This has got to get done

Today is the last day of freedom.

I'm apprehensive. Four kids on virtual school plus virtual seminary. Plus my virtual schools and David moving to Vegas soon. 

I don't feel like I'm in the right place for this to be my last day of freedom. Maybe a few more months of summer would help. But maybe the calm reassurance of routine will be beneficial, despite the mounted expectations.

Catching up with pictures would be a good first step. I don't think I'm going to put these pictures in order.

Covid turned Claire into an avid horticulturalist...until the harvest.

About 15 of these bad boys grew and then rotted in our fridge. Maybe next time she could try growing sugar cane or lollipops.

Here are a few pics of us driving back from New Orleans to AZ. We left Elijah in Nola to have an extra week with GG&Pops. Then we picked up a few second-cousins (Adee and Darbee) in Dallas. David took the relaxed approach to driving back and we stopped at some random places:

It was dark when we passed through a little town that had a little building with a light that was eerily flashing in the dark. I commented "That was creepy." David drove a few miles beyond it, started telling a ghost story, then made a sharp U-turn. As we pulled up, he told us that 30 people had been killed in that Old Lincoln County Courthouse with a possessed lightbulb. He dared all the girls to go up the the second story, snapped this picture of them and then sped away in the car. The girls squealed and sprinted after the car. 

David's next order of business was to find the perfect cemetery for the cemetery challenge: who can stay in a creepy, old cemetery the longest while listening to his creepy, old stories. We followed the signs down a narrow road, but found the cemetery locked, which relieved most of us. Instead we found a ginormous male elk in the middle of the road, staring at us. David off-roaded a little to follow the poor animal until I said, "Stop. Remember Tommy Boy?"--which was my favorite movie as a teenager. 

When we drove through Roswell, NM, we counted the number of alien references and got to 31:

Dropped the 4 girls off:

The next week I mainly learned about Elijah's Nola adventured through Facebook:

When Elijah got back, we drove back up to pick up the girls

And were accompanied by Ethan and Bain:

The girls showed us around the camp including a nice view of the forest.

Bain was nice enough to order our drive-through food.

For Sara's last night in town, we went to get good American BBQ.

Saying goodbye at the airport:

Skateland. We made up about 80% of the patrons that day, since Corona still has people staying at home.

This is how Sybil goes to the store these days. 

Her shoes have almost no tread, so she slides along as I push.

Mall scavenger hunt with 12 people. 

This is Iris, Darbee, and Eliza skipping in front of two stores. 

"The first team to complete all requirements and find Caroline wins a warm hug."

Airport again: 

Hiked camelback

Iris would not be persuaded to go any further into this cave, convinced that evil was lurking.

Evening cartwheels in front of my parents' house:

Outside Skateland: 

Walked around Gilbert temple:

This is Iris. Elijah claimed he slid down these on his derrière. 

Car selfie

Matching henna tattoos at the mall

We walked into the mall the other day for Iris' bday. 

Claire hung her head and said, "Last time I was here, Sara was with me."