This weekend

Some clothes we ordered finally arrived in the mail.  Doesn't Alison look SO beautiful?!?!

She put her new headband on Colin to be in the picture.

Our blackberries are starting to ripen!

 

 Ben and I went on another hike.  We only saw a few people this week...I'm pretty sure everyone else was shopping because they just opened back up our clothing stores.

 Ben bought hiking poles for Mt. Whitney and they ended up saving my tush this hike.  I would not have made it down the hill without them.

 We picked up Star donuts on the way home and then had home church.

Eli has been doing a lot of drawing.  He sets up a little station out in the garage and pulls up a picture he wants to draw on the iPad and works away.

Hollywood

It's a long story on how we got here, but we went to Hollywood this week to pick up a flour mill.  We bought one from an Urban homesteading store on Hollywood Blvd and were having a headache with shipping, so we finally said, "We'll just come pick it up."  We figured this was the perfect time for non-crowd loving people to go anyway.

We were able to park for free, right off Hollywood blvd and walked up and down the street with ease.  Only one person asked if we wanted a tour, which was hard not to laugh at...a tour of what?

In LA county, you are required to wear a mask outside at all times.  While it was annoying to wear one, I feel like we experienced a unique slice of history.

Hollywood blvd during a pandemic:

Granted, I've never been during normal life, but I'm pretty sure that this street is never empty.

We went the day after my birthday and it's confirmed that I'm destined to spend my birthdays with Ellen DeGeneres.  Last year we had dinner together, this year I was with her star.

Experiencing the Hollywood Walk of Fame with Eli was hilarious.  For such a literal person, the idea of someone's name on a sidewalk, makes no sense.  He had a lot of questions...

Alison, on the other hand, loved it.  She had lots of fun taking pictures of everything.

It was a fun, little outing and now we can say we've been to Hollywood.

If you need us, we'll be over here making lots of bread :)

My Birthday

Ben and I went up to Ventura to run 8 miles along the ocean for my 38th birthday.  It was the best.  Especially because right now, you have to be moving to be near the beach...and don't even think about sitting down for a second on a bench...you couldn't if you even wanted to because they are wrapped like a mummy in caution tape.  I love it that Ben is willing to do whatever crazy plan I come up with.  He didn't even bat an eye that it was raining when we left our house. 

 We picked up coffee and croissants from Cafe Ficelle on the way home and my birthday could have been complete right there.  Fortunately for me, it just kept getting better.

My family got me some sweet presents and a giant balloon.  The great thing about having a birthday during a pandemic, is everything feels extra special because you know the effort that went into it to get it.  Even a card; you have to really think about shipping now and how long it will take to get somewhere.  Gone are the days of 2 day shipping.  I asked Ben all day long how in the world he got that giant balloon.  First of all, we were together 24-7.  Second of all, our stores have still been only selling essentials.  He finally told me that he got it at the grocery store down the street, but they only had a few balloons, so it was either this giant dog or Dora the Explorer.  I loved it.  Dora would have been pretty funny too, but I thought it made a very memorable birthday.

In the afternoon, Alison and I painted nails.

 We've actually been doing this quite a bit over quarantine and our stash has grown nicely.  Did you know that nail polish is essential?

Then we went to Mr. Softee's for ice cream!  It just opened back up (with lots of fun rules) and it sounded like the perfect treat.

Mine was delicious, but the messiest thing I have ever eaten.  I literally had ice cream pouring down my legs.  See?  In this picture, Alison is looking at the giant mess that I am trying to clean up.  We should have taken Maya; she could have had me cleaned up in no time.

 

Ben grilled Hawaiian kabobs for dinner and we hung out on our back patio for the rest of the evening.  Fingers crossed we'll be free by Colin's birthday!

Home Economics Week

 

Monday:
Family ways 1-4
Bible verses
talked about how to read God's word every day

3 things...10 min:
reading
piano
typing

Eli unload ALL of the dishwasher and put away hand washed dishes
Alison load dishwasher and handwash anything on counter that needs it
Colin picks up the living room and wipes off the kitchen counter

Washed bedsheets

Alison helped cook dinner=turkey meatloaf, spaetzles, broccoli salad


Eli washed a couple of dishes
{normal evening chores=alison sweeps floor, eli wipes off the table and colin clears the table}


Tuesday:
Family ways 5-8
Bible verse
speaking respectfully to one another...no name calling

3 things went much better
All 3 were able to do their bigger morning chores on their own without my help

washed own laundry-loaded, dried and put away.


Alison and Eli worked on vacuuming
Colin refilled Maya's food container

Alison made granola bars

Boys made popcorn

Eli helped with dinner=layered bean dip


 


Wednesday:
Colin read his bible all on his own
Alison put away laundry and folded kitchen towels
discussion on trash-take it to dumpster when it's full
Alison and Eli both hand washed some dishes

Thursday:
Eli unloaded all of dishwasher
Alison put dishes in and handwashed
colin wiped off counter and cleaned living room without being told

Eli cleaned his room on his own and vacuumed! and made his bed
Alison cooked cloud eggs and chia seed "ice cream" on her own and cleaned up the kitchen afterward
Eli made himself a sandwich for lunch

Family ways 9-13
Psalm 100
Speaking with thankfulness...more discussion on not grumbling when given an  instruction

Alison finished her 3 things before Spanish class and Eli had his done while Alison was on Zoom...Colin eventually finished but asked if reading his Bible at night counted...and went on my run with me.

Alison and Eli refined sweeping and steam mopping and cleaning mirrors.  Alison and Colin cleaned the toilet.  Eli cleaned the bathroom countertop.  Talked about cleaning up toothpaste on the countertop when it gets dirty.

Colin made salads for our dinner side


did not want his picture taken


Eli helped wash dishes after dinner
Eli made a grilled cheese, Alison egg salad for bedtime "snack"

Friday:
morning chores
Family ways
memory verses
being good stewards of our home

boys folded towels
Colin-making his bed
Turn off bathroom light and changing the toilet paper roll
cleaning the shower

Exciting stuff

On Mother's Day, I took myself to the beach and spent the afternoon reading and relaxing.  Eli, however, was sad that I went without him.  So yesterday we went on a little date to the beach.  It was even more wonderful with him there. 

 I've been saying for a long time that I want to hike more.  When quarantine first started, I thought, "This is great, now I have all this time to hike!"...and then they closed down all the trails.  And then rattlesnake season began...

Ben offered to go with me; he needs practice to climb Mt. Whitney in a few months anyway.  Now that we're in "Phase 2", the parking lots to trails are closed, but there were A LOT of people still hiking them.  It was a hard hike, but so fun!

Behind us is Point Mugu

 After we did our home church service, Alison and I went to Target to get some essentials.  We had to wait in a line to get in (they are only allowing a certain number of people in the store at one time), but once we walked in, I froze.  I said, "Alison!  The tape is all down!" and she said, "Wait.  Does this mean we can buy anything?!?!" It felt like Christmas and you better believe people were shopping like it was Christmas.  I was just so excited that I could actually buy clothes, something we have really been needing.

Just to document Target without tape up, but still wearing masks:

Getting creative

Ben had to record a sermon for the chapel and needed the house to be quiet, so the kids and I went to Point Mugu.  I wasn't sure if the beach was open, but was very excited to see that it was and we could sit!  All other beaches in California are closed and you can only walk by them (there is absolutely no sitting or bringing anything onto the beach).  We picked up In-N-Out on the way and the boys packed bags of reading and drawing to do while we were there.  It wasn't long before they were playing in the sand and Alison and I went for a couple of walks along the water.  It was nice to feel "normal" for an afternoon.

Alison has been creating her own Starbuck's drinks and acai bowls.

 

And  taking lots of pictures of Maya.  I'm pretty sure I have more pictures of Maya on my phone than my kids.

I told Colin to make himself lunch one day and this is what he made: seaweed, avocado and bell peppers wrapped up in a whole wheat tortilla.  And he devoured 2 of them and absolutely loved it.

This is how Eli does lunch:

 

 With a book open and leftover spaetzles.

We went to the park for the afternoon 2 days this week.  We still can't play on the equipment, but the kids had a blast just climbing trees, riding bikes, playing with sticks and attempting to fly a kite.

Colin is growing his hair out like daddy for the quarantine.

I made fruit ice cream this week.  My dad made this when I was a kid and it was always a favorite.  I was so excited that it tasted exactly as I remember it...it was delicious!

Things that keep us going

This little creek is just a half mile from our house.  I run on this trail a couple of times a week, but there is rarely actually water in it (usually just a little when it rains).  Last week, there was a for real creek for a couple of days.  So, I took the kids for a little walk one morning.

This picture is hilarious.  Super cute kids, beautiful scenery...and a pooping dog.

Getting out for walks or bike rides has really helped.  Ben and Alison rode bikes up to Vons for a little date.  They got sushi and Starbucks and had a little picnic.

We've also taken several trips to the dog park.  I think it's somewhat odd that dog parks are open but human parks are closed.  There are some good climbing trees there too.

Some good food helps too.  I made Alison crepes one morning and I found her method of eating them to be genius.  She put a dollop of whipped cream in the center and then folded up the edges like a dumpling.

And for your entertainment, here's the boys' making themselves lunch one day: