May Week

May is in full sunny blooming force! The persistent winds of March and April have eased up a bit in frequency and duration, and we have all been feeling the pull of the glorious irrigated wonderland that is May in the Yakima Valley. This week was an exercise in balance, and even though I'm not sure I managed to find the right balance all in one day, the week as a whole appears far more balanced than each day taken individually. Perspective matters! 

This was the final week of Rose's extended extra-cautious school nurse-mandated Covid quarantine. She was healthy and home and kind of bored for most of the week. I watched church over Zoom with her. She read at least six books. She shadowed me around the house to the point of risking inadvertent black eyes from my elbows. She typed pages and pages of a story she's writing. A few afternoons, she jumped at the chance to play outside with her two doors down neighbor friend, Daisy. 

The everyday miscellaneous moments from the first week of May are best told in pictures:

Someday I need to count up all of the pictures I've taken of Mt. Adams on the horizon. It's a lot.

On May 1st, I went on a gorgeous long run into town.

Downtown Sunnyside: the Corona Furniture shop was in business long before the Covid-19 coronavirus struck.

Rows of grapes curving up to the horizon, with Mt. Adams peeking over.

Zooming church from home with Rose.

I have a hair situation. It is long.

Artwork on the trampoline with Daisy.

Another view from another run. Running is so easy and pleasant in May. I am on a vitamin D high!

Amby had four consecutive days of all-day kindergarten for the first time ever this week, and she needed extra hugs and attention in the afternoons. She wasn't homesick or shy or anything; just needed to refill her well of motherly love-and-hugs after a day apart. I think that our afternoon hugs-and-snuggles filled me up just as much as they filled her.

Monday night Family Home Evening game night. We played Sleeping Queens and Rose creamed us! Jeff was gone at track practice.

Rose: triumphant. Jay: defeated. Amber: denial. Shaina: selfie time!

Family game, then family prayer with sun streaming in and filling the air with RAYS.

Mt. Adams again, with a smudge of smoke.

Cemetery Road near our house had some very unusual roadkill this week. Seven fish? Where did they come from? The nearest river is at least ten miles away. I don't think fish live in the canal, since it's drained every year. I also saw a very mermaid-ish looking large bra on the side of the road. While I ran along, I concocted silly stories in my head revolving around a bare mermaid with new legs, running around the countryside somewhere. Ariel!

But seriously, why? Actually, I really don't want to know.

Rose and I got takeout Thai food for a fun mother-daughter lunch date on Tuesday. We listened to our current Sammy Keyes audiobook while we drove to pick up the food and while we ate it at home.

Climbing Rose: our garden area has this random skinny pole (for  a clothesline maybe?).

Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Amber came home from school on May 5th with this hilarious mini sombrero with an under-the-chin elastic to keep it on.

Rose had to try on the mini sombrero too.

Ian shared one of his massive sombreros with Jay. The youth had a big Cinco de Mayo bash in the church parking lot with authentic street tacos and everything. Jay got home after 9pm that night. The next day he said "there are gaps in my memory from last night, I was so tired."

A weird current everyday school necessity: mask and health attestation form. 

Matching side braids!

Rose, sinking into another book. Her kindle actually started having major mechanical issues this week and I spent all afternoon on Thursday on the phone with Amazon customer service trying to fix it. Still no luck. The customer service lady said she'd check on more options and get back to me soon.

Let them be little = let them wear all pink. I am getting so good at letting my kids dress themselves. It is an acquired skill and Amber is reaping the benefits.

I found an excellent old TV box in the garage and sawed window-sized rectangles out of it to help block the bright early morning sunlight in our bedroom. So far the classy cardboard darkness has given us about half an hour more sleep.

My bumpy mountain bike rides have been getting more intense and more fun! 

Our landlord hired some people to paint the exterior of our house this week. They scraped, buffed, and power washed our house before covering all windows in plastic and starting to paint. I was sitting at my desk one day when all of a sudden I had a visitor outside my second story window. Slowly, I reached over and lowered the shades. 

Rose read one of the stories she wrote and illustrated to Amber.

On Friday, there was no school so while Jeff watched cartoons with the kids at home, I indulged in a refreshing twelve mile run up to visit my buddy Superman.

The approach

I listened to music for the entire run on my goofy headset. My ears are too tiny to fit earbuds, so I live the retro life with my little over-the-ear headphones.

View from the Superman tower.

I ran down the north side of the Superman hill, through the orchards.

The cartoon crew, relaxing at home.

Rose, reading an actual paper book while her kindle is malfunctioning.

Jeff had to coach at a track meet on Thursday night so it was mom-and-kids night. These three are pretty great.