Quarantine Things

We're entering our 8th week of quarantine, and I can count on one hand the number of buildings I've been inside since the middle of March. But you all know what that's like so I'll continue to the main point of this post which was to share some pictures of what my family's been up to.

Joseph has made more flatbread than you can imagine. This is some he made into little "cookies".

Mary Ann and Julia grinding wheat for Passover.

Anna cut her hair and I was there for moral support or something. Haha

Lots of card-playing going on!

Anna has made quite a bit of whipped coffee. It's delicious.

"Book Club"

Julia's been drawing from pictures and she does so well!!

The detail!

Messing around with pattern blocks...

In line for a drive-by birthday party

We had a picnic for Katherine's 21st birthday. 

Family Zoom call for Katherine's birthday 

Joseph made a LEGO figure of all the kids in the house at one point.

Me, Katherine, Anna, Mary Ann, Grandt, Kristian

(Mary Ann, Grandt, Kristian) Julia, Joseph, and he made one for Lottie too. 

Mom went to get coffee from Brewed Awakenings to drop off for someone and Katherine, Anna, and I came along and we got Big Chills. Which is a white chocolate peppermint frozen coffee and is one of the best things. I haven't been to Dunkin' Donuts since sometime in March. Can you even believe that?

Highlights of 2019

• The Sharpie Squad (JoLeigh, Evie, Katherine and Anna) invited me to to go on their annual IKEA adventure 
• Spent Presidents Day at the Shedd Aquarium with most of my family and Melissa and Jeff
• Found a signed book at Barnes and Noble by one of my favorite authors, Morgan Matson. And bought it. :)
• Mom taught a Classic Literature class at co-op and we got to talk about Pride and Prejudice for three classes 
• We flew Kaitlyn to Chicago over spring break to surprise Anna for a belated birthday present 
• Finally went to the American Girl Place 😂😍
• A bubble tea and frozen yogurt place opened up in town and I spent a lot of time there during the year 
• Dad took us girls to the Father Daughter Banquet
• Read the To All the Boys I've Loved Before trilogy
• Saw Avengers: Endgame on the Thursday night it opened
• Saw Mom perform in an Alumni Trombone Choir at Millikin
• Went to prom and danced and sang the night away
• Katherine and Johnathan graduated high school
• Josiah graduated from Columbia College Chicago (well, walked for graduation. Graduated in December 2018) I was so proud. I cried like five times.
• Bought a LEGO set with my tax refund
• Met Chloe Anderson and enjoyed many hours of adventures with her & company
• Watched Mary Ann, Grandt, Kristian, Julia, and Joseph play softball and/or baseball 
• Lived alone for a week while most of my family went to West Virginia and got to spend a good amount of time with Khyrstyn and also Sharyssa. So I wasn't alone and not necessarily at home most of the week haha
• Became a trainer at work
• Khyrstyn and I flew to New Mexico for a few days
• Anna and I saw Tenth Avenue North in concert. It was amazing!!
• Apple Butter Day 
• Kat visited us from Ohio and we had a girls' weekend with movies and tea and Khyrstyn and Chloe joined us as well 
• I got a new phone. Seriously, it has so much more storage and an awesome camera, it definitely makes the highlight reel
• Went out with Mom for margaritas 
• Took Anna and Mary Ann out to Chili's for Anna's birthday 
• Dunkin brought peppermint mocha back. Bless. I've had it iced, hot, latte versions of both, frozen, in hot chocolate. Can't go wrong.
• Khyrstyn and I did a scavenger hunt and rated the various vanilla ice creams in Joliet 
• Knit Katherine her Fightin' Words mitts
• Celebrated Stephen's 25th birthday at a Thai place in Chicago along with Mom and Katherine 
• Bought an "ugly sweater" Guardians of the Galaxy shirt
• Celebrated Mom's 50th birthday
• Participated in National Novel Writing Month for the first time. I wrote every single day in November for a total of 12,044 words. Not a novel, but progress nonetheless. 
• Went to the Sing-It-Yourself Messiah and Khyrstyn got to come at the last minute!
• Madison came to a visit for a long weekend
• We tore up our carpet and put down a new floor in our living room and dining room. I helped pull up staples for a couple hours, but Dad, Johnathan, Mary Ann, and others worked really hard on it. It looks so nice!!