little-book-of-hygge" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Little Book of Hygge</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and got the basics down and I was ready to begin. The </span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/hygge/comments/lqbi7d/i_recreated_the_hygge_manifesto_for_print_links/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hygge Manifesto</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> lays out the 10 basics of Hygge: Atmosphere, Presence, Pleasure, Equality, Gratitude, Harmony, Comfort, Truce, Togetherness, and Shelter. Listening to the book with the author’s Danish accent transported me and filled me with hope for a joyful winter. Joyful Winter, two words that I never imagined putting together.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghduWD41Xr3TyZzzoU4StidIxCqeqSLkogWepTMUcaxqGUZXoRsSad7SWwEwoJ0f3iqNzwQReCvWkSewhyphenhyphenYVBdw_pWw6idoovQJfzaLQ1iKXZhwjQjZ-vr8x88F_tUsdwXSD68tWOWgxHkrDlA1awldLatI3TusI8nOS-KEoVzbl9YWleZ4THkBWXsXHg/s1080/pur986hx96j61.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghduWD41Xr3TyZzzoU4StidIxCqeqSLkogWepTMUcaxqGUZXoRsSad7SWwEwoJ0f3iqNzwQReCvWkSewhyphenhyphenYVBdw_pWw6idoovQJfzaLQ1iKXZhwjQjZ-vr8x88F_tUsdwXSD68tWOWgxHkrDlA1awldLatI3TusI8nOS-KEoVzbl9YWleZ4THkBWXsXHg/s320/pur986hx96j61.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I used to decorate for Christmas primarily using silver, black and white (except the colorful office) in a scheme I called Cozy Cabin with buffalo check, pine cones, camping lanterns, wood, cozy textiles, and so many candles. The past few years I craved red and green so instead we keep the Black and White cabin things for use post Christmas. It’s a nice transitional decorating scheme for my brain that likes her environment to indicate her state of life.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Not that the Hygge lifestyle requires any type of purchasing of things but we did find one item to be crucial to add to the whole vibe… a little electric fireplace. You should have seen the puppy dog eyes we pulled on Matt to get him to agree to it and how hyped the kids were when it arrived!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZj8iTKn43dN1UFUaQa5cFzMGseqXqbsGZvG3bx3vud3ZDJP23OlUIpIWqrxs7U5q9LjkB7SN41SQn9xsuj9iABu-5fJVWh0x_rmXppfB-N2ap-qu_YsvIDv9oFHZxW0qn1-DGX7R-jsB8L0mrFyzmJmNiQ3DTHkSqA_zszrrMYUG5OqkOX8_8ZaC-O5o/s4032/IMG_0561.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZj8iTKn43dN1UFUaQa5cFzMGseqXqbsGZvG3bx3vud3ZDJP23OlUIpIWqrxs7U5q9LjkB7SN41SQn9xsuj9iABu-5fJVWh0x_rmXppfB-N2ap-qu_YsvIDv9oFHZxW0qn1-DGX7R-jsB8L0mrFyzmJmNiQ3DTHkSqA_zszrrMYUG5OqkOX8_8ZaC-O5o/s320/IMG_0561.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I have created tiny Hygge cozy monsters with my children and spouse. They have leaned into the cozy and it makes the long nights feel fun and loving. We have warm lighting with electric candles, nice scented candles, the fireplace going, a corner of the couch we call ‘cozy corner’, a heated blanket, books, magazines… I make soup and fresh bread. We slow down. We Sabbath. We nap. We take walks when we can as often as we can. The strangely rainy days have not hampered our spirits. My mental health this winter has been the best it’s ever been. Even when we added Lent and fasting! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUHhNSciqstnhS0qzu4gvw9klud2QNoB_D88eNlWwcNNHWCxLlXPxXPb0tnF656FwB3w898vKEGBsUToNfj5tNY5rY7DcaI-pHIK_Oo8LmENKPDIMWiUCrxGGmvsvj_q7GouGsNeLWwUzIKiwj3fkFNlWrrDJiQcGDuqVOKrwrvcRiZ8BA1xq1xk_7z8/s4032/IMG_0564.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUHhNSciqstnhS0qzu4gvw9klud2QNoB_D88eNlWwcNNHWCxLlXPxXPb0tnF656FwB3w898vKEGBsUToNfj5tNY5rY7DcaI-pHIK_Oo8LmENKPDIMWiUCrxGGmvsvj_q7GouGsNeLWwUzIKiwj3fkFNlWrrDJiQcGDuqVOKrwrvcRiZ8BA1xq1xk_7z8/s320/IMG_0564.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div>It’s literally my job to get ahead of everything, to see the future and where things could go wrong and anticipate the pitfalls and steer my team away from failure. I am good at it. I am good at imagining possibilities and problems with my vocation. But. It’s a lifelong lesson for myself to be in the current season and not get too ahead of myself either. To be grateful for where I am and where my family is and take it the next right thing at a time. A step and step again. I’d be tempted during this time when reading a terrific magazine heralding the coming of Spring to start plotting the Spring recipes or parties or decorating or trips and start feeling like I am already behind. But that’s not true. Advertisers and retailers have to be constantly in the future so you feel that you can’t keep up. Lies. </span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Where you are is just enough as it is. Be present to the current season. Even if it's winter.</span></p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-29848444519235942642023-11-28T20:46:00.000-08:002023-11-28T20:46:13.978-08:002 bundt cakes and 15 books<p> <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">How do you measure a year? </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c2193cf0-7fff-54ef-5016-896270458abd"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Is it counted by how many Trader Joe’s frozen soup dumplings I’ve eaten? How many days I’ve worked which is under 60. Is it how many friends we’ve made? Right now in early November I did a little tally and found that I’m gonna count it as the year with 2 bundt cakes and 15 books.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">So far, this has mostly been a year of loss. Job loss and family loss. Matt lost two friends and one grandfather. We lost our dog too. Woz went to doggy heaven under a series of unfortunate events that is still hard to talk about. Then his parents, who’ve been instrumental with enabling Matt and I to have any sort of weekends alone together, moved to New Mexico. We took a break from hosting our home church and merged with another group and no longer hosting. Two entertainment union strikes kept a lot of our friends unemployed and my usual work was non-existent. We were sick for maybe 2 months total this year with colds and really intense viral stuff that felt RSV-ish. Loss and loss.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There’s also been some good stuff. I rented so many movies and 3 seasons of Gilmore Girls from the public library. Did you know there’s this thing called the library and it lets you borrow books and tv shows and movies for free?! Crazy right? Earlier in the year I deleted all social media off my phone and logged myself out of all accounts. I don’t miss it in the slightest though my propensity for oversharing is suffered by my group text friends. In place of social media, I added learning another language and reading books. I’ve done over 300 days of either French or Japanese lessons on the Duolingo app. I can ask for rice and water in Japanese and where the train station is in French. Où est la gare? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My personality type dictates that I measure my success in achievements and affirmations. My other personality type dictates that I fill my time with beauty, art, and nature. Right now only one of these mes is steering the ship while the other is asleep in a cabin possibly tied up in a mutiny type situation, I’m not sure. I’m living my best and broke-est life right now. It’s weird. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">During the dark pandemic days we quickly realized that the things that give our life meaning have nothing to do with money or possessions or jobs or success. I know that. But the waiting, this fallow season is unsettling. I trust God will provide and trust that something is on the horizon with no evidence other than just feeling and faith. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I don’t feel depressed. I don’t feel settled. I don’t feel worried. I just find myself marveling at the strangeness of this abundance of time. I mean, how much time is there in between raising children and social obligations but I’ve had moments where I have an hour to kill and had earlier in that day done all the things I wanted to do that were leisurely during the designated leisure time. I had watched a thing, read a thing, crafted a thing. I had an hour of leisure time to kill, that’s something that people kill themselves to accomplish even just an hour of </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">a week.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> I am not those people since I have designated a weekly practice so restful joyful artful time is never too far away but if there’s too much of a good thing here at the end of November, that time has come. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In the time I started writing this post and finished it I had read two more books. 2 bundt cakes and 17 books.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-26471679972849873922023-07-17T17:39:00.003-07:002023-07-17T17:40:30.737-07:00Mom's Summer Backyard Essentials<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Welcome to our home and backyard during the summer! My mom play heaven (more on that later) is away and now it's time for the Kid Kingdom. I used all the stuff we had from last year with some purchases to make my life and summer duties easier and decided to share with you all my summer wisdom for backyard kid things.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcBj-5eA3QO0UtIyKNW3d7Q-TO5tUcvCfpdSzZq8w9bY7wDkUCIKbWEPmXzAKp-SfCQ_6Fp_VK_x4_tSJLilUujqGd13aBRe7zYhUhTia9pfZPukCSBXl4XfuDbPX1mg17CNlxksZoHyxawzKzht4H0x5qxX3SKCFU2Ds2wla4C9Td-5pNmnY6kCLy-A/s4032/IMG_6725.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcBj-5eA3QO0UtIyKNW3d7Q-TO5tUcvCfpdSzZq8w9bY7wDkUCIKbWEPmXzAKp-SfCQ_6Fp_VK_x4_tSJLilUujqGd13aBRe7zYhUhTia9pfZPukCSBXl4XfuDbPX1mg17CNlxksZoHyxawzKzht4H0x5qxX3SKCFU2Ds2wla4C9Td-5pNmnY6kCLy-A/w400-h300/IMG_6725.HEIC" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Here's my recommended items to save your back and sanity. If I indicate a brand it's because I am serious about it and it's tried and true and don't settle for anything less. Mom's honor.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoVQUtgbKhJKMFW3qhZQRdaU1PuwCXiyhZOI6dbVccAkdqnrRFcmlW7XwYoei9MfQr1H4_exs5hytwdDX36ZQWqwwk-5KDmgNA3B6zQtrjS_OMyT0SZ_vX99HRFKFXPSMDrDMKicf_wCsfbvv6_fpCKXExobHq1OX9F91GNQBZA1h-PJCEc1yD-hjqIc/s3300/Mom's%20Backyard%20Necessities.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="3300" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoVQUtgbKhJKMFW3qhZQRdaU1PuwCXiyhZOI6dbVccAkdqnrRFcmlW7XwYoei9MfQr1H4_exs5hytwdDX36ZQWqwwk-5KDmgNA3B6zQtrjS_OMyT0SZ_vX99HRFKFXPSMDrDMKicf_wCsfbvv6_fpCKXExobHq1OX9F91GNQBZA1h-PJCEc1yD-hjqIc/w400-h309/Mom's%20Backyard%20Necessities.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Don't mess around and cheap out on a junky hose or nozzle. Finally invested in a good one this year that doesn't annoy me to death by its weight and cumbersome nature. This is helpful year round with watering plants and rinsing off of backyard furniture so do yourself a favor and get a Zero G Hose at least 50 feet in length.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdytG1ndDBpHaXHepzi53cx92fAKjhPNGcv-q2BlxQH82fTug9Spg2xLuc-_eqY5o9AZlkR2AbtRgWDFSeFIj8M1LhHMv9M1Jwxg4OICrkG8lafjza6h4Ekx0hCrYDRVLy_NURewVPSHoWmVyhROvyZuQ7YK3C7vHY9OhDA_Q8icYRsXs6Q3Maf-DZNM4/w300-h400/IMG_6710.HEIC" width="300" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Then get one of these Orbit $16 hose nozzles at <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/Orbit-Pro-Front-Trigger-8-Pattern-Nozzle/1003091544?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-sol-_-ggl-_-LIA_SOL_242_Tools-Watering-Storage-Sheds-_-1003091544-_-local-_-0-_-0&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzdOlBhCNARIsAPMwjbynUeAE9JdfItCuCAu79heSW_qiqiCKGlAq8bAu-kZmF0y15dQYM8YaAj99EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">Lowe's</a>. See how the trigger is on the front? Anything else is bullshit. </span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3K7NwEAc_Xu5-eNZXMD-tIGhkCeuJe0SdiiJwIVAof4N2tp5j_8y5MUelqjjPF6kPVP8BO8LmbrkG00JZopgWD4bWvuM0WTPf1MzpaRQWBBLiSjv5Zp2nK5-GuoH0tGzShPekgwElgKZhfJxp2c0y0w6LI4KX3UqnDmBgfEY5ndfsdRzxmss_EvbWo-w/w300-h400/IMG_6712.HEIC" width="300" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ok next: water guns. Gone are the days of that tiny little hole to fill water guns that takes 5 minutes only to be used up in 10 seconds. Get you one of these X-Shot Fast Fill ones that fill up in ONE second. Get a 4 pack so the kids can cool each other (and the adults) off.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-oHMu94Gef8877BRZShZf3Yu2bsa4sgN6i3KJNkrxaVC_zUQI-FdNNyv6eBhQ6PQnw3yLxqc1WW5uChtguvpj447dRAJbB8LWon-q9XutnuikdXYsDpHlWHtWBC8nEs9Dm5JjYm7JvDeDq1JdhYfaPGFJUj-IDnWFiHmNZ2m2BfJkGphz2jTIsdDLFU/s4032/IMG_6713.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-oHMu94Gef8877BRZShZf3Yu2bsa4sgN6i3KJNkrxaVC_zUQI-FdNNyv6eBhQ6PQnw3yLxqc1WW5uChtguvpj447dRAJbB8LWon-q9XutnuikdXYsDpHlWHtWBC8nEs9Dm5JjYm7JvDeDq1JdhYfaPGFJUj-IDnWFiHmNZ2m2BfJkGphz2jTIsdDLFU/w300-h400/IMG_6713.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Parenthood will involve a lot of blowing up of shit. Pools, balls, airbeds... save your lungs!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPt7T8oVJtmQCu7cGe3cRIKvupfJXa71g0MblLOD9z9eRJHMakoemoeWaLxXa8AVFma3gA80lyYtvXU371OuNIScGcqZ90_-LGg36o2Acf5Ughi4Kk3kYqn7-lnHdVvA-65WXIT4gSOzpOcjIOrUkjNdvcVVW4irZm3YIVNNSy9sMvXppwDrfC-m-Iow/s4032/IMG_6711.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPt7T8oVJtmQCu7cGe3cRIKvupfJXa71g0MblLOD9z9eRJHMakoemoeWaLxXa8AVFma3gA80lyYtvXU371OuNIScGcqZ90_-LGg36o2Acf5Ughi4Kk3kYqn7-lnHdVvA-65WXIT4gSOzpOcjIOrUkjNdvcVVW4irZm3YIVNNSy9sMvXppwDrfC-m-Iow/w300-h400/IMG_6711.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSVHN8L0wpc4uEOLbjQH6n0XdlQ2ABnEnLSo-dXMSiY23IwmlH0xRgXJLtpUKu-qq6ZZKQEJkOgJUCSoWXMLjiy6ZC7ivpIOhxkdx8UGGQ3HNuqvMjFfCBlCWKMIPbucBNIZPccSwkyWwmTx7X-bl-Ue0FyDxqNIxDmIh2Be3QV64cFZ9iVXhvz07OLo/s4032/IMG_6722.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Speaking of blowing up of things... ball pump. This one came with some set but I love it 'cause it's compact and the needle stores into the top part of the pump to keep it safe.</span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8ZES9ZDdjgraVW_6Favul4emPx5y5mXqpx8LRz2ZyovoDAAg1y0_7j3ixO7C4-2IHxlvfrUDdZDqrkGNyC-kaxemiksRRnsLpat6kUay77d0OYOlF6LMXaFbHELU6BaxOznIxhWp_DP1xAKkYXiS-J2_4eIx8dXbaTTRH9EeX7Mb2bNRat3RH3F414o/s4032/IMG_6721.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8ZES9ZDdjgraVW_6Favul4emPx5y5mXqpx8LRz2ZyovoDAAg1y0_7j3ixO7C4-2IHxlvfrUDdZDqrkGNyC-kaxemiksRRnsLpat6kUay77d0OYOlF6LMXaFbHELU6BaxOznIxhWp_DP1xAKkYXiS-J2_4eIx8dXbaTTRH9EeX7Mb2bNRat3RH3F414o/w300-h400/IMG_6721.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This summer I put all their bubble stuff together including the accumulation of so many freaking bubble wands from every holiday and birthday party! The kids began this game on their own of making bubble potions and bubble babies and who knows what and keeping them together is great self-service backyard fun.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZQsLzR9beqMdpXOKuorhHz3c2I-8DaCWOWoOEs7ArXWqPR-DNf6nwY0B2371bI_oCmH1fZLw_e-MPMygto4HyGHz0_HQBNMz-WiQTV8fjTeF5afIj4fgC1EYdRzWNiNxfPy7NRwcORtvqMg0wU2UJ_j_jzNZeMHeDztXo70lPcTxK_bnrt25KzlrrtM/s4032/IMG_6720.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZQsLzR9beqMdpXOKuorhHz3c2I-8DaCWOWoOEs7ArXWqPR-DNf6nwY0B2371bI_oCmH1fZLw_e-MPMygto4HyGHz0_HQBNMz-WiQTV8fjTeF5afIj4fgC1EYdRzWNiNxfPy7NRwcORtvqMg0wU2UJ_j_jzNZeMHeDztXo70lPcTxK_bnrt25KzlrrtM/w400-h300/IMG_6720.HEIC" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I also put all the balls and outdoor toys here easily accessible for backyard play and seeing it there encourages them to do it!<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxfa03FIMq3USZBiPEobUymXB1aGiBeM6FyhHQB0JEggQU7Yxk8gXmGoQlkKDrrvnHxy_xxI9xEpXzVHucvJG2hxCuT1I1P3aBcN3Bjm5hd3LtQYiW9wJcV9BDiEHeK4wNkVLnMqah3k57JyIqYQBUZx4QgQd-tpC9n8xl7DiB7bxH6dHSmnbapxITEA/s4032/IMG_6719.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxfa03FIMq3USZBiPEobUymXB1aGiBeM6FyhHQB0JEggQU7Yxk8gXmGoQlkKDrrvnHxy_xxI9xEpXzVHucvJG2hxCuT1I1P3aBcN3Bjm5hd3LtQYiW9wJcV9BDiEHeK4wNkVLnMqah3k57JyIqYQBUZx4QgQd-tpC9n8xl7DiB7bxH6dHSmnbapxITEA/w400-h300/IMG_6719.HEIC" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The laundry room is the room you first enter from the backyard and becomes our dumping ground for all things backyard that we want to keep OUT of the sun so we have a beach bag with their swimsuits.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIWdhlxPX8w9FIBzPdMHSMWk1CEPSygefgkfbxEkWSpSFlKOhMrWu6qG602QcERnS5qg7fzwM57sGzyJ-7n82J6J9q3i98wSSaQHGhOQ5-bNOLW2ssYQyz5edI1ugjVXjRS-dqOnnewAFduIPVxbVYAPbm1d03m_JhtHziJ2RZwxu1Nlq_ohzqxGrwVA/s4032/IMG_6714.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIWdhlxPX8w9FIBzPdMHSMWk1CEPSygefgkfbxEkWSpSFlKOhMrWu6qG602QcERnS5qg7fzwM57sGzyJ-7n82J6J9q3i98wSSaQHGhOQ5-bNOLW2ssYQyz5edI1ugjVXjRS-dqOnnewAFduIPVxbVYAPbm1d03m_JhtHziJ2RZwxu1Nlq_ohzqxGrwVA/w300-h400/IMG_6714.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the shelf I repurposed that metal bin to house the three Thermacells we have, the chlorine for the kid pool, and the sunblock. For now the sunblock is on the shelf since we use it frequently but eventually it will all be stored in that bin.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XresIiw5UsiXiQCxw-FwOsV6Azryw4BdNQ-KBT0C3cVaCwoVZxd-cRZswzMbKv0ZEkQUiQgBVXxvZpJK-ahxv1f1qtwFO00UNUoXxNWj7h7tCBnS02PV2K7goV5F3kPnaIl72uTteZC3BseEFuXx3pA0ktWb5nX2bNz30mKPOIgbN4EBNvIhOJXRXj0/s4032/IMG_6716.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XresIiw5UsiXiQCxw-FwOsV6Azryw4BdNQ-KBT0C3cVaCwoVZxd-cRZswzMbKv0ZEkQUiQgBVXxvZpJK-ahxv1f1qtwFO00UNUoXxNWj7h7tCBnS02PV2K7goV5F3kPnaIl72uTteZC3BseEFuXx3pA0ktWb5nX2bNz30mKPOIgbN4EBNvIhOJXRXj0/w300-h400/IMG_6716.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I also have a tray here for the summer ready for impromptu hosting or promptu hosting. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_xQslQYOy-o3fAyHjtMRa7UGEWv-Ycahwys4m4XagVVTtgd_nUzncYxmcssBrtGdid-gHirg3yadyeGjkGdjML7GXtZfg0VU5M9iRivbRSiZ2kU3vFK3vXZaCStb_F1i9HWdFRjIg6LM7yVXA-shoW_LRr3MZaeYugxvmu6oIUUyu34rPSL2mq6mstA/s4032/IMG_6717.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_xQslQYOy-o3fAyHjtMRa7UGEWv-Ycahwys4m4XagVVTtgd_nUzncYxmcssBrtGdid-gHirg3yadyeGjkGdjML7GXtZfg0VU5M9iRivbRSiZ2kU3vFK3vXZaCStb_F1i9HWdFRjIg6LM7yVXA-shoW_LRr3MZaeYugxvmu6oIUUyu34rPSL2mq6mstA/w400-h300/IMG_6717.HEIC" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Few things in life make me happier than the sight of the kids stuff in the summer.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10Expm5eYUZNPrXwpEjU0_b3y0oPRzV3QFhWxcga8rx87ay3Ey97o9zKPqXltroXMCypeXuCdoIvkJwSuhWocmk6QOsSUZYtgNmJzTzR_bX68nvdDKckcTTD7aep9n6-ZSnrOD18_TtGZTavVh9QO7nGkEtXF23TxJU0q4u6-4CQzu-5-R0PB6d0_ev4/s4032/IMG_6204.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10Expm5eYUZNPrXwpEjU0_b3y0oPRzV3QFhWxcga8rx87ay3Ey97o9zKPqXltroXMCypeXuCdoIvkJwSuhWocmk6QOsSUZYtgNmJzTzR_bX68nvdDKckcTTD7aep9n6-ZSnrOD18_TtGZTavVh9QO7nGkEtXF23TxJU0q4u6-4CQzu-5-R0PB6d0_ev4/w400-h300/IMG_6204.HEIC" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Other than maybe you know... the kids.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPaqXHpBnWwoPME6AYbB0GnjclKyiWBAQFTi5wtMYZqBRKHm7gmtcrkYT2GvZwiMEyBywN8foqoQxzmhiDZ-FdVrl4pwSkAeFz7sMuerL5Flvai5IHOAB_h3j6yHsSrDkzXodSVlYTJdVZpBJ3obi5ocVrxxwKytM7mpeaeidmpSA3FoKGQ3hQZOqwCAc/s4032/IMG_6205.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPaqXHpBnWwoPME6AYbB0GnjclKyiWBAQFTi5wtMYZqBRKHm7gmtcrkYT2GvZwiMEyBywN8foqoQxzmhiDZ-FdVrl4pwSkAeFz7sMuerL5Flvai5IHOAB_h3j6yHsSrDkzXodSVlYTJdVZpBJ3obi5ocVrxxwKytM7mpeaeidmpSA3FoKGQ3hQZOqwCAc/w400-h300/IMG_6205.HEIC" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Happy Summering Everyone!</span></div><p></p></div>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-23933756233975096152023-07-17T00:29:00.002-07:002023-07-17T00:29:23.671-07:00Chilaquiles<p>Matt peeks into the office as I am wrapping up my Solo Sunday…</p><p>“Hey. Do you wanna hear Matt Berry say chilaquiles.”</p><p>I nod enthusiastically and emphatically and follow him to the living room.</p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-893669110251773422023-01-20T11:18:00.000-08:002023-01-20T11:18:26.031-08:00My family in order, Our life in place<p>Sometimes when you’re deep in the gamut of raising babies you live in a phenomena that Matt and I call “treading water”. You’re not really getting anywhere closer to the island you’re just trying to stay above water and not drown. Maybe a floating plank gives you some respite for a while but mostly you’re gonna get back to treading water. Until one magical day… you don’t quite realize is it as it happens but your babies are sleeping in beds, sleeping all night, communicating, peeing in toilets, and you turn off the baby monitor all night. You’re no longer treading water. You’re able to swim toward a destination and even stop at little islands along the way and prolong drowning. Maybe even recreationally swim or enjoy a sunset. </p><p>Until that time you’re not really thinking long term. Which is actually good. Just surviving the day to day is the way to go. Suffice is the trouble for the day etc. But once survival becomes insufficient, the goals, identity, values, and dreams of your family materialize or start to form into matter that makes sense. All of a sudden you’re realizing what things, as a family, give you life and which suck it out of you. And WHO you are as a family. There’s an identity that is formed as a unit that as a concept I was unable to grasp until I was out of the trauma survival, including early childhood and a pandemic. </p><p>Now I can see a little more clearly who we are.</p><p>We been in this game 15 years and in that time, Matt and I have developed an identity and values as a family. Chief among them is that we are an organized and intentional family, which is kinda awesome and hugely unexpected. Matt and I are both fairly neat and organized people in general with our home and habits but I didn’t realize how much the organization was bleeding into our communal life as well. We are all about the calendar and what is happening when and what we can do to prepare for the upcoming event. We will talk about the day/weekend/what’s coming and work backwards.</p><p>Matt runs a tight ship with the kids’ daily schedule and has since they were babies. He has them regulated with food, naps, bedtime. He feeds them at 12:30p and 6pm and snack after school and the kids are so used to it that you could remove every clock in our house but one to check and I could tell you roughly what time it was by “I’m hungry”. I on the other hand, am not disciplined when it comes to time itself, the hours. I like to block out chunks of time and work within those hours on whatever thing I’ve committed is the priority. Currently as I am in a waiting time with work, I have mornings free and when the kids are in school the hours of 8:45a-11:45a are sacred and for quiet reflection and study. Or a walk or writing. There’s no order to when and how long I’ll do any one thing only that it’s blocked out and that gives me some order. My job currently only requires that I am at my desk for certain hours and at meetings for certain hours. My other job, on set: the hour by hour matters and counts in that big sense where 100 people are getting paid every 15 minutes we don’t stop to feed them lunch! I’m no stranger to the organization of time but am honestly not very good at the detailed daily time management. Working on it still! </p><p>But. I am getting much better at organizing our days and I’m seeing very fruitful results! One of the things I’m working on is an old spiritual organization tool called “<a href="https://sacredordinarydays.com/pages/rule-of-life">Rule of Life</a>”. Which to be honest I hate the name because it’s really not a rule it’s more of a layout of life or a blueprint of life priorities. The Rule of Life was begun by monks who lived in a monastery and they had their day organized to the minutes for prayer, reading, cooking. All their days, weeks, months, years built on the things they prioritized which was living a spiritual life with God. Sort of a trellis where you build on it. Honestly I couldn’t think of analogies that work in explaining the Rule of Life. Our church has one where we focus on certain things at certain times of the year. I had been wanting to make one myself and wasn’t realizing that that’s what I was doing when on one of my annual solo trips I jotted this down in my notes app:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHzzxflI82BlPP24QZMtwnkhxQKa3BTfU096Z4LdpkXhoi2vFuRgoy9jRWoH7GrvHPVEmkRqCEAQsaBjcEA_QRJYwbqepNkkXVwcxcl2zRQaaBfoDuWduO494ZfD4DhrrcXVL908T00hSN8KgIJ65gVdZWzDeK3N7-FM0GIkn0sIovqaUgUHl56q4/s1018/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-20%20at%2011.09.26%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHzzxflI82BlPP24QZMtwnkhxQKa3BTfU096Z4LdpkXhoi2vFuRgoy9jRWoH7GrvHPVEmkRqCEAQsaBjcEA_QRJYwbqepNkkXVwcxcl2zRQaaBfoDuWduO494ZfD4DhrrcXVL908T00hSN8KgIJ65gVdZWzDeK3N7-FM0GIkn0sIovqaUgUHl56q4/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-20%20at%2011.09.26%20AM.png" width="204" /></a></div><p>I was trying to find a way to re-organize my days, my life to make room and time for my priorities. In the same way that every week God made a Sabbath, a day of rest, my family had made days dedicated to alone time and couple time and family movie night. And then I wanted more of it. And then I wanted to pin that time in our life so that nothing else would invade it. I wanted to organize our days so we would never feel pressure about making time for the things that matter because we already wrote the things that matter into our life and family calendar. </p><p>One thing that Matt keeps talking about as we’ve journeyed into a healthy life and particularly a healthy spiritual life is that discipline = freedom. And it sounds completely ass backwards because discipline is one of those words that carries such weight and a ruler I’ll never measure up to. How can it be freeing to have to make yourself do something hard? BUT when you discipline your calendar, then you’re free with your time. When you already have a set time for a meeting, you never have to waste time setting up the meeting. When you make dedicated weekly time to talk and check in and connect, you never have to feel disconnected for too long because you know the connect time is at worse, 7 days away. Regularity is great for pooping and sleeping. Regularity is good for your life. Consistency. Order. It is incredibly freeing. </p><p>You all know I will scream ’til I’m blue in the face about how good for me it’s been to have a Solo Sunday night every single week for my sanity. Matt and I added a Meaningful Monday where we are just us no TV that’s been so great for us. The rest of our time falls around those times. We know what to say no to because we have those things we say yes to. </p><p>As I continued thinking about the concept of ordering our life I, for some reason, wanted to practice and still wish to practice learning how to make a French omelette. I was on Youtube watching Jacques Pepin make one and on third viewing I noticed his ‘<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mise_en_place">mise en place</a>’ setup. Do you know the concept? It’s what chefs do when they’re making a meal where all the ingredients have been properly measured and prepped and are lined up in little bowls near them while they’re cooking. So when it’s time to add onion, the onion is right there waiting. They don’t have to stop what they’re doing, grab a knife and cutting board and onion out of the pantry and cut it up. The onion is ready for the next step. As are all the other ingredients for the dish. They disciplined their prep and now they were free to cook. It was the only concept that finally clicked.</p><p>So I drafted my own Rule of Life and as I looked at the finished product I thought: this is a good life. If I do these things, this is a solid, balanced, joyful, fulfilled life. Order in our days. Freedom to live.</p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-40490353363695221062022-08-21T23:52:00.002-07:002022-08-21T23:55:04.372-07:00why a show about a teenager's romantic life clicked so much<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Do you guys watch Never Have I Ever? You must. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">It's about a teenager named </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Devi Vishwakumar's high school experience in Greater Los Angeles. Not just any experience but one from an adorable, funny, nerdy, intelligent, grieving, healing, and horny young woman from a culturally strict family unit. I mean... replace strict Indian parent with Mexican parent and it's... familiar. But having someone up there getting the hot boy and the cute nerdy boy on top of just dealing with friendship and death and therapy and life gave us a girl that is so much more multi-faceted than a lot of television has given us in the past. We'd either get the nerd or the popular one. We had to remove our glasses and get made over to fit in. BOO. We're so much more than that. We should be loved as we are.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">This season Devi seemed to get a lot of what she wanted in the boy department but just as in life, when you get that relationship you thought would complete you guess what... it doesn't magically solve all your problems. You still gotta deal with you. And if you wanna see what it's like to be loved, you gotta love yourself. All of your mess and all of your wins and all of your beautiful luminous being. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">I know, I'd hate listening to me too if I hadn't also learned this lesson first hand. Not just about the boy, I got the boy, I love the boy. But about the job. The house. The kid. The other kid. None of all those checklists make a lick of difference if inside of you keeps resisting the truth. That the relationship you really need to come to terms with is how you think and love yourself. How you listen to your voice within and learn what you need and what you want. It's a hot topic this 'self-love' thing and I'm not going to debase love by stooping it to the level that the world thinks is self-love. It's not narcissism, it's not self-care and treat yo-self. It's so much more than that. Love is so much more than that. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">I think of it as well, perfect love casts out all fear and I think of it as being unafraid of what you are when you're stripped of everything. It's wonderful and all well and good to have all those wonderful things. But when you're alone in a cave with nobody and nothing but your thoughts who are you? When you're left to your own vices amongst strangers, who do you default to, and would you want to spend time with that person? Is your life one of character, faith, growth? Have you confronted the bears in the cave, have you looked at the scars, have you asked the hard questions of yourself?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Also, love is not greedy. It is the opposite of greedy. So if you're wondering what a life of genuine self-love and not narcissism looks like, it is evident in the people we pour into. It's evidenced in the generosity we live life in. It's loving others well. Or at least it looks like someone that is TRYING to love others even if she sucks at it sometimes. </span></p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-54071630765536468042022-06-24T15:22:00.003-07:002022-06-24T15:22:58.602-07:00Summer Time 2022<p> Friends! It's summer at the FFF and we are... loving it. (Also I wrote this post during a more optimistic moment and now I'm fighting the pessimism!) </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_lteb8x8paZ5JndBjOR6eU3qwbPSnGovsEUXAkDnBEj1xoS_N7GrU_VFL1g0Dbf62MLQxAZRRSIvQ_3YLG8NF11gtIdneDLhGtaF3YVL_zZS-aD0jgeJMkH-V4Ntw8sD1FTGNLz3kziv_kMb1k8nBaZ9fAkTttultnFuZ-TLfr0AgsdnwE_-scfd/s4032/IMG_2322.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_lteb8x8paZ5JndBjOR6eU3qwbPSnGovsEUXAkDnBEj1xoS_N7GrU_VFL1g0Dbf62MLQxAZRRSIvQ_3YLG8NF11gtIdneDLhGtaF3YVL_zZS-aD0jgeJMkH-V4Ntw8sD1FTGNLz3kziv_kMb1k8nBaZ9fAkTttultnFuZ-TLfr0AgsdnwE_-scfd/s320/IMG_2322.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After two summers of being at home and not much else, we were proactive this year and decided to get the kids signed up for something to cut down on their being home too much. Wally's pre-school did the work for us and offered an additional month for June which we went for and he finished on the 22nd. He has thrived in preschool. What a difference of a kid. He used to play by himself and not engage with the kids and now he has friends and best friends and knows colors and letters. He'll be starting Kindergarten this fall and we'll have both kids in the same school! <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJBTmaqgnAAoBOfBQzFKqwdvBRES-HgEp3dHfRlvzwifxCZmyrwG1ndXGIXjvg5jf3Wszqne11Vm8SqlneKjbdYBysW9uGemxUaiJ_rijhFHIBF0W2KWSMPq_ctCiJ2Im3YG2jPasjdM7ymtsMH5N5vgyiCA3GO0kOI-j1lTkt5lQdKgA2jAG6Oq4/s800/IMG_2351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJBTmaqgnAAoBOfBQzFKqwdvBRES-HgEp3dHfRlvzwifxCZmyrwG1ndXGIXjvg5jf3Wszqne11Vm8SqlneKjbdYBysW9uGemxUaiJ_rijhFHIBF0W2KWSMPq_ctCiJ2Im3YG2jPasjdM7ymtsMH5N5vgyiCA3GO0kOI-j1lTkt5lQdKgA2jAG6Oq4/s320/IMG_2351.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">We scraped by and got Alice signed up for art day camp for 3 weeks in June! She's made a pretty good buddy and her mom is cool too so we've had lots of park time together. Fills me right up that she gets to have a friend with her and that she looks forward to it. I never know with Alice what she's gonna like or how she's gonna react but she surprises me sometimes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8iIXIhwByNsol48x0fOBVtsYdkqUrOcpyTdRTEpjdPyXxCqKEICfHCHbsnLnuwKCUgAzw4wDNwtS54jiC6JbKvulnXVf7S3LR4i-ZmtLJl6Zl8VfOsA17Inje3XlzGrdquBZEUGCq9kGg6RX2PPBuhcJK4auSCy68USVjJ-eT0jB1I5MvHI3I1gQI/s4032/IMG_2183.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8iIXIhwByNsol48x0fOBVtsYdkqUrOcpyTdRTEpjdPyXxCqKEICfHCHbsnLnuwKCUgAzw4wDNwtS54jiC6JbKvulnXVf7S3LR4i-ZmtLJl6Zl8VfOsA17Inje3XlzGrdquBZEUGCq9kGg6RX2PPBuhcJK4auSCy68USVjJ-eT0jB1I5MvHI3I1gQI/s320/IMG_2183.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div></div>In July the kids will be at VBS for a week and we'll be in Coastal California for a week. I had big lofty goals for Cancun this year but I couldn't figure out the timing so the flights were too much by the time I got it together and opted out. Then we'll be home another week then... they start school August 15. Boom. Flash. That fast. Every single day this summer has flown by. Work. Camps. Schools. Fun. </div><p></p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-42326162910704731952022-02-15T17:53:00.008-08:002022-02-15T17:53:54.829-08:0040 for 40 Number 3: On being a w4 and Federico’s daughter<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px;">After I learned that I was an Enneagram 3 I mostly ignored the fact that I was also a w4. The 4 types are the artistic creative types that thrive on being original and creative and moody. I used to say that “I’m not creative” but boy is that not true. I think I put some stock into creative having to mean artistic in that we can paint, draw, or sculpt or play an instrument. But being creative, or feeling that need to create… to exist in creative spaces and to put beauty into the world is vital.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As I’m writing this I am sitting in my “Room of Requirement”: the home office that functions as playroom, den, tea parlor, lady cave, guest room, home school, and sometimes office. I painted the room in a beautiful grassy green and I have a mauve couch, pink chair, and yellow sideboard. There is a disco ball and plants and framed art and drawings made by the kids and all kinds of colorful and happy things surrounding me. I wanted this space to be a reflection of me and the things I love and you would never guess the person that owned this room was ‘not creative’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I made mention of the troubled relationship I had with my mother but there is another figure that exists in my life that is half of me… my father… Federico Camacho.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">During the pandemic, my mother decided to go to the denial route and fell to conspiracy theories and all that. My father on the other hand decided to do the right thing and stay home, make masks, tended his garden, took up drawing, and befriended the neighborhood cat and bought it a jacket. While I grew increasingly frustrated with my mother and had to block her toxicity, my father was regularly texting me Bible verses and FaceTiming me to show off his latest garden adventures and I mine. Since I lived with my mother, that was the most influential person in my life and I realized that it was a squeaky wheel gettin the grease type situation. I kept focusing on the parts that were like hers but I rarely ever thought about how my father had made me who I am today. It was always so strange how my mother loathed all living creatures and my father would go out of his way to talk to my dogs. That part of me that is curious, creative, in tune with nature, that is my father’s contribution. I don’t know why it took a pandemic to slow me down enough to realize all I was missing out on and neglecting my relationship with my father but better now than never.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sometimes we feel out of place or that there’s a part of us that is not paid enough attention to. A part of us that is quieter than the other. That part of me took a whole new meaning during a time when I was unable to perform or achieve the way I normally would. I leaned into that quiet and that curiosity and found myself bewildered by it but it was right there all along, living and breathing in my father.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It finally all made sense.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I was Federico Camacho’s daughter too.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-12194514573030824792022-02-08T21:03:00.003-08:002022-02-15T17:54:17.883-08:0040 for 40 Number 2: On Being an Enneagram 3<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10px;">About… 3 years ago my former church (recently former, we dissolved and that’s a whole essay) got really into talking about the Enneagram personality test. Out of curiosity I took the test and learned to my chagrin that I was an Enneagram 3 (w4). The Achiever. “The Success-Oriented, Pragmatic Type: Adaptable, Excelling, Driven, and Image-Conscious”. When I read the description of my personality type I said “no, this can’t be me, this person sounds like an asshole.” So I took the test again and I got the same result. Dammit, I am the asshole.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Once I came to terms with the numbers being correct I started reading about what that personality types’ driving forces are. What makes them feel seen and appreciated. What their underlying motivations are. It was all true. I was driven by wanting to feel valuable and worthwhile, I did want to feel that I was the best and that I stood out. I was acutely aware of how I was projecting my image at work and in life.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 2nd day of my journal writing at age 12 had this written in it: “I have to try not to talk so much. Everyone thinks I’m a show-off. Have I got news for them. All I want is for everyone to like me and I want the teachers to think I’m smart & I know. I get really angry at my friends can’t they realize I need them? But I guess I need to change as much as they do.” Even then I knew what I wanted out of people.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Why I wanted it is multi-layered. I realized in 2020, watching my daughter’s school experience completely taken from her and going to online schooling, that school had always been a safe space for me and a place where an adult paid attention to me and affirmed me positively. I don’t think I got any of that at home. At home I was selfish and lazy and whatever other accusations could be made of me in a home with a mother that most likely has ‘narcissistic personality disorder’. But I stood out in class and I liked it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’ve learned that my personality type is very charming and a chameleon which explained why I thought I wanted to act or why I thought acting seemed easy to me. It wasn’t that I had the gift of acting like dear friends of mine do, it was that I was performing a part and that part was whatever I wanted or needed at the time. I enjoyed having large and varied groups of friends and didn’t like being tied down to one best friend or one group. My type is fickle and shallow when unhealthy, we move to the next cool thing fast. We excel in life because we want the appearance of perfection or having it all together. We want to be admired and liked by everyone. We are rarely satisfied with enough. We can never be satisfied, God I hope you’re satisfied….!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I gotta tell you, something about learning that I was not an insane person and that I fit into the characteristics of a certain type of personality that has certain tendencies and motivations was a freedom and understanding of myself I had not found in many searches. I own it to the level where I admit insane honest truths like “oh no, I’m fine to do this, I love attention” “hey you know how I think everything is a competition..” “I have to be the best at this pretty fast or I won’t care anymore” and other things.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I check myself regularly on all these tendencies and by and large try to use them to the advantage of whatever group or work environment or organization I’m in. Naturally inclined to leadership and outspokenness I have to figure out when to put that into effect in a way that's selfless and more for the good of the team. I suffer from a deplorable excess of self-assuredness which many find baffling. Insecure about things? Millions? But by and large I walk around with confidence in who I am and what I am capable of. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So yes, of course I am a producer. Of course I am the breadwinner. Of course I get chosen for committees and such. That’s how I’m wired. But let me tell you… none of that external fluff meant diddly squat compared to learning who I am in my identity with Christ and God and Holy Spirit. The work of mental health and healing has brought so much satisfaction to my life, more than any awards ever could. I know when the pulls to be that achiever are coming at me and when I need to listen and when I need to ignore them.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The other fun part of this equation and something that I really leaned into this pandemic has been the other side of my personality which is being a w4 (wing 4). Speaking of which…<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-21889793433088414302022-01-20T11:52:00.003-08:002022-01-20T11:53:14.935-08:0040 for 40: Number 1 - On Journaling<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">I started journaling when I was 12 years old, 2 months shy of my 13th birthday. The very first journal I bought was at the 99 Cent Store and the first entry was December 11, 1994. It had a green spine and a photo of a grey kitty cat on a branch with some pink flowers. My parents have been divorced as long as I remember and it was a dad weekend and he gave us some money to buy whatever we wanted at the store and being the stationary nerd I am I, of course, bought a blank book! I took it home and immediately started writing in it: “This is my journal. I keep it to write down my most private thoughts about everyone including myself. I want to express my feelings in many ways but everyone thinks I’m weird as it is.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">Annoyingly this will be told from the point of view of a person who’s spent time in therapy, counseling, and has learned a lot about herself and grown as a person so I’ll have very obvious notes about 12 year old me. Then again, do we want to ask a 12 year old what she thinks is going on? Doubtful it’ll reveal much.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">Now that I’ve been through the life I’ve been through and walked through the fire of childhood trauma and emerged through the grace of God and diligent work, it is still very hard for me to think about this 12 year old girl. From the time she was about 7 or 8 until who knows when she was sexually abused by her step-father. My family has 5 children and my mother, who I’ve realized later was also abused was trying her best to keep that man, was told she could not do any better or that he would hurt her if she left. I’m not sure exactly, only that I was left alone to figure out what was happening and why and I really don’t know what that poor little girl felt. We didn’t talk about feelings, we couldn’t afford that. We lived in a 2 bedroom apartment with 5 children and carving out space anywhere was near impossible. It’s clear that she needed an outlet for everything inside of her and by some miracle learned to love reading and then probably read about writing in diaries, keeping a journal. The idea came to fruition that December 1994.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">I am not by any means a disciplined person or one that sticks to things. I am very fickle and very flaky but keeping a diary, writing in a journal as I refer to it to the day, made so much sense to me that it was practically breathing. It required very little money, only to buy a new one when I was near the end of the current one. And while I couldn’t talk to anyone in my family about what was going on in my life, I could pour my little traumatized heart into those books.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">Of course, nothing was written about the abuse itself. I think acknowledging it on paper would be too much. It would make it real. I reference the abuser as ‘someone I have a hatred for’ but not much else. I wrote about crushes, school, how things were boring, my family, fights with my mother, weekends with my father. There’s not much depth to gleam from those early years of journal writing only that it was a practice that carried me and has carried me to this day. Bishop Michael Curry refers to these actions as “rituals of faith”, things you do that carry you when you can’t carry yourself. I didn’t have any tools at my disposal and therapy was many decades away but I had my writing. I had this consistent practice that ebbed and flowed but was always a part of me, the place where I wrote in faith that someday it would make sense or even dare I dream, that someday it would all be better.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">Having a consistent writing space did have some side benefits like being able to crush AP history essays therefore making college a possibility. A poor Latina girl on welfare and food stamps from a family of 5 kids and a single mom dreamed of getting out and doing better and somehow that faith became a reality and I got out. I definitely thank the constant practice of writing as a way out. “I wrote my way out,” as Lin sings.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">I still journal. Almost every day lately since you know… soul crushing pandemic and lots more time. When my 2nd child was born I didn’t write as much and barely had time to myself and that led to some bad PPD. A combination of things but not being able to have this very special practice was detrimental to my mental health. I never want to go back to that dark place again and so I write a lot or a little but I write out my thoughts and feelings as I had intended to when I started those 27 years ago.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">Journaling is what has lead to this rather ridiculous task I’ve given myself. But I wouldn’t be me without giving myself such a task. Speaking of which…</span></p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-13866642817967605732022-01-20T11:50:00.002-08:002022-01-20T11:50:08.566-08:0040 for 40: 40 Essays on Turning 40<p> I will be 40 in less than a month and for some reason have the insane idea to write 40 essays on turning 40. </p><p>Some will be long. Some will be short. Some will be funny and ridiculous. Some will be hard to read. </p><p>Over the course of the year I'll drop them here.</p><p>So here they come. 40 for 40. </p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-80235388861783059082022-01-01T17:01:00.002-08:002022-01-01T17:01:08.758-08:00Happy New Year 2022 & Lessons Learned in 2021<p> I have been sending the same gif to anyone who sends me a "Happy New Year" Text:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5OAETq5BnDs7fG-pQ8xuHMmza4mW7IXvDK7LnKlEzN4LMCNdz_caGvzShTG3BRlxBvc9sHX7Q8RAKVNCnBmSimOHX4e0OdUoMXEffELJaUNrGNKt91_f_pROH3U2dExjFB8h5wI3_DA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="220" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5OAETq5BnDs7fG-pQ8xuHMmza4mW7IXvDK7LnKlEzN4LMCNdz_caGvzShTG3BRlxBvc9sHX7Q8RAKVNCnBmSimOHX4e0OdUoMXEffELJaUNrGNKt91_f_pROH3U2dExjFB8h5wI3_DA/w400-h219/tenor-82072607.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Do I feel particularly happy or celebratory? No. So many factors play into this Lieutenant Dan on New Year's vibe... take a pick! COVID, kids, expectations, exhaustion from a long work year, COVID, but we know the real reason New Year's Eve became a <a href="https://people.com/tv/betty-white-the-golden-girls-and-hot-in-cleveland-star-dead-at-99/">national day of mourning</a>:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2XPewftSlTqmwoUMX5PXEpVBnQkjyFEyPB_66cejB17RJaLmuLSe1LhpzM7NMXheANlxP97HSyPwWNmM8D_8JmmHLllRzoqfdY3TMNGYxOY4nnqhy1ZMujigNDOaGPaolvpDXr7kyy71PnDfABataw-UmafaR8dQJGFPx5FH0GzytKutKDLGDlcfG=s3088" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2XPewftSlTqmwoUMX5PXEpVBnQkjyFEyPB_66cejB17RJaLmuLSe1LhpzM7NMXheANlxP97HSyPwWNmM8D_8JmmHLllRzoqfdY3TMNGYxOY4nnqhy1ZMujigNDOaGPaolvpDXr7kyy71PnDfABataw-UmafaR8dQJGFPx5FH0GzytKutKDLGDlcfG=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We lost the last Golden Girl, our Rose Nylund, America's Grandma just a few weeks shy of her official 100th birthday. I gotta tell you, her death I knew, would hit me when it happened but the way it hit me was a little unexpected. I know she's a literal stranger to me but her face is in my house in multiple places and she's felt like a part of my life for decades. What a lady. What a life! I spent the last day of 2021 just watching Betty White clips, reading Betty White tweets & tributes, and watching Golden Girls episodes. I got it together enough to setup a little New Year's Eve dinner table and she was present there too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzN4i8a25vFyazhnKBl-N6dxWxqotd6W38tvfgT8zw7Z0EpWOaXdLWbdS31zrSmXKW0Z-1YEarB5zDH4NKhIjWy4neMI6knEltx3Q1nwjzICttulDDCjKe5EcJwKZeGr4V97KJGgRB4vADqmq49Z02umIE3vHPVGNTN6JeEEHV7xUaPbsfdBvHydvL=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzN4i8a25vFyazhnKBl-N6dxWxqotd6W38tvfgT8zw7Z0EpWOaXdLWbdS31zrSmXKW0Z-1YEarB5zDH4NKhIjWy4neMI6knEltx3Q1nwjzICttulDDCjKe5EcJwKZeGr4V97KJGgRB4vADqmq49Z02umIE3vHPVGNTN6JeEEHV7xUaPbsfdBvHydvL=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>We celebrated at 9pm for the kids at New Year's Eve New York time. I don't think they understand New Year's other than they can make noise and throw confetti which after last year's mess we opted out. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1B5EBIN9WNQBcXGLD9RliU_mSwcKgZRkMHZxKTMG81HS8MZmN1wjp9IPHn-uqa-1PB46af4tv2KPrU6Z8uzZUdtHVVQrikXAqIajna3W9C0p32MYw1emBIyaoGQQ7-OfyQJA3wuytAPkY2NCx4SXMq6h3W85DzeVQclQv9VfR_B8hQNU5UU3BzzgR=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1B5EBIN9WNQBcXGLD9RliU_mSwcKgZRkMHZxKTMG81HS8MZmN1wjp9IPHn-uqa-1PB46af4tv2KPrU6Z8uzZUdtHVVQrikXAqIajna3W9C0p32MYw1emBIyaoGQQ7-OfyQJA3wuytAPkY2NCx4SXMq6h3W85DzeVQclQv9VfR_B8hQNU5UU3BzzgR=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>Matt and I watched Golden Girls episodes and watched the countdown on my Nintendo video game. We were dressed up from the top up because I'll be danged if I receive a new year without some sparkle. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOc64dplbbSfoDW9JVCKjkS8m775acniBiNdL6QhdHxitexHeu0b4IKGwgNBDUrbLWnaWN0FWXJOque-HbnwgsEFZswL4pH63ap_z4YPaUKBK6Voue1-fg_9ZG2OjrGax__zF9nBbKOF9Tkb81xcjehbCR8K5XUC7W26Atkn7wq_kaflTI6SaRq3I7=s3088" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOc64dplbbSfoDW9JVCKjkS8m775acniBiNdL6QhdHxitexHeu0b4IKGwgNBDUrbLWnaWN0FWXJOque-HbnwgsEFZswL4pH63ap_z4YPaUKBK6Voue1-fg_9ZG2OjrGax__zF9nBbKOF9Tkb81xcjehbCR8K5XUC7W26Atkn7wq_kaflTI6SaRq3I7=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>What a year these exhausted parents and partners had. It wasn't great but it wasn't bad at all. It was pretty good, an improvement over the year before for sure. We decided to focus internally on survival however we could manage it and in tiny increments we held it together. Weekly disciplines, daily practices (Matt read the Bible in a year!), breaks and breaking of rules and expectations kept us afloat. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilPxnaNMe7Mhpm-E_cGqn_l-hpsfW2IRAlpBMdb0yxMV8kuI1W2PJKVAUNSCHmDqldL7h3QQVBGHrjf7GPxwaCFQjk3PumSgIrsRKuKLlnwIY1mi2liByhKobFBG8AoiGe7gR8q0Mq9zkT8ijJSOp479iFSAaEbNC4SuCEyLNsqaxZ27hiG5_P20pT=s3088" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilPxnaNMe7Mhpm-E_cGqn_l-hpsfW2IRAlpBMdb0yxMV8kuI1W2PJKVAUNSCHmDqldL7h3QQVBGHrjf7GPxwaCFQjk3PumSgIrsRKuKLlnwIY1mi2liByhKobFBG8AoiGe7gR8q0Mq9zkT8ijJSOp479iFSAaEbNC4SuCEyLNsqaxZ27hiG5_P20pT=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made no resolutions but instead let the year reveal to me what it was gonna be and as we whittled away here and there and chucked what we didn't need and tweaked what we did like and in the end, here's my musings/learnings from 2021:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Makeup remover is not the same as face wash. Remove the makeup, then wash your face.</li><li>Wash and moisturize your face.</li><li>A quick shower is possible. </li><li>Changing into cozy clothes is worth the effort. Take a few minutes to take the jeans off and put on sweat pants. </li><li>I am not responsible for that.</li><li>Put on your oxygen mask before you help others.</li><li>Learn to distinguish which is a hill and which is a mountain.</li><li>Some years, we just bide our time.</li><li>The opposite of love is selfishness.</li><li>Freedom is in your mind. In your imagination. Freedom comes from within.</li><li>Be gentle with yourself whenever possible.</li><li>The shovel is the only one that gets you 8 hits on the rock in ACNH.</li><li>Honor and keep rituals of faith. They carry you when you can't carry yourself.</li><li>Do good because it is good to do.</li><li>At the end of days, whose life are you living and it better be the one you fought for.</li><li>Rest does not mean nothing.</li><li>Live knowing you left it all in the ring.</li><li>Love casts out fear and I want to live unafraid.</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO1kz5W8vFis9d9pGkm_C-MrOENii-7GGeQ3rMq3BBXMAURVPtUqMZnGlqmp5-DU8ZsjYFq5KWn62c4KUAaNXcbwNDJT0ant0httxNH8HD2jAd3HJdHR_BGM3SrHZCQpvIFvbtjsnnnkRcBKm_9mJ5qpRqaWsyklQvqRoLmaZXnhwC1fxzI3VKDHW3=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO1kz5W8vFis9d9pGkm_C-MrOENii-7GGeQ3rMq3BBXMAURVPtUqMZnGlqmp5-DU8ZsjYFq5KWn62c4KUAaNXcbwNDJT0ant0httxNH8HD2jAd3HJdHR_BGM3SrHZCQpvIFvbtjsnnnkRcBKm_9mJ5qpRqaWsyklQvqRoLmaZXnhwC1fxzI3VKDHW3=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hello 2022. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We're gonna warm up before we run. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And we're gonna keep a steady pace.</div><p></p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-50936046499177044802021-08-24T22:19:00.002-07:002021-08-24T22:21:25.631-07:00The Monastic Life of one Evelyn Fredrich<p> It started with a <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-way-of-the-heart-desert-spirituality-and-contemporary-ministry_henri-jm-nouwen/264423/item/1177227/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwsZKJBhC0ARIsAJ96n3V8w-yVy4yzbvVb_X0_doofhXukrVGZoZBCmay0dKyJnsDo54WYNVUaAsU0EALw_wcB#idiq=1177227&edition=4365973">book</a>.</p><p>Alexa had bought it and read it and passed it along with a note somewhere along the lines of I think you might enjoy this. I was grateful, as I always am for friends who send me books but it sat on my nightstand for months. </p><p>Something happened March of 2020, can't remember what, but all of a sudden there was time now. Time to read something, anything so I picked it up and thus began the journey of desert spirituality.</p><p>The book is about 3 spiritual practices the author considers the way of the heart. Solitude, silence, and prayer. I had mentioned before that our marriage counselor noticed that I needed to learn to just do one thing at a time because I'm "in my head a lot" so I started small. I'd grab a magazine and try to just read the magazine. No no, not the way you're doing it. You're checking your phone and you have the TV on in the background and you are doing your nails or eating something no. Just read the magazine. Do you know how much concerted effort it takes to ONLY read a magazine? Well I found out! It's embarrassing. </p><p>When I started reading the book I would do so during those magical mornings back in quarantine time when Matt would be 'on duty' and I would be 'off duty' and hanging out in the backyard by myself. That I found is the key to any sort of spiritual or rest practice for me: schedule. I know, that sounds so ridiculous that a person would have to schedule rest but have you met me? If I did not specifically make myself do nothing I would overbook me and everyone in my family around the clock. It's bad. I realized too that it was a very bad habit from being brought up in a home of chaos and inconsistency. </p><p>It began with this ritual around here we call Solo Sunday where on Sunday nights I take the evening to hang in my Room of Requirement and watch a fun movie or Golden Girls or Scrubs and eat cheese or a new addition this quarantine: monthly bath night. Whatever it is has to be restful and joyful and just for me. I do whatever I feel I need based on the week. If the week was very serious and I need to laugh or be joyful, I chill with some Golden Girls, Sex and the City, or RomComs. If I'm having a hard time feeling feelings, Scrubs. If I had a heavy screen week, writing or reading. The bath nights have grown and I now own a bath caddy, bath pillow, bath bombs, bubble baths, oils, it's epic. I do face masks or foot soaks or whatever but it's just about caring for my body and skin I live in. Solo Sundays are for me, the perfect way to end a weekend and start a week, on a restful note. </p><p>Now, I dunno how much faith/religion stuff I've chatted about here on this ole blog but if I'd want you to know something about me it's that I hate the word and the practice of 'religion'. And I go to church. But loathe religion. I actually get super down with the Biblical definition of religion: "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble." I think by and large I had settled into the standard protestant Christian habits and practices that most of us settle on since that's all we know. We go to church, we read the Bible, we "pray". All well and good. But somewhere I felt like I'd been in the game awhile, was growing personally but, not necessarily deepening my faith or incorporating spiritual life into daily life. Something about randomly tossing the top 30 Bible verses into conversation didn't feel natural to me and "prayer" and Bible reading was non-existent. Maybe after decades in the church and a Biblical studies minor I needed a little something new. OLD SCHOOL SOMETHING NEW. Third century AD <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Fathers">desert fathers</a> old school. </p><p>So with the consistent practice of dedicated alone time I learned about solitude and silence as spiritual practices and a way to connect with God and creation. And if this sounds or is starting to sound a little new age-y but with Jesus I really can't blame you. It feels that way. I feel like some sort of Zen Monk that has a wifi. I say stuff like "My soul is aching for peace" and "that person is in a prison of un-love" and other crap. But... I like... mean it. I live it. I find myself in places and meditating where I really should be thinking about what size coffee I want. I will climb mountains and stare in silence and just breathe. Who dis bitch? I dunno. But... I like her. I love these new practices. I feel so much more connected to my Creator and people in a way that no other practices have worked before. These practices have actually led to a newfound resurgence of what do you know, actual Bible reading and praying. Maybe that part of my personality really thrives on that sort of moody/artistic/creative/soulful type of thought and being forced to listen to the voice within that I now know is the Holy Spirit has been so fruitful. In those practices I could finally hear what I really desperately needed to hear but I couldn't hear myself because I was just making so much noise. The world around me was making too much noise for me to hear the Spirit. The voice. </p><p>The practice which I avoided was the one on prayer. I wrote "prayer" in the paragraph above in quotations because I was and am still learning to pray. Not the 'our father who art in heaven' stuff. I learned about breath prayer and the practices of in all things praying. Communing with God. Just BEING with God. Sometimes not a word was said other than my breath prayer (a simple prayer you barely whisper that helps put your mind and soul to receive and listen like "God be with me" "Lord hear my prayer" etc. Like a mantra. I told you, new age-y but with Jesus). I kept avoiding the chapter on prayer until I finally ripped the bandage and realized to my relief it wasn't that ritualistic "I'll pray for you" type prayer. It was more than that, deeper than that. I find myself praying way more often now. It's a part of my daily life, inviting God into wherever I am, whatever moment I find myself in. It's so much more natural. It's like breathing. </p><p>I feel I'm giving very vague descriptions of what the practices all really entail but basically read the book and try them for yourself. It might not hit you in the sweet spot where it hit me but the concepts are so Biblical. Jesus would remove himself from his work and go to the desert to be alone with God. It's right in the Bible homies. </p><p>Very few things have done so much in so short a time to radically make me feel different than these spiritual practices. And it's just so hilariously weird to me too this monastic way of living. Especially in this the year of our Lord 2021 in a city like Los Angeles with a life spent on a computer. Who am I kidding right? I even mix in all the zen stuff with some Brene Brown, Ted Lasso episodes, jokes. But guess what... all of it is me. That's how I interpret the world. I can just as easily meditate with a worship song as I can with the First Man score. That's how God made me, and they didn't make a mistake. </p><p>I feel like I've been in a desert oasis for over a year and just starting to emerge from my sweet place into society. God's had enough of me resting and wants to make me climb that next mountain. And I finally feel ready for it and I welcome it. </p><p>Because I'm rebuking the evil and taking all these new monastic practices with me. </p><p>Get zen with it bitches.</p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-40745359856196235372021-08-18T22:20:00.003-07:002021-08-18T22:20:52.767-07:00Back to School 2021!!<p>I am quite happy to report that our Alice is back to school in person! Masks and all but she's in class! Do you know it has been over 500 days since school was closed from March 13, 2020? Three days in I can report that we have a very happy child who gets to play with her best friend during recess every day and eat with her too. We actually hear about what she does in class and she shares Good News and Bad News with us about what happened during the day. Our kid is not a verbal processor so we expected her to be very quiet and tried not to ask her a lot of questions but she surprised us! A happy surprise! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdso3RRrI3ft85RgT-vghBAAWWFV413pXimMP8vaqcucaMwgIQWBnOoxLIC3HP1ZimErQ4V1rAlQMMRWuOjgnqETj5QqhtKXh37AmqBWCGef8KCS2LxWgpmNBAFt1ELzIQerr1TocluLU/s2048/IMG_7078.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdso3RRrI3ft85RgT-vghBAAWWFV413pXimMP8vaqcucaMwgIQWBnOoxLIC3HP1ZimErQ4V1rAlQMMRWuOjgnqETj5QqhtKXh37AmqBWCGef8KCS2LxWgpmNBAFt1ELzIQerr1TocluLU/w300-h400/IMG_7078.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div>Is she scared or traumatized or anything wearing a mask to school? NOT AT ALL. She's used to it. I feel like it's us as parents who are responsible for not making them afraid. We can equip them with tools to handle feelings of fear or concern and this is not a concerned or fearful child. If wearing a mask means she gets to go to school with all her friends then so be it.<p></p><p>Of course, I'm very much looking forward to her not having to wear one anymore and all of us as well but right now this is the easiest thing we all can do to keep each other safe. It's only temporary. I know it feels forever but it won't be. And look at Los Angeles. We had terrible numbers and strict rules but we abided by them and got vaccinated and now we live mostly able to do anything. Ball games, conventions, concerts, movies. It felt long at the time but now feels so temporary that people act like they've already forgotten the strict lockdown times. This too shall pass.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJfji2FpETuGaSkwgmpDz614n0ZDKIEJWRr_-v3WqbuBhFQAGCa1FaWf2Re8jrYlw-W7jcI1lF6_fpWc5TJRFaIFpPihW1NOQq_bHgOt1IDE4dJsHgDz7O7Ow45WmllG-iEhv5TysBtU/s2048/IMG_7088.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJfji2FpETuGaSkwgmpDz614n0ZDKIEJWRr_-v3WqbuBhFQAGCa1FaWf2Re8jrYlw-W7jcI1lF6_fpWc5TJRFaIFpPihW1NOQq_bHgOt1IDE4dJsHgDz7O7Ow45WmllG-iEhv5TysBtU/w300-h400/IMG_7088.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div>I did tragically lose a cousin to COVID on Sunday and it's just so surreal having to hear about it and not be together with my family in Mexicali and mourn together. That's just so hard in these times. How we just go this pain alone and isolated and a death becomes a statistic. He was not a number or a statistic. He was loved and special and our family. And we'll never get to be with him in person ever again.<div><br /></div><div>Please be safe out there. Be prudent. Be wise. </div><div><br /></div><div>Who the son sets free is free indeed. </div>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-12323927874786306852021-06-17T12:08:00.003-07:002021-06-17T12:08:54.015-07:00My Solo Trips to Big Bear: PARENTS DO IT<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Let's go way back to my journey with aloneness. I am the oldest of 5 children and was raised with noise and people around me constantly. I had created ways to get lost in my own world by staying up in my room on weekends when my sister was with her dad to journal and just enjoy my own company. When we were married pre-kids, I had loads of alone time when Matt would work. Then the kids were born and I was never alone. Ever. Definitely never on trips. I mean, yes, I would travel alone for work but I wasn't exactly on my own there. I'd either be sharing a room or house with a co-worker and work and dine with co-workers until the end of the day and only a few hours alone at night. Location shoots for production is exhausting. You're on call all day and night and there's nothing restful about it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For much of 2020 (even pre-pandemic) the concepts of rest, solitude, and silence became paramount to my mental health. Our marriage counselor suggested I try "doing one thing at a time" and the Solo Sunday rituals became a sacred time to myself to just do whatever I want. Usually it's cheese and Golden Girls but sometimes it's baths or cross-stitching time or writing. It works for me to feel refreshed going into a weekday. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of those Solo Sundays, after I had a run of events and celebrations and felt like I was free to rest again, I found myself in a bathtub reading bell hook's "all about love" which I've very slowly been reading over the year because the concept of love is so much more than we make it. Anyway... the chapter I was on was about self-love. Taking the time to care for your own self and learning how you like to be loved and deserve to be loved and if you can't show love to yourself how do you expect others to love you well? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'd already known that deep in my heart was the desire to take a trip by myself. I can't have quality time home because I'll feel like I have to do things and removing myself physically from a place frees my mind up to go inward to my heart. Anyway, bell hooks writing had me just nodding and saying you know what... now is the time... take the trip. So I booked 2 nights for myself in the cutest little cabin in Big Bear on Airbnb. </div><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHs3HKtd20UuT1EMyTRl69FGphah6iCvDOG6iuZXP1R0xl6wCE9NZirYGIrVlwoT6iYXTcQFZkjzIWUc1qLYwYlSTyyNP4_8N0jlU34pqKVRFvnm0rD5mk7zOaM60l0xYQrbHGKeQlaLU/s2048/IMG_1655.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHs3HKtd20UuT1EMyTRl69FGphah6iCvDOG6iuZXP1R0xl6wCE9NZirYGIrVlwoT6iYXTcQFZkjzIWUc1qLYwYlSTyyNP4_8N0jlU34pqKVRFvnm0rD5mk7zOaM60l0xYQrbHGKeQlaLU/w300-h400/IMG_1655.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eo9dgiD0Z5pvNufwniuO6DeJcM0lgMsYWPVP-4ZZFl8PEI9aSpS_SQPpewBm2bwwnCleS39krlmJCwHap8bHCwikt4FMW6_PvqG0tjnzN_g0F02l9qfm_KScE92XdsKyaphyIbNb08Y/s2048/IMG_1654.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eo9dgiD0Z5pvNufwniuO6DeJcM0lgMsYWPVP-4ZZFl8PEI9aSpS_SQPpewBm2bwwnCleS39krlmJCwHap8bHCwikt4FMW6_PvqG0tjnzN_g0F02l9qfm_KScE92XdsKyaphyIbNb08Y/w400-h300/IMG_1654.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7kOSeAzPBmqpqQG96Dk4blcv71u1VYccfFevQD2etY-6sAviI2u09Eif42fCMoscN9JTPP2q5MepehYnlr-Gra6E6Bghl_LqGbg0pPUvzcWT1M9yLI4IvXUSYNYQphB7NS_0fp6l2qQ/s2048/IMG_1656.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7kOSeAzPBmqpqQG96Dk4blcv71u1VYccfFevQD2etY-6sAviI2u09Eif42fCMoscN9JTPP2q5MepehYnlr-Gra6E6Bghl_LqGbg0pPUvzcWT1M9yLI4IvXUSYNYQphB7NS_0fp6l2qQ/w400-h300/IMG_1656.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There's something different about traveling by yourself that's different if you go with a partner or even a BFF. You can do WHATEVER YOU WANT WHENEVER YOU WANT. I dearly dearly love traveling with Matt, I feel like we're at our best together. BUT. I'm also traveling with a vegan that doesn't drink coffee or alcohol who likes to sleep in and take it slow. If it's EvY on EvY Time then I do whatever I want whenever I want with only one person to take into consideration: me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMj9ocZ8QLfAPIW2edg8IHnYCK992b6dPyoKoDOg5Ll29b5r-h99Pw2W4jZrjVo_wvKIm3bv9ghX5fzdYAfb1CBZgPR23m0AEeX2Q2TReIZQAN1UyCekoUlszZl5UoAMu0y2s4W_sU4lU/s2048/IMG_1658.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMj9ocZ8QLfAPIW2edg8IHnYCK992b6dPyoKoDOg5Ll29b5r-h99Pw2W4jZrjVo_wvKIm3bv9ghX5fzdYAfb1CBZgPR23m0AEeX2Q2TReIZQAN1UyCekoUlszZl5UoAMu0y2s4W_sU4lU/w300-h400/IMG_1658.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I learned the particular food habits of EvY on solo vacay. If I'm at an Airbnb with a kitchen I make myself a full breakfast (WITH MEAT. Things I can't do with a vegan in tow). I also pack myself a light lunch for the trail which this round was a Crustable. The second trip was a mini cheese plate. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTlGuGWSCzjElyicWQyeq8ePSpNSUO0GuhI3hUZT8kEqP9CsfjB8g5RrFmARUDdtYvHkG4c7dVNbsEL_s0PofswFrhRReEfiJIRj0PRl-jLdFwZRQETO6o3Z1bcIN9qPNFGzd5CTgG7I/s2048/IMG_1667.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTlGuGWSCzjElyicWQyeq8ePSpNSUO0GuhI3hUZT8kEqP9CsfjB8g5RrFmARUDdtYvHkG4c7dVNbsEL_s0PofswFrhRReEfiJIRj0PRl-jLdFwZRQETO6o3Z1bcIN9qPNFGzd5CTgG7I/w300-h400/IMG_1667.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClIfufCLQ2ZkPaQWSrbqKkb21zX2hVTL9le4Y5MHtEDCbfN5ixwHi0zxc1BPqKgsaT1lms0m_Ig5hSHPBdX5ehs_9G9GBL-yOY0GXhncxPO5VjkfAoAEvamAbY_G3qwR1si0dWKAF8rw/s2048/IMG_1671.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClIfufCLQ2ZkPaQWSrbqKkb21zX2hVTL9le4Y5MHtEDCbfN5ixwHi0zxc1BPqKgsaT1lms0m_Ig5hSHPBdX5ehs_9G9GBL-yOY0GXhncxPO5VjkfAoAEvamAbY_G3qwR1si0dWKAF8rw/w300-h400/IMG_1671.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>I am not a 'go out to eat' by myself person but I discovered that a crappy dinner out of a paper bag looks too sad so I like to treat myself to a nice dinner and eat alone at my place and fully plate the meal. I have not gotten used to eating solo at this level so I had a podcast with Brene Brown to keep me company. The episode was about <a href="https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-bishop-michael-curry-on-love-hope-in-troubling-times/">Bishop Michael Curry</a> talking about love. Felt perfect. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxVowurUuYnmLtu0x6f6Y1IVKdfvrna24_B2lXhGCp0T4RdU4FMkIJHXV5o68NzVNEJnsLLikrySca0HxEFx1QhfP4EDQTCRwrCDl1bG56_MjCpyCtz2rfx5rXJkjhEhTOAPr5jsj4Qk/s2048/IMG_1663.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxVowurUuYnmLtu0x6f6Y1IVKdfvrna24_B2lXhGCp0T4RdU4FMkIJHXV5o68NzVNEJnsLLikrySca0HxEFx1QhfP4EDQTCRwrCDl1bG56_MjCpyCtz2rfx5rXJkjhEhTOAPr5jsj4Qk/w300-h400/IMG_1663.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I kept myself occupied cross-stitching, reading, and writing and taking hakes (fake hikes). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SBKBF6JKliheGu-ch0Pgq4ecvtUWcRpQYsGFyEgflPqwomlDyqwqJXcnqDoOGTmlhwXY3wOD3qv-t4rplbUd90JPzTacR5w-3uzfhPco3ZyHn9izNFIc9VNqQg3oQ8VBxfcFF9XdNAk/s2048/IMG_1678.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SBKBF6JKliheGu-ch0Pgq4ecvtUWcRpQYsGFyEgflPqwomlDyqwqJXcnqDoOGTmlhwXY3wOD3qv-t4rplbUd90JPzTacR5w-3uzfhPco3ZyHn9izNFIc9VNqQg3oQ8VBxfcFF9XdNAk/w300-h400/IMG_1678.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefuUv4WmT-wTmkKXjdk2pl7SABzBg9W3msMA_2zAtuYZX90xbCleSFNmxtYe09WDH3Y_nDXHCvDlgsz118RQyfirJ578H5Tv4ZT-4klCqmWNYXh0tEGbzZinA_WpgoazTdC0L4dZTCyw/s2048/IMG_1675.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefuUv4WmT-wTmkKXjdk2pl7SABzBg9W3msMA_2zAtuYZX90xbCleSFNmxtYe09WDH3Y_nDXHCvDlgsz118RQyfirJ578H5Tv4ZT-4klCqmWNYXh0tEGbzZinA_WpgoazTdC0L4dZTCyw/w300-h400/IMG_1675.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the first day of the trip I took a long hike and had a time of just sitting in silence and staring at this vista. No music. No podcasts. Just nature and Creator. And as I sat there in quiet for the first time in forever I heard a very clear voice from within tell me "You've been waiting for someone to hand you a diploma and tell you that you've graduated and are now a healthy person. Stop going into that cave and trying to fight that bear. You don't have to do that anymore." In no way did that make me feel like 'Hey I'm perfect'. But more like I have done the work of changing as a person into a healthier woman (inside, working on the outside part now) and I can use that as a foundation to move forward. I don't have to keep mining my trauma to find something new to deal with, it's not affecting me the way it used to. I have reached a summit. And a voice told me the second day "It's time to climb another mountain." What that mountain is, I don't know. But it feels good to be facing the future instead of still feeling like I'm stuck in the past. For this revelation alone, the trip was so worth it. </div></span><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGkDl3SFu7UiOCRlbgNjT03tRI13piLZl7dmYuVV0U_nDMyu185UI1pDQJDQjgbEbw6roXsYoai1Twuda3y159fm9O38pIKDzBMnIEVdp5YizNzoUvXsM6yyXUXdAx4ySICrHze-30ws/s2048/IMG_1647.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGkDl3SFu7UiOCRlbgNjT03tRI13piLZl7dmYuVV0U_nDMyu185UI1pDQJDQjgbEbw6roXsYoai1Twuda3y159fm9O38pIKDzBMnIEVdp5YizNzoUvXsM6yyXUXdAx4ySICrHze-30ws/w400-h300/IMG_1647.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also learned that I really enjoy having a cute space to live in. We truly are affected by our environments and this place really soothed my soul.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ElonWap2BRJnEpRz6H9QGu1cHjUmQms4uBlkuwnoSsEwhZ9dp3GxqxqYg725iVwaczU-cPUF3tgd4RZyrm4lI79GANn97ti-MbfuKUOqJTxLqK1ke1LpDxcyNIxdmuCSlcN9u8Kw408/s2048/IMG_1734.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ElonWap2BRJnEpRz6H9QGu1cHjUmQms4uBlkuwnoSsEwhZ9dp3GxqxqYg725iVwaczU-cPUF3tgd4RZyrm4lI79GANn97ti-MbfuKUOqJTxLqK1ke1LpDxcyNIxdmuCSlcN9u8Kw408/w400-h300/IMG_1734.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl28LbT83cnYxcplQaLDhha5_qSrShEORi5jBt_cIpVmzdI0_JTb6TO2gjlmBdedokP48Bvf0HQkYNkxqhzKIXVuI2xyTHcHPxFX2wmp9Jko6IqeJhMQmgz3YiDlDCUd3WnvnHCNXUKCU/s2048/IMG_1736.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl28LbT83cnYxcplQaLDhha5_qSrShEORi5jBt_cIpVmzdI0_JTb6TO2gjlmBdedokP48Bvf0HQkYNkxqhzKIXVuI2xyTHcHPxFX2wmp9Jko6IqeJhMQmgz3YiDlDCUd3WnvnHCNXUKCU/w400-h300/IMG_1736.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL67EPTl8veJ_86xy5NUjcMcVkc75VtqOD6jw4iYSSj3C0ws52XmmbF3klrk3VICXxoEWczGe0Q8ZVIrv0knkohSzQS4c02ScHSeDCjS5doqbAhQs-txakICxLI_opJDVI_mPDZ-5Rr2M/s2048/IMG_1737.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL67EPTl8veJ_86xy5NUjcMcVkc75VtqOD6jw4iYSSj3C0ws52XmmbF3klrk3VICXxoEWczGe0Q8ZVIrv0knkohSzQS4c02ScHSeDCjS5doqbAhQs-txakICxLI_opJDVI_mPDZ-5Rr2M/w400-h300/IMG_1737.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I am a full evangelist about telling parents to take these types of trips by themselves. Nothing like listening to the needs of your mind, body, and soul for days at a time to really balance a person out. You can't hear yourself when there's so much noise. The quiet helps you listen.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_NjiUyAbRmH5Mlm8TwdJovGUEkV_Yrt2cD4vLPjLdztEOzAOGq0YRMwUxIKw3vdAWUc8WUcdHl6LwmcvPHiHXhDiok-urVB-YfcoAShTcfiLuVEtEx7Qh7a-D4_K1psFxyxg0Bb1UZg/s2048/IMG_1696.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_NjiUyAbRmH5Mlm8TwdJovGUEkV_Yrt2cD4vLPjLdztEOzAOGq0YRMwUxIKw3vdAWUc8WUcdHl6LwmcvPHiHXhDiok-urVB-YfcoAShTcfiLuVEtEx7Qh7a-D4_K1psFxyxg0Bb1UZg/w400-h300/IMG_1696.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">So I say: DO IT. If I had to give tips I'd say start small with a place that's driving distance but far enough away to feel like you are removed from daily life. Get yourself a place that doesn't feel very big and just enough for you alone otherwise you'll feel sad seeing an extra bedroom and feeling like the kids are supposed to be there. My place was the perfect size. Eat a few good meals. Don't bring your electronics or watch TV. Have some moments of absolute quiet with nothing to do but sit and listen. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLJ-RTSqA5sHkylyu29rBEaDongfqHnEKzH3eXBBNd0txdsioaaBEQ9E8D5HFnGh5iesYULCJt1R8ttud7DGX39BrZ-a0Q-80DrP8yOPSaIUQm9pjrkrhFhTJVstZ9E7tR-r8SO4GKAE/s2048/IMG_1697.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLJ-RTSqA5sHkylyu29rBEaDongfqHnEKzH3eXBBNd0txdsioaaBEQ9E8D5HFnGh5iesYULCJt1R8ttud7DGX39BrZ-a0Q-80DrP8yOPSaIUQm9pjrkrhFhTJVstZ9E7tR-r8SO4GKAE/w400-h300/IMG_1697.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You'll be surprised what you learn about yourself and you'll be so grateful you did it. So go!</div></div></div><p></p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-49982525541404368992021-06-11T16:03:00.004-07:002021-06-11T16:03:56.239-07:00IT'S SUMMER 2021!<p>Well it happened. Alice did a full year of 1st grade from a computer. I can't talk about it too much, it's too sad. The person who really did all the heavy lifting around here other than our little lady was Matt who handled her daily Zoom log ons (I mean, Alice could navigate the whole website and app but Matt would remind her to log on and off all day), the meals for everyone, and making sure she did all her assignments and would upload them to Google classroom. It was a daily battle of wills and motivation and frustration. It's not the way a kid should have done school but she was safe and she reads and does some basic math. What more can we ask for?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOqoBm5NFqG2A8x6nKNtjYlNDtwBuPCBR-qNlQUmRbp18P7vY2QozV_W2R0G_xf25tr58u1jvcTblInBVjmEH0QiuzjN6lIdINPUnJ7vs1KKmswImqoaNBpZdR8ZiPowoXLkh6mfQJQs/s2048/IMG_5554.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOqoBm5NFqG2A8x6nKNtjYlNDtwBuPCBR-qNlQUmRbp18P7vY2QozV_W2R0G_xf25tr58u1jvcTblInBVjmEH0QiuzjN6lIdINPUnJ7vs1KKmswImqoaNBpZdR8ZiPowoXLkh6mfQJQs/s320/IMG_5554.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Two major additions around here for the house have really elevated the already adorable backyard situation. One is a hammock chair that everyone in the family enjoys. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSB6VqlYuCky_zNvVaQgvCW74CsgCEYGB5VfdVKuIZ0q6-NPp08JSj8KJaK9Gl0dz7LtP7pMnxdlTDHEnLfJuOFimh1Gh8rlS4dJBe9CBD7zhR0lmR20E6KhPa4hL-taIW2kuYezcCJ3U/s2048/IMG_5570.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSB6VqlYuCky_zNvVaQgvCW74CsgCEYGB5VfdVKuIZ0q6-NPp08JSj8KJaK9Gl0dz7LtP7pMnxdlTDHEnLfJuOFimh1Gh8rlS4dJBe9CBD7zhR0lmR20E6KhPa4hL-taIW2kuYezcCJ3U/s320/IMG_5570.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div>And the other is a... fire pit! Huge hit around here. It adds so much ambiance and we've done some double dates, some dates just us and something about sitting around a fire is so wonderful: communal and primal? Fire. So simple. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJULbuAhQ3CCIWdWMeEa4i57PCEUSWH7sHnvGOm3PYAyndq3-ixXEBI0AXuUt13ilSt5WzsZkVlqW7QuahwiWaR4DwAWclwow9qY66i7aesx3ZXGEWuX-JqU94zTI78VUqkRNG-v9KmM/s2048/IMG_5582.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJULbuAhQ3CCIWdWMeEa4i57PCEUSWH7sHnvGOm3PYAyndq3-ixXEBI0AXuUt13ilSt5WzsZkVlqW7QuahwiWaR4DwAWclwow9qY66i7aesx3ZXGEWuX-JqU94zTI78VUqkRNG-v9KmM/s320/IMG_5582.HEIC" /></a></div>We got vaccinated fully May 5 so we're good to socialize and we're slowly dipping our toes in the waters of 'normal life'. It feels weird and just... great. <div><br /></div><div>I am about a week away from being done with my 6 month run with the magnificent people of Airbnb. We made some great spots and I got to do it safely from home. SO SO SO grateful. The week after next the kids will be going to their grandparents for a week and the week after that we're taking a family road trip to Reno and Las Vegas! I'm calling it Mild West since with two kids we can't get into too much trouble but I have taken to absolutely 100% overdoing it with themed outfits, a slideshow, and activities for the road and all kinda things. Wouldn't be me without all that! </div><div><br /></div><div>Hopeful that all your summers are starting off well with people and warmth.</div>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-24950790560021145372021-01-05T14:13:00.007-08:002021-01-05T14:14:43.049-08:00New Year! Same Old Stuff!<p>Welcome to 2021. All our problems are over, everything is gravy... we're all fine. Everyone's fine. We're all fine here, now. Thank you. How are you? SIKE.</p><p>Los Angeles is at like 0% ICU capacity and people still won't stay home! Anyway... since we're gonna be home home home for the foreseeable future, it's time to pivot to thinking about improving the front yard of our home. Currently... it's dead. Dead grass. The trees in the front yard of which there are currently 7 are all doing well though! It's not a place we spend much time in though it is nice for the kids to just run around the dead grass and throw balls to each other. But our dream is to make it become a much more welcoming place for some shrubbery, flowers, more trees, and some edible plants. Basically my dream is a drought tolerant California English garden. If that exists. If it doesn't... we're gonna make it so. So this is sort of rough inspiration ideas... </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiee40pHWBDVEzzYG77Yipwn3MQoZnvZWnRVkXiKHCrKEEe4Mwrs_6atp-khFB1txSvXDiC5knc3xgZiCMaLsDCf1xHBRpjId2ujeRdD0tfWhqnhMx3x6PuiOZ31jYWhMLRo2oM-w9alRA/s715/692e8d15deda2b447f75dcfcdd31d8b7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="474" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiee40pHWBDVEzzYG77Yipwn3MQoZnvZWnRVkXiKHCrKEEe4Mwrs_6atp-khFB1txSvXDiC5knc3xgZiCMaLsDCf1xHBRpjId2ujeRdD0tfWhqnhMx3x6PuiOZ31jYWhMLRo2oM-w9alRA/w265-h400/692e8d15deda2b447f75dcfcdd31d8b7.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">love the little curvy gravel path</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAUvbt00Tf1gJreRzD6EsSp9YQlTZ9RNoTye7HmMof3M50DXKDqRqC2GXG0QnrkA3PlvOrXck5MEFoqNmphqD0QWxEv_oR6uy5q0lR_9J6zy_nirBXZV1T3z0vvR5ZQDsakFbktxOMTw/s547/d4842af450fe728e8aa17ce17aed7228.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="357" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAUvbt00Tf1gJreRzD6EsSp9YQlTZ9RNoTye7HmMof3M50DXKDqRqC2GXG0QnrkA3PlvOrXck5MEFoqNmphqD0QWxEv_oR6uy5q0lR_9J6zy_nirBXZV1T3z0vvR5ZQDsakFbktxOMTw/w260-h400/d4842af450fe728e8aa17ce17aed7228.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">love this paver style</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9BeJ_347FM43A8VufryB-L6bI_MJXRdP00SsxUO-t3JSsO7XzEMTOpWqlVBBiuFdN6PVhcSne2vqOd3MnSDGaditUzrh_U0TI23GJhPYmfGiXLDtTw4sFBEJ8oY5hu5-rq79cIgUzdo/s550/624e15abe000c3b8e2fd45f18747ecf2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9BeJ_347FM43A8VufryB-L6bI_MJXRdP00SsxUO-t3JSsO7XzEMTOpWqlVBBiuFdN6PVhcSne2vqOd3MnSDGaditUzrh_U0TI23GJhPYmfGiXLDtTw4sFBEJ8oY5hu5-rq79cIgUzdo/w400-h400/624e15abe000c3b8e2fd45f18747ecf2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">love the lushness</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmQdhrr0JiUVl5m8La6EnU6VhiT3kIlgh7KYE5wnEKCXVpOE1t16UJkCo_SypOZMXwkU_QBJunw3phJ3QwYBR_BQpG3K9xAYHTELogc1PWRNFa1kV5lTwBtzoSHJ6jKhgcgA-k7g6UfI/s578/dd33a761b5c5e7b6494e10dc3f78ff03.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="563" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmQdhrr0JiUVl5m8La6EnU6VhiT3kIlgh7KYE5wnEKCXVpOE1t16UJkCo_SypOZMXwkU_QBJunw3phJ3QwYBR_BQpG3K9xAYHTELogc1PWRNFa1kV5lTwBtzoSHJ6jKhgcgA-k7g6UfI/s320/dd33a761b5c5e7b6494e10dc3f78ff03.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">garden bed necessary</td></tr></tbody></table>So while I was supposed to be working, I put all the thoughts in my brain down into a general/rough sort of proposed layout. Which breaks down into a zone for growing food, a grassy patch of faux grass so we can picnic, and a mini orchard along the perimeter with some areas for sitting and swinging.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65M50oDXqg8rbw949NCoBGBC7NHMkM_3ltvZUWSM2-eIcCsSlv4Ei0dJ4_ELN8-POZrEXserD8V7Amuw5Gbd5nT7BFEMp-29j-8FJT42ZZySsQfaO_w8_mzOEQjPPaMURcpWrc2UPYdQ/s1472/Front+Yard+Floorplan_v1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1472" height="493" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65M50oDXqg8rbw949NCoBGBC7NHMkM_3ltvZUWSM2-eIcCsSlv4Ei0dJ4_ELN8-POZrEXserD8V7Amuw5Gbd5nT7BFEMp-29j-8FJT42ZZySsQfaO_w8_mzOEQjPPaMURcpWrc2UPYdQ/w640-h493/Front+Yard+Floorplan_v1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The things to consider are that the front yard is a south facing and we get FULL sun out here all the time and we like, totally live in the valley so anything out here needs to be hearty. I know there will be some heartbreaking deaths of plants but hopefully once we get a little established it won't be much work and will just be some weekly larger scale maintenance and every other day watering/etc. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>We are so grateful to be healthy and well as we start this new year. I will be recapping our Christmas and New Year's celebrations and also the year in general (that'll take 1000 years) but I wanted to start the new year with a new post of things to look forward to at home. <div><br /></div><div>We love it here.</div>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-21875902498320227302020-12-01T21:49:00.002-08:002020-12-01T21:49:23.174-08:00The COVID 19 Diaries: Working from Home in the Master Bedroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well as we had discussed earlier when I was on a long job I setup an office situation in our master bedroom to keep the office as a playroom for Wally and Alice during the day. This was our setup when I was on a 2 week job and on my current 7 week job (where I've been promoted to producer!). This works out well because being in the back of the house keeps me a little more isolated from the noises of the family during the day and then I have my own bathroom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3HhnJ4kaLNL12KNCWFaU2B7Ny8kf43FvsAZ69ql3V5FwU5km4_i4FaSe1lW9dNoFc5dQxprm6Pef08We_iPLJOur0g3vV1GKKx8BdtR9x_16IIcn26uvrIaKIgtaeu9ZKsT9hOPKcgI/s2208/P1130418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3HhnJ4kaLNL12KNCWFaU2B7Ny8kf43FvsAZ69ql3V5FwU5km4_i4FaSe1lW9dNoFc5dQxprm6Pef08We_iPLJOur0g3vV1GKKx8BdtR9x_16IIcn26uvrIaKIgtaeu9ZKsT9hOPKcgI/w226-h400/P1130418.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok but first lookit how cute and cozy our room is right now.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcMUtWbmaGHPbfLZwODqylguhZXsW3vOUGanZjRuuJOk9CN8-8FqgRiw9aScebG-HchwYGpcC3jgzrJHd1wbJuBvkfrZ9Wrf5uxVKitO8url62DwmcJfkZKtJfvjmFjCjfW4Wg12TRL0/s2208/P1130419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcMUtWbmaGHPbfLZwODqylguhZXsW3vOUGanZjRuuJOk9CN8-8FqgRiw9aScebG-HchwYGpcC3jgzrJHd1wbJuBvkfrZ9Wrf5uxVKitO8url62DwmcJfkZKtJfvjmFjCjfW4Wg12TRL0/w400-h226/P1130419.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After my trip to the cutest cabin for my solo retreat I came back determined to find an identical or close to it fuzzy bedspread for our bed and I love it so much. It just makes you wanna get in bed.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIjgefAq-qKCq_790rvEePsnEtpqZffYeRRTmPlYjm9ze7RDxAlLRs_xHp0gd2IKU6SL_vwXDM5PhSM06h2odK7asi2_1H9ZYNmWedgYHRt2ua3GDlCpU5iRUCZm2IqLi9XaJ2SXSG14/s2208/P1130420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIjgefAq-qKCq_790rvEePsnEtpqZffYeRRTmPlYjm9ze7RDxAlLRs_xHp0gd2IKU6SL_vwXDM5PhSM06h2odK7asi2_1H9ZYNmWedgYHRt2ua3GDlCpU5iRUCZm2IqLi9XaJ2SXSG14/w400-h226/P1130420.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>So this seems a little odd but to keep a clear walkway, I setup the desk at the foot of the bed. This gives me a nice view out the two windows and I can see when the family sneaks in on me.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8n3V4VWP3YUR0ZWawPv_NvpE4KNTYA_d7nvtvBraFoG4BuM8DhtgmMUVYs5auC-vLG5k-2QkxOAxcr8x3UmMJ4pZfDA9Q1mubhkM8Z_qxgbCdam6fLMKJLhFojCWzjo9p-L-QDfzPhaQ/s2208/P1130421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8n3V4VWP3YUR0ZWawPv_NvpE4KNTYA_d7nvtvBraFoG4BuM8DhtgmMUVYs5auC-vLG5k-2QkxOAxcr8x3UmMJ4pZfDA9Q1mubhkM8Z_qxgbCdam6fLMKJLhFojCWzjo9p-L-QDfzPhaQ/w400-h226/P1130421.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The desk is teeny and just enough room for my elevated laptop situation.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURh3Wx-kflMzRdLrUpD8xltgUfiFmpvvtJ4bBZrItFQyetrmq0OasGiMIcnkbYxJAAZXJb39Hd4AFSzUQnZWWkLYL-a-EgUI7-qbIu6FCO3rA5ReY4rAlxsQaNgUfnWJXwcV1jsx_k3E/s2208/P1130422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURh3Wx-kflMzRdLrUpD8xltgUfiFmpvvtJ4bBZrItFQyetrmq0OasGiMIcnkbYxJAAZXJb39Hd4AFSzUQnZWWkLYL-a-EgUI7-qbIu6FCO3rA5ReY4rAlxsQaNgUfnWJXwcV1jsx_k3E/w400-h226/P1130422.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There's probably way too much stuff on it but I deem them all essential.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLpxavQfpkHRxWR0ebnYVYEHTM9ifYdEJ3huIwHh2Q5oxrF1RDtOIlEvDA9x_zqcjMVVlwVfKuX0nb7KRhlfvnHxPCY86gKYDW0ZDN8qWlS9QNufNi9pyFguOmZssFfEqQQy6JhHjvsN0/s2208/P1130423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLpxavQfpkHRxWR0ebnYVYEHTM9ifYdEJ3huIwHh2Q5oxrF1RDtOIlEvDA9x_zqcjMVVlwVfKuX0nb7KRhlfvnHxPCY86gKYDW0ZDN8qWlS9QNufNi9pyFguOmZssFfEqQQy6JhHjvsN0/w400-h226/P1130423.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>This little desk set was on sale at Ikea and I needed to justify buying it by saying "it'll work well when I setup the office in the master bedroom". <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPVoC4dXMSr9K_tZ8qCE0rrp5o1dF5yHUSmGO4BlP2g1PQTeyUHk45nSbRYf_xdzYmaJ6ySarYlbKdQ6sxmy6dzJg5wRVRjstQG0vkl0GmBrqw8JBTNjuwRmja5H959mByGLovCrxL_E/s2208/P1130424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPVoC4dXMSr9K_tZ8qCE0rrp5o1dF5yHUSmGO4BlP2g1PQTeyUHk45nSbRYf_xdzYmaJ6ySarYlbKdQ6sxmy6dzJg5wRVRjstQG0vkl0GmBrqw8JBTNjuwRmja5H959mByGLovCrxL_E/w400-h226/P1130424.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I dunno how other people work but I need pens, papers, post-its, chapstick, lotion, and water. ALWAYS AT ALL TIMES NEARBY OR ELSE I FALTER.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPENV1mCh4vv5pxlXApb_jkLl8uD_qCyIuDL20YKM-2RAn5rywrgFT0HRDRaGRh1Iocq0CVLiSYxmwTgY-jLW5YtjUSBIVrHC4bs2gcnzWrjI2sHjeZo3Mu1SckT30B4pC8mYRDi4T8U/s2208/P1130425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPENV1mCh4vv5pxlXApb_jkLl8uD_qCyIuDL20YKM-2RAn5rywrgFT0HRDRaGRh1Iocq0CVLiSYxmwTgY-jLW5YtjUSBIVrHC4bs2gcnzWrjI2sHjeZo3Mu1SckT30B4pC8mYRDi4T8U/w400-h226/P1130425.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">During this pandemic I updated the office chair from the one I had before to this nifty swivel-y and pink velvet-y chair.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rRH3T1u7wMA_2ZgVByTDNFjgiYH2mF2f9y841zl02uo_D-rsptXtTuiowZJp0lDFvMZ0dNY1iaJT07tEkolbLgZlLPcCtrxFZAHt8Z522AkRO-zZvlpff6f-69TA1U4GeHlsO_4Le3A/s2208/P1130428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rRH3T1u7wMA_2ZgVByTDNFjgiYH2mF2f9y841zl02uo_D-rsptXtTuiowZJp0lDFvMZ0dNY1iaJT07tEkolbLgZlLPcCtrxFZAHt8Z522AkRO-zZvlpff6f-69TA1U4GeHlsO_4Le3A/w226-h400/P1130428.JPG" width="226" /></a></div>We made the decision to go for the chair upgrade it when we realized the work from home temporary thing was going to be long term.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_VYVwLZrk9YYL6GtHGLvYXfSaQWOTEQYgqT1OaPkj8KKrz4wldhwXm8TmE_QNINUjKZs7qDUiGtsAibDTNTgGlrvhFRR400-8ZaSIfmE2lOoxlT6lPzjzK_DCtoMtt1cIV04PvkVU4U/s2208/P1130429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_VYVwLZrk9YYL6GtHGLvYXfSaQWOTEQYgqT1OaPkj8KKrz4wldhwXm8TmE_QNINUjKZs7qDUiGtsAibDTNTgGlrvhFRR400-8ZaSIfmE2lOoxlT6lPzjzK_DCtoMtt1cIV04PvkVU4U/w400-h226/P1130429.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The angle from here makes it look way more professional. Look at my giant bookcase of books! Oh and the desk itself we got off <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S7NQ7WV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and it folds down and I put it in our coat closet when I'm in between jobs. I really needed it to fold away and looked at options for WEEKS until I landed on this little sweet thing. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3wOHnaMTniYJ42O6cHLBO_MPSWEQzykeq-ld7S7-LVDvzvtGEVHuO5zKnEoo5JCEu3YHFIVN8A37j92nMbhvZyyqbWttDpSqxTJ4d8L7ytom0GC_TZKGsgpqr6_8YRHrhEJzeF4Z7_U/s2208/P1130431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3wOHnaMTniYJ42O6cHLBO_MPSWEQzykeq-ld7S7-LVDvzvtGEVHuO5zKnEoo5JCEu3YHFIVN8A37j92nMbhvZyyqbWttDpSqxTJ4d8L7ytom0GC_TZKGsgpqr6_8YRHrhEJzeF4Z7_U/w226-h400/P1130431.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not bad for a 'temporary' space right? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14pHv7GRAFzh_QMc6lj48xEuuowhqaJUaUJBdK5uCh_77jQ2NR4l5k1F3PbML-3OsvxrXEdxwVlxSzGulxz1ouAwO4-q70Gqd5aP2_lVve2sbIoOdXOTYwLfGtFX7-Qcts-wnxCn18P8/s2208/P1130430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14pHv7GRAFzh_QMc6lj48xEuuowhqaJUaUJBdK5uCh_77jQ2NR4l5k1F3PbML-3OsvxrXEdxwVlxSzGulxz1ouAwO4-q70Gqd5aP2_lVve2sbIoOdXOTYwLfGtFX7-Qcts-wnxCn18P8/w400-h226/P1130430.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's working out well so far. We're constantly adjusting things around here with the kids, the house, and our separations of duties. This pandemic has made Matt & I a really great team. I mean, we always were but I'm really just proud of us. Yay team.</div></div>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-1415650636483398602020-11-30T05:00:00.001-08:002020-11-30T05:00:02.836-08:00COVID-19: The kids room at Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well Thanksgiving came and Thanksgiving went and now it is the most wonderful time of the year! I used to pose her next to it and now she's helping me decorate it! THEY GROW UP SO FAST.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1o01_SVkVqt1Mk33kGIvKPkr0mL2TNtL2MtarMVDwzssS2fJ22dDUf3FtLITd7689jqKGgut03peYaTCgXsHnNJVNZosRKfZTDtlQ8P4EqNp6BGu2O6Z4C1rnuUNgcyvE3BHGxd0JIOA/s2208/P1130340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1o01_SVkVqt1Mk33kGIvKPkr0mL2TNtL2MtarMVDwzssS2fJ22dDUf3FtLITd7689jqKGgut03peYaTCgXsHnNJVNZosRKfZTDtlQ8P4EqNp6BGu2O6Z4C1rnuUNgcyvE3BHGxd0JIOA/w400-h226/P1130340.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is the kids room in all it's festive Christmas glory.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScguhh_P8W3aJS1jVQsxO4LsL_1F6EEdHJ1dpWAQgd2qJL9TlqYzv5OC-kzWSog-r27nYRgr36SMNlQChmRb_zmfcLzyuhnSSqO25K71k8kHza4L4BECO2Ync2ouOzSO9p4RostDVbAU/s2208/P1130350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScguhh_P8W3aJS1jVQsxO4LsL_1F6EEdHJ1dpWAQgd2qJL9TlqYzv5OC-kzWSog-r27nYRgr36SMNlQChmRb_zmfcLzyuhnSSqO25K71k8kHza4L4BECO2Ync2ouOzSO9p4RostDVbAU/w400-h226/P1130350.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I got Alice & Wally new flannel sheets from Target that are so cute. She got unicorns natch and he got dinosaurs. Here's her side. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAjwVQleqaRiY-s98-hHE21ITr9JKXRdSdl5J5fzgOkwceQORwGkKxVSb0iYIY_Mi_GAo91VYbXt6FrztysgVzRnb2TreX3mfFewC3OncZOzh1CNqwrKJshPfDnxvrfWmbxdpT_ARWMA/s2208/P1130351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAjwVQleqaRiY-s98-hHE21ITr9JKXRdSdl5J5fzgOkwceQORwGkKxVSb0iYIY_Mi_GAo91VYbXt6FrztysgVzRnb2TreX3mfFewC3OncZOzh1CNqwrKJshPfDnxvrfWmbxdpT_ARWMA/w400-h226/P1130351.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>We got a new dresser for them! With Wally now full time using a potty (PRAISE GOD) we didn't need a lower dresser as a changing table. We found a new home for the old one and now have this behemoth that holds all their PJs and all their shorts and pants that were formerly in the closet. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxJe-hUmNaA3Ckoghl5MPfTV0_x3-3YWCw3V3gZLlJMLB7BV0wl0HRGTK0UVCd2w3jpD_9KSHy65jTFnfdugiCFwadGiVIyJcML5s_lQWsWu8LpS3CKUXsiJJJoMRM1hBYiusI8eSvRA/s2208/P1130352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxJe-hUmNaA3Ckoghl5MPfTV0_x3-3YWCw3V3gZLlJMLB7BV0wl0HRGTK0UVCd2w3jpD_9KSHy65jTFnfdugiCFwadGiVIyJcML5s_lQWsWu8LpS3CKUXsiJJJoMRM1hBYiusI8eSvRA/w226-h400/P1130352.JPG" width="226" /></a></div>I dunno about you but it's not Christmas without a wreath on Darth Vader.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVoCgPPHv7L2XYaKcV7SAjEmepmZExlrw0OA883aJFTsH5xsxUFTJ112WFdVClzGKPD5Uh3y8yTlAjM395By6vNCQp_8k4BBgqSrESfJhk_4Npm3Yc9Id4GJJyhV_a8N4rdVjRkazVops/s2208/P1130353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVoCgPPHv7L2XYaKcV7SAjEmepmZExlrw0OA883aJFTsH5xsxUFTJ112WFdVClzGKPD5Uh3y8yTlAjM395By6vNCQp_8k4BBgqSrESfJhk_4Npm3Yc9Id4GJJyhV_a8N4rdVjRkazVops/w400-h226/P1130353.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Matt's mom made this bulb garland last year and I finally hung it in a cute way. New advent calendar.. so cute.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOukyJV8u2xFL_Rmrw-FNycaOyBLaV4VGWw8q1uX_xBX-XHom2emIQ_Nrlo4HV2vrBU9QQYkpR-eP6QAhzXcKtHUFYtFJuZxVEtxfUkDg5sdJY-1IOq0UbAZqT8n-CZ375nqF1m8M9vg/s2208/P1130354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOukyJV8u2xFL_Rmrw-FNycaOyBLaV4VGWw8q1uX_xBX-XHom2emIQ_Nrlo4HV2vrBU9QQYkpR-eP6QAhzXcKtHUFYtFJuZxVEtxfUkDg5sdJY-1IOq0UbAZqT8n-CZ375nqF1m8M9vg/w226-h400/P1130354.JPG" width="226" /></a></div>Oh! Here is Alice's new school area. For the record this situation was bound to happen but I thought it would be years before she needed a real homework/desk area but distance learning in the time of COVID has made it jump to the top of the list. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40D2E1LVtKNMgRf9TTxyVLy49MkEh6qdnbb6pK9fuf4M7YNgio7g3jAC1p9gn5lfH65rX_qV9Ekx2Yn_oc3dh0n1vdFQbi6k3WHHuXlh1W1AIjQE8B9FatKl_k-Gu0VG_roSGM4ofXd4/s2208/P1130356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40D2E1LVtKNMgRf9TTxyVLy49MkEh6qdnbb6pK9fuf4M7YNgio7g3jAC1p9gn5lfH65rX_qV9Ekx2Yn_oc3dh0n1vdFQbi6k3WHHuXlh1W1AIjQE8B9FatKl_k-Gu0VG_roSGM4ofXd4/w226-h400/P1130356.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We been picking away at it slowly and now is it's most updated and I think final iteration. It has a magnetic board for displaying artwork, whiteboard calendar, corkboard with letters and reference numbers, a bulletin board for her friends pictures, and a hook to hang her... things. Everything a girl could need for a desk area. Who knows what will hang here in years to come...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6SpyOKT4D9Cnbd5XqiUm_xcXirRmuIyGXLmhwQLAsKxKs2SK29pfRKJTLT7xcoA5tmcNpbAHAgOAGcGtSuDG1UBD7oCH5LL338zOCTKnm66azJvjjdZuT8fsvKx12soPkNr-Z16wvrQ/s2208/P1130355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6SpyOKT4D9Cnbd5XqiUm_xcXirRmuIyGXLmhwQLAsKxKs2SK29pfRKJTLT7xcoA5tmcNpbAHAgOAGcGtSuDG1UBD7oCH5LL338zOCTKnm66azJvjjdZuT8fsvKx12soPkNr-Z16wvrQ/w226-h400/P1130355.JPG" width="226" /></a></div>It's just the little things that make things merry.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmi91XH4X8lXlAe4ikDm_pHaq1W219DZpKQZeX_Y3-vEzN7gljxz322BH5BDM_G5O3kYSXGoTtHFErLRet2gH0sY3_E1BkDjcyjP9sl7NTS-3MmV0yydM3hCAC4Vp3zZXBum4EKnyxHQ/s2208/P1130357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmi91XH4X8lXlAe4ikDm_pHaq1W219DZpKQZeX_Y3-vEzN7gljxz322BH5BDM_G5O3kYSXGoTtHFErLRet2gH0sY3_E1BkDjcyjP9sl7NTS-3MmV0yydM3hCAC4Vp3zZXBum4EKnyxHQ/w400-h226/P1130357.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Ambre's family nativity set, now with our family.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpOlbifG4FMBaHBsdnVPiM6ZujuoCcW6mlDdKytoKh5cWSpuTiWz1gwa30z9CqElqAgXwHxTrGJunyQfmtPSFHL3TQwLKJdnBkDMOUsGzY94QCy6MZW5JMYFpuONmDgWtWnrrwqx1hWY/s2208/P1130358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpOlbifG4FMBaHBsdnVPiM6ZujuoCcW6mlDdKytoKh5cWSpuTiWz1gwa30z9CqElqAgXwHxTrGJunyQfmtPSFHL3TQwLKJdnBkDMOUsGzY94QCy6MZW5JMYFpuONmDgWtWnrrwqx1hWY/w400-h226/P1130358.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here is Wally's side.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGNsFfxgV8Ag2r3_zoT7tmaoRgXEqK2Fv3QO7RMsc3d6gDNoJuhen-6zh0OPATtFp5lHACUKRaL7JzBrV8IxTcBPQSrOD_90k_J1tWSIckSySsGp3eGG8IMXbehhw5iN69pVi3poiiQU/s2208/P1130360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGNsFfxgV8Ag2r3_zoT7tmaoRgXEqK2Fv3QO7RMsc3d6gDNoJuhen-6zh0OPATtFp5lHACUKRaL7JzBrV8IxTcBPQSrOD_90k_J1tWSIckSySsGp3eGG8IMXbehhw5iN69pVi3poiiQU/w226-h400/P1130360.JPG" width="226" /></a></div>I used some 3M command hooks to hang up some stars. Literally my favorite Christmas decorating tool. You have no idea how many of these hang in places around our house <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFK85kiJxHnjyiFabxcH4vY86EVMClz7A4Nrt7amBo16Fa5XfKOH-Qd5a2WZghhMBbMhKf88e2CrMM4i9_IIDPhfGGL2BcL-2kYYPKV0af9uKT9b-itLpvHGmG2HpnBECFXaqTQd_VhUM/s2208/P1130361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFK85kiJxHnjyiFabxcH4vY86EVMClz7A4Nrt7amBo16Fa5XfKOH-Qd5a2WZghhMBbMhKf88e2CrMM4i9_IIDPhfGGL2BcL-2kYYPKV0af9uKT9b-itLpvHGmG2HpnBECFXaqTQd_VhUM/w226-h400/P1130361.JPG" width="226" /></a></div>The kids 100% decorated this tree themselves. I think they did perfectly.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlkYNEa_Txx0qNKojNLDbaOYRhPN9SxCmZYRv9SY6k-uhDMGCPgMTAu2C4f1Fr0di7Iz22TstMtcmlarY8kIOPd4cQfA5LEJyghYQmM5Kou2bO8bxu3LSE6zwL0r8O1DH9W0TgsZS2UU/s2208/P1130359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlkYNEa_Txx0qNKojNLDbaOYRhPN9SxCmZYRv9SY6k-uhDMGCPgMTAu2C4f1Fr0di7Iz22TstMtcmlarY8kIOPd4cQfA5LEJyghYQmM5Kou2bO8bxu3LSE6zwL0r8O1DH9W0TgsZS2UU/w226-h400/P1130359.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqAQIzqszN5ubiDyZnUh5_tc2Y8U9dLYuT7WWX5gGt0BbUoj4FGhdBqYEH6HtzWFkuJ-sduxg0HrUkM1d56Tg9JFCQsW6Znb_uPvsDa8k42ynll9CGSOJpU-f_9rejdkNMCnZmWvj51I/s2208/P1130363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqAQIzqszN5ubiDyZnUh5_tc2Y8U9dLYuT7WWX5gGt0BbUoj4FGhdBqYEH6HtzWFkuJ-sduxg0HrUkM1d56Tg9JFCQsW6Znb_uPvsDa8k42ynll9CGSOJpU-f_9rejdkNMCnZmWvj51I/w226-h400/P1130363.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Nothing like Christmastime at home... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZK8GUhrGHlpaCqAR3hbE8-cde3rZtCtPzHNer-Ms2JU04QnfiHyIll14rGqaLyLCx9PLnSTX5LeGTUp6KiWw3shVxV0-TpAhijgzREJQMEui4TcJK6qCwM6o7hiy3i1qzTPsPU0Bhuo/s2208/P1130364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZK8GUhrGHlpaCqAR3hbE8-cde3rZtCtPzHNer-Ms2JU04QnfiHyIll14rGqaLyLCx9PLnSTX5LeGTUp6KiWw3shVxV0-TpAhijgzREJQMEui4TcJK6qCwM6o7hiy3i1qzTPsPU0Bhuo/w226-h400/P1130364.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My girl and my boy. Sharing a room. Best buddies. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_LKg5MvoL6rp7O022_wfdnr8IZZ6XMoCFcAkBlzpXWWNB4xM3iwH_RbktSQaBXr0v8AR9T4zsvk7SIQot-dDwt11VdwlqFpL8RQDXAGcO8HFP0LZLg1k7VjAQUUSwwWryZgtIcDZ20s/s2208/P1130365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_LKg5MvoL6rp7O022_wfdnr8IZZ6XMoCFcAkBlzpXWWNB4xM3iwH_RbktSQaBXr0v8AR9T4zsvk7SIQot-dDwt11VdwlqFpL8RQDXAGcO8HFP0LZLg1k7VjAQUUSwwWryZgtIcDZ20s/w400-h226/P1130365.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPf1uIqEluPTH6TNt4pD5mjMzwzOmop51VBTb2SvRtuGOYUGanaxYJYamlpGoPI2ruLfLhxuGW10J4gRaKbW1zMvyUhwhIWxk5z6r-2TFT0iDAm33eiNvyuSt-iojjlpMp9rXxmP_XBZA/s2208/P1130368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPf1uIqEluPTH6TNt4pD5mjMzwzOmop51VBTb2SvRtuGOYUGanaxYJYamlpGoPI2ruLfLhxuGW10J4gRaKbW1zMvyUhwhIWxk5z6r-2TFT0iDAm33eiNvyuSt-iojjlpMp9rXxmP_XBZA/w400-h226/P1130368.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Holidays Friends! I hope you got to deck them halls too!</div>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-53979954646805249742020-11-28T17:36:00.003-08:002020-11-28T17:36:22.867-08:00COVID-19 Diaries: Halloween 2020<p>AH! How is it holiday time? How is this wonderful and insane year almost over? How illuminated and in a better place am I that I referred to as 2020 as "wonderful"? Look at God. Could my enthusiasm and and general feeling of hope be about the advent season, my rise above depression, my cool new job/promotion, the results of the free and fair election that gave us Joseph Biden as president and our first female elected vice president Kamala Harris from California?! ALL OF THE ABOVE! </p><p style="text-align: center;">YES TO LIFE! <a href="https://tenor.com/view/30rock-tina-fey-liz-lemon-yes-to-love-yes-to-life-gif-5103737">YES TO STAYING IN MORE</a>!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNPyqhLS29iy0spM4GPYWiRmDHZ9LsWc9v4VYJgx6NdUcNqiUuOEjNgiHo0okB5Erloy57KJx3zTIY4gJUCBg179RtxH6hP_SN7BdGxvgKbXruByk5B5E7xfzBn-e2d9kAM5V_yxlLIo/s2048/2020-11-20+12.49.12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNPyqhLS29iy0spM4GPYWiRmDHZ9LsWc9v4VYJgx6NdUcNqiUuOEjNgiHo0okB5Erloy57KJx3zTIY4gJUCBg179RtxH6hP_SN7BdGxvgKbXruByk5B5E7xfzBn-e2d9kAM5V_yxlLIo/w300-h400/2020-11-20+12.49.12.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the last season of the Fredrich Family show we had celebrated anniversaries, babies, and 2 birthdays. This season we've hit the high holidays. Halloween this year was different of course but in true EvY style I went a little bonkers.. maybe a LOT bonkers because this was the schedule for the day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fyGFgvCi8MSNialYobdOn9Gr-q9PlQzw4uuAlzj7B2Dj7nV697IlId2Hj0UhsSbP5c4dc48vvJL3qf-gnfdmBmsKMka5ko2wm8ZxFqDhgZHvWcBV-57YN2fEGwjdWBtfOZt_kVirE1g/s2208/P1130324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fyGFgvCi8MSNialYobdOn9Gr-q9PlQzw4uuAlzj7B2Dj7nV697IlId2Hj0UhsSbP5c4dc48vvJL3qf-gnfdmBmsKMka5ko2wm8ZxFqDhgZHvWcBV-57YN2fEGwjdWBtfOZt_kVirE1g/w226-h400/P1130324.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To make up for the lack of Halloween activities I made a "Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" carnival in the driveway. This year the kids have been obsessed with Nintendo Switch life so Wally was Mario and Alice was Princess Peach. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdgtMs-PVOoq0AM9O62wninBmpW58Px08bIGSQnavwWHxTBquaTYwkvkRY8szC0cTYDr-t13I7aYWlPhxsKz8bvHYCJyThnLKSzwz9TxY4acrsS1gVRKMlCminwkqnAeTSZAKVtoUI-Y/s2048/2020-10-31+15.37.30.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdgtMs-PVOoq0AM9O62wninBmpW58Px08bIGSQnavwWHxTBquaTYwkvkRY8szC0cTYDr-t13I7aYWlPhxsKz8bvHYCJyThnLKSzwz9TxY4acrsS1gVRKMlCminwkqnAeTSZAKVtoUI-Y/w400-h300/2020-10-31+15.37.30.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The gated driveway of ours has been such a blessing this pandemic. It's often an outdoor movie theatre, it's a soccer field, a highway for scooters and tricycles, and a giant chalk canvas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcfYJ8OZnHcGqdB0MkJ160a-P7KX9bb0yYg8IJZj67yRKDJ1-5mIhsD7dr0Gt9Txn3ZO1_d4x7i8L_7A66fruvTPMF6wiIWOH1WdK6AgT0fqZhKWV80-ebiPUCNIuRsmJBnBTgv2ZygE/s2208/P1130300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcfYJ8OZnHcGqdB0MkJ160a-P7KX9bb0yYg8IJZj67yRKDJ1-5mIhsD7dr0Gt9Txn3ZO1_d4x7i8L_7A66fruvTPMF6wiIWOH1WdK6AgT0fqZhKWV80-ebiPUCNIuRsmJBnBTgv2ZygE/w400-h226/P1130300.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Leftover from our friend Corey's birthday are these blacklight activated chalks that works great for dance parties. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmSWt1TpiIng5z-0637nSrxqTS54GdzQmSx66S4pffhm2q2mieFLWW-sOORVTRLgMMeNSGo3m8jMkKyc6WkQ0zoQ0BSH3ugjjACEpT1dQyo4mscK_3KU2eWQbFkHFup6kXK_FyPdoDG0/s2208/P1130301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmSWt1TpiIng5z-0637nSrxqTS54GdzQmSx66S4pffhm2q2mieFLWW-sOORVTRLgMMeNSGo3m8jMkKyc6WkQ0zoQ0BSH3ugjjACEpT1dQyo4mscK_3KU2eWQbFkHFup6kXK_FyPdoDG0/w400-h226/P1130301.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I setup a craft/paint area and this one project that Alice went wild for which was "magic potion center" with baking soda and vinegar and glitter and just putting everything into a little jar. Entertained her for literally an hour I think.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8o-0OaZ5JTZfvfNZ8OPL_EGJklXZT9gmqk_41fYRdaGUW4Pkvi-YnfXnunSEkqXRZWA4OaH61LM6tdVKeeEhIdK0Tt8TrKB86pnLHvFJRW9cY_wyH4kb-hklyrXVaxukhKHpHkQ19lM/s2208/P1130302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8o-0OaZ5JTZfvfNZ8OPL_EGJklXZT9gmqk_41fYRdaGUW4Pkvi-YnfXnunSEkqXRZWA4OaH61LM6tdVKeeEhIdK0Tt8TrKB86pnLHvFJRW9cY_wyH4kb-hklyrXVaxukhKHpHkQ19lM/w400-h226/P1130302.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>This became snack and prize zone later.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0ZPi5ayHy-i2UuaO1KcLeGYq638Nqxb-YDwudu7yrSkhBs_87l5QmjZr-0n2nj7hwwqC74Hgy3kw1N3p5UjsrsSP0Nua8Eo6t4VyJWHNULyvyI9rcAb0c_w6JwsC2balaJhlvFf8YCI/s2208/P1130303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0ZPi5ayHy-i2UuaO1KcLeGYq638Nqxb-YDwudu7yrSkhBs_87l5QmjZr-0n2nj7hwwqC74Hgy3kw1N3p5UjsrsSP0Nua8Eo6t4VyJWHNULyvyI9rcAb0c_w6JwsC2balaJhlvFf8YCI/w400-h226/P1130303.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>And for games... all Great Pumpkin themed. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPUtL72Id4LrRsrHtUugshxoBaYEgjj9iYkR1pQRNbmFac5AKQMgWlsDDbmw0x_xV4aL40b-1zlJxGmrgNyzTEL6eP9YiRMGbJWxA5ZtleM8gqVEWhAHZMLGWJEZZWpEyf1TITxKhRes/s2208/P1130304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPUtL72Id4LrRsrHtUugshxoBaYEgjj9iYkR1pQRNbmFac5AKQMgWlsDDbmw0x_xV4aL40b-1zlJxGmrgNyzTEL6eP9YiRMGbJWxA5ZtleM8gqVEWhAHZMLGWJEZZWpEyf1TITxKhRes/w400-h226/P1130304.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>COVID safe bobbing for apples. I had glued magnets on fishing poles and on the apples and drew stars on the winning apples they could earn prizes for.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQg_W9grPrGqBqEjEpN_PekH8MrsoW5eL7xNG3rxc4_jCBzntngW7fU7XR-fUSwfsRLpycE6I-C3oqjc9eri7RwFWLX_oOAq7CJjspD7av3DOnwfjIH4nt8sODvBIIfpqbEGVc5DH__s/s2208/P1130305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQg_W9grPrGqBqEjEpN_PekH8MrsoW5eL7xNG3rxc4_jCBzntngW7fU7XR-fUSwfsRLpycE6I-C3oqjc9eri7RwFWLX_oOAq7CJjspD7av3DOnwfjIH4nt8sODvBIIfpqbEGVc5DH__s/w400-h226/P1130305.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made an "I got a rock" game where you have to give Charlie Brown a rock.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSmYEWlge20ztrJC8Utv1xwjJ5fzMvlmiDkUtZPBotYJJqoTFC_0joO-czTKraSDeN7gps5b-vKshp7IzUYaLUy8dkk-SOhKGUmsAy4FuQaYDarN9ebA2MjyaobgnOKTglwd9VDiIBH8/s2208/P1130307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSmYEWlge20ztrJC8Utv1xwjJ5fzMvlmiDkUtZPBotYJJqoTFC_0joO-czTKraSDeN7gps5b-vKshp7IzUYaLUy8dkk-SOhKGUmsAy4FuQaYDarN9ebA2MjyaobgnOKTglwd9VDiIBH8/w226-h400/P1130307.JPG" width="226" /></a><br /></div>The "rocks" were rock shaped bouncy balls I ordered online. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54SIQk3PAhSU0RE_QEWl7KHg2aKIKyEgekqVcdYm5Pf1S0w1nF6jt_In01fuK2epWR9zhb-VDgz1qzdjyHhCZlzOVphdzThyRvi8N9jd2u-fzNwKDvk2MKhMs5Y5pJnoNQNzmM7bQKQc/s2208/P1130306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54SIQk3PAhSU0RE_QEWl7KHg2aKIKyEgekqVcdYm5Pf1S0w1nF6jt_In01fuK2epWR9zhb-VDgz1qzdjyHhCZlzOVphdzThyRvi8N9jd2u-fzNwKDvk2MKhMs5Y5pJnoNQNzmM7bQKQc/w400-h226/P1130306.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And a lot of times I tell people, I'm really not that good an artist and I stand by that. But somehow this pandemic has made me accomplish things I find myself impressing even myself. Copying Charles Schultz's style onto toilet paper rolls to make a 'knock down can' game... come on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiYdf1RBx1esGXZD4idNRgpBNJ2J4uyJG-VmdbLc50MzZ1H9U4Xjoh2A5eZZgmTc7oyggPfWytFABA4qG7whoAx3yNTYm4GmbarZwZFCs9yE2egs8HOF0AjqfBBPf3Wbi9Ydy9PocYSQ/s2208/P1130309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiYdf1RBx1esGXZD4idNRgpBNJ2J4uyJG-VmdbLc50MzZ1H9U4Xjoh2A5eZZgmTc7oyggPfWytFABA4qG7whoAx3yNTYm4GmbarZwZFCs9yE2egs8HOF0AjqfBBPf3Wbi9Ydy9PocYSQ/w226-h400/P1130309.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh and a glow stick ring toss game.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMN08o_dH4GwVpTJq7LQ-wOQipg9U1BuLYoOUipNVoFytBmvOFwmGiqmc9cqrW9sr7O-rpbzaZsYSMeN4nM7NmjDi5nIzfvY44Rd0f785LRDIhdj9w8a6nNlXlkrNN-t9pB1yxVrH1FTk/s2208/P1130318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMN08o_dH4GwVpTJq7LQ-wOQipg9U1BuLYoOUipNVoFytBmvOFwmGiqmc9cqrW9sr7O-rpbzaZsYSMeN4nM7NmjDi5nIzfvY44Rd0f785LRDIhdj9w8a6nNlXlkrNN-t9pB1yxVrH1FTk/w226-h400/P1130318.JPG" width="226" /></a></div>I had made goodie bags for them with some dollar zone stuff and a few drive-thru trick or treat things gave us plenty of fun things and candy.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwcxh-KFUOdGyHXJpT_uZ6nFqMfzOrXVd1SspOhcNwRNCiyNN4aEx9NxYMuEXY9L7IIKGSHCAxbQeW_ntZH1p14aCtl31ccWFh-jl4p6tgzZlMQ_RllOuTv2BHaTEtIMj5vpnuVpw6-g/s2208/P1130311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwcxh-KFUOdGyHXJpT_uZ6nFqMfzOrXVd1SspOhcNwRNCiyNN4aEx9NxYMuEXY9L7IIKGSHCAxbQeW_ntZH1p14aCtl31ccWFh-jl4p6tgzZlMQ_RllOuTv2BHaTEtIMj5vpnuVpw6-g/w400-h226/P1130311.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Our friends the Wishers came by and crafted with the kids too.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQTro57UBPsmi_OYRm87lhby07SNXOyfU0kLgaYhc1exW1u5Jpbi0jR7RZxC3vSksypnWvYcazOi4oXZsblYIoWl9VtYZMQsvx-V9LQcMa47WYoc94T0XQIU5ebBKYs_cvDpnNdJo6eU/s2208/P1130316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQTro57UBPsmi_OYRm87lhby07SNXOyfU0kLgaYhc1exW1u5Jpbi0jR7RZxC3vSksypnWvYcazOi4oXZsblYIoWl9VtYZMQsvx-V9LQcMa47WYoc94T0XQIU5ebBKYs_cvDpnNdJo6eU/w400-h226/P1130316.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Seriously, these kids didn't miss a thing. We even repeated our carnival-ing the next day too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVf1BEYQFzcbq4qZMUDDrCq4UdF4R_JH3esTFCF81pSw6wT9J-5VqU3WwjM5e2TkA-Yq3rF6QT_U9j-I6CzUecopkgBXxmnMoTkLGMHwRzXWj5CsbKFN1qAYx-yyIsWpE833h-tcioPjA/s2208/P1130319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="2208" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVf1BEYQFzcbq4qZMUDDrCq4UdF4R_JH3esTFCF81pSw6wT9J-5VqU3WwjM5e2TkA-Yq3rF6QT_U9j-I6CzUecopkgBXxmnMoTkLGMHwRzXWj5CsbKFN1qAYx-yyIsWpE833h-tcioPjA/w400-h226/P1130319.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After Halloween and before Thanksgiving I put up our new Christmas tree and did a mini "Halloween tree" thing for a few days. I'd always wanted to do it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1vig_kelw5nvjGlqxuE6FiJstMo2wxE6cK_YhQrl0cyhVyd5Akf_Lr-tazvybOMimqai0r89725mR-oeL7uck4Etu1zUPYw7ABpodpmTROGbD0TKkSQQtASv9jBXMXv2H_DtWSQYU2w/s2048/2020-11-22+18.26.47.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1vig_kelw5nvjGlqxuE6FiJstMo2wxE6cK_YhQrl0cyhVyd5Akf_Lr-tazvybOMimqai0r89725mR-oeL7uck4Etu1zUPYw7ABpodpmTROGbD0TKkSQQtASv9jBXMXv2H_DtWSQYU2w/w300-h400/2020-11-22+18.26.47.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So that was Halloween Halloween Halloween Halloween at the Fredrich Family Farm! We celebrated Thanksgiving just the four of us at home and the house is now decked for Christmas.... ho ho ho.</div><p></p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-37403581652110016322020-10-22T22:29:00.004-07:002020-10-22T22:30:37.539-07:00The COVID-19 Diaries: August/September/October Updates<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Whew, we've had a pretty big few months lately! I dunno about everyone but things feel sort of normal except that things are completely abnormal. Life goes on, we adapt, and, we celebrate. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Alice started 1st grade from the comfort of our home and via a computer on August 17 since we live in a county where the schools did not reopen in person for the fall.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyhwyqHIkA6WzmSg_RxB9Twu7ML80ldiEFvCEeEobhja2BqHaVXmLKc0_lpwypYup6jtvPSq4pMlWk5iq4aIPfcV-rypxTWRfVJGoKEx8HFUKK0M8S93sF7QrDS5CrKdhCIotA7rIevs/s2048/IMG_0411.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyhwyqHIkA6WzmSg_RxB9Twu7ML80ldiEFvCEeEobhja2BqHaVXmLKc0_lpwypYup6jtvPSq4pMlWk5iq4aIPfcV-rypxTWRfVJGoKEx8HFUKK0M8S93sF7QrDS5CrKdhCIotA7rIevs/w300-h400/IMG_0411.HEIC" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWlaQFmqKzXboZu2EqC3qhIqSkoLRkEmtdZ7ybpz72SmmuBXXNPqJbOvXwLc8KaLnJKt6lIDssPssyHuef0BZ9H6t-4rvH9QXBIMWk62zq7WfMNpQtjeykLEyoZ-nK_wHZX3JmzoMjTg/s2048/IMG_0435.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWlaQFmqKzXboZu2EqC3qhIqSkoLRkEmtdZ7ybpz72SmmuBXXNPqJbOvXwLc8KaLnJKt6lIDssPssyHuef0BZ9H6t-4rvH9QXBIMWk62zq7WfMNpQtjeykLEyoZ-nK_wHZX3JmzoMjTg/w300-h400/IMG_0435.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div></div>It's been a few months of up and downs educating a 6 year old via computer and without friends and recess. This is not the way we imagined the year would go obviously. There's so much crappiness about the whole thing. We're comforted with knowing she is healthy, safe, adaptable, and alive.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpRL687XTzlAxwqjeXqBQoKJV3GgeEvK2RswrTcgujOuX3_fUF-RdtAnzXbFUcu_gz-XXs1Ju4qK5FNeZrqkaiRTeqhsfa6cLwj8SN2VJavZR7HTp4UkMjPW5sXOhb5xPastj5fQIsnU/s2048/IMG_0412.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpRL687XTzlAxwqjeXqBQoKJV3GgeEvK2RswrTcgujOuX3_fUF-RdtAnzXbFUcu_gz-XXs1Ju4qK5FNeZrqkaiRTeqhsfa6cLwj8SN2VJavZR7HTp4UkMjPW5sXOhb5xPastj5fQIsnU/w400-h300/IMG_0412.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>We've tried a few different schedules with her to see what works and different levels of involvement. We've tried just letting her be on her own, we've tried sitting with her during her class, and now we're doing the approach of leaving the door open and listening in if she needs us and checking her work and keeping her accountable. Being totally hands off doesn't work because Alice is prone to doing her own thing anyway and sometimes that 'own thing' doesn't quite make sense. Nothing is malicious but she has quite a way of viewing the world and doing things so we have to keep an eye on her. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8_Eao_i-ye3csXtrpjYxPa4MrL04cn6lV5sF_uJe4c751gj4qhxa_CfwPMZNGOS9wR_Va45TZymNW0LuNbQ8qILGB8I1T_KNkQIFRYKsZv43Ln504SgQ5PJH04NK2bxSPrLnr4LLbWs/s2048/IMG_3173.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8_Eao_i-ye3csXtrpjYxPa4MrL04cn6lV5sF_uJe4c751gj4qhxa_CfwPMZNGOS9wR_Va45TZymNW0LuNbQ8qILGB8I1T_KNkQIFRYKsZv43Ln504SgQ5PJH04NK2bxSPrLnr4LLbWs/w300-h400/IMG_3173.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Because of the timing of when my job ended, we had very little time to take a 'vacation' before Alice started school. Seeing as how things with travel are complicated, we chose to just go about an hour north of home and stay by a beach for 2 nights. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrdUIGUGILYuTSOP5QgXkiVPA_v0wGf_X6UgNbVvIH3FQkQYe8LZzsBD2vbplT-3vNw4fmxh0pQJ7NCSpJ-wPXeTs6y2C7FKqiOEVoB2u43AR4_UiXwlDOj3SJJfHpQ5QSO5Qto9iFsQc/s2048/IMG_0226.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrdUIGUGILYuTSOP5QgXkiVPA_v0wGf_X6UgNbVvIH3FQkQYe8LZzsBD2vbplT-3vNw4fmxh0pQJ7NCSpJ-wPXeTs6y2C7FKqiOEVoB2u43AR4_UiXwlDOj3SJJfHpQ5QSO5Qto9iFsQc/w400-h300/IMG_0226.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>We stayed at a hotel and felt pretty safe but limited. The kids did better overnight than in years past and we liked the place so much we might return again someday.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfO81k2C-MSTlTSXmtey4YOEMfvEZntqe2-kYZYJPPwilsHonFx6893_DYlgAW0C0uL38TTSplLwJKC7GWchy2uqclKOLJahWds3z6Ql4OxvBTFIv-baavNVIbUF-1g7EJAWcC6nXVzV0/s2048/IMG_0234.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfO81k2C-MSTlTSXmtey4YOEMfvEZntqe2-kYZYJPPwilsHonFx6893_DYlgAW0C0uL38TTSplLwJKC7GWchy2uqclKOLJahWds3z6Ql4OxvBTFIv-baavNVIbUF-1g7EJAWcC6nXVzV0/w400-h300/IMG_0234.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our anniversary week was very full and began what has felt like nonstop celebrations. Do I do this to myself every year? While I have a full time job? Or is it that I have time and I make efforts because I can and have no other options? Am I trying to make up for things we've lost by going the extra mile? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It felt very special to mark this particular anniversary but the reminder and disappointment that I couldn't go out to dinner and have someone watch the kids and all the things that were happening that week that couldn't be celebrated the way I had imagined combined with limitations on the celebrations and because of the planning, taking very little time for myself left me back in the depression spell. I think I slept a lot on our anniversary and the day after that too. I rallied near the evening and we celebrated with a nice dinner in the backyard.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82fDu8Gh769zw8Nxscj7LDyWOsNCEu5jk0BjjHzmzWHSU5RGLoUoOMqdDFUcHkfaw-KLq4CP43ooFZkgRB5V277KC6Br24IwuwXqoKH7XwpreMpyZgFYyWx3jenOJDUMs8aTfoOs1aGM/s2048/IMG_1602.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82fDu8Gh769zw8Nxscj7LDyWOsNCEu5jk0BjjHzmzWHSU5RGLoUoOMqdDFUcHkfaw-KLq4CP43ooFZkgRB5V277KC6Br24IwuwXqoKH7XwpreMpyZgFYyWx3jenOJDUMs8aTfoOs1aGM/w400-h300/IMG_1602.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>Our dear friends, who have been trying to have a baby for years were finally expecting but because of this pandemic, the celebration had to be modified. We had a masked drive-in photo booth where they could pose with friends and chat a little for about 15 people. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRx4QTjesIv8F8lVrLbcDQEnfepI42FnHxOCaBtCISEzFind0BF9iXSBWYKPtXKU8m1-1bFZs78atSEJy60I-S_wPoAFVR78e8ly6bYtnysQp1uBqO4_AEXsCzV4EA0c6K2SFQDmsUGx4/s2048/IMG_0593.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRx4QTjesIv8F8lVrLbcDQEnfepI42FnHxOCaBtCISEzFind0BF9iXSBWYKPtXKU8m1-1bFZs78atSEJy60I-S_wPoAFVR78e8ly6bYtnysQp1uBqO4_AEXsCzV4EA0c6K2SFQDmsUGx4/w400-h300/IMG_0593.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Then a few of us stayed behind and had a picnic together as they opened presents. The intimacy made it so nice and we still did it up cute style. I had to send my family away the day before so I could have time to do the planning I needed to get done. My brother took the kids for 2 nights and that was so helpful. We got to be fully focused with out friends and I had time to set up guilt and interruption-free.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNd84X2hQeq732KFfyj1ikl3pFF4pxfXgsf_sb_QvpNixT815RJsgl79ekImOPNHnvInc9QFKmw2HxOfqSDzrMKHfc82vTtTXdN4Sb0tx3sSKHVDC5kj0he1_iOwg4759bZ3_ln_stdc/s2048/IMG_9315.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNd84X2hQeq732KFfyj1ikl3pFF4pxfXgsf_sb_QvpNixT815RJsgl79ekImOPNHnvInc9QFKmw2HxOfqSDzrMKHfc82vTtTXdN4Sb0tx3sSKHVDC5kj0he1_iOwg4759bZ3_ln_stdc/w400-h300/IMG_9315.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then the movie I worked on years ago premiered in theaters. It had a very limited run and we went all the way to Orange County to see it. Two friends who live in the area joined us and it was so very nice. I had to take my time lamenting the fact that I was supposed to have had a big ole blowout with friends all going to see it together, then after party at our local bar... sigh. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeTYBuk3iI00pafHtsGkRWJOMGa-crFtO_dBuoKoMht3Nr1VNzZqUyXYs-0SUStqN9hxv2ZTjFi_Xf3AZl9sPi3Frp2C1x7GhcU4TPxrVIRmdojfcDtT6rPlckQ4VF6B6wRsk8CkJsTw/s2048/IMG_7376.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeTYBuk3iI00pafHtsGkRWJOMGa-crFtO_dBuoKoMht3Nr1VNzZqUyXYs-0SUStqN9hxv2ZTjFi_Xf3AZl9sPi3Frp2C1x7GhcU4TPxrVIRmdojfcDtT6rPlckQ4VF6B6wRsk8CkJsTw/w300-h400/IMG_7376.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>It was very fun to see a movie I had worked on finally. I knew all the ins and outs of the characters, the process, the whole bit. I got to wear my crew shirt and finally explain what Bubbles Inc. meant.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovJx20rByrwgJ36-5cS9WlgGAH5lD6kHNQxYKZ8aZ4msv2HcrwuX7IDOTqsRTSTwSi5YEtiaV3ZzGdw9aGxcoeN2DBI3SYAAiUdep1CFtYYfUKEgHnWAntfFqRiWiUP-RhTISuGeS5lg/s2048/IMG_9461.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovJx20rByrwgJ36-5cS9WlgGAH5lD6kHNQxYKZ8aZ4msv2HcrwuX7IDOTqsRTSTwSi5YEtiaV3ZzGdw9aGxcoeN2DBI3SYAAiUdep1CFtYYfUKEgHnWAntfFqRiWiUP-RhTISuGeS5lg/w300-h400/IMG_9461.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most of our celebrations have been with the same group of people of our pandemic bubble so we had them over for Matt's 39th birthday movie night. I borrowed a projector from my brother and setup an outdoor movie night themed for "Sleepy Hollow" and let me tell you... I had no idea I would love it so much. I already owned most everything you see and just crafted some stuff. I keep claiming I'm not crafty and everyone calls me a liar but I guess I have upped that this year. If you already have the materials, it's a pretty cheap situation to add things that go with your theme. For the food I just had a bunch of individually wrapped snacks 'cause safety and I had these little trays and everyone had their own little movie snacks! It was seriously one of my favorite things I have ever ever done party wise. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHWHeOxfm_upNXFQe8gU-E1Didi2inaUdERjlSOARbtAzsgAStPnM57PZLrh31A-T023cGIQSA9fGffDBHAUwJse2uajrKnEzhaN4CuzdKLO7MJ8FVQ053UKm5v-D-msWLuX3ciaiV1k/s2048/IMG_5130.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHWHeOxfm_upNXFQe8gU-E1Didi2inaUdERjlSOARbtAzsgAStPnM57PZLrh31A-T023cGIQSA9fGffDBHAUwJse2uajrKnEzhaN4CuzdKLO7MJ8FVQ053UKm5v-D-msWLuX3ciaiV1k/w400-h300/IMG_5130.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lookit this adorable hand sanitizer label I made. LOOK AT IT. The whole black white and green situation made me so dang happy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Etb1YKIigmi7vsdpBFTUQ318fCnCwIE8TTVzA_Kxvpl_MbnPIwbjz5AWjFl0mBFGU9DzHYR0F4LusrVqqjlVaodkI45fRkLQM8Dhubs2WeGPvo8Fc8oPRZs3e6Qja6SgM8QjwTBdCe4/s2048/IMG_6574.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Etb1YKIigmi7vsdpBFTUQ318fCnCwIE8TTVzA_Kxvpl_MbnPIwbjz5AWjFl0mBFGU9DzHYR0F4LusrVqqjlVaodkI45fRkLQM8Dhubs2WeGPvo8Fc8oPRZs3e6Qja6SgM8QjwTBdCe4/w300-h400/IMG_6574.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have been bugging Matt about buying a projector for years and this just proved me right. We projected the movie right on the Hannger, no screen even. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUSmnKdd_5BWkQzi6UGSqd7Woi_IXF3oqj0qXGdJ4mwxL65YsJo3k7PxLEauVhGcHejGOyZ79icWMPOluaKsnvouapCECNTjM4mVv-EK9o-OTY7UFbMntCAvh3NY-fexoxwdLw2xftt4/s2048/IMG_8989.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUSmnKdd_5BWkQzi6UGSqd7Woi_IXF3oqj0qXGdJ4mwxL65YsJo3k7PxLEauVhGcHejGOyZ79icWMPOluaKsnvouapCECNTjM4mVv-EK9o-OTY7UFbMntCAvh3NY-fexoxwdLw2xftt4/w400-h300/IMG_8989.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With COVID, this is the only safe way to watch movies with friends so we'll TAKE IT!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59DHmtsu2Z8feDiz8J_UzSXup1MyA2IKRd16i6DqmwRr3-W0LA7aVFrvscYafniXXqvk6Q8JNqMpNmwfKg_5ZggY5LpdQxgLwQyH64k7BfZnnfDkjHC4bPZqiRhxjWG84wA4HiaNdZp0/s2048/IMG_3251.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59DHmtsu2Z8feDiz8J_UzSXup1MyA2IKRd16i6DqmwRr3-W0LA7aVFrvscYafniXXqvk6Q8JNqMpNmwfKg_5ZggY5LpdQxgLwQyH64k7BfZnnfDkjHC4bPZqiRhxjWG84wA4HiaNdZp0/w400-h300/IMG_3251.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div>The following week we threw a polar opposite party with a Saved by the 90s themed party for our friend Corey who turned 40. Lemme tell you that I am getting ridiculous with these themes but not as ridiculous as the kids dolled in their best 90s.... <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuFvES6E1EbR70mQEPoYFdrk21nloL5APwT8mUe7wTDua_Wipful8Vy7YhvZyOzz5oe_EXShKWI9V1pRDlOfAkZn5GnoYUdRBTpT6LVp9dJxIm2r5o3vwGAUKojpjKSt_nAgU2urAwjU/s2048/IMG_0439.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuFvES6E1EbR70mQEPoYFdrk21nloL5APwT8mUe7wTDua_Wipful8Vy7YhvZyOzz5oe_EXShKWI9V1pRDlOfAkZn5GnoYUdRBTpT6LVp9dJxIm2r5o3vwGAUKojpjKSt_nAgU2urAwjU/w300-h400/IMG_0439.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3Fz1KSSvMxGkUtQBSnqRhXXeZW00WGceXv8b6daaEJta0aW-9UHfA3XpKrCBXwA52q1AGIr9isKx6gXZyGU3LGvN_ZaBbWefxN2BxWDJ_rxo4fGhUTYPENuOM9Jt74SrjYh9P3pOinE/s2048/IMG_5197.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3Fz1KSSvMxGkUtQBSnqRhXXeZW00WGceXv8b6daaEJta0aW-9UHfA3XpKrCBXwA52q1AGIr9isKx6gXZyGU3LGvN_ZaBbWefxN2BxWDJ_rxo4fGhUTYPENuOM9Jt74SrjYh9P3pOinE/w300-h400/IMG_5197.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>We actually had a two part to this party. Saturday we had a dance party with the grown-ups and went 'til our bones were creaking too loudly....<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEovirGniqT46VWG0WeQZCIv6XJiT-KBf_NOgIop2WM4G7ipo_WPIqagAAGJZimpV_p46G9DKaYJKwTv06_zo4bMvhT0KRd5orEjiyVRyFq05FRfXsCVSdHjWZbscMDXLnkQhdKT1X8U/s2048/IMG_9864.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEovirGniqT46VWG0WeQZCIv6XJiT-KBf_NOgIop2WM4G7ipo_WPIqagAAGJZimpV_p46G9DKaYJKwTv06_zo4bMvhT0KRd5orEjiyVRyFq05FRfXsCVSdHjWZbscMDXLnkQhdKT1X8U/w300-h400/IMG_9864.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>And Sunday we had a REMIX where our friends came back and we partied again. We had purchased a few day glow decorations and I got the idea to cut up geometric shapes from neon paper I had combined with Eric making the Hannger lights be all blacklight looking and I had a black light for the floor and blacklight chalk, and day glow sticks that all added up to a dance party. Oh, we also bought an LED party light on Amazon that is so tiny but totally works as a dance party light and the kids and I have been using it regularly. These celebrations are such nice distractions for me both in planning and executing. It also makes me want to do serious recaps about all the parties past starting with Wally's 1st Birthday 2 years ago. I've done a lot of parties since!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5Jm96h2hwjQUSkv3RLPbWjQ8azGLF1V7hcYCCBswFOhEeaQwYXvPxAmm4UhoolkdSWxZ_YNaophrD1GldzZRfMOm7zEUgvngO6vCuGuLyE0nhZswUHLcsDH7liS64d7nHTADW1mw4Sk/s2048/IMG_9952.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5Jm96h2hwjQUSkv3RLPbWjQ8azGLF1V7hcYCCBswFOhEeaQwYXvPxAmm4UhoolkdSWxZ_YNaophrD1GldzZRfMOm7zEUgvngO6vCuGuLyE0nhZswUHLcsDH7liS64d7nHTADW1mw4Sk/w300-h400/IMG_9952.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The other thing I'll have to write about is I took a solo soul retreat to Big Bear last week that was... perfect. Much needed and much enlightenment. This year has been big to me as a changed human and the challenges I'm meeting regularly are daily disciplines instead of great big mountains but it took me going to a mountain alone to come to that realization. Go to the mountain. </div><p></p>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-57005313316557485292020-08-11T10:45:00.005-07:002020-08-11T10:48:33.994-07:00The Kids' Room Lately...<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well as kids are want to do they went and grew and grew and now they have big kid beds. No more crib!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7gR3LnvyJn1S8DQjeXctv_Xqy7Yu1pSoEw-ANEQ6zioxP3hDHPfYhzgYHKWDraPW2rPgG8q8Tf8AOgJlL_sIiVwvFFlUr1h2r1y6qReK7j_Cd5LVSbxzgr6EAo0TDrF-apmzyIonuNA/s640/IMG_0208.HEIC" width="640" /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The bed Alice had went to Wally and we had intended to buy an identical one for Alice but as <a href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/minnen-ext-bed-frame-with-slatted-bed-base-white-s59124621/" target="_blank">Ikea</a> is want to do me like this, this color seems to be unavailable/discontinued. I tried to find it through craigslist and other places 2nd hand but came up short and so a decision had to be made.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7NucE2uZt1aOZfJZdgNcZeYtpiQvAFOfOHoheeePAg3KfaleJCD0KKa7f6qEMTc6hkD_PhswNMBCSk1ebF5YRoZ55z2-HPTmSItWJR5-SLxX0LtpWVgJmwYMjc_dPHzbM7jPE9H84X4/s2048/IMG_0214.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7NucE2uZt1aOZfJZdgNcZeYtpiQvAFOfOHoheeePAg3KfaleJCD0KKa7f6qEMTc6hkD_PhswNMBCSk1ebF5YRoZ55z2-HPTmSItWJR5-SLxX0LtpWVgJmwYMjc_dPHzbM7jPE9H84X4/s640/IMG_0214.HEIC" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">We decided to get <a href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/sagstua-bed-frame-black-luroey-s09268891/" target="_blank">this one</a> which looks close enough to Wally's. <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2uDuoOdLl122S3QW6rZvcddqnErSMWPm5soj_4ku_jQAyTGzP7etjOyUj_paRtrAGkDkDbb3-DuePqwgj0zKun7VI6LTQZ0E-tycdDtgUhkq4Hd_LJJ6R-oNd0Wb4fZmVeG29dWbiD2Q/s2048/IMG_0213.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2uDuoOdLl122S3QW6rZvcddqnErSMWPm5soj_4ku_jQAyTGzP7etjOyUj_paRtrAGkDkDbb3-DuePqwgj0zKun7VI6LTQZ0E-tycdDtgUhkq4Hd_LJJ6R-oNd0Wb4fZmVeG29dWbiD2Q/s640/IMG_0213.HEIC" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The other thing I decided to do while we were changing things up was start shifting from reading in the glider chair to reading on Alice's bed. We installed another lamp near her bed and put one over Wally's for matching sake. Someday they'll be reading in bed!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUp0DhRPwlEzduJBb73IHnPvQ35q3H3T6ag_qjAKF1mpi-3baIYIpBItydzcsuknuju4uFonqk8fYajhRxqHytYlPeLp2GkP5lfIFcpVFEl2QIkRAePxTJHrIUH4FBVdUcb4f02WJ9Uo/s2048/IMG_0212.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUp0DhRPwlEzduJBb73IHnPvQ35q3H3T6ag_qjAKF1mpi-3baIYIpBItydzcsuknuju4uFonqk8fYajhRxqHytYlPeLp2GkP5lfIFcpVFEl2QIkRAePxTJHrIUH4FBVdUcb4f02WJ9Uo/s640/IMG_0212.HEIC" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZTZGyiE4r7Me-QvqL-ZmSZRyR451NsmHYsgjg4XjBgBpILgFruSjtB0bJ2r7oeGnnMu_fYEh1KMJ-oXrbSHJD6bTJOkrGI3ZoYnDQQIE1ZfpqE_ttgxO7a3YEHbCCqheFma5Dw3jIhU/s2048/IMG_0211.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZTZGyiE4r7Me-QvqL-ZmSZRyR451NsmHYsgjg4XjBgBpILgFruSjtB0bJ2r7oeGnnMu_fYEh1KMJ-oXrbSHJD6bTJOkrGI3ZoYnDQQIE1ZfpqE_ttgxO7a3YEHbCCqheFma5Dw3jIhU/s640/IMG_0211.HEIC" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I moved the coffee table that used to hold these baskets back to my office and moved the coffee table that was in their room to the backyard. There were also baskets on the bottom shelf of that coffee table that held blocks and those ended up under Wally's bed. Which you can see in the photo above.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvX7PqVD1RGp-tjyK61a11tk9l2tN8ZkW_dB0hsSXSOPIywQbfCNG1C4pmMaFn1hsBLLvVyD6Z5EGoq2iIP0rHrn0TOX2sy3Cdgrb1rDicPw3PDZ0eHI0Qw-TDbrN2A1raNXJezRPxo-M/s2048/IMG_0209.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvX7PqVD1RGp-tjyK61a11tk9l2tN8ZkW_dB0hsSXSOPIywQbfCNG1C4pmMaFn1hsBLLvVyD6Z5EGoq2iIP0rHrn0TOX2sy3Cdgrb1rDicPw3PDZ0eHI0Qw-TDbrN2A1raNXJezRPxo-M/s640/IMG_0209.HEIC" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The most emotionally gut punching change for me was that after 6 faithful years the glider went to the home of our dear friends who are expecting their first baby. Wally's crib went there too. I think, first of all, that is so amazing that our babies will all have slept in the same crib and will be fed and rocked in this chair but also... I was so sad to part with that glider. It took me about a month from asking my friend if she wanted it to finally parting with it. </span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhz1URGrdm6uHb8nI9zvzNfcOchyphenhyphen6JLQj5hbfzTkWY-gwGrB_PcSm_ta_UW9DHMMdmwvKCCSSkeJbFTanjeCltj4gaDBQtZekejJ280iJQ3zJkbdLMzcK7MKr86O0sUBadrn9QCGrsIY/s640/IMG_4501.HEIC" style="text-align: left;" width="640" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I can't quite explain why it was so emotional to me. Probably because it's such a symbol of baby life. Probably because it held us at our worst and best. Probably all the memories of feeding and rocking and even sleeping in it. Probably it's such a symbol of love and quality time. Probably a lot of things. It was a good good chair. And it lives on.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrWL5dpFm52wzpWp6SMYe7An3sXdM2URZMdJrDJwcvVB4B0r7ZPTgJiizUYVnD10dsQ0S_mVwBwgTHZIhgcdxFivgvmsc9O6EPQDWEjzFLsgGa3QRJrhyphenhyphenwAmkqoClHsmhuRPhSL-lNjk/s640/IMG_3417.HEIC" style="text-align: left;" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-33FdXm9m7MYmpl1d50DeezteWKunSxjY7FV2YY3qStKTEUWV7j6U8IcrwEzPFEqocT5Go5V7mOblAYJfc_MuoAce-AGaV1-cKAU965Dz2P3KhkfEVfMh1zIUqCHjgnxYYk-oVvIuiAk/s2048/IMG_2500.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-33FdXm9m7MYmpl1d50DeezteWKunSxjY7FV2YY3qStKTEUWV7j6U8IcrwEzPFEqocT5Go5V7mOblAYJfc_MuoAce-AGaV1-cKAU965Dz2P3KhkfEVfMh1zIUqCHjgnxYYk-oVvIuiAk/s640/IMG_2500.JPG" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The reason I even decided to part with it to begin with was just as simple as we should start reading books on Alice's bed now BUT then I got an idea after seeing a friend's setup and thought, hmm... we could make room for a desk. Since Alice will be attending school 100% remotely this fall (at least) it would be smart to have an area just for her. While the spring semester was the full on crazy FFHS setup I had done in the play room since we were trying to play school, now we want her to focus and take school seriously so we thought a dedicated area for her to work would be a good idea. It would give utility to their room (they only sleep in there) and as a bonus separate her from Wally while school is in session. Then the playroom can remain the playroom and serve as Wally's mini pre-school while his sister learns. We had already bought her a dedicated computer just for school as insurance when Matt mentioned that it would be good for her to have her own and not use our $3,000 laptops. He's smart my spouse. So here is the little area that will become Alice's learning corner. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYdLqzTHsXh9G-j2q6_zN3WAaw7vFhWb9MQ7AsIVOwNZ_YdNa5NpjcgeIC_pcx8KjEmLLcgqPtMZTcPdQMKTyo5MAq4DBbijyaYTMYFpW2E9ckQsXSCFGdr3P3yt5Dm7vTxIAVVJQxFY/s2048/IMG_0207.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYdLqzTHsXh9G-j2q6_zN3WAaw7vFhWb9MQ7AsIVOwNZ_YdNa5NpjcgeIC_pcx8KjEmLLcgqPtMZTcPdQMKTyo5MAq4DBbijyaYTMYFpW2E9ckQsXSCFGdr3P3yt5Dm7vTxIAVVJQxFY/s640/IMG_0207.HEIC" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As you know, or as I have learned about myself, I am a visual processor. I need to do things physically to trick myself into switching gears. Getting ready for Alice to have her own little learning area and making it as cute as can be so she can enjoy it and take ownership of it really helps distract me from the sadness of losing the glider chair that symbolizes my child growing up and the fact that she can't attend school in person with the cuteness of her own little desk area and the dreams that someday that will be her little desk to sit at to call her BFFs, plan her social calendar, do her nails, color in a coloring book, and write in her journal. Maybe when she's older, frame this <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/840489109/vintage-clear-telephone-blush-pink-wall?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=babysitters+club+phone&ref=sr_gallery-1-4&organic_search_click=1">little number</a> and obviously add some BSC books to the shelf.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-LVcbIeBX40XnDTStSeCci4tb9MGrSGWxL1jeLsGhFPQw8RofHNXJM5A5x8vC3YZEw4ppRwjPTOmK72563S6kC9M-FRwbDGSdW11hLdjjCcoHBwgIGBdO_nnjllJOmmmlakcn9SXveA/s2048/AlicesDesk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-LVcbIeBX40XnDTStSeCci4tb9MGrSGWxL1jeLsGhFPQw8RofHNXJM5A5x8vC3YZEw4ppRwjPTOmK72563S6kC9M-FRwbDGSdW11hLdjjCcoHBwgIGBdO_nnjllJOmmmlakcn9SXveA/s640/AlicesDesk.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The one thing I can't wait to be rid of is this being a changing pad. I look forward to this having books instead. Or really anything but the symbol of pee and poop in my face.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_izg4Y9t-V8cPcfPpCU2E1Z4HADU58KYa3QRJ0pj_V9jwTXjILc-1yUng8-D6zDKqw4VrkBDXhCEV8G_45HC_Hv-E2UyGKI5B090otuTwWjEu2-gy5vKzp_1yN0jJahZ3HoqdIIO0LU/s2048/IMG_0215.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_izg4Y9t-V8cPcfPpCU2E1Z4HADU58KYa3QRJ0pj_V9jwTXjILc-1yUng8-D6zDKqw4VrkBDXhCEV8G_45HC_Hv-E2UyGKI5B090otuTwWjEu2-gy5vKzp_1yN0jJahZ3HoqdIIO0LU/s640/IMG_0215.HEIC" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Babies growing up... </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHKxzexycvDStI5BNIoPY5a_VHS89QFhmNGy06h3E9y36KcNmB01dWrr8yXD8iqqLepayJqV4s0UsisiTxatb6xQVZ2NGVKZqrFya_u9CQeXne_I2EeDezH2w_XKpK0OVOpIf-FPxMUo/s2048/IMG_0206.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHKxzexycvDStI5BNIoPY5a_VHS89QFhmNGy06h3E9y36KcNmB01dWrr8yXD8iqqLepayJqV4s0UsisiTxatb6xQVZ2NGVKZqrFya_u9CQeXne_I2EeDezH2w_XKpK0OVOpIf-FPxMUo/s640/IMG_0206.HEIC" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYjrWvMOBNAgtrFYuPlQWv22fRp48vEdgVuO31PBO5uzN1aMnFBLo9ppWMAQTpkIn7N-JG-y0Rydfl4OxDR44RSSvdVfw6sfy5Hi3bolU54B1xGz-0QTPlxQ5DvEfry5lnUUlaITv8D0/s2048/IMG_0205.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYjrWvMOBNAgtrFYuPlQWv22fRp48vEdgVuO31PBO5uzN1aMnFBLo9ppWMAQTpkIn7N-JG-y0Rydfl4OxDR44RSSvdVfw6sfy5Hi3bolU54B1xGz-0QTPlxQ5DvEfry5lnUUlaITv8D0/s640/IMG_0205.HEIC" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">We are blowing this popscicle stand and heading to the beach for a few nights. Pray for Wally to not get car sick, pray that we get a free upgrade, pray we don't get the Rona, and pray that Matt will let me extend the trip by a day. </span><p></p></div>EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-7388097910398386452020-07-02T16:23:00.001-07:002020-07-02T16:23:58.799-07:00The COVID-19 Diaries: The Backyard Patio Cover Part 3- The roof and we're about 95% done!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We did it! After about a month, and weeks of planning and scheming the outside of our house now has a beautiful patio cover made by some awesome dudes with the assistance of their brilliant wives of course.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8AmaZrtWfqN1rcKne_58db7cglEm3AIE5PNgnFQX-dCYQTe2R8ByF8r8IC4niJISXzIDi7pCkX2P5NhTHtBpPBbBfNYAc1EZqAZ0DER9r_yCuUeJ4TLe1rk4JqXt_2HSS0qG2jQoOV4/s1600/IMG_1776.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8AmaZrtWfqN1rcKne_58db7cglEm3AIE5PNgnFQX-dCYQTe2R8ByF8r8IC4niJISXzIDi7pCkX2P5NhTHtBpPBbBfNYAc1EZqAZ0DER9r_yCuUeJ4TLe1rk4JqXt_2HSS0qG2jQoOV4/s400/IMG_1776.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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On June 29, all material present and accounted for, they roofed the structure and complete the majority of the work. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3JKYPjJRakkgkHSp1FxzIfLG5QwnMl27iwlHd3rIxLwlZPb8cUq8crwMzhurGAf80OaF_w8-OaKz1PjGSX22XEm4r5BZPUhEVB8nvQg0gYKzVzmaWtTgLjHP6jkI0w5aKUfpMvMSDGA/s1600/IMG_3875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3JKYPjJRakkgkHSp1FxzIfLG5QwnMl27iwlHd3rIxLwlZPb8cUq8crwMzhurGAf80OaF_w8-OaKz1PjGSX22XEm4r5BZPUhEVB8nvQg0gYKzVzmaWtTgLjHP6jkI0w5aKUfpMvMSDGA/s400/IMG_3875.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Of course, as the bane of Matt's life he had to make 3 trips back to Lowe's on the day. Once we went together to grab some support pieces, flashing, and more screws; then for more tar paper since they were about a foot short, and finally right when we were at the absolutely last bit where they were just putting the metal roof on the tar paper (all those things meant to keep the ceiling and therefore the things underneath it, cooler) the freaking roof screws were about 5/8" too long and were poking through the ceiling! I thought he was going to lose it on that 3rd run!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2kRvSGKuIlJG1ax9bQLonpih9Tgxf04V1CqArh3Xu2y-Yq-WAt4JPnRiyN3y_JRjM4F_Kvd3Ev9ijPljG1RdIIkyNf-ahYjnqWUAC9OKSZIepTAA002V9HRlVDbxa5ZDh-sjlOW7jG0/s1600/IMG_2691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2kRvSGKuIlJG1ax9bQLonpih9Tgxf04V1CqArh3Xu2y-Yq-WAt4JPnRiyN3y_JRjM4F_Kvd3Ev9ijPljG1RdIIkyNf-ahYjnqWUAC9OKSZIepTAA002V9HRlVDbxa5ZDh-sjlOW7jG0/s400/IMG_2691.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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While Matt was on the 3rd run, Eric and I finished the ceiling fan installation and hung the patio string lights. I did a quick google and figured out that the best way to hang string lights was with <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/Gardner-Bender-25-Count-1-4-in-Plastic-Insulated-Cable-Staples/3438748?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-elc-_-google-_-lia-_-204-_-homeautomationandmultmedia-_-3438748-_-0&store_code=1144&placeholder=null&&ds_a_cid=112741100&gclid=CjwKCAjwi_b3BRAGEiwAemPNU31PiKY4Cy8OfJcACBss8FSM5H1LiXCV6sbhunpTwOWV6eoqQCIsjxoCUpsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">coaxial staples</a>. Clever things they are.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirLuca2ybV7EsqttRD_mo_MnNqezQ9Ptzw3Z90gHCxMCMY8_GEj99d_QWO88HwIBPEDzOEpTIrm4XtMY6hSatbmsotR86eGVWIdj58tWYGBMVH0b0VU1oz1TBPQTHv21rzCziBN-mTmZE/s1600/IMG_9940.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirLuca2ybV7EsqttRD_mo_MnNqezQ9Ptzw3Z90gHCxMCMY8_GEj99d_QWO88HwIBPEDzOEpTIrm4XtMY6hSatbmsotR86eGVWIdj58tWYGBMVH0b0VU1oz1TBPQTHv21rzCziBN-mTmZE/s400/IMG_9940.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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Eric had known our plan to string lights around and had setup an outlet at the top where the original outdoor lighting was to make that work. This is why it's good to have a plan before you do things then they can happen before they happen know what I mean? We also put the string lights on a smart outlet that we set on a timer from our phone. Boom shakalaka. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-l3iEhGSz-F9xwwDeo7NYZcF736saAJp9CdY073HrmnVcPqiQR2lixodB3jLOceIKpQjKBA87mcajAvuCcMtv4RFxXNfeEPo1CkN5BOX4KSkbW8onQF8WkKa_PEM7vurnUgwWPZT_vw/s1600/IMG_3834.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-l3iEhGSz-F9xwwDeo7NYZcF736saAJp9CdY073HrmnVcPqiQR2lixodB3jLOceIKpQjKBA87mcajAvuCcMtv4RFxXNfeEPo1CkN5BOX4KSkbW8onQF8WkKa_PEM7vurnUgwWPZT_vw/s400/IMG_3834.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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Team Patio Cover! They were a good team. A very good team indeed.</div>
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The final size is approximately 19'x12' which is a pretty big area. It easily shades all of the large outdoor couch with room for people to crowd around to avoid the hot hot sun.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDhY2qpUQmaumAdrUUgh1qQ2eytuhfDaxtVdXmLIcwaWdoNyRfeivl2Gett0cV-KXqLvC7FJQ4IRto0P3SF57k3Xggf9PyOwQ9QFYQEuO9ldb0qA9kRVbvQMjAZc5GeXaz64moFoKydA/s1600/IMG_3980.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDhY2qpUQmaumAdrUUgh1qQ2eytuhfDaxtVdXmLIcwaWdoNyRfeivl2Gett0cV-KXqLvC7FJQ4IRto0P3SF57k3Xggf9PyOwQ9QFYQEuO9ldb0qA9kRVbvQMjAZc5GeXaz64moFoKydA/s400/IMG_3980.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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I rearranged the sofa a little and then we're gonna toss the old coffee table that has seen better days and this white one used to sit in the office and it's metal so I moved it here. </div>
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I also spray painted the little side table for a 2nd time and put a few plants around to give it some green. Plants really improve everything. Before Alice's birthday I'll eventually wash all the cushions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6utCV22OsuTNVOVqZ9HkEtoI2lvYYhdFK_fzJOClbXUC8W7oDix6UD9zPkk8I7xTaXoalvUfF_0NvLlrMuLjZkP6KcazIVf8K6jqnuhk0eAJVDn3Jq48qGaX_anJux4KRI7Y2gQ5Flo/s1600/IMG_8595.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6utCV22OsuTNVOVqZ9HkEtoI2lvYYhdFK_fzJOClbXUC8W7oDix6UD9zPkk8I7xTaXoalvUfF_0NvLlrMuLjZkP6KcazIVf8K6jqnuhk0eAJVDn3Jq48qGaX_anJux4KRI7Y2gQ5Flo/s400/IMG_8595.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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And just look at this awesome ceiling!</div>
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It's nice to add a different place to hang out during my morning quiet time. And of course it's gonna be such a great place to host people once you know, it isn't dangerous to do so.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Q__TgWwLMQu0LQB5KWoxzx4vkS1pL3NKImlsx4bsCCSoOtkMekQd7jMFyKCb4veHcy-GoZtjWPbeL15pK7lNG5QjsjXk0yQJZl3iR19fyQhEVLuquneEmdOeZ2CDcl1W53q79zL2s-g/s1600/IMG_1853.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Q__TgWwLMQu0LQB5KWoxzx4vkS1pL3NKImlsx4bsCCSoOtkMekQd7jMFyKCb4veHcy-GoZtjWPbeL15pK7lNG5QjsjXk0yQJZl3iR19fyQhEVLuquneEmdOeZ2CDcl1W53q79zL2s-g/s400/IMG_1853.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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There's a few things to touch up with paint (since I had run out awhile ago) and pieces of the structure to trim but we're about 95% done. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDa79qGCaX1Q7KJMX8eR_OmvJtft-AGVkgkVaPVeRnhc-kytdGnK9F3_tRJ5qOenh-l6t3GJKoy5S2TY8MptimQL2xF-1uR1-QdCvHUdSsGj8oMSQ5vXI1HUdC-hWlJFOM_8czpg83cSQ/s1600/IMG_9697.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDa79qGCaX1Q7KJMX8eR_OmvJtft-AGVkgkVaPVeRnhc-kytdGnK9F3_tRJ5qOenh-l6t3GJKoy5S2TY8MptimQL2xF-1uR1-QdCvHUdSsGj8oMSQ5vXI1HUdC-hWlJFOM_8czpg83cSQ/s400/IMG_9697.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
And what a difference and so worth it. It kicked my butt into gear and I painted the fence and the shed trim too. It's seriously changed everything about the backyard for the better. So glad we did it and so glad it's (mostly) done!EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-15912352822278452612020-06-28T23:14:00.005-07:002020-06-28T23:15:40.749-07:00The COVID-19 Diaries: The Living Room is PAINTED<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The final room to be painted was the largest and most obnoxious to paint. BUT WE DID IT. I meant to take better before pictures but the kids were mid play so this what you get.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkikH3F86_rYVrnn9iVAruORgxEwxG9sgsj2XqEzY8Y0Cpb6vEY6f5xTYQNLCf3VPfXvlZ72qzW4JVAzxwAjdod_HthkpJX9HggvJwQV_Vjc_IUOZDmv2XjFuLL1rXjMKbnmGyEZUjj1E/s1600/IMG_2921.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkikH3F86_rYVrnn9iVAruORgxEwxG9sgsj2XqEzY8Y0Cpb6vEY6f5xTYQNLCf3VPfXvlZ72qzW4JVAzxwAjdod_HthkpJX9HggvJwQV_Vjc_IUOZDmv2XjFuLL1rXjMKbnmGyEZUjj1E/s400/IMG_2921.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvj3xlhIyS4QJGJVtjFbNZ47FljnMGrbLhAofgi6k32mAP5IHIeLimiwc2EH7f5w9NJ4c9oAWYtq2sscXyv_giNn8-WTVWppHZ2as1NNqFfFXnqn4ykcdOQ-WYCHlKcEgZb0lRkE3evU/s1600/IMG_6812.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvj3xlhIyS4QJGJVtjFbNZ47FljnMGrbLhAofgi6k32mAP5IHIeLimiwc2EH7f5w9NJ4c9oAWYtq2sscXyv_giNn8-WTVWppHZ2as1NNqFfFXnqn4ykcdOQ-WYCHlKcEgZb0lRkE3evU/s400/IMG_6812.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XBFSZ1SwyRqKLX4gGvOaJqZCscd3mFNgUxFEFpCx4PsRABC_kU03RvRZX_YTdCUi054LiEv2LrJ3cNUmufgIv9uFHAOUoMbOjOgeeLRSBDItG2Me87tIedwMMdhD8Sg0X3gXnqlyDBs/s1600/IMG_9460.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XBFSZ1SwyRqKLX4gGvOaJqZCscd3mFNgUxFEFpCx4PsRABC_kU03RvRZX_YTdCUi054LiEv2LrJ3cNUmufgIv9uFHAOUoMbOjOgeeLRSBDItG2Me87tIedwMMdhD8Sg0X3gXnqlyDBs/s400/IMG_9460.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidu1-hYDlEsV1y3w0CRX456s-1DDSsZv6PCe8AR0eTgx1Al8A141u1EGnvz5kJj4lnul7gpMj9wK7rvNARgWV5876pgNUHntgzkEKE_vunHxrdMFjLAeflrPHHEIMdwVt2QxoW2f3l6k/s1600/IMG_2279.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidu1-hYDlEsV1y3w0CRX456s-1DDSsZv6PCe8AR0eTgx1Al8A141u1EGnvz5kJj4lnul7gpMj9wK7rvNARgWV5876pgNUHntgzkEKE_vunHxrdMFjLAeflrPHHEIMdwVt2QxoW2f3l6k/s400/IMG_2279.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div>
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One thing I hadn't planned on was that I had been charting the kids's heights on this wall so Matt relocated it to their closet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IDIuoq772I7ip43436UCAldmfgS4qI2Rc5shHUWPU3SOwsc_HzZLkNO7GA0EsrvIF12YT5v0DDmvj_5dV_NzPjrWQ_QPT0bMi3jGxRYE5ILkTNPRrihGeGG61LJfdfpsJRiGiuS4rF8/s1600/IMG_4136.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IDIuoq772I7ip43436UCAldmfgS4qI2Rc5shHUWPU3SOwsc_HzZLkNO7GA0EsrvIF12YT5v0DDmvj_5dV_NzPjrWQ_QPT0bMi3jGxRYE5ILkTNPRrihGeGG61LJfdfpsJRiGiuS4rF8/s400/IMG_4136.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div>
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The other rooms in the house I did myself ('cause I like to paint, Matt was on kid duty) but this time I had to recruit Matt or else I would have been there forever. As it was we were up until about 2am one of the nights because we could only paint it at night since it's a common room the kids are in. It took us two nights to complete which was not too bad considering but we could have done it faster if we could have worked in the daytime.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHigz1gP5nOjplOMhG5EHcG_gT7-jVE6P_xkzH5FxWaB0nk3lsuuaitLbPWv4t755mJp00GfK5MkRqJan3LGNErtKpqJppumiibJ86i401ItEzzh2rKdDqcXZtCwgLMwaYtfnuCqyp09k/s1600/IMG_1878.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHigz1gP5nOjplOMhG5EHcG_gT7-jVE6P_xkzH5FxWaB0nk3lsuuaitLbPWv4t755mJp00GfK5MkRqJan3LGNErtKpqJppumiibJ86i401ItEzzh2rKdDqcXZtCwgLMwaYtfnuCqyp09k/s400/IMG_1878.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div>
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This right here was the last sliver of that crappy paint of our whole house. Literally every room in our house had been painted this color that I have been painting over slowly over the past 7 years. BYE BYE CRAPPY PAINT COLOR. </div>
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This was where how far we got the first night.</div>
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And then here it is done. Finally after all this time. Finally. Finally. Finally.</div>
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All of the pictures are still sitting in the office closet waiting to be put back which will have to wait since HOPEFULLY tomorrow we'll finish the outdoor patio cover project and we can spend the rest of the week restoring order and then next week planning Alice's birthday and then they will hopefully be going to their grandparents for the a few days so we can have some much needed alone time. We literally have left the house alone ONCE in four months to go to Lowe's. Not exactly a date night. Not that we are complaining, other people have it much much worse and we're blessed and grateful.<br />
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But also... it's a lot of time being with two kids people!EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919152723622774514.post-65116179384325533822020-06-24T09:00:00.000-07:002020-06-24T09:00:01.475-07:00The COVID-19 Diaries: The Backyard Patio Cover Part 2-Painting the Structure and Sanding/Coating the Planks<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So... we took a down day to figure out what I wanted to do with the structure before they put the ceiling on it. I went outside and took a few pictures of it empty and put it on my computer and started mocking up various versions of it to show Matt. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUayDYqhnyfbR4SdIZnp0W2CpG5MEvlqTTVcErxc_KrBjMQ-bcNMwriTMrpvTbOZ6JoENj09DYf-nWIn_M9QoWwIpapcmLCM02kV8awnXIXJxDTXIU38LhhXtuMcnodi2V1GhEjyznMI/s4032/IMG_2777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUayDYqhnyfbR4SdIZnp0W2CpG5MEvlqTTVcErxc_KrBjMQ-bcNMwriTMrpvTbOZ6JoENj09DYf-nWIn_M9QoWwIpapcmLCM02kV8awnXIXJxDTXIU38LhhXtuMcnodi2V1GhEjyznMI/w400-h300/IMG_2777.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PKRuBnglBBpcSftatJKdVvTV_Bq972GVeUeZX8_FMx6-VN1kUW1XD2vaiNT7WpVvHcW3fPAsHzxTeaN8TZCByN3gNYwfsOj0KVCZlMgVwDt_nGNXOA3q0T1y1RXJ4isweE6eliv9Uy8/s4032/IMG_4143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PKRuBnglBBpcSftatJKdVvTV_Bq972GVeUeZX8_FMx6-VN1kUW1XD2vaiNT7WpVvHcW3fPAsHzxTeaN8TZCByN3gNYwfsOj0KVCZlMgVwDt_nGNXOA3q0T1y1RXJ4isweE6eliv9Uy8/s320/IMG_4143.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Originally I was going to keep the joists the natural color and paint the planks white to look like a shiplap ceiling. BUT, I wasn't wild about the color of these joists and deciding to stain it a wood color would add an element of picking a wood color and I was terrified of that. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxodhA9NlfG0gXited4m9mKQWTAO6PfWiYaCGJlzUHB-r8Qte82EtKAgVXSZhQbrcyEWFx-OtatXA5MjZE5oNxF0h63nG9mnhJZ2keAN3fPlBgCp7fR3VVk6ydrqhao88B5JxEp3pNw0/s4032/IMG_8918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxodhA9NlfG0gXited4m9mKQWTAO6PfWiYaCGJlzUHB-r8Qte82EtKAgVXSZhQbrcyEWFx-OtatXA5MjZE5oNxF0h63nG9mnhJZ2keAN3fPlBgCp7fR3VVk6ydrqhao88B5JxEp3pNw0/w400-h300/IMG_8918.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Somewhere along the variations I talked out loud to Matt that the real star wood was the pine planks as they were and that maybe we should go for a scheme where the planks stay natural. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cApBMAcWTCMQ3zvk0n_ln7Hv3IRTXnVPGonwHPHWp9thPSgqYYz9grQVrdknZEpawVnwP79xss-V8eRQPmpBEnQzgUZsSoaVEANHZQX9psq6EqR1041E8gFcGHDLFjAtJLrbteMXfZ4/s4032/IMG_7192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cApBMAcWTCMQ3zvk0n_ln7Hv3IRTXnVPGonwHPHWp9thPSgqYYz9grQVrdknZEpawVnwP79xss-V8eRQPmpBEnQzgUZsSoaVEANHZQX9psq6EqR1041E8gFcGHDLFjAtJLrbteMXfZ4/w300-h400/IMG_7192.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I talked to Eric about it who in addition to being a genius is a director of photography by trade and knows about color and light so he said ok here, let's put the plank next to the fence that is the color you're thinking of painting the joists and see what it looks like. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHGR3Ti5VcQac0NHj3DaPIvjAJvvrTlCSq-yoe3aWWk3bpe-fJ1ErTWB2YfVi4g0cSx-pwqd7Gp11_dzTonjZ3onUoY3HltdA8PE6WfNwqsIUoClzwR1FEFFUsoApzOMRM2eK0Dfw1r0/s4032/IMG_5515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHGR3Ti5VcQac0NHj3DaPIvjAJvvrTlCSq-yoe3aWWk3bpe-fJ1ErTWB2YfVi4g0cSx-pwqd7Gp11_dzTonjZ3onUoY3HltdA8PE6WfNwqsIUoClzwR1FEFFUsoApzOMRM2eK0Dfw1r0/w300-h400/IMG_5515.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Beautiful combo right. So it was decided. I would spend the next day painting all of the structure that gray stain color and sand and seal the planks with a <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/Valspar-Pre-Tinted-Clear-Exterior-Stain-Actual-Net-Contents-128-fl-oz/1000515769">clear protectant stain</a>. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxO-sqkflMTNYUqr0Tg4crO_YwOsNLx5QrDZpFnVHNIUkBmf24NRaTMZ5r0FD5vrnRhG253W6fqJaVCe_3fkJKqkJ9mFk3QP_EE1B_rpDbJQQ4JGs9Akh8KvkCSHQa0BOOx5N11p6K7I/s4032/IMG_8056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxO-sqkflMTNYUqr0Tg4crO_YwOsNLx5QrDZpFnVHNIUkBmf24NRaTMZ5r0FD5vrnRhG253W6fqJaVCe_3fkJKqkJ9mFk3QP_EE1B_rpDbJQQ4JGs9Akh8KvkCSHQa0BOOx5N11p6K7I/w300-h400/IMG_8056.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Matt watched the kids and I got to work taping the few things that had to be taped, sanding the posts and certain uneven joists and painting the structure. And yes, I know the wood looks nice here as it is but it wasn't that nice in person.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2Exnc-nypQ-rB2l4coV515lM1yfvDvzSMRxhvB4-Q44OdKTI7dGQge2Z4p-YxO09OFtXkYt0cwPx6eJF9V5VCoGKXjTcm8xVIN8e7UWv13F5foyi41FUB9wmUBi4G-lbWa11RYiYF_0/s4032/IMG_3515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2Exnc-nypQ-rB2l4coV515lM1yfvDvzSMRxhvB4-Q44OdKTI7dGQge2Z4p-YxO09OFtXkYt0cwPx6eJF9V5VCoGKXjTcm8xVIN8e7UWv13F5foyi41FUB9wmUBi4G-lbWa11RYiYF_0/w300-h400/IMG_3515.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Around 4pm it was getting late and I felt like I would never be able to finish everything. I wasn't remotely close to finishing the structure and I still had about 15 planks to sand and seal. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvi-TxciRLav4L2tes4zXJoSypwh2Rwvtc6-_gDt5N4JM29dGwM76NOFVpRZWSuk92_I37HPv3G1ZH1TLkVBRR0dXaQIR0SCI3oSNZImBKvSWElNxZ-8jT4cFCHOW4HfMTYafD1t_JjdY/s4032/IMG_4273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvi-TxciRLav4L2tes4zXJoSypwh2Rwvtc6-_gDt5N4JM29dGwM76NOFVpRZWSuk92_I37HPv3G1ZH1TLkVBRR0dXaQIR0SCI3oSNZImBKvSWElNxZ-8jT4cFCHOW4HfMTYafD1t_JjdY/w300-h400/IMG_4273.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's when I got some reinforcements! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtzUFS3d8B8h8V9TJPUjduX7QHEgH-TisooQBGLUdMvkL2pWVjd7gJ7fcpjWbRYNz4aZIiwnvtOmdudkKaHdifqLtOIuKSNN8vdqwW2z77WFxZX2zFVQScajxT6lo746bJ9PjLxK3rOI/s4032/IMG_9115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtzUFS3d8B8h8V9TJPUjduX7QHEgH-TisooQBGLUdMvkL2pWVjd7gJ7fcpjWbRYNz4aZIiwnvtOmdudkKaHdifqLtOIuKSNN8vdqwW2z77WFxZX2zFVQScajxT6lo746bJ9PjLxK3rOI/w400-h300/IMG_9115.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Alexa kept painting and Eric sanded while I sealed. We had quite a little machine shop.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rLqMQS1_b9Cb6trtNY3h9tRf67cr2h_OGz93h8Ob26qC7Ffl2er_iLRalKvFgsEZ-9e4HaFOxRm6U5hDAtO8z_Nx69bWK2LoooLBu6AtFqYene9Lrr_pfyTfzCJDY14i4QswVuus-84/s3088/IMG_5336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rLqMQS1_b9Cb6trtNY3h9tRf67cr2h_OGz93h8Ob26qC7Ffl2er_iLRalKvFgsEZ-9e4HaFOxRm6U5hDAtO8z_Nx69bWK2LoooLBu6AtFqYene9Lrr_pfyTfzCJDY14i4QswVuus-84/w300-h400/IMG_5336.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF9TMICu_nKoaTvLsw1M3RHKuqdHQJ-m44nt6pilV7D-NdfgVG3meg-rMVBYyi-AFO3U2NiUXW8fBR92WxT2BitVSAVBW0AnCmjZqtDQAr7owXXn3Ldh0kFU643OoPhT8zaILwOQPmiA/s4032/IMG_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF9TMICu_nKoaTvLsw1M3RHKuqdHQJ-m44nt6pilV7D-NdfgVG3meg-rMVBYyi-AFO3U2NiUXW8fBR92WxT2BitVSAVBW0AnCmjZqtDQAr7owXXn3Ldh0kFU643OoPhT8zaILwOQPmiA/w400-h300/IMG_0023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The sealing is super simple, just needs an even coat on it. I put them on the trashcan makeshift work bench Matt made for me and just went to town.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdDPxcabGGSb42uzW4Lz6Rw2Ue7h8GmlGcGme1876ij4Jqo_sGtv45yIxuRp8V87EC820KhZSJjJMrvRIuYKjvu-L-0Cok9ptAVTUBBigNMYvoxY-9Bu2jRnAx6wFCDLWtmtPTZ-MKa4/s4032/IMG_3088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdDPxcabGGSb42uzW4Lz6Rw2Ue7h8GmlGcGme1876ij4Jqo_sGtv45yIxuRp8V87EC820KhZSJjJMrvRIuYKjvu-L-0Cok9ptAVTUBBigNMYvoxY-9Bu2jRnAx6wFCDLWtmtPTZ-MKa4/w300-h400/IMG_3088.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The sun was setting but we were determined. We finished a majority in daylight and Eric brought out his set lighting and by 9:30pm we called it a night. Finally done.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkh3DZirebAQZphPe0NM77T_Rj8QG3J4FGSYm9ZHFKHKVFGMMUZGKZN0-yZUoJcL0U5xfi3Tm_xG9zGAgqCyLphsusdxwIu9drQBRoBBRb-dp7XS9SHguYGYeFqMWcJ2pKzqVI8zA8ok/s4032/IMG_7832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkh3DZirebAQZphPe0NM77T_Rj8QG3J4FGSYm9ZHFKHKVFGMMUZGKZN0-yZUoJcL0U5xfi3Tm_xG9zGAgqCyLphsusdxwIu9drQBRoBBRb-dp7XS9SHguYGYeFqMWcJ2pKzqVI8zA8ok/w400-h300/IMG_7832.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It just looks so dang cool. Like something you'd find at some cool hipster coffee shop. It sort of made it look like metal which I like too. We are not cool enough for this cool structure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSePLI_kmbGOO-tofv-LLnc-0ewh8eYZLcqGJn2VithZ4a49Ydqyfni1Qxjvv3icTtzYJfudKQ16SkuXYIIBhZ-uFyL77NLjO9MTjaSYw30gJLz1Hq_7rYQhxHcO986T6RPBJU3ERnrRE/s4032/IMG_5328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSePLI_kmbGOO-tofv-LLnc-0ewh8eYZLcqGJn2VithZ4a49Ydqyfni1Qxjvv3icTtzYJfudKQ16SkuXYIIBhZ-uFyL77NLjO9MTjaSYw30gJLz1Hq_7rYQhxHcO986T6RPBJU3ERnrRE/w400-h300/IMG_5328.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>And here's what the planks will look like with the structure. I know that whenever anyone comes over they will be like wow I love the ceiling. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrXKQUwiKfIQeoBZbGhhnv4kWSA6y13yfDW7DA-ijpdZ0eIsCmdJm9-xulP_9tGNDIv5eB84Ujeo4fho71ZI880vanF37XY0GN4kbw8rlbu7ZSSKc4F-uaIrFgbqsBgEwSqw_hqjiuog/s4032/IMG_7946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrXKQUwiKfIQeoBZbGhhnv4kWSA6y13yfDW7DA-ijpdZ0eIsCmdJm9-xulP_9tGNDIv5eB84Ujeo4fho71ZI880vanF37XY0GN4kbw8rlbu7ZSSKc4F-uaIrFgbqsBgEwSqw_hqjiuog/w400-h300/IMG_7946.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The next day the men worked on part of the ceiling and Matt and I tried to find the remaining pieces for the ceiling and were unsuccessful. I'll write more about that later! To be continued...EvYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387901589294163422noreply@blogger.com1