A quarantine start to May:

Minnesota will remain in Shelter At Home status until May 18th, and we will GLADLY continue to  enforce those boundaries and help keep ourselves and others safe.  We are so thankful for our own health right now (and the health of all our family members!), both physical and mental, and we do not take the health and safety of any other person for granted (nor do we deem it our *right* to risk their lives).  We are in no financial trouble right now, but even if we were, I would gladly still keep this SAH mandate.  Is our house more important than any other human life?  Absolutely not.  We can lose it.  Is a business more important than any other human life?  Absolutely not.  They can be rebuilt.  Is my specific choice of recreation more important than any other human life?  I can't even answer that for fear of giving such petty thinking any more speaker time.  The Christian, Pro-Life crown should be championing this view loud and clear, but sadly, may of them seem to have other priorities than human life.   Those who have a god of money are speaking quite loudly, unfortunately.  And in truly moronic ways. Christians should know a lot better when it comes to valuing human life over money, especially considering all the things the Bible has to say about seeking money, and the love of money, but god forbid anything go against the great American economy, right?  We love the Bible and old people / disabled people / homeless / immuno compromised people as long as it doesn't cost us anything, or much.  But as soon as it might impact the economy or my bottom line, financially?  That's the exact point when Christians in name only start throwing all the old people under the bus in the name of "nature taking its course in a pandemic," etc. etc.   Hopefully science will win the day over idols when it comes to decision making in this pandemic.  How a nation treats their helpless and powerless speaks volumes. 

In more pandemic developments, my brother Dan has moved back in with us.  He left almost exactly a year ago to live with some friends in south Mpls, but they turned out to be raging alcoholics with a general lack of social etiquette, so back he came!  He is still working, but only a few days a week, and his job is to drive alone in a truck all day long, so while this does increase our risk somewhat, it's a pretty minor amount to help out family.  Plus, when does a Berube or Schaefer ever TRULY live on their own, right?  Haha.  We can't stop living together, ever! 😂 . The kids are THRILLED to have Uncle Dan back.  Cora and Kellan are especially enamored with him and spent a lot of their waking hours talking about Uncle Dan, asking about Uncle Dan, begging for Uncle Dan, and planning for fun times with Uncle Dan as soon as they see him again.

 In other news, spring has SPRUNG in MN and we are loving life!  Warm sunshine and slightly pink cheeks from sun exposure are high on our list these days.  We spend the great majority of our time outside, and Kellan loves to simply wander for walks.  This is both cute and maddeningly slow, at times.

This was one of the first days when Kellan took off his shirt and I didn't think it necessary for him to put it back on due to cold.  YAY, spring!

Mr. risk-taker, walking on the window ledge.

Kellan brought me these flowers.
I love this part of motherhood.

Grandma sent each kid 4 quarters in the mail.  So much scheming for which treats cost $1!

Cora and Finn, watching a movie and eating ice cream ON Uncle Dan's bed.  Luxuries!
Right now they are all downstairs watching the Errol Flynn Robin Hood, a major flashback to Dan's childhood for sure.

Kellan and I took an 8:00 walk to the Dragon sculpture garden this morning.  It was SO lovely.

On a recent walk down by the lake with Papa:

Two years ago Jonas built bird houses with the older 2 kids, but they finally got around to painting them with weather-proof paints.  Layla has GRAND plans for more designs after this first coat...

The older 3 are constantly in "scheming to make money" mode.  They get the general idea that they can work to make money, which Layla is a PRO at, but they love the idea of getting rich by doing something easy or more pleasant instead...haha.  So, the other day Finn and Cora came running inside to tell me that they had put out a had on the bottom step and called to people as they passed by to dance for money!  😶😶😶😂😂 . They made $4!  When Layla heard that she grabbed her violin and trotted right on out to join in the easy money machine.  I forgot to ask her if she made anything...

We brought some May-day cookies and letters to friends from church:

Seeing the sun on her cheeks reminder me I have to start the sunscreen routine again!
Sigh.  I hate the sunscreen routine.  BUT I AM COMMITTED!  

If Kellan is ever cranky we know where he is almost alway happy.  Either the garage, or the car.

Yesterday Jonas ripped out our old fire pit/tomato garden area to reclaim some lawn.  He also majorly trimmed our big bush last weekend and so wanted to plant seed all around there too.

Here is the area, fresh soil, seeded, watered, and a fence up to keep Kellan out.
There are ALSO 5 signs on there from Mr. Finn, haha.  See below.

 Finn made 5 signs to help people stay away from this very important area.  

This one is my favorite.  He asked us what "d-e-f" said, and we said "deaf," not thinking to ask for clarification on what he was trying to say.  Well, Finn has a little bit of a lisp when he talks or reads, so his "F" and "Th" sounds are often interchangeable.  So this sign was supposed to read "DEATH!" Hahaha.  Classic.  God bless phonics.

Kellan is really obsessed with Firefighters lately (thanks to Blippi and Steve and Maggie, along with the 2 massive fire trucks that pulled up in front of our house for our neighbor a few days ago), and remember that he is 2, so he has zero memories of our garden hose.  When Jonas got it out to water the lawn, Kellan lost his mind.  He stood there, just holding on to the hose while Jonas used it to water, for a full 20 minutes.  He stood there, holding it, LONG after Jonas was done watering.  He didn't want to water himself...he just wanted to be a part of the magical, hose-holding team!  "I firefighter!  I firefighter!  Oh, look!  A FIRE!"

"I firefighter!"

The other kids are playing.  Is Kellan?  Nope.  He's just standing there.  Holding a hose.  

 Cora fell in the mud in her fuzzy PJs and Jonas made her pose for a photo (quick thinking, haha!).

If there is one thing all my kids love, it's fuzzy pajamas.  Mercy, they are like GOLD around here.

A perfect dinner on Saturday evening.