And then it was August...

Dear diary, 

Some days I feel like there isn't much to write when nearly every day is the same. Watch kids, work from home, hike, listen to podcasts, find toddler crafts on Pinterest, clean, clean, clean, worry about Aidan's video game consumption, and try to avoid thinking about the uncertainty of life post-summer. It's early August and the primary question on everyone's mind is whether school will be in person or online in 2020 (no one even attempts to guess regarding spring semester). Unlike simple propositions such as whether or not to wear a mask in public, schools seem like an intractable problem. Kids need to learn, they need structure and social interaction, parents need to work, and kids don't seem to be at high risk in regards to coronavirus though they are certainly capable of spreading it to others who are. Other countries have successfully opened schools and we've learned enough about coronavirus to know what protocols would go a long way towards keeping schools safe. On the other hand, no other country has coronavirus rates anywhere near the US's, our classrooms are notoriously crowded, children suck at social distancing, we don't know a lot about the longterm effects of coronavirus, and isn't it better to be safe than sorry when it comes to our kids (not to mention teachers and other staff)? There are no clear answers, no consensus, and no solutions in sight; only imperfect choices riddled with compromise. 

For my own kids, everything looks different than 2019. After watching Aidan play video games in the basement for five months, I think there is a bigger risk for him staying home than a hybrid online/in-person school environment with masks and frequent hand-washing. Harper and Ashton are thriving at home but would benefit from socialization. I always loved that preschool filled in the gaps of what I'm not so great at. For instance, I love reading, baking, and outdoor education. I am not so great at arts and crafts, though I've gotten significantly better in quarantine. Our current tentative solution is a small Catholic school for Aidan and a small preschool co-op for the littles, which is the only solution that has allowed me to sleep at night. 

Summer has been surprisingly good for us if a bit low key. Harper, Ashton, and I wake up around 7 and usually just play, eat breakfast, watch a Daniel Tiger or Word World. Sometimes we go on a morning adventure to the park or Red Moose for drive through breakfast burritos and cinnamon rolls. Every day has become a Saturday with its slow starts, PJ adventures, big breakfasts, and TV time. "The day" often starts for us around 10 am when Harper goes to gymnastics camp or my Zoom calls start. I really do think the little ones have been the least affected by COVID. In fact, I'm pretty sure it has been a net benefit to their lives. Mom is around almost all the time now, even though I'm still working from my bedroom. Working from home has allowed for what I think of as "COVID wins" such as: 

1. Potty training Ashton in no time flat. 

2. Making progress on Harper's reading and writing. 

3. Making time for the kids to learn how to swim

4. Being able to take Ashton to Little Gym every week instead of the nanny or au pair taking him. 

5. Getting Aidan braces, which was on my to-do list for over a year. 

6. Investigating alternative school options. 

7. Hiking more frequently. 

8. Expanding my repertoire of cooking and baking. 

9. Submitting my tenure packet and an NEH grant. 

10.  Working with Ashton on his speech, which is getting better little by little. 

I can't pretend it's been all sunshine and rainbows. While the pandemic has improved the quality of life for the littles, I think it's having an adverse affect on Aidan who turned 15 last month. Always prone to screens, he now consumes video games and online content no less than 10 hours a day. He "sees" his friends online and only leaves the basement at my request to empty the dishwasher, take out the trash, take Stan for a walk, join us on an adventure, etc. His eating and sleeping schedule is completely out of whack. When I look at Aidan, I see the manifestation of dystopic teen novels where the virtual has become reality and everything virtuous has taken a backseat to a steady stream of digital dopamine hits. It's Ready Player One, Black Mirror, and Wall-E come to life in my basement. Everything that I value -- books, physical activity, human connection, healthful food -- has fallen by the wayside for Aidan this summer. He's a great kid and I love being around him, but, more than any of the rest of us, he needs some semblance of a schedule again. 

Before we move into the 2020-2021 school year, here are some pictures from our surprisingly lovely summer: 

Snowbird

The kids loved visiting the ski resorts and swinging back and forth on the chairlifts. 

As always, my photos upload out of order, and I'm too lazy to change them. My 40th birthday happened in July and you'll see all the various ways my family and friends made it special sprinkled throughout this post. Beautiful eclairs from Heather at the wonderful socially distanced party she hosted. 

Lollipops with Ashton while Harper is at tap class.

Favorite sweatshirt of summer

Bode's sprinkler mat.

Living room acroyoga

Donut Falls

Donut Falls (2)

Donut Falls (3)

Temple Quarry

Sugar House Park

Zach and Nick came out to visit with their friend Nico so Zach could move into his new place.

Backyard s'mores

Red Butte Garden

This is the Place Heritage Park

Tuesday night date treats while Harper is tapping her little heart out.

How we eat watermelon

Mud Kitchen in the backyard was clutch entertainment this summer.

Love our street. You put out a sprinkler mat and five kids miraculously appear.

Church Fork in Millcreek Canyon

Building the mud kitchen with dad.

Ashton is in the final days/weeks/months of sleeping in his crib. I always try to keep them in there until 3, but he just started climbing out on his own so we may have to speed up the process to a big boy bed. 

Harper ready for Little Gym camp

Summer rain. Harper was much happier to be muddy than Ashton. 

Ashton at Little Gym. His favorites this summer were the "reach and swing" on the bars and the jumping mats. 

Wheeler Farm

Aidan got braces and needed to have his last baby tooth extracted

That time when Harper and Ashton found my candle drawer

Harper loooooves dressing Ashton.

Temple Square

Socially distanced 40th birthday party where I "blew" out my candles by waving my hands

Bear Lake trip for my 40th birthday. My parents, bless them, braved an airplane to come visit with us, and, along with Heather, turned a birthday that I thought would be lackluster into one of the best ever.

Look at this tall, skinny kid! 

Surfing the tube

Wakeboarding

One of my favorite summer activities was the sunflower festival at Cross E Ranch. Every person got to pick one sunflower to take home. 

Wild and free...

Picture taken by Harper on my 40th birthday

My Dad brought a picture of the "You Are Special" plate for my birthday dinner. 

The awesome yurt we stayed in

My dad, 70 and still tubing.

Coffee and crepes

Wildflowers at Alta

On the way to Cecret Lake

Bode and Harper - Desolation Trail to Salt Lake Overlook

Bode and Harper

Hide and seek in the backyard

Tiger's Blood shaved ice at the Shack

Food truck night!

Staycation at Snowbird

Harper lost her favorite Spiderman hat on the Snowbird Alpine Slide. The nice lady at lost and found actually sent an employee up and down the slide looking in the tall grass until they found it. #snowbirdforlife

Another week of tap class. Another lollipop from Dan's.

Harper named Aidan's sunflower the Hulk Smash sunflower

Ashton protecting his nanny Heidi from the goat

Harper stuck a craft bead up her nose and we had to go to urgent care to have it removed.

Aidan's 15th birthday dinner at Fleming's.

Fast track swim lessons at SwimKids. Ashton took to swimming like a duck to water but Harper had to work a lot harder to push past her fear. Both made great progress over three weeks. 

Our cousins came to visit from California! 

Swinging in the backyard hammock. 

Another trip to Bear Lake with the Gobles had me dreaming of a Utah escape cabin. 

I actually got all four kids standing at the same time. Super precarious though as they all fell in the water one by one. 

Ledgemere at Big Cottonwood Canyon

We saw a "beware of rattlesnake habitat" sign which sucked all the fun out of the hike for Harper. 

The rare complete family picture at Snowbird. 

So that was how we lived our best life during our coronavirus summer. Stay outdoors, mask up, enjoy your family and closest friends, but don't stop living. On to Fall!