Christmas in May.

We had a bit of Christmas feeling in the air this week. Which is weird because it's really finally starting to be warm. I'm confused every year since leaving Florida four winters ago that spring doesn't really start here until late April, and summer doesn't start until the end of June.

Anyway, we started reading Little House in the Big Woods, the first in the Little House on the Prairie series. I have a lot of book-y friends who recommend things for my kids and I to read together, and of course Little House books are always the first things people say. And I have just been waiting. I know a lot of them are set in winter, so I thought--wouldn't it be nice to read them over winter? And then I stop myself because I think that the books must be so antiquated and maybe I should wait until the girls are older and can understand better. 

But we bit the bullet. We started. It's not cold outside, and my kids are still young. And they have loved it. Gwen--my child who complains that every book and movie is just a little too long--literally bursts into tears when we "only" read one chapter at night. She loves it. June loves it too, but has been traumatized by a particular scene. There are many stories about bears and panthers, but no, these do not concern her. The scene that June worries over is one where Pa lost a toenail. She has stopped me mid-sentence during our piano lessons together with a look of horror on her face, exclaiming, "Could that happen to my toenail!?!?" when she is really supposed to be answering me that the D scale has two sharps and that they are F sharp and C sharp. In the middle of a meal, she'll gasp out of nowhere and with a cringe on her face, say "I just thought about losing my toenail again!"

We all get on my bed and read until I fall asleep, which really does happen way earlier than it should. And then they poke me in the face. I don't like it.

On the best nights, an extremely tired Harris will join us and crawl around the bed until he finds his "spot", put a blanket over his entire body, head included, and then fall asleep. Harris is still hard to put to bed. He needs naps but when he takes them he goes to bed so late and then wakes up so early. So I purposely try to never let him have naps. But I will still find him in the middle of the toy room floor asleep sometimes. Or he'll fall asleep in the stroller or bike trailer. And then I know it's going to be a long night.

But the nights when he just falls asleep while I read, I feel like the luckiest mom in the whole world. 

(He had a nap in the car yesterday and came into my room at 4:45 a.m. today to ask me what I was doing. While I was face down in my pillow. And then asked about having pancakes for breakfast. It is seriously terrible.)

So yes, we have been having some great Christmas and winter stories from Laura Ingalls Wilder. And also, the girls started learning Jingle Bells on the piano this week. Kind of a weird week. 

June was required to make a fossil for her science class. We made a giant no bake cookie and make some imprints in it. It reminded me of my mission. Peanut butter was a rarity in Romania, and whenever we found some we made no bake cookies. And often would not spoon it out into cookies, but would rather dump it all in the middle of a pan and go at it with spoons.

The thought of doing that this time grossed me out. But my kids had no problem.

Also, lots of play time this week.

But the best play time of all. And ever. Was when we went on a little hike at Swatara State Park. Our parks are finally opening back up, and I've never been so happy. The whole 30-minute drive I kept pointing out things as if this was my first visit to Planet Earth. "Look at the FLOWERS, Dan! Looks at that sign! Look--a McDonald's!"

We arrived at the parking lot, and there were kids across the way from us, and Gwen shouted "FRIENDS!!!" even though we were socially distant and just said hi and that was it.

I feel like I've been handling quarantine okay. I like being home. But this week was TOO MUCH.

 Gwen wanted a picture by herself, thankyouverymuch.

And I wanted to take a picture with the kids, but none of them would.

And Dan captured this very Sound of Music Moment where the kids and I were holding hands and singing, "The Ants Go Marching". It's a little embarrassing, but it was the only thing that would keep Harris with the group.

And we made it to a waterfall. I kept the baby down with me, and Dan helped the other three up the rocks.

There was a pool of water that Gwen and June played in, right in front of them in this picture below:

And then Gwen came down by herself. Because she had to go to the bathroom. But she didn't make it. She peed her pants. And announced it to everyone there: MOM, I'M PEEING! MOM, I'M DONE! DO YOU THINK DAD CAN CARRY ME ON HIS SHOULDER BACK TO THE CAR?

The answer to that was no.

People were entertained. I have to give June credit. Before we left, she carried an extra pair of underwear out to the car with her, saying we might need it. And I thought to myself, hopefully not! My girls are old! But we totally did need it.

And here's Dan carrying June down from the rocks. He's the best. Even if he won't carry a pee pee child on his shoulders.

And today, Gwen and Harris helped me make parmesan rolls for dinner. Harris was on butter duty, and Gwen was on parmesan duty.

And our church photo. Gwen's "smile" comes from the fact that we banned all toys from our Sacrament meeting. Which has always been the rule! But today it just hit her how unfair the whole world is.

Other books and movies this week: June listened to the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this week. So we watched the movie. I told Dan that Hershey should offer a promotion with five gold tickets! How fun would that be!?

The End.