Bedtime

Remember that big boy bed Topher got for Christmas? That left the toddler bed that without a purpose. We bought that bed when Peter was not quite two. That's the age he learned how to climb out of his crib, so he and I made a trip to Toys R Us and picked out this darling toddler bed. Here's twenty-three month old Peter showing his excitement over his new bed. 

The bed was used by each child after Peter.

Cooper:

Phoebe:

Sophie:

And finally Topher:

You may have noticed that the bed accumulated more and more damage as the years went on. Bryan had to reinforce the slats at one point because the bed was breaking. With all the little people that have jumped on it over the years, I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did. However, all good things must come to an end. Topher and Sophie helped me take the bed apart one last time.

Toddler bed, we'll miss you.

Sweet Seventeen

Poor Peter had his seventeenth birthday fall during the COVID time. Bryan could still be around the kids and was able to make the cake and prepare Peter's birthday dinner. A few of the kids had started wearing masks around the house at that point, just in case. Ron was able to help as well.

Other than the birthday dinner, opening gifts, and playing video games, because of the sickness in our house Peter didn't get to have much of a birthday celebration. Not even his friends knew about his birthday, one of the downsides of having a birthday that always happens during winter break. I asked if I should text a few of the Young Women that are his friends to tell them it was his birthday. (As one of the YW leaders I text them often enough that this wouldn't be weird.) He said no, then a few hours later changed his mind. I sent a quick text and they both responded right away. 

Then one of them asked me what treats Peter liked, she wanted to drop something off for him. I figured she and her sister might stop by with a bag of chips. About an hour later the doorbell rang. I told Peter it was for him and I stood at the top of the stairs to listen. Peter found a bag of chips, a package of licorice, cookies, a birthday card, and balloons by the front door, and six of the young women standing on our front lawn. They serenaded him with a rousing (as in the neighbors could probably all hear them) chorus of Happy Birthday and ended the visit by all saying that they loved him and hoped he had a great birthday. That alone was a great gift that left him blushing and speechless. 

I snapped a picture from my bedroom window of the group.

Peter was completely blown away. I was too, actually. We have a tiny congregation and only have ten Young Women total, and only eight that we see regularly. This group consisted of five of them, plus one that graduated in June and was home from BYU for Christmas. They totally made his birthday!

It Caught Us

The audience information that was emailed to us with our Broadway tickets said that masks were optional but encouraged. I chose to wear one. I'm really thankful I did. Remember I said that Shari, Bryan's mom, stayed home from the show on Wednesday because she wasn't feeling well? On Thursday morning her throat hurt so much she thought she had strep throat. Ron, Bryan's dad, took her to urgent care to check and within a short time we had an answer: COVID.

As soon as Bryan shared that news with me I walked upstairs and took a test since I had started coughing the evening before. Guess who else got a positive result?

Bryan and Topher both took tests as well since we'd all been sleeping in the same room. They were both negative. Bryan's dad also had a negative result, but he had symptoms so he decided to isolate anyway. Both Ron and Shari kept to Topher's room, which we had converted to a guest room. I stayed in my room. That left Bryan sleeping on the couch and running the house.

Looking at the timeline, there's no way that Shari got me sick, it was just a crazy coincidence that she and I got it at the same time from different places. We were glad that they were staying with us while they recuperated instead of being stuck in a hotel.

I was congested, but not horribly so. I probably wouldn't have thought to take a test if Shari hadn't tested positive, mostly because I've tested negative so many times with worse symptoms. I did have that cough though. I kept telling myself it wasn't that bad until I realized all the muscles on the left side of my core hurt whenever I moved. It was from coughing so hard. My other two main symptoms were exhaustion and dizziness. I would lie in bed while it felt like the room was spinning around me. And I was so tired that just sitting up in bed took more energy than I had. I kept thinking, "Has my head always been this heavy?"

I called my doctor the day I took the test, but I didn't hear anything back until Friday. She called back and we had a phone visit. She said that because I have asthma I qualified for a prescription of Paxlovid. Both Bryan's parents had gotten it from urgent care and said that it was helping. I said yes and Bryan picked up the medicine that evening. I had to take all three of these pills twice a day for five days. I do think they helped, though they gave me a really horrible taste in my mouth the whole time I was taking them. That's actually how I remembered to take them, the awful taste would go away and I would know it was time for another dose.

On Saturday morning I woke up to Bryan coming out of our bathroom, a new test in his hand. He had just tested positive as well. That meant that all of the adults were now in isolation and the kids were in charge. We did have to make quick trips downstairs for food and my one request was that they not "go all Lord of the Flies." Topher went a little nuts from too much TV and not enough grownup intervention, but they all survived. The bright side? Bryan and I got to ring in the New Year together.

Ron and Shari came out of isolation on Sunday, which meant they were able to watch church with the kids while Bryan and I watched upstairs in our room. They also did a lot to help restore order to the chaos that was creeping in downstairs. My last day of isolation was Sunday. I still need to wear a mask if I'm around other people (so anytime I'm outside my room) until Friday. Bryan's parents were well enough that they flew home on Monday afternoon, a necessary change from their original itinerary that would have had them leave last Friday morning. Today will be Bryan's first day out of isolation.

I tried to get right back into the business of my regular responsibilities on Monday, but my body was not on board. I drove Ron and Shari to the airport, a thirty-five minute roundtrip and had to take a nap when I got home because I was so worn out. I wanted to put away the Christmas decorations (they're usually all put back in the basement in time for us  to ring in the new year), but it took me three days to pack it up. The tree is up, now only dressed in lights. I'm still really tired, but I do feel like I'm improving. Bryan has had a worse case than I had. I don't think I ran a fever at all, Bryan has been running them on and off for days. Yesterday he finally started to perk up, though he's also completely exhausted. His doctor gave him a note that said he couldn't work until today. I don't think Bryan would have had the energy to sit up at his computer long enough to do his job.

All the kids have taken tests throughout the week. So far, they've all been negative.

All Buttoned Up

"I did it by my own self!" -Topher, about buttoning his shirt all the way for the first time. Yes, it is inside out. No, I don't think it matters.

Room to Grow

One of Topher's Christmas gifts was moving from a toddler bed to a big boy bed. Last night was his first night sleeping in it. He invited the whole family in to admire his new sleeping situation. We pointed out that if he woke up in the night Bryan or I could come into his room for a snuggle instead of him joining us in our room. Hopefully that will improve everyone's sleep.

Biblio Files: 2022

A new year means a new list of books that I read over the last twelve months. I distinctly remember looking at last year's book count and realizing maybe I was a little out of balance. Perhaps I was reading too much. My total in 2021 was 125 books. I decided I would bring that number down in 2022.

I did not succeed at that goal.

My total book count for 2022 was 169 books.

That seems excessive, doesn't it?

I'm trying to figure out how I got that high number. I cut down on social media this year, that probably helped. I usually watch a TV show or movie while I exercise, but in December I switched to listening to books most days instead. During the beginning of the year I would often listen to books while I made dinner, if I wasn't needed by a child during that time. Hmm, I guess all those little changes made a big difference. I also didn't read any super long books last year, the longest was probably still under twenty hours, so I was able to fit more books in.

Phoebe decided she wanted to read romances at the beginning of 2022. That made me a little anxious and I asked if I could preview a few and make recommendations. I'm glad I did and no, I did not recommend all of them. I also can confirm that romance is still not my genre. I read a lot of YA sci-fi and fantasy in 2022, but that's not really out of the ordinary. The best book I read all year was The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett Graff. It was so heartbreaking and difficult, but so beautiful as well.

Only one book club survived into 2022 (huzzah LLBC, aka my two-person book club!), so there aren't as many book club picks for this list. Those are starred, the physical books I read are italicized, and the especially profound books are underlined.

What did you read last year? I'm always looking for new books to add to my list!

January:

1. Starsight by Brandon Sanderson
2. Sunreach by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson
3. ReDawn by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson
4. Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson
5. Evershore by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson
6. Gilded by Marissa Meyer
7. Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
8. Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
9. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
10. Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers by Patrick Kavanaugh*
11. The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
12. The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris* (Read aloud to Sophie at bedtime.)
13. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
14. The Gift of Forgiveness by Kathrine Schwarzeneggar Pratt

February:

1. The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett Graff*
2. Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine
3. Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine
4. How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith
5. Heartless by Marissa Meyer
6. Renegades by Marissa Meyer
7. Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine
8. The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
9. Archenemies by Marissa Meyer
10. Supernova by Marissa Meyer
11. The Selection by Kiera Cass
12. The Elite by Keira Cass
13. The One by Keira Cass
14. Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine
15. The Spirit of Revelation by David A. Bednar
16. Migraine by Maria Konnikova

March:

1. When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin
2. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
3. The Lost Sisters by Holly Black
4. Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer
5. Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown
6. The Golden Tower by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
7. The Wicked King by Holly Black
8. The Comfort Book by Matt Haig
9. From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
10. Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon
11. The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme
12. The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
13. Call of the Wild by Jack London
14. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
15. Stormrise by Jillian Boehme
16. Grace to Become by Emily Belle Freeman
17. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck*
18. Flunked by Jen Calonita
19. The Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Petersen
20. October 2021 General Conference

April:

1. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
2. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
3. Heidi by Johanna Spyri
4. We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee*
5. Far Above Rubies by Tamara Uzelac Hall
6. Love Boldly: Embracing Your LGBTQ Loved Ones and Your Faith by Becky Mackintosh
7. A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
8. Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
9. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
10. The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald
11. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
12. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
13. Music Is History by Questlove
14. The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer
15. The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

May:

1. Everyday Disciples by Taylor Ricks
2. The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
3. Good Morning, Monster by Catherine Gildiner
4. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman*
5. Pride by Ibi Zoboi
6. That Summer by Sarah Dessen
7. The Case of the Left-Handed Lady by Nancy Springer
8. The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore
9. Women Who Believe by Heather B. Moore and Angela Eschl
10. The Law of Love by Steve Young
11. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
12. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
13. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
14. The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer
15. Not Cinderella's Type by Jenni James
16. Blended by Sharon M. Draper
17. Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Daniel G. Amen M.D.

June:

1. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
2. Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen
3. The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan by Nancy Springer
4. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood
5. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon
6. The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer
7. The Case of the Gypsy Goodbye by Nancy Springer
8. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Unseen Guest by Maryrose Wood
9. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
10. A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen*

July: 

1. The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
2. Superpowered by Renee Jain
3. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Interrupted Tale by Maryrose Wood
4. This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel*
5. OCDaniel by Wesley King
6. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Unmapped Sea by Maryrose Wood
7. Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
8. Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be by Frank Bruni

August:

1. Own Your Past Change Your Future by John Delony
2. Count Me In by Varsha Bajaj
3. The Untold Story by Genevieve Cogman
4. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood
5. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen
6. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
7. The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen
8. Redefining Anxiety by John Delony
9. Enola Holmes and the Boy in Buttons by Nancy Springer
10. Saints Volume 3*
11. The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
12. The Cay by Theodore Taylor
13. Psalms
14. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
15. Once and For All by Sarah Dessen
16. The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick

September:

1. Baby, Unplugged by Sophie Brickman
2. Mr. Popper's Penguins by Florence Atwater and Richard Atwater
3. Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen
4. Honey by Sarah Weeks
5. The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
6. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
7. The Girl In His Shadow by Audrey Blake*
8. The Office BFFs by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey
9. Hooked by Sutton Foster
10. The Surgeon's Daughter by Audrey Blake
11. April 2022 General Conference
12. Home Made Lovely by Shannon Acheson

October:

1. The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King*
2. Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult
3. Mom Babble by Mary Katherine Backstrom
4. The Sibling Effect by Jeffrey Kluger
5. Holy Hot Mess by Mary Katherine Backstrom
6. The 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith
7. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
8. Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer
9. Thursdays With the Crown by Jessica Day George
10. The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick
11. Fridays With the Wizards by Jessica Day George

November:

1. Saturdays at Sea by Jessica Day George
2. Is He Nuts? Why a Gay Man Would Become a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ by Dennis Schleicher
3. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
4. A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd*
5. The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick
6. The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber
7. The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson
8. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
9. The Four Tendancies by Gretchen Rubin
10. The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin

December:

1. An Impartial Witness by Charles Todd
2. A Christmas Dream by Louisa May Alcott*
3. Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick
4. The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin
5. A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd
6. Come Follow Me: Old Testament, Sunday School Manual
7. Come Follow Me: Old Testament, Primary Manual
8. Come Follow Me: Old Testament, Individuals and Families Manual
9. Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer
10. Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva
11. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
12. The Book of Mormon
13. The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
14. Don't Miss This in the Old Testament by David Butler and Emily Belle Freeman
15. An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd
16. Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci
17. Navigate Your Stars by Jesmyn Ward
18. Christmas Eve 1914 by Charles Oliver
19. If You Ask Me by Betty White
20. A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond

Into the City

Into the Woods has been my favorite musical for a long time. There have been a few that have taken its place for a period (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Wicked), but I always come back to Into the Woods. When I heard it was being revived for a limited run on Broadway this year I was so excited. Maybe it would run long enough for us to get through our isolation period so we could see it! The end date was announced as early September, just a few weeks shy of when we would be back in person. I was disappointed. To my great delight the show was extended into October, then extended again and again. The new closing date was set for early January.

Last week I mentioned to Bryan how much I had wanted to see Into the Woods, but being so close to the end date, I knew there wasn't much of a chance of it happening. Going into NYC is an all day adventure. Peter might be old enough to be responsible for his siblings, but I didn't feel good about both parents being so far from home for that long. Bryan asked if there was an age limit for Broadway shows. A quick Google search told us that, while some shows require the audience to be older, Into the Woods had a minimum age requirement of four. Guess who's four!? The youngest person in our house!

We checked the price of tickets and discovered that Into the Woods happened to be in our price range, unlike most of the other shows playing right now. Bryan got tickets for the next to the last row in the theater.

On Christmas day, after all the other gifts were opened, Peter opened the last family gift. It was a printout of this picture:

There was a moment of hesitation when Peter read what it said, then one of the kids asked if it was on Broadway. We said yes and much screaming and jumping around ensued. This would be their first Broadway show. Bryan's parents would be in town visiting as well, so they would also be joining us.

Wednesday was the big day. We had to split up between two cars to get there. Unfortunately, Bryan's mom was feeling really sick, so she stayed home. This was how I felt at the beginning of the drive.

This is how I felt after our travel time had increased so much that we were now definitely going to miss the beginning of the show. What should have been an hour and a half drive ended up taking nearly three. Here we are, inching our way through the Lincoln Tunnel.

We finally made it out of the tunnel and I watched the map on my phone. When the estimated walking time equaled the estimated driving time, the girls and I jumped out of the van (the van was totally stopped in traffic) and booked it to the theater. I felt bad leaving the others to park, but Bryan encouraged us to get there as quickly as we could. I was so afraid we would be turned away, but it was clear that many other audience members had been caught in traffic as well since we weren't the only late arrivals. The girls and I got in after the third song, the Wolf's number "Hello Little Girl." The guys all joined a few numbers later. As sad as I was to miss the beginning, I was so relieved to get in at all. And even though we were at the back, we had a great view of the stage!

I took some pictures during intermission.

The show was excellent! Brian D'Arcy James and Stephanie J. Block were marvelous as the Baker and the Baker's Wife. Gavin Creel and Joshua Henry were hilarious as Cinderella's Prince and Rapunzel's Prince. We all agreed that Sophie would make a great Little Red Riding Hood someday. Topher did pretty well considering he had to sit quietly in a dark theater for a long time. He was especially interested in the lighting that was used to show the three nights and two days passing. Puppetry was used throughout the show in really clever ways (Milky White, the Giant) that added to the storytelling. It was a wonderful introduction to Broadway for our kids. Plus, it was Bryan's dad's first time in NYC. In retrospect, it probably would have been better if we had taken the train in so that he hadn't had to drive since driving in NYC is always terrifying, but we didn't think about that far enough in advance. 

After the show we took several pictures. Thanks to Ron for sharing many of those that he took.

Like this one, a particular favorite of mine.

And this one.

And this one. I think Bryan was in mid-sentence, but he was still happy to be there.

Then we got back on the road to go home, thankful not to be part of the parking lot of cars trying to get into the Lincoln Tunnel.

Christmas Day In the Afternoon