Planning to Be Forty and Fabulous...and Then We Were Hit

Finally a new year has arrived!  January came with promise of a an end to lockdowns and restrictions and mandates...and yet January 1 did not really make any drastic movements from December 31st.  At least we can say 2020 is behind us and those things we are hoping for, will come...please pray it is this year! Vaccines are just around the corner for us and I am sure that will help.  The church now moves youth into their classes and does ordinations at the beginning of the calendar year, so Grant got to start 2021 becoming a priest!  He is really excited and it was neat to have him set apart in our home with just us and a member of the bishopric.  With church being in our living room currently, he can get some good practice in before blessing the sacrament in front of a ward.  We are hoping he will be able to brush those luscious locks aside and read the prayers when he is doing it in an actual chapel.  The boy has some serious hair right now.  

 

Even though we have not been able to meet on Sundays with our ward, we have been able to do some youth activities in person, which is so nice.  We did a very special one this month providing bereavement boxes to our local hospital's labor and delivery department.  

The boxes were filled with blankets, bracelets, a little cap and note for the mothers and families in the case that they lose their baby.  I hope it is something that sticks with everyone who helped! I know I will think about it often.  

 Because I am now a district employee, I started working at the vaccine clinics the school district was providing to the employees.  It was nice to be substitute then-I felt like I was a part of something big and exciting!  Modern medicine is a miracle!  Thank heavens it is too, so that when the McArthur skin cancer genes turn on...

a doctor can recognize it and dig it right now.  David joined his brothers and father in some little basal cell experience.  It was a quick and easy procedure that will leave a somewhat gnarly scar.  

In and out and after a scan, he will be confirmed cancer free and looking like he had a minor run in with a ferocious feline.  Dave's doctor reassured him that after a "sanding" kind of process his money maker will have a hardly noticeable line.  We are glad!

This beauty received a student of the month award and was so happy to have her very own picture with the principal!

Of course this happened on a day that she had an ortho appointment and she wasn't there when they called her name and highlighted her for grades and being dependable...we were probably out getting a treat as we drove home.  Haha!

All through the month we were preparing for my big day-the day I entered the 40's club, a new decade, a new era for me.  Big plans had been rearranged (a canceled trip to Hawaii due to covid restrictions and actually me wanting to stay close and somewhere cold).  I had the dream trip planned- a posh Deer Valley hotel.  Well, just over a week before I was going to kick off my perfect celebration, Grant came home from swimming saying he was not hungry at all and was actually really tired.  He went straight to his room and went to sleep, holding his purchased but uneaten Subway sandwich.  When he woke up he had a super high fever-103.  And then we were were freaking out- thinking Corona virus finally hit our home.  Grant drank a bunch of fluids and then he threw up a bunch.  The puking made us believe possibly he had something else.  Then, when Grant woke up the next morning feeling fine, we thought maybe it wasn't covid after all.  Grant stayed home from school to be safe, got tested for swimming the following morning (so two days after feeling yucky) and sure enough, he had a POSITIVE test for Covid 19.  I got the phone call when I was working a vaccine clinic.  I finished my shift, Dave picked up last minute groceries to get us through our 10 days and we began a serious quarantine.  

The minute Grant wasn't feeling well, we asked him to stay in his room.  Once his test was positive, he was on his own for those two weeks...I mean I didn't leave him to fend for himself, I just mean he had no company from us...which I am not sure if he was grateful for or not!  Haha!  I delivered meals with gloves and a mask, we had Katelee use an upstairs bathroom and we all monitored our every possibly symptom.  Luckily, none of us had any!  We should have gone to be tested, but we showed no signs of sickness at all.  Grant did eventually start feeling a little lousy-stuffy nose, scratchy throat (mild), lethargic, headache...but he kept his smell/taste and had no respiratory complications, so all in all, he passed through really well.

It is so impressive to see how family and neighbors step up to check in with us...we had food dropped off, lots of texts and phone calls, activities and games bought for the kids to stay busy with.  We felt really lucky to have it pass through relatively easily. We did school work, grabbed take out, played TONS of games...35 different games to be exact.  Our favorite right now is Skull King.  We got the card game for Christmas and I'd say have mastered the atmosphere of it...

We turn on Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, the 7 year old dons his Pirate Costume and we Yo-Ho-Ho the night away with bids and shouts.  It's pretty amazing.  

  The worst part of the Covid 19 was the timing-we were required to isolate during my scheduled birthday extravaganza.   Dave worked his magic to get his points and money deposited back.  So instead of a spa, I got a Harrison/Brenna relaxation day which was pretty magical.   After the massage of a lifetime, Dave told me I had to go to an address and pick something up.  I am a bit of a rule follower and told him I couldn't go in anywhere, so if it is just a pick up, why couldn't he stop and get it for me.  He insisted it had to be me, wouldn't tell me why or where I was going, 

 

so I maybe started crying and told him I hated stuff like that and I didn't want to leave the house to the mystery address but he reassured me I would be glad I did.  I stopped my tears, followed the GPS and pulled up to a little Marriott where my brother was standing with flowers.  Dave had flown Blake (and Caleb and Grace) in for the day to wish me a happy birthday since I couldn't leave.  Blake had already been vaccinated and wasn't concerned about getting sick, so he was fine spending the afternoon chatting, grabbing lunch and hanging out.  It was really thoughtful and I regretted my mid-day melt down.  

The following morning was my actual birthday.  The day we would celebrate 40 years of my living.  I woke up to breakfast and lots of decorations.  Late morning, there was a knock on the door.  When I answered it, there were the cute YW leaders with a bday banner and crown and treats.  

Dave was in full party planning mode and kept consulting his phone/planner.  The next thing I knew, the door bell rang again an hour or so later.  This time it was my dear friends that we used to live by in Draper that I haven't seen for a while.  We had a socially distanced (cold) porch visit and I loved every second of it.

After lunch, Brooke and Holly stopped by with their scheduled time!  Haha!  I didn't even know Holly had been in town so that was so fun.  They came right in the house with cake until their visiting hour was up...when I walked them out, my neighborhood pals were in my driveway doing a lip sync dance party for me!  It was epic.  

I was definitely feeling the love that day.  We tried to play some games, eat some food, but just when I thought it was time to sit, the doorbell rang and there was my entire family-pushing their way into the house, covid be darned.  Brad and Angelique even got some last minute tickets via my hubby to come for a few hours.  Of course, Grant didn't get to participate but with none of us having symptoms and our quarantine being nearly over, they felt ok coming in with masks on.  It was a wonderful visit and effort by everyone and especially Dave...just when I thought I could relax, I had a zoom call scheduled with my childhood buddies, which I need to do more often.  I literally was shaking from the over stimulation and burst into exhausted/grateful tears by the end...but it was an unforgettable 40th birthday.  

Dave definitely knows how to make things memorable.  Even his post surgery was denied because of our quarantine-the doctors wouldn't let us come in.  They wanted me to be talked over the phone how to check on his incision and remove the stitches.  Bless Paige's heart  and her nursing skills, she braved the contamination to save the day.  

I felt very blessed after my birthday, fortunate that Grant (and the rest of us) made it through his Covid 19 experience unscathed, honored to be a part of the tribe I am in-from my family to friends to church and neighbor associates, it was touching to be thought about.  Maybe that is all I need to focus on this year, making sure that people know I Kar-a bout them.  It's really what matters.  

 

Christmas is NOT Canceled

As we trudge through this pandemic year, we are grateful for every little slice of normalcy we are served.   It was fun for Dave to be able to help with scoring and timing at a swim meet for Grant.  

He is the one crouched down in the back on the platform.  The meets are pretty tricky to watch from home on zoom-it's hard to tell where the athletes are in the lanes let alone which swimmer is from our house!  But, yay that they have had a few meets.  Check out the view from the window-snow and dark.  Swimmers are dedicated- 5am practices and minimally clothes in freezing temps.  The walk to their cars cannot be fun!

Brenna also got to have a dance recital!!!  The dancers just wore masks back stage and whipped them off just as they were ready to perform.  As they finished their dance and stepped off, the masks were back on.   That was pretty smooth.  

The siblings were not too broken hearted that they were not able to attend a 2 hour ballet in person this year.  Ha!  But, one thing neat about everything being connected online is that Grandma and Grandpa McArthur could watch from Arizona!  They haven't been to a recital yet.  Maybe the spring recital in the spring will be virtually broadcast as well.  That would be nice because that is when she has 4 dances! There are some silver linings in this covid cloud that hangs over us! 

I have been feeling an urge to help these rockstar teachers with this most challenging year.  They are constantly having to quarantine or have students in quarantine.  Our schools are not allowing volunteers right now, so the best way I could see that I could assist is to be a substitute teacher.  I don't really want to have a full-time sub gig, so I have only put in my availability for the 3 schools our kids attend and one other elementary school that neighbors work at and that has the principal who used to be our elementary administrator.  I had my first job at that elementary school for a 1st grade class. 

It was a very tiring day, but it was fun!  I was wiped after yelling through my mask, entertaining 7 year olds, connecting to zoom with their full-time teacher, addressing a small goose egg incident, two lost teeth from kids at recess (blood and hysterics), a melt down over spilled Sunny Delight at lunch, and holding back the dry heaves as one kid in particular could not stop sucking on his mask-resulting in a soggy (then crusty) dripping PPE.    Bless teachers-unsung heroes for sure! 

School did have to take a little pause after cases were skyrocketing from Thanksgiving.  We decided to take a field trip to Gardner Village to look for elves one afternoon...

It was cold, but those masks come in handy for nose warmth!  I actually will be driving with Harrison occasionally and spot him with this mask on in the van. I tell him he doesn't need to wear his mask in the car, but often he says he just likes it!  I am so glad the littles adjusted so well to the mandates and restrictions.  

Harrison really wanted Brenna to pretend with him that they were kissing.  He thought it would be clever up against the KISS contest backdrop.  But, she would not comply; hence the distant/angry look from the brother there.  It was all down hill from there, luckily Dave works somewhat near there and I proposed a surprise visit to his office.  We stopped at the gas station for a treat for the kiddos and to deliver to dad and Harry perked right up...you just never know what will work with that one! 

We sang lots of Christmas songs and watched many holiday movies, had all our decorations in place-it was just as it should be in our home.  Some really fun neighbor friends of ours delivered a gift to us that brought some joy-a "self on a shelf"  It was a picture of the husband and mounted to styrofoam.  The idea is same as elf on a shelf.  We would move our little picture of Rob around the house and take pictures to send them.  While we all got a kick out of it, Harrison really only had full conversations with our actual elf-Kringle.  The holiday confessions and deliberations from Master H started to cross over to anyone from the North Pole.  I had the Rudolph song on and Harrison started talking about how great Rudolph is.  He proclaimed, "I don't know if you can hear me Rudolph, but I respect you.  You're special.  Probably the most important reindeer, I mean, Dasher, you 're good too.  I'm just sorry about your childhood Rudolph."    I am certain that meant a lot to the red nosed reindeer.  Haha! 

We adhered to the CDC advice for our Thanksgiving holiday and decided if we took precautions, we would gather for Christmas Eve.  We didn't want to miss another holiday with our extended family!  We cut out the dinner and desserts so we had a little festive dinner at our place before heading to the party.  We have also adopted the tradition of 'paying it forward' on Christmas Eve.  

We stalk a fast food joint that is open and try to jump in line before someone comes so we can pay for their order before they reach the window for payment.  It is a more difficult challenge than one would think!  Wonderfully, a lot of places are closed or not too busy.  We would wait in the lot and no one would come, then as soon as we decided to leave, someone would go order.  Doh!  We tried a few places and finally we just knew we had to leave.  We resolved to make one last attempt at the Wendy's by my parent's house and we caught someone!!  It felt like the right person and we were delighted to surprise them with their chili and fries on us!

Once at the family gathering, we stayed in masks the whole time and had the (almost) traditional celebration.  

Shannon and Rachel put together the greatest nativity reenactment of all time.  The costumes were on point, the music was perfect.  Harrison took his Wise Man role to heart and was extremely royal. 

 

We opened gifts from grandma and grandpa and had the white elephant gift exchange where Harrison scored some serious tattoo sleeves...

The kids set cookies out for Santa, went to the basement to watch a movie before falling asleep in time for the St Nick's visit.  We had a beautiful and mellow morning full of laughter (partly at the gifts Grant gave us from the dollar store- drug test for Katelee?), and definitely over the SHOCK potato that we got Grant.  We made everyone try it and we all ended up throwing it when it zapped us.  We dined on our much anticipated Quiche Lorraine, which never disappoints...

and waited for a few visitors as we lounged in jammies.  When each person came to say hello and Merry Christmas, we in turn greeted them with a SHOCK tato challenge.  Grandpa was the only one brave enough to do extreme mode, where he zoned out but never dropped that electrifying toy.  We love chilling and playing games.  This year we played SkyJo and quite possibly a family favorite of all time- Skull King.  After playing it on Christmas, we got the hang of it and have spent a lot of time with it.  Harrison gets decked out in Pirate garb, we turn on the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack in the background and yo-ho-ho the night away.  

Isn't it interesting how you can add to family favorites?  Traditions last through time. That is, after all, what makes them traditions.  But, one thing we've learned this year (besides gratitude for all we have and can do) is flexibility.  We can still have holidays and traditions, but sometimes they have to be adjusted according to circumstance.  Different doesn't have to be awful.  New adjustments can become adopted and part of the new normal that is so often talked about these days.  Some of those adjustments become things we want to last forever that we never would have thought about without being pushed into change.  Hopefully there are many things from 2020 we can see were beneficial and we want to carry them through our forever.  Christmas wasn't canceled, life isn't canceled, joy is  never canceled, it is often  just given a new perspective. 

Let Them Eat (Steak)

Well, Covid-19 has been in its full fury, spreading like a wildfire through the world.  So, the high school had a temporary 2 week close and most likely we will have another one soon.  Our case numbers have been in the 3-5 thousands and we are praying to make it through without any severe damage!  

While the world moves forward, distantly and in masks, we've had to face a lot of tumult, anger, political distress, division and fear.  What I have loved and learned again and again this month (and year) is that the Lord is aware and in the details of our lives. He is always there, He never abandons us in our hard times (or good times).   He knows what the entire world needs-He knows we need to be molded, to repent, to evaluate our direction and to prepare ourselves and the world for His glorious future.  We are in the middle of the last days, so lets do this!!  One of the very most special assurances came as President Nelson addressed the entire world.  Everyone was informed about a special message that would be shared by our prophet.  So, we tuned in and it was a brief and powerful speech-full of love and a challenge.  We were to flood the earth with gratitude and have prayers of thanks.  As we looked at things we were thankful for, our hearts were (and can always be) lifted.  

I am not a poster on social media, but by golly, if our Prophet gave us a challenge and really, what if this was part of spreading the word to every corner of the earth?  I mean that is a prophesy and all!  Anyway, I joined in.  I posted about sleep (Grant surely isn't getting enough sleep since he gets up at 4:15am for swim practice!!  but he loves it and we are grateful they are letting him swim), 

books, food (is there every any questions about how much we LOVE food here? I mean we seriously savor it...)

water, our world and my family.  It was fun to toss up a throw back picture or two in there as well.  

I have to include this one because we were shocked at how I look like Harrison in drag.  

So, with our spirits pumped with thankful thoughts, we had a unique Thanksgiving.  It was suggested to not gather with people outside your home, so we picked up the feast for my parents and Shannon 

and just dropped in to say hello ...

Then, we were off to eat at a restaurant.  Dave found us a table at Fleming's because nothing says Pilgrims and Gratitude like a juicy steak.  

We had really prepped the kids-discussing good manners, what the entrees would be, how delicious it would taste in our mouths.  People were freshly washed- Harrison had bathed an evening before.  As he was laying in bed, I looked at his wet hair he had slicked to the side and told him his hair was really something special.  He got up and told me 'it's Italian' and then proceeded to sing opera.  

So, we were really looking forward to a memorable, different and indulgent Thanksgiving feast.  It began to don on us that we would be wasting a whole lot of money on Mr Harrison at steakhouse.  We made a quick stop at Mickey D's

 on the way and felt better about his full tummy.  

So ridiculous.  We were sure we were set-the meal would be unforgettable.  And it was...

While I enjoyed the most delicious turkey of all time, the rest of my crew (sans Harrison because he was plump full of chicken nuggets) ordered steak.  Brenna was not impressed.  Not only was Brenna disappointed, she was nearly disgusted.  It was decided that we will 'let them eat steak' when they are mature enough for their palates to truly enjoy it!  Katelee and Grant have made the cut!  

We had a great time though!  Came home to Brenna's BINGO that she made, ate a LOT of homemade pie and watched a movie.  While we definitely look forward to years where we can join with our extended family, we are so very grateful for their support and opportunity we have grow through what we go through!  

 

That Year Masks Were Great for Costumes and Government Mandates

The year continues to make its attempts at normalcy-no holidays cancelled, school beginning, sports (some) resume.  But, the overall feeling is one of unsettlement and unease.  Who will come down with the virus next?  How many days will we make it to school before our next quarantine due to exposure?  Can we be with people in person or not? The questions remain but we push on because life goes on!  and October, in particular, welcomes the look of disguise, terror and masking up! 

So, we did our best to continue our regular terror-ific traditions- pumpkin patch...

We love wandering the rows and picking a pumpkin that has potential for decor and jack-o-lantern carving.  We miss our old pumpkin patch with the corn maze, but this one does have some swings and random farm animals (that I subtly avoid.  You never know what disaster making eye contact with an emu will result in).

We also made it to see the Witches this year, but we weren't convincing enough in how fun we are and to get the older kids to join us.  Ah well, a twist on this tradition too I guess.  Darn those kids for growing up! Ha!  Harrison was crying about the prospect of him getting older like Grant and Katelee.  

I was putting him to bed and he was just beside himself thinking about what he will be like when he is 15.  He said he likes hugging me and he is so worried that when he gets to join ranks with the teenagers, he won't hug me and love me like he does right now....(break.my.heart)...  He continued to explain how he loves being a kid and he is worried he won't remember how it feels and how he likes to be with his family.  You better believe I will be praying for those feelings to be brought back to him if he ever loses it!  Documenting this conversation is also going to come in handy if he ever doesn't want to be with us.  But really, he will always want to be with me and hug me, right???!

One thing he can look forward to will be high school dances.  Grant went to Girls Pref a couple of times -once with Makaylie

 

and once with Maddie.  We didn't get pics to one of the dances but he wore the same outfit, so at least he looked the same! ha!

The high school cannot technically host a dance-so no organized dances, stomps, etc this year.  The kids just group up and call it whatever dance it would have been.  Maybe next year? crossing our fingers and lots of prayers.

Katelee finished up her season of soccer.  She's a fun little athlete to watch.   It is extra fun to have family cheer her on that we don't see often, but being outside together in masks makes it a-ok.

 We loved cheering her on this Fall.  

Grant also tried out for the high school swim team and made it!  We look forward to being involved with that.  He is busy with work, school and swim, so he couldn't take off for spring break.  Dave was feeling busy too, but I decided we are tired of being at home, so the other 3 

and I hit the road and made a  little fall break trip down to Bryce Canyon.  

It was so fun!  Harrison thought he was going to die about half way into one of the hikes and I was questioning my ability to drag him across the red sand, but then we got to the cool part of zig zagging through the slot and he got a burst of energy-racing to the top.  

Man, there were some incredible views.

It was refreshing and gave me so much perspective about life as I glimpsed across the expanse

...then,  we were informed Katelee had been at someone's house while they were sick with Covid and everything we were getting away from came right back into view!  There's no running from coronavirus apparently.  It was still great to get away.  We tried to find  Dinosaur tracks on the way home, but mostly I just nodded my head and acted like I could see where they were when we found a marking!  I am definitely no archaeologist.

It was a prefect little jaunt and then we came home to quarantine Katelee.  She was allowed out in time for Halloween, which is good because she went south again with her friend Rian.  Rian's family invited her to join them for the holiday as they traveled for a baseball tournament.  While it was hard letting her go when we wanted to be with her, we said yep and she had a groovy time in St George.  

The rest of us were home  (well, Grant went to hang out with friends) and debated on the best (safest) way to celebrate.  Many people opted out of trick-or-treating.  We definitely didn't do our neighborhood dinner 'Eat Before You Treat' this year.  But, we came to the conclusion, going around in little groups with masks on would be ok for our kids.   Before the kids headed out, Porter and Jaylee stopped by to ring our doorbell...little cuties. 

When we happened upon Brenna and her friends, they were not wearing masks, so we did  give her a little reminder ;)  

not sure how long the mask was really worn.  She was a soldier, so you'd think she would be a stellar example of falling in line and taking orders...but went AWOL.

Dave walked around with Harrison (feeling safe from all space aliens as he protected the universe,  That's what Halo guys do, I guess?  Who knows?  not me and not Harrison, he just really liked the look of the costume.)

 I sat in the driveway handing out candy with a pair of tongs...for real.  I wanted people to feel comfortable -no spreading deadly viruses at our house, if we can help it.

I really think the mask added to the attire, I mean squids have more of a beak-like mouth, right?  The mask really works here-which is a good thing, because it definitely looks like masks are here to stay.