Everyday May

May is slipping away! We have had a huge swing in weather over the past two weeks, from blistering 95 degrees to cold rain to strong winds. The weather in Sunnyside is usually so dependable, it's been weird-but-exciting to have such a variety in such a short amount of time. How about some journal clips and random everyday May pictures to fill in the gaps? First, the journal clips:

Monday, May 10th: Today was something like the fifth first day of school for Rose. While we drove to school this morning, we laughed at ourselves for being excited every single time she's had a first day back at school this year. Today was also the start of the first five day week of in-person school for all three of my kids at once! Rose's quarantine is over at last! 

I had 5.5 whole hours home alone today. I used the first third of it talking on the phone with Mom and then Em. Then I went on a run, did yoga, showered, and had second lunch. By that point I had a little less than half an hour to play piano before heading out to pick up Amber at 2:40. Amby and I went grocery shopping together (not my fave; she kept trying to take over and push the cart away, and she had to pee so badly the whole time she held her crotch awkwardly with both hands). We picked up Rose and sat in the car listening to Sammy Keyes audiobook for 20 minutes while waiting for Jay. 

For FHE tonight we played a game of Uno, all five of us. Jeff won. Then Amber asked me to read her a story. Teeth, family prayer, bedtime. Golden Girls episodes, ice cream, and foot rubs for Jeff and me. 

Wednesday, May 12th: Today I checked things off of my to do list-- those things that seem insignificant until you don't do them, when the house falls apart. I ran a 20 minute tempo and it was humbling, just like every time I try to run fast. I spent over 2 hours in the car driving kids, picking up kids, and waiting for kids. We live barely 2-3 miles from the schools and piano lessons but everyone starts and gets out of school at different times, and Jay also had piano lessons this afternoon. 

When Jeff took Jay and Rose to church activities tonight, I resisted the temptation to let Amber watch cartoons and instead sat on the couch and read her one of the 20+ library books she picked out yesterday. I told her "I'll read you one and you read me one!" She seemed to like that idea, and she did an impressive job reading the book she picked out. I was surprised that she chose a book that was so close to her reading level. It was fun, maddening at times when she tried guessing hard words, but still overall a good half hour of one on one bonding time with my Amby. I am trying to be more intentional about being present with my kids, not rushing through the daily tasks of driving and eating, etc. with them. It takes constant effort. And I may have ranted a little at dinner tonight about people expecting things, ignoring me, and not caring that I cleaned the kitchen floors today. It was the Roomba that did it, but still. The floor was clean and therefore it was a crumb magnet. 

Rose came home from her primary girls activity tonight bursting to tell me all about how they stuck hearts on people's doors and then had brownies and ice cream with fudge on top. She loves to TELL me all about her activities. It was sweet. 

Sunday, May 16th: Fully vaccinated people didn't have to wear masks to church today. The CDC guidelines changed on Thursday, and now people vaccinated against Covid-19 don't have to wear masks! Our stake sent out an email last night about it, emphasizing agency and not judging people for their choice either way. It felt weird walking into church without a mask today. Weird but so good. The kids still had to wear masks. It was an eclectic mix of masked and uncovered faces at church. 

Monday, May 17th: We had a good FHE after dinner tonight. We played Uno (I won!) And then sang 2 verses of Nephi's Courage with lots of stomping and gusto while I played it on the piano. It was fun (and loud). Amber gets so invested in games, her voice jumps to maximum volume. I think my ears are still ringing!

Tuesday, May 18th: Today was relatively quiet since the workers are finished with installing our new doors and all the exterior painting. It was nice to be home alone again. I did the usual daily things that are boring to list but add up to a day in the life of a maker of the home. For some reason the word "homemaker" bugs me because it's often listed as a career when it's not a paid position. I have never figured out how to reconcile my feminist need to be acknowledged as a working contributor to society and the idea that doing unpaid work doesn't feel as officially work-worthy as people who get paid for their jobs. I'm working on figuring it out. I know I'm worthy of life and joy and adulthood even without a paid job or a profession, but it's hard to feel like a productive useful adult without a paid job or profession. This issue only bugs me every now and then, thankfully. [Every time it bugs me, I make a little more progress in Figuring It Out.]

Friday, May 21st: D&C 88:11-13 is all about LIGHT: as the light of Christ shines, it gives us light, enlightenment, understanding, life, and a law that governs all things. Reading and pondering those truths filled me with light. No specific insights, but light. I realized that I don't always have to be growing and  making new connections or having more profound insights during my daily personal scripture study. 

Daily scripture study is about spending time with the spirit, spending time in the light of Christ. Even if I don't have a big or even a small moment of learning or inspiration while reading scriptures, that time matters. Some days big insights come but the "holding pattern" between big insights is just as vital. It makes a big difference to have that consistent daily contact with the word of God and with his spirit. This is the small and simple things lesson but with more focus on the small things as individual moments rather than as a collective push toward a great thing. The small thing of daily scripture study is important in and of itself for the constant strength and daily light it provides, not just for its culmination in a great thing every now and then.

Everyday May miscellaneous photo album:

Mt. Adams on the horizon beyond mint, baby fruit trees, and barns.

May 10th: Rose's fifth first day back to school! For the past two weeks, all three of my kids have been in school five days a week! 

Walking Amber into school in the bright sunshine.

Library visit! It had been so long since we went to the library, I couldn't bring myself to limit Amber's book selection and consequently, we had a heavy heavy load of 20 books to carry.

Amber dives deep into her library stash.

Amber even read me an entire library book! She only needed help on a few words. It is so fun and fascinating watching kids learn how to read.

Victory!

Latest Roomba strategy: block off the couch undercarriage with shoes wedged in place. It is a little bit of a pain spreading out three pairs of shoes along the edges of the couch, but it works like a charm and keeps the Roomba from getting stuck out of reach deep underneath the couch.

Waiting in the school drop-off line with Rose, listening to Sammy Keyes audiobook together. We have had good times enjoying these excellent stories together for 20 minutes before school every day.

On May 14th, I challenged myself and ran up Lincoln Grade in Prosser twice. It was pretty hard! But also a fun challenge to push my limits and do it twice, when running up and down this steep 3 mile hill once is a normal hard workout. I saw some pretty wildflowers, which always surprise me in this dry brown landscape. I ran past the same scary little snake four times. By the third time I passed it, the snake had died--I think maybe a bird pecked out its guts. I wasn't sad, but even dead snake bodies put me on edge. I refuse to take pictures of snakes. Blech.

The infamous "Z" of the Lincoln Grade switchbacks.

Lincoln Grade is topped with unromantic cell phone towers, but the view is still sweeping.

First time "summiting"

Texture in a landscape is my favorite.

Second time at the top--I was feeling that hot sun. I was also feeling grateful for my hydration pack and music.

Heading downhill. Love those yellow flowers and curving road, with the Yakima River in the distance.

Rose, swinging.

Early morning run past the fresh bright mint fields near our house.

Grapes and clouds.

A few afternoons each week lately, Amber and I have had an hour of time together before Jay and Rose need to be picked up, so we do things like go to the grocery store (less favorite), play games, and read books.

My hair, with 20 months of uninterrupted growth. It has never been this long. It was fun having super long flowy hair, but also annoying. It was time for a trim.

I got my courage up and asked my neighbor's mom, Lucia, who's visiting from Chile, to cut my hair this week. She gave me a quick, quality cut--my favorite kind, and I even got to speak a little Spanish with her while she worked. She cut off at least 6 inches. Libertad!

I was feeling bold enough to ask for a selfie with sweet Lucia after my haircut. She is so kind and patient with my hesitant Spanish. 

I took advantage of a photo book sale at the end of April and finished and ordered three blog photo books. They came this week, and it makes me happy to see the kids looking through them. The kids rarely read my blog, so seeing the posts and pictures in a book is all new to them.

Blustery evening with otherworldly light and a random chunk of rainbow mixed in along the horizon! I took this picture zoomed in from my bedroom window.

Reading pictures are my favorite. It's so sweet when Rose reads a story to Amber.

School drop-off traffic seems worse in the rain. We had an actual RAINY DAY, on May 20th, almost unheard of this late in the year here.

 

I thought the rain was over because it was sunny with blue skies, so I went on a bike ride. Only to be rained on almost the entire time? (My jacket is wet and it's raining in this picture.) Where was the rainbow for this sunny rainstorm? I cut my ride very short and called it a day. I can run in the rain, but biking in the rain is not my jam.

Jeff patiently played an entire lengthy game of Catan with Amber on Saturday morning.

 Rose experimented with hairdos one afternoon, and kept asking me to take pictures of her hair so she could see how it turned out.

Reading/browsing the new blog books again.