Oct. 2020- Week 4- Shopping with Friends, L-Haircut, Backstage, Costume Parade, Carving Pumpkins, Halloween!

 Thursday was a pretty normal day.  I dropped off my ballot to vote!  I watched a little of the Presidential Debate that night.  We found out Jake Winegar also tested positive for Covid and was completely asymptomatic!  McKenna had a YW activity where they watched a scary movie. 

Friday I went walking with Rachael.  McKenna had in person band practice.  After lunch, McKenna and I went shopping with Sarah and Bridget Moulton, and Laura and Jojo Lewis.  We went to Farmington Station and went in H&M, Bath and Body Works, and Old Navy.  It was so fun to socialize that I wasn't even really interested in spending money.  ;) That night Dan and I went on a date and Brittana came over to hang out/babysit with McKenna.  When Dan and I got home, we watched "Enola Holmes" in the theater room.  

Saturday I ran outside.  After breakfast, Dan ran errands with McKenna, Ben, and Alice.  I worked on some Primary stuff and listened to Marco Polos.  After lunch, McKenna went to Aliza's house.  I got a hair cut and chopped it!  When I got home, I went through Alice's drawers and changed out her clothes for the season.  That evening, McKenna and I went to Backstage to see Lia Traeden perform in their Halloween showcase.  She did great! When we got home, we watched "Hocus Pocus."  After kids were in bed, Dan and I watched "Shazam!" which was pretty funny.  

Sunday the Hooks spoke in church.  Later in the afternoon we recorded the kids' Primary Program speaking parts.  After dinner, we finally finished our game of Scrabble we started three weeks earlier.  After my family conference call and the kids were in bed, Dan and I finished "Shazam!" 

Monday I decided to take it easy with the exercising and not run for a while because of some pain in my right hip, so I used the bike instead.  I vacuumed and cleaned a little before picking up the kids.  Once homework was underway, I continued cleaning.  In the afternoon, I went through Anna's clothes.  After dinner, McKenna and I had an Aladdin parent meeting over Zoom, then I went through Bethany's clothes.  Changing things out for the new season is always a big project, but feels so good once it's done.  

Tuesday after the kids left and I exercised, and when I was trying to get Alice to turn off "Daniel Tiger" (aka "Neighburt") to come eat breakfast, she threw quite the tantrum!  I left her in the basement for a while to calm down.  When I finally went back down to get her, I found her in the vacuum cupboard in the kitchen.  Silly girl!  After the kids were home, we ate lunch and got homework started, I got a call from Aliza Allred's mom saying they couldn't find Aliza after her orchestra lesson.  Turns out she decided to walk the 5 miles home because she watched her ride drive away and she somehow didn't think to use the school office phone.  The police were involved looking for her and it was kind of scary.  So glad they found her!  Ben, Anna, and Bethany played at Grace's.  Bethany had dance and dressed as Snow White for Halloween week at dance.  We had mini ghost pizzas for dinner.  I took Ben to his basketball game that night.  They had team pictures and they won by one point! 

Wednesday we had a garage repair man come and finally realign our sensors so it would function properly now!  The kids had a free dress day and I did some mending.  After homework and piano lessons, I made dinner in a pumpkin and while it was cooking, we ran a BD present for Russell over to Dave and Laurie's house.  I braided McKenna's hair that night so it would be ready for costume day at school the next day.  Dan did a bunch of tithing settlement interviews that night.  

Thursday the kids could wear costumes to school and I think the blue spray in Anna's hair turned out cool! I volunteered in Bethany's class for their Halloween party.  I read a story to them, did some riddles, jokes, sang some songs, and then played bingo.  We then enjoyed the drive by costume parade! I liked this so much better than the Fall Carnival they do every year, but who knows what they'll do in the future after Covid.  After homework I called Jonathan and ran the girls to music and dance, then I took Ben to get his glasses adjusted.  They had been bent out of shape due to the baseball catchers helmet.  We hung out outside for a bit and chatted with Meghan.  Dan fixed a squeak in his car then went to help Chitty move.  Ben had basketball practice and we had jack o lantern quesadillas that night.  I had to wash the blue spray out of Anna's hair that night.  McKenna had a YW activity where they carved pumpkins and Cate Gunnerson did cool wound make-up on some of the girls.  McKenna used it to prank her siblings.  After kids were in bed, I worked on mending Ben's pokemon costume.  

Friday I went walking with Rachael.  McKenna and Ben both had student council meetings.  Dan took his car into a local body show to get the rust scratches repaired.  We recorded a primary song for the virtual program with the Alexanders and the Johnsons, then we had a picnic lunch outside.  Dan and I had a lunch date at Fat Fish and it was yummy.  I did some cleaning when we got home.  Ben and Dan went shooting with Jasper.  Mabel came over to play in the afternoon.  That night we carved pumpkins as a family and unfortunately it was a little contentious, but we were still pleased with our work.  Once everyone was ready for bed, we watched "Room on the Broom."  Dan had an important Bishop Call that night also.  

Saturday was Halloween!  Dan and I went walking in the morning.  After breakfast, I prepped for Halloween.  I set out rolls to thaw for scones, I roasted pumpkin seeds, I did dishes, laundry, and ran a couple errands to the Stewart's and Winegar's.  After lunch, we took Ben, Henry Alexander, and Laura and Taggart Lewis met us there, to a skate park in Centerville.  The kids had a blast on their bikes and scooters and no one got hurt, so it was a win!  And mostly, I was so excited it was setting up to be a warm-ish evening for trick or treating!  My parents and Mickelle came over for mummy dogs dinner, then helped Dan with the scones.  They also brought McKenna a late BD present of dill pickle chips!  I took the kids trick or treating.  We had a pretty big group at first.  The Alexanders, Rai and Nate Scott, Mabel, and us.  We did the upper ward from 6-7pm.  Then Anna, Desi, and Mabel went to Mabel's house for a movie.  McKenna walked around with Lia and ended up at our house to watch shows.  I took Ben and Bethany to the lower ward from 7-8pm ish with the Johnsons, and Henry and Rachael Alexander.  They were troopers and lasted a long time.  After the scones ran out (about 72 of them), Dan went to Dr. Cope's house and got a flu shot and a candy bar!  This year there were of course lots more bowls out on porches and lots of medical masks being worn.  I loved seeing people's creativity of how to pass out candy while staying socially distant.  Once we were back to the house around 8, Ben went to Henry's to play video games, and Dan and I put the two little girls to bed.  Everyone was home and in bed around 10pm and it was the end of daylight savings as well.  What a fun, fun Halloween in spite of the pandemic!  

October 2020 Videos:

Ben baseball, Fall Break in Layton, Bethany drawing, McKenna’s BD, Virtual Primary Program

https://youtu.be/mUd2dG3hOzg

Oct. 2020- Week 3- Fall Break in Layton, Red Butte, Pumpkin Walk, McKenna's Birthday!, Book Club

 Thursday was the first day of Fall break.  Dan and the kids cleared all the stuff out of the garage and then he hosed it out.  After breakfast and once kids were going on their homework, I sprayed off the driveway and then weeded.  We put stuff back in the garage, had lunch, and then packed for staying at my parents' house for two days.  We met my dad and Mickelle (and Sadie) at Kays Creek Trail and walked for about an hour. We were back to my parents' house by 4 and Bethany and I did her Let's Play Music class virtually while the kids snacked on a veggie tray and hung out with my mom.  That evening, Dan, my dad, and Ben, went to Ben's LAST baseball game of the season.  Because we didn't expect to keep winning, and because it was Fall break, our team was short on players.  However, they won again!! :)  Our coach said because we defeated every regular league team, he considers us the champs!  (The only other teams we didn't play against in the playoffs were competition teams.)  After dinner we watched the Roger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella and it brought back such a flood of memories from when I watched it a ton while growing up!  

Friday Dan and my dad went shooting for most of the morning.  My mom spoiled us with her menu plan.  We had french toast for breakfast, then we did craft after craft after craft!  :)  The kids painted glow in the dark rocks to look like eyeballs, folded paper into hopping frogs and had races, made pipe cleaner mummies, played Halloween Bingo and a matching game, did a Halloween word search and colored pumpkins with different textures.  After lunch and finally getting ready for the day, we went to Red Butte Gardens "Bootanical."  We had gorgeous weather and the displays were awesome!  We had chili for dinner and tried to watch Ben's "Annie" play but the file wouldn't work for some reason.  The kids also made button pumpkins and we watched funny videos on Instagram instead.  After kids were in bed, we played Skyjo.  

Saturday the kids finished their rock eyeballs, we had another big breakfast, and we packed up and cleaned.  The kids played Clue! and we left by 11:45.  We drove all the way to the North Logan Pumpkin Walk.  One of our favorite traditions!  We had a late lunch at Sweeto Burrito then played at an awesome park for an hour.  We picked up groceries on the way home and unpacked and did showers and baths and laundry.  It was a fun Fall break with my parents and Mickelle! 

Some of our favorite scenes:

Mario Kart

Goblin Valley and Willy Wonka

Pixie Hollow and the Tree of Life

Sing

Cinder-rona and The Office

Toy Story, Mandalorian, and Hocus Pocus

Where the Wild Things Are and Castaway 

Sunday McKenna had a YW breakfast which I forgot about so she went late.  We had Sunday School through Zoom and I was happy to actually sit with Dan!  The Pugsleys spoke in church.  That afternoon we found out our sister-in-law, Abril, had been diagnosed with Covid!  :(  She was feeling ok, but great amounts of guilt for exposing many other Webster family members over Fall break.  Dan had a very full Sunday with Bishop stuff and didn't emerge from the office until 6pm.  Meghan Johnson gave us an entire pan of apple crisp which we had for dessert and it was amazing!  We continued our game of Scrabble and after kids were in bed we prepped for McKenna's BD! 

Monday was McKenna's 12th birthday!  She had a normal day at school and we got Keva Juice and GH bread for lunch.  Cooper came to play in the afternoon and I listened for Emmy on the baby monitor but unfortunately she woke up and needed a diaper change.  We had McKenna's favorite Pasta Salad for dinner.  Brooklyn Ulmer came over to babysit while Dan and I took McKenna on a date to Ross to shop for some new clothes.  Then we went home for her ice cream cake and to open presents.  We love our McKenna!  She is GOOD!  At dinner we went around said what we love about her.  Everyone said how kind and loving she is.  She is a wonderful example to her younger siblings.  I call her my right arm because I would feel handicapped without her.  Once kids were in bed we folded laundry, I laminated a project and worked on filling out my ballot.  

She got calls from extended family members too! 

Tuesday I made the Amish Friendship bread for book club that night.  After lunch and homework I went to North Canyon Park to help a few families from the ward record singing a song for our virtual primary program.  The Moultons, AhYens, and Stewart boys sang "Army of Helaman" and did awesome!  After dinner, the girls got ready for bed early and watched shows, Dan went to Ben's basketball game and I hosted book club. We did our best to be Covid safe by wearing masks, sitting about 3 ft apart, and leaving windows open for better air circulation.  Kylee Behunin joined virtually and I'm happy to report no one caught Covid from that night!  We discussed "Rules for Visiting" and had an awesome discussion about friendship.  I even had Amish Friendship bread starters to give out and the other foods were friendship puns.  (Ben took some cute pictures of Alice with grapes in her cheeks.)

Wednesday I volunteered in Bethany's class and then sat and waited to drive carpool.  We pulled the trigger and bought tickets to fly to Hawaii in February!  Who knows what the pandemic will look like then, but we know Hawaii requires a negative Covid test to fly there, so that's good.  Hallie Allred and Brittana came over to play in the afternoon.  Dan had Bishop stuff that night and I gave the little girls a bath in the big tub and Alice was very difficult to get out!  I talked with my parents later that night.

Oct. 2020- Week 2- Gardner Village, Webster Girls Weekend, Ben to Jordan's BD, Ben Baseball Playoffs/Catcher,

 Thursday Bethnay had a Native American culminating activity a brought home this dream catcher and "pottery" she painted.  After kids were home from school, we ate lunch and then headed to Gardner Village to see the Witches.  Adam and Mia, Swa and Hazel, and Brynn and Charlie came too.  Ben even got his first kiss from a llama.  

McKenna stayed home and Dan worked at his Murray office that day.  I took a picture of Bethany's favorite art (so far) to be put in a Kindergarten art slide show.  We got Del Taco mini shakes on the way home from Gardner Village.  I called Jonathan.  We picked up Ben's blue frame glasses which finally got new updated lenses.  After dinner, Ben had basketball practice then Dan rode his bike to pick him up.  I played on the tramp with the girls till it was dark.  

Friday the four older kids had dentist appointments and we had no cavities!  McKenna and Ben both had SBO meetings.  Here's a couple pictures of Ben and his friends organizing food from their service project.  

After lunch, McKenna had her first in-person band practice.  Ben went to Jordan Slaugh's birthday party at a skate park.  The boys brought bikes or scooters and had a great time!  That afternoon, I left for a Webster Girls' weekend at Mantua.  I rode up with Swa and Brynn.  Once we got there, we napped and I listened to my book.  We played Skull King and then Abril and Laurie met us at Maddox for dinner.  When we got back to the house, we had a great discussion about friendship (prompted by my book club book).  Dan hosted most of the brothers and the cousins for a pizza night.  There's a running joke in the Webster family that when someone gets injured, they need cookies from Crumbl sent to them.  Dan's parents love to see us all getting together, so we just have to fake injuries/dying and they send Crumbl!  :) 

Saturday I was up by 8.  We talked and played Skull King.  We made a couple family history stops to visit the Webster grandparents' graves, and the White family home!  Then we had brunch at Rusted Spoon in Perry.  Unfortunately, the service took forever!  We did our traditional photo shoot and jumping pictures next to the amazing yellow aspen trees at the cemetery.  After eating, we walked around the lake (4.1 miles).  We had a running joke about Laurie's camoflauge making it so part of her couldn't be seen in pictures and we had a blast pretending to drive off and leave anyone who was slow to get in the car.  We ate some Maddox banana cream pie and played another half round of Skull King and I finally won!  Then we cleaned up and left to go home a little after 4pm.  It was such a great 24 hours to chill and reconnect with those sisters that I love so much!  Dan and my parents went to Ben's baseball game which they lost.  Bethany got to have a play date at Mia's with cousins!  My parents stayed for dinner and my mom made rice-a-roni from scratch.  After kids were in bed I talked with my parents and Dan.  

Sunday was fast Sunday.  I fed the three little girls.  I curled my hair.  We had our first 2nd hour Zoom meetings.  After lunch we had the whole family at church for the first time since March.  Dan and Ben got matching ties and are such twins!  Alice did alright but pretty much laid down and snacked the whole time.  It was funny to see what she remembered about being at church.  It made me laugh when she noticed Dan sitting on the stand she said, "Oh there's Dad!  He's sitting up on the porch."  I made Beef stew for dinner. McKenna called Becky to tell her who she was thinking about for her counselors.  After dinner, we went for a walk and started a game of Scrabble.  I made an Amish Friendship bread starter that evening so I could make the bread for book club in ten days.  

Monday was a normal homework and laundry day. Ben had another playoff baseball game that evening and they won!  Ben even played catcher a bit!  The asphalt in front of our new driveway cement was finally poured, two weeks after the cement was, so we could finally park in the garage again!  That night I blogged and Dan watched "Black Panther."  

Tuesday while the kids were at school, Dan and I met over Zoom with a financial planner.  I went outside and weeded for a bit before picking up the kids.  The Whitchurch's car had to go to the shop for a few weeks, so I picked my kids up everyday for a while.  After lunch I weeded some more and listened to my book.  Bethany had dance.  After dinner, Dan worked on washing more windows in the back.  The girls cleaned up and put away the fairy garden.  I took Ben to Jr. Jazz that night and they won 17-13!  Before bed, we gave Anna her Evie halloween costume and she loved it!  I collaged pictures on my phone and Dan watched a show. 

Wednesday I went walking with Rachael after the kids left for school.  That afternoon, after the kids left for piano lessons, I deep cleaned the van which always feels good.  Dan and Ben blew and swept the cul de sac a bit since there was a lot of dirt and new asphalt rocks since our driveway project was completed.  Ben had another baseball game that night, we had a pizza dinner there, and they won again!  That meant they would advance again!  After kids were in bed, Dan and I spent some time looking at our voter ballots.  We also FaceTimed Dan's parents.