Easter week, airport during covid19, Good Friday, Matzah or Unleaved Bread, Charles' Eagle Certificate

Jane asked me what we're doing for Easter this year. She's concerned things will be different because of Coronavirus. I told her it'll be mostly the same. That we'll remember Jesus, his atonement and resurrection, and we'll still have Easter baskets though it may be less than years past. She felt okay with that. I signed up to get a text message each day during Holy Week from comeuntochrist.org with an easter message like the one below:

We put pictures up in the kitchen of Holy Week and we're reading the scriptures that go along with it to help us remember. We're also still doing the 'scripture easter eggs' in the mornings.

I had a flight planned for WA on Tuesday that week. My mom's car has been sitting at my brother's in-laws house since she passed away in November and we decided awhile back to buy it for our kids to drive. We had picked to come in april, hoping the roads would be clear of snow by then. But then the unexpected happened with coronavirus. I prayed about the trip, whether or not I should go and I felt like it would be okay. So I made the decision to go as planned, but to take extra precautions....I kept hand sanitizer in my pocket, I wore a "mask" which was actually my running Buff since I couldn't find any masks, I didn't eat or drink anything while at the airport or on the plane, and I wore disposable gloves and brought an extra pair. I told a couple of people about my upcoming trip, which was a mistake as their worries for me increased my anxiety about the trip.

I was so grateful that most everyone else was following the rules and guidelines about not flying unless necessary, because the airport was practically empty. I did not get within 6 feet of anyone except the two people who checked my id, one at security, who was behind a plexi glass wall, and the flight attendant at the door to the gate. Here are some pictures I took at the airports. This is the security line....there is no line:

The halls:

The waiting area near my gate:

There were around 20 people on my flight total, including the stewardess. So we all spread out and everyone had several empty rows between themselves and the next person.

Once I got to Seattle, I took a taxi to the Dixon's. I didn't want family or friends picking me up in case I was exposed. It was a quick 20 minute drive. I took off my top layer of clothing and put it in a ziploc, sanitized, got the car (which they'd graciously had ready for me with my mom's bins inside and a couple of water bottles for my trip) and started the 8 hour drive to the Boise area of Idaho where I'd stay with my sister over night. I was also nervous about staying with them with the social distancing and me just having gone on an airplane. But my sister and I were in close contact and were going to decide after I saw how busy the airport was and if I was in close contact with anyone. We decided it'd be okay. So I got there and took a shower, putting on all new clothes, and then spent the evening with the family. They had gotten Krispy Kreme donuts in honor of my birthday the following week which was thoughtful.

It turned out I was fine and they were fine and no one got sick. I was very grateful.

I drove home the following morning after Becca and I went for a walk (we also went for a walk Tuesday night). No problems with the car, everything went very well. #blessed.

Thursday morning I was reading the Passover accounts in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and noticed something I hadn't before. In Luke 22: 15-16 Jesus is speaking to his disciples and says, "I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer: for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." He was fasting just after Passover, just like we would be!

Thursday night we had our Passover feast as we remembered that Christ also did this 2000 years ago. I made unleavened bread for the first time, which was kind of like my tortilla recipe I used to make. We also had grape juice (like wine), and some finger foods that we thought they might've had. The kids liked the ham and cheese slices, which they wouldn't have had, at least not ham as I believe it's not one of the clean foods, but it's all good. I loved doing this, remembering in this way and I hope we continue to do this each year. I'll post the unleavened bread recipe (or Matzah) at the end of this post.

Good Friday came, and we began our fast. It was amazing to see on social media all the people of different faiths from around the world who were also joining in on the fast.

We went to the Home Depot that day and got some small garden boxes. We got different vegetable seeds for each of the kids to plant. I also helped our next door neighbors, the Olsen's set up their trampoline. 

That night we broke our fast with pizza for the kids and Cubby's for me and Scott...Friday is our date night and since coronavirus quarantine began 6 weeks ago, we've been getting dinner to-go each week as part of our date, and then we'll often go for a walk if it's nice enough. We end our dates early and play a game with the family or watch a movie together since we're all home. 

Saturday Annabelle and I made cinnamon rolls which we ate for breakfast on Easter morning. 

Annabelle came up with the clues for the girls easter scavengar hunt Sunday morning...I helped a little.

It was a beautiful Sabbath day. We had sacrament and hung out at the house, baking and cooking together.

Annabelle also made my birthday cake, which was the following day. I taught her a couple of decorating tips and then let her have at it. She did a beautiful job.

I mentioned a month or two ago that Charles earned his Eagle scout award. Well, his certificate came in the mail during Easter week and I wanted a picture of him with it...he didn't want to get dressed up for it. It's all good.

Sunday evening after dinner we played our new game Azul. It's a fun one that all our kids can play (ages 7-16), though you can only have 4 players at a time unless you join teams.

Unleavened Bread/Matzah

2 1/4 c flour (they would've used whole wheat flour but any flour works)
2/3 c cold water (add slowly as you knead, you might not use it all)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp olive oil (you don't have to use this, and they wouldn't have)
Preheat skillet to medium heat. Knead dough for a few minutes. Divide into 7 balls. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until about 7 inch oval. Cook on hot skillet for two minutes on each side.

General Conference during Coronavirus and Chalk Art

General Conference weekend was something we all were looking forward to; I look forward to it every six months, but this time in particular with what's been going on in the world with coronavirus. They broadcast general conference from a smaller room in the conference center and no one was allowed to attend except those who were speaking and filming. The first presidency's chairs were positioned 6 feet apart from one another. They used choir pre-recordings for the musical numbers. 

 Because it was the 200th anniversary from the time Joseph Smith had the first vision, there were many talks on that sacred event.

I loved Joy D. Jones' talk (she's the primary president), and the video clip she included with an encounter of President Nelson with some young children. They asked him if it was hard to be a prophet and he said yes, that everything we do to be more like Christ is hard, but that the Lord loves effort and effort brings rewards.

I also loved Neil A. Andersen's talk on learning to recognize and record our spiritually defining memories and moments.

I loved Douglas Holmes talk on relationships and his messages about the youth. There were so many good talks, I'll definitely go back and read them through again.

 We won't be losing these remotes again! Glad we got them mounted to cardboard as we seem to lose them weekly.

 A couple of random selfies I found on my phone...I actually found many, many more than this.

 Sunday morning we all did a Hosannah shout led by our prophet. He also asked us to all join together for a Fast that coming Friday, Good Friday, just before Easter for relief from the effects of coronavirus.

The girls made a tent both days, as per usual.

 Before Conference I brought the girls in my YW class a goals sheet to fill out after they'd listened to conference. I told them if they took a picture and sent it back to me, all filled out, I'd bring them a little treat. I brought them a blow pop and a couple of mini Twix along with this message:

 My kids have been doing sidewalk chalk a couple of times a week as a creative way to kill time during coronavirus season when they can't be with friends. I love seeing their drawings.

KSL news internet safety, Drawing, Onward the movie

It was my sister Becca's birthday recently. Nora and Annabelle drew her a special picture. I loved this picture Nora came up with on her own of toilet paper and a water bottle and a note that says, "get some toilet paper and water." (because of coronavirus)

Annabelle asked Becca who her favorite Disney Princess was. Can you guess from the picture below? It's Mulan.

I am not a news watcher. Not at all. Perhaps it's because when I was little, the only thing my elderly dad watched (and which he often asked us to sit and watch with him) was Judge Judy, Cops, or the News. I had my fill. And so it seems fitting that our family was on KSL news recently :). We have a friend who has a connection in KSL and they were wanting to do a segment on family quarantine-life and technology/internet safety (mostly it was internet safety) and our friend knew I used zoom for young women's and things and asked if we'd be willing to help out.

They had me send them pictures and video clips of my kids studying online. 

I was amazed that they pulled the segment together in one day and aired it that night. All the kids were on it minus Charles who did not want to be on the news.

We have assigned each child a day to help with dinner. The oldest two can make it all on their own; they just tell me what they're making ahead of time so I can do the grocery shopping. Annabelle can mostly do dinner on her own as well, but I'm always nearby to help. I cook along side the youngest two, but they get to pick what we're making. It's a pretty nice setup.

Annabelle is our baker and often likes to make a batch of cookies on the weekend. Since we've been quarantined and stores are often low or completely out of stock of flour and sugar, I've asked her to not do this quite so frequently, which she's respecting. I think she's only made cookies once or twice since we've been in quarantine and it's been 6 weeks now.

During the week we're not watching movies, though the kids can watch an episode of a show or play video games from 4-5pm if they got all their school/piano/exercise done. On the weekends we'll often watch a movie together, sometimes we'll rent from Amazon Prime Video or sometimes we'll pick something on Disney Plus or from our own library. This particular week we were excited to watch Onward which was just newly released onto Disney Plus. We made sure to watch all the credits until we found my cousin Jack's name. He's one of the artists for Pixar so we do this whenever we watch one of their movies.

Mother Teresa's letter to Richard Jones

Yesterday while watching the Don't Miss This YouTube Channel, David Butler read a letter from Mother Teresa to a man named Richard Jones. She wrote it in response to his asking for her autograph(she had won the Nobel Peace Prize by now; this was written near the end of her life). I loved her letter so much I listened to it again and recorded it here:

"Dear Richard Jones,
Thank you for your letter. More important than autograph is what we do for Jesus, and through Him for others. Look around and see. There are so many in the world who are lonely, unwanted, who have no one to call their own, maybe in your own home. It is easy to love the people far away. It's easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and the pain of someone unloved in your own home. Be the sunshine of God's love to your own, for this is where our love for each other must start. Let us pray. God bless you,

(Even though it's typed with a typewriter, she signed it)

Coronavirus Silver Lining and Nora's Pre-Baptism photos

We're finding that because of quarantine, we're saving a lot of money on gas, and our mud room is staying cleaner than ever...mostly because it's not really being used. No one needs shoes and they mostly just keep their backpacks hung up and grab what they need. 

Because I'm not going to the grocery store as often, just once a week, we're also incorporating some food storage that's been collecting dust for 15 years...like these freeze dried strawberries. They are great in oatmeal! 

We've been doing more coloring and drawing. We have a particular coloring book I love that has all sorts of uplifting phrases like 'create your own sunshine.'

Since we taught the kids to play solitaire, at least once or twice a week in the evening, we'll play a not so friendly game of Nerts. We're a little competitive. It's usually just Annabelle, Elisabeth, me and Scott.

We'll sometimes pay our kids to read specific books. In this case, we bribed Charles to read the YA adaptation of Unbroken. It took him a couple of weeks but he did it! 

Nora sometimes joins me in the gym when I exercise. She's working really hard, standing on the trampoline, watching a show and eating string cheese.

March 28- Nora is turning 8 soon, and although she'll most likely have to wait awhile to be baptized because of Coronavirus, we decided to prepare now and take pictures of her in her white baptism dress in front of the temple. 

I love how the temple is reflecting on the wet sidewalk.