Life right now feels unpredictable, unsettling, and downright scary. COVID19 seems to be everywhere. You can't turn on the TV without seeing media updates, talkshows being hosted in personal living rooms, or benefit shows with our favorite celebrities sending love directly from their homes. Sometimes it feels hard to turn off the chatter and focus on what really matters - taking care of your family, turning to God for much needed support, and just practicing self care.
In today's blog, I want to share 5 things me and my family are doing during this COVID19 lockdown. My family has been home for about 3 weeks, and we have AT LEAST another 4 weeks to go. I'm sure my '5 things' will shift into other items as we move forward, but for now, I hope you find a little inspiration for you and your family.
Number 1: Build a Fort
When COVID19 became a reality in Minnesota and school was cancelled, my 13-year-old and 10-year-old built the 'world's biggest fort' in our basement and vowed to sleep in it every night until this Corona Virus is over. My kids have always built forts, and I encourage it. I feel it brings out creativity and keeps kids young. Usually our forts last around 3 or 4 days, and my kids move on with other interests. Not this time. Spencer and Brady call their fort the Corona Quarantine Fort. Every night around 10:00 (our schedule is so off these days!) they retreat to their fort with snacks and their Nintendo Switches and sleep the night snuggled up in their castle made of sheets. The friendship these brothers share melts my heart and makes me so grateful for this prolonged family time we get to experience.
If you don't have the room or the tote tables to make the 'world's biggest fort' (LOL), here's another super fun option my boys have been doing for years. It's a duvet cover fort!
YOU WILL NEED: 1 twin or full size duvet cover, 1 (pretty powerful) fan, and a handful of clothespins.
1. Lay out your duvet cover and button/zip it up 2/3 of the way.
2. Position your fan in the opening, making sure your cord reaches an outlet
3. Fasten the opening tightly around your fan head. You'll be entering the fort alongside the fan, so attach the duvet cover so that it stays put. Use clothes pins, duct tape, ... whatever you like.
4. Turn on the fan and your fort is ready for occupants!
Number 2: Frozen Veggies???
Yes. You read that right. Frozen Veggies! We are not a frozen vegetable family at all. Nothing against them... I just never buy them. I have always gone to the grocery store multiple times during the week, buying fresh fruits and veggies for dinners and snacks. When this whole COVID19 scare happened, I found myself buying frozen vegetables to feed my family because I wanted to avoid going to the grocery store as much as I could. My two go-tos have been broccoli and brussel sprouts. To prepare them, I throw the frozen veggies in a stoneware 9x13 casserole. My favorite bakeware is Le Creuset (linked here). I love the way it conducts heat. It bakes evenly and my food always comes out delicious. Next, I toss my veggies with a little extra virgin olive oil, and pop them in my oven at 375 degrees. I let these babies roast for a good 45 minutes or more, stirring every so often. When they are browned and just a little crispy, they are finished - and so good! Almost as good as fresh :) SO... I'll be keeping a backup supply of frozen vegetables in my freezer from now on.
Number 3: Fast Track
This game was introduced to me a couple months ago, and our family immediately fell in love with it. It's super easy to play and seems to hold the attention of everyone playing. The cool thing about Fast Track is that you can alter the board depending on the number of people playing. The game plays very similar to the game Trouble, except there are added rules of play like excelling ahead on the fast track and moving backwards. My favorite thing about this game - it's hand made! Love that!! I found mine at Woogies Dezignz (linked here)... so go and support those small shops!
Number 4: Getting Creative
A friend of mine decided to start a #COVID19CRAFTS Challenge while we are safe (not stuck) at home. IG @sydwolf put together 6 weeks of themed crafts as a fun way to stay busy and stay connected. So far we've only completed week 1, and I had so much fun doing it. It kept my mind off the media and COVID19, focusing my efforts on being creative and giving myself a little self care. Doing art is such a great way to meditate, focus on the positive, and just give yourself a much needed mental break from the world around you.
Number 5: Try a New Hobby
Staying at home 24-7 has given me more time... and I wanted to do SOMETHING with my extra time. For now anyway, that 'something' is TIKTOK. I've always make video montages of our family trips and events and posted them on Facebook to share with family and friends. When my kids taught me about TIKTOK, I was so intrigued. OK. I'm not super skilled at it. I'm not one to bust out dance moves or lip sync into a camera... but I've had a blast trying to make creative video clips to share - and BONUS! My kids don't think I'm half bad! Ha!! So, if you have a TIKTOK account, look me up. You'll find my TIKTOK @small_town_me. Hopefully you'll be a little entertained :)
I realize these things are not super heavy. They may not seem life-moving. But they move me. These days, it's the little things that keep me happy, motivated, and moving forward. So, whether its a walk with your significant other (another one of my favorite things to do during this time) or building a fort wth your kids, just stay busy. Stay positive. And stay home.
Remember to check out my Instagram @smalltownme
Love Emily.