Ammon and Jessica Shepherd Family
Petra:
So I went to school. And I was sooo excited, because I love school. When I was in the hallway near ms edwards, she said Hi Petra we have Alex already in our class. She’s staying her all week. This week. Then we did lots of fun games. We went to music and played with xylophones and glockenspiels. And we had this thing that said, it was a video actually, about Christmas music. And then we did tests, two tests, mostly math tests. Then we had two short recesses. Then we did lots of other math tests, then after all of them we did center time. I colored and jogged on the trampoline. Then we colored more. And then we played on the trampoline more on center time. Then we did lots of more things that I forgot. Then we had lunch.
And we were watching a magic school bus video. Then there was more stuff. And then we did lots of math. And then, the principal said on the speaker on the wall that the teachers hadded to take the class out by themselves. Then we played a lot. And then we goed back inside the classroom. Then we cleaned the desks and the chairs and the bins. And then we got our backpacks on and watched something. And then the principal called the classes, the first class that the principal called was the kindergarten class. And then he called out the first grade and second grade class. Then we walked all the way and some other kids including me went down the other hallway. One left and went with me to the gym. Then the principal called out all the names in the gym when their parents came to pick them up. We were the last. And then they called out us (Asher, Anthea and me). Then we went down the concrete pathway. Then we went more left. And we stopped and turned straight. Then I opened this door to the suburban. And then daddy said “How was school kids?” Then we all said Fun, except for Asher. Asher said, “I hated school. I don’t want to go there anymore.” And then we drived to the library. And daddy got a book. The last book of Martin Luther King Jr before he died. And then he got buckled and he started driving home. Then we played a lot until it was dinner time. Then we did the thing that we’re doing right now. It was all on Wednesday. And I’m almost done with this story.
Jonas:
I went to school for one class. I did some scholarship stuff. Played some video games. Had a meeting with Priests to make our own knives.
Teancum:
Well, I woke up. Then I layed in bed for 10 minutes with my parents nagging at me to get ready for school. Then I got ready for school and we had prayer. Then we drove to school. Then I went to school. And during the 1st block thing we had a fire drill and I only saw only one other person wearing shorts, but the teachers called me out for not wearing pants because I don’t have any. 36 degrees Farenheith Coach Stevens (XC coach) said she would take me shopping. And then I went through all my classes. In band there were 2 other people, but one was absent. In english there were 4 but one absent. After that was science in which there are 2 other people. In civics there are 2 other people and Math there is one other person. And then I went on the bus. And since there was a bus change I had to tell the driver where I lived. And then we went there. And then I walked off the bus and then I went to the door and opened it. And I went into the kitchen and put down my water bottle and Dad said Yay Tac is home or something along those lines, and mom didn’t even know because she was in a coach call or something. Then I put my stuff away and ate a snack. Then I did some zoom classes. And then I cubed. And then we had dinner and then mutual thingy. We had scriptures and prayer. And then I made popcorn. I ate the popcorn. I went up stairs and got interviewed by dad to see what I was up to today. And then Mom got mad at me for not wearing pants. And at present moment. I will probably go brush my teeth and read a book for a couple of hours.
Anthea:
Umm, giggle. Giggle giggle giggle.
So I went to school in the car with January and Petra and Asher (and the rest of the family) with my backpack and laptop. When we were almost there we put on our masks (me, Petra and Asher). When we got there, our temperatures were taken, one by one. Petra was last. Asher was first. And I was the 2nd. After I got my temperature taken I got out of the car and walked up the stairs to my class. Before I went in my classroom I went to go get breakfast. After I got my breakfast, I went into my classroom and went to my seat. Which is in the right corner in the front (I can’t see very well there, so I usually move in the middle of math, but that’s my spot). I ate my breakfast while I did my morning work. The kids behind me and next to me were being very annoying while I did it so I moved to a table behind me in the back. I worked there quietly for a few minutes and then I went back to my seat because the kids had quieted down. Then I finished my work. Then after all of the kids were coming today had came, the teacher started the lesson. I can’t exactly remember what happened first, but I know we did some math. Then we did some reading. Then we had snack. After that we went to block which was music. Then we did some math, which was regular math with numbers and stuff. And then we did some word problems. Then we had lunch. Then we did more math. And then we did recess. And then more math. And then the announcement called for us to go home. I went to the gym and waited. Then after a few minutes in the gym they called me, Petra and Asher. We went out of the gym and then we walked down the path to the car. And Dad took us home. The End. just kidding.
We did some playing, Petra and me. And then, we did more playing. Playing is Petra and me’s favorite thing. Usually. Then we had dinner. And then it is now that we are writing it. So right now we are writing this thing. And it’s 9:25 so I need to go to bed. And dad keeps looking back and forth to his meeting. And Jonas is reading Petra books and I want to go over there in just a minute so I have a minute to finish this. Then we’ll probably go to bed in a few minutes.
Jessica:
I exercised, I worked, I went to mutual. I had fun. I went to bed.
(Jessica went to bed so quickly, I couldn’t get a better picture of her.)
Asher:
I had a dream that I solved the 3 by 3 rubik’s under 3 sec. and won a trip to the Bahamas and saw purple elephants that did the fortninte default dance and some did the floss then there were also pink giraffes that sang super smash bros song perfectly and there were also playing super smash bros and then I went into a yellow submarine with the Beatles and they were actual beetles. And then a pink blob destroyed the world. But the pink blob got destroyed by alien ships using nuclear weapons. And then I woke up and went to school and then I came home. And then I played a game. And that’s it. Except for I went to bed.
January:
Woke up, 6:20. Went to seminary. Went back to sleep. And then I went to the Y to exercise. And then, I came home, had class (virtually), did homework, and did more homework, and I also, after that, I watched the Inauguration. The poetry girl was really good. She sounded good. She talked really well. And then I didn’t have work today. I went to mutual (virtually). And then I put ice cubes on my face because I have a headache. And I did drugs. And then I sat outside for ½ an hour. And then I played a game with some cute boys (Tac and Asher). And then I plan on going to sleep after this. Oh, also I swept the dining room. And I’m supposed to fold some laundry.
Ammon:
It so warms my heart to see my kids being so descriptive in their dictation of this day. They would have had more to say, had I not tried to get this all done after 9pm.
I awoke at 6am, to my and Jessica’s phone alarms. I promptly turned hers off and snoozed mine. Which is what I did when it went off again 10 minutes later. Finally at 6:20am I arose from my slumber and pulled myself out of bed. After a quick relief, I grabbed my laptop, Come, Follow Me manual, triple combination, phone and glasses and headed downstairs. I popped in on Jonas and gave him the 10 minute warning for seminary. I dropped all but my laptop on the living room couch and took my laptop into the family room to set up for seminary. Then I went to the basement to give January the 10 minute warning for seminary. I checked news or my BYU-I class for a few minutes, then gave January and Jonas the no minute warning for seminary. I studied scriptures (reading D&C 5 and preparing a CFM lesson for tonight).
About 7am, Jessica and I started getting the other kids up by singing songs, and generally being parentally obnoxious (as all things are so early in the morning). Jessica focused on getting the girls ready and hair done (a long and frustrating process if girls are distracted and slow, which they were today). We had everyone in the family room and ready for family prayer by 7:38 or so, and ready for prayer 5 minutes later. Then we all piled into the suburban (January, myself, Jonas in the back, Petra, Anthea and Asher in the middle, Jessica driving and Tac riding shotgun). Discussion enroute (fussing, arguing, finding masks, being annoyed and frustrated) was brief and delightful. We made it to the elementary school, not last, but pretty close, and with a couple minutes to spare. After checking temps, answering no to all the questions, the three youngest were affectionately ejected from the vehicle to enjoy their day at school (just one of two each week). The rest of the family proceeded to the middle school to expunge the Tac in similar fashion. Decibels were much lower during this leg of the journey. Tac was summarily dismissed from the vehicle, and the remaining occupants proceeded to the local YMCA for an exuberant work out.
Masks, temps, Nos said, we proceeded to wash hands then go up the YMCA stairs for a quick ab workout (crunches, crunches crunches, plank). Then on to the stationary bicycles where we had a gruelling personal live Peloton workout with Jessica instructing. Several series of hover then stand, cycling with resistance. It was sweaty but fulfilling and leg-strengthening. We left promptly after wiping down cycles and mats. I swung by the Library next door to pick up a book, but forgot it wasn’t open for curb-side pickup until 10am (it was 9:18am).
At home, I showered and prepared for work. It came slowly. Checking news (a nasty habit I have gotten myself into) and figuring out what I was going to do. I encouraged January to follow the family rule of no screens in bedrooms, and brought her from the basement to my room. Jessica went to the basement to work and coach (another reason for January to come upstairs). Jonas sat at downstairs on the couch for a while entertaining himself with educational and entertaining videos. I thusly worked for a few hours, on plans for workshops and events this coming semester. I kept peeking at the Inauguration events. I have never been interested nor cared to watch, but since it was streaming live to my computer, it’s been the easiest ever to partake. January was watching as required by her science class, so she could pick out any science related initiatives or policies that the new president would talk about in his address. I saw the actual swearing in, and that was about it. January enjoyed the recitation from Amanda Gorman, “The Hill We Climb”. I listened to it later. I also enjoyed it. We can be united despite, and because of, differences. Lunch was consumed, leftover potstickers and noodles. Meeting was had (just a check in with my supervisor about the coming semester). More work was done. I played with an Arduino kit for a bit. I tried to learn more about making a phone app. I walked in place for a good 40 minutes so I could get my goal of 10,000 steps every day this year. (Which I have done since I started on January 5. I usually have to spend an hour or so walking in place…)
Oh, Tac came home from school on the bus around 12:48. At about 2:35 I stood up to take a break from work and realized I was supposed to go get Asher, Anthea and Petra from school. I got all ready and left, getting to the school about 2:45, not last, but pretty close. We stopped by the library to pick up my book on hold, Where Do We Go From Here by Martin Luther King, Jr. This is the last book he wrote before being assassinated a year later. Once we got home and settled, I went back to work on the Arduino and phone app. I worked until about 5:11pm.
Then it was a call to arms. Well, a call to do dinner chores and make dinner. All hands on deck! Asher set the table. Jonas put away clean dishes. Anthea took compost out (with help from me). All went smoothly, quickly, without complaint or frustration. Ha! I made rice bowl fixings (the rice I made yesterday), roasted sweet potatoes, red union, Jessica cut the cucumber and carrots (for the kids), feta cheese, craisins, crackers, spinach, cilantro lime dressing, cannellini beans. Yummy. Dinner was lively. Anthea didn’t want to sit where Asher placed her. Lots of yelling and crying. Finally, we got that settled. Dinner proceeded normally… loudly.
After dinner and a bit of clean up, Jessica went to Young Women’s meeting at the Church building, Tac went to his room for a Teachers Quorum zoom meeting, January went to her basement room for a zoom meeting with the older Young Women class, and Jonas and I went to my room for Priest Quorum zoom meeting. I was hoping Asher, Anthea and Petra would entertain themselves, but after 20 minutes of Anthea and Petra on Jonas and my lap as we watched a video about making knives, we sent them downstairs to watch a show. Asher worked on a 3D model of a submarine he is making with Tinkercad (and surely he watched a bunch of minecraft videos on YouTube, too). Priest Quorum went well. We watched a couple of videos on knife making. Learning the process, the tools, the type of metal. We also discussed the calendar of events and planned for our video we need to make for Stake Standards Night in February. We are covering Language from the For the Strength of Youth. We decided to have each of the boys come up with a scenario where they could use bad language, and some options to use instead. We’ll go to the high school to film this in two weeks. We’ll bleep out the “bad” language, and it should be funny.
After all of our meetings and Jessica came home, I called us all in for family scripture and prayer. I got some garden tools and had us try and quote D&C 4 (on Monday I gave the challenge that they get candy based on how much they can memorize by Sunday). We talked about what tools we can use to do missionary work. Then I started to take notes for this, but we decided to do prayer first, get kids ready for bed, and I would take them each one by one and write about their day. I started with Petra and followed the order as seen here. In the middle of Anthea’s dictation I remembered that I was supposed to have open office hours on zoom for my BYU-I class. I was 15 minutes late, and two people had logged in, but weren’t there any more. So I continued Antheas monologue. I got a quick note from Jonas, and a terse summary from Jessica as she headed to bed, exhausted from the days work. Tac gave a decent summary of the day. January and Ashere were less verbose. I had one student join the zoom meeting while Asher was typing up his dream. I was practicing guitar, but quickly took the “call” and answered the question.
I finally made Tac and Asher go to bed a little after 10pm. Fortunately Anthea and Petra fell asleep somewhere between 9:30 and 10pm. January folded laundry and cleaned, then went to sleep around 10:20. I even outlasted Jonas writing up this monstrosity of a memoir of a single day. He went to bed between 10:30 and 10:45 (mostly because his internet shuts off, so nothing to do on his computer). And here I am, a minute to 11pm and finally finishing this overly lengthy journal article. To bed with me. And an end to this truly historic, unprecedented, COVID-19 corona virus pandemic, hybrid, virtual school, and Shepherd journaling day. Phew!
