Creativity Blooms During Covid-19!

I'm so ready to be free again. For the bookstore to open. The library to reopen... We are missing Free Comic Book Day this year, people! Do you know how hard that is for us nerds? Star Wars Day is canceled. Besides posting a meme... UGH! Yes, that is my response to this craziness. 

And so...

To Pinterest I have gone in search of things to occupy the hours. Especially for the kiddos. No school, can't contact their friends, and no yard to play in. There is a pool at their Nona's house, but it's not like we can go there often. Dad works and has school. Mom can't drive them. Well, she could, but not with full confidence of safety. Sooooo.... Yeah. Pinterest ideas! 

We started time capsule booklets thanks to their teachers sending them out. Don't think anyone has finished theirs yet. They kinda disappeared after a couple days. But it was fun watching them get started at least. 

I tried doing a scavenger hunt. My daughter finished hers the same day I gave it to them. The boys took about 3 days? It was so easy too. They took photos of things they found with their school iPads, just like they do for school assignments. Their heart just wasn't into it like my daughters was. She wanted grand prize!

Now on to the next project. I saw this idea a long while back and decided to expand the options to make it more fun. But I used the principle idea to get started. Let's see how well this goes! Plus, I'm hoping that they can earn prizes from doing a great job. No half-hearted tries here. 

For those of you who want to try it as well, I've typed up the prompts so all you have to do is copy and paste into a Word page to print. Don't forget to write out the letter with the instructions. Or print our the one I've typed out for you. Good luck surviving the boredom! 

Bag 1:                               Bag 2:                                   Bag 3:

Take a photo                      of a zombie                          riding a dinosaur.

Make a movie                   of a mermaid                       baking a cake.

Write a story                     of a grandma                        flying in space.

Draw a picture                  of your parents                     riding a unicorn.

Create a dance                  of an uncle                            playing a game.

                                          of an aunt                             building a fort.

                                          of a sibling                           having a pillow fight.

                                          of a space man                     getting married.

                                          of a game character             fighting a bear.

                                                                                       dancing with cats.

Dear children,
I have a very important assignment for you. As you can see, I have 3 bags. 

• Take a slip of paper from Bag 1 for your assignment.
• Take a slip of paper from Bag 2 for the subject of your assignment.
• Take a slip of paper from Bag 3 for the scene of your assignment. 

NO redraws! You keep the first 3 slips of papers you get! You can help each other if you like, but I expect to have your completed assignments by 7PM tonight. 

 Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor! 

You can always add your own! Make it uniquely fun for your own children. Change when it is due to when you get home from work or the next morning. Or do it as a couple with your spouse even! Hmm... I bet this would be better than the time my husband and I started writing a book together... Either way, I'd love to hear your ideas! So leave me a comment below and let me know what you think. What prompts would you add?

Who Says Social Distancing Has to be Boring??

Just because we are stuck at home, doesn't mean that we can't still have fun. And affordably so. If you haven't already, maybe you should be considering getting a pool! After all, the warmer weather is coming and nothing else is accessible. There are many options to choose from, but the one I want you to consider would be Bestway's Coleman Swim Vista Pool. 

*Disclaimer: I was sent this product in exchange for my honest review and hosting a virtual party. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Bestway is the name for pools and outdoor fun. The one that we received is available at Walmart, check here. However, they have plenty of options from Amazon, Walmart, and these other retailers that might be closer to you. This one comes with the filter pump, a safety ladder and the cover to keep debris out. I love the vista, or porthole, option that allows swimmers to see out and be seen! It adds a fun feature to it. It is 18' in diameter and 48 inches deep. Right now, it is selling for $398. Vacations may be out the window, so now is the time to consider investing in fun at home. I have 4 kids who are going absolutely stir crazy! Being able to at least swim and cookout will alleviate some of that monotony. Added bonus? I plan to make sure this is the year that they learn how to swim!

Things you need to know. 

First and most importantly, this bundle comes delivered. You can't just pick it up in the store. It comes on a pallet-type device. Ours was delivered through FedEx. The bundle weighed 250lbs. So be sure to have help if you need to move it around after delivery. In addition you have to prep the yard before setting up if you want this pool to last and be at optimal condition for enjoyment. What does that mean?

Grab a shovel and get to leveling the yard where you want the pool. I suggest, not under the trees!

We also laid out sand to soften it and built a sort of sandbox to contain it. Later on, my mother in law plans to add a deck. We want to enjoy our time with this pool as long as possible. Altogether it took us about 5 hours to get the truck, sand and paving stones we used, lay everything out and set up the pool. So plan for a day to put in the work. Then comes filling the pool with water. If you are like us and using a regular water hose, plan on 12 hours filling time. 

Let the party start! 

Then the magic happens and everything is alright again. The kids have had their first time in the pool and it was awesome! While swimming, the grill was going so that lunch would be ready when they got out.

What do you think? Is a pool an option in your life right now? Why haven't you invested yet if it is? What is the coolest part of this? Let me know in the comments below!

Let's Pass Time with a Time Capsule!

This time is unprecedented for all of us. Kids are pardoned from attending school after Spring Break. Social Distancing isn't just in person, but also for idiot drivers who think they have to maintain 2 car links distance and even social networking! All joking aside, we have never had to deal with such a thing as a pandemic and being forced to Shelter in Place indefinitely. For introverts, this is heavenly. For those of us who like people watching or are extroverts, this is torture. Or even for those of us who actually like being around extended family. So what can we do? How do we pass the time? How about memorializing this time in our lives for future reference? I'm being serious for once. My kids' teachers sent this project over and it has not only given them something fun to do together for a change, but they look forward to seeing how things change in the years to come.

Here is the link to print out the pages: 

https://s3.letsembark.ca/long-creations/2020-COVID-19-Time-Capsule-EN-US.pdf

You may have to copy and paste it into your browser. My children started theirs tonight. They are interviewing parents and siblings alike. Putting in things about themselves that they can look back on. All About Me, My Feelings, My Community, What I'm Doing to Keep Busy, everyone's handprints, Special Occasions and how/if they were celebrated, Letter to Myself, Interviews with Family and finally, a Letter From Your Household. They have asked me to write to them on this last one. I started the letter to my daughter tonight. I reminded her of the craziness and fun times. But most importantly, that we cannot be held my fear. God in control and is working all this for His good. We might not understand it, but we can't let ourselves stress over it. We can't let it anger us. Do you know how many angry people there are out there? Angry that they have to deal with other people. Especially people who aren't following the rules. Instead of responding with kindness and grace, most people during this time will lash out. Maybe not out loud, but in their heads. It really bugs me when I hear about instances like that. After all, we are all people. We are guilty of something or other every day. Not everyone sees this as such a big threat as everyone else. Here is a reminder: Not everyone who coughs or sneezes has the cootie. Ever think about that? Some of us are dying of allergies. And soon, the summer cold season will bloom. Just remember, this isn't forever. Eventually we will have to be a part of some group again. School. Work. Family get togethers. We might not like it, but we do it. Why? Because it is a part of life. Humans are social creatures. Mostly. Let's show a little kindness and yes, respect. And let us enjoy the time together at home as best we can in the meantime! 

What are we doing? 

 
We have been writing friends and family. My kids are practicing letter writing as well as being conversant with others. The old fashioned way! They write about the books we are reading online. About good things that happen to us. Spreading a little joy to others. I downloaded a free puzzle game to my laptop by Microsoft. The kids like working on it with me. We haven't found any good puzzles in the stores. They get wiped out almost as soon as they are stocked. The kids also take turns helping me with crossword puzzles. My oldest daughter especially loves those. Every once in a while I print coloring pages for them to do. Some of these, they are sending in their letters. Since I recently had surgery and am still recovering, they have been helpful with doing more chores around the house. Part of the incentive for them is the special things they can buy from Chore Store... and the other part is not having to get in trouble because they let Mom do everything herself.

 

They even surprised me by pulling out the Tinkering Labs kits and building new creations! If you need a refresher on what that is, check out my blog review. 

Bonus question! 

What do you plan on doing when all this craziness blows over?? 

Leave me a comment below! I genuinely want to know. 

My husband and I have a fun family vacation planned. Just us and the kids and at least a week away from home. Crazy, right? We have been stuck in our house for who knows how long with the kids. You would think we are ready for time away from them. But truth be told, this has been such an eye opener for us. And the things we want to do will be a blast for every one of us. So stay tuned in the months to come!

Green Spring Party Time!

We have all heard the term 'Spring Cleaning'. It is that time of year when spring comes around and we feel the need to clean out our homes. There are many origin stories of why we do this, but my favorite is the simplest one. All winter, we are mostly kept indoors due to dreary weather (even in the south). So when the sun comes shining and bright, and the temperatures turn perfect enough for opening windows, we get busy. Cleaning out the dullness with the dust, making everything glimmer with hope of a renewed year! But we need to be careful of what we use for this task. Not all cleaners are equal - or safe for that matter. Which is why I'm happy to introduce you to Rebel Green and EarthKind. 

*Disclaimer: I was sent these products free of charge in exchange for hosting a party and writing a review. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are strictly my own.*

How clean do you go?

I like to think that I keep my house clean enough all year around. That I don't slack and let things go. That's what I like to think. But truth be told, I have my times when this is not so. SHOCKING, I know. But even though I'm OCD and a neat freak, winter is a hard time for me. I get cold easily, which causes the arthritis in my back and legs to flare up. So I prefer to spend my days wrapped in a fleece blanket, sitting on a heating pad, near a fireplace that is burning well. Not washing dishes and vacuuming floors. 

But we all know that with the changing seasons there are illnesses (take the Covid-19, for example) and plenty of dust to clean away. So when spring-like weather gets close enough, I spring into action. (Pun totally intended.) I even enlist my kids to help. Dusting rags (or old socks with holes in them) get passed out. Everyone finds a spot to dust. I get those fan blades wiped down. Sometimes they help wipe the countertops too. The three oldest children even do their own laundry. This is a must for parents who want their kids to know how to care for themselves and be independent. But what about that microwave and the baseboards? Or how about pest control? Spring brings warmer weather, it's true, but then the bugs start coming out again. And then inside if you live in an old, leaky house.

However, there is a beware attached. 

Not all cleaners are safe for children to handle. Take bleach, for instance. The fumes can be quite toxic. Sure, it can destroy all traces of DNA and leave something clean enough to eat off of, but it can be dangerous as well. So how can we get our kids involved without putting them in harms way? We need products that clean, but are safe. Something green is usually the way to go. Which is where Rebel Green and EarthKind come in. These are family friendly products! Rebel Green is all around the house products while EarthKind is the environmentally safe pest control options. 
Both of these companies are woman owned. Both want to be as organic as possible. Both are dedicated to being safe for family, pets and the earth. 

Rebel Green

Let's talk about Rebel Green first. They use functional essential oils to create the scents. Their products range from produce cleaners to household cleaning. Fresh produce often comes with dirt, pesticides, waxes, fungicides and hand oils - just for starters. Did you catch the hand oils part? Yep, 20-30 hands touched your apple before you did at the grocery store. Ever stop to think about whether those hands were clean? Washing these things away allows us to truly enjoy the natural flavors fully, without the worry of also catching something. The household products are without any toxic chemicals that can be dangerous to people and the planet. No parabens, phosphates, petrochemicals, synthetic perfumes, dyes, chlorine, ammonia or chemical brighteners. So many of these things are toxic to our skin and health. And definitely not helping the planet either. It is believed that phosphates actually dry out your skin. With us having to wash hands so much, we need things that won't dry us out. Their hand soap is perfectly balanced to clean our hands while keeping them moisturized at the same time. However, if you feel that isn't enough, they also have a cream! My daughter has been helping me by keeping the microwave clean. I still remember the first time she did it by grabbing a spray bottle that I had put bleach in for mold spraying... Talk about the fumes when I opened the microwave later! I thought it would take days to air out and be usable again. But now, she uses the Rebel Green All Purpose spray. And it smells so good every time! I have the Lavender Grapefruit scent. Calming while cleaning! Then I have the laundry detergent. It is 3 times concentrated, so I only need an ounce to do a load. And they have so many options. Like baby, delicates and even a sports wear one.
Their desire is to stay local. I love their philosophy of getting everything made here in the USA. Why have manufacturing exported to another country, just to have to buy their "products a one way plane ticket back to the States". This is smart business thinking. Not just for them, but for our local economy as well. They save money on shipping, lower costs and offer more jobs here. 

EarthKind

Now we come to EarthKind. They are committed to providing pest control options that are safe for everyone. They work with nature, not against. Harmony, not harm! Before checking out their products, I would kill any bug that comes inside. However, these products are pouches that are designed to repel the little critters without the use of poison. Works for me. I usually get my husband to kill the spiders or roaches. I get bugged out for the rest of the day/night. So, win-win! The founder and creator of EarthKind started out by creating the Stay Away Rodent product. She wanted to keep mice away, without having to use poison and kill them.

As she pointed out, everything is a part of the ecosystem. They all play a part. So in order to maintain the balance, you need to keep them in their place by repelling them from yours. The little pouches can be kept in a cute container to keep them discreet. 

I also like the nifty little mosquito spray. It is perfect for pockets, purses and bags.

Set up your cleaning routine!

I printed out checklists to help me keep focused. There are daily ones, nightly ones, weekly and monthly ones. This website has a great grouping that is perfect, no matter what kind of experience you have. I use lists to keep me focused and on track. Now is the time to really get dedicated. This corona virus has changed how we think of being clean. Touching our faces, touching commonly used items and how we wash our hands has come front and center to everyone's attention. Sickness prevention starts with the home. Besides the rules that have been passed down, we need to secure our homes first. So check them out! And let me know what your favorite chore is in the comments below. If you don't have a favorite (don't like cleaning?) then tell me your least favorite!