2021 :: week 17

April 18

The local families gathered at my parent's house for dinner on Sunday evening for the first time in over a month. It was fun to have most of the cousins together again. It was a gorgeous evening and the kids ate their dessert on the back porch. The weather was so nice that Anthony and I went for a walk around the neighborhood after putting the kids went to bed. We walked for over an hour discussing church and other things.

April 19

It used to be just Will who would play catch with Anthony, but now all the kids head outside to play catch or do other baseball/softball drills with dad after dinner. It made me smile to see the everyone outside playing when I arrived home after going to water aerobics. Matt Ross started offering water aerobics classes last week and it felt SO GOOD when I went this week for the first time in over a year. I missed the pool, the teachers and the classmates who became friends over the past eight years. I stayed after class for about fifteen minutes catching up and it filled my cup with joy.

April 20

April Fools! When we woke up to snow on Tuesday morning I was surprised, even though it had been on the forecast for about a week. It was humid and wet and didn't really feel all that cold, but did accumulate almost two inches on the grass. By the time the kids got home from school it was 75% melted and the next day it was entirely gone. April snow doesn't really bother me because you know it isn't going to stick around very long. Will was bummed because his baseball game was cancelled due to muddy fields. 

April 21

Lauren and Will have piano on Wednesday afternoon and this week they found out they both got high marks on the MAMA festival pieces! Lauren was especially proud because it was her first time entering. Will played The Knight's Tale and A Mingus Among Us while Lauren played Ping Pong and Start Your Engines. Will also aced his theory exam.

April 22

Thursday was the busiest night of the week for us. Will and Lauren have baseball and softball practice at the same time but in different places, and Anthony had a bishop's council. Thanks to help from Will's baseball coach we were able to make everything work. Lately I have been feeling so grateful for the community we live in and the village of people around us that make life better. I am especially grateful for the adults who coach the teams our kids play on. They dedicate a lot of time to helping the kids learn, improve and have fun. Elliott, Miles and I had fun visiting and playing with siblings and parents of Lauren's teammates during practice.

April 23

On Friday night my parents watched the grandkids for two hours while the adults gathered at our house to solve a case. My friend Lindsey passed along an Unsolved Case File and we got to work figuring out who Jane Doe was, how she got to the island and who was her killer. It was a lot of fun, and we are already planning on doing another one next month.

April 24

The kids played outside most of the day, which is the best way to spend a Saturday in my opinion. I snapped this picture of the entire 101st Street gang doing the "Trampoline Conga," but they played catch, basketball, soccer, house and rock store too. In the morning Will and I went with Dana to Suburban Lawn & Garden and spent a small fortune on plants. In the evening Anna babysat so Anthony and I could go on a date. Spring always feels like an awakening, and that feeling is extra strong as the world is slowly starting to awaken from the social distancing imposed by Covid-19.