The Ranch

We spent the long 24th of July weekend with the Torgerson family at The Ranch.  The kids were so excited that their Pennsylvania cousins were coming to town.  And that they would probably get new matching jammies.  They were not disappointed.

We loved the pool.  (Well, everyone else did.  I got stung by a bee in the pool.  Not my favorite.)

But all of us loved the family time.

Some of us did makeup.  (And some of us barely combed our hair or changed our clothes because we were at the cabin...)

The porch swings are everyone's favorite at The Ranch.  And the porch itself is the perfect setting for endless games of cornhole.  

Oh, and Jason spent an awful lot of time talking about concerts he wants to have at The Ranch.  I never could quite figure out how he was going to convince big-name artists to come give private concerts at a family cabin in a small canyon east of Nephi, Utah.  But he's got a vision - and definitely the dance moves to go along with his dream.

Mickey especially loved having his photographer aunts close by for several days.  This kid loves pictures.  Of himself.

Welcome Eli Vaughn!

 

I woke up on Sunday, July 5th, to an unexpected text that baby Eli had arrived.  Not that Tay and Heather were headed to the hospital or that Eli was on his way.  He was here!!!  Heather is known for speedy deliveries - but this one really took the cake.  Eli waited a whole 15 minutes to be born after Heather had been checked into the hospital.  She woke up at 5 am feeling contractions - and Eli was born at 6:48 am.  6 lbs 12 oz of absolute cuteness.  And rather perfect timing.

Think his siblings were excited to meet him?  They were.

Carly even put on her hedgehog costume to greet him, so you know it was a big day.

Taylor really wanted to name the baby Elton.  He didn't win - but I can't say that he lost either.  "I remember when rock was young..."

Meeting baby Eli, social distancing-style.  Which I can't say is my favorite way to meet a newborn nephew (honestly, I am hoping to actually meet him sometime before he graduates from college) but we do what we have to do in a pandemic.  Even Aunt Traci.  Although she does not like it.  One bit.

She does love a newborn baby boy in overalls though.  Welcome to the world, Eli Vaughn! 

Birdies

 

Sadly, our hummingbird nest did not survive another spring, what with the wind, earthquake and (most importantly) an attack by other birds determined to bring it down.  I was sitting by the kitchen window, at my makeshift home office, and had a front row seat while a robin picked the last pieces of my hummingbird nest apart.  Jason was particularly mad that the robins then destroyed the netting in our rain gutters - all the netting in our rain gutters - and used one little piece almost as a decoration to make their own nest in the front yard.  I guess that's nature.

We loved the bright turquoise eggs, and it was fun to watch those eggs become little baby robins - from a distance.  Here's the thing about robins.  When they have newborn babies in the nest, they are mean and they are LOUD.  Jason risked life and limb to get the one-and-only picture below of the newborns.  He narrowly escaped being pecked to death when he climbed up the ladder to snap this picture.  We didn't risk that again, as mama and papa bird were not happy that he dared to get that close.  For the two or so weeks that we had newborn robins in our front tree, anytime we walked outside, even innocently, to get the mail, the birds went into a screaming frenzy and we instinctively covered our heads for safety.  No joke.  Robins are mean.  I wasn't as sorry when the baby robins left the nest as I always am when my hummingbirdies leave.  But it was fun and interesting to watch.  

St. George

Our goal for "the summer of Covid" was to have one thing for the kids (and their restless parents) to look forward to every month.  There's been so much we can't do - plays, concerts, shopping - that we've had to work hard to focus on the things we can do.  Side note:  I mean really.  Is it even summer if I can't see Ryan Shupe in concert at an outdoor fair, churro and lemonade in hand?

But we've made do.  Haha.  Our adventure for June was St. George.  Mickey and Dahlia drove down with Kaylene and spent a week being spoiled by Grandma and Scott.

Bike ride to Pine Valley - where I really want to go next time I'm in Southern Utah.  Don't these pictures look awesome?  This is also where Mickey fell in love with motorized bikes.  He put over 100 miles on Kaylene's bike the rest of the week, riding around looking at luxury homes in St. George.

My little slice of heaven in St. George is the hammock by the pool, with a book, the umbrella, and the water misters going, of course.  

Although, new puppy Zeus had other plans for anyone who tried to sit down outside.  Seriously, this dog has more energy than any toddler - and he is HUGE.  I kind of wish I had video of me trying to read by the pool and Zeus trying to kill me.  We would have gone viral.

Mickey and Dahlia spent most of their week in the pool  Dahlia especially is a little fish.  She had no trouble talking her Dad into swimming with her when Jason and I arrived for the weekend.

We also went on the best hike - and by hike I mean 5 minute walk to some amazing slot canyons.  This is my kind of hiking (especially in 100+ degree heat) - minimal effort with maximum views.    Mickey calls the pictures we took on this adventure our "M&M pictures."  I don't see it.

 

This last picture was a perfect Father's Day tribute for Jason, our fearless leader.  We drove home on Sunday.  I was afraid we might have to drag Mickey from Grandma's house kicking and screaming.  You can see why the kids love it down there.  Not pictured is Grandma bringing them soda and a snack while they were swimming in the pool.  They don't get that kind of service anywhere else, I can tell you that.

Gifts

Quarantine (day one million and counting) continues.  Luckily, there have been some bright spots.  Mickey and Dahlia got me an early Mother's Day gift this weekend.  I love my new yard flag, especially the hummingbirds.  It's so pretty.

My sister sent me this beautiful puzzle of one of my favorite spots on earth - Mount Rainier.  It was such a fun distraction.  But now I REALLY want to go there.  Maybe someday we'll be able to travel again.  Sigh.

Jason got out his high school yearbooks, which I don't think I'd ever seen before.  It was such a good time.  Look how cute he is.  

Speaking of Jason, he has been SO busy at work (apparently people in quarantine sit at home on their computers and order area rugs online, among other things that are probably more essential).  Some thoughtful people on his route have left little treats, and someone left him a roll of toilet paper and a package of wipes, which are hot items right now.  My favorite part was that it was all wrapped up in cellophane with a bow.  How bored are people that they are wrapping toilet paper with a pretty bow?

Happy Easter

Easter seemed especially poignant this year, in the midst of so much fear and loss and temporary separation throughout the world.  I was touched to see all the flowers at the cemetery.  A little bit of hope and love, centered on The One who came to make all the wrong things right.  He lives.

Random Thoughts From Home

It occurred to me today (Day 19 - feels like Day 319) of the "stay safe, stay home" chapter we are currently living through, that blogging might be a good outlet for me.  Due to the coronavirus, we are in the midst of a global pandemic.  Words like quarantine, social distance, isolation, and COVID-19 have quickly become part of our culture.  I'm on my third straight week of working from home, church has been cancelled indefinitely, school is out until at least May, and we're asked/mandated to "shelter in place" except for essential work and grocery store shopping.  It is a crazy time and, even a month ago, would have been completely unthinkable. 

Jason was on his yearly Brothers Trip to Las Vegas when things went from "we're hearing a lot about coronavirus on the news - should we be worried?" to "absolutely, completely nuts."  He sent me this eerie picture from a casino.  The Pac-12 basketball games had just been cancelled mid-tournament, March Madness became March Sadness, and the NBA cancelled its season all in the same day.  Jason was alone at the sports desk because, just like that, there were no sports.  It was weird, and unsettling, although things really became real for me that night when Tom Hanks was diagnosed with the virus.  Because if it can happen to Tom Hanks, it can happen to anyone. 

So we spend our time (all our time) at home these days.  I read books.  

This was a surprisingly good one.  Jill Biden is my new favorite.

    

The first few days, Rooney followed me around like (you guessed it) a puppy dog.  It is his dream come true to have me home all the time.  The novelty seems to have worn off some though, and now he spends most of his time pleasantly lounging wherever he pleases and letting me know whenever he'd like a snack.

Jason has been his usual, level-headed self.  He's loved watching the crazies go nuts stocking up on toilet paper.  His work routine for Fed Ex has generally stayed the same, although people seem to be buying more dog food and exercise equipment.  He stays calm and (not surprisingly for anyone who knows us) I keep things interesting by behaving unpredictably from day-to-day.  Sometimes I stick to a strict work-at-home schedule and make nutritious meals  Sometimes I work out on our treadmill (which I've been so grateful for) and spend hours wiping down cupboards and cleaning out the fridge  And then some days it's all I can do to sleep and watch movies and order take-out for Jason to pick up for our dinner.  But all the days I wear pajamas and I've been proving my theory that my now naturally-curly hair really does do something dramatically different every time it air dries on its own.  Fact: It is nice not to have to do my hair and makeup every day. 

It is also super nice to get pictures of my adorable nieces and nephews.

Theo came to visit one day and I loved watching him play tether ball.  I call this picture, "What Could Go Wrong?"  Luckily, he did not smack himself in the head, too hard, with the ball.

Rooney, or my little earthquake buddy, as I now call him (oh yeah - on Wednesday of the first week of my stay-at-home adventure, we had a 5.7 earthquake.  Things fell off the walls, everything was shaking, and I don't think I'll ever forget the sound).  Anyway, Rooney has been loving this little bunny we got from an Arctic Circle kids meal on a much-needed milkshake run.  

One last thought.  The weirdest thing for me is that we don't know when the "urgent/isolation" phase of the pandemic will end, so for now we are home indefinitely.  I have learned that puzzles are not a great substitute for work friends when you need a little break, but they do help.  And I've been grateful every day for a comfortable house with lots of nice things and that I genuinely like the people who live here (which mostly is me, Jason, and the kids).  So we'll keep on taking one day at a time and see what adventure is next.