Nolan's Quarantine Project

 We had another lazy Advent day. We really SHOULD jump into the seasonal rush but we don't have the energy. LOL We won't have our family gift exchange until the 12th day of Christmas....so we have lots of time left to rush around. WELL....there will be stockings and kids gifts on the 24th or 25th and then we draw names for an exchange with EVERYONE on New Year's Eve...but the 7 of us at home won't have an exchange until Jan 6th. It breaks up the craziness. ::Snort:: 

Nolan spent time while quarantined researching and applying to Western Governor's University. All his paperwork is in and we just have to figure out the VA benefits. He was notified of his acceptance and will begin in February. He will take classes towards his business degree while he continues to be an assistant general manager at McDonald's. He'll cut back from 70 - 45 or 50 hours a week. It's a good plan. Stacia made this wonderful cake.....

It tastes great, too! 

Dad slept in until 12:30 and then took a nap at 2:30. ::wink:: 

Michael worked on a letter and got a hair cut. 

Krista, Nolan and Alex worked full days. Stacia got a full day of school done. 

I did laundry, attempted to make sugar free caramel corn, took care of Dad and read a chapter from my latest Ludlum book.  I don't know what I think about the sugar free popcorn. 

We ended the night around the Advent countdown....Jesus - Holy Son of God.... Dad and the kids went to bed. I folded another load of laundry, started the last one of the day, worked on a puzzle with Michael, and came up to blog. I'll go fold that last load and call it a day. 

I've gone all day with no pain reliever/fever reducer and NO HEADACHE. I even got a work out in this a.m. Good stuff. 

Millie's SAD

Even Millie misses the sun. I find it funny that she slies in front of the SAD light. Winter won't last forever. 

 

New Washer

Dad doesn't really like the stair lift down the longer flight of stairs. Today, he wanted to come down badly enough to give it a shot. 

Our washer gave out. Michael is a pro on these "for sale" lists. He found an ad for a FREE washer and dryer. It turns out the man was going to put them in his shop and changed his mind. We probably would have picked one with a bit larger capacity...but these were FREE and work well. The dryer is in the garage waiting for our current dryer to die. The appliance repairman predicted that would happen 3 years ago. LOL 

 We are very satisficed. Do you check the used ads before buying new? 

Out of Quarantine

Michael came out of the room to say, "Grandpa and I both got negative results on our tests." 

With those words our latest quarantine is over - Nov 9th - Dec. 13th! 

How did we spend our last Sunday in quarantine? We watched our local service online. 

I made a nice Sunday dinner which Grandpa, Stacia and I ate. Michael and Alex went out for a catch up Bible study. Nolan was at work. Krista spent the day with Luke and his family. 

I have spent quite a bit of time researching planners and journals. I have done my own bullet journals for 3 years and loved it - EXCEPT life got busy and I didn't have time to make the layouts and so it was stressful and counter-productive. I've also been using a fitness journal and wanted to see what else is out there. I discovered I will not find a planner that does all my bullet journal has done for me...so I THINK I'm going to use this planner and add something for all the "collections" in my bullet journal which the planner will most likely not have space to hold. Collections? Books Read, Books to Find, Cheap Fun in the Area, Gift Ideas, Family Sizes....I may create a separate "Book of Lists."  And if life settles down by 2022 I will go back to a Bullet Journal as it has been the BEST planner system I've ever used. 

I was looking for a wellness journal much like the one I bought from Target - but prettier. I don't need to track food - I do that on the iTrackBites app....but I like to see on PAPER my workouts, have a place to jot goals, daily intentions, inspiration. I HAVE loved this journal, but I've been using it for a year and well - I like change and pretty.  I was hoping for all the Target journal had and a page a week for notes from a small group I attend. I found this one from Hallmark .... I think it has everything but the note pages. We'll see. I was able to spend my pastoral gift cards from the Pacific Region of Open Bible for both. Free planners. Life is good. LOL 

CoRielle came over in the evening! I had seen Danny when he came home from the hospital, but the others had not seen him without glass in between them. We all got to hold him. We visited. Benny orchestrated more dancing. It was great fun. 

Michael was up first to hold Danny. 

Benny claimed his lap as soon as Danny moved to GG's lap. 

GG meets a new great grandson! 

Stacia was excited to finally hold Daniel Michael.

Such a sweet BIG brother! 

Benny - 3 years 1 month, Danny 1 month

Arielle made Alex hold him...and it was sweet

And, finally, for the first time since he came home, I got to get Danny in my arms. There he stayed for a good long time. 

Life is sweet!

Photo via Arielle 

Such kissable cheeks! 

Ed and Jennifer stopped by with a plate of Christmas goodies. It's good to be out of quarantine. 

This is the first day I did not take anything for my headache since this all began Nov 22nd. I was the last to get it. I am hearing we are "immune" for 3 - 6 months now. Is that what you've all heard? I sure don't want a repeat of THIS. Maybe the 2nd time would be lighter? It was all the quarantining for those who didn't catch it that made it even longer. Stacia and Michael never did catch it. 

A Hard Day Made Fun

 Oh.my.heart! This Baachan has not been able to touch this little one since Nov. 11th. I think it's been since Nov 7th for BreZaak's kids. By the new CDC standards today we are OUT OF QUARANTINE. By the OLD CDC standards we have to wait until Nov 16th. Michael has had some odd symptoms and we aren't sure what is going on. We suspect Parkinson meds. He gets VERY dizzy.  A few weeks ago he was flat in bed for 3 days with dizziness, nausea, exhaustion, and a headache.  Thursday night he had the same. Just in case it may be Covid - he got tested today.  When his test comes back negative, we'll officially move out of quarantine. Grandpa got tested again too as his docs won't treat him without a negative test result.   We had been debating what to do about church tomorrow and had VERY RELUCTANTLY decided NOT to go to church out of an abundance of caution until Michael's test is back....then pastor called and church is going online due to other Covid complications at church. That made the decision to stay home until the test results a bit easier....

Meanwhile...CoRielle decided they were ok saying quarantine was over and they would come over so we could play  outside. I did not PUSH for this. They sent this polo of when they told him he could go to "Baachan's House." 

I was inside when they arrived. The door opened and I heard, "Surprise! Baachan, surprise!" They decided he and Arielle could come inside. Cory stayed in the car with Danny until Michael's test comes back. 

There were so MANY memories we wanted to make with the kids this season. I wanted to have them over to make gingerbread and decorate cookies. I wanted to take them shopping for gifts for their parents, out to lunch and home to wrap. I wanted to have teas with the girls. I wanted to look at lights and drink hot chocolate with them. I wanted to play with the Fisher Price nativity with them and read our Christmas books to them....not sure what we'll get done before Christmas, but it's a JOY to have Benny at home again. 

Quarantine Photo of the Day 

Benny doesn't give out random cuddles and hugs, but today he gave me lots of hugs....and each time someone new came home he hid in the hall and yelled, "Surprise." He made our days. 

Oh, the memories!

My kids played with this and I could hardly wait for grandkids to play with it now that Stacia is a bit too old to play with it. It stays under the tree so they can easily find it. Millie steals the angel. 

Photo Via Benny

GG and Papa got home and Benny surprised them. He told Papa he KNOWS the chair is not a toy, "...but can I ride it?" Papa let him ride one time. 

"Papa, I KNOW it's not a toy!" 

Benny read Tundra with GG

Stacia "started" to read one of the Christmas books with him.....

Krista gave Benny a 2020 penny. The grands have never exchanged a 2020 penny for a dollar coin. . . but they can and Michael always has the dollar coins to change for any of us that bring him the year's penny. Penny was suitably impressed. 

Arielle said, "You mean WE can still exchange pennies?" And she traded a shinning 2020 penny for a dollar coin too. LOL 

Mom gave me a red bucket of stuffed snowballs several years ago. I had planned inside snowball fights with the kids and them....but this was the first time one of the kids was over when they were out. He immediately grabbed one but didn't grasp the potential until we passed out snowballs and had an inside snowball fight. 

On this day, when I was missing mom, it was especially wonderful to have a quarantine break and get to spend a bit of time with Benny. 

Krista found a pair of used cross country skis. Stacia and I are asking for skis for Christmas...used are just fine....We'll have to move the concrete mixer - it seriously hampers my photo ops. ::snort:: 

I'm going to decorate this thing

When they left we packed into the van and went to drive through the Christmas lights at the State Fairgrounds. I told everyone Mom loved to look at the lights and I wanted us all to do it. They're good sports. Next year we'll go later in the day (this was the only time left today) and we'll take cookies and hot chocolate with us. They gave us a pair of 3d glasses that turned the lights into reindeers and snowmen. Very fun! 

 

Mom loved chocolate shakes and French fries  - especially at Dairy Queen. I don't do DQ, sugar, or fries lately...but once a year on Dec 12th - it sounded good. We stopped at the drive through. We parked and watched a bit of the Colony Parade while we enjoyed our DQ food. I couldn't finish my meal...I have been DYING of thirst since eating the shake and fries.....but I'm drinking lots of water and will not have any more sweets or salt.....for awhile. ::wink:: 

The past two years I've taken a meal to someone on the 12th - but quarantine being what it is - we came up with new ways to remember today. It was a good day. 

Dad didn't take ONE nap....and was happy to get out TWICE and have a visit from a Great Grandchild. Things are looking up. 

This anniversary was  - well - a bit hard and a bit wonderful. I cried a bit, I smiled a lot at memories, I made new memories with a grandchild, my heart thrilled at Benny's love, we remembered....

I Miss You, Mom!

 It's been three years, Mom. The loss of time spent with you is no longer my waking thought. It's been months since I burst into tears while out shopping. Not a day goes by, however, when I don't think of you. 

River Cess, Liberia, West Africa c1968

In the last "real" conversation we had you asked me to be sure Dad was taken care of.  We're doing our best, Mom. I can't help wondering what it would have been like if you'd lived just a few more years and moved up with Dad. The great grands you'd have met, the adventures in the snow you loved....and yet, I still rest in the bedrock belief that the God you loved and served so well had numbered your days. 

Every Christmas I begin to do little things in your memory - things others aren't even aware of...you loved Christmas so...I can only imagine how you have loved celebrating Jesus face to face.

I miss you, Mom. 

Philippine Islands c 1979

Mom's Obituary

Lessons From Mom 

Mom's Life Story

TGIF and My TASTE is Back!

 It has been weeks and weeks since Stacia and I went out for Bible study...quarantine and Covid being what they are. She really wanted to go this morning, Dad was sleeping in, the boys were home to stay with him if he did wake up, I didn't have a fever.....off we went to Sophia's drive-through.  We wore gloves and masks and stayed in our car. When I tasted this wonderful Skinny Sugar Free Chai.....a heart-felt prayer burst from my lips, "Thank you, Jesus! This is so good." It hit me - my taste is back!!!! And the first thing which has tasted normal to me since Nov 22nd is a Sophia's chai. ::snort:: 

Quarantine Photo of the Day 

We took our meals to the top of Lazy Mountain. It was a beautiful day. We are still on the hunt for used cross country skis. We must find some. 

Masks are actually quite nice when its 5* out

We engaged in an impromptu discussion about perspective. See the little mountain in the shadow of the big one (Pioneer Peak). That little one is the Bodenburg Butte - which we trudge up. It seems like the top of the world when one is ON the Butte, it looks pretty puny when one views it from the top of Lazy Mountain, in the shadow of Pioneer Peak.  That'll preach. 

Dad and Michael both slept all morning and half the afternoon away. It was good. We puttered around and I did laundry. But FIRST...I knocked a case of jars off the top of a laundry shelf. This led to me reorganize the canning in the laundry room. At some point I'll get summer/fall blogged...but for now....here's a few shots of some of the things we canned. I meant to keep track of how much I panted and how much we were able to can...but I think those notes got ditched. 

Ah well.... all from grown, foraged or caught by us this summer

Top shelf - Dandelion Salve, Pickles

Middle Shelf - apple sauce, salmon, broth 

Bottom Shelf - apple sauce, beans, pickles, salmon, green beans, beets, blueberries (foraged at Hatcher's pass), broth, peas, coleslaw

This shelf has zucchini relish, zucchini pickles and shredded zucchini...and there is another 12 quarts of apple sauce here and across the room....

It certainly isn't ALL we would have liked to put up; but the garden DID produce much more than it has in former years. 

We ended the evening watching the new Mulan. We liked it.