A little while into quarantine, Easter came! It was nice to have something exciting happen amidst all the "boring." Before Easter, we did lots of crafts and activities, including dying eggs of course! We did some experiments with eggs, like putting them in vinegar and it becoming like rubber, and putting salt in water to make it float. We read a story about Ukrainian eggs and the kids colored an egg really detailed and we displayed it on our fridge. We also did some jelly bean experiments and sorting. Dying eggs is always a highlight for the kids. We bought a kit that included glitter this time and the kids were thrilled, especially Bentley. We also brought out our "eggmazing" decorator which makes the egg spin and the kids can use markers to make stripes around it. They always ask for more eggs but we decorated lots and had a blast!
On Saturday morning, the Easter bunny came and left eggs in our house, since it was too cold outside. Bentley and Deacon woke up bright and early and hunted for eggs. They were SO excited and happy that I left the door unlocked by accident so the Easter bunny could come inside! They gathered up all the eggs and then got to open them all up to see what was inside. They were filled with toys - chicks, dino eggs that hatch in water, sticky balls - and chocolate eggs. Leo slept through it all so we hid the eggs again and let Leo do his own little hunt! I'm sure he didn't mind.
On Sunday, I woke up and started making the kids a fun breakfast. I decided to make bunny waffles, a pinterest idea of course. They turned out really cute and the kids absolutely loved them!! They still talk about them to this day. I also gave them Easter gifts from Jeff and I, which always includes summer play things like chalk or bubbles, and a clothing item that they need. I bought them some stomp rocket launchers that they have been loving. After this we all got ready for at-home church. Of course it was Easter themed and went really well. We finally started to get the hang of church. The important things are getting ready, doing it in the living room, and getting the kids involved with a talk or scripture. Earlier in the week we had done an Easter lesson talking about the week leading up to Christ's death and it really stuck with them. We put things up on the wall that represented each day of the week and what happened, and they looked at it all week. It was one of the best ideas!
After church we had a little rest, and then went to my parent's house to pick up some turkey dinner. We couldn't all get together because we had to social distance, but my mom had bought a turkey and so she wanted us to all have some. We picked up the food and brought it home to eat. It was very nice! We had a very different Easter but, despite social distancing and it being very cold, we still had a good time.
Well, nobody really knew what was coming in March. Except maybe the prophet! It's been a very crazy week or two. A sickness called a Corornavirus, or Covid-19 has been declared a pandemic. This virus started with lots of infected people in China and has moved to the United States and Canada now. It is spreading like wildfire, causing most businesses to shut down and people to be instructed to quarantine themselves at home, with very little if any visiting others. It is a respiratory illness, with symptoms of a common cold, but is most dangerous for older people or those with pre-existing health conditions. Myself and my kids would be just fine if we got this virus, but my parents or anyone older, and even Jeff have a higher risk. Jeff had pneumonia as a kid and has always had bad lungs. So he is a little worried about what would happen if he got it.
Anyways, this has changed life completely and is all very surreal. It seems we have always been told things like this would happen to the world in the scriptures, but it is so weird to actually be experiencing it. Today I just heard about an earthquake in Utah and locust swarming in East Africa. It seems lots is happening. I know that I will be okay no matter what happens because of the faith I have in Christ. I am so happy for my faith and everything I know to be true.
The hardest part for me right now is having to stay home with my kids and find things for them to do. I love going out and doing all the fun things with them but everything from play places, to the library, to the zoo, and even restaurants with seating have been shut down. Stores have been crazy busy as everyone is stocking up on food storage, in particular toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Those products are almost impossible to find, and even canned goods, pasta, and rice have been flying off the shelves. I made it to the store a couple of times and it was very weird to see some empty shelves. I truly believe the prophet knew what he was doing when he told us all to shift to a home based gospel study. Church has been cancelled, and we are all allowed to distribute the sacrament and encouraged to do lessons and things at home. It has been crazy! Schools are all cancelled and I am now trying to keep the kids busy without too much TV.
I think that hardest thing to think about is all the things we are missing out on. Bentley and Deacon both had the best teachers ever, and were loving and thriving in school. It is so hard to think about them missing that. I also had a trip planned to Mexico with my friends Sarah, and Jeff and I were going to Arizona next month, which may have to be cancelled as well. I'm at the time in my life where I really wanted to squeeze in all the fun I could before possible having one more baby. But, who knows with what this world is becoming! The borders are closed now, so we are hoping they will open before it is cabin time.
I'm trying to stay positive, and I honestly do feel very lucky. Jeff is working from home now, as most people are advised to do now. The markets are of course going down like crazy, but luckily he changed the way he invested not long ago, and has done better than the markets and all of his clients are happy. We still have an income and don't have to worry. The kids are safe and we get to spend more time together. We have family and friends who love and care about us.
I think this is expected to peak in the summertime and my hope is that schools will open again in September, but nobody really knows. For now, I have been playing with the kids lots. We made a leprechaun trap and almost caught a leprechaun. Instead, he left us some goodies and a surprise in the bathroom. We did lots of other St. Patrick's day crafts, and made green pancakes. We've been doing workbooks and science experiments, games, and piano. I've been working out at home and the kids have been doing kids exercise videos and outside play. Bentley tells me she's bored a lot...but we are doing our best!! This first picture is how we are all trying to stay calm...haha!
