Fall Break at the cabin

 October is a great time to be in Southern-ish Utah. Nice weather for hiking, and beautiful aspen leaves. And the cabin wasn't rented, so we got to be there with cousins! 

We stopped at Bryce Canyon National Park on the way there and back for a quick look at the views. Andrew is in 4th grade so we have a free national parks pass.

One day we went over to Grosvener Arch and Kodachrome Basin State Park.

The next day the older cousins and dads hiked the Willis Creek Slot Canyon.

While they did that, the youngest went with the moms on a ride through Dixie National Forest. We saw lots of yellows and pretty views, but I think the brilliant reds and oranges had already faded, and at the top the leaves had already fallen. But the kids love to ride in the side-by-side. Millie and Spencer even got drowsy.

The best part of the cabin is the kids just play and play. They build with sticks by the creek and imagine new games on the big rock by the driveway.  

We roasted marshmallows and played games inside at the big table. We ate great and I read books and talked and laughed.

Vice Presidential Debate

This month the University of Utah hosted the vice-presidential debate, and I was credentialed to be there for our morning shows.

I had to have a background check, and get a Covid test and follow lots of protocol and rules to be in the secure perimeter. Oh, and I had to give myself the swab in my nose and throat to test for coronavirus! That was not my favorite.

I got there before 4 AM to park and then ride the shuttle to the spot with Secret Service and then pass through to the media tent. I was the only one for a while in this huge tent full of desks and TVs and cords. Most people were there that night for the debate (though it never filled up).

I took this photo with the timer. I was supposed to wear the mask, even being the only one there.

Later they made me change to one of their official medical masks. There were boxes of the masks and buckets of  hand sanitizer all over the place. My boss asked me if I felt unsafe but I never did. Everyone inside the perimeter had tested negative for Covid. We all had to have a green wristband.

Here's what Kingsbury Hall looked like as the sun rose. Those risers were all set up for lots of TV cameras and national crews. I met folks from CNN, Fox News, and USA Today.

There were so many signs and banners all over the place. I think they expected more national attention and media pictures of the campus, but it was so locked down. 

They gave me a bag with University of Utah 2020 VP Debate swag on the labels, like these T shirts, cups, buttons, stickers, more hand sanitizer, etc.

I took that picture around 2:30 or 2:45 PM when I finally got home.

More recommendations

Books

News of the World -- I was fascinated by the tale of a man who traveled from town to town in Texas and read out loud newspapers to crowds after the Civil War. It's going to be a movie with Tom Hanks, go watch the trailer. 

Things You Save in a Fire -- Katherine Center. A female firefighter moves to a new city and learns about forgiveness and love.

Happiness for Beginners -- Katheine Center. A wilderness backpacking trip changes two lives.

The Lost Husband -- Katherine Center.. A widow moves to her aunt's goat farm. I like how this author is easy to read but still has these nuggets of good lessons to learn about self and others.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before/PS I Still Love You/Love Always Lara Jean -- the trilogy was really fun and I did not put it down.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan -- I am in the middle of this one and haunted by the footbinding scene, but fascinated by the concept of "Old Sames."

The Hound of the Baskervilles -- such a good classic book. I hadn't read it in years, and am reading it this month for my virtual bookgroup. Some of the details are coming back to me with "ahHA moments (I love a good mystery book)

Rebecca -- same as above! Such a suspensful classic. I'm reading this for my neighborhood bookgroup. A new version of the movie is coming to Netflix soon.

Origami Yoda -- this is a whole series that Andrew loved. Princess Labelmaker, Fortune Wookie, etc. And it has crafts in it as well as the story.

Timmy Failure, Didi Dodo, and Dog Man are all great series for 9 year old Andrew and his love of graphic novels like Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians -- I'm reading this series out loud to the little boys at night and they like it. Quirky asides about writing at the beginning of each chapter. Parallels in tiny ways to Harry Potter.

Movies

The Lost Husband -- Netflix. Josh Duhamel did a good job.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before -- just cute, what can I say.

Spies in Disguise - voices of Tom Holland and Will Smith. My little boys loved this when it came on TV and so I keep it on the DVR. A spy gets turned into a pigeon. "Why am I eating food off the ground? And why does it taste AMAZING?"

Fashionably Yours -- Hallmark. A nice surprise to see the guy showing the girl she could stay in the big city and not go to a small town. Background movie while you do something else.

Cloudy With a Chance of Love -- Hallmark Drama. I love/hate seeing how movies and TV shows depict a newsroom or TV station. This wasn't too far off the mark, but I sure would love a wardrobe department and daily catering. And the main anchor was a self-absorbed ham at first, but never a creep or jerk like in other shows.  

Hearts of Christmas -- Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. A NICU story line that was sweet.

The Lost Valentine -- Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. Betty White is the widow of a WW2 soldier missing in action for decades. I cried. I've covered a story of a local family finally getting their uncle's remains.  

TV Shows

The Right Stuff -- Disney Plus  I am only through one episode. Some reviews don't like all the focus on the bad stuff the guys did. I loved the Astronaut's Wives Club and I love the early days of the space program. (Seeing it all in Seattle at the museum last year was just so thrilling.)

Fancy Nancy, Sophia, Elena, Barbie, My Little Ponies, Pinkalicious for Millie, depending on her mood. She insists the boys can't watch, too, because they are girl shows.

Star Wars Rebels and Clone Wars -- Ben has been through these series on Disney Plus twice now.

Bye bye, big tree

(May 2013, trimming the branches to clear space)

The top half of our neighbor's tall pine tree snapped over in the big windstorm about a month ago. And this past weekend, the crew she hired made it over to take care of it.

It took all day Saturday and still more time Monday. I pretty much watched their progress for hours.

First they backed this big crane into our driveway

Then it went up and the branches started coming down.

It was fun to watch the work, and we were grateful for their expertise that no branches or the machine hit our roof.  

But then seeing that big empty sky made me cry. And we still can't get used to the bright sunshine coming into our kitchen in the afternoons now. Even our neighbors on the other side feel the loss of the view and the green-filtered light that would go through THEIR kitchen window. It is so hot and sunny in our driveway now. 

But I guess winter will be better now. And we don't have to sweep up any more pine needles and pine cones. And we have a view of the sunset.

Flower girl

 Millie loves princess movies and one Saturday asked me, "Tell me the story of the day you and daddy got married and kissed on the lips!"

So I got out my wedding dress.

And then she dressed up, too.

I had Ben take some photos of us, then JB came home and was quite surprised to see what we were up to. Then he took more pictures for me.  

For comparison, here are some pictures of the pictures in our wedding album from 17 years ago next month.

It was such a fun time.  The dress doesn't quite fit the same, but after five kids that's ok!

First day of preschool for Millie

 My friend texted me in August that there was an opening at a neighborhood preschool, and I jumped at it. Millie had gone to the 3 year old program at our high school, but we had no idea if it would continue this year in-person. This one is a great fit. The hours and carpool so far are working really well. And it is only a couple streets over.

And her teacher is so sweet. (Miss Collette. Millie thought it would Aunt Collette at first!)

JB took her to back to school night, and I took her on her first morning (which was cold and windy!)

Miss Collette texted me this picture, because Millie said "Look, I made Olaf!"

She gets tuckered out on preschool days. This is in the car lane waiting to pick up James and Andrew one afternoon.

She wants to wear a dress or skirt as much as possible. She says pants make her look like a boy!

First day of school for Ben and Max

Max is now a sophomore and Ben is a 7th grader.  But I have no pictures of them on their first day of school, because it's just been so....not normal.

JB did take these pictures of Ben waiting for the bus for the day he was assigned to go to the school to pick up a laptop and get some training. It was just him and one other kid on the bus.

They were delayed 2 weeks already, then the windstorm hit and each day we weren't sure whether there would be or school or not. Then they officially finally began their online work this past Monday. Max had an 8am zoom but Ben's schedule started with remote assignments that day. 

Ben has asked me a few times for help figuring out the system and juggling his 7 middle school classes. Here's the flow chart we were sent to figure it out (before the principal sent an easier-to-understand schedule): 

Max is doing pretty well (the high school cut it to 4 classes each term....which means though he'll have big breaks without learning half the material). At least they each have a device from the district and we are not juggling!

I go back and forth between being sad they have lost so much, and angry the board voted for this. But then telling myself to try to keep a good attitude about something I cannot change. I am trying to have empathy for others and their fears, too, during the pandemic.

I am even more grateful a few days in to this that we got the two little boys into classes in-person (and I pray their school will keep it that way). It takes a lot of tech support and help and supervision and internet access and enough devices.  While both of us parents work full-time from home right now. I've heard from other families how difficult it has been with their little kids. Fingers crossed it gets better.