Connection Time (COVID-19 edition)

Happy Friday everyone.  Everything about today feels like Saturday, as have the days before.  We just finished our second week of full on Shelter-in-place and we still have several more weeks left.  It has been great in so many ways, but part of me struggles big time with being home all.the.time.  I have worries and frustrations as do most of you, but I am trying really hard to find all the great things that are happening despite being stuck at home. I really thought that today was a good day to bring back my monthly connection time posts. . . because we all need a moment to connect, social distancing, of course!

My favorite way to connect with others is over a cup of coffee or a delicious meal.  While, we can't even walk into a coffee shop right now, I ordered my favorite local iced latte and drove and picked it up. So, go grab a cup of coffee, sit down at your computer or your phone.  Read through this post and  then you copy and paste the prompts into the comments our your own social media feed (tag me) and answer one or all of them.   Let's get talking!

Outside my window the sun in shining.  We've been taking walks through our neighborhood every day and it's probably been my favorite part of this whole situation.  So many neighbors are walking and playing outside.  Yesterday, the kids and I even drew on our sidewalk to send notes of cheer to our fellow walking neighbors!  I'm also sure that as soon as my oldest finishes his book report, he will be out there taking advantage of the gorgeous day with some basketball. 

I am thinking about oh, so many things!  My brain has so many things going through it:  What I am going to prep for the kids next week?  What project should I start?  When is this going to be over?  I miss the beach.  I miss people.  See, so many things are running through my head.  I do know that God has got our backs and I think we are going to come out of this better people, better parents, better employees.  But really, I miss my people.

From the kitchen cookies are going to be made after a bit.  Chef Weston will be making chocolate chip cookies because we've been studying fractions.  He's only allowed to use 1/2 and 1/4 measuring cups to which he exclaimed, "You mean, I'm going to have to do math?!!!" Math is always fun when food is involved!

I'm also pretty sure we are going to bake our way through this virus.  So far I've made brownies, carrot cake, bread, and banana bread.  Send help and flour.  ha ha!  Thankfully King Arthur Flour is amping up production due to the increased amount of bakers out there!   

I am wearing something other than yoga pants!  Last week, I declared that on Fridays I would put on real clothes.  I am way more productive in yoga pants, but every now and then a girl has gotta look cute! Today's outfit consists of holey jeans, a t shirt, and a Roxy pullover sweatshirt.  Perfect for getting out there and playing with my kiddos!

I am creating  absolutely nothing this week.  I am hoping that changes next week because I sure do need to feel like I am accomplishing something. Make sure you are following me (@jolieklassen) on instagram for updates in this area.  

I am going absolutely nowhere.  All plans including romantic 40th birthday trips have been cancelled until we are given the okay to resume all normal travel activities.  Honestly, this is the part of me that hurts the most.  Adventures give me life and right now that part of me is feeling really squelched right now that sometimes I want to cry.  I know that this is not forever, but it's also super sad.





One thing I am thinking of doing soon is ordering from one of our favorite local eateries and putting out the fine china and having everyone dress up for dinner.  I bought and Easter dress that I probably won't get to wear for Easter and well. . . I really want to wear it.  Plus, my kids need to wear something other than soccer pants.

I am reading On the Bright Side, by Melanie Shankle and The Girl who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill.  I am taking advantage of this time by reading through my rather large stack of books.  The kids and I are also reading one of my favorites, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh.  I might even thrown in another Cheney Duvall book in the mix just for fun!

I am hoping that our Summer vacation plans won't have to be cancelled. . . I need something to look forward to! 

I am hearing  Weston's class meeting on Zoom and Ethan coloring in his book report.  There are also a lot of giggles . . . they are my favorite!

Around the House  piles of books, schoolwork, and art projects are cluttering our tables.  Ethan has made our dining room table into a make-shift office and well. . . I really don't care.   We are trying to have as much fun as possible despite being stuck at home.

One of my favorite things this week was overhearing a man and woman talking at Sprouts.  They were standing 6 feet apart and just catching up.  The man was talking about his granddaughter and how she learned how to ride her bike this week.  Her parent's haven't had time to teach her and this week they did.  It made my heart so happy to hear a story of a family taking advantage of this gift of time.  Maybe that's how we should be approaching this quarantine as a time to slow down and come together as a family.

A few plans for the week continue with school and work on some upcoming blog posts . . . which means I am going to have to get creative.  Awe, shucks!  ha ha!  If you have a hankering to see post on something specific let me know!
 
What I am listening to not much right now.  I am binge watching Chuck on Amazon Prime right now.  I have a list of some podcasts that I need to catch up on.

Now, it's your turn!  Grab your coffee and let's connect! You don't have to do them all! I can't wait to hear from you! You can even private message me if you don't want to make it public.  

Outside my window
I am thinking
From the kitchen
I am wearing
I am creating
I am going
I am reading
I am hoping
I am hearing
Around the House
One of my favorite things
A few plans for the week
What I am listening to  

I can't wait to hear from you!  

When suddenly our schedule opens up. . .

I am pretty sure this is the longest amount of time I have been at home without leaving. We went into Shelter-mode today, but the reality is we've been practicing this since Saturday.  In many ways, I miss being able to just spend the day running errands or the freedom to actually go on an adventure, yet as hard as it is to stay at home, I am savoring this extra time with my boys home.  We are doing school and getting to play and build and it's pretty great!

A friend and I were just talking about the great things that can come out of this.  We are definitely spending a lot more time as a family just shooting hoops, playing games, and talking.  I'm pretty sure my favorite thing so far about today is just getting to talk with my boys on our walk.  Such great conversations are taking place.  This quarantine is pushing families to come together in ways that have been otherwise not happening regularly because of our busy schedules.  It's pretty great!

When it comes to studying God's Word, one of the most used excuses for not creating a daily (or even a semi-daily) routine, is that they are too busy.  Let's be honest here. Everyone's busy looks different, but it is still necessary.  It is our daily bread, our daily manna that God provides for us.  It brings encouragement and the reminder of who God is and how he has redeemed us.

If have been contemplating starting to get in the habit of reading your Bible on daily basis or even if your current Bible Study has had to stop meeting because of the COVID-19 situation, you might be on the lookout for some way to dig in.  I was already working on a list of ways to encourage my Bible Study gals to dig in on their own, but I thought I would share it with my sweet reader friends.

She Reads Truth/He Reads Truth
This probably my absolute favorite one.  I started doing these studies back when they just had a website and no app or printed books.  It's been really neat to see them grow because that means more and more women (and now men and kids!) are opening their Bible each and every day!  Right now, we are reading through Jeremiah as we walk these days of Lent before we celebrate Easter.  It's a pretty great study and I can't even remember the last time I just read the entire book of Jeremiah rather than a few verses here and there.  They also have a ton of past studies you can access through their website (free) and app (prices range from free to $3 for each study). 

You can find them here.

Women Living Well
This is a really neat study site that I found several years ago.  They have lots of resources for reading books straight through, with printable trackers, books that you can purchase, and for some videos some free video teaching.

 You can find them here.

Love God Greatly
This is a really neat Bible Study resource that I might try out soon.  You would need to purchase a book, but they are in the 10-15 dollar range.  They are beautiful books that the money used helps get God's word to other countries in their own language.  But, you can also download them.  These studies us the SOAP method, so the books are more of an organized journal for that book of the Bible or topic.  SOAP stands for Scripture-Observation-Application-Prayer.  They even have kids journals which is so cool!

You can find out more here.

Lifeway
Lifeway is more than a Christian book publisher! They always have certain studies that they open up the video series for on their website.  All you need to do is purchase the book and then watch the videos for free.  This is a really good resource if you are stuck at home and can't go to your normal Bible Study.

You can find the link to the online free videos here. 

Write the Word
Studies have shown that when we we physically write something down with a pencil or pen, we are more apt to remember it.  God's Word tells us to "write God's Word on our hearts" and one of the ways we can do that is by writing a verse or two daily.  One of my favorite ways to do this is to use Write the Word journals over at Cultivate what matters.  They are beautiful, they tell you what scriptures to write each day, but they also give you a place to pray God's Word.  It is one of my favorite things I started last year and I love it!

Here's the link to the website, but you can also order these on amazon.

Right Now Media
This is a great resource that our church has opened it up for all if it's people.  Right now, they are offering a small amount of their HUGE library for free since we are all stuck in our homes.  A lot of really neat studies have all their videos here as well as some other fun speaker series (like the IF conference. . . I highly recommend that one!).  For most of these it is as simple as ordering the book and watching the video online.  Thank goodness we still have delivery drivers as essential during this quarantine! 

You can find it here.

But, I am alone.
And finally, you might be asking the question: That's great, but I miss my people.  I miss getting into God's Word and discussing it with my group.  I know it's hard.  I know it's lonely.  I see and I hear you.  I am feeling that sadness a bit too.  The group that I was leading was wrapping up this week and now we don't even get to meet to celebrate the things that God is doing.  It plain out stinks!  But, I'd rather everyone follow the rules and stay healthy than finish as a group.

 So here are some ways to be social at a distance:

Facebook - I know that many of you might be UGH.  Don't say that.  But really, you can create private groups that you can go live in and also in real time chatting conversations.  It really is pretty great! 

Zoom - You can video in a bunch of friends over this website.  Pour yourself a cup of coffee and everyone can talk about what their study is about.  It's pretty cool.  My husband mentioned that it's pretty backed up due to the amount of people suddenly using it. 

Facetime your friend and do a study together via your iphone if you are craving that face to face interaction. 

I also want to mention that many churches are finding alternative ways to bring your Sunday morning gathering into your homes.  Our church will be going live this Sunday at 10. . . if you don't have a home church or your church doesn't have the technology to do this, here's a link to our youtube channel. 

I  hope that this helps you and encourages you to seek God during this crazy ordeal.  I hope and pray you are all healthy! 

I would love to hear how you are handling everything. . . what are some things you are doing to fill up all this extra time at home?  Any Bible Studies that I should add to the list?  Bring it on in the comments below. . . I'd love to hear from you!

COVID-19 Survival Tips

WOWZERS!  It's really the only word that I can think of to express what is happening right now.  We are so thankful for our church, schools, and so many other places that have made the decision to halt gatherings right now so that we can drastically reduce the amount of people we come in contact with on a daily basis.  It seems so weird to make everything come to a hault and I'll be honest with you, there are moments where my heart gets tired and overwhelmed just thinking of it.  So I thought I would write a post that might be a source of encouragement during this weary time.

I'm a 7 on the enneagram and I'll be honest with you.  In so many ways, having all this time and not being able to go anywhere is nerve racking.  Part of me is "ooh!  Think of everything I am going to get done!" and the other part of me is "That's a lot of time. . . in the house. . . with the kids!"  But it's okay.  Everyone is in the same boat.  I know for some, you might be worried about loss of income and paying bills and others might not be economically effected.  In any case, it is still overwhelming to stop your normal and take a break from being around people. 

Loving from Afar
Raechel Meyers, one of the co-founders of She Reads Truth, mentioned the other day in her stories how many times we are called to serve each other in person and this time, one of the greatest ways to serve and show love is to stay away. Last night, California's governor declared that our elderly over 65 had to stay at home no matter what.  While most of these so called "elderly" do not actually see themselves as "elderly" and are super frustrated, the true elderly are incredibly effected.  Partly because they are so susceptible to this virus and partly because it is a bit harder for them to get the things they need.  My grandma's home has been put on lockdown in order to protect their people.   Our grandparents need encouragement and help, but they also just need us to stay away for a bit.

Not only are the elderly incredibly effected by this, but so are our single friends.  Check in on them, especially if they live alone. Not being able to gather with friends or go out to dinner is hard, but when you live alone and are stuck there for a long period of time, it can be rough.  

Here are some ways to show love from afar:

::  Phone calls and Facetime.  Call someone up and check in on them.  See if there is anything they need (like toilet paper) and then go get it for them and drop it by their house.

:: Send letters and cards.  Snail mail will bring a smile to anyone's face and with all this extra time, let's get writing!  Have your kids to it too. . . or even have them draw pictures to send to brighten up their day. 

Keep your own Mental Health in check
Staying home for some is a dream.  For others, it really is a nightmare.  So here are some tips to get help our mental well-being.

:: Get up and get ready for your day.  Do your hair, make up and put on clothes.  I am most productive in my yoga pants, but you do you.  Don't live in your flannel pajamas.  John Acuff said this morning in a post that flannel is a breeding ground for depression. 

:: Workout.  A lot of gyms are joining the call to take social distancing very seriously and are temporarily closing their doors.  Pinterest is filled with hiit workouts that you can do in your living room without any machines or weights.  Go for a run or a walk through your neighborhood.  Get out and play with your kids. 

:: Spend some time outside.  Social Distancing does not mean stay inside.  Go for a walk (I know i just said that, but it fits here, too!).  Read a book on your patio.  We get Vitamin D from the sun and when levels get low, we can become depressed. 

:: Read God's Word.  Listen to Podcasts.  Memorize Scripture. Watch your church's sermon from their livestream!  Many churches are scrambling to get things ready to go live in the next week or have already done so.  Take advantage of it!

:: Do something creative.  I mean that's what my blog is all about, right?  Find something you can do to create.  Order some supplies online and enjoy working your brain in a different way.

:: Learn something new!  Take some time to learn a new skill in the kitchen. . . like bread baking or macacron making.  Or even cross stitch or quilting! It will give your day some purpose and you will go to bed with a heart that doesn't feel like you wasted your day! Emily Lex has some really neat water color lessons that you can purchase over here. 

:: Read a good book.  I have  a stack of  Newberry Award books that my sister encouraged me to read for Middle Grade March and now I have some time on hand.

:: Paint a room or give that piece of furniture you bought on a whim a facelift.  You suddenly have some extra time on your hands.

:: Find ways to stay grateful. Make a daily list that you can look back at during the difficult times and be reminded of those gifts that God keeps giving daily. 

:: Keep a journal.  We are living history right now.  Chapters in history books are going to be written about this.  By keeping a journal, we are not only expressing our thoughts and opinions but also writing down history as it is being made.  Someday, someone might read your journal!  One way I am doing this is participating in #onedaycv, hosted by Laura Tremaine.  Each day post to instagram what's happening in your day and use the hashtag.  Then click on the hashtag and be encouraged by others who are doing the same thing!  Let's use social media for good! 

Keeping your kids alive
Now, I think is the hardest part and that is schools have pretty much shut down.  Some schools had time to get work out to their kids but if you don't have any work you are probably scrambling to figure out what to do.  I think my kids teachers are scrambling right now to get some things ready, but a lot of it will be online.  I am working really hard making sure my kids get some learning that is more than playing games on a computer. Here are some tips for surviving the instant homeschool status that has become many of us. 

::  Read Aloud a chapter book and have your kids sit and doodle while they listen.  This not only helps with comprehension developing your children's love of books, but it also brings some time for cuddles and connection. 

:: Have your kids pick a Newberry Award winner and have them read a chapter a day.  There are a ton of activities for these books that you can get for free or pay a few dollars for. 

:: Do science projects and Stem activities.  Take advantage of Pinterest.  There's a ton of ideas over there!  Also, We did a whole summer of them 2 years ago.  You can find them here.

:: Do some Art. This is probably my favorite part of having the kids home because we get creative together.  Take advantage of the MANY lessons on Pinterest, but also check out this past summer's summer art challenge here.  There are also a lot of websites that offer free tutorials for drawing, like Art Hub for kids and Mo Willems doodle lunch.  Emily Lex, one of my favorite bloggers, has a really neat kids watercolor class for purchase, too!

:: Throw in some History lessons.  Check to see what they are studying in school and look for free activities to add to that or look at what was going on in the book that you are reading with your kids and plan activities around that.  A number of museums offer virtual tours.

:: Do a puzzle.  This engages the brain and helps critical thinking skills to flourish.  Plus, it is quiet, not a screen, and fun!

I hope that this helps you and encourages you and maybe takes away a little bit of that overwhelming feeling at the pit of your stomach. Please remember that you are not alone.  Everybody is in the same boat.  I really believe that we can come together by not physically coming together.  I would love to hear ways you are keeping sane both for yourself and your kids.  Let's inspire each other and encourage each other during this really weird time! 

Easy Spring Wreath Tutorial

 I'll be honest with you, I am need of something fun and something pretty because things are getting kind of depressing.  This crazy virus going around and the toilet paper shortage of 2020 has reached the point of buzz kill and social media outlets do not help!  I know it's serious and the logical me is prepared for potential school closures since field trips and major events have been cancelled (I'm all for halting things and kicking this bug in the butt!).  The seven in me is feeling kind of sad because things are getting cancelled left and right.  So, I thought that today's post should be something fun.  Something happy.  So today, I give you this super easy, and super fun Spring Wreath!

P.S. you don't need a fancy cutting machine!

When I was looking on Pinterest for some inspiration, I found this link for a wreath on Etsy. . .  for $85!!!  I'm not going to lie, I don't want to spend that much on something that has the potential to get ruined by weather or bugs or is only up for part of the year.  Plus, there are other things I am looking to buy for our home that I'd like to save up for and this would basically kill my budget. 

I do want to mention, though, that I think it's great that people, can make some extra money by selling cool handmade things on Etsy.  I use Etsy often for things, but when you are on a budget and it's way cheaper to take that inspiration combined with 40% off coupons into your own hands. 

This wreath only took a handful of items. . . all bought with a 40 percent off coupon or they were already on sale at Hobby Lobby.  I had this grapevine wreath from a previous project (I actually found it in the Target dollar spot for five dollars a few years ago. . . Target win!).  

Items needed: Grapevine wreath, Green leafy stems (2), ribbon, wood planks (2), brown paint, a baby wipe, wire, piece of chalk, white paint.

Step 1:
Glue the two planks together side by side with Liquid Nails.  Liquid Nails glue is probably my favorite thing ever!  I sandwiched mine between two thick cookbooks until it dried. 

Step 2: Squirt a little bit of brown craft paint on your wood and rub it around with the baby wipe.  Easiest stain effect ever!  Do the whole thing and let dry.  You don't need too much, because you want it to appear stained rather than painted.

Step 3: Open up Microsoft Word and type "Hello."  Then make it really big, choose bold and outline and pick your font.  Press print. 

On the back side of the hello (the side where there is no ink but you know that the typing is on the other side), cover with chalk.  Rub it all over really well.

Place your paper and the word where you want it on your stained plank.  Take your pencil and trace slowly and pressing hard into the wood (not too hard that you have indents, but hard enough for the chalk to be pressed down onto the wood).  Lift the paper carefully. 

 Step 4: Paint very carefully your word hello with white paint and a skinny brush.  Let it dry. 

Step 5:  Make your ribbon bow.  I used this tutorial, but added an extra big loop. 

Step 6: Once your wood plank has dried, turn it over.  Take two pipe cleaners and fold each one in half.  Glue each pipe cleaner down at the fold with hot glue.  Make sure it is completley cool and hard before moving to the next one.  When you're done, it should look like a wood plank with two letter v's at each end. 

Step 7:  Attatch your plank to the wreath by weaving your pipe cleaners into the wreath branches and twist to secure. 

Step 8:  Cut your two branches and secure them to the wreath with thin wire.  Bend and secure towards the top of the circle to make it appear like is is following the shape of the wreath. 

Step 9: Glue Wreath where you want it with your hot glue gun.

Step 10:  Hang up on your door and enjoy.

Also, in light of a lot of things  pretty much everything getting cancelled or put on hold until the COVID-19 (AKA Coronavirus) slows its wrath down.  I encourage you to go and support local artisans that may have made a ton of stuff for an event and then had it cancelled at the last minute (like those that had set up for the Spring at the Silos event at Magnolia).

Thanks for stopping by and reading!  I would love it if you would leave me a comment or share with your friends my blog!

Front bathroom update: Shelves

 Our front bathroom is coming along slowly but surely.  This winter, we spent a bit of time working on the shelves above the toilet.  The space is kind of empty and definitely needed something to bring to life that wall. . . and a splash of color since we did white walls, white shiplap, and white tile.  All of which, I absolutely LOVE, we just needed to add some color and shelves were the perfect way to do that. 

I have been dreaming of making shelves out of industrial pipes and when Jon said he was going to build me some shelves. . . I got a little worried.  But, it turned out that he had the same idea and so we went for it. 

After the Christmas rush was over, we hit up our local Home Depot and found all the piping.  We had to ask someone to tell us where it was, because it's not something we've had to buy before.  I'm pretty sure the guy who showed us where it was laughed at us because we were going to make shelves.  To be honest, I am sure he was annoyed that we weren't doing some actual piping.  Oh well. . . being a Pinterest junkie and diy-er sometimes gets you weird looks.  It's all good though because they came out gorgeous! We bought 4 10in rods, 4 ends and 4 of the screw do-dads (I'm sure that's the official word. . . ha!) that hold the rod and screw into the wall.  One thing we learned right away is that you can't assume they are all the same.  Some were made in China and some in Indonesia and suprisingly the holes that the screws go in are not in the same place. . . they are slightly different. So, do yourself a favor and don't buy 2 of each from different countries. . . don't be like us. . . be better. 

 We bought some Rustoleum metalic spray in the color bronzed copper and got right to work spray painting them. We chose that color because it was the closest thing to our faucets and fixtures and also because it protects them from the moisture that comes from regular shower taking. We sprayed each piece individually and let them sit for a few days until we got to work on the next phase of the project. 

Once we got some wood, I headed over to Lowes and picked out the straightest, prettiest piece of wood I could find.  It was actually more difficult than I expected because I'm short and this wood was stacked taller than me.  Some nice man had pity on me and came and helped and then cut the wood into the right lengths for me.  Seriously, the best part is they cut it for you!  One less thing to worry about! 
I headed home and the next day started the staining process.  I used espresso first, let it dry and then stained it with a classic grey stain. 

After the stain was dry, I grabbed some white paint and stirred in a little bit of water.  Then I lightly painted it over my stained wood.  I wasn't going for full coverage, I just wanted some white.  I let that dry over night to make sure it cured. 

And then, the wood got to hang out in the garage, while I went crazy with a piece of sand paper.  I'll be honest with you, at this point I thought maybe. . . just maybe. . . I messed up.  I really wasn't sure I liked it.  But once I got it on the shelves, I fell in love.  They worked perfectly for the space.  Sometimes, you can't judge a project until it's done.  The cool thing with shelves is that you can just take an electric sander and sand it down and then start staining all over again with different stains until you get it right.

I just love how they all came together!  I raided Ikea on the way home from Disneyland and got some of their plants and some picture frames. . . you can't beat their prices.  The rest of the stuff came from stuff I had lying around and free printables compliments of the wonderful bloggers who post things to Pinterest.  I still think it needs one more thing and when I find it, I'll move things around.  But, for now, I am content with the way things look. 

That's all for now.  Here's a few details just in case you want specifics.  

Resources:
:: I loosely followed this blog post.
:: I used Varathane classic gray and espresso stains (Home Depot).  Lowes has a different brand, but same color names.  All are under $5. 
:: White paint was Sherwin Williams White (not tints or mixins added).
:: "Don't forget to Flush" sign is Hand and Hearth for Target.

Previous bathroom re-do posts:
front bathroom update
Bathroom Cabinets update