Deep breaths. Anyone else feeling the need to breathe very deeply. I highly recommend the Headspace App. I had let that go but I am not enabling it again so I can sneak in a bit of meditation. I feel very strongly about all of us continuing to connect. More than ever, it’s important to foster relationships to ward off the feelings of isolation. This is a challenging time for everyone but we will get through this and take it one day at a time. If you have requests for content during this new normal, please leave it in the comments below. I will continue with business as usual but incorporate posts that are pertinent in today’s world.
We have been staying home and inundated with rain. Our family needed some fresh air and a change of scenery so we took a short drive to the harbor. I was impressed with how people kept their distance. We took a nice walk to get some sunshine and exercise. I have to say it literally changed everyone’s attitude. So whether it’s a walk around your block or a cozy drive to look at the scenery, I think it’s a welcome change of pace. And it’s easy to get fresh air and still maintain separation.
Safe to say I will be rocking leggings from now until who knows. Staying home means comfy and cozy. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite lounge wear soon.
LET’S GET COOKING
As we are now making every meal at home, I am digging up some of our tried and true recipes. I thought it would be a nice time to share what is on our menu. My daughter loves to make these pancakes and we plan to have them once a week for dinner just to keep it fun. The recipe is extremely easy and they turn out great every time.
We also whipped up these Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars this weekend. They were actually for a fun party that was canceled because of social distancing. If you want to take it to the next level, heat one up and top it with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s beyond good.
My daughter organized our hall closet which hosts all of our art supplies. She dug out these markers (I believe from Michaels) and the coloring books we have. I am always surprised how relaxing it is to spend some time coloring. I used to love doing it alongside Riley when she was a toddler. Nothing has changed. We had sunny skies yesterday so we flung open the doors and cranked up the music. One day at time, my friends.
Our front porch is ready for Spring. We layered these two rugs and it made all the difference in the world. The lemon trees were Hobby Lobby finds last year.
We used the 3’7″ x 5’6″ size and it’s now only $43. Such a great price.
WINNER ANNOUNCED
I want to thank each and every one of you who took a moment to fill out the survey about the new blog design. Over 800 of you gave me invaluable feedback. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Many of you also threw your name in the hat for the Nordstrom gift card. I am pleased to announce the winner today:
Debbi McGinnis
Congratulations! I will be in touch with you very soon.
PHYSICAL DISTANCING
I heard this term this morning and it struck a cord with me. Yes! We should be calling it physical distancing rather than social distancing. I fear the loneliness that will set in if people distance themselves socially. So yes, stay home and keep your physical distance. But let’s remain social. Let the children facetime one another, make phone calls, create videos to share, talk on the phone (what a concept)! I will be sharing a ton of ideas soon. As we take on a slower pace of life it will take some adjusting. But everything in life does. Let’s remain hopeful and positive and stick together.
WHAT NOW?
So now we pivot and adjust our day. My husband and I will be working from home. I will most likely not be working from the playroom so that the kids can use that space. This is technically their “Spring Break” and school work resumes next week. That puts us in an interesting spot. Trying to honor their need to relax and unwind without slipping into boredom mode.
See you back here tomorrow, my friends. Thinking of all of you.
I always enjoy your blog posts, but I am especially appreciative now that my husband and I are working “remotely” from home, too. Our contact with the outside world is now limited to telephone calls and the computer; and, honestly, the messages are pretty serious and grim. I find myself pleasantly anticipating articles on “normal” topics. I’m sure I’m not the only reader who feels this way. Thank you for continuing your work during this stressful time.