Tuesday, August 18, 2020

- COVID Diaries: Weeks Who Frickin' Knows -

Every day I'm up in hurr, up in hurr like:

Fo' rizzly rizzle, 2020 is gonna be one for the history books.  THESE ARE INSANE TIMES!  If it isn't this, then it's that; and if I wasn't watching the world continue spinning with my very own eyes, I would legit be wondering if it got knocked out of its orbit and was bouncing off to a black abyss in outer space.  Bleh!!!  Amidst the continued chaos here/there/everywhere, we've managed to thrive inside our "social distanced bubble" [of sorts] and are still finding the biggest joys in the smallest things.  School is in full swing now [!!!], and looking back at these photos today makes me really treasure the simple quality time we had as a family this summer! 

While Brian worked remotely from the basement, the kids and I spent a few days just chilling in the common space of the subdivision...

...and also riding scooters on the nature trails in town!  When we head here, H&S always want to take a Walmart bag to collect leaves and sticks and acorns and "things" -- all VERY prized possessions, you know!
Also, BIG NEWS ALERT:  Scarlett finally graduated from her paci [cut off cold turkey by her mean parents, no less!], and I can't believe how much older and cuter she looks without it! It was a rough few days/nights, but soooo worth it -- especially because she's making great strides with her speech + her front teeth are growing together better! Go, Sissy!
While the parks and museums and restaurants and everything else remained closed, we did lots of fort building...

...and baking...

...and learning/reading...

 ...and science experimenting...

...and swimming... 

...and masking...

...AND RELAXING!!!

Chaos or calm, these days are certainly worth treasuring. <3




Sunday, August 16, 2020

- Out of the mouth of babes: VOL XIII -

Some oldies, but all goodies!  Easter and COVID and remote learning and May Crowning and the beginning of summer break...and lots of things in between!  I love this sweet little human and her innocent soul more than life itself! <3

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Randomly:
Harper:  "Dad, can I have your phone for a minute?  I need to talk to Siri."
Brian:  "Ok..."
Harper:  "Siri, when's it gonna be Easter Day?  There is a virus going around and we might not be able to have Easter.  What should we do?"
Siri:  .....

 



While driving one afternoon:
Scarlett [pointing out the car window excitedly]: "Eeeee ba-ba [Easter Bunny]!"
Harper:  "Scarlett, I think you mean to say 'RABBIT.'"
Scarlett:  "Oh."
Me:  "Yes, there are lots of little bunny rabbits that live in the grass; is that what you saw, Scarlett?"
Scarlett:  "Yeah."
Harper:  "Yeah, Scarlett, the Easter Bunny only comes at Easter but there are lots of other rabbits.  Even you can catch one and keep it as a pet on a leash!"
Scarlett:  "Oh."



During a rage:
"I feel like everyone has been mean to me for 100 years now, and you just did something that made me really mad again!"



After asking for a snack one evening after I got home from work:
"We are hungry, because we didn't eat anything for lunch; Daddy didn't feed us lunch at all today and that's why we're STARVING now!"


After my Dad came inside the house to use the restroom one day at the beginning of sheltering in:
"But it's ok if the virus is going around and Papa is juuuuust in our house to go pee and wash his hands.  But I'm glad he's not walking ALL around the house, like to my bedroom or your bedroom." 



 

As Scarlett was leaning in for a kiss on the lips:
"Yeah Scar, let's just do it on the cheek since the virus is going around."


Randomly:
Harper:  "Anyway, how do you make a baby start growing in your tummy?
Me:  .....

 


While driving around one evening to get a change of scenery:
"Mom, do we live on the moon?"


Randomly:
Harper:  "Mom, when I'm a grown up, will my name still be Harper?"
Me:  "Yes."
Harper:  "Oh.  Well it's kind of a silly name for a grown-up."

 



While coloring a picture of Mary for the May Crowning:
Me:  "And if you were at school on May 1, you would all take flowers to the statue outside the school."
Harper:  "But Mom, would 'THE REAL' Mary be at school on that day, is the question..."
Me:  "No, she lives in Heaven now with Jesus." 
Harper:  "Ok, can you just type in some 'Mary videos' on YouTube then so I can watch them and see her?"


...and while watching videos of Mary:
Harper:  "Well before these videos, I already knew what she looks like."
Me:  "How?"
Harper:  "Because I have a smart brain!  She has a blue dress with a white cape and another blue cape on her head.  Can Mary see us from Heaven, is the question..."
Me:  "Yes. She lives there with God and Jesus."
Harper:  "Ok.  Does Mary ever take a shower, is the next question..."
Me:  .....


While tidying up the living room:
Me:  "GROSS!  Whose dried up booger is this on the couch?!"
Harper:  "Scarlett's."
Me:  "How do you know?"
Harper:  "Well, all I can say is that I don't do that anymore since you told me not to that one time.  And Scarlett probably learned how to do it after that." 




While eating breakfast:
"Look, Dad, I'm unrolling my cinnamon roll like toilet paper!"



On the way to her teacher's house to drop off a Teacher Appreciation Day gift:
Me:  "I hope Ms. Leah likes what we made for her!"
Harper:  "She will like it, I already know.  She always loves everything I make her in class."


While watching Cinderella for the first time:
"I'm reallllly glad I'm not Cinderella so I don't have to clean every single day!"  

 


 


Tuesday, August 4, 2020

- Last Day of Daycare [2019]! -

#throwbackthursday to August 2019 has me like:
Cheers to the last day of daycare [at our old daycare]!  Harper was off to Mon/Wed/Fri preschool and Scarlett was "quitting" daycare to hang out at home with Momma more!   Best decision ever to cut back my hours at work!  ;) :)  So much has changed in 3/4 of a year, and I also can't believe how much the kids have grown!
And 3...2...1...........WE'RE DONE WITH DAYCARE!!!


Friday, July 24, 2020

- Sunflower Sesh -

I'm not one to pull the trigger for professional family photos; I'm more of "that mom" that dabbles in amateur photography and just wants to set up the tripod + remote every now and then to snag a new family shot!  However!  Past experiences would prove that I'm notorious for pissing off all family members in the process of snagging said photo, AND the photos don't even turn out all that great anyway.....

...so when Paige opened up these sunflower sessions, I signed us up without hesitation!  It's been a hot minute since we've been in front of her lens, but it's always a guaranteed great time! ;) :) After showing up to the WRONG sunflower field [1 state and 54 minutes away from the real destination, holy stupid mistake on my part!!!] and pulling a few sunflowers out of Paige's booty, we cheesed real hard and smiled real big and 'da rest is historyyyy!  

Oh, and one more thing!  I've always loved this quote from Helen Keller, and I can't think of a better place to paste it than right hurr: 

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"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It's what sunflowers do." 
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Thank you soooo much for working with us, friend! We love the way you capture our crazy, and you know dang well that I will treasure these photos forever! <3



Sunday, July 19, 2020

- Woo-hoo ZOO! -

Q:  Why don't cheetahs play hide and seek? 
A:  ...Because they're always spotted! 

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS, oh myyyyy! 

After a few months of being closed for COVID, the zoo finally reopened [by reservation only and masks required for everyone aged 9+!].  The animals are calling, and we must goooo!

Despite the "panda"emic, the kids were so excited to be there and see all the animals, and we definitely enjoyed a much needed girls' day out!  Thanks, Grammy, for tagging along and sweating it out with us!  :D