Gosh, y’all know the struggles. Stuck at home with no real end in sight, trying to keep our sanity. Boredom wasn’t so boring at first and now putting on a bra seems like a victory. Our nails are ripped off, our lashes are slowly making us look like earthworms and our hair is about to get next level ratchet. When taking another walk and having another white claw has lost it’s luster, when you log into your bank account and start having heart palps, when you side eye at Tiger King talking about balls at a funeral, when you are feeling depressed, irritated and cussing at homeschool, when you have had your 15th cookie of the day and your jeans don’t fit just know we are all in this together.
Here is how Jeni and I have been spending our days on lock.
Spring break was going well, Coronavirus was becoming a buzzword more and more, but life was still the same old thing.
We went to my parent’s house in Horseshoe Bay for a little vacation.
People were still all up on each other and social distancing wasn’t even a thing yet. We went to the Exotic Zoo and were crammed on a trailer thing that would currently very much be frowned upon. The only thing frowned upon that day was the psycho ostrich. Damn those things know how to strike some fear.
Sticking with the animal theme, we went out to Fredericksburg to go to an elephant preserve. Still no fs were given about Corona, all of our fs were already given to the elephants. If you ever get a chance to go to The Preserve, it was seriously awesome! I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about one of the elephants going rogue and trampling my family and us all becoming a tragic youtube phenomenon.
I got home from Horseshoe and was back on the road again almost immediately. My friend Alana, that bad ass artist that did the painting for my house, invited me to go to Rancho Loma for a night. We hadn’t really spent much time together, but I knew we had a ton in common and would have so much fun. We did and we do. The girl is hysterical, great to talk to and a fellow bossy business chick so we vibe hard core.
Now Corona was being talked about a ton. The hotel was still at full capacity, which is only 5 rooms, but still. Social distancing was starting to be a thing and stuff was about to get weird.
Before the entire Fort Worth closed, I went with Emily to her friend’s apartment. Just me and 3 early twenty something kids. They find me entertaining, I find them entertaining. I especially found his fridge entertaining. The necessities. He also had Cheetos, but other than that, NOTHING.
We played a drinking game and here were the rules:
1. get a white claw (bc that’s all he had besides Michelob ultra and that gets a big “NO” from me)
2. turn on AC/DC Thunderstruck
3. Drink when you hear “thunder” and don’t stop until they quit saying “thunder” then it goes to the next person.
4. Hope that you don’t get stuck with drinking during this ridiculously long section where they say thunder 0198346023894623089 times.
5. Feel the buzz because you are an old mom who drinks never.
I’m glad it was a fun night because we would be on house arrest soon.
As my spray tan faded in unfortunate skin disease looking patches, my white claw consumption went up. A correlation I would guess many of us can relate to.
Working from home is normal for me. Working from home with 4 kids, their loud sounds, constant questions, infinite requests and massive mess making is not so normal for me. This is a place of business kids, have some damn respect. And for the love of god can you keep your squirming sharp elbows out of my groin and off my legs. I’m about to have to report you to HR.
This was huge. Aven is 8 and in 2nd grade and hadn’t lost a tooth yet. She was stressing and felt left out. She is so happy to have that gap there.
One of my favorite activities is FaceTiming with my college besties. Dayme’s (top right) husband has been preparing for the Coronavirus for months. Like doomsday style. She knows anything and everything about what’s going on with it because he is the virus expert citizen.
Jeni was in her pretty new closet and it is goals! White cabinets, white claw, white girl wasted. JK she doesn’t get drunk that often and isn’t a big drinker either.
Allison (middle, not pictured, on the technology struggle bus) has the most technical difficulties or tries to talk to us in the dark where we can’t see a dang thing. She also is the loudest, not her voice, but like background noise. She is so funny and has been feisty af lately, which is how we like her best.
Erin (bottom left) was crying literal tears at the thought of months more quarantine with her three boys. They are young and energetic and she finds moments of solitude in her pantry until someone kicks the door repeatedly. Bless you Erin.
Oh and me, I just make smart ass commentary and keep it fun and entertaining. Kind of my jam.
I highly suggest setting up a FaceTime call soon with your crew.
Spending time outside has been nice. Please notice the perfect social distance spacing between the neighborhood dudes.
Aven has spent so much time outside that she is currently more tan than she is at the end of the summer. She takes off on her bike and is living much like I did when I was her age, which is her best life.
Griffin has become a master at meditation. JK I don’t know what he is doing.
A normal day looks a lot like this. Blake listens to music and colors or plays video games, Griffin likes to be near me, Waffles is a naughty class clown and is usually asleep or up to no good.
Katydidit Aesthetics sent us these at home facial kits for the girls. They loved it and it was for sure a highlight. She is selling them and drops them off at your house if you are in Fort Worth and running out of stuff to do.
Griffin doesn’t usually take a nap, but when he does it’s going to be at like 6pm and ruin bedtime.
Blake started homeschool, but it’s online with her teachers teaching it. PRAISE. She would punch me in the face and go find another teacher if I was in charge. She has four classes a day, logs on, does whatever and then she’s done. She probably wouldn’t admit it, but she likes it and I’m really impressed with how they have transitioned into this.
Griffin is my rooster and he doesn’t wake up too early, but when he’s up it takes him 20 seconds to find me and say something hilarious.
I sleep in Griffin’s room. This was not what I wanted to walk into when I was about to go to bed. Griff had found the unpacked toys and scattered them all around. I found toys in the covers long after I thought I had put them all away.
Kylie and Emily made this lovely sign as a memento from our pandemic experience. So far, we have survived.
When I finished Jessica Simpson’s book, I wanted to start another one. Alana recommended this to me and it’s so good. If you feel stuck, if you feel like there is something more for your life, if you feel like you are doing what everyone wants you to do and not being true to yourself, read it. Or listen to it, please like I have time to sit and read actual words.
I did have time to edit some personal photos though! I think I shot these almost a year ago. Photographer’s don’t get around to their own pictures very often so I tend to stick with the iPhone.
Emily is quarantined with us and I’m so glad I have an adult here to talk to and have fun with. When I’m missing my BFF, we FaceTime or houseparty and it feels way less lonely.
I got into TikTok and y’all it’s so fun! If you love to dance, you would be thoroughly entertained. I like watching random people on the feed, and learning the dances is giving me quarantine life. They are easy and short and it’s decent exercise.
I posted one that went semi viral. People love a cripwalkin mom I guess. When I posted the video I had like 6 followers, as of now I have 3961 and that video has 216,000 views. A random commenter mistook me for a grandma and another one was disappointed that I was crip walking to a blood song. My girls love doing the dances too, good family fun!
Last but not least, Paige’s Mutt Cuts.
Waffles was full of mats and just gross. I made the terrible call to give her an at home groom job. I am not qualified to cut the hair of any living thing and I have put in hours already. HOURS. I have hours left still and I almost get addicted when I get started. Her tail looks like a Dr. Seuss creature and she is business in the back, party in the front. A reverse dog mullet, the dog version of “can I speak to the manager” haircut. What have I done? Stay tuned on instagram stories for the final reveal.
I said the F word in the video at the end, because it’s me. So don’t blast it at work, oh wait you probably aren’t at work. Don’t blast it in front of your kids.
Jeni: Well hello there. I guess we are starting at Spring Break. That seems like forever ago when things were much more normal. Our break was pretty boring, we stayed in town and did some work at the new house. The bigs were with their dad at the beach.
Stuff started getting a little crazy the day my kiddos returned. I was so happy to have them home. I went to the grocery store for the basics plus A LOT of wine and the lines were insane. Toilet paper was already very scarce and I teared up a few times seeing the faces of some elderly customers who looked so scared. My husband started to panic a bit and sported his safety mask with pride.
Our school officially extended our Spring Break and announced that distant learning would start the week after. Memes got good.
We spent the extended spring break doing a whole lot of nothing and it was actually quite nice. I am a homebody and I soaked up the lazy days with my people. There were lots of crafts, games, puzzles…
and naps. We were living our best quarantined lives for sure.
The new house has given us a bit of an escape and a change of scenery. We head over there most days for a project.
Oh hey God….I see you!
On this day the kids mixed concrete to place the basketball goal. Nick gave them a little math lesson. Presley gave Hayes a mud mask.
Jackson is growing up so fast. Here he is helping Nick drill the mounting bracket for the TV. Making sure I do my part for my future daughter in law!
I’ve never used FaceTime so much in my life. There is just something about seeing my friends faces that makes my heart happy. HBC decided to try out some cool filters. The octopus tongue is super strange. Go try it out now and see what I mean.
Sunday morning church from our couch.
Distant learning has begun. The kids have done great with it and I am so thankful for our teachers. Jackson is in 5th grade now and the workload has been pretty intense (around 7-8 hours a day). I’ve been super proud of how he has handled it so far. He even meets one of his friends on zoom to help each other with their work. It’s pretty cute.
I was doing really well with my peloton yoga and then I got to day 5 and lost interest. You know what I didn’t lose interest in though?!?! This cheese dip. Go to Costco immediately. I hid it from my husband and still managed to eat the whole dang tub.
Cuddles with Cavi, forts and walks have also been on heavy rotation.
Totally paid Presley $5 one night to bathe Hayes, get him in bed and read him stories. Best 5 bucks I’ve ever spent.
Like the rest of us I binged the crap out of this….
The rain has finally held off for a bit and we’ve been able to start on our landscaping. It is looking so beautiful. I cannot believe this is my home. I’ve had visions of this red oak outside of my kitchen window for years now.
We feel you Hayes. We FEEL you! Starting to get a little stir crazy. Missing my parents like crazy but super thankful we are all healthy and happy.
We know the virus itself is no laughing matter, but we can all agree that jokes lighten the mood and the memes out there are pretty good. Keep hanging in there and quaren that tine!
