*affiliate links used

*Peaches (Ad’s long begged for Bearded Dragon) loves our walks.. ha!  Kenny’s shoulder is her favorite place to hang out and she especially loves lounging there in the sun.  This picture from yesterday made me laugh. :)

Hello hello!  How is the quarantine going?  Are you holding up?  Going crazy yet?  I have to say that I didn’t miss all of our usual activities and running around over the weekend.  My kids are missing it!  But so far I’m not.  I’m grateful that they have so many fun opportunities to explore their talents and make friends, but from the mom (aka chauffeur) point of view it was heavenly having two full days with nothing on our agenda!  We all slept in, had breakfast, did some chores and I organized a few drawers.  Then we just hung out –  watched movies, went on a walk, made dinner.  The kids spent some time doing their own thing and Kenny and I went on a drive.  So nice.  I feel like the best way most of us can help and do our part during this crazy time is by just laying low and not being around other people.  So that’s what we’re doing. While I’m so sad about the situation our world is facing the sliver lining is definitely being able to slow down and have more time with our families.

I’m trying to stick to a loose schedule/routine at home as much as possible.  My kids are all doing school on-line (shout out to all of the amazing teachers working over time to keep things going right now!) and Kenny and I both work so we are all getting up and getting ready and having breakfast like we usually do.  Then we all split up into different rooms!  It’s kind of funny.  The girls are both working at their own desks in their bedrooms, Kenny is in his home office, Kole has totally taken over our office/craft room where I usually work (his whole 4th grade class is on zoom talking so nobody else can really work there) and I take my laptop and rotate from my dining room table to the couch to the kids’ work stations when they need my help.  We’re practicing social distancing every morning in our own home.. ha.  After school/work we have some down time and then the kids do their chores (if you missed my Zone cleaning system you can check it out and get the printable here) and I get some house work and organizing done.  Then we all go on a family walk before dinner.  If your kids aren’t doing some sort of on-line school I would still try to have them engaged in learning actives in the am.  There are so many great websites on-line and workbooks that can help.  My long time blog friend Megan has a great list here that might be helpful to you if you need some good resources!  Sticking close to a somewhat “normal” schedule is good for kids and I need the structure too.  Flexible structure is always my favorite. :)

{seagrass lidded baskets}

Of course I’ve been organizing up a storm and it feels amazing!  I snapped a few quick pics with my phone of my pantry.  My pantry and fridge were the first to get a good clean out with everyone home.  I keep this space pretty organized so I didn’t have to do much other than vacuum out the baskets and drawers and toss some expired items. I also washed some of my OXO containers that were getting dirty and re-filled them.

You can see my full pantry with more details and sources in this post.

Another thing I also did that felt so good was going through all of our canned goods!  This pic is from my older pantry post but I wanted to mention my favorite organizer for cans because some of you asked about it in IG stories.  It’s this Expand a Shelf and my favorite is the MEGA size.  It’s so nice!  I use it for all sorts of things and it will expand to fit whatever size you need.

In other exciting news.. lately I’ve been on a green bean kick!  I don’t know why but they are tasting so good to me cooked with just some olive oil and salt and pepper.  My kids have been teasing me for making them so much and I’m the only one who wants to eat them.

I usually follow them up with something from this pantry drawer so don’t go thinking I’ve gone completely healthy or anything.  If we’re going to be quarantined at home I’m going to need my favorite treats. :)  If you want to get on my good side any of the above will do.  Of course you can never go wrong with popcorn either.  Or purple skittles.  Oh my word.. that’s what’s missing from my stash!  Purple skittles!  I knew something was missing and it just came to me writing this.  Ha.

If you are looking for some simple dinners I wrote a post with most of my staples that are easy to make HERE.  My kids (for the most part) like all of these and it’s what we’re mostly eating around here right now!

K – isn’t this picture hilarious!?  Oh my word.. so bad.  It’s from a post I wrote in 2009!  I had to share it though because I made this the other night and remembered how good it was.  So easy to make and it’s a good way to get kids to eat broccoli.  I forgot to include it in the recipe post above but it’s called Tri Color Pasta and you can find the recipe for it here.  Ignore the awful picture and trust me when I say this meal is so good!  The pork sausage gives it such a great flavor.  It’s an OLD post but while the picture is awful the commentary is top notch.  If you read to the end you’ll see that I’m not only a skilled chef but I also know legal jargon better than my husband.  Get ready to be impressed. ;)

Want to know what I’m making AROUND the clock these days?  Kole’s “4 plate.”  I can’t believe the amount of food a 9 year old boy can consume in a day!  It’s a bit maddening and might be what drives me right over the edge during our stay at home time.  Anyone else feel like they are making nonstop snacks?  Or snack plates?  Anyone else put toothpicks in banana slices for your kids?  If not you should.  They are just more fun to eat that way. :)

{sportswear crop hoodie/zella tank/lulu leggings – align high rise crop/similar sneakers}

I got some cute new things to wear earlier in the month and my Nike crop hoodies like this one have become fast favorites!  I’m wearing a lot of leggings because we are walking every day (sometimes twice a day!) and it’s still cool outside so these crop hoodies are perfect for layering.

{sportswear crop fleece sweatshirt/zella tank/lulu leggings – align high rise crop/similar sneakers}

This cute crop fleece sweatshirt is another favorite!  They are so warm and comfortable but not hot.  Perfect for Spring weather.  You can of course show off your abs if that’s your thing, but his mom of three prefers a tank under them. ;)

{puff long sleeve tee/marshall jogger pants/simiar shoes}

These Marshall Jogger Pants are another favorite find.  So cute and comfortable!  You all know how I feel about joggers.  Couldn’t love them more.  This pair you can dress down with a simple top like I’ve been wearing around the house lately.

{bubble short sleeve blouse/marshall jogger pants/despina strappy sandals/arrowstack necklace}

OR you can pair them with a cute spring top and sandals to dress them up.  So cute either way!  I got some fun CeCe blouses for my birthday and love the fit and the pretty sleeves on this one.  Also these sandals and my Arrowstack necklace are long time favorites.  LOVE Madewell jewelry.

{Not Today graphic tee – other fun options HERE}

Of course a favorite graphic tee is always a good thing when you’re homebound.  Due to recent circumstances I’ve been rotating between this one and my Good Vibes tee.  Not today Coronavirus!  Just not today.

Quick visit from these two while I was taking this pic.  Feeling so grateful for our health and safety right now and I’m thinking about all of you.  Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Stay home and stay sane!

*And yes.. Kole has blue hair.  That’s starting to look green.  I can’t even.  You can thank his dad for that one.  Some battles just aren’t worth fighting.  I’m not feeling sad about him being stuck at home while that lovely color grows right out.  Then I’ll chop it off myself if I have too.

Desperate times call for desperate measures…

;)

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