Hello from week four of quarantine: where things may or may not be fine, depending on the hour. Maybe even the minute!
I have loads of lil treasures this week, so BUCKLE UP because Iām having a good mental day and YOU are the beneficiary.
š My friend Courtney Cleveland, who has the cleverest travel podcast called All the Best Days, obviously cannot travel right now, so she did a little video that riffs off the format of her show and itās great. A cozy little under-ten minute watch.
š² So we have this ten-year-old who feels like NOW in this particular moment in history is the best time to assert her independence in the form of riding her bike around the neighborhood. I was extremely apprehensive about this, mainly due to the fact that Iāve listened to too many true crime podcasts and also Iām now that person who wags her finger and shouts to the tail lights of cars driving too fast on our street (āHey HOT SHOT! Kids play here! Slow down!ā she yelled at no one that would ever hear her). So we made her take bike safety tests online, put in practicum hours on the road with us, and did some research about ways we might be able to give her a way to blow off steam, exercise, and also fulfill my need for her to not get kidnapped. She has an old phone that she uses to listen to music and audiobooks, but itās wi-fi only so that was out as a form of communication (and who am I kidding, tracking?). We landed on this little gadget called a Relay. About the size of a coaster, it has a walkie-talkie functionality and also GPS tracking. You can set up geofences and get alerted when the child leaves the geofence, thereās an SOS button, itās got a bunch of little tricks and hacks that set my mind at ease, plus itās a low monthly fee. Itās worked like a charm and she is thriving. This is not an ad, just something that was generally helpful for us as we let the baby bird get out of the house for an hour or so, but also doesnāt have a screen.
š§µ Iāve started embroidery? I donāt know yāall. I like it? I like sitting on my deck on Saturdays, listening to podcasts and learning new stitches? Itās very therapeutic? I like the little kits you can get off of Etsy with everything included. Iām trying to hone my skill with an old kit from Amazon right now and itās going okay!
š This holy week is so weird. I canāt even begin to process it. I keep staring at our little sacred place weāve set up in the house, like THIS IS SURREAL. Sometimes The Situationā¢ļø is overwhelming and there are moments now when it feels very routine. I donāt have the words for it yet, but I would LOVE to hear how youāre planning on celebrating Easter with *gestures vaguely* all this happening. The good news is I bought Baby Cyās Easter drip weeks ago, so he will definitely be dressed up to sit on our couch.
As always, I cannot wait to read your lil treasures this week. A reminder to hit up We Got You Club if you can, take walks, and eat a popsicle. See you on the other side of Easter. š
YES to spicy comments for Aubrey. I was simultaneously weeping with joy while watching the Hamilton zoom call and shouting āPRIVILEGED NINE YEAR OLD AUBREY YOU DONāT EVEN KNOW.ā Then proceeded to imagine how I wouldāve reacted to being gifted with such a treasure of a call and felt very satisfied that I wouldāve clearly been a more entertaining recipient. Hit me up for some Zoom mat talk, Jerry. I promise I will react with delight and no composure.
This week my kids were on Spring Break. I managed to:
1. Start and finish The Woman in Cabin 10, it was good, but I struggle when fiction gives me main characters who get on my nerves. I need to really get behind them, and it took me a hot minute, but I got there.
2. Start and finish the newest season on Kim's Convenience. That show is a treasure in every way.
3. Painted my son an accent wall that looks like the blue ridge mountains and I'm not sure I've ever been more proud.
4. Easter feels weird, but I got the kids some candy and we will do an Easter egg hunt with coins in the eggs bc that's about all I have, church lesson and my husband wants to grill. (We don't do traditional Easter meals typically)
A small, yet delicious treasure -- I found this recipe for roasted red pepper dip a while back and she ain't lying -- this is now basically a staple condiment in our house. Its base is also ALMONDS so it must be healthy. Its the pre-dinner appetizer I snack on while cooking the family's dinner, it is great in a a greek bowl with grilled chicken, we used to put it out with pita chips back a long time ago when visitors were allowed in our house (remember that time?), and its great on eggs. My twist -- I add a little crumbled feta cheese to her base recipe for a little extra saltiness. Enjoy!
Erin,my lil treasure came from you this week. My husband and I took your recommendation and participated in the livestreamed Good Friday service from Christ Community tonight. It was everything we needed on this day! Thank you so much for sharing that with all of us. Andrew Petersonā¤ļø. You alsoā¤ļø!
*This thread was everything I needed this afternoon.*
Today, I got to join in the best Zoom call that the last 29 days have offered me... a call with 2 of my sisters and 6 of our cousins. Spread across Arkansas, Tennessee, Utah, and New York - some with kids, some without; some working, some working from home; some struggling to work. We all felt so similarly about the whole situation, and that was the lil treasure to me.
Things have gotten to the point where I'm googling instant pot yogurt recipes... I could buy yogurt but I am 37 weeks pregnant and leaning into a very weird nesting mode. https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-yogurt/
West Wing! I've never watched it and it's so earnest and a nice distraction because how wonderful that world problems wrap in 40 minutes by people in late 90s powersuits?
I'm really grateful for the weather right now - Seattle is having a sunny moment and honestly it's the only thing keeping this city (and mama) sane. I let my toddler play with the hose for a half hour last night.
Hello. Hi. I canāt believe itās Friday. Weāve made it to another week. To be honest. This week was hard. I have not been looking forward to Easter because I am missing my family and my nieces in particular. I have been sending little things in the mail but my heart is sad this week. However I have found little joys in books and a few television shows and mostly my cute puppy. I realized it was okay to have a bad week and to hope next week was better because all of this is a bit crazy and we all are just trying to get through this new normal for now. Working is helping but itās a bit rough for reasons I canāt share. š
I wish I could do embroidery or something but I have rheumatoid arthritis and so I canāt do too much with my hands. I would love a hobby though! I have been wracking my brain to come up with one! Iām still thinking.
Ok, first of all, I just have to say I'm loving getting to know y'all a little and recognizing names and profile pics on here. I also love how kind and supportive this little corner of the Internet is!
Every week I start typing a little something about my life and then I think "I can't complain that much to strangers!" and I erase it again... Today was no different! š Anyway, I hope you're hanging in there and that you've all been having the same glorious spring weather as I have.
This is my one and only treasure this week, please enjoy responsibly!
I am so proud of you! I could feel your struggle last week and this week I feel your energy. That is the gift that being authentic gives. Thank you for being with us no matter if it's a harder day or a better day. We appreciate both! This webinar on regulating through this crisis was a warm hug in the middle of the week https://event.webinarjam.com/t/click/476qqc5hmara950h4rzswfz . This link may be down by Saturday but Lisa Dion, the host, will post it on Synergistic Play Therapy's website at that time.
My birthday and Easter always fall close to each other so it really is a season opener for us in terms of hosting family and friends and being outside and church...all the things. So I have all the feelings about this being changed and different. One thing I have decided on is I will still be cooking an Easter ham goshdarn it. So what if itās a ham thatās meant to feed fifteen but it will just be two of us here?? Recipe is as easy has it gets and makes me so nostalgia. Spiral cut ham in the crockpot on low for eight hours- pineapple juice and brown sugar and more brown sugar and more brown sugar. Let that thing go low and slow till basically the ham is the color of the syrup. Also- leftover ham in biscuits the next morning is really the whole point anyways.
Not a little treasure, but maybe an offer to help? This is my (hopefully not creepy) offer to let your kids virtually read to me/interview me/whatever somewhat brain stimulating thing they need to do with another adult so that mom can have a minute. I have even been a mystery reader, and time permitting will wear a costume if need be. My qualifications: I don't have kids but I have been called "the best bonus aunt there could be", and I work at a church so I've been background checked a plenty. Like I said, hopefully not creepy :)
My Church usually does the confetti thing on Easter Sunday, and since we cannot be together as a church family and I am living that quarantine life with the family I nanny for, I took matters into my own hands. By that, I mean I made the 3 and 5 year old into confetti making machines and we made our own confetti poppers for Sunday morning to celebrate that He is Risen! Iām so excited.
I, too, took up embroidery once the plague hit and I am loving it! Please check out The Barmy Fox! She is in England and is a delight. I then tried to take my new found confidence and use it to sew face masks for nurse friends. NOT THE SAME. I have made one to date and it's not great. So if you need me, I'll just be over here binge reading and embroidering flowers on various pieces of cloth.
1. Hung plastic Easter eggs in my trees. It has brought me so much joy.
2. Went slightly overboard on my kids' Easter baskets.
3. I WILL be dressing up for Easter Sunday because I bought my dress a month and a half ago from The Bluest Willow https://www.thebluestwillow.com/ and have been saving it for this weekend.
4. A gal in our town has been organizing themed scavenger hunts around the city, and this weekend is Easter themed, so we'll be hunting for Easter eggs/Bunnies/Carrots in various neighborhoods.
2. Classical Music on Spotify, because sometimes I cannot even with people singing while my three boys are yelling over each other to get my attention.
3. Up First Podcast by NPR. It's been the perfect amount of news in the morning to make me feel informed but not overwhelmed.
I've started an internal notation of the worst thing that has happened to me each day, and although overall the days aren't great, the trivial-ness of the worst thing gives me some much needed perspective. Yesterday it was that when I went to pick up my hold list curbside the library was already closed. If that's the worst, things must be pretty ok for me right now.
My church is hosting a worldwide fast today (Good Friday) in conjunction with prayer. It's sort of like a concentrated Lent with a specific purpose. We're being asked to pray that 1 the virus will be contained 2 healthcare workers will be protected 3 the economy will recover, and 4 that things will go back to normal soon. I'm also adding that those who are suffering can feel peace. So I'm peacing out on 2 meals and social media today in honor of that. Join me if you'd like!
Our church livestreamed their Maundy Thursday service last night and it was so, so beautiful. Looking forward to Good Friday, Vigil, and Easter Sunday! However. Denver is slated to get 3-6" of snow on Sunday, so we've opted to observe Orthodox Easter on the 19th, mainly so my parents can come over and we can all sit six feet apart in the backyard.
My 13-year-old has decided to dress in a costume every day this week for our morning run. So far, on my morning mile I've been accompanied by a pirate, a ninja, an inflatable tube man, and a sort of clown/Raggedy-Ann mashup. She's also started pinning a sign on her front that says "It's OK to laugh! (I know you want to!)" Tomorrow a cowboy has been scheduled. At first I was mildly embarrassed, but now it's what's getting me out of bed and into my running clothes. I'm at alpineflower on Instagram if you want a peek.
This oneās for Good Friday observers and choral nerds alike: the Bach Archive in Leipzig did a live stream concert of the St John Passion by Bach this morning, and it is worth watching/having on in the background - https://m.facebook.com/bacharchiv#!/story.php?story_fbid=224088308838132&id=162506233863142&ref=page_internal . Moved to tears over the music and the opportunity to see the church and these musicians, including virtual choirs. Weirdly making me happy today.
That horse!! What a treasure. So I'm linking an article about a 99 yo British woman who got and recovered from The Virus That Shall Not Be Named. She credits a steady diet if marmalade sandwiches and cookies. But the hidden gem in the article is how during WWII, her street was being bombed but she couldn't bother going to the bomb shelter because she was in the middle of a book and just sat under her kitchen table instead.
Yes! I also started embroidery right before this quarantine and I love it. Cozy blue handmade has super cute kits. Even though we wonāt be at a church service, Iām looking forward to celebrating the resurrection. As an adult this has become my favorite season/holiday. The promise of hope. The celebration of new life. The reminder that He has overcome the world. Plus, Easter baskets are much less maintenance then all of the traditions that come with the celebration of Christās birth.
I am struggling with this whole Easter online/at home thing. I just love the worship on Easter morning. I also volunteer with our kids so I love seeing all the kids dressed up and fancy. We go to a mega church thatās super casual so Easter is the only time anyone dresses up. I know God will meet me at home and the church isnāt a building and blah, blah, blah. Iām considering just watching a bunch of different Easter services all day long.
My husband and I donāt have kids, and he is deployed. So quarantine has looked a lot like me laying on the couch with our dogs. However, our church is holding an Easter Sunday service at the local drive-in movie theater. We wonāt be able to get out of our cars, roll our windows down, etc. but weāll be in community together! And if you donāt think Iām getting Cracker Barrel curbside to eat in my sealed up car during the service, youāre wrong!!
We adopted a dog a couple of weeks ago and went through a crazy long list of names and decided to name him Zac Efron. š He is an Australian Cattle Dog so heās super smart but also protective and still wary of some things since he was a stray. He barks at the toaster of all things. š¤·š¼āāļø
Like you, loving John Krasinski. Jimmy Fallon At Home is still giving me life.
MO schools just declared yesterday that we would not be going back and our school system has already loosened guidelines to all review and nothing really mandatory if you have a passing grade now. This is a relief but also a tension as I want my kids to continue to work their brains but also, I am no homeschool teacher. This is not a āLil Treasureā, more of a cry or plea for help for me to be able get them to do things that are good for them.
I got an Ulta shipment yesterday that included the Urban Decay Reloaded and Tarte Maneater mascara, both of which prompted me to put on makeup today and I like them both so far.
Iāve been trying to figure out a way to make this Easter special for our family while feeling internal rage about the forecasted thunderstorms on Sunday. Turns out my 5 year oldās favorite thing about Easter is the crappy handmade carnival games that a local church has in their parking lot during their annual Easter egg hunt. Itās not even our church and is hardly spiritual....but weāre going to throw together a mini Easter carnival in our house in addition to our Holy Week observances.
I read Where'd You Go, Bernadette in two days during my shelter in place this week (I plan on watching the film on Hulu Plus this weekend) and it's such a fun read on the surface, but by the end of it, it walloped me with gospel truth (I'm not sure if it meant to, but it made me WEEP). It's a light read, but it's also not a light read, if that makes sense!
1. I made it through week 2 of distance learning my 2 kids! (cue a Gif of Kermit the frog waving his arms excitedly)
2. I made it through a week where I also had to go to the office each day (well almost, need to go in this afternoon); next week I'm all WFH, our schedule staggers every other week.
3. Smoothies have become my addiction thanks to making a Covid-related splurge and buying a Ninja blender. Moment of honesty: I may have added some lime vodka to the peach/strawberry/pear/OJ smoothie last night. A *delight*
4. I went through my massive lip product collection. I have an addiction and it is all things lip products. That being said, favorites from everyone? This can be anything from lip balms, glosses, matte....share your favorites! BTW, my color today is MAC's Dubonnet. Which is rumored to be one of the shades they use to give Moira Rose her iconic red look.
5. Can we raise praise hands for the Schitt's Creek finale? Did I laugh? Did I CRRRY?(lord just give me a washcloth, a kleenex will be destroyed) Will I miss it? OH man yes. Will I rewatch like some rewatch The Office? YES.
6. The joy of airdrying my hair. Why do I love embracing my natural waves so much? I mean I love my Revlon heat styler brush, but there has been something about really loving my hair for all its quirks
7. The power a Reese's Egg has to make dinner times all the more bearable. I am thankful my kids will devour their whole dinner/lunch with NO DRAMA when the Reese's Egg is on the counter after they put their empty dinner dishes in the sink or dishwasher.
I'm sure I could babble on more.
Thank you Erin for this content as always. The PMG (and those in the PMG circle of trust) have been BRINGING IT with content that has brought me so much light and I appreciate it more than I can say.
Twenty one pilots dropped a new single yesterday that is kind of a comfort jam and the music vid has babies and glow in the dark stars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loOWKm8GW6A
Also, from the crew at Good Mythical Morning, (maybe spicy take, I like the kitchen crew better than R + L) Mythical Kitchen has been putting out Quarantine cooking videos with things that you actually probably have in your house, and Josh is saving my life. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXGR70CkW_pXb8n52LzCCRw
Leslie Jordan has also been a real highlight of my week, and I am VERY MUCH looking forward to the Hamilton sing-along this weekend. It's just my husband and me at home, and we initially thought we might grill steaks for Easter dinner, but we now have a rainy weekend ahead of us here in MO. So I'm making our New Year's meal, inspired by Boo Mama posting her mama's Mexican Cornbread this week. It feels right.
After listening to this weeks Popcast, I wanted to tell you magical unicorn dogs do exist. We adopted our beloved Duke Silver from the Amarillo Shelter in December 2018. Heās a 130 lb black lab who is 7. He came to us completely housebroken, knowing commands, and his favorite thing is snuggling. Best therapy ever! Highly recommend.
Obsessed with Leslie Jordan on Instagram. Heās from Chattanooga and most remember him as Beverly Leslie on Will & Grace. His posts are hilarious and just what we need right now!
Also, loving John Krazinskiās Some Good News. That Hamilton thing got me.
Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu is so good and really true to the book (which is also great and you shooed all read it).
YES to spicy comments for Aubrey. I was simultaneously weeping with joy while watching the Hamilton zoom call and shouting āPRIVILEGED NINE YEAR OLD AUBREY YOU DONāT EVEN KNOW.ā Then proceeded to imagine how I wouldāve reacted to being gifted with such a treasure of a call and felt very satisfied that I wouldāve clearly been a more entertaining recipient. Hit me up for some Zoom mat talk, Jerry. I promise I will react with delight and no composure.
I just went on a Tik Tok deep dive - this is a whole new world! What is happening??
This week my kids were on Spring Break. I managed to:
1. Start and finish The Woman in Cabin 10, it was good, but I struggle when fiction gives me main characters who get on my nerves. I need to really get behind them, and it took me a hot minute, but I got there.
2. Start and finish the newest season on Kim's Convenience. That show is a treasure in every way.
3. Painted my son an accent wall that looks like the blue ridge mountains and I'm not sure I've ever been more proud.
4. Easter feels weird, but I got the kids some candy and we will do an Easter egg hunt with coins in the eggs bc that's about all I have, church lesson and my husband wants to grill. (We don't do traditional Easter meals typically)
A small, yet delicious treasure -- I found this recipe for roasted red pepper dip a while back and she ain't lying -- this is now basically a staple condiment in our house. Its base is also ALMONDS so it must be healthy. Its the pre-dinner appetizer I snack on while cooking the family's dinner, it is great in a a greek bowl with grilled chicken, we used to put it out with pita chips back a long time ago when visitors were allowed in our house (remember that time?), and its great on eggs. My twist -- I add a little crumbled feta cheese to her base recipe for a little extra saltiness. Enjoy!
https://pinchofyum.com/roasted-red-pepper-sauce
Erin,my lil treasure came from you this week. My husband and I took your recommendation and participated in the livestreamed Good Friday service from Christ Community tonight. It was everything we needed on this day! Thank you so much for sharing that with all of us. Andrew Petersonā¤ļø. You alsoā¤ļø!
One of my favorite treasures this week:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-n8ePPhMK2/?igshid=b45es2yccrgu
*This thread was everything I needed this afternoon.*
Today, I got to join in the best Zoom call that the last 29 days have offered me... a call with 2 of my sisters and 6 of our cousins. Spread across Arkansas, Tennessee, Utah, and New York - some with kids, some without; some working, some working from home; some struggling to work. We all felt so similarly about the whole situation, and that was the lil treasure to me.
Things have gotten to the point where I'm googling instant pot yogurt recipes... I could buy yogurt but I am 37 weeks pregnant and leaning into a very weird nesting mode. https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-yogurt/
Easter plans:
Forcing my husband and toddler to dress up and take pictures with me outside. We will also have an Easter egg hunt and I am going to attempt to make these bunny rolls: https://platedcravings.com/easter-bunny-dinner-breadsticks/
Binging:
West Wing! I've never watched it and it's so earnest and a nice distraction because how wonderful that world problems wrap in 40 minutes by people in late 90s powersuits?
Also memes - apparently a team at the Library of Congress is archiving memes to help chronicle the history of this time... the headline of the article cracks me up: Meet Your Meme Lords https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/style/internet-archive-library-congress.html
I'm really grateful for the weather right now - Seattle is having a sunny moment and honestly it's the only thing keeping this city (and mama) sane. I let my toddler play with the hose for a half hour last night.
Hello. Hi. I canāt believe itās Friday. Weāve made it to another week. To be honest. This week was hard. I have not been looking forward to Easter because I am missing my family and my nieces in particular. I have been sending little things in the mail but my heart is sad this week. However I have found little joys in books and a few television shows and mostly my cute puppy. I realized it was okay to have a bad week and to hope next week was better because all of this is a bit crazy and we all are just trying to get through this new normal for now. Working is helping but itās a bit rough for reasons I canāt share. š
I wish I could do embroidery or something but I have rheumatoid arthritis and so I canāt do too much with my hands. I would love a hobby though! I have been wracking my brain to come up with one! Iām still thinking.
Hi, hello, good evening!
Ok, first of all, I just have to say I'm loving getting to know y'all a little and recognizing names and profile pics on here. I also love how kind and supportive this little corner of the Internet is!
Every week I start typing a little something about my life and then I think "I can't complain that much to strangers!" and I erase it again... Today was no different! š Anyway, I hope you're hanging in there and that you've all been having the same glorious spring weather as I have.
This is my one and only treasure this week, please enjoy responsibly!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMDhAQXoj5E
I am so proud of you! I could feel your struggle last week and this week I feel your energy. That is the gift that being authentic gives. Thank you for being with us no matter if it's a harder day or a better day. We appreciate both! This webinar on regulating through this crisis was a warm hug in the middle of the week https://event.webinarjam.com/t/click/476qqc5hmara950h4rzswfz . This link may be down by Saturday but Lisa Dion, the host, will post it on Synergistic Play Therapy's website at that time.
My birthday and Easter always fall close to each other so it really is a season opener for us in terms of hosting family and friends and being outside and church...all the things. So I have all the feelings about this being changed and different. One thing I have decided on is I will still be cooking an Easter ham goshdarn it. So what if itās a ham thatās meant to feed fifteen but it will just be two of us here?? Recipe is as easy has it gets and makes me so nostalgia. Spiral cut ham in the crockpot on low for eight hours- pineapple juice and brown sugar and more brown sugar and more brown sugar. Let that thing go low and slow till basically the ham is the color of the syrup. Also- leftover ham in biscuits the next morning is really the whole point anyways.
Not a little treasure, but maybe an offer to help? This is my (hopefully not creepy) offer to let your kids virtually read to me/interview me/whatever somewhat brain stimulating thing they need to do with another adult so that mom can have a minute. I have even been a mystery reader, and time permitting will wear a costume if need be. My qualifications: I don't have kids but I have been called "the best bonus aunt there could be", and I work at a church so I've been background checked a plenty. Like I said, hopefully not creepy :)
My Church usually does the confetti thing on Easter Sunday, and since we cannot be together as a church family and I am living that quarantine life with the family I nanny for, I took matters into my own hands. By that, I mean I made the 3 and 5 year old into confetti making machines and we made our own confetti poppers for Sunday morning to celebrate that He is Risen! Iām so excited.
I, too, took up embroidery once the plague hit and I am loving it! Please check out The Barmy Fox! She is in England and is a delight. I then tried to take my new found confidence and use it to sew face masks for nurse friends. NOT THE SAME. I have made one to date and it's not great. So if you need me, I'll just be over here binge reading and embroidering flowers on various pieces of cloth.
If your spicy comments included the facts that she:
1. Is like, a 2, MAYBE on the level of fandom
2. Too young to understand what is actually happening
3. Absolutely 100% did not appreciate what was actually happening
4. Now lives in my subconscious as an individual I will never not be jealous of
....Then they needed to be said. I become more and more jaded with every rewatch.
Things I am doing/have done for Easter/Holy Week:
1. Hung plastic Easter eggs in my trees. It has brought me so much joy.
2. Went slightly overboard on my kids' Easter baskets.
3. I WILL be dressing up for Easter Sunday because I bought my dress a month and a half ago from The Bluest Willow https://www.thebluestwillow.com/ and have been saving it for this weekend.
4. A gal in our town has been organizing themed scavenger hunts around the city, and this weekend is Easter themed, so we'll be hunting for Easter eggs/Bunnies/Carrots in various neighborhoods.
5. For this evening, I recommend The Golgotha Experience https://thegolgothaexperience.sardius.live/ - we saw it live last year and it was incredibly moving.
6. Another moving piece of music for the week: https://www.neumz.com/
Other joy-giving things this week:
1. The Lazy Genius Favorite Files http://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/tff
2. Classical Music on Spotify, because sometimes I cannot even with people singing while my three boys are yelling over each other to get my attention.
3. Up First Podcast by NPR. It's been the perfect amount of news in the morning to make me feel informed but not overwhelmed.
Happy weekend and Easter to you all!
I've started an internal notation of the worst thing that has happened to me each day, and although overall the days aren't great, the trivial-ness of the worst thing gives me some much needed perspective. Yesterday it was that when I went to pick up my hold list curbside the library was already closed. If that's the worst, things must be pretty ok for me right now.
My church is hosting a worldwide fast today (Good Friday) in conjunction with prayer. It's sort of like a concentrated Lent with a specific purpose. We're being asked to pray that 1 the virus will be contained 2 healthcare workers will be protected 3 the economy will recover, and 4 that things will go back to normal soon. I'm also adding that those who are suffering can feel peace. So I'm peacing out on 2 meals and social media today in honor of that. Join me if you'd like!
Our church livestreamed their Maundy Thursday service last night and it was so, so beautiful. Looking forward to Good Friday, Vigil, and Easter Sunday! However. Denver is slated to get 3-6" of snow on Sunday, so we've opted to observe Orthodox Easter on the 19th, mainly so my parents can come over and we can all sit six feet apart in the backyard.
My 13-year-old has decided to dress in a costume every day this week for our morning run. So far, on my morning mile I've been accompanied by a pirate, a ninja, an inflatable tube man, and a sort of clown/Raggedy-Ann mashup. She's also started pinning a sign on her front that says "It's OK to laugh! (I know you want to!)" Tomorrow a cowboy has been scheduled. At first I was mildly embarrassed, but now it's what's getting me out of bed and into my running clothes. I'm at alpineflower on Instagram if you want a peek.
This is another TikTok video that is worth every bit of the 10:32 length. So funny and charming. https://youtu.be/43RV7eZgRmI
We got Relay too about a month ago for these EXACT reasons - works like a charm!
This oneās for Good Friday observers and choral nerds alike: the Bach Archive in Leipzig did a live stream concert of the St John Passion by Bach this morning, and it is worth watching/having on in the background - https://m.facebook.com/bacharchiv#!/story.php?story_fbid=224088308838132&id=162506233863142&ref=page_internal . Moved to tears over the music and the opportunity to see the church and these musicians, including virtual choirs. Weirdly making me happy today.
Will come back for more fluff, but HAD to share.
That horse!! What a treasure. So I'm linking an article about a 99 yo British woman who got and recovered from The Virus That Shall Not Be Named. She credits a steady diet if marmalade sandwiches and cookies. But the hidden gem in the article is how during WWII, her street was being bombed but she couldn't bother going to the bomb shelter because she was in the middle of a book and just sat under her kitchen table instead.
https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-rita-reynolds-british-oldest-survivor-age-99-marmalade-20200405-plf3w7ceife7vbeb6pd66vrhti-story.html?fbclid=IwAR1DjQbKEAPdmpEfuOo9U02I_CEUMLcSeuOdbCWdDCy2C51-Vzl6EwfyVtU
Yes! I also started embroidery right before this quarantine and I love it. Cozy blue handmade has super cute kits. Even though we wonāt be at a church service, Iām looking forward to celebrating the resurrection. As an adult this has become my favorite season/holiday. The promise of hope. The celebration of new life. The reminder that He has overcome the world. Plus, Easter baskets are much less maintenance then all of the traditions that come with the celebration of Christās birth.
That horse dancing video is giving me LIFE.
I am struggling with this whole Easter online/at home thing. I just love the worship on Easter morning. I also volunteer with our kids so I love seeing all the kids dressed up and fancy. We go to a mega church thatās super casual so Easter is the only time anyone dresses up. I know God will meet me at home and the church isnāt a building and blah, blah, blah. Iām considering just watching a bunch of different Easter services all day long.
My husband and I donāt have kids, and he is deployed. So quarantine has looked a lot like me laying on the couch with our dogs. However, our church is holding an Easter Sunday service at the local drive-in movie theater. We wonāt be able to get out of our cars, roll our windows down, etc. but weāll be in community together! And if you donāt think Iām getting Cracker Barrel curbside to eat in my sealed up car during the service, youāre wrong!!
We adopted a dog a couple of weeks ago and went through a crazy long list of names and decided to name him Zac Efron. š He is an Australian Cattle Dog so heās super smart but also protective and still wary of some things since he was a stray. He barks at the toaster of all things. š¤·š¼āāļø
Like you, loving John Krasinski. Jimmy Fallon At Home is still giving me life.
MO schools just declared yesterday that we would not be going back and our school system has already loosened guidelines to all review and nothing really mandatory if you have a passing grade now. This is a relief but also a tension as I want my kids to continue to work their brains but also, I am no homeschool teacher. This is not a āLil Treasureā, more of a cry or plea for help for me to be able get them to do things that are good for them.
I got an Ulta shipment yesterday that included the Urban Decay Reloaded and Tarte Maneater mascara, both of which prompted me to put on makeup today and I like them both so far.
Iāve been trying to figure out a way to make this Easter special for our family while feeling internal rage about the forecasted thunderstorms on Sunday. Turns out my 5 year oldās favorite thing about Easter is the crappy handmade carnival games that a local church has in their parking lot during their annual Easter egg hunt. Itās not even our church and is hardly spiritual....but weāre going to throw together a mini Easter carnival in our house in addition to our Holy Week observances.
I read Where'd You Go, Bernadette in two days during my shelter in place this week (I plan on watching the film on Hulu Plus this weekend) and it's such a fun read on the surface, but by the end of it, it walloped me with gospel truth (I'm not sure if it meant to, but it made me WEEP). It's a light read, but it's also not a light read, if that makes sense!
Waves from MN....Hello everyone!
So here we go, my thoughts on the week....
1. I made it through week 2 of distance learning my 2 kids! (cue a Gif of Kermit the frog waving his arms excitedly)
2. I made it through a week where I also had to go to the office each day (well almost, need to go in this afternoon); next week I'm all WFH, our schedule staggers every other week.
3. Smoothies have become my addiction thanks to making a Covid-related splurge and buying a Ninja blender. Moment of honesty: I may have added some lime vodka to the peach/strawberry/pear/OJ smoothie last night. A *delight*
4. I went through my massive lip product collection. I have an addiction and it is all things lip products. That being said, favorites from everyone? This can be anything from lip balms, glosses, matte....share your favorites! BTW, my color today is MAC's Dubonnet. Which is rumored to be one of the shades they use to give Moira Rose her iconic red look.
5. Can we raise praise hands for the Schitt's Creek finale? Did I laugh? Did I CRRRY?(lord just give me a washcloth, a kleenex will be destroyed) Will I miss it? OH man yes. Will I rewatch like some rewatch The Office? YES.
6. The joy of airdrying my hair. Why do I love embracing my natural waves so much? I mean I love my Revlon heat styler brush, but there has been something about really loving my hair for all its quirks
7. The power a Reese's Egg has to make dinner times all the more bearable. I am thankful my kids will devour their whole dinner/lunch with NO DRAMA when the Reese's Egg is on the counter after they put their empty dinner dishes in the sink or dishwasher.
I'm sure I could babble on more.
Thank you Erin for this content as always. The PMG (and those in the PMG circle of trust) have been BRINGING IT with content that has brought me so much light and I appreciate it more than I can say.
Twenty one pilots dropped a new single yesterday that is kind of a comfort jam and the music vid has babies and glow in the dark stars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loOWKm8GW6A
Also, from the crew at Good Mythical Morning, (maybe spicy take, I like the kitchen crew better than R + L) Mythical Kitchen has been putting out Quarantine cooking videos with things that you actually probably have in your house, and Josh is saving my life. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXGR70CkW_pXb8n52LzCCRw
Also, I baked these hot cross buns https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-hot-cross-buns-229756?fbclid=IwAR3AKO6f6WkzVyMDFrhB-d-7wMCXyqTH7QS4eSpL4wpgk6grEDsT325-gps yesterday and both eating them and playing porch fairy with them helped take me out of myself and my funk. sharing food is a good thing.
Please advise - TikTok ? Should this šµš¼ millennial download it? How do you see things like the Tiger King Savage? I feel vvvvvv lost. Help.
Leslie Jordan has also been a real highlight of my week, and I am VERY MUCH looking forward to the Hamilton sing-along this weekend. It's just my husband and me at home, and we initially thought we might grill steaks for Easter dinner, but we now have a rainy weekend ahead of us here in MO. So I'm making our New Year's meal, inspired by Boo Mama posting her mama's Mexican Cornbread this week. It feels right.
After listening to this weeks Popcast, I wanted to tell you magical unicorn dogs do exist. We adopted our beloved Duke Silver from the Amarillo Shelter in December 2018. Heās a 130 lb black lab who is 7. He came to us completely housebroken, knowing commands, and his favorite thing is snuggling. Best therapy ever! Highly recommend.
Today I binged the entire week of Every Broken Thing (as I'm sure nature intended) on my way to work and it was JUST THE THING I needed.
Immediately googles embroidery kits on Etsy
Obsessed with Leslie Jordan on Instagram. Heās from Chattanooga and most remember him as Beverly Leslie on Will & Grace. His posts are hilarious and just what we need right now!
Also, loving John Krazinskiās Some Good News. That Hamilton thing got me.
Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu is so good and really true to the book (which is also great and you shooed all read it).