Holy smokes. That does in fact say May 1st. This marks day 49 of quarantine for us. What day are you all on?
Harrison and I have big plans today. To stay home. :). Here’s what’s bringing me a smile this week…
I’ve got to brag on this little guy this week. Today marks the third week of potty training for little man, and he is doing so so well!
I remember so vividly writing my last What’s Up Wednesday at the end of March, and just having no clue how this April would unfold with the virus. There was so much uncertainty and anxiety, and while things don’t seem that different in the sense that we’re all still at home, and there’s still this crazy virus out there, somehow living a month plus of this has led me to a bit of acceptance and less fear. I don’t know how you all are hanging in there. I’d love to hear in the comments what’s been going on for you guys this past month!
I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer to share with you what’s going on in our life lately!
1: WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK:
I’ve blogged about this before, but right now, we’re very blessed that we are both still fully employed, so we’ve been trying to get take out from one of our favorite local restaurants at least once a week to do some small part in helping all of these amazing places that we love stay afloat during this time. It may seem small and petty, but it’s a great treat for us and we’re hoping that it’s some small part in keeping restaurants afloat.
Spring and Fall battle it out for my favorite season, but I think ultimately, spring tends to win out for me. The springtime when the garden starts to come to life again, birds return, there aren’t all of those pesky mosquitos yet that come with summer. So despite being stuck at home during this COVID-19 crisis, watching spring come to life has been so much fun for me this year.
Spring time in particular I have a favorite room in the house that isn’t an actual room inside our house. It’s a beautiful little sitting area outside surrounded by draping pines over one side, and greenery all around.
I’m going to include details of the plants in the first picture at the very bottom of the post for those of you that are interested in ideas for your own garden!
Today marks our 42nd day of the whole family in quarantine. Holy moly. I can hardly believe it’s been that long! This week was marked by celebrating my Dad’s and brother-in-law’s birthday. They share the same birthday! Many hours spent playing kitchen and mowing the patio with Harrison, and we started watching a new TV show that Nathan and I are really into now!
We’ve spent the last couple of Friday evenings watching a Disney movie and getting our fill of popcorn. Turns out that Harrison is a HUGE popcorn fan. He’ll finish most of this big bowl by himself. And this past week, we made popcorn the old fashioned way. Well, with the help of an Instant Pot.
It’s pretty easy to have a ‘blah’ day lately being stuck in quarantine. Not having the freedom to run simple errands or go play at a playground are amazingly impactful on mental health. Not to mention that so many of us, Nathan and I included, are trying to balance working from home and caring for a very active toddler.
The truth is that there are whole days that I’m just in a real funk about it, and I don’t think I’m alone in that feeling. A new piece of news comes out: lockdowns are extended, the peak of this virus hasn’t happened yet in our state like they thought it would, we may be living a life something similar to this for a year until there is a vaccine. It’s so easy to just get weighed down. And if I’m honest, there are days where I find myself there. Just bummed.
I do find, though, that even those days when the news is not good when hope seems hard to find, that engaging in certain habits does dramatically improve my day and outlook. Here’s what I’m doing to stay sane, and I’d love to hear how you all are doing to keep yourself out of the funk during this weird time!
I thought I’d take a minute as a bit of introduction to the Lane family. A little who’s who.
And the best place to start is with my little family…
Our little Lane family.
Nathan and I have been married for five years! We met while working at a public accounting firm, but Nathan has since moved on to a sales role at his current company. Nathan is a K-State grad, and grew up most of his childhood in Kansas City. Nathan is one of the smartest people I know. He’s confident, has an immense passion for teaching and mentoring people, including little Harrison, and is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to something he finds interesting. We often times reap the rewards of that pursuit for perfection when it comes to grilling and smoking. 🙂
It took me awhile to get to this place. I still fall back into just sadness over this whole quarantine thing. I mourn a bit the ‘old way of life.’ Mainly, getting to see our families and the freedom to come and go without fear of bringing home a deadly virus. But, I’ve also come to realize that there are things about quarantine that I genuinely love, and I’ll miss once life goes back to “normal.”
For a person whose love language is quality time, I’m getting a lot of it. Being with the two people I love the most for an extended period of time without interruption or the need to go-go-go has been a blessing. I feel more connected to my family than I have in years…heck, maybe ever.
Well, like a lot of things these days, birthdays don’t look the same. We had high hopes for a party with our families. Time spent playing outside, opening presents, and eating cake. Harrison turned 2 on Monday, and while Easter here was rainy, cold, and we were stuck inside the whole day, I was determined to have a more positive outlook to celebrate Harrison’s second birthday.
I woke Harrison up in the morning, and we had breakfast together. He chose pancakes and yogurt. Lots of yogurt. And then he got to pick out his birthday outfit, so, of course, it had to be his “Sharp Tooth” shirt.
Happy birthday, sweet boy! Two whole years of Harrison wonderful-ness in our lives. You are energy and fire. You are a sweet smile, and sheer happiness about life. I see you developing this sweet, tender heart that cares for people, which makes my mama-heart soar. And you’re without a doubt the most persistent and fearless little kid I’ve ever met, never lacking in confidence and a can-do attitude, which makes your Dad so proud.
You love the outdoors, your sister, Soy Soy, and soccer. And you’re quick to offer a hug and kiss when asked. I can’t begin to express how much of my heart just swells with love for you, little boy. You remind us to praise our Creator, for all of the good there is in the world, and are a continuous reminder that the simplest things are the greatest blessings in life.
While you don’t let me rock you to sleep anymore, you do give me a hug before being tucked into bed. And I hold you tight against my chest, and whisper to you every night, “I love you, little one. There’s nothing in the world that your Daddy or I wouldn’t do for you, and I’m always going to be here for you. No matter what.” And then I lay you down, and you shout at me, “NIGHT NIGHT, MOMMY!” And in that moment, little boy, whatever happened that day: good, bad, hard, seems right for an infinite minute.
And as I sit here writing this to you, tears streaming down my face, I want you to know, you changed everything in our world. And we are better for it.
Happy birthday, my sweet little one.
Love, Mommy
Spring is I think by far my favorite time of year. A really nice, sunny spring day seems to wash away the memories of a cold winter being stuck inside. The garden starts to come to life, and birds return and start singing again. I change my decorations throughout the house with the seasons, and our spring/summer decor is clean, bright, and colorful. I shared a house tour of our winter and fall decor HERE and HERE. But my favorite decor of all is spring…so here are a few pictures from our house right now…
