WOW. How has one month flown by since I posted last?! Emphasize the flown part. I think I blinked and we’ve come this far into Spring already? I’m amazed by the fact + thrilled to finally be sitting down here again to document what’s been up with life. Let’s jump back to February…
My Ryan turned 30. Thirty!!! He wanted a chill day with his girls, which ended up including a beach run with a surf sesh. The night was beautiful and we all fell for San Diego for the hundredth time (we love our sunny city so, so much).
He and I also went to the BYU vs. SDSU basketball game downtown after the girls went to bed, and that was the cherry on top for my basketball lover’s day. Made me so happy to see him so happy. The game was a blast, too. I’ve been changing my ways and coming around to enjoying watching more sports, especially bball, since my Ryan may never get a boy to be into sports with him, and let’s just say that Ryan likes the new me! I do, too. 😉
This was a big one — Aunt Elise came to town!!
She called us one Sunday evening and said that the following Sunday she wanted to come stay and hang for a week, and she couldn’t have picked a better time! Olivia was out of school that week, and having her around to play with was so major. Ryan was living at the firm then (actually, he’d been living at the firm for the last few weeks), so having her there for me was major, too. We love you, Aunt Elise!!! Come back! 🙂
Ryan and I went to the Simply On Purpose workshop which was exciting for me as much as it was enlightening for us – I was the local coordinator for the workshop, so I’d been working on putting it together since October. I got to work hand-in-hand with Stephanie, Ralphie’s assistant, and was so blessed by getting to know Stephanie (she was unbelievably put together and and efficient, I was so inspired by her)! And learning from Ralphie (that lady in the center there!) on the day-of was awesome. Leading out on a big project was something I haven’t done in a long time and I loved it. It resurrected a little part of my soul! One of my responsibilities was to put together a team of volunteers to run the workshop on the day-of, and my friends below saved the day there. I love these women below. They’re solid and fun and spending a day with them was a treat for me.
Emmy + Chloe! They’re getting closer and closer as Chloe’s getting older and I love it. So do they…
…I promise (hahah, bless you, patient Chloe).
Claire’s been into making charcuterie plates lately…
Claire is so drawn to creating, and she dips her toes into everything she can, from art projects to cooking meals to her custom charcuterie plates. And she loves gifting what she makes, which is why no custom plate from Claire is complete without a picnic. Claire has a magic touch – she can turn anything ordinary into something extraordinary and has eyes for beauty. It’s amazing. I’ve told Ryan before that we should be ready to support our Claire on a non-traditional path after high school. Sis may be a professional artist in some field (or two) and if/when she is, I won’t be surprised in the least.
Olivia found these First-Aid instructional booklets while I was cleaning the car one Saturday, and sister dug into them. She inhaled them – she was so absorbed that Claire even turned to me and asked, “Why is she reading those?” haha – and then Olivia herself turned to me and said, “Mom, you know what? I love learning about the body so much.”
“Really?” I replied, even though this was no surprise to me (Olivia loves human biology and anatomy – she always has). “Maybe you’ll be a doctor!”
“A doctor?!” Then she let out the most ecstatic cheer and said, “A doctor!!! YES! I’m going to be a doctor!” Olivia is so drawn to asking questions and pushing limits till she has the best answers and reaching solutions (plus she’s a perfectionist and a creative problem-solver), I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if she became an incredible doctor one day. Mm, my sweet girl! Makes me happy thinking about her bright future.
And then there’s my Emmy, with her bright future ahead of her in cosmetology school…
Hahah, can you see that swift SNIP across her head?? That girl! Honestly I’m surprised a personal cut hasn’t happened sooner with Miss E. She likes to push limits, too, and is so fast and furious in everything she does. I barely had time to think before she had snagged the scissors and cut her hair there. If Emmy doesn’t become a pro athlete to an extent I’ll be surprised. She was recently at the park with a friend and they started running towards the playground when suddenly – after a gear shifted ON in her head and her eyes lit up with a fire, I watched it happen – she sprinted ahead of her friend and ran with the fastest little legs till she reached the park. And when she arrived before her friend, she threw her hands in the air and yelled, “I am the CHAMPYUN!!!” I died. Competitive, strong Emmy, yes, you are the champion.
And my Chloe!!! She is in love with me. Super attached and super darling and I couldn’t be more attached in return. Chloe has started crawling and walking is on the horizon, and my heart hates the reality of it all – my baby!!! – but my back loves it. Sis is sooooo chhhhhuuuuuunkyyyy. She is delicious and heavy and I am head-over-heels for her in every single way.
Last but not least, we went to Disneyland!! Three times! We jumped on the SoCal resident, 3-day admission deal this year and we’re so glad we did. You know how some experiences with your kids just stop time? There were moments of our Disney days that were straight-up magical. The lights in the girls’ eyes at the attractions and characters that were just so real in their minds…there were two distinct times when I was left breathless by the light in their eyes and the sheer joy in their voices because of it all. Ryan and I turned to each other at one point and just said, “Take all our money, Disney. Fine!!! You win!” hahah. Seriously, though, props to the palpable feeling of magic created by Walt Disney way back when, and props to the people that have kept it alive. All of it made one little family very happy.
Here are some favorite shots from our three rendezvous with the magical destiny that is all-things Disney…
We had a good time. And we’re grateful we could sneak in our Disney days before the Corona virus craze shut it all down. This post has covered the last month, but “life lately” in this last week has been more than wild. COVID-19 is, truly, insane. How it has turned the entire globe upside down in a matter of weeks is unbelievable. It’s scary. The unforeseeable future it is molding with its lack of mercy and unstoppable pace is scary. I haven’t felt any legitimate anxiety over it, which is a relief, but I do wonder what the world in its wake will look like. Different, no doubt. Very, very different. For now, I really am relieved that I feel okay about the new chapter of living that this pandemic has introduced us to. There are lots of unknowns, and I imagine that there will be a lot of growing pains as we all adjust, but why think about what has yet to be? I’ll take today, thank you — my sunny, San Diego, quarantined day with my four girls and my working-from-home husband. We’re healthy. Disheveled and questioning but also healthy and hopeful. Life could be worse and, ultimately (as always!) all will be well.
xoxo
