Easter 2020

It's been a month since the coronavirus shutdowns began, since the kids haven't been to school and we haven't been to church.  Today, we celebrated Easter just as a family. I missed being with our families and church family, but it was a sweet day, and very reflective of the things that have been bringing us joy this month.

Growing up I loved our Easter sunrise service and big church breakfast; it's a tradition I miss.  So this year we woke the kids up early and brought blankets and coffee up to the ridge behind our house.  We talked about how our lives are lived in the "Saturday" of waiting for Heaven, waiting for Jesus' return.  We sang a bit and waited for the sun to rise, wondering if we would really see it and when it would come up.  Just as the kids started to get restless and cold, the first edges of light burst over the mountains. It was perfect.

We came home and made a big breakfast, and then the kids hunted for Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies.  I took a nap at 9am.

The rest of the day we read on the deck in the sun, watched Pilgrim's Progress, played whiffle ball in the front yard, and zoomed with family.  The early wake up + too much sugar led to a few afternoon meltdowns, but it was worth it. :)

Other October

Miscellaneous October scenes...

lots of roller blading 

(thankful for wrist guards from the neighbors!)

Weekend visit from the Eikhoffs. Love these sweet friends.

homework & reading logs x 3 

helping with Halloween prep

Kinder field trips are my favorite!

60 kids on an open flatbed trailer... what could go wrong?

Columbus Day at the lake with cousins. I wish I could express how breathtakingly beautiful the leaves were.  And just barely warm enough for water play and tubing! (if you are a crazy kid at least)

Matching wrist braces after a fall at figure skating

 Middle school open house.  So fun to see this as Emily's new place and not the big scary building it was a few months ago.

Delights of working remotely - an office call sitting by Boston Lot.

Coffee dates with friends.

Apparently the kids had been having conflict over ownership of iPad games?  Adara called a sibling meeting and they worked out who has priority over each game, and she had everyone sign off on the agreement.

2nd grade field trip

Harvest party -- friendship is being willing to help my kids carve pumpkins!

church scene

Emily does an after school art club, and the kids got to paint the fountain cover for the town green - here she is with her waterfall painting.

Love this town.

Halloween

70 degrees and rainy - not our normal Halloween weather, but we still had fun!

The corn maze was surprisingly scary even to the little one who helped build it! :)

Some friends came over after trick or treating and I apparently didn't police the sugar intake. 

Adara is 8

I love this spunky, sensitive girl and her big plans.  I love that she was equally excited about a pink unicorn and a battle axe game, and her very specific set of plans to celebrate her day.  I love how hard she worked to make sure none of her friends felt "dis-cluded" at her birthday party, and how delighted she was to share her gifts not just with them but with their little brothers who arrived a pick up time.  I love that she has started to love reading, that she's working so hard to learn the violin, and that she delights in taking off around the neighborhood on her bike. I love her independence and bravery and how she rises to a challenge. I love her love of ice skating and stars, and that she can't learn something new without turning it into a 'class' for her siblings or friends. I love that she's happy at school this year, and that her favorite days are still spent home with her siblings.  I love that she wants me to lay in bed with her every night and talk.   💜

We celebrated her today with donuts and gifts before school, and an afternoon swimming and playing with friends, and looking at the stars before bed.  It was a good day. :)