Pandemic Pursuits
After bravely admitting to my neighbor on her doorstep that, “We found out we aren’t puzzle-people, but thank you for lending us this,” my family and I had to face some real truths about what kind of people we actually ARE during this time of togetherness. Right away we learned we are not 1,000-piece puzzle-people like we so hoped we’d be, but we refuse to fail at all pandemic pursuits.
So many wonderful souls around us are becoming incredibly productive, reflective, fantastic, and inspired. We…well, we’re doing our best. Because I don’t want to reflect on my own shortcomings, I will throw my kids under the bus.
Through quarantine my kids found out that they are not:
- Puzzle people
- Pandemic project people
- Pants wearing people
- Morning people
- Intrinsically motivated people
- “Thankful for our siblings” people
- (Therefore) Pandemic people
I have found that most of the families I know fit into the categories above. Therefore, I couldn’t wait to find out what we’d be. Dreams of construction projects, organization attempts, and craft creations floated through my brain. All I had to do was wait for inspiration to hit me…and then, I kept waiting, and kept waiting, until I realized, we are totally not those people. I would categorize us as day-by-day people. Here is what we’ve carved out of this madness that actually worked.
What We Have Done Well
My three children Pinterested a meal from beginning to end and then cooked it for the family.
Biscuit Personal Pizzas
My daughter chose to make biscuit pizzas, salads, carrots and hummus, blackberries, pink lemonade, and peanut butter banana muffins. She was so precise in her menu creation, and dinner took a little longer than we all planned with this little perfectionist. However, she had no leftovers, and our bellies were full and we were happy all evening. She chose this recipe from Mommy Hood Life that I recommend for any young chef.
She told me cooking made her arms tired, and I think–can’t be sure–that she may have more respect for the meals I create after a full day at work. Hopefully, I’ll be able to let you know in the fall.
BBQ Chicken Wings
My middle son chose honey bbq chicken wings, salsa rolls, this awesome Hawaiian drink mix (that tastes great for adults with some spirits), and lemon cake. We started in the afternoon preparing the salsa rolls and drink mix. I did have to keep pulling him back from resting with the baked BBQ wings, but the whole family enjoyed this 12-year-old’s meal plan. He took his recipe from Deli Crunch, and we would definitely recommend it.
My oldest son’s dinner will be next. I have a feeling it will include grilling burgers and a great dessert. When I asked him what his favorite burger was he said, “That’s like picking a favorite kid, mom, and I’d never ask you to do that.” Noted.
Some other pandemic truths we’ve realized include the following:
The only thing we can consistently agree on is that our dogs are perfect and we love them more every day. I have found I cannot take enough pictures of them sitting pretty, sleeping with their tongues out, or snuggling with each other.
We love fishing and being active. Many times I’ll drop my boys off at a lake to fish, and I will use that time to walk around said lake and re-center.
Audiobooks by Alicia Keys, Jennie Allen, and Glennon Doyle have entertained me completely. I’ve also loved podcasts like Sugar Calling by Cheryl Strayed, The Joe Rogan Experience (not for little ears), and Unlocking Us by Brene Brown.
Finally, I’m diving back into some classics like I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I can’t get enough literature, and since walking is the only way to find alone time, the pandemic has me walking for hours and hours.
Other Addictions
-Every time I get sad about the state of our country and world, I buy a plant to love and foster. This is a new addiction, and it’s getting to be a problem.
-I find I make time for my meditation while the coffee pot is doing its job in the morning. My favorites are Headspace, Calm, and Deepak Chopra.
-My husband and I love pandemic happy hours, so my hour-long walks each day aren’t helping as much as I’d like.
-We miss our friends and our family. We want to hug grandparents and play with friends. My fam cannot wait to be released to do both.
Although I’m not the pandemic person I’d hoped to be, I find that eating and reading are happening more, and that’s gotta be great for self-care, right?
What are some pandemic truths your family has realized over these last few months?