The year 2020 has been a hard one for the entire world and I am pretty sure we will all be incredibly happy to see it over with. I was starting to really have a hard time with depression due to being quarantined from friends and family, not allowed to play outside at the park, not being able to go to the store without a mask, and our HOA decided they aren't going to open the pools this summer because it isn't "safe"!!!!! Seriously, if they hadn't opened up the splash pads I was going to lose my freaking mind! Our house is way too small to be stuck indoors like we have been and what kind of summer can you have in the Las Vegas heat without a pool?! So you can bet your entire life savings that we were the very first ones there at the splash pad the day it opened up and have been there almost every single day since! However, even though it has been mentally challenging these last few months, we have loved having Daddy work from home! He gets to be here for all sorts of fun things that he would otherwise have missed and we are so grateful for that! Quarantine has also given us some time to slow down and relax, which is especially nice since we have a new baby. I feel so grateful that we haven't been affected by the economy collapse that has hit our country hard since nobody was allowed to go to work and I am especially grateful that I cut down to working only once a month because it has really given me a chance to soak in Isla's babyhood in a way that I wasn't able to do with our other kids. We have made the best of this difficult time and I am really proud of us! Here is what we have been up to lately :).....
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| They both try to fall asleep in our bed so Daddy will carry them to their beds :). |
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| Briana and I took the kids out to the Reservoir in Logandale for a fun filled day in the sun! They loved it!! |
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| Isla living her best life :). |
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| Cousins make the best of friends! |
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| Showing baby Isla how to live that country life! |
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| Briana's sweet friend Kaylee came with us which was perfect because we needed all the help we could get with all these kids! |
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| While out in Logandale my Mom took the kids on a nature walk out into the desert and they came back with baby bunnies! It was the highlight of our trip! They were the sweetest things and we were so sad to have to put them back in their den while they waited for their Mama to come home. The kids begged to keep them but they were so tiny I think they would have died without their Mama to feed them. |
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| I took advantage of the extra hands and took each kid on a special date while we were out in Logandale. Austin got to drive the car up to the Mesa where we parked and hiked around looking for old treasures left behind by cowboys and Indians :). Then we looked out over the edge of the mesa at the beautiful valley below and talked. It was perfect. Of course we stopped at the gas station on our way home for treats to finish off our little date. I love this boy more than life itself and I love what comes out of his mouth when you are one on one with him. He is so incredibly perceptive and intelligent, it blows my mind every time. |
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| The next day was Evie's turn for a date and of course she insisted on copying everything I did with Austin! So it was the exact same date but Evie style ;). That means everything was fast and loud! Evie is our little ball of energy who makes every moment count! There's no time to be sad with Evie around because you are too busy living life to the fullest! |
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| Dad drove out for the weekend after work and we had a huge water baloon war!! It was so fun! :) |
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| Grandma Wiegel also stopped by with a whole meal from KFC and we had a picnic outside! We haven't been able to see much of her because of quarantine so this felt extra special! |
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| Briana bought a temporary tattoo kid and gave all of us fun tattoos!! |
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| Isla getting to know her Great Grandma Wiegel :). |
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| Kaylee has the cutest little dog and the kids loved him! |
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| Country life suits Austin. It's all guns and anarchy, just the way he likes it ;) |
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| I have loved getting to spend time with my Mom and letting her bond with her newest Grandchild. She has gone through a really hard time over the past couple years and it felt so good to just enjoy each other and let go of all that. |
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| At home, Evie and I had a Girls Night! We did face masks and pigged out on junk food while watching tons of Disney movies! IT WAS SO FUN!! |
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| Now that quarantine is loosening up, we are allowed to get our hair cut again!! This is my hair stylist, "Frenchi", and I love her to pieces! Seeing her lovely face and getting my much needed hair done was the highlight of my week! |
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| I have been working on getting my body back and it has been a welcomed esccape from quarantine and all the drama that has come along with it. I only have 2 pounds to go before I hit pre-baby weight!!! |
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| Our Memorial Day was spent at home having a bbq, eating tons of popsicles, and playing in the kiddie pool! |
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| Our neighbors also came over to join us and we had a great day! |
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| We haven't seen Grandpa in quite a while because of quarantine so it was so exciting when he stopped by!! The kids were all over him! |
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| Making animal cookies while stuck inside! |
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| Oh how I love my little chefs! |
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| The first day our splash pads opened up and we were definitely ready for it! |
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| Isla was amazed by it all! |
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| The kids have had soooo much energy from being stuck indoors and couldn't wait for this moment right here! |
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| Almost every week we try to have family pizza night! We make our own individual pizzas and eat it in the living room while we watch a movie together. It might get a little crazy, but it is the highlight of our week and makes me so happy :). |
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| Trying to calm my mind with yoga during this crazy time! Not only is there a pandemic, but our country has gone insane and is rioting and burning down buidings because a police officer killed a black man and suddenly it's like the Civil War has started all over again! It is so hard to stay calm when it feels like there is nothing but chaos around us, but we are doing our best. |
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| Our kids definitely help all the horror going on with their sweet spirits and love for each other. This was during Family Home Evening and all I could do was smile and thank God for the incredible blessing of family. |
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| Making homemade popsicles! It was a huge hit! |
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| Another glorious day at the splash pad with friends! Technically, we aren't allowed to "gather in groups" due to the pandemic but we did it anyway because we are all starved for human interaction! It felt so good to be normal again! |
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| Evie's best friend since infancy, Blakely, is moving away next month and we are all devastated! Especially since her Mom is one of my closest friends! :( |
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| Getting our early morning workout in during the summer heat! We have been allowed to start High Fitness again and it has felt so good to workout with friends! |
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| Our lemon tree is growing baby lemons and my heart is exploding at how cute they are!!! |
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| I haven't seen much of my best friend, Jura, over the past couple years because we have both been so insanely busy with work and kids and life. So we decided to get together and have a bbq/pool party at their house and it was so wonderful! After being starved for normalcy with all this epidemic stuff going on, every little moment with friends feels like a breath of fresh air! |
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| The kiddos enjoying their bbq! |
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| Adrien with the little ones :) |
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| Daddy has been working from home and it has been wonderful! He gets to play with the kiddos during the day on his breaks and it makes my heart so happy :). |
So that has been us lately! The country is slowly reopening and we are doing our best to find normalcy again! I still worry constantly about us getting sick, but I have decided to leave it up to God and just live my life. Whatever will be, will be. And we will enjoy living while we are alive!
