It's the end of March; the 28th to be exact and it's my oldest son's birthday. He has officially entered his twenties and left his teen years behind. It is a momentous occasion. It's a big deal and it deserves recognition. But we are living in uncertain times and life is not normal at the moment. With the coronavirus under our heels, nothing is as it was. People are encouraged to self quarantine. Department stores, schools, and restaurants are closed. And we currently are under curfew. This is our new normal.
Even so, it is my son's birthday and I was determined to make his day special despite our current situation. We aren't supposed to really leave our homes unless absolutely necessary, like running those essentail errands: grocery stores, doctor's appointments, bank runs. However, if we must leave, it is adivsed to utilize social distancing and practice good hygeine. With that in mind, I headed out to pick up some pizza and an icecream cake, both requested by the birthday boy. It's his special day, he deserves to feel special. And since we can't go anywhere to celebrate, we might as well try to make the most of our at-home celebration .
As for gifts, he wasn't asking for much this year. All he wanted was a new desk for his room, along with a desk lamp and a new bookself. Luckily, I was able to find the shelf and lamp while out doing my grocery shopping. The desk proved a little more difficult to find as there aren't that many places open that we can browse for options. And Costa Rica isn't a very order online friendly country when it comes to furniture. My point, we will have to wait until all this pandemic hoopla disappears and life goes back to normal to shop for a new desk for his room. Until then, we just have to keep living our lives and enjoying the little treasures day to day. After all, it's the little things that matter the most, like spending time with family.
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Friday, March 20, 2020
Buying All The Things
There are very few times where my pantry is so stocked, I haveto play tetris with the items so they fit. My freezer and fridge are so jam packed, I literally could not fit one more thing. To say we are stocked is an understatement. But we are a family of six, and with all the kids home from school, this stocked up household will not last very long.
I am hoping for all the groceries to last about 2 weeks at least, a month at the most. But most likely, we will have to venture out again by the end of the month to get a few essentials that we tend to run out of. However, we will cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I just want to stay home and hang out with my family.
Although we have all this time at home, kids are not just running free and watching all the TV they can. As a reminder that this is not vacation, schools and teachers have been sending school work via email and online for the kids to stay on track and on top of their studies. It wouldn't be fair for kids to fall behind in their school work because of this unexpected break from class.
Honestly though, as much as I loved having all the kids in school all day and having a set routine each day, I am not complaining about this unplanned break. No more 5am wake up calls, we can all sleep in and get more acquainted with our beds. Also, it's just nice knowing where everyone is at all times. In a world that seems more and more out of control, it's nice to take back some control over our homelife.
We don't know what the future holds in these uncertain times; Will we be quarantined? Will they prevent us from leaving our homes? Will more places be on lockdown? So far, bars, casinos and nightclubs are closed until further notice. All the places where you have a huge gathering of people in close quarters and proximity to each other. Some restaurants are closing their doors to eat in diners, take out delivery or drive thru orders only. This spells trouble for the economy. Businesses closing means people are without work. In a lot of cases, no work means no pay and if you have no income coming in bills won't get paid.
While things are far from being apocolyptic as of yet, it does feel like an end of times Hollywood movie. People are scared and panicking and the news keeps changing day to day. Lets hope things can return to normal soon enough. Humanity is counting on it, the economy is counting on it. Here's looking to a brighter future
I am hoping for all the groceries to last about 2 weeks at least, a month at the most. But most likely, we will have to venture out again by the end of the month to get a few essentials that we tend to run out of. However, we will cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I just want to stay home and hang out with my family.
Although we have all this time at home, kids are not just running free and watching all the TV they can. As a reminder that this is not vacation, schools and teachers have been sending school work via email and online for the kids to stay on track and on top of their studies. It wouldn't be fair for kids to fall behind in their school work because of this unexpected break from class.
Honestly though, as much as I loved having all the kids in school all day and having a set routine each day, I am not complaining about this unplanned break. No more 5am wake up calls, we can all sleep in and get more acquainted with our beds. Also, it's just nice knowing where everyone is at all times. In a world that seems more and more out of control, it's nice to take back some control over our homelife.
We don't know what the future holds in these uncertain times; Will we be quarantined? Will they prevent us from leaving our homes? Will more places be on lockdown? So far, bars, casinos and nightclubs are closed until further notice. All the places where you have a huge gathering of people in close quarters and proximity to each other. Some restaurants are closing their doors to eat in diners, take out delivery or drive thru orders only. This spells trouble for the economy. Businesses closing means people are without work. In a lot of cases, no work means no pay and if you have no income coming in bills won't get paid.
While things are far from being apocolyptic as of yet, it does feel like an end of times Hollywood movie. People are scared and panicking and the news keeps changing day to day. Lets hope things can return to normal soon enough. Humanity is counting on it, the economy is counting on it. Here's looking to a brighter future
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Prepping For An Emergency?
Fear has gripped most of the continent and people are buying up all the toilet paper. Yeah, you heard right. There isn't any toilet paper in the stores and people are freaking out. I cannot remember panic like this in recent years. Well, maybe I can but I was younger and paid less attention to the world around me. This time, it's the Coronavirus that has people up in arms and running to the stores to prepare for the end.
I am not scared, not of the actual virus. But what is happening is a little scary. When people panic, it causes even more problems than there needs to be. And the media and government aren't helping. Their scare tactics and fear reports make matters worse. And of all the things to have a shortage of, I had no idea toilet paper would be one of them.
In Costa Rica, there are no hand sanitizers left on any of the store shelves. Customers can only buy 2 to 3 bottles of Lysol and antibacterial soap and hand wipes. Well, you can buy 2 to 3 IF you can find them. The shelves are bare. And that is understandable. The Coronavirus is a cold like virus that is highly contagious and precautions include washing your hands and cleaning your surfaces.
As for why toilet paper has disappeared off the shelves is a mystery to me. What can you do with TP in an actual emergency? I get it's a necessity that we need, for the most part. But hoarding it isn't really preppingfor a worse case scenario.
As per my hubby's suggestion, we decided to do a little prepping of our own and stock up on a few essentials. We went out and got the basic necessities we would actually need in case of an emergency, like a 2 week lockdown or quarantine. If a worse case scenario occurred and we couldn't leave our house for about 2 to 4 weeks due to emergency precautions set by the government, we wanted to make sure we would be ok. We got the basics: rice, canned beans and veggies, pastas and sauces. Pancake and mashed potato mixes that just need water and, of course, a case of bottled water. We got a few other items as well and a few comfort foods too, but we had to keep it simple because we wanted to avoid a panicked mindset. Plus, creating an emergency food stockpile is expensive and takes time.
If this situation has taught us anything, it's to try and be prepared in case of any event. We have now decided to start stocking up little by little each month, adding a few basic and staple necessities to our monthly grocery haul so we have at least a months' worth of food supplies stockpiled at home. There is nothing worse than trying to go shopping in a pandemic. Well,maybe there is something worse: leaving the saftey of your home when there is a raging virus outside.
I am not scared, not of the actual virus. But what is happening is a little scary. When people panic, it causes even more problems than there needs to be. And the media and government aren't helping. Their scare tactics and fear reports make matters worse. And of all the things to have a shortage of, I had no idea toilet paper would be one of them.
In Costa Rica, there are no hand sanitizers left on any of the store shelves. Customers can only buy 2 to 3 bottles of Lysol and antibacterial soap and hand wipes. Well, you can buy 2 to 3 IF you can find them. The shelves are bare. And that is understandable. The Coronavirus is a cold like virus that is highly contagious and precautions include washing your hands and cleaning your surfaces.
As for why toilet paper has disappeared off the shelves is a mystery to me. What can you do with TP in an actual emergency? I get it's a necessity that we need, for the most part. But hoarding it isn't really preppingfor a worse case scenario.
As per my hubby's suggestion, we decided to do a little prepping of our own and stock up on a few essentials. We went out and got the basic necessities we would actually need in case of an emergency, like a 2 week lockdown or quarantine. If a worse case scenario occurred and we couldn't leave our house for about 2 to 4 weeks due to emergency precautions set by the government, we wanted to make sure we would be ok. We got the basics: rice, canned beans and veggies, pastas and sauces. Pancake and mashed potato mixes that just need water and, of course, a case of bottled water. We got a few other items as well and a few comfort foods too, but we had to keep it simple because we wanted to avoid a panicked mindset. Plus, creating an emergency food stockpile is expensive and takes time.
If this situation has taught us anything, it's to try and be prepared in case of any event. We have now decided to start stocking up little by little each month, adding a few basic and staple necessities to our monthly grocery haul so we have at least a months' worth of food supplies stockpiled at home. There is nothing worse than trying to go shopping in a pandemic. Well,maybe there is something worse: leaving the saftey of your home when there is a raging virus outside.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
The #MomLife
I've been thinking. I've been thinking a lot about my life. I've been thinking a lot about how much I love my life even though there is so much I still would love to do and so much more that I know I can do. But I am content. I am happy. I am very much the epitome of living the dream. I am living my dream as a stay at home. Welcome to the hashtag momlife.
When I was a kid, all I wanted to be was a mom. I wanted to be home with my kids, taking care of the house, my husband and my family. I wanted that perfect mom life. However, once I got to high school, being a mom was something that never really occupied my thoughts. I wanted more than what life had to offer me at the time. I wanted it all. I even thought that kids weren't in my immediate future and toyed with the idea of waiting until I was 40 to become a mom. Then I met my husband.
After I met hubby, my entire mindset changed and I was once again that little girl playing pretend mommy with her pretend husband and pretend babies. I was a mom and it was all I wanted to be. I wanted to have his babies and I wanted to have them now, not at 40. Oh, and I was just 18 years old at the time.
True to form, I got what I wanted and we started our family soon after becoming an official couple. We loved each other and still do and wasted no time playing house. I did graduate high school and even went on to community college, where I graduated with honors. But I still just wanted to be a mom.
It used to be shameful, when people asked me what I did , to say "oh, I stay home with the kids, and ..." I always felt the need to explain myself and all I actually did as a stay at home mom. Did people look at me differently? Maybe. After all, if they knew me back in high school they would remember the overachieving honor student who was a go-getter and did it all, from being class president to the captain of the cheerleading team. I was unstoppable and I was going places. I was going to succeed. But instead, I became a stay at home mom. It wasn't until I became a working mom in a sea of stay at home moms that I actually felt inadequate. The grass is always greener, right? I needed to be satisfied with my decision and know that whatever I chose to do,work or stay home,that it was more than enough. That I was more than enough and my family would love me regardless.
After moving to Costa Rica, I knew exactly what I wanted, everyone else be damned. I was going to stay home and raise my kids the way I wanted to raise them. I was going to be a stay at home mom. Bring on the mommlife. And I have to say, 13 years later, I am still loving my life. Things get tough some days, finances get tight most months and arguments are inevitable. But we've been at this thing so long, we've finally found a rythm that works for us as a family. I love my life, I appreciate my role as a mom and the world is still my oyster. I can do anything and be anything and thankfully I am still young enough to know this.
When I was a kid, all I wanted to be was a mom. I wanted to be home with my kids, taking care of the house, my husband and my family. I wanted that perfect mom life. However, once I got to high school, being a mom was something that never really occupied my thoughts. I wanted more than what life had to offer me at the time. I wanted it all. I even thought that kids weren't in my immediate future and toyed with the idea of waiting until I was 40 to become a mom. Then I met my husband.
After I met hubby, my entire mindset changed and I was once again that little girl playing pretend mommy with her pretend husband and pretend babies. I was a mom and it was all I wanted to be. I wanted to have his babies and I wanted to have them now, not at 40. Oh, and I was just 18 years old at the time.
True to form, I got what I wanted and we started our family soon after becoming an official couple. We loved each other and still do and wasted no time playing house. I did graduate high school and even went on to community college, where I graduated with honors. But I still just wanted to be a mom.
It used to be shameful, when people asked me what I did , to say "oh, I stay home with the kids, and ..." I always felt the need to explain myself and all I actually did as a stay at home mom. Did people look at me differently? Maybe. After all, if they knew me back in high school they would remember the overachieving honor student who was a go-getter and did it all, from being class president to the captain of the cheerleading team. I was unstoppable and I was going places. I was going to succeed. But instead, I became a stay at home mom. It wasn't until I became a working mom in a sea of stay at home moms that I actually felt inadequate. The grass is always greener, right? I needed to be satisfied with my decision and know that whatever I chose to do,work or stay home,that it was more than enough. That I was more than enough and my family would love me regardless.
After moving to Costa Rica, I knew exactly what I wanted, everyone else be damned. I was going to stay home and raise my kids the way I wanted to raise them. I was going to be a stay at home mom. Bring on the mommlife. And I have to say, 13 years later, I am still loving my life. Things get tough some days, finances get tight most months and arguments are inevitable. But we've been at this thing so long, we've finally found a rythm that works for us as a family. I love my life, I appreciate my role as a mom and the world is still my oyster. I can do anything and be anything and thankfully I am still young enough to know this.
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