Do we get a do-over of March, April, and May when the quarantine is over?!

We may not need it, though, because we have had so much fun together as a family and making each other feel special while in quarantine.

We’ve been doing lots and lots of baking, including bagels, banana chocolate chip muffins, bars, and cakes. I’ve been going through a ton of bananas! We also baked Tate’s-style chocolate chip cookies.

And, of course, we’ve been baking sourdough bread. Is there anyone who hasn’t jumped on this train? Give it time and you probably will! I’m not looking back, but there was that one night that I accidentally washed my extra starter down the sink. It’s a good thing I have a friend who was willing to give me more sourdough starter!

Two of my favorite things throughout all of this have been watching Nolan grow evermore obsessed with his baby sister, and taking advantage of baby sister’s stellar naps so Nolan and I can do fun art projects together.

Our days consist mostly of art, dancing, dramatic play, lots of singing, and, of course, water play! On beautiful days, we splash in the pool, and when the weather’s rainy, we have a blast jumping in puddles.

Some aspects of quarantine have been better than I could have imagined or planned.

Here are some ways to make life in quarantine special!

1. Host a party at home. Decorate like you’ll be hosting family and friends. You can use leftover party décor and paperware, make your own, or buy some online. I love the cute party goods from Geese & Ganders!
2. Make a family playlist and have a dance party.
3. Ask loved ones to mail handwritten letters to your children.
4. Have a scavenger hunt at home.
5. Have a “Yes Day” and let your kids pick what they want to do and eat throughout the day. (Set some ground rules first, but it’s okay to throw most of the rules out the window for just one day!)
6. Set up FaceTime or Zoom calls with friends. Toddlers have short attention spans so a few minutes is all you need to make their day feel special.
7. Park your car somewhere scenic and make the back comfortable for a picnic, or eat on a picnic blanket at home!

Here are some of our favorite stay-at-home life recipes!

1. Copycat Tate’s Bakeshop Chocolate Chip Cookies
2. Easy Bagel Recipe
3. Chocolate Chip and Banana Muffins
4. Chocolate Chip Banana Bars
5. Banana-Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
6. Sourdough Bread: A Beginner’s Guide

Hope you’re hanging in there, and staying safe and healthy. What has quarantine life been like for you? Do you have any delicious recipes to share?

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