ARIZONA Early This Year

We love to go to Prescott for the 4th of July celebrations but with the Coronavirus shutting the world down (it seems), there was no need to wait! We were dying to come play with the Close side of the family so we went the end of May to hang out.

We had so much fun. The kiddos played in their new treehouse that was recently built, played scooters and skates "traffic cops" in the giant garage, board games, digging big holes in the backyard, playing in Grandpa's trailer as well as making movie trailers on my phone. Their yard is the perfect place for kids to play and explore and the cousins all had so much fun! We wish we could see them more often.

(On the way there we were trying our VERY hardest to not pick up the virus along the way so instead of taking everyone into the gas stations to potty, we brought a portable potty in the car and instead of eating inside restaurants we brought lots of lunch and food to eat along the way. It was kind of a funny situation but every did really well!)

We found out who has been affected most by this covid-19 social distancing! On the first day of us being there, Uncle Johnny touched Jane with his foot and she lost it! She cried for about 10 minutes non-stop and the wouldn't go to anyone for a few days. Luckily, by the end of our trip Jane finally got used to other people outside of our family. Poor thing hadn't been around people for months!

Daddy Dates...quarantine style

We love doing our daughter dates and the girls love it too. We just have to be little more creative but it's been really good to figure out activities that don't require tons of money!

Cade and Reese went on a hike to Battle Creek Falls and had a great time. Reese even got to see a wild turkey which she loved.

Emma and Nora (separately) went to a drive-in movie that Water Gardens started doing during the virus shutdown.

Cousin Fun....Finally!

It was a good time when we were finally able to play with cousins again!!! It had been over 2 months that they had seen each other. Now we've gone to Manilla Pond and had switcharoo play dates (Steph and I switch the older and younger kiddos and have a good time). Even if we couldn't play with friends every again but could play with cousins I think we'd be in good shape.

Nathan and Steph invited us to come play with them at a Sundance Cabin they rented. There was a really cool zipline we went down lots and fun hot tubbing and we had a BBQ. It was so fun!

Jackson came over and helped us put mulch all over our yard. He is a beast and was very helpful even though he is only 8!

Our friends the Brooks' came to visit and we had a great time with them. All of our kids got along so well and my girls were sad when they all left. We went to Manilla pond and did a Battlecreek hike another day. 

Homeschooling AND Nora's K Graduation

Reese's face pretty much sums up the adventure we've had to go on for homeschooling hahaha. There was definitely a learning curve and hard days and good days. Overall, I learned to LOVE having them home with me and learning alongside them. Emma got to the point where she could do most by herself but Reese and Nora needed my help a lot. I felt bad for Lucy because she no longer got her mommy time in the morning.

But aside from all the online essentials like math and science we had fun being creative with PE (making obstacle courses in the yard, online classes), we spent a lot of time doing art projects and reading books together and doing science projects in the kitchen (like volcanoes).

A drawing from Reese:
She's so funny!

A couple times Lucy got to go to work with Dad (when Dad was still actually going to the office back in March/April) and it saved me. Lucy had a hard time transitioning to having her sisters home all day but not being able to play with them all day.

This was funny. You know you've been in quarantine when you leave for two hours for an emergency dentist visit and the girls make a poster for you as if you've been gone all week :). 

NORA'S KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION

Well, with the state mandating homeschooling and social distancing, I think the school did a cute job at making the end of Kindergarten special for these kiddos. We drove through and the principal and their teacher gave diplomas with masks and gloves :). Nora had a fabulous first year with Mrs. Mecham!