3rd Week of March- 1st Week of quarantine

This has been a crazy!  It was our 1st week of all of us being at home the whole time during quarantine.  I was working from home, and the boys were supposed to do learning ie school from home.  It was also ironically Steve's Spring Break, so that worked out so he was home w/ the kids.  Then he got word that the hospitals aren't allowing students into the hospitals right now while the virus is going around.  So Steve is on "standby" until he gets word that students are let back in.  It will likely be a month or more we think.  If so that means he'll have to make up his remaining "time" to get his hours in during the Summer.  We were hoping and technically planning that he'd be done w/ his school before the baby comes in August.  I'm sure Steve will do everything in his power to still make that happen, but time will only tell if it'll be possible.

Steve and his dad Dave at Costco.  

Look at the large supply of toilet paper.  It was selling out in a day, usually first couple hours.

Cute boys dressing up.  Nyles is a ninja and Carter is a frog.  

A beautiful daffodil bloomed in our yard!

Next Steve work on removing the tree stump.  The boys tried to help too.

I took a break from work to come down and see the pretty flower!

Steve put the basketball hoop down to the lowest setting so Carter could try making a basket.  

Nyles had fun making hoops easier too.

On Tuesday, March 17th I took the day off to take a break from work, which has been so busy since the stock markets have been down.  I also wanted to spend some time w/ Steve and the boys.  It also was St. Patrick's day, so we made green pancakes to celebrate.  The boys thought it was pretty fun!

Some w/ chocolate chips for Nyles.

Then plain ones for the rest of us.

Carter being silly eating Nutella.

Then we decided to get outside, get some fresh air, and take a hike.  It was a beautiful day and the weather was perfect!  We decided to go up to the suspension bridge.  Ironically a LOT of people had the same idea, so we had to make sure to keep our distance.

Almost to the bridge.

We made it!

The boys got a free sack lunch from the school, so we brought them w/ us on our hike.  

We then sat down and ate our lunches.  It was fun!

Nyles and Carter being silly w/ their lunch ;)

Back at home, the boys enjoyed some jumping time.  Nyles in his ninja outfit too.  Why not?

Then taking a break to eat a Popsicle.

And then playing in the dirt of course w/ their diggers from Christmas.  It was a fun day!

Then Wednesday morning just after 7am, we were all awakened by an earthquake!  Nyles had just gotten up and went downstairs to watch a show, and the rest of us were still in bed.  It was a 5.7 magnitude earthquake, the biggest the state has had in about 30 years.  We all felt it that's for sure!  People felt it up north to Ogden and down to Provo and from East to West.  Even people in Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada said they felt it.  There were many aftershocks throughout the day.  I especially remember one in the afternoon just after 1pm while I was on a call.  My whole screen was shaking and my desk.  Luckily I was on a joint call with an FC, so I put my phone on mute while she was talking so I could collect myself.  Needless to say it was hard to focus not just then, but the whole day.  We were all on edge all day.  If people weren't panicking before w/ the virus concerns, they were now w/ the earthquake.  More panic buying at the stores too!  I'm glad I was home though and not at work downtown, where there was more damage.

Most notably, the angel Moroni on the SLC temple lost his trumpet during the quake.

The next day the boys were back in the dirt playing w/ their diggers.

Our neighbors hired a guy to grind their tree stumps, so we asked him to grind our small one in the driveway too.  The boys thought it was fun to watch him.

Then he came over to grind our little tree stump.

After the grinding was done, Steve put the dirt in the trailer and luckily Rob wanted it.  

Steve took over 3 loads to his house, which got it out of our yard!

Dirt removed and getting ready for concrete.  We've been taking walks nightly, mainly so I can get out of the house after a busy day at work.  The boys think it's pretty fun too to race each other!

The daffodil makes me happy.  

It's fun to see flowers starting to bloom around the neighborhood on our walks too.

Back at home, the boys wanted to play in the dirt again!

Nyles helped me make some cinnamon rolls from one of the kid's recipe books we borrowed from the library.  They were super easy.  We used crescent rolls, then put a marshmallow in the middle w/ a little sugar/cinnamon, and a little on top.  Everyone ate them, even Carter.  They also called "Resurrection Rolls" since they're hollow after you cook them ie like an empty tomb.  

Nyles thought they were fun to make too!

The next day Steve removed the old swimming pool (since there were holes in it anyway).  The boys were happy to have more room to dig and play in the dirt.  I took this picture out of my office window while working.  Oh I love my boys!

On Friday, Nyles wanted to learn to cook hard boiled eggs.  I showed him how to do it in the Instant Pot too!  So easy!  Before eating them I remembered we had Easter Egg coloring kits downstairs, so we colored them too!  We only had 8 eggs, but it was still a lot of fun!  The boys can't wait to do more soon.

Dying eggs.

The need to stay optimistic through this all....

On Saturday morning, Steve and the boys went fishing w/ Dave at Deer Creek.  Stacie/Phill and their kids met them as well.  I stayed home and rested, then cleaned the house.

Carter waiting for the fish to bite.

It was a little cold, but the kids put on their snow clothes and were fine!

Conor, Nyles, Carter and London (Claire) playing w/ some putty.

And some toys that Stacie brought.

Looking at the fish in the live well.

Caught one!

And another!

Carter waiting to reel the fish in.  Nyles anxiously awaiting to see if he needs help.

The kids playing while waiting.

Great picture of the boys right?

On the way back the boys were pretty tuckered out and took a good nap.

After they got home, they were wide awake and wanted to ride the Jeep (which we just got out of the shed and charged the battery the night before).  They were just a little excited to ride it!

Sunday, after having our own Sacrament/Testimony Meeting and a lesson in Come Follow Me, we decided to get out for some fresh air.  We went up to the Temple Quarry at Little Cottonwood Canyon.  The gate was still closed for cars, so it deterred many people from coming in thankfully.  It was peaceful and relaxing to see the work the pioneers did and enjoy the beautiful scenery around us.

A sign said to put your ear on the rock and listen to what it says.  

If rocks could talk, what would they say?

We went down to the river bank as well.  They wanted to feel how cold the water was.

And of course the boys wanted to get on the big rock!

Looking at the canyon walls and river.  Definitely still lots of snow around.

One more time down at the river bank, this time to throw rocks in the water of course ;)

Back at home the boys have been asking to have a "fire" so we finally made one.  

We then had enough supplies to make a couple s'more each, then bedtime!

This pretty much sums up our week!

This week felt soooo long!  We had so much going on w/ being quarantined at home, me working from home while the boys have been home from school, then an earthquake to top it all off.  We made it through and learned a lot, but if it is my choice, I hope to not repeat this week anytime soon, hopefully never!

One thing I am very grateful and thankful for though, is Internet and technology.  I'm glad I can work from home and am not going into an office (or on the train), which would put me more at risk, especially while pregnant.  I'm also thankful we can continue learning opportunities for the boys on the computer and they can communicate w/ their teachers.  We are blessed to be able to have the sacrament at home, continue our at home scripture study, and hear from our living prophet as well during this difficult time.  We hope and pray you're all safe and healthy.  We love you!