We finally have a working van again! After two and a half weeks of sticking close to home (or going on epic walks around the neighborhood, which I guess still counts as sticking close to home), we can once again pile into the van and venture a little farther out. Nearly every night since the van broke down Topher has been praying that the van would be fixed so we could go to the park again.
Can you guess where we went today?
Two weeks ago I took the oldest three kids to their first in-person joint YM/YW activity in more than two years. It was a pool party in our Bishop's very large backyard. The kids were anxious, but the other youth were good about social distancing around us, especially when Phoebe's best friend would yell at anyone that tried to come too close. It was a successful venture back into society, even while literally keeping everyone at arm's length.
Tonight was another joint activity. This time we were all invited to help an older couple in our ward clean up their yard. We decided to attend and arrived with gloves, long pants, and lots of bug repellent. The word yard does not do justice to the size of the property. We were there for almost an hour and a half and easily could have been there for three times that. We (the group, not us specifically) helped take down several trees that had grown up, in addition to pulling out tree-sized weeds and overgrown berry bushes. Peter and Cooper hauled downed branches while Phoebe and I lopped and tore out underbrush. I'm happy to report that I've gotten adept at identifying poison ivy. I put that skill into use tonight.
Near the end of our time there, several of the youth emerged from a section of the yard I hadn't paid attention to. They each had long pieces of bamboo. I mentioned that I was curious to see where it was all coming from. The homeowner not only showed me where the bamboo was growing, she led me right into the grove. It was enormous! Once inside I couldn't have seen without my flashlight, even though the sun was still up. The pictures that I took were of one small section and were taken at my eye level, to give you an idea of how tall the trees were.
And now I really think the next youth activity should be making a movie and using the bamboo forest as a backdrop.
I was standing in the doorway of the laundry room/pantry and in the beginning stages of making dinner last night when one of the kids came to find me. I stopped what I was doing to listen. Suddenly all four of the older kids were standing in front of me, vying for my undivided attention. Because of where I was standing in the house, they were all in the hallway and thus standing in a line. They usually all talk at once, this was no exception. Amidst the din, I heard this exchange.
Sophie: Why are we all lined up like this?
Cooper: (gestures at me) We're waiting to talk to the information center.
These two are ten years apart in age, but that gap disappears when they play together, especially when Legos are involved.
It has been so hot this week. There were a few days when we didn't even open the blinds in an effort to keep the heat out and the cool in. Of course, there were a few days when we took a different approach and ran through the sprinklers in that heat and set up the pool.
In related news, we're trying out a new sunscreen because our time in the water this week taught us that what we had was not effective enough.
As we count down to the end of our Sundays doing church at home (nine left!), I am trying to savor them. Yes, I definitely am ready to be back in person, but there have been many blessings to doing church at home.
On Saturday morning the girls were snuggled up together under a blanket, watching cartoons. Topher was sitting with me on the other side of the room, also watching TV. Peter walked in and the following conversation took place.
Sophie: Look! We're couch potatoes!
Peter: Topher, are you a couch potato too?
Topher: No, I'm an ottoman banana.
Remember last Friday when I wrote about all the parks we'd been to? Want to know how many parks we visited this week?
Zero.
None.
Zip.
On Tuesday we drove to a friend's house to pick up some extra produce she had. When I pulled out of our garage the van felt like it was driving a little funny. I even got out of the car to check the tires. On the way home from our errand the van began to feel less responsive, then the check engine light came on. I pulled over to check the manual to make sure I was okay to keep driving, then prayed and willed us home as the van became more and more unresponsive. It was an exciting six minute trip.
So now the van isn't working and the shop can't get us in until the week after next. Bryan's car is fine, but it only fits five. It's tricky to get to the park when we can't all fit in the available vehicle. So we stayed at home. We played in the backyard and went on walks, so we still got outside, just not to any parks.
If we had realized we would be stuck at home for the foreseeable future, we probably would have found even more parks to visit last week.
We were on our way to the park recently when Phoebe realized she didn't have her Kindle. Convinced she had brought it out to the car, she began searching around her seat. With a hint of panic in her voice she asked if any of us had done anything with her Kindle. Topher responded:
Topher: Phoebe, we murdered your Kindle.
Everyone else in the van: (in total shock) What?! Topher! Gasp!`
Topher: (chuckling to himself) Oh right, sorry, no spoilers.
I can happily report that the Kindle was discovered at home. And no, I have no idea where his answer came from.
"Mom, aren't these good noses? It's a mom and her daughter." -Sophie, after experimenting with a new drawing style.
Bryan went into the office yesterday. He got home just in time to finish the bedtime routine with Topher. After that Bryan and I caught up on all the talking we couldn't do throughout the day because he was at work and I was surrounded by people that want to talk more than they want to listen. Before I realized it, two hours had gone by and we still had plenty to share.
I love that after more than twenty years of being married, he's still the person I most want to talk with.
Bryan gave the kids a lesson in hard work on Saturday afternoon. Some of them got pretty soggy. One highlight of the van washing was Bryan's discovery of two small wasps nests INSIDE the back door of the van. I'm sorry, no, that wasn't a highlight. At least they're gone now!
We've been spending hours outside this summer. I figured that once we had our own backyard we wouldn't go to parks as often. I was wrong. We still go to parks (only empty parks for now, which are a little tricky to find), but we also play in the backyard. We're going through more sunscreen than ever before, and even then we've got tan lines and new freckles.
We had one day this week where we park hopped. After the fourth park in one day we were all sticky and dirty from so much outdoor fun.
Last night when Topher said his prayers he included these words, "And please help us to wake up in the morning and go to five parks."
Park 1:
I was going through my pictures tonight and discovered this one from Sophie. Her caption is quite correct, he does love that show. Also, I need to do a better job keeping track of who has my phone.
