I spent all week trying to figure out why I was in such an absolute funk. We had a nice Easter, minus not being with all our people and minus the tornadoes (it’s funny, as I wrote this, I completely forgot about the tornadoes until right now, so if that is not an indication of how time passes, I do not know what is). But Monday hit hard. And Tuesday. And Wednesday….and on and on. And then! It hit me. With so much uncertainty, there’s just nothing to look forward to: no far off trip on a calendar date, no holiday that ensures we gather with the people we love (even virtually). Even if you don’t celebrate Easter religiously, we can all still get on board with chocolate rabbits. The next holiday is Mother’s Day (which, I’ll take breakfast in bed and a locked bedroom door), but nothing communally celebrated.
So I think we need to institute a new holiday.
Should we celebrate the Rock’s birthday (May 2)? Do we fully lean into May the 4th? Cinco de Mayo? May 14th is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day. May 28th is National Brisket Day - do we attempt to go international? Do we create something else entirely? What are our traditions? Should we make The Rock Wreaths for our doors? What time-honored meals are associated with our holiday? Must we yell “Do you smell what the Rock is cooking?” as you prepare it? Is there a parade? Representative candy? So many questions when establishing a fake holiday!
Would love to know your thoughts on making something up for our mental health in the comments, along with your lil treasures. Here are mine:
When Jeff Chu posts about being with his friends, he’s usually cooking brisket fried rice for them. This recipe is the only thing I’ve cared about, and he gave it out, along with some lovely reflections about his grandmother.
There’s a language warning on this, but it’s incredibly charming:
The Disney Family Sing-a-long was a big fart, except for Donny Osmond (respect to Donny: he looks great, he still sounds amazing, and his grandkids were super cute), Darren Criss (I can’t even believe I’m typing that), and a kid during Jordan Fisher’s song who is apparently an Instagram star that I am currently obsessed with. I am late to the game, but if you are as well, @bossbabybrody will cure what ails you (maybe. It certainly won’t hurt).
Just a reminder that We Got You Club is still in effect, and if you can help, I hope you will. Thanks to everyone who is helping and sharing. Good job to everyone who is getting out of bed and doing their best. Proud of us all.
We are celebrating St Georges Day (we gift each other books, roses, and chocolate, and we read to each other); Cinco de Mayo (Mexican food and "Mexican shandys" (Limeaid and Mexican beer - yes. We are using Corona as a sick joke)); our Engage-aversary (bubbly from the vineyard where he proposed; Mother's day zoom brunch with my husband's mom: and Pentacost (fajitas with salsa, fire pit with hot tamale candy dumped into popcorn. Its weird but delicious!)
This week seemed like a giant poop sandwich for everyone. A local website posted these Dadosaur videos and I laughed so hard I cried for the first time in recent memory. https://www.rocketcitymom.com/tiktok-dadosaur/
I usually get all my treasures from you fine people, but this week, friends showed me this and we laughed (and screamed at the video) sooooooo hard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqBEkUGQylc Bless her heart - she's just done with her covid-19 hair.
I am the only person on the planet I know who can be busy during a pandemic, and this week I overachieved. Our church is doing online services and I am one of the worship leaders. It was my turn to lead (from home) this week and we pre-recorded things Wednesday night. It was A Situation. I sipped Honey Jack the whole time to loosen the vocal chords and my tattered nerves. Bless the Lord, oh my soul.
Tomorrow I'm hostessing a drive-by shower (fear not - precautions abound and mama bear will touch nary a gift for at least two weeks, if not a month). There will be balloons and outside decorations and it will be lovely.
All that said I firmly plan to go back to Stay-At-Home-Sheltering-Danielle on Sunday afternoon and will blissfully embrace the boredom. I shall get outside again and write letters again and commit to NOTHING.
I'm a SAHM with 2 toddlers, so our days aren't really all that different, except we're all just sick of each other and miss our people. I'm also pregnant, and while I don't usually drink very often, I feel weirdly left out with everyone on insta posting fun cocktails or zoom happy hours. Anyone have a fun drink idea I can put in a pretty glass with no alcohol?
My family has celebrated Bleak Week for the past 5-ish years. It's a completely made up holiday that takes place mid-January, because in Utah, winter brings three months of seasonal depression and heavy air pollution. We've gotta break it up somehow.
Here are the rules:
1. Decorate. In my house, this means bunting. Bunting everywhere. Bunting hanging from the ceiling. Bunting across the mantel. Bunting hanging from the kitchen counters. Also encouraged: fresh flowers, streamers, etc.
2. Have treats. We treat it like a real special occasion, and every night we have cake or scalloped potatoes or bubbly--something fun and delicious, either with dinner or for dessert.
3. Celebrate in small ways throughout the day. Do a face mask, burn the scented candle you've been hoarding, play games, have a Pride and Prejudice marathon.
It's a reminder to use up the treats and fun experiences/things I hoard for special occasions. And it's like a time-release party, despite not traveling or getting time off work.
So I'm planning on doing Bleak Week part 2 this year. Maybe we'll rebrand it as Mental Health Week or Self Care Week.
Schitt's Creek. Binge watching. Especially now. What I wouldn't give for an extra season of the Rose family and the entire Schitt's Creek town trying to cope with the coronavirus and social distancing.
My kids are on Spring Break this week, so homeschool is closed and this teacher is gloriously off-duty. A few things that are making this waking nightmare bearable:
📺 We started watching The Office over from the beginning, and our kids are now obsessed. Also, re-experiencing the Jim/Pam romance is just the kind of charm my soul needs.
🚶🏼♀️I have instituted a Rage Walk, whereby I stomp out of my house unannounced and circle my neighborhood while whisper-yelling expletives under my breath. Sometimes I kick a wall. It is very therapeutic. Highly recommend.
📚 I have had the weirdest reaction to being quarantined, in that I have ZERO ability to focus. I feel like I should be gobbling up books, but more often than not get half a page in and start staring into space. Or surfing IG. Again. Despite that, I got online this morning and ordered some books from a local, independent bookstore. So, now I’m a hero. 🦸🏼♀️
👯♀️ My book club girls are my ROCK - we have a Marco Polo group and an ongoing group text where we are constantly sharing all the memes, gifs, fears, anger, frustration, prayer requests, cocktail recipes, etc. We meet up once a week and sit in our cars and talk in person. I couldn’t survive without it.
🍹 I’m here for celebrating Dos de Mayo for the Rock’s birthday with sushi, followed by Cinco de Mayo with tacos and Bri McCoy’s margarita recipe she shared this week. Maybe the weekly school art lesson could be making a piñata. That looks like a 🦠.
I've been MIA on this thread for the past few weeks just due to being home trying to work with fewer undistracted hours rather than 8 languid hours at my office on slow Fridays when students are not usually thinking about school.
The twins are scheduled to come a week from Monday, so we're getting our final things ready for them.
I can't believe I'm 37 weeks pregnant with twins today... I AM FEELING IT. Moving hurts. I'm actually in some ways quite thankful for the pandemic for forcing us to work from home because there's no way I could work a full day from a desk these days, so I'm glad to not need to take PTO to work from bed.
My doctor and I decided to for sure pursue a c-section because Baby B went from being head down at 34 weeks to being breech and then transverse the following day at 36 weeks. How he still has this much room to flip I'LL NEVER KNOW. He's gonna keep me on my toes.
As for other treasures to share, I feel somewhat deficient but here are some:
1. I read there's a new Mindy Kaling YA romcom movie coming to Netflix the day the twins come, so that seems promising.
2. I got a free 2-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited from The Mom Creative (Jessica Turner) and canceled it immediately as she suggested so I don't forget later -- so there's 2 months of books to read while trying to tandem breastfeed.
3. I decided to delete FB and Twitter from my phone today. No news weekend!
4. My son wants to Facetime my sister at least every day so she can read him the same book 3 times. Which honestly is a nice 20 minute break for me. I put the ipad on a bookshelf and let her virtual babysit, lol.
5. Oh! If you are looking for a fun Date Night activity, my mom subscribes to Date Night In Box but never does them with my dad, so she just gave me like 7 boxes. You kinda have to push past the semi-cheesy-intentionality of them, but honestly we've done 2 and they're fun. We did one this week that involved us both getting 20 minute massages, doing a caramel tasting, and answering some fun/deep questions. https://datenightinbox.com/ They are perfect when you are legally mandated not to leave your home, haha.
It was an up and down kind of week here. I just started feeling sad at the end of last week, and I think my enneagram 9-ness is finally giving in to the feeling. I've been eating a lot of dark chocolate Cadbury mini eggs this week.
I vote for The Rock's birthday or Cinco De Mayo. Or both. Yeah, let's do both.
Some joy-giving things this week:
1. Bubble gloves. I got them for my boys for their Easter Baskets and they were a huge hit - THEY MAKE SO MANY BUBBLES! And I can't be sad when I see bubbles for some reason.
2. Making goals for myself. It helps to have a checklist of things to try to accomplish during this time, otherwise I become a lump on the couch (see above, enneagram 9...)
3. Cleaning out my bookshelves and my downloads on my computer. Sometimes purging just gives a sense of peace and control when you need it...
4. Spotify playlists. I was the queen of mixed tapes back in the day, and making playlists just makes me so happy.
1) driveway visits from my best friends and parents. I stand on my porch; they sit in their car; we feel like we're together.
2) Jane Austen book club with my sister. We read a book and then have a 1-2 hour phone call about it. My poor sister had to hear a good bit of my 10th grade English lectures on Pride and Prejudice last night... I need an outlet when I'm missing face-to-face teaching :)
3) Bradbucks on Instagram (@bradgoreski making coffee for his Gary)
4) nighttime Reese's Eggs. 2 per night. (pay no attention to other desserts throughout the day)
5) that time of year when two Real Housewives franchises I watch are both on. I know that is not everyone's cup of tea, but tell me I'm not alone!
Waves from MN where we had snow 3 times this week and thankfully had it melt. Snow in April is always something that *could* happen, but in this Shelter-in-place time it feels especially cruel.
I am proud to make it through another week of balancing work and distance learning. Later today I head to my younger son's school to get the materials needed for the remainder of the school year. I have to keep knowing this is all for the best. And Actually I'm feeling okay about how I've been doing as teacher/mom. Well at least today I am.
I am trying to manage myself when my siblings tell me of errands they are running and people they are seeing. And y'all. It's hard not to implode. But then it inspires me to stomp a little when I take my walks or do a workout.
Shows I'm watching: Anne with an E, Making the Cut (although I can't decide if I really like it) and Top Chef.
Documentaries downloaded which I hope to watch this weekend Crip Camp & Bikram
Weird goals: Find a recipe that uses blueberries and/or applesauce. I have so much applesauce around my house right now. My kids are taking advantage of the school lunch program that stops on our block and I have so many applesauce cups but neither son wants to eat them anymore.
My husband's birthday is next week 4/22. I might find a Cameo for him. I did order some Trampled by Turtles shirts and a limited Vinyl album (one of his favorite bands), but I am not sure they will get here on time.
We had our second kiddo Monday! It was very dramatic because he came in an hour, which was very unexpected. But the hospital was lovely and I am grateful. No one even spoke of the-thing-that-must-not-be-named. So now I live in a different world (that doesn’t feel that different from earlier this month 😆) except now I don’t have to balance work and toddler parenting! Just new baby and toddler parenting ha. Honestly with some of the needs of my coworkers... this will be easier.
Erin, I with you about things to look forward to. My whole life revolves around what is fun that is coming up next - whether it's movies, shows, get togethers, holidays, sporting events, vacations (God, I miss the beach!) The olympics were going to be the big thing this year. Alas!
My friend, Stephanie, has a bit of prophetic bent (or just supreme intuition) and said in January, "I wonder if 2019 was so bad to prepare us for 2020?" I mean.
Some things getting me through are 1. Therapy (highly recommend) 2. My TBR pile (just finished Little Women for the first time, and now am on Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell 3. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver 4. Writing letters ala Jane Austen to my family members - wherein I give accountings of the most mundane things like my bout with constipation. They think I'm the biggest dork alive. 5. My back porch swing 6. This picture of Cartoon Robin Hood https://www.pinterest.com/pin/820569994585318882/
Well, it's been a rough week here as well. I have a bad cold with a nasty cough which just feels like bad timing. (Read the room cough, you're scaring everyone.) Anyway, it's wiped me out completely. I'm so *insert expletive of your choice here* exhausted. I've been having respiratory infections pretty much constantly for two and a half years now and on top of my chronic illness, it's just too much for me. Also, I've run out of wine AND chocolate. 😱
Anyhoo, couple of things that made my week bearable:
📕 The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. A really sweet and uplifting book with lovely illustrations.
Those outtakes were great! My friend sent me this today so I started out my morning with some great laughter which has now turned into irritation and tears. I got mad at the dog for getting in my way and making me scrape my ankle on my dresser when I was doing jumping jacks. I’m blaming PMS on top of this stupid pandemic. I put myself in a bath.
We will be celebrating one year of more life with my dad at the end of May. Last May he had quadruple bypass and it was a scary time for us. We are so thankful that he was healthy before and healthy now. Hopefully, we will get to see him and hug him and have a proper visit at that time. It’s been awful not being able to see them (except over the FaceTime) and they miss their grandkids!!
My husband asked me what did I want to do this weekend? Literally nothing we can do. I don’t know drive around? Sit at home and look at each other? Oh, yeah, that’s every day. 🤦🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️
I am with you in the horrible, no good, bet bad week. It’s like it’s setting in that this is the way. Nothing to look forward to and no where exciting to go. I agree we need a holiday to get excited about! Cinco de Mayo is always fun and it can involve alcohol so I am all for it! Side note: that Disney sing along was a big dud. I didn’t want to watch people singing in their big giant beautiful places that don’t look like anyone lives there when my house is starting to look and smell like a frat house.
I mean I could do a full lean in to a cinco de mayo becoming an official holiday. Thankfully the Mexican restaurants still offer takeout around here because sometimes you just need need good takeout.
I too had a terrible, horrible, no food, very bad week. Sigh. I’m so grateful to be working (and I love my job!) during this time but also so over working during this chaotic mess. My anxiety is terrible and I’m not sleeping and getting up and pretending things are okay to people (in particular college students) is exhausting. Maybe a mental health day is needed. It doesn’t help my boss is of the we must continue to work just like normal and produce consistently and blah and blah. I wish I had one that was more encouraging during this time and understood the trials of this time and mental health. Sigh. And end vent.
Maybe a new funny show is in order.
Also I loved those vintage clips! I follow vintage photo instagrams because I love vintage stars and just the beauty and growing up I think I watched more black and white television than color because my mom loved old movies and television shows! She still does!
I am ALL about celebrating. When I was a teenager, my family created a holiday to celebrate my dad finishing his last chemo treatment (and to use up all of the fireworks we got for the 4th of July and weren’t able to use while he was in the hospital). National Family Day had lots of food, a bonfire, theme song, a dance routine, and fireworks. 😂
I fully support celebrating The Rock’s birthday as a holiday as he is a true treasure. We can do a crippling workout to start the day, and end it with a cheat meal of grocery store sushi (bc all Japanese restaurants shut down ) or French toast and cookies- your call. And fall asleep to some tequila. This is a day in the life according to his Instagram and I couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate!
I mean, I share a birthday with The Rock, so I am all for that one. I’d actually be down for a Rock-a-Thon. Moana, Jumanji... is Jumanji 2 streaming yet?
But did we still enjoy the Disney Sing Along bc what else do we have to look forward to? Plan for? Talk to others about? My texts are full of homeschooling memes and venting about small people. We do need a new national holiday to look forward to. Maybe Cinco de Mayo/Taco Tuesday should be HUGE this year. Let's lean into any holidays that revolve around food to help our souls during this crazy time.
My birthday is on Tuesday, April 21 and I have already started making it a holiday-esque celebration? I am forcing my friends to shop local and buy something from a small business while also encouraging everyone to use the hashtag #slclovesslc (my initials are SLC - no it was not planned) SO ERIN IF YOU NEED SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO SPEND LOTS OF MONEY ON A SMALL BUSINESS ON TUESDAY AND TAG ME IN IT because I AM SUPPOSED TO BE IN NYC FOR MY 22ND BIRTHDAY BUT I WILL BE STUCK AT HOME INSTEAD
I think we gotta re-up May Day and all sing militant labor songs from our windows/doors/porches/balconies.
We are celebrating St Georges Day (we gift each other books, roses, and chocolate, and we read to each other); Cinco de Mayo (Mexican food and "Mexican shandys" (Limeaid and Mexican beer - yes. We are using Corona as a sick joke)); our Engage-aversary (bubbly from the vineyard where he proposed; Mother's day zoom brunch with my husband's mom: and Pentacost (fajitas with salsa, fire pit with hot tamale candy dumped into popcorn. Its weird but delicious!)
This week seemed like a giant poop sandwich for everyone. A local website posted these Dadosaur videos and I laughed so hard I cried for the first time in recent memory. https://www.rocketcitymom.com/tiktok-dadosaur/
I finally have a treasure!
I usually get all my treasures from you fine people, but this week, friends showed me this and we laughed (and screamed at the video) sooooooo hard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqBEkUGQylc Bless her heart - she's just done with her covid-19 hair.
I am the only person on the planet I know who can be busy during a pandemic, and this week I overachieved. Our church is doing online services and I am one of the worship leaders. It was my turn to lead (from home) this week and we pre-recorded things Wednesday night. It was A Situation. I sipped Honey Jack the whole time to loosen the vocal chords and my tattered nerves. Bless the Lord, oh my soul.
Tomorrow I'm hostessing a drive-by shower (fear not - precautions abound and mama bear will touch nary a gift for at least two weeks, if not a month). There will be balloons and outside decorations and it will be lovely.
All that said I firmly plan to go back to Stay-At-Home-Sheltering-Danielle on Sunday afternoon and will blissfully embrace the boredom. I shall get outside again and write letters again and commit to NOTHING.
Hallelujah.
I'm a SAHM with 2 toddlers, so our days aren't really all that different, except we're all just sick of each other and miss our people. I'm also pregnant, and while I don't usually drink very often, I feel weirdly left out with everyone on insta posting fun cocktails or zoom happy hours. Anyone have a fun drink idea I can put in a pretty glass with no alcohol?
My family has celebrated Bleak Week for the past 5-ish years. It's a completely made up holiday that takes place mid-January, because in Utah, winter brings three months of seasonal depression and heavy air pollution. We've gotta break it up somehow.
Here are the rules:
1. Decorate. In my house, this means bunting. Bunting everywhere. Bunting hanging from the ceiling. Bunting across the mantel. Bunting hanging from the kitchen counters. Also encouraged: fresh flowers, streamers, etc.
2. Have treats. We treat it like a real special occasion, and every night we have cake or scalloped potatoes or bubbly--something fun and delicious, either with dinner or for dessert.
3. Celebrate in small ways throughout the day. Do a face mask, burn the scented candle you've been hoarding, play games, have a Pride and Prejudice marathon.
It's a reminder to use up the treats and fun experiences/things I hoard for special occasions. And it's like a time-release party, despite not traveling or getting time off work.
So I'm planning on doing Bleak Week part 2 this year. Maybe we'll rebrand it as Mental Health Week or Self Care Week.
Schitt's Creek. Binge watching. Especially now. What I wouldn't give for an extra season of the Rose family and the entire Schitt's Creek town trying to cope with the coronavirus and social distancing.
My kids are on Spring Break this week, so homeschool is closed and this teacher is gloriously off-duty. A few things that are making this waking nightmare bearable:
📺 We started watching The Office over from the beginning, and our kids are now obsessed. Also, re-experiencing the Jim/Pam romance is just the kind of charm my soul needs.
🚶🏼♀️I have instituted a Rage Walk, whereby I stomp out of my house unannounced and circle my neighborhood while whisper-yelling expletives under my breath. Sometimes I kick a wall. It is very therapeutic. Highly recommend.
📚 I have had the weirdest reaction to being quarantined, in that I have ZERO ability to focus. I feel like I should be gobbling up books, but more often than not get half a page in and start staring into space. Or surfing IG. Again. Despite that, I got online this morning and ordered some books from a local, independent bookstore. So, now I’m a hero. 🦸🏼♀️
👯♀️ My book club girls are my ROCK - we have a Marco Polo group and an ongoing group text where we are constantly sharing all the memes, gifs, fears, anger, frustration, prayer requests, cocktail recipes, etc. We meet up once a week and sit in our cars and talk in person. I couldn’t survive without it.
🍹 I’m here for celebrating Dos de Mayo for the Rock’s birthday with sushi, followed by Cinco de Mayo with tacos and Bri McCoy’s margarita recipe she shared this week. Maybe the weekly school art lesson could be making a piñata. That looks like a 🦠.
Stay safe, friends. We’ll get there eventually.
I've been MIA on this thread for the past few weeks just due to being home trying to work with fewer undistracted hours rather than 8 languid hours at my office on slow Fridays when students are not usually thinking about school.
The twins are scheduled to come a week from Monday, so we're getting our final things ready for them.
I can't believe I'm 37 weeks pregnant with twins today... I AM FEELING IT. Moving hurts. I'm actually in some ways quite thankful for the pandemic for forcing us to work from home because there's no way I could work a full day from a desk these days, so I'm glad to not need to take PTO to work from bed.
My doctor and I decided to for sure pursue a c-section because Baby B went from being head down at 34 weeks to being breech and then transverse the following day at 36 weeks. How he still has this much room to flip I'LL NEVER KNOW. He's gonna keep me on my toes.
I ordered a Manatee Warmie (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VTXCTVC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) to help with my incision healing upon the recommendation of Mama Doctor Jones (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrPhcbDwqWRc-3tteE2BS6g) who happens to be a local OBGYN (not mine) with ~350,000 YouTube subscribers, lol. LIFE IS A RICH TAPESTRY.
As for other treasures to share, I feel somewhat deficient but here are some:
1. I read there's a new Mindy Kaling YA romcom movie coming to Netflix the day the twins come, so that seems promising.
2. I got a free 2-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited from The Mom Creative (Jessica Turner) and canceled it immediately as she suggested so I don't forget later -- so there's 2 months of books to read while trying to tandem breastfeed.
3. I decided to delete FB and Twitter from my phone today. No news weekend!
4. My son wants to Facetime my sister at least every day so she can read him the same book 3 times. Which honestly is a nice 20 minute break for me. I put the ipad on a bookshelf and let her virtual babysit, lol.
5. Oh! If you are looking for a fun Date Night activity, my mom subscribes to Date Night In Box but never does them with my dad, so she just gave me like 7 boxes. You kinda have to push past the semi-cheesy-intentionality of them, but honestly we've done 2 and they're fun. We did one this week that involved us both getting 20 minute massages, doing a caramel tasting, and answering some fun/deep questions. https://datenightinbox.com/ They are perfect when you are legally mandated not to leave your home, haha.
It was an up and down kind of week here. I just started feeling sad at the end of last week, and I think my enneagram 9-ness is finally giving in to the feeling. I've been eating a lot of dark chocolate Cadbury mini eggs this week.
I vote for The Rock's birthday or Cinco De Mayo. Or both. Yeah, let's do both.
Some joy-giving things this week:
1. Bubble gloves. I got them for my boys for their Easter Baskets and they were a huge hit - THEY MAKE SO MANY BUBBLES! And I can't be sad when I see bubbles for some reason.
2. Making goals for myself. It helps to have a checklist of things to try to accomplish during this time, otherwise I become a lump on the couch (see above, enneagram 9...)
3. Cleaning out my bookshelves and my downloads on my computer. Sometimes purging just gives a sense of peace and control when you need it...
4. Spotify playlists. I was the queen of mixed tapes back in the day, and making playlists just makes me so happy.
My lil treasures:
1) driveway visits from my best friends and parents. I stand on my porch; they sit in their car; we feel like we're together.
2) Jane Austen book club with my sister. We read a book and then have a 1-2 hour phone call about it. My poor sister had to hear a good bit of my 10th grade English lectures on Pride and Prejudice last night... I need an outlet when I'm missing face-to-face teaching :)
3) Bradbucks on Instagram (@bradgoreski making coffee for his Gary)
4) nighttime Reese's Eggs. 2 per night. (pay no attention to other desserts throughout the day)
5) that time of year when two Real Housewives franchises I watch are both on. I know that is not everyone's cup of tea, but tell me I'm not alone!
Here is my contribution to society:
Fry up some bacon and eggs. Reserve all the bacon fat. Fry up day-old cooked rice in the bacon fat. Serve for breakfast, lunch, and/or (and) dinner.
Waves from MN where we had snow 3 times this week and thankfully had it melt. Snow in April is always something that *could* happen, but in this Shelter-in-place time it feels especially cruel.
I am proud to make it through another week of balancing work and distance learning. Later today I head to my younger son's school to get the materials needed for the remainder of the school year. I have to keep knowing this is all for the best. And Actually I'm feeling okay about how I've been doing as teacher/mom. Well at least today I am.
I am trying to manage myself when my siblings tell me of errands they are running and people they are seeing. And y'all. It's hard not to implode. But then it inspires me to stomp a little when I take my walks or do a workout.
Shows I'm watching: Anne with an E, Making the Cut (although I can't decide if I really like it) and Top Chef.
Documentaries downloaded which I hope to watch this weekend Crip Camp & Bikram
Weird goals: Find a recipe that uses blueberries and/or applesauce. I have so much applesauce around my house right now. My kids are taking advantage of the school lunch program that stops on our block and I have so many applesauce cups but neither son wants to eat them anymore.
My husband's birthday is next week 4/22. I might find a Cameo for him. I did order some Trampled by Turtles shirts and a limited Vinyl album (one of his favorite bands), but I am not sure they will get here on time.
Well time to do an online meeting.
Love to all reading this!
We had our second kiddo Monday! It was very dramatic because he came in an hour, which was very unexpected. But the hospital was lovely and I am grateful. No one even spoke of the-thing-that-must-not-be-named. So now I live in a different world (that doesn’t feel that different from earlier this month 😆) except now I don’t have to balance work and toddler parenting! Just new baby and toddler parenting ha. Honestly with some of the needs of my coworkers... this will be easier.
I saw this and loved it so much: https://mobile.twitter.com/jess_mc/status/1247848987643842561
Hang in there, everyone.
Erin, I with you about things to look forward to. My whole life revolves around what is fun that is coming up next - whether it's movies, shows, get togethers, holidays, sporting events, vacations (God, I miss the beach!) The olympics were going to be the big thing this year. Alas!
My friend, Stephanie, has a bit of prophetic bent (or just supreme intuition) and said in January, "I wonder if 2019 was so bad to prepare us for 2020?" I mean.
Some things getting me through are 1. Therapy (highly recommend) 2. My TBR pile (just finished Little Women for the first time, and now am on Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell 3. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver 4. Writing letters ala Jane Austen to my family members - wherein I give accountings of the most mundane things like my bout with constipation. They think I'm the biggest dork alive. 5. My back porch swing 6. This picture of Cartoon Robin Hood https://www.pinterest.com/pin/820569994585318882/
Love you all and hang in there!
Well, it's been a rough week here as well. I have a bad cold with a nasty cough which just feels like bad timing. (Read the room cough, you're scaring everyone.) Anyway, it's wiped me out completely. I'm so *insert expletive of your choice here* exhausted. I've been having respiratory infections pretty much constantly for two and a half years now and on top of my chronic illness, it's just too much for me. Also, I've run out of wine AND chocolate. 😱
Anyhoo, couple of things that made my week bearable:
📕 The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. A really sweet and uplifting book with lovely illustrations.
🤔 https://twitter.com/SketchesbyBoze/status/1251085488347373568 I dunno, maybe I'm just tired but it made me giggle.
🤣 Sarah Bessey's Benediction for Schitt's Creek. It made me feel less like a disgruntled pelican.
Those outtakes were great! My friend sent me this today so I started out my morning with some great laughter which has now turned into irritation and tears. I got mad at the dog for getting in my way and making me scrape my ankle on my dresser when I was doing jumping jacks. I’m blaming PMS on top of this stupid pandemic. I put myself in a bath.
https://www.facebook.com/1831905851/posts/10213723173833558/?d=n
We will be celebrating one year of more life with my dad at the end of May. Last May he had quadruple bypass and it was a scary time for us. We are so thankful that he was healthy before and healthy now. Hopefully, we will get to see him and hug him and have a proper visit at that time. It’s been awful not being able to see them (except over the FaceTime) and they miss their grandkids!!
My husband asked me what did I want to do this weekend? Literally nothing we can do. I don’t know drive around? Sit at home and look at each other? Oh, yeah, that’s every day. 🤦🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️
I am with you in the horrible, no good, bet bad week. It’s like it’s setting in that this is the way. Nothing to look forward to and no where exciting to go. I agree we need a holiday to get excited about! Cinco de Mayo is always fun and it can involve alcohol so I am all for it! Side note: that Disney sing along was a big dud. I didn’t want to watch people singing in their big giant beautiful places that don’t look like anyone lives there when my house is starting to look and smell like a frat house.
The Rock and I share a birthday. So exciting! I bought myself a weighted blanket. It arrives today and I cannot wait to go to bed tonight.
I mean I could do a full lean in to a cinco de mayo becoming an official holiday. Thankfully the Mexican restaurants still offer takeout around here because sometimes you just need need good takeout.
I too had a terrible, horrible, no food, very bad week. Sigh. I’m so grateful to be working (and I love my job!) during this time but also so over working during this chaotic mess. My anxiety is terrible and I’m not sleeping and getting up and pretending things are okay to people (in particular college students) is exhausting. Maybe a mental health day is needed. It doesn’t help my boss is of the we must continue to work just like normal and produce consistently and blah and blah. I wish I had one that was more encouraging during this time and understood the trials of this time and mental health. Sigh. And end vent.
Maybe a new funny show is in order.
Also I loved those vintage clips! I follow vintage photo instagrams because I love vintage stars and just the beauty and growing up I think I watched more black and white television than color because my mom loved old movies and television shows! She still does!
I am ALL about celebrating. When I was a teenager, my family created a holiday to celebrate my dad finishing his last chemo treatment (and to use up all of the fireworks we got for the 4th of July and weren’t able to use while he was in the hospital). National Family Day had lots of food, a bonfire, theme song, a dance routine, and fireworks. 😂
I fully support celebrating The Rock’s birthday as a holiday as he is a true treasure. We can do a crippling workout to start the day, and end it with a cheat meal of grocery store sushi (bc all Japanese restaurants shut down ) or French toast and cookies- your call. And fall asleep to some tequila. This is a day in the life according to his Instagram and I couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate!
I mean, I share a birthday with The Rock, so I am all for that one. I’d actually be down for a Rock-a-Thon. Moana, Jumanji... is Jumanji 2 streaming yet?
But did we still enjoy the Disney Sing Along bc what else do we have to look forward to? Plan for? Talk to others about? My texts are full of homeschooling memes and venting about small people. We do need a new national holiday to look forward to. Maybe Cinco de Mayo/Taco Tuesday should be HUGE this year. Let's lean into any holidays that revolve around food to help our souls during this crazy time.
My birthday is on Tuesday, April 21 and I have already started making it a holiday-esque celebration? I am forcing my friends to shop local and buy something from a small business while also encouraging everyone to use the hashtag #slclovesslc (my initials are SLC - no it was not planned) SO ERIN IF YOU NEED SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO SPEND LOTS OF MONEY ON A SMALL BUSINESS ON TUESDAY AND TAG ME IN IT because I AM SUPPOSED TO BE IN NYC FOR MY 22ND BIRTHDAY BUT I WILL BE STUCK AT HOME INSTEAD