Covid

Corey has COVID. My family told me that in the news they reported that there's been a late summer covid wave going around. Corey's been feeling ill since Saturday and he thought it might be covid (an in-law tested positive last week at Park City). So after attending to Corey all Saturday, Sunday, and all day today, I finally remembered that I had two at home tests! I bought these for Wes when he went to India. So let's find out! 11:00 at night, I got the test out, didn't read the instructions, followed the QR code to the video, followed the steps shown there, and after a 15 min wait, there were two lines. There were two lines in the first minute, but it said to NOT READ THE RESULTS until 15 minutes, so we watched it and waited to see if the results would magically change to something else. It's very similar looking to another test people take. I teased "You are definitely pregnant..." 

I told him hey - this is exciting, cause it's the first time someone in our house has had covid! Joseph got it in Dec 2020, but he was at BYU, so that counts for our family but not for our house. So I feel a little bit guilty for having been so irritated that he's been sick and I've had to attend to him - you really are sick sweetheart, I'm sorry I thought it was just another man cold. He's so lucky - I joked to him that now he gets to live my dream - to be isolated in a room all day with people staying away. I'm sure there will be a few interruptions from kids, and I'm going to still be coming and going. Katharine will need diaper changes and a bath and stuff. Plus maybe she's already had covid? Cause Corey started feeling sick last Saturday morning and Katharine had been sick with a fever for two days before that on Thurs and Friday of last week. Whether she had covid or something else, she's definitely been exposed since she was sleeping in the bed with us at Park City. I'm not worried about myself, cause I've got some internal belief that "I don't get sick." (Cold showers, baby!) 

Sunday Snapshots

A few snapshots from church today: Pete saying a prayer in his class - 

A slide from Sunday School that inspired me to do better: 

"How do we feel the Holy Ghost? Read the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon bears witness of Jesus Christ like no other in print. The Book of Mormon is palpable evidence that Joseph Smith was a prophet." I want to do better (be more consistent) at reading the Book of Mormon everyday. I need to make a time and a place that I read. I need to make it a habit. Here's how my attempt went today:

This cute little bully came and stole my book and my red marking pencil. She is skilled at making simple things more challenging to accomplish. 

I'm glad that Katharine's feeling better. Her fever is gone. Corey's still sick. I'm struggling a bit with life at the moment. I want to do better at running our home but don't know how. I was feeling this way over two years ago (Our home = soccer stadium post) and I'm sure many other times before and since then. Yet here I am once again. Have I progressed? Am I learning anything? Is this just the struggle of life? Sigh. Sometimes I feel like it's the same old story of chaos and having a messy basement. I read a post on facebook by Worldschool Family about families that don't have a system. I know advertisers try to create a problem and then show how they are the solution to it, but even without this ad, I do feel/am aware that a smoothly running system is lacking in our home. I took a screen shot to help me follow up on myself to do something.

"Systems help your children learn adult skills. No need to nag, argue, or punish when you have a good system in place. Those chores you HATE - someone else can do them with good systems. ...Systems allow me to do WAY more than otherwise possible while remaining way LESS stressed than otherwise likely." There is a lot that we can improve upon, but I know there are also ways that we are doing pretty good, esp considering all that is on our plate. At scriptures tonight, Corey's been in our room most of the day, but the kids came in to talk to him for a bit before bed. 

Family scriptures and prayer is one thing that we're doing pretty ok at. I hope to add upon that with more good things. Summer vacation is almost over. I don't know if kids being in school will help or hinder my efforts. But it's coming whether I like it or not. I will enjoy these last two weeks of summer and we'll do our best to face the school year when it gets here.

One More Cake

Today was our last day at Park City. We left around 3pm and I am feeling unfulfilled with how it ended. We didn't do all the trails that I had hoped. There were a few days of rain, but it's also cause Corey woke up not feeling well, and Katharine has been sick for a few days... I couldn't be selfish and leave sick Corey to care for sick Katharine and all the other kids while I went biking, so I didn't go, and thus am feeling kinda bummed. I'm sad that we didn't go up to Guardsman and do Scotty's Bypass, and that we didn't take MidMountain down at all this week either. I think I could go biking all day and not get tired of it. I'm feeling a bit conflicted wondering what is the purpose of life. I guess I am sometimes a little satisfied after a ride, but if I could go longer I would. If I didn't have anything to come back to, I'd be out there all day. So I guess it's good I have a family to care for, or I'd just recreate all the time and would probably turn into a self centered person. Sigh. So here we are back home. Owen's birthday was last week, but we were busy with the funeral, and gone all this week, so today Owen's extended birthday celebration had it's final hurrah with a cake and more presents from my mom. She got a fancy "8" candle, and something fun about that - 

It was a sparkler!!

Owen was excited to have new Pokemon cards ~

And a Pokemon shirt

Happy birthday Owen. He's been a good sport. I'll try to follow his example. I will strive to not let my unsettled feelings about biking ruin the upcoming week or make me resentful as I tend to the sick people around here. 

Realmoji from Peter to Mel today before we left Park City, he's cute.

Provo River and Jordanelle

The party continues in Park City! There has been a little bit more rain, but we've been able to accommodate. It was raining yesterday morning, so unfortunately we did not get out for a ride. It had cleared up by the afternoon, which made the plan to go float down the Provo River a go. The kids all went with Mark, Nancy, and Corey to the Provo River. Joseph and Nancy drove down in Mark's jeep, and Daniel thought that was pretty fun!

Katharine taking a turn at the wheel. 

I stayed at the hotel with Katharine and took it easy. Eating some red vines... 

We did take a little walk to release our 5th butterfly. Taking a walk along the city bike path under a bridge - doing a little photo shoot with this guy before he leaves.

We walked all the way to the Marriott Summit Watch, and were on our way back to the city park again before he found a spot he liked. We said goodbye and then walked back to the room.

Today Katharine has had a bit of a fever, and Corey volunteered to stay with her and let me go on a ride. I went to HAM, 1 hour 22 min, 7.33 miles, it was muddy. Then, since Corey was gone so long yesterday at the river, today he stayed in the room to work while I took all the kids to Jordanelle. 

We sat under the canopy and ate redvines and crackers while we watched the kids play - 

Went to the car to nurse Katharine - she's still not feeling very good and was very clingy (and very cute)

I came back to the room one time - I took L and S back with Alix, then back to the reservoir. K fell asleep in the car during that ride, so I saw my chance to escape momentarily - I got in my swimsuit and went on the water cause I had promised Peter. Joseph kept an eye on K while Peter and I went out on the paddleboard. We saved Daniel and a friend on sinking chairs, took forever to paddle them in. Then I played in the water a bit more with my niece - we tried doing headstands on the paddleboards. I'm sure we looked ridiculous but it was fun. I left Jordanelle with Peter and Katharine before dinner, Natalie Owen and Daniel stayed with Mark. They had a lot of fun playing in the water. Owen especially was a good little sailor on the water! Back at the room, the sun clock was tickin' - we put Lily in charge of Katharine and Corey and I escaped for an evening ride - it was less muddy that this morning, we did a repeat of HAM, 7.39 miles, 1 hour 12 min. My time was almost a min faster than on Monday! Now it's time for bed - on our last night up here in Park City. Peter all snuggled in and ready for bed.

The kids love coming up here, and Corey and I do too! I hope we get out in the morning and maybe another ride before we leave tomorrow. 

Update: Here are some of their pics from floating down the Provo River!

I'll have to get them to give me details of the event...

I think there were a few scares, like someone flipped? but I can't remember who and why (possibly having battles in their kayaks). 

Lounging Around

Waking up in the morning and looking to see how the boys are sleeping always makes me smile. Peter with Daniel's hand on his head. 

I wouldn't be able to sleep with that. Well, maybe if it was Katharine's hand I'd think it was kinda cute. So check - boys are still sleeping, let's gooooo! 

Joseph joined us on a ride this morning. At 8:40 we were at the Jennis' & Loose Moose intersection, and that's where Joseph headed back down. He got his hour of cardio, that was good for him. Corey and I kept going up. There were a lot of clouds and mists on the mountains - 

We imagined we were biking in some tropical jungle in Costa Rica. We made it all the way to The Montage! It was so pretty and smelled so nice! I wanted to take the trail back down, but we had been gone for kinda long and Corey had to get to work (we started late) so we took the road. That was much faster, but I was sad to miss the fun descent. Oh well, we have time to get it later. I found a little bird in the gutter on the side of the road on our ride. It looked fine, poor thing! I picked it up and put it in the brush. 

Good to be in nature. We had one male butterfly emerge today. I took it down to the park like the females from yesterday, but first I went to show it off to the kids. Peter with the butterfly ~

Showing it to Lily by the pool on my way out - 

I was carrying Katharine with me to the park, and on my way NODP all wanted to join me. They didn't have shoes on, and I didn't want to help them get shoes or wait for them, so they came as they were, which complicated it a little bit as we went down the metal stairs with holes!

K took a nap after we got back. So while she slept, I registered kids for school & figured out Churchill carpool while Corey watched the kids at the pool. We are always texting back and forth to see who has who. Sophi Lily and Peter were in Wayne's room watching Mark Rober. They still haven't been willing to go on a ride, and we don't want to fight over it. Now I just got back from my turn watching kids at the pool, C's been working in room. Lily is hiding somewhere, watching tv or reading. Corey took a break and has the kids at the Mine eating otter pops. 

Cute Peter with purple lips. 

Playing Twister

The Mine is a nice feature for kids and adults. It's changed over the years. 10 years ago it was carpeted and a bit more loungy. The way they have it now is good though. Corey working behind them. 

We have enough places to lounge here. Good to have a hard floor. 

Peter going for left on red! Go Peter!!

Typical PC Day

This morning before we went on a ride at 7am, I checked on the boys and got a little laugh at how they were sleeping - human tetris!

Corey and I started off Day 2 at PC with another ride. We didn't go up to MidMountain today, but stopped at HAM and started down. I just love HAM. It is so pretty on the way down in that little corner canyon, sigh. Then we continued down on Spiro. My lower Armstrong time today was 13:28 (2nd place - close to yesterday!) and beat my times last year with a PR for Dawns to HAM 19:30. I got an achievement on 12 segments out of 13 total! Only one I didn't get was the Silverspur to Armstrong, but we are just catching our breath there, since you have to bike straight up the ski hill face to get to Silverspur. I used to really struggle with my sanity at Park City, but biking has cured all of that, yay. I think Corey and I could settle down here in Park City someday. 

We were grateful to Wayne for helping us make it out on a ride, by him taking it upon himself to get Wesley off on High Adventure. I don't know where they are going (Wyoming or Montana?) but they picked up Wes on their way, so Wayne took him to the McDonald's at Kimball Junction to get picked up. Wes will be there the rest of the week. With all the snow from this past winter and plenty of rain from spring and summer, they said the mosquitos are really bad. I told Wes I'd pray for him to not be eaten alive. They left at 6:14 to be there at 6:30.

After we got back, I did a few Pacific Rim things, like hollow and superman. The boys saw me and I challenged them to join.

They kinda can't help themselves if you start counting - it's like they hurry into position with an "Okay okay!! I'm doing it!" 

Then we side to side stretches with our legs out and of our feet touching each other. Corey and I hope we can stay young an nimble enough that we are able to keep up with these boys for the next 15 years as we raise them! Another thing I did today in keeping that hope alive was stretching with my nieces Jordyn and Alix. They are both flexible, Jordyn from ballet and Alix from tumbling. We googled some different couples yoga poses and tried them. I was impressed.

I was able to do a few. We were doing this in Grandpa's room and Natalie came over an joined us. 

She's such a flexible little thing. My goal is to be able to do a back bend like Natalie. 

We did one thing where I picked her up like a purse as she held onto her feet. We did it briefly but didn't catch it on camera. Natalie's funny cause she does this heaving/grunting or yelling when he's in position.

So that was fun. What else... I have a few caterpillars at home that I set up with plenty of milkweed, and they should be good until we return on Saturday. And I had 5 chrysalides that I thought would come out Sunday morning, but they didn't. I offered them to my mom but she said she's too busy with work to be able to love them, so instead of giving them away to anyone else, I just brought them up here. Two females came out today. I took them around to share with cousins and inlaws.

Then down to the pool to show the kids. I was able to hold a little "show and tell" event as other people walked by and wanted to see what we had found! Haha, didn't find them here... I brought them from home. Yes, I find the eggs on milkweed in our yard and foster them. It was fun to share. 

When they started to try out flying, I decided to take them to the park on main street. I didn't want them to accidentally fly into the pool or hot tubs as they got used to their wings. One of them flew up high on a power pole as we walked down the stairs. The other one made it to the park, and I did a little photo shoot with her on different lilies - red, pink, orange and yellow. 

I love butterflies! Such a pretty lady.

After a few minutes she flew up high in a tree. Then I went back to the hotel, we did our yoga stuff, and I've been blogging a bit, trying to catch up on past months. The little boys are having fun swimming and it's nice having so many older kids and cousins to watch them when I don't want to go again. The teenage girls keep watching tv - searching for and finding the tv remote controls that I hid and they go in their room and watch Miraculous Ladybug. I admit that I have not given that show a chance. It just looks too stupid. And it probably doesn't help that the girls are sooo giddy and excited about it. They love Cat Noir, and I refuse to get excited about a young teenage animated boy superhero. A trailer was recently released for a "Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie" yaaay. So I'm annoyed that they keep sneaking and watching stupid miraculous stuff and won't go biking, so even though obscene amounts of television watching is kinda part of the Park City tradition, I have now locked the remotes in the safe and they are grounded from tv. We went swimming but I don't take pictures of that when I'm actually swimming with them. Sometimes it's good to just be present and let the memory suffice. Katharine is cute in the pool.