Quarantine & Chill

In the U.S., many states are starting to loosen restrictions on businesses in an effort to return to a sense of normalcy. However, experts are saying we could see a rise in Corona cases with this change. Whatever your political stance on this is, I think we can all agree that staying home has never felt safer. As a nurse my life hasn’t changed very much, I go to work and then I come home. Being the homebody I am, I’d like to extend some of my favorite things to do while in the house.

-Things to Enjoy Alone-

1. Taking a hot bath. I know this has been said many times, but there is something so therapeutic about a hot bath. I like to add some fragrance to mine by using bath bombs from Lush (the only brand that is sensitive enough for my skin).
2. Learning to cook or bake. Personally I love to bake, I try to bake something at least every other week. Recently I got the two Magnolia cookbooks by Joanna Gaines and its been so inspiring! Im determined to try my hand at bread one of these days!

3. Binge a new show. There are plenty of shows out there to binge these days. Some funny favorites of mine include: The Office (U.S.), Parks and Recreation, The Good Place, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. If you care for reality TV, try Say Yes to the Dress, The Great British Baking Show, Fixer Upper, The Masked Singer, or Too Hot to Handle. If drama is what you’re looking for try: Criminal Minds or Ozark. Every show I mentioned is available for streaming on Netflix or Hulu

4. Animal Crossing. This game can be found for the Nintendo Switch/ Nintendo Switch Lite. I can’t say enough about this game. Its soothing to the soul in a way that transports you away from your worries. Its a vacation you can take without leaving your living room.

-Things to Enjoy with Family-

1. Love Letter. This fun card game is best played with adults or teens because it can be a little complicated at first. Once my family and I learned how to play we could not stop!
2. Multiplayer games for the Nintendo Switch. My switch is a great source of entertainment for my family. We have games like Just Dance, Mario Party, Jackbox Party Packs (we have them all and love them), and Monopoly! I love each one of these games and how they bring the family together, even just for a few moments.
3. Watch a movie together. Watching a movie together is something so simple but it gets a conversation started. A great movie to stream is Disney’s Onward (found on Disney Plus). The movie is heartwarming and something the whole family can enjoy.
4. Spend some time outside. My family and I have spent 30 minutes to an hour almost everyday sitting on our porch. We have watched birds, talked about life, listened to music, and played with our pets. It’s refreshing.

I do hope that some of these ideas can be incorporated into your everyday life. No matter where you are in the world I pray you stay safe.