End of Week Musings

Hello, wonderful readers! Tap, tap. Can you hear me out there?

How are you truly doing today? I deliberated quite a bit about publishing a Friday Thoughts post at this moment. However, as I sat here, deep in my own reflections, it became abundantly clear that these are precisely the times when these check-in posts become most essential. Because, as we all know, life encompasses so much more than simply baking chocolate chip cookies or meticulously planning a dinner menu. It’s about connection, shared experiences, and navigating the complexities of our ever-changing world.

I believe we can collectively agree that the past few weeks, and for many, the past few months, have been an unprecedented whirlwind of events and emotions. The global landscape has shifted dramatically, impacting our daily lives in ways we never anticipated. Today, I wanted to reach out, to genuinely inquire about your well-being amidst all the unfolding global happenings. Following this vital check-in, we’ll take a brief, welcome diversion from serious discussions to catch up on a few lighter topics and community insights.

I am genuinely eager to hear from each of you today. Please feel encouraged to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the comments section below. Your unique perspectives are invaluable and help create a supportive community space for us all.

1) Extending Support: How Can We Help Our Communities?

My heart feels incredibly heavy for those who have been deeply affected by current global events in ways that are truly difficult to comprehend. While my family and I navigate our own unique set of challenges and adjustments during this emergency, I am acutely aware that many of our friends and family members are facing far more significant hardships than we are. The weight of these collective experiences is palpable, and it underscores the critical importance of community support.

And let’s not forget the unwavering dedication of our healthcare professionals working tirelessly on the front lines. Many of these brave individuals also have families of their own, yet they continue to serve with immense courage and resilience. I am constantly in awe and humbled by their endless commitment. My own brother, an ER doctor in Montana, is directly involved in the forefront of this effort. When I asked him how we, as a community, could best assist, his practical and crucial answer was clear: “Stay home.” This directive, while seemingly simple, is one of the most powerful acts of solidarity we can perform.

I’ve spent considerable time racking my brain and praying for guidance on how to effectively help those in our immediate community, especially when strictly adhering to social distancing guidelines. It feels particularly challenging to extend physical help when proximity is discouraged. For instance, my husband, Brian, works in a “critical/essential” industry – food production – which means he continues his daily commute. This highlights the varied realities many families are facing.

Despite the constraints, we’ve found ways to support our neighbors and friends. We’ve continued to bring meals to those in need, always ensuring meticulous sanitation and perfecting the art of the zero-contact porch drop-off. We’ve also made financial contributions to local food banks and national organizations dedicated to providing meals for vulnerable children. Beyond these tangible actions, I’ve made a more conscious and deliberate effort to connect with loved ones through actual, real-time phone calls. In an age of digital communication, the warmth of a voice conversation can be profoundly comforting and reassuring.

What innovative or simple ways have you discovered to offer help during these challenging times? I am certain there are countless other creative methods being employed. I would genuinely appreciate hearing your thoughts, ideas, and experiences on this vital topic. Sharing what’s working for you can inspire and empower others to act.

2) Navigating Life with Kids at Home: Embracing the Unstructured

In our local area, schools were initially canceled until April 20th, with an online curriculum promised to begin around April 6th. Subsequently, our governor issued an additional stay-at-home order extending until April 15th, which, honestly, didn’t feel dramatically different from the routines we had already adopted. This prolonged period has transformed spring break into what often feels like an “eternal spring break” – a new reality for many families juggling work, home, and full-time childcare.

Largely, our days have been focused on simply trying to coexist and “survive” this extended period of everyone being homebound. It’s a constant recalibration. While I frequently remind my children that this is definitively *not* summer vacation, there are undeniably moments when I just deeply need everyone to be tucked into bed for a sliver of peace and quiet. The transition to this new normal has been a journey for all of us.

We’ve implemented a loose “mini-schedule” for the mornings to provide some structure: making beds, tidying up after breakfast, practicing instruments, engaging in some form of exercise, and tackling other necessary daily chores. However, I’ve intentionally avoided overly rigid scheduling at this point. I wholeheartedly believe in the wisdom of Brene Brown, who famously said, “Boredom is sacred. We shouldn’t deny our children this holy experience.” You can find the full quote and further insights on this topic shared by my friend Andrea on her Better Screen Time account, which offers fantastic perspectives on managing digital engagement. Embracing boredom allows for spontaneous creativity and genuine play.

Consequently, I don’t meticulously plan our days minute by minute. What I’ve observed is that my children tend to be at their most creative, imaginative, and yes, sometimes messiest and most irritating, when they are genuinely bored. It’s in these moments of unstructured time that innovation truly blossoms. They’ve discovered new games, invented elaborate scenarios, and explored their surroundings with fresh eyes.

Most of their days are filled with a diverse array of activities:

• Active Participation in Meals: They frequently help with both the preparation and cleanup of meals, fostering valuable life skills and a sense of contribution.
• Baking Adventures: Cookies or muffins are a frequent project, often dictated by whatever ingredients we happen to have on hand, turning pantry staples into delicious treats.
• Outdoor Exploration: Spending extensive time playing in our pasture and constructing imaginative forts by the creek, connecting with nature and engaging in physical activity.
• Immersive Reading: Losing themselves in books, a quiet and enriching activity that stimulates their minds.
• Creative Writing & Performance: When encouraged (and sometimes, admittedly, “made to”), they write poems about current events, which we then perform for Brian when he returns from work. My 15-year-old, bless his heart, often expresses a strong desire for this particular activity to conclude as swiftly as possible!
• Skill Acquisition: Enthusiastically learning new hobbies, such as playing the ukulele, experimenting with Photoshop, creating stop-motion videos, and even sewing simple blankets.
• Classic Fort Building: Constructing elaborate, old-school blanket forts in our bonus room, a timeless childhood pursuit that encourages engineering and teamwork.
• Competitive Gaming: Maintaining intricate brackets to track the ongoing champions of Mario Kart, currently our sole playable video game, adding a fun competitive element to their days.
• Navigating Sibling Dynamics: And, quite often, figuring out effective strategies to minimize bickering and simply attempting to ignore each other – a common, realistic challenge in any household with multiple children!

Honestly, I want to be transparent and avoid creating an unrealistic portrayal of our daily life. It would be disingenuous to suggest that every day is a dreamy idyll where everyone cooperates perfectly, bursts with creativity, and independently accomplishes amazing things with joy in their hearts and smiles on their faces. That’s simply not the reality.

It is hard. There are many days when we are just a regular, chaotic mess over here. And the last thing I want to do is make anyone feel as though we have everything together 100% of the time. That level of perfection is simply not possible or sustainable. Thankfully, I have a generous stash of bittersweet chocolate chips awaiting me in the pantry, a small but significant comfort. And each new day offers a fresh slate, an opportunity to try again with renewed perspective and patience.

What strategies are proving effective for you and your children during this unique period? Do you have any insights or ideas to share that might benefit other parents? For additional inspiration and resources, particularly within the comments section, you might find this previous post with a simple toolkit for social distancing quite helpful.

3) Switching Gears: Community Wisdom on Natural Deodorants and More

On a completely different and lighter note, I wanted to follow up on a previous Friday Thoughts post from a few months ago. You, our incredible community, came through with an overwhelming abundance of fantastic recommendations on three key topics: a) natural deodorant, b) family vacation ideas, and c) vegan/plant-based recipe ideas. Your engagement and willingness to share your insights are truly what make this space so special and valuable.

I plan to share the compiled family vacation ideas at a more opportune moment in the future, when it feels more appropriate to discuss travel planning. I’m also still diligently compiling the comprehensive resource for vegan and plant-based recipes; I promise to get that invaluable collection to you as soon as it’s perfected. But for now, let’s dive into the fascinating world of natural deodorants!

If you’ve been curious about making the switch to natural deodorant, or if you’re already on that journey and seeking new options, the overall verdict from our community was remarkably clear and enlightening:

Many of you are incredibly passionate about your chosen natural deodorants, and it’s strikingly evident that what proves effective for one individual’s body chemistry may not necessarily work for another. This underscores the highly personal nature of finding the right natural product.

Overwhelmingly, the **Native brand** and **Just Ingredients** emerged as the most popular recommendations, receiving significantly more mentions than any other options. However, for those who wish to explore the full spectrum of suggestions, I’ve compiled the entire list of natural deodorant recommendations into a handy Google Document here. The deodorants are listed in no particular order, with the exception of Native and Just Ingredients, which appear at the top due to their popularity.

After carefully reviewing all the insightful comments, I decided to personally test the two frontrunners. I purchased Native deodorant in the delightful coconut vanilla scent {affiliate link} and Just Ingredients sweet citrus scent deodorant to try them out firsthand. It’s important to note that neither of these products were sponsored in any way; these were genuine purchases based on community recommendations.

A crucial step I took before incorporating either natural deodorant was to “detox” my armpits. (I’m fairly certain I just lost approximately one-fifth of my readership with that last statement, but bear with me!) I used this activated charcoal mask {affiliate link}, which is truly amazing and something I also use on my face about once a week. An armpit detox helps to draw out impurities and residue from traditional antiperspirants, facilitating a smoother transition to natural formulas.

So far, I am genuinely loving the Native deodorant. It’s been a fantastic discovery. While I do sweat more because it is a deodorant, not an antiperspirant (meaning it doesn’t block sweat glands), I’ve actually found that I don’t mind it for everyday use. There have been a couple of instances, like standing in front of people at church, where it might not have been the absolute best moment for a natural deodorant experience, but for daily wear, it performs exceptionally well.

In comparison to Native, I’ve found that the Just Ingredients deodorant doesn’t glide on quite as smoothly. Because of this, I feel the texture and coverage aren’t quite as even. However, I can certainly understand why many people appreciate it, and I’m keeping it on hand as a backup or for when I feel like changing things up. This brings me to another key piece of advice I received from countless comments last time: apparently, sometimes your armpits prefer a little variety in their deodorant routine!

4) Looking Ahead: Nurturing Through Recipes and Connection

I know, perhaps more than ever, that the next little while is uncertain, to say the very least. The future feels fluid, and planning can be a challenge. Yet, despite not knowing precisely what the coming weeks, or even days, will hold, I remain fully committed to providing you with the very best recipes I can during this extraordinary time. My kitchen and my blog continue to be a source of comfort and creativity.

It’s a well-established rule in my household that I don’t engage in blogging or intensive computer tasks when my children are home and awake. So, as long as I can continue to “burn the midnight oil” without transforming into a complete grump, you can still anticipate a steady stream of delicious new recipes coming your way! It’s a balance, and one I’m determined to maintain for our community.

I’ve completely scrapped my previous editorial calendar, though to be fair, it’s never been overly rigid; I tend to fly by the seat of my pants regarding which recipes I want to post and when. This flexibility, however, allows me to be responsive to our current needs. Over the next couple of weeks, you can look forward to a fantastic selection of **easy, family-friendly, and pantry-friendly recipes**. Think comforting dishes that utilize ingredients you likely have on hand, minimizing grocery trips and maximizing deliciousness. Like those adorable little muffins you see pictured above – simple, satisfying, and perfect for these times.

I also have a few cherished Easter recipes ready to share. I’ll be mindful of the timing and ingredient availability to ensure they are practical and accessible for everyone when the moment feels just right. We can still find joy in celebrating traditions, even if they look a little different this year.

For those of you on Instagram, I’ve also launched a daily “series” on Instagram Stories. In this series, I post a real, live picture of what we’re eating for dinner each night. The primary intention is to offer a helpful, authentic peek into the reality of cooking for a family during these times. I won’t lie, some nights it’s a little “sketchy,” showcasing the imperfect reality of home cooking. Ultimately, my deepest hope is that this series provides you with genuine ideas for how to cook real food in a real world, for a real family, without any accompanying guilt or pressure to be perfect. It’s about nourishment, connection, and making the most of what we have.

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.