For Mother's Day this year I asked for a family day.  So the Saturday before, Russ and I decided to take the kids to Dismals Canyon for a little day hike experience.  Before we left, Russ and the kids went ahead and gave me some Mother's Day treats - some homemade cards and a priceless video Russ had worked so hard to put together!  It was the PERFECT gift!  Russ and I typically don't do big gifts for each other.  We may, on occasion, go overboard.  But overall, a homemade gift is as good as a diamond necklace.

Because of quarantine, the cafe and bathrooms were closed.  So I wasn't sure how this would end up. But we took our lunches and made sure everyone took a bathroom break before we left town.

Russ called to find out about registration (you are supposed to fill out the form at home, but we were out of ink in the printer), the lady told him that they have been over double capacity since quarantine started.  When their numbers are usually around 300...they had been at 1000 the previous count.  We parked down the road because the parking lot was full.  But once we got signed in, it didn't seem crowded at all!

There were plenty of side climbs and distractions for us all to get off the trail and find our own fun.  Of course, Smith wanted to explore every single dangerous looking nook and cranny.  So we let him.  Ha!

We took our shoes off and waded in the freezing water, climbed rocks, and squeezed between logs.  We saw families of all ages.  One grandfather even brought his own tailgate chair to set up when he needed to rest every once in a while.  While he rested, the grandkids played and climbed wherever they stopped.

After a couple hours or so, we decided to head back toward the entrance.  Except we weren't real sure where that was.  We had ventured a little too far from the path.  After climbing over and under and across logs, water, and rocks...we eventually found our way back to the trail.  

It was a gorgeous day for a day at Dismals Canyon!  My heart was full, and I think the whole family enjoyed the day.  Smith was certainly in his element.  Millie Janalee was a trooper and made it at least halfway before complaining.

Sunday morning, we enjoyed watching church online and taking the morning slow.  Kristin and Lee hosted the family for the afternoon, and Kristin prepared a delicious dinner for us all to enjoy.  I think this may have been the first time the whole family had eaten together since the pandemic began.  And it was delicious! Lots of laughs and lots of talking...which probably meant lots of interruptions and half conversations. 

It was a Happy Mother's Day filled with family!  Exactly what I asked for!

Quarantine Reading Time

The last few months, I have gotten back into reading for pleasure.  I have found many fantastic books I love, and it puts me in such a good headspace when I can escape into someone else's world.  There were some days I looked at Russ after dealing with something outside our home and said, "I just need to escape into a book for a little while."  I have found it refreshing.  I also love to hold a book in my hand.  I'm not someone who can read on my phone or iPad or Kindle.  I want to fold the corner of the page to hold my place and see how far I have to go or how far I've come in the book.  So I have frequented Barnes and Noble, made several Amazon orders, and borrowed some from friends.

Over spring break, I finished 3 books, and when quarantine began I just knew I would be reading through my others so fast.  But that was wrong.  As it turns out, when your kids are home 24/7...there isn't really any extra time.  Schooling, tidying up, fixing lunches, and trying to make this time a positive memory to look back on takes more time than I expected.  Occasionally, I was able to steal some time to work on whatever book I was reading at the time.

I joined Goodreads at the suggestion of a friend, and I decided I was going to read 2 books a month. I know that's a joke for some of you who read 2 books a week. Ha! So far, I have finished 12 since January, so I'd say I'm on track!  I also love browsing other friends' book reviews and get ideas for future reads.

The weather during this pandemic has been amazing overall!!  So many days to sit outside and enjoy a good book!  Russ and my brother satisfied my request for a firepit in our back yard, so I finished my last book out there, and it was so peaceful!  If it feels too good outside, I station my kids on the porch for school while I read.

 

Let me think of some of my recent favorites...

1. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is one of my favorites.  It is a heavy one.  It takes place during WWII.  It follows two sisters in France trying to resist the German occupation of France.  If you love historical fiction...pick this up ASAP!!
2.  Firefly Lane and Fly Away by Kristin Hannah is another good story!  Fly Away is the sequel to Firefly Lane.  Firefly Lane begins in the 70's and works it's way to present day as it follows the friendship of two women.  By the time I finished Firefly Lane I was bawling.  So, of course, I needed to find out what happened next...and I picked up Fly Away.  
3. Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen is a book I recommend every woman read!  There is a small group of five of us who meet for Bible study once a week.  We had just started this new book when the Coronavirus hit.  Talk about timing!  There have been tears, laughs, and lots of deep discussions surrounding these chapters.  I recommend downloading her free book club kit on her website and listening to the podcasts that go along with each week.  I almost feel like I need a refresher once a year. 

 Right now, I have a couple books going.  One of them is on Audible.  I have started Mrs. Kennedy and Me, and I am enjoying it so far.  I am so intrigued by Jackie O.  It is written by her former secret service agent.  Right now, it is following the timeline of his service beginning with his assignment, the birth of John, their travels, and interesting insight behind the scenes.  I'm only just starting, so the verdict is still out.  But I have heard it's a good one!

I am looking forward to the rest of my book picks too!  I have a stack of books to read, but I keep buying more and pushing the ones I have to the side.  It's becoming a problem.