Youth activities during COVID

 Youth activities during COVID have been a lot different. Since New Year's, activities have been done virtually for the most part.

The priest quorum has had virtual activities including 

• Jonathan Rollins presenting from BYU some of his studies in the media arts and advice from a college student
• Brad Goldie presenting a spreadsheet night
• Chopped - Jared delivered a chicken breast, a lemon, 3 eggs, and a potato, and the boys all were to cook a dinner and a dessert. We all did it while just chatting on Zoom
• A game night of Psych with the Young Women
• Cupcake decorating in the gym

The teacher's quorum has done 

• Trivia night (a few times)
• Jackbox

Claire's class has done:

• ? (we don't remember!)

The family history representatives from the youth have put together a big contest for the month of February with energetic promotional videos (featuring the Busby boys) and prizes.

This year, we finally got back to activities at the church. One activity we did was guitar lessons with Sam Koth. 

We also did a "Mormon Rap" - which we did youth vs adults, and Jared's version of "Mormon Paradise" 

Car date night

Date nights are an important part of our connection (and sanity!). With COVID ramping back up, desperate times called for desperate measures - like eating in the car!

One February evening, we took our date night downtown - we went all out!

After dinner, we took the coldest walk of the year along the river. I think that the majority of what we talked about on that walk was how cold it was and how funny we were to be taking a walk!

 

February exercise

February was a snowy, icy month. That meant that exercise was done inside, normally doing exercise videos.

No shirts for all the boys.

Everyone ended up super sweaty but it was a good way to get everyone moving their bodies.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day season begins right with frosting cookies. As usual, there were pretty ones, and ones that packed the most sugar on them!

Jared thought up a gourmet menu - crab and top sirloin served with dill horseradish cream sauce, Hasselback potatoes. 

That dill horseradish cream sauce was incredible!!! We were definitely feeling the love.

Nana and Papa joined us. After dinner, we played a game of Valentine's Day Headbanz.

Snow storm after snow storm after snow storm!

Snow started falling in the end of January on the 27th. Little did we know that the next 30 days would have nearly 2 feet of snowfall!

More fell on January 30th. Jared and Dani were at Nana and Papa's, and since it snowed and was going to turn to rain, Jared had to quickly put together a snowman (at 12:15 AM!). It took all of 5 minutes to build one almost as tall as Jared because of how dense the snow was.

He lasted over a week with the cold temperatures and into the next snow storm!

February 8 was the first of a very snowy month of February. The kids went to bed knowing they were going to have a great snow day! 

Jared strategically shoveled the snow into good piles for the kids. If you look closely, you can see the snowman from the storm a week and a half ago.

They went and knocked on Ava's door, and they built a giant snowman and 2 different igloos.

Another fun snow day tradition is for Dani to make cinnamon rolls. Yum!

Later in the afternoon, we made our way over to Dulle Park for some awesome sledding.

More fresh snow fell on February 10 on top of the snow that was already on the ground.

Another February 15 snow storm meant that we would have yet another snowman in the front yard next to the last one, which had already melted quite a bit. We did a bunch more sledding over at Dulle Park on the 16th.

and on the 17th, Jacob got his brothers and some friends together for an epic backyard snow football game.

February 19 had more fresh snow, meaning more sledding, in both the side yard

 

and over at Dulle, where Kate found one of her friends sledding too.

 

The creek had frozen over, so the goal was to sled all the way down past the shelter and onto the frozen creek.

By the 24th, a warm spell meant that almost everything had melted!

Starting the year off right

Jared has been working at home for the last 9.5 months, so it has been a long time since he ran downtown. So, January 2, he decided to drive downtown and run a familiar route.

Liam decided he wanted to do some work with the random leftover wood scraps, so he got out the power tools and drilled holes and fastened them together.

Torin has lots of different ways he likes to ride the hoverboard. Is it creative or lazy? I'm voting funny.

The kids started the year with a flannel board story and then decided that all attendees needed to rate them, give suggestions, and have the option to subscribe to future shows!

After Torin gets up, he likes to go join Dani on the couch for a little snuggle before getting started with his day. It is a bright spot in both of their days!

When he's not snuggling Dani in the morning, Torin likes to wrap himself up and sit next to the fire.

Torin was home with a little cold one day, and he decided to read outside of Jared's "office."

Dani got creative with her hair style a few times, using the wavy iron. She was smiling pretty much the entire rest of the day! Even the kids noticed!

Not sure why we took this picture of Jacob, but he sure looks handsome!

Our wine rack in the butler's pantry is being put to good use! We are so classy!

Torin was pretty proud of his frosting work.

We love hot sauce! Clarification... Jared loves hot sauces! To be fair, there are specific purposes for each. Tabasco is good on taco salads and guacamole. Sriracha is good on rice and beans. Ghost pepper and Carolina Reaper are both good in cream-based soups and mac and cheese. Green Dragon is good on everything. Sambal is for Asian foods. Cholula and Tapatio are good on eggs and breakfasts. Burman's hot sauce is a good wings sauce. And of course, Buffalo Wild Wings Spicy Garlic is good with chicken. Not overkill at all.