OK! Here we are, at the end of another week! And what a week. Lots of big things going on in the world, obviously, but here are some of my little things. Those are important too. 🙂
I’m now a walking cliche (literally) because I bought myself a step counter for the new year. I don’t think I’m really fully committed to the Fitbit lifestyle at this point, but I bought myself a $20 knock off from Amazon and it’s nice to see just how many steps I’m getting in on those days when I feel like I’m running all over the house delivering snacks and printing off worksheets for the kids’ remote learning. It just adds a little extra bit of a feeling of accomplishment to my day. I’ve actually been having so much fun with it that I ordered one for Chris as well so he can easily track his distance when he goes for runs. Having these things has definitely been a tiny extra nudge of motivation for us to get outside and get some fresh air on those days when we haven’t been as busy and when our step count is a little lower, which is always a good thing.
My new mirror for the mudroom is here! At first, I kind of felt like I should maybe return it because my immediate reaction was that it’s probably a little too grand for our humble little mudroom. But then I realized that I love it and it’s definitely not too grand for me, so it’s staying. Isn’t it a thing of beauty? It’s also very well-anchored to the wall so it won’t meet the same fate as the last one. You can find a mirror like this one here if you’re in the US, or here if you’re in Canada.
Projects are being put off left, right, and centre around here. Our original thought when we went into this lockdown was that we’d be home a lot (of course) with lots of time on our hands and it would be the perfect time to power through some projects on the house. Well, of course, we’ve ended up being a little more busy than we realized even though we’re not out and about in the world right now as much. Between helping the kids with school work, doing our regular upkeep of the house, and just trying to keep everyone entertained, happy, and healthy, there really isn’t much time leftover. I have plans for a little update on the desk area in our living room that Jack’s been using for his school time, and of course we have our back stairwell renovation that we’ve started, but neither of those are really things that we can get done while the kids are trying to do their school during the day because of noice, mess, and distraction. We have our new windows and door ordered for the staircase though and I also ordered this fun blue chair for the desk, so those things are a step in the right direction, at least!
I think I maybe, possibly finally found at at-home workout that works for me. Back in the “before” times, Chris and I used to start our day by dropping the kids off at school and then heading straight to the gym for just 25-30 minutes. Nothing crazy, but it really helped keep us feeling healthy and focussed and all that good stuff. Our gym closed back in March and hasn’t reopened since because it’s been used as a back-up hospital space and now as a COVID testing centre. Other gyms of course opened back up, but the whole gym thing has still made us kind of nervous all along, so we’ve never gotten back into it. We’ve tried to get out for the occasional run, and for some good long walks here and there, but our schedule has never really normalized with the kids being in-school, then out of school, then remote schooling, etc. etc. But have you heard of blogilates? I randomly discovered her a couple of weeks ago and although I’ve always sworn that I’m absolutely not an “at home workout” kind of person, her workouts seem to be just right for me. Not too hard, not too easy, super quick and positive, and full of moves that don’t stress me out. What is it about regular home work outs that give me this weird anxiety feeling? Anyway, she’s great and the best part is that Jack likes to do the workouts right along with me in the living room so it’s an activity and an energy burner for him too. Anyway, check her out if you’ve been in exercise routine limbo like I’ve been for most of the last year!
The English Game on Netflix. I watched this a couple of weeks ago and I absolutely loved it. I’m not sure when it came out and I’m kind of surprised I hadn’t heard more about it. It’s from the creator of Downton Abbey and it’s somewhat similar in that it’s set in a similar time period and deals with the differences between “upper” and “working” classes. The main storyline is about the early says of the development of the game of soccer, but you really don’t need to be a sports fan to enjoy it. This show is beautifully-shot just like Downton Abbey and just really sucks you into the storyline almost immediately. If you’re always looking for your next favourite period drama to watch like I am, definitely check this one out!
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Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.