missing these faces...

I can't wait to hear their laughter fill our home at the end of the week...❤︎

Time with him...

We don't have to do anything crazy, I'm just so happy to get time this week with my favorite human being... 

The evenings are spent at home, going on walks in out neighborhood, distancing at our pool, ordering in food and just talking and laughing together... I really love this man and I love that we get to live life together...❤︎

Time away...

Yesterday we dropped the kids off at their Mia and Papa's house to have a week of {Quarantine} fun.  They look froward to this every year!  In the past, the week is filled with bowling outings, trips to the movie theater, eating fun treats out at fun places and doing lots of adventures... 

This year will be filled with time in the pool, craft and building projects, movies at home, time in the garden and kitchen for baking and cooking, and some bike riding.  If you ask the kids if the feel any less excited due to Covid-restrictions, the answer is no!❤︎

Fourth of July 2020

This year, the 4th of July was different from other years, but we absolutely made the best of it and ended up having a really wonderful day.  I set up outside so that all of our meals could be eaten out there...

Our neighborhood's scheduled events were changed this year but there was still a great showing for those that rode in the parade.

The big difference this year was everyone wearing masks and not grouping with people not in your family, there was no candy throwing, and the carnival was cancelled. After the parade was over, we got to check out the "floats":

 There is a club that tricks out there cars for Jurassic Park and we had just finished watching all of them.  This particular one was in a Walmart commercial and the driver wiped it all down so that Ryder could sit in it safely...

 There were princesses...

 And superheros...

And lots of fun seeing things around us...

Kit BBQed ribs and made an amazing early lunch/late dinner...

 But before it was consumed, we took a dip in the pool:

Then ate like kings...

Then we headed over to our friends house to light fireworks... She made individual family bags of s'mores supplies.  The kids loved the whole time, and though we were careful and distanced, it felt like something normal...

I will think back on this Fourth of July as incredibly special and I am so Incredibly grateful for the men and women who have and continue to fight everyday, many who have given their lives in bravery and courage, so that we can be the land of the free... 

listening and learning

Jack Jack's ninth birthday...

Yesterday would have been our Jack Clery's ninth birthday...

We went to one of his favorite spots, ate breakfast burritos, shared stories, laughed, cried, read scripture, and prayed together...  

 May or may not be spreading his ashes...❤︎

Jack is SO missed, but I know that he would be SO SO proud of his parents for how they are walking out their grief while praising Jesus. 

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Jack, until we see you again sweet boy, we will hold to the memories tat we made while you were here with us, and look forward to when we will get to see you again...

Milestones and Celebrations

Yesterday marked the end of an era for our family: my mom retired from Loma Linda University after almost 42 years in Ultrasound.  In her career, she has been the chief sonographer at the medical center, the program director for their ultrasound program at the University.  She has chaired more boards than I can count, with more letters than I can remember.  She has been part of site visits at esteemed medical centers and has been part of more accreditations than I know.  She has spoken all over the country, and traveled all over the world to participate in conferences. She's written a text book.  She has put in long hours and given of her self to the patients that she has scanned, residents and interns that have learned from her, as well as the students that she has taught over the decades. Who would have thought that that 17 year old who thought she would go into x-ray, would find what she loved so much in allied health and Ultrasound...

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We got to surprise her at her class:

 Then we went on their favorite walk...

 Then made Moscow mules, ate Thai food, looked through albums of old students, and then watched movies and napped...  It was such a fun day!

She's tough as nails, knows her stuff inside and out and has worked so hard over the last 4 decades... We are so excited for what this new chapter holds.  The kids call it "a stay at home Mia"... and to date, that might just be her most successful role yet...