Quarantine Snapshots

There's been joy in this roller coaster journey. Small snapshots into what really matters.

I've been more aware of the light, watching how it changes my mood and affects my world.

People have gotten more creative. My neighbor set up a fun scavenger hunt for many of the kids on our street for the morning of St. Patrick's Day. That was when this all seemed new and fun and temporary.

My kids were pretty creative at the beginning as well. Eve made an Amazon box into a car that parked on our back patio for a week.

Hyrum used the wax surrounding a Babybel cheese as a seal on a letter requesting game time, and Eve wrote us the sweetest note. She frequently drops notes around the house for me, and I hope she never outgrows it.

I bought a new plant at the grocery store. Brad noticed water on it one day but didn't think anything of it . . .

. . . until he saw it again the next day. When I googled the plant, we discovered that this plant "weeps" when it's overwatered, but that it doesn't hurt it since it's native to the rainforest. See the drip on the end of the leaf here? Cool, right? I'd never heard of that.

Early in our quarantine adventure, I took the kids out to buy a few more pittisporum for our yard. It's funny how just looking at this photo from three weeks ago makes me feel like somehow we were doing something "wrong." 

God blessed us with an incredible rainstorm. AZ kids love the rain and never pass up a chance to run around in it--because it's usually warm. Not this time. But that didn't prevent them from getting soaked and laughing.

I took my fiddle leaf fig trees out, but the storm quickly blew them over and ripped a few of their leaves, sadly.

We are lucky that we get to spend quarantine with the Johnsons, the cute family that lives in our guest house. We share the yard and otter pops and and goldfish crackers and card games almost every afternoon. It keeps all of us a little more sane.

One afternoon they set up an obstacle course in the back yard, and Eve was the photographer.

Marc is the cool dad, and they even went camping in the backyard one night. Ruby stuck her head out and yelled, "GOODNIGHT JEN!" before they zipped it up for the night.

Strangely it was one of the coldest nights we had in March, and halfway through the night, Marc had to put on the rain fly so the little people didn't freeze.

There's been a lot of reading in this house that loves books and stories.

Tucker's family has been here most days, but that is the extent of our exposure to the outside world--six little people and their four parents. It's strange that the world has shrunk to that now.

We began our quarantine with lots of bike rides along the canal, but those have slowly lost their allure.

I was laid up after a minor bike crash a few weeks ago, but I'm back exercising and running along the canal I love. Before long, it will be hot and I won't be able to run any time of the day.

We watched this pair of ducks for weeks, hoping to see babies following along between them, but it looks like they either didn't lay eggs this spring or that none of them hatched. That idea made Eve very sad for the poor mama duck. And me, too.

I'm very grateful that Target has been deemed an essential store. I can get groceries and essentials (in theory, but still have yet to see TP on any shelf anywhere since this whole craziness descended) and chocolate-covered Peeps, since Target is the only place I've ever seen them.

Admittedly, I've purchased way more than my share of these delectable creations.

I've watched the night sky closer as well, since I lock the feathered ladies in their coop every evening. There's such peace in the transition from flaming color to darkness, and often I stand out there for a moment to remember how good life really is, despite all the crazy inconvenience and fear and everything else.

First Two Weeks of Social Distancing

How two weeks of social distancing have played out at the Sanatorium:

The kids have responded miraculously well to it all. I'm sure that will wear off with time, but for the first two weeks, they got along beautifully. I do believe that one of the side effects of life coming to a virtual standstill is coming closer as families.

We've learned together--these three have been pretty forgiving when it comes to learning from their mom.

 I've made dozens of mistakes, and I don't know if they've learned very much, but they've each read and reported on at least one book not of their choosing (Micah--Unbroken; Hyrum--Endurance; Eve--The Giver and Gathering Blue). We've had a few attempts at math on Khan Academy, but with no direction from their teachers, I don't really know where to start them. We've watched Mark Rober every day and added in a little Crash Course US History from John Green. They're not progressing along a curriculum, but we have learned a few things.

The day we spent trying to make hexa-flexagons. Two hours and we finally got one to flip . . . 

We've worshipped together--Sunday meetings are shorter than normal, but we've had sacrament meeting and Sunday School each week, thanks to videos from the church and members of our ward, and handouts and directions from local leaders and teachers.

We've watched movies together--almost every night. UP, Captain Marvel, even added in some classics like Cool Runnings.

We've also been to stores with many barren shelves, pieced together a few meals when what we wanted was missing, and waved to our friends from six feet away as they walk the neighborhood with their families.

This social distancing will get harder and harder, and I'm anticipating a small revolt this week.

We've worked together--dug a new foundation for our chicken coop and adopted ten new hens (one died after only a few days, but the rest seem to be acclimating well).

This is S'mores, the short-lived member of our flock.

Eve was so sad.

All of them are tame and beautiful and lay consistently.

They've been a fun new distraction/addition to our family.


We've played together--almost every afternoon the kids play a few games of "Cover your A$$ets with Marc and Ashley (they live in our guest house and since we live together, we count as family, right?).

It's been pleasant most of the time, to be honest. AZ spring weather is perfection, with the slight breezes perfumed with citrus. We've been on bike rides and runs and walks.

Sounds like heaven, right?

I don't know if I'd describe it as heaven, exactly. But it isn't hell, either.

As for me, I haven't made time for my schoolwork. I had a big assignment due last Monday, but it was an excuse letter. I've eaten all. the. things and I wrecked on my bike last Tuesday, which resulted in a very minor concussion and a tweaked back that has lingered till today. I'm hoping by tomorrow I can get back to exercising. But the eating is all my own fault. I'm a big stress eater, and there's been plenty of that intertwined with the Shangrila moments.

So. Many. Good-n-Plenty boxes.

I don't know how I feel about all of the COVID-19 thing. We're following social distancing recommendations. We're fine financially. I wonder if this is all too much because of the economic toll. I wonder if this is all not enough because not everyone is following protocol and that will negate most of our efforts. I wonder if my neighbors are as strict with their kids or if they're stricter (and where should I be in that?). I wonder if someone I love will get the virus--and if that means I'll never see them again or is that just too doomsday and silly. I wonder how long can it continue and how much of our summer will be affected by this new reality we live every day.

It's a weird time, and life has changed in two weeks.

I can't say I hate it. But I don't love it either.

So strange.