Marie got COVID from her work. Luckily she didn't pass it along to anyone else. The girls stayed at our house while she was sick so they wouldn't catch it.
As December kicked off we got the house all Christmas ready, which includes getting out all the Christmas books. I found this picture on my phone of Rachel reading one of the Christmas books to everyone.
My friend, Karolee, hosted a small drama club this semester with a few families in her backyard. Rachel and Annie had a lot of fun. They had their performance the first weekend of December and it was great.
We've been kind of hit and miss with Light the World this year. We're kind of just on survival mode, doing what we have energy for, and letting the rest go, and it's working just fine for us.
After Marie was recovered I was nervous about going to help with school at her house in case her roommate had caught it, but wasn't symptomatic yet, so Marie stayed at our house for the following week until we were sure Michelle hadn't caught it. One of the days while Marie was staying with us the Light the World suggestion was to show appreciation to a healthcare worker. McKenzie pointed out that her mom was a healthcare worker, so we decorated her car windows.
Another day the kids made a lot of snowflakes and some Merry Christmas notes, which we later took to a couple neighbors' houses to decorate their doors.
The girls wanted a haircut and Marie gave her approval for me to put my scissors to use. While I was cutting McKenzie's hair she asked me how I got my hair cut. I explained that I go to a place where there are professionally trained people, unlike me whose only training is 13 years of experience cutting my own kids' hair and one Relief Society lesson somewhere along the way where I learned a few good tips.
She was unconcerned with my lack of qualifications and very happy with the finished product.
The cousins come up with some fun games together. I think so often of how blessed we are to have cousins that are so close to each other. They treat each other like siblings, for the good and the bad.
Every year my mom and I get together and make Christmas treats. This year every batch of fudge we tried failed. Even Grandma Jolley's "No Fail Fudge." At least the candied pecans and caramels turned out good.
Savannah roped those of us 10 and older into helping with a food drive last Saturday. Rachel, Jared, Todd, and Savannah came, too, I just didn't get a picture of them.
We got full credit for being willing to help for 2 hours, but we were the last shift and after about a half hour we had run out of food to distribute/box up, so we headed home.
December is Grandpa's birthday, and a week later Grandma's birthday. As Grandpa turns 65 this year he just barely squeaked in to the requirements for receiving the COVID vaccine earlier than the rest of us. Well, he and Grandma.
A couple of days after his birthday the FDA approved the first COVID vaccine to be distributed first to healthcare workers, and emergency workers, and next to a group that includes those 65 years old and over. We are all excited about the vaccine and hopeful that as they distribute the vaccine we will soon be able to return to life that is a bit more normal. Remote/hybrid school, wearing masks everywhere, keeping 6 feet between everyone not in our household and not being able to get together for normal activities is getting old and we're all looking forward to life back to normal sometime next year.
Speaking of not normal, Annie had to miss her last week of school before Christmas break because someone in her class tested positive for COVID, so her whole class was quarantined and had to stay home for 2 weeks. It was a real bummer because that is supposed to be the most fun week of the year.
Annie was able to find some silver linings, though, and realized that because she got done with benchmarks quickly she had basically the whole day without school work for multiple days. She got to have PJ days every day if she wanted, and she didn't have to put on shoes or go out in the freezing temperatures every morning last week.
Saturday was our family's turn to help clean the church building. Annie had to go help clean and set up at Grandma's house for our activity later in the day since she was still in quarantine and not allowed around people outside our household, but since we all did some service, we deserved some donuts.
To add to the sugar rush Grandma hosted a cookie decorating party at her house. There was a lot of frosting and candy involved.
Everyone got to decorate a cookie in the shape of a Christmas sweater. There were some good looking cookies. And some were just covered in way too many sprinkles.
Now we're all off of school for 2 weeks. After the break we go back to remote school for 3 weeks so not as many classes will have to quarantine after all the traveling and catching COVID from family members from far way. Hopefully that'll be the last 3 weeks of remote learning we have to go through, then back to hybrid, then hopefully eventually back to just regular school. Now to enjoy the break!
