A Day in the Life, Unfiltered

It's been a sad start to summer. We kicked it off last week with Ethan spiking a 105' fever for five days straight. The doc said he was fine but it definitely gave this mama a scare. After a nice weekend of family time and observing Memorial Day, I thought we were in the clear; then both big kids woke up Tuesday morning with The Fever. For the second week in a row, we've cleared our calendar and canceled all our plans and appointments.

It's forced us to welcome summer by slowing wayyyyyy down, which in some ways is frustrating... but has afforded me a little more time to appreciate the simple things, too. Yesterday began with a huge crash followed by a bang, which after tearing down the stairs in a panic I discovered was just a plate that our now-healthy Ethan man had dropped and broken while grudgingly unloading the dishwasher. Still not my favorite way to start another sick day. So, between my regular work and chores [that sick kids aren't doing], I staved off some boredom by deciding to capture the finer points of the day in a series of unfiltered, unedited pictures. Not in an attempt to curate perfection, I might add, since we know that doesn't exist, but in an attempt to elevate my mind and soul toward the simple beauty around me, and find a little joy in the ordinary moments after essentially two weeks of being a shut-in. 

Someone's slippers are too small. No matter, he considers them
appropriate footwear for all occasions.

This is one of many, which will be removed soon. Very soon.
But seeing nature's perfect honeycomb makes the heart {briefly} happy.

Lego Mania during a medicine high.

The peaches doing their thing. I'm so stinkin' excited about these babies.

Cross section of a damaged peach bud. Science is the coolest. 

Dried Peonies (which ended up that way quite
unintentionally) and kid finger trails in the dust.

And fresh peonies blooming in th garden, being paid a visit by the Honeycomb Artist.

It literally snowed cottonwood all day long.
Much happier in this season than real snow!

Flowering branches from some shrub I spent the morning pruning
(accompanied by a fresh handprint on the mirror. I don't even want
to know what the kids were doing up that high!).

Bitty blossoms and grapes for my little sickie (who made me proud when I asked her if I could get anything and she said,
"hey, got any grapes?")

Medicine lows.

Little Miss attempting to talk to her next-door bestie via walkie talkie...
because being SO close yet so far apart all week is just torturous.

A loaf of bread from same said amazing neighbor
who had pity on me during their grocery store run.

The well child, lucky enough to play in person with the neighbors.

And some homemade iced tea and flowers to keep me company while
I sat on the front porch in the lovely weather getting some work done.

Plotting his escape.

Midway through a 30-minute tantrum because he wasn't into the
idea of completing his weekly chore of organizing the garage toys.

Followed by the final high-five after he realized, some
time later, that he wasn't going to get out of it by being
cute/cranky/the youngest anymore so he'd better
just make it happen and be happy again already. 

High five to all of us for making it through the entire day, and praise be the Sacred Heart of Jesus that it's Friday. Praying these fevers break soon and we will be on our way to finding more little joys, hopefully in a slightly larger radius.