How we are coping with the COVID crisis in our home

COLOR

When we bought our beautiful Georgia farmhouse, we knew we wanted to paint it.

It was all yellow inside…and the trim I assumed was an off-white. When we had the walls painted grey, it was very apparent the trim was cream… a very yellow cream.

Our painters think it yellowed over time, as it was an oil-based paint. We thought we should get it all painted white, but not wanting to spend more, we decided to live with it and make a decision later. Well 2+ years later, I still hate it. The problem is the sheer amount of trim is overwhelming, it is on the shutters, moldings and doors. But with some forced time inside, I decided I have no excuses but to tackle it. So, I started with the upstairs, which seemed less daunting. With the help of my husband, we got it all done in about 4 days, including prep work. Then the big task, the main level. Right now, we have the three major rooms done, and the entrance way. I’m hoping to do a full blog on our progress and some paint hiccups when we finish.

ORGANIZING

It seems like a never-ending task. But I am definitely taking some at-home time, to tackle some areas that need it.

One is our basement, my twins’ coats had especially gotten out of hand with the crazy weather.  They somehow ended up on an old changing table piled up. They are now neatly hung on an existing ballet barre that is not being used.

Next toys… oh the toys…. and old clothes.  What I couldn’t sell, I have in a bag to donate.  I also have a few special items set aside for my cousin’s little girl. 

Vocabulary

The twins start preschool this fall! Super excited for this big step! We just made our tuition deposit last week.  Crossing our fingers, schools get to return.  

While my mom was here, we picked up an easel and some more magnetic letters for the twins.

We have been spending a little time each day doing a “lesson.” We are doing a letter a day which keeps things constant and on track for the kids plus it doesn’t overwhelm them. 

And it is back to their usual toys! We love these new ones from Picasso Tiles. They are STEM based. Link is up on my Amazon list. http://www.amazon.com/shop/plumeriasandpearls

Improving the outdoors

Let’s face it, our yard is the biggest escape we have during this time, besides the occasional trip to get food or essentials.

So why not spruce it up for spring!   My husband also has some time off work, as I was planning on taking a little trip (that was canceled). So he is crossing off some items on our outside to-do list.

The easiest task is putting in some fresh pine straw and just doing a little cleanup.

We also had to call the pest control company to kill some ground bees.

And the biggest project is staining our deck. It was definitely showing some wear and tear from all the rain. It took my husband just a couple days of work and it looks new.

Image: Brazilian Wood Depot

If a little sanding and stain doesn’t work on your deck, and it has not passed the test of time, The Brazilian Wood Depot, can replace your deck with real wood! The best part, it is resistant to rot and decay and is nearly maintenance-free. It’s not in our budget this year, but in the future we do plan to completely replace the deck, because it is no longer up to code and this is the company we plan to use.

They offer a variety of decking such as eco-friendly camaru decking . This decking is incredibly versatile. Its durability makes it a perfect choice for commercial projects like boardwalks or beaches however it’s also beautiful, low needs for maintenance and strength are also a huge option for using it in your backyard too! It’s a type of red hardwood which means the lumber is similar to the heartwood, which ranges from red-brown to deep red in color. Over time, the red cumaru color will flatten out slightly.

Downtime

Most importantly we are enjoying this little forced break from life.

We are watching movies, baking cookies and just enjoying family time.

We have gone on countless neighborhood walks (with Chloe too) and even worked on the twins peddling their bikes on their own. And then decided to spring for some new balance bikes. No injuries or scrapes yet.

Oh and course, we can’t forget lots of stick collecting.

While there is a lot of uncertainty in the world, we can do our best to keep things as normal, structured and fun for our family members. What types of things are you all doing to keep your family busy?