Hindsight was 2020

Maybe not the most original title . . . 

Last year was a doozy for most of the world. I'm not even sure I know how to sum it up. We were quietly caught up in some of it just by being human but I am sure we didn't feel the brunt of the hardest of it. The pain, the death, the uncertainty, the loneliness, the economic hardships, the surges of anguish and anger over terrible injustices. Our family just tried to stay home and stay out of the way and not add to any of the worries. I'm not sure that's the best way, but that was our way. 

Personally, we did move forward. We were able to use the unprecedented working remotely situation to our advantage and purchase a home. That was a big step for us. I was almost certain we'd spend the rest of our lives drifting and renting. Actually, part of me would kind of like that--especially if it could be in London (yes, I'm still on about that place. Homesickness is real, even for places that I cannot truly claim as my own.). A place to settle down in an affordable location was always in the plans, though. We worked to save and be ready whenever the time might come. I thought that was years down the road! When the world turned upside down, however, we were prepared to make a decision to buy a house in a week and then just do it. Crazy. I still can't believe we are lucky enough to have a home I'm really excited about every day I wake up. More on that in future.

I have folders and folders of pictures backed up and ready to see the light of day on here. For some reason I'm just feeling like saying words today. Maybe in a second I'll see if I can find just a representative two or three. Who am I kidding? I can't just pick two pictures. It'll be five at the least.

Stepping rather gingerly into 2021, I am of the opinion that it'll continue to be a difficult time for our world. I'm prepared to continue to try and keep a low profile and keep mostly to ourselves. We're plugging along on house projects and homeschool and garden plans. Taking one day at a time. Super big dreams for the future never seem to fade entirely from my imagination so they are still there, too. When I take a step back and reflect, wow, my imagination and biggest hopes could never have prepared me for the amazing people who came to me and intertwine their lives with mine.

Our life spanned half in CA and half in UT this year. I was just finally starting to actually like living in the Bay Area, wouldn't you know. (Isn't that just the way with me? Always lagging behind the times and getting with the program just as it's almost over. Sigh.) We started last year expecting to continue to explore and enjoy the beauties of California. Who really saw what the year would unravel to be? I'm grateful we did still get to go outside and wander a little, though far from other people.

We escaped some of the tensions of the pandemic by staying with family. We were relieved to have some relaxing of the rules, though we still tried to use common sense and respect social boundaries. Thankfully the kids played together nicely almost all the time.

Lots of movie nights occurred. Obviously. 

Henry took interrupting school to a new art. We moved house.

The kids still play with only themselves and when others aren't around. My main hope for this next year, with the hope of the vaccine and other things, is that they can make neighborhood, school, and church friends. Still, this time of being 99% just us has been wonderful.

Addendum: I have been heading this direction for a long while. After much thought I've realized that I no longer want to write and share pictures for an audience. I'm ready to take my family journaling private. I may change my mind in the future, so I am leaving this space in case. I think it much more likely that I'll not return to a public forum for this, especially as the children mature. I hope I can keep/rekindle the enthusiasm I have for making this family record. It has been invaluable to remember and reflect. 

Christmas at Grandma's 2019

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's is always so good. I'm still surprised every time by the sunshine and the perfect weather and citrus season but I never complain! The kids love being with their cousins SO MUCH and pretty much disappear into play until it's time to eat one meal or another. I love that Christmas at the grandparents' is the perfect mix of going out and about and keeping very busy having fun and down time to sit and talk and laugh. Always laugh.

I decided about three days before we left for Orange County that I wanted to make matching cousin PJs. I don't know why I figured that was a good thing to add into the preparations but I had fun and barely made my deadline. The kids were good sports and wore them happily. They were really cute, although better suited for Norway with the cosy and warm flannel. Next time maybe I'll re-do with a light cotton. Ha!

Grandparents gave the gift of a Disney day but crazily the children begged not to go but to play with their cousins with their Christmas toys so (most of) the adults--and Henry!--went instead. It was probably one of my favorite Disneyland trips ever. We ate the most amazing food and weren't hurried and got to shower Henry with all the attention when he wasn't asleep in the stroller. It was a great day. And it was Collin's and my anniversary (which number??) and it was interesting to think back on all the times we've been together since our dating days. I never would have thought that place would be such a part of our story. 

Our gift to grandma this year was fancy tea at the Langham hotel with just the girls. It was so yummy and elegant. 

Christmas (At Home) 2019

 

No matter where we spend Christmas proper (with one side of the family or the other, or traveling, or otherwise) we always want to spend a weekend in December or January doing our own little family traditions. This year we got to welcome the Dollahite grandparents into the festivities. Nana taught Eliza (and retaught me!) how to make Pulla *Finish bread*. We had our 'Nephite' dinner on the day we marked for Christmas Eve, then dressed up and acted out the Nativity. Davy even accompanied some of our carols on the piano. Eliza had a few extra scenes she wanted to add to the play--a dramatic angelic rescue of the baby for one. Eddy was dignified and focused as both a good king and a bad one. Henry was delighted by all the costumes and swapped between lamb, king, shepherd, and who knows what else with great determination. We opened presents next morning on our own personal early Christmas. Father Christmas humored us and came, bringing a wished-for board game for Davy and Eddy, a doll for Liza Bee, and some cars for Henry. It was a happy, simple affair.

Eliza had quite an exciting Christmas season, as she lost both her two front teeth right in time, as well as played a part in the ballet studio's Nutcracker performance. She loved being on stage, you could tell. The whole time she was beaming.

Spring Break 2019 (Going South to AZ) Video

I apparently never put this up here. I like having a place to easily find these snippets of the past. Here is last year's spring break trip to the Grand Canyon and Tucson. (What a different sort of spring break than this year, amid the great coronavirus pandemic of 2020!)

Northern California Video

Feeling Small Among the Giant Redwoods

Waiting for baby, summer 2018. We headed north to Eureka and the Avenue of the Giants. Wow, were those trees a sight. It was just the best smelling, most gorgeous light filtering, ancient, grounding, centering forest. I felt so calm just standing in their presence. Eddy found a banana slug. It had a name, although now two years on I don't remember it. Perhaps the children still do. I'll have to ask them in the morning.

We found Glass Beach, but could only look down from above. There was another sandy, sea smoothed glassy inlet a ways down the coast that we played in. We took only pictures (and picked up a few glass shards on the walk back to the parking lot). The tide had brought in the most amazing collection of seaweed. The textures and colors were otherworldly. I knew the names of some of them from the Monterey Aquarium but there were many others we couldn't identify and had to make up names as if we were the discoverers.

Almost back home but still up for one last little adventure we popped into the Peanuts/Charles Schultz museum. It was ten minutes before closing so they let us in for free and we dashed in. We saw his writing and drawing desk and office set up, played with cartoon props and had a fun time reminiscing.

It was the perfect close-but-not-too-close to home trip to pass the time before baby.