FAMILY, FOOD, KIDS, MOTHERHOOD · DECEMBER 3, 2020
I think a big theme for this year is togetherness. We’re heard it 1000 times, “Together apart.”
Everyone’s experienced so many changes this year, and our family is no different. My work had to make a big pivot in order to stay afloat and I was very much involved in that process which meant working when I woke up and until I went to bed. We experienced quarantine and social distancing, our family moved across the country. Now that we’ve more or less settled in and found our “new normal,” Josh and I have been trying extra hard to create quality time with the kids. This year has been a lot! And we all need a reminder sometimes that we’re loved, valued, enjoyed, and not alone.
So after all of that, I think we now have a better understanding of what makes real quality time achievable and realistic:
1 | Not taking on too much.2 | Taking time to enjoy the simple things.
Here are a few of life’s simple pleasures we’re learning to not take for granted and use them as a small family refresh as we head into this holiday season.
1 | Get some fresh air.
I mean, literally. We’ve spent A LOT of time indoors this year. How nice does it feel to be able to get out on a walk with the family after dinner and enjoy the cool air that’s now here? Working from home, I can sometimes go a couple of days without even leaving the house! And I don’t even realize it at the time but it really does have an effect on my mental state. So, even if it’s just for a short walk in the neighborhood, Josh and I typically try to get a walk in with the kids and Rainy after dinner and before bed.
2 | Making every day a little special.
Trust me, I totally have those mornings where you’ve woken up but haven’t necessarily opened your eyes yet and you think, “Here we go again.”
On mornings like that, I like to “incentivize” getting out of bed, if you will, for both me and the kids. My go-to morning treat is a hot cup of . On the weekends, I like to slow down and brew it in a french press, during the school/work week, I’ll use my single-cup coffee maker. Trust me – I’m picky about coffee. I always like to try my coffee black before I add anything to it. It’s a unique dark roast coffee with rich flavor and hints of cocoa. It is so good.