Violet Turns 6!

We had a birthday this past week! Violet's birthday is always so much fun because it's the first to come after a long break (6 month break between hers and the last birthday). I felt bad because this was supposed to be her first year for a friends birthday party (we do them at 6, 8, and 10), but because of the virus, we didn't feel ready to invite other kids over. So she might just have her party when she turns 7. But she was a good sport and was very understanding, and still had a fabulous birthday!

Her favorite present was probably a kite. She loves to fly kites, but up to this point "flying a kite" meant tying a string to a plastic bag and running around the yard.  She found joy in it anyway and kept her plastic bag in a safe spot so she could get it out if there was the slightest breeze.

"Kite flying" pre-birthday

We tried out her real kite for the first time this weekend, and was all smiles. :)

We just love Violet so much. She's the cuddle bug of the family. Very sweet and sensitive to other people's needs. She's constantly asking me "What do you need to do today?" and then she'll secretly go about trying to do one of the things I mentioned. Or she'll say, "Make a wish!" and I'll say, "I wish the cleaning fairy could come and unload the dishwasher!" and then a few minutes later, poof, unloaded. That's just how she is. But I have to make sure I don't "see" her doing it, or else she cries because the surprise is ruined. We can't imagine our lives without her.

Home Church

There is a strategy for Sundays in our home, and that is s-t-r-e-t-ching out time. This is how it goes on a typical Sunday.

Wake up whenever. Let kids play downstairs or do google video calls to each other from different rooms till they remember they haven't eaten breakfast yet.

Girls giving a puppet show to Jaxon a room away

Late breakfast. Girls play in bathtub for a good while. Is it bad that they've gone back to taking baths? They can entertain themselves so much better in a bath tub! Get out, dressed in Sunday clothes. Hair. Then Jaxon showers (he loooves a long hot shower).

My fingers hurt just by looking at this...

Almost time to cut it...

If we still have time to kill during Travis' or my zoom meetings, we'll usually take out a board game or two. After meetings, we have our sacrament and a little Sunday lesson.

I've just come to love church at home. The kids love gathering and getting reverent for the hymn and sacrament. They take it so seriously. I love them being able to see Travis bless it. And they love contributing to our mini Sunday lesson. Each Sunday Ginger always begs to have home church instead of going to real church- she was really struggling in sunbeams so I'm sure she'll be a mess whenever that starts up again...

After our lesson, I let the kids watch a Living Scripture movie, or two. Bonus if it has to do with the lesson we learned that day while I do some dinner prep. Then the older kids write in their journals. Then we all get ready for an early dinner, followed by a family walk.

Then pajamas, family scriptures, prayer, and dessert. And if the kids end up in bed 30 minutes early, oh darn. More time to read in bed.

Our stake has decided to start back up this month, but since three wards share our building they assigned one Sunday to each ward, and the ward decides how many sessions of sacrament meeting they want to hold that day. So we'll be going every 3 weeks for 45 minutes and will still enjoy home church on the other weeks. I hope we can stay safe during this transition!