"the Corona"

That's what it is called in our house.
Just so I NEVER forget..... April 2, 2020

It snowed, again.

Gas price at Costco in Orem was $1.89.
Schools - soft closure - meaning online school until at least May 1st ...BYU courses also moved to online for the rest of the school year.
Still waiting for Spencer's high school graduation celebration update on if they are moving it or just not doing one for the classes of 2020 (BYU cancelled theirs.)
Self-distancing measures on the rise.
No gatherings of 50 or more, then 10 or more, now 5 or more.
Don't socialize with anyone outside of your home.
Tape on the floors at grocery stores and others to help distance shoppers (6ft) from each other.
Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towels, no laundry soap, no hand sanitizer. When available, you are limited to one item only. Shortages have also occurred with eggs, bread, canned goods, milk, diapers, bottled water and more.
Shelves are bare.
Limited number of people inside stores, therefore, lineups outside the store doors.
Store hours reduced, nothing open at night, no 24 hour shopping.  A few gas stations are the only option past 9 p.m.
Restaurant lobbies are closed. Many have completely closed. Drive thru, curbside and delivery options only.
Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed.
Parks, trails, entire cities locked up.
Children's outdoor play parks are closed.
Barely anyone on the roads.
Disney parks, SeaWorld, amusement parks, Zoos, the Smithsonian and other famous Museums, Broadway, movie theaters, all closed.
Hale Center Theater productions cancelled, now broadcasting former productions online.
Hollywood stopped filming, movie releases postponed, in theater movies moved to online streaming.
Olympic Games postponed.
Entire sports seasons cancelled.
Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events, cancelled.
Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.
Politicians getting sick. Concern that Congress will shut down. Talk of implementing remote voting.
Political conventions postponed. Serious concern about effect on voting for 2020 election.
No masses, churches are closed, all of our Temples worldwide are closed.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Semi-Annual General Conference will be held by broadcast only. The Tabernacle Choir won't be singing at it.
Missionaries all over the world being sent home.
Government closes the border to all non-essential travel.
Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE.
Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
Press conferences daily from the President. Daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths.
Government incentives to stay home.
Fines are established for breaking the rules.
People wearing masks and gloves outside.
Essential service workers are terrified to go to work.
Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.

This is the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, declared March 11th, 2020.

I woke up to the noise and shaking of a 5.7 Earthquake that hit Utah (Magna) the morning of March 18, 2020.

Prayer

My first memory of prayer happened when I was a small little girl. I loved playing Barbies and I loved a certain pair of Barbie shoes.  They were white with a little lace looking circle on the top. They were essential for weddings and weddings are vital in the Barbie world.  I looked all over for them but couldn’t locate my favorite pair of shoes.  I remembered learning of prayer and knew I could ask God if I needed help.  And who needed help more than me?  So, I knelt and asked Heavenly Father to help me find them. Sure enough, I remembered where they were and found the shoes quickly.  It was a miracle and I knew Heavenly Father loved me and cared about a little girl’s troubles. As I grew, I always remember this occasion.  As I matured and realized how small and insignificant Barbie shoes really were, I realized that surely, He would help me with more important things when I need them.

I have a wonderful mother that has shown me the true way to pray.  She is so sincere and deliberate in the way she prays.  Never repetitive, and always pensive about the words she says.  As she prays it’s almost like I can feel what a privilege she thinks it is to be able to speak to the creator of worlds without ends. I would often go to her room to seek her out and find her kneeling by her bed in prayer. What a wonderful example she has been of praying to me.

Through the years I would pour out my troubles to me Father in heaven because I believed he was just that, my Father. My earthly father is such a good man. If my earthly father loved me as much as he did and was willing to talk to me about anything that I needed, I knew that my Father in heaven must be even more loving.  I remember going to Him again in prayer after I graduated high school and my life seemed to be miss aligned with Gods will for me.  My choices had led me to a place that I knew I should be spiritually and possibly the wrong place physically.  I remember asking Him for help during this time.  One morning I woke up and knew instantly, almost as if a voice spoke it to me, where He wanted me to be. That place was SUU. I went. I met the man that He intended for me to marry and have the life I have today, which by the way, is a wonderful life. 

The next generation has come into my home and because I had that experience with a Barbie shoe, I have been able to teach them what prayer can do.  Jaron had lost a small stuffed animal that was important to him.  He was 8 years old at the time.  I suggested that he do as I did and pray to find his small stuffed animal.  He did and found it right away, just as I had found my Barbie shoe more than 20 years earlier.

The power of prayer is real.  When we open the door to our God, he will communicate with us. He hears all our prayers, even the ones about Barbie shoes.  What he says back to us might not be what we want to hear, but he always has our best interest in mind.  Sometimes I feel like I am a small child throwing a tantrum because I didn’t get my way. I just don’t see what God sees.  He knows what is best for me.  I am still learning to trust Him to guide me to where he wants me to be.  Through this historical time in the world with the COVID-19 pandemic, so much is uncertain and doesn’t seem to be as it should be.  But I have faith that God has a plan for all of us, we will all be stronger trees once this wind stops blowing if we let God be in control.

Life As We Know It

Life as we know it has been turned upside down.  I feel like a post on Facebook said it the best.  I feel like the story of the world right now is being written by a 4th grader, "And there was this virus and everyone was scared. And then the world ran out of toilet paper, yeah, and then there was no school for like a month and then there was an earthquake." All those things are true.  The world is so crazy right now.  We are at home all day together.  Expect Don still has to work, his job is deemed critical to society. But I have been here for a week with the six kids. We have had very little social interactions as social distancing is a must to not contract or carry COVID-19.  I think that things will only escalate in our state as we are just starting into it.  Today we just got word that school will be all digital learning until May 1.  I expect us to not return to school this school year. Let me break down out day for you.
7:30 - scripture study
8:00 - breakfast and get ready for the day
by 8:30 am we have started our online learning.  Landon has a lot to do with his Mandarin on top of the 40 min for each core subject.  Landon also is using OneNote and typing all his responses so his teachers are doing awesome at checking for learning.  Bryson and Jaron are on Canvas doing learning.  Eldon's teacher just e-mails each week what he needs to work on each day. Kayla has a packet that has 5 pages she needs to do each day.
10:00 am - Mind break! The kids have to turn off electronics and get moving in some way.
11:00 am - Learning activity.  We do something educational together.  We write stories, do art, or science experiments.  Sometime the kids still have work to be doing so we don't always do a group activity.
noon - Lunch.  The schools are still providing lunch for students. This is so cool to me.  Our country is still making sure the kids are fed. I love living in America
12:30 pm  - Chores
1:00 pm - Quiet time.  The kids can read, draw, do puzzles. Patten naps.
2:00 pm - Educational videos if they want.
3:00 pm - Build a skill.  Jaron, Bryson, and Kayla all have videos from their coaches so they can build skills at home.
4:00pm - Free time!
5:30/6:00pm - Dinner.  My kids have always had a day. Kayla - Monday, Landon - Tuesday  . . . Patten has Saturday.  On their day they are on K.P. they help with all the meals. Jaron and Bryson only need to ask questions about cooking dinner but for the most part they can do it themselves.  The others are just my assistants while cooking.
During diner the person who's day it is also is in charge of family scripture study/discussion.
8:00 pm - Get in bed and ready until lights out at 8:30 pm.

Stores are quite the scene.  The whole toilet paper thing is a little much, it's a tough to find item.  Luckily we have enough and don't need to fight the crowds for it.  We did brave Costco on March 16th.  While waiting in a very long line to enter we got one of the last tickets to be able to purchase one case of toilet paper, which we did because family could use it.  We were also only allowed to get one or two of each item in the store. No mass buying was allowed at that point.  The few weeks before March 16th people were buying soooo many cases of everything. Milk, eggs, butter, potatoes, flour, rice, beans, and pasta are also all things that are harder to find in store right now.  I am at this time in my life SO grateful for a mother that taught me to be prepared.

I also see God's hand in me getting my degree in education.  I just finished all my online course work on March 14th, two days before the kids were to stay home all day.  This wasn't a coincidence. I feel like God knew I would need to be able to help teach my kids.
Our church leaders have been preparing us for this very event also.  We are ready to teach the gospel in our home.  Having the sacrament at home has been such a spiritual experience.  I know God's power is on the earth.  I have it in my home and am grateful for that.

Last, let me not forget the earthquake.  That was something I have not felt since I was 5 years old.  5.7 in Magna.  Don was at work, I was just about to get in the shower when the house started shaking and I had sea legs.  Landon comes running in with fear in his eyes, it is still undecided if the fear was from seeing his mother naked or the shaking.  But I told him to get in a doorway. Which I have since learned isn't what you should do, but that's what I was taught.  Patten thought it was fun and kept waiting for another one to happen all day.  Eldon and Bryson thought that brothers were shaking their bed.  Kayla wasn't awake. Jaron was awake laying in his bed.  The first thought that went through is head is that he could tell others he lived through an earthquake.  But there was a lot of talk about it through the day as we felt aftershocks.  We even had one Sunday night, 4 days later. Again, my degree came in handy as I was able to explain and keep kids calm about what was happening.  The Davis School district started a rumor that there was to be a very much larger earthquake soon, but that isn't how it works.  Utah will never see something as big as a 9 and there is only a 5% chance that one as large or larger will happen again soon.  Anyway, needless to say the neighborhood has a slight panic.  But Bishop and I were able to calm that storm quickly.

So yes, it feels like the world's history is being written by 4th graders right now.  But I have complete faith in God's plan for me and my family and know that all will be well.

Finishing out the Year

We finished out 2019 in good shape. 

The 4th of July brought a change.  No get together at Melody's.  We had Stacey and her family over to spend the evening. The Dickinson's did fireworks in the cul-de-sac.  He didn't safely plant on of the arials and that end up poping a little but under my skirt and buring my leg a little.  It als sparked and popped in the back of our friends car where Kayla was sitting.  She was luckily sitting with a wonderful girl that protected her from the sparks.  So all ended well, but I don't think we will be that close to the fireworks any time in the future. 

In September the 15 year old neighbor boy committed suicide at the elementary school playground.  This really shook our world.  Don being bishop, me having depression of my own, and our children that knew him.  The family had no idea he was struggling with these thoughts and it really was hard for the ward family.  We had conselors come from LDS Family Services to talk with the youth and the adults seperatly. For me personally this really caused my depression to spiral out of control.  I tired to get a handle on it but my winter was rather a mental battle. 

Aunt Pasty and Grandma Barlow passed away this year.  They both were such wonderful women and I will miss them, but know that they are not to far if I need them.

The holidays were wonderful as usual.  We spend Thanksgiving in Granstville with just a few of the Hughes clan.  Christmas was also quiet.  We had a Hughes party as usual. Gram never fails to deliver a great time.  We went to the Zoolights this year for our activity and it was REALLY cold. The kids didn't gather their warm clothes as I asked because they didn't think they would need them, so they froze.  Patten and Kayla ended up crying in the car about the whole ordeal as we were leaving.  I ended up being really overwhelmed with their needs but looking back that was such a small moment in an otherwise wonderful evening.  Great memories all around. 

Happy and Busy 2019

Since I last found the time to blog, 4 more birthday's have come and gone for us. Along with a complete holiday season.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving here at our house with a large majority of the Hughes clan.  Biff and Katie were the only ones that weren't able to join us. It really was a wonderful time all being together.
Christmas brought a lot of fun with family again. The Barlow Christmas party had a successful ugly sweater contest.  Scott taking the trophy hands down.  The Hughes Christmas party was just as fun.  It was a great celebration of all that Christ has brought into our lives.
In February Jaron turned 13. Our first official teenager.  He is shaving and really growing.  He is now 5'7". He is a responsible kid and a blessing to have as part of our family.  He continues to do really well in all subjects at school and play soccer.  He just made the Layton Strikers team and we are excited to continue his development.  He also got a guitar for Christmas and has started taking lesson for that.
I had my 35 birthday in March.  It was a day that kind of came and went as I had just had out my gallbladder a day or two before.  That surgery went well, but I didn't bounce back like I hopped I would.  Now several months later I am still struggling with stomach issues.
Patten turned 3 in April.  He is shy and silly.  He is spoiled rotten as the baby, but I couldn't love the little guy more.
KK turned 5 and is very mature for her young age. She is the house manager and makes sure we all stay on schedule.  She is so social and more than ready to go to school in the fall.
After back surgery in the fall Don's back is doing really well.  Being bishop is tough at times but he is always so happy when he can make a difference in someones life.
I have been doing a lot of school the past year, every spare moment almost.  That is why this blog isn't getting a lot of attention.  But I am loving it and hoping to be done by the time 2021 rolls around.

Summer & September 2018

I am working on living in the present and not dwelling on the past.  Sorry that it's been so long since I posted school has been taking up my spare time along with a depression episode.  It's been rough, but I think I'm coming out of it.

Summer went way too fast this year.  Usually I can't wait to send the kids back to learning and having something to do with their time, not this year.

June:

-Baseball - Don coached Bryson's team
-Gray Reunion in Brian Head, UT
-Girls Camp
-Kent Barlow Reunion in Jerome, ID

July:

-All star Baseball for Bryson
-4th Fun in Santaquin
-Landon's Birthday

August:

-Rage competition soccer for Jaron starts
-Murdock's visited - we love having lasting friendships
-Bryson Mandalined off the side of his finger
-Camp Loll for Jaron - his fear of bears almost prevented him from going
-Bee's game for summer reading
-Our 14th anniversary! Hurray for love
-Football started - that was an adventure and Eldon's team was really good. He very much had a love-hate relationship with it.
-School started - Jaron was really nervous about Jr. High but after a week he got the hang of things.  Bryson, Eldon, and Landon all have wonderful teachers and it is going to be an amazing year. Kayla started Upstart.  She does her 15 min then is done.  Patten however plays 15-30 min almost every day on Upstart and loves it. I started substituting.
-Utah football started. GO UTES!! we love having season tickets

September:

Has been adjusting to all of the above and getting back into the grove of things.
-Don and Eldon's Birthday
-Jaron and I went to an RSL game

General Happenings

-Piano - Jaron took an organ lesson or two in the summer and is doing well. Eldon and Landon are also moving along.
-Scouts - the boys all love scouts and are advancing in their ranks
-Landon - is doing robotics and choir at school
-Bryson - is doing an elementary competition robotics team as well as reading for Battle of the Books
-Date nights - Don and I have really enjoyed doing weekly date nights
-Don's Back - it's time for surgery! He has a herniated disc that is pressing on his sciatic nerve.  That will be corrected on Oct. 24
 -WGU - I really am enjoying school for the most part
-Kayla currently is going to Madsen Darling's house almost every day, they are so cute to watch
-Patten -  is really talking well.  Cutest thing though, he calls his belly his bunny.  I love it!!

Byson is 11

Bryson loves:
Electronics
Hanging out with friends
Baseball
Rocks
Cooking
Building

Bryson is turning into a wonderful young man.  He struggles sometimes to make right choices (don't we all) but owns up to them and is honest with himself about his short comings.  He doesn't love doing chores, but he will.  He also is very thoughtful and observant of others needs and helps a lot around the house. 

Eldon is 9

Eldon loves:
Pasta salad & Hamburger casserol
Blue
BYU
Scouts

Eldon is such a funny kid.  He is good dancer.  He is very stubborn.  He has a tender heart and is often very kind and gentle.

May 2018

Let's Be Real
This month is filled with so many fun things.  It's then end of another year of education for the kids and comes with a lot of programs and I love it.
This month also has been a big month of reflection on my part.  I am entering a new season of my life.  I will not be having any more kids. I know that has been said before, but this time I am serious. I have peace with it.  It has been a big part of my life growing babies and then taking care of them. For the first few years it is a full time job.  But as Patten gets older I feel that chapter of my life coming to a close.  It has taken me about a year to figure out what exactly I should do with my spare time.  But I think I am starting to figure it out.  I started substitute teaching a little.  Don is home Monday and so I can do that on that day. I also will be starting to take some online classes.  We will see if that is something that I can handle with all the other things going on.

Kayla and Madsen (her "boyfriend")

Joni Phillips Piano recital

Bryson Batting, Eldon and Patten watching

4th Grade Wax Museum

Cotton candy ice-cream burrito

Me and baby Cole Baird

Jaron and his 6th grade teacher Mrs. Kovary

April 2018

Easter
Easter was fun this year. We had a ward party and went to the city egg hunt as well.  The Easter bunny hid 12 eggs of one color in the backyard at our house and the kids had fun finding them.


Patten
Patten is 2!  He had his birthday again during spring break and Don had the week off again.  So we headed south on his birthday.  We stopped at Papa's work, had lunch at a park, visited new second cousin Gracie, played at a park with cousin Asher, and had pizza for dinner at Gram's.  I think he had a fabulous day.
This little guy is full of energy and crazy!  I can't keep him in the house and when I can he's always into something.  He loves pizza, chicken, pretzels, bananas, fish, and anything sweet mostly.  He loves "Popcorn Popping" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" but I get yelled at for singing anything else to him.
He has a mean streak he thinks punching is funny, something to work on for sure.  He thinks that if he smiles when he says no that that will make it okay to say.  His smile melts my heart and he knows that. He loves being outside, jumping, and riding his bike. He knows who Jesus is and loves to see pictures of him. I love this little boy so much.


Spring Break
We had such a great time hiking with Gram and exploring where Papa grew up in Mesquite, NV.

Cousin Charles was born this month!

Kayla is 4
She is another year older and wiser too.  This little girl had such a fun birthday party.  We played house with fake money.  They friends spent them at different shops: Beauty Shop (nails, hair, make-up), Smoothie Shop, and Jewelry Shop.  Then we had a bakery where everyone decorated their own cake.  It was a blast.
This little girl has so much sass.  She loves to play with friends.  She is a daddy's girl all the way and loves him to pieces. She loves to ride her tricycle.  She won't ride a regular bike because its too scary.  She love watching Sing and Letter Factory.  She loves "I am a Child of God".  She doesn't like noodles with sauces very much but loves to eat mostly everything else.  She likes chicken nuggets and fish a lot. She was really brave at the Dr. as she got all the shots she would need to go to kindergarten in a few years. Learning isn't her focus but cooking and cleaning the house with mom is what she loves. She also likes to read books.



Ribbon Dance
We had the ward fundraiser and Bishop Hughes and his bishopric gave a fabulous performance.

Pinewood Derby

March 2018

My Birthday

That's right I'm getting older.  My birthday was a wonderful day.  I was able to do "Parents and Pasteries" at Landon's school, have lunch with some friends,  attend Cathy's retirement party, and then go to Teppanyaki for dinner.  It was a day filled with things that I love.

Landon's Injury
Landon seems to fall a lot and hit is face.  This month he fell and put his tooth almost all the way trough his lip.  The Dr. said it didn't need to be stitched but two months later there is still a big knot in his mouth and a very visible scar.

My Parents
This was a really tough month for my parents.  My Aunt Linda passed away, Dad got the actual flu, and then Mom got pneumonia. Dads flu had a complication when he didn't eat anything and only drank honey and lemon water to sooth his throat.  This made his blood sugar over 300 and he was taken to the ER to lower it quickly.  He was scary for those involved and a very emotional month for everyone involved.

Patten
Patten enjoys repeating scripture to us.  I LOVE this part of my day. It makes all the stresses be okay and is really cute.
Also this month Patten started sleeping in a toddler bed.

St. Patrick's Day
Green milk & eggs is a must.

Fire Department
We went on a fun field trip with our preschool friends.

February 2018

Jaron is Growing

This month Jaron went on the scouting Klondike, had the open house for the Jr. High, his birthday, and ordination.  All of these events showed me that he really is maturing.  He is always nervous for new experiences but has the courage lately to do them anyway.  This is new for him.  Don and I are so proud of the man he is becoming.  He is dedicating himself to pray and study the gospel of Christ on his own as well as giving FHE lessons to the family.
The Sunday that he was ordained was a really wonderful day, but the Sunday following was even more so.  It was fast Sunday as well as his first time passing he sacrament. The morning started with snow.  The YW of our ward were in charge of shoveling the snow the month of March.  So he went to do that, then went to collect fast offerings from the ward.  Our Stake President has asked that the boys share a message and bear their testimony when the collect the offerings.  Jaron shared Alma 7:11 and the really helpful priest that was with him said that it was better than a Slurpee. Following fast offerings that same priest helped him learn the positions for passing the sacrament.  He did a fabulous job of passing.  The other 5 children were watching him the whole time.  It was Bishop Hughes week to conduct so he also had the opportunity to share his testimony.  Following him Jaron just stood up and bore his testimony.  He testified of the Church of Christ, the power of passing the sacrament, and that families can be together forever.  He was very emotional. It was so uplifting to hear his  testimony.
For his birthday this year we had root beer floats and watched a movie as a family.  The weather was bad so we went out on Monday to miniature golf together and play arcade games.
He is 5'3" and 90lb.  Jaron loves most sports and reading.  He still loves Italian foods, Rigatoni especially. He really enjoys watching or going to sports with his Dad.

Eldon's Hero Program

Eldon was very excited about his Hero Program at school.  He did a great job.  He didn't completely memorize the Gettysburg Address but did several lines of it.  I was pleased with his efforts there.

Hughes Day

On February 24th we were able to attend Jack's baptism. Baptisms are always a great experience.  We then had a baby shower for Carlie and Jason.  Then the Hughes birthday celebration.  It was a tough day because Patten was feeling really sick, but the boys had a good time with family.

Chinese New Years

Landon and I were able to celebrate Chinese New Years together at his school.  While walking down the hall holding hands he told me that he loves doing things with just me.  I love doing things with me kids.

Valentines Day!

Don's New Car

Snow

Some of the boys really have taken to helping shovel the walks for others when it snows.  It is really wonderful to see them want to help others. 

Blue and Gold Banquet

January 2018

Kayla is a Sunbeam

Kayla LOVES primary.  She is so excited every week to go. Patten is still doing good in nursery too.  We were worried he would regress when she wasn't there anymore, but he is doing wonderful.

Jaron's Ballroom Competition

Jaron did really well at his completion and I was able to be a chaperone for his group. They got 2nd out of three schools.  His team got a silver ribbon.  He was a little disappointed in the results but I think he had a great time up until then.

Treehouse Museum Fieldtrip

December 2017

Playing in the first big snow

Ward Christmas Party

Don got most of the photos with Santa so you just get to see a select few.  Kayla however got her picture in front of our Christmas tree when we got home because she would have nothing to do with Santa. 

Let's be real for just a minute; forcing our kids to sit on a strange mans lap is almost as bad as making them go door to door asking for candy, just saying.

Barlow Christmas Party

Landon's Christmas Program

Hughes Family Christmas Party