Keeping your Kids Under Foot But Not in the Way.

As I sit here planning my week - with the dog barking, the kids fighting (or as they say "playing"), the laundry piling up, and supper time creeping up on me - I wonder if there will ever be a time when I am caught up and no one is under foot?   

If any of you are in the same boat - your nerves starting to wear thin, as you near the end of your quarantine rope - here are some ideas for keeping your family busy around home.

• Remember that variety is the spice of life.  Take routine activities and change them up.  For example - assign the evening meal planning and prep to a different family member once a week.  They get to choose the theme and prepare the meal.  Not only will this give you a break, but it will make meal time a family affair.  For those of you with competitive natures, include a score sheet with marks for creativity, taste and presentation.
• Design and plant a Covid Flower/Vegetable Bed.  Have each family member pick out a plant that they would like in the design.  Order the seeds or plants online.  Try shopping local from one of our area nurseries such as Ego's Garden Centre.  Layout a spot in your yard, get utility locates and then start hand digging - hours of entertainment!  A small scale option might be to do this in containers or in a raised bed.
• Around here, the girls are really missing being able to go to a restaurant for the occasional meal.  Create your own restaurant and have the kids dress up, go outside and return to Mom and Dad's restaurant.  Andy and I did this last weekend - we created the Black Cow Breakfast House - including a menu, an awesome waitress and a top-notch setting complete with candles.
• And finally - if you are looking to get some spring cleaning done while creating a beautiful keep sake - have the kids sort through their clothes and pull out anything that is too small!  Pick out some of their favorite outfits that hold great memories.  Then cut them into 6 or 8 inch squares.  When you have enough - machine sew them into a rectangle which will be come a quilt top.  The picture on this blog is our quilt.  So many memories!

I know times like these are difficult for us all, hopefully this will give you some ideas to keep the kids entertained.  As the saying goes - "When life gives us lemons - we need to make lemonade!"  Have fun and hope to see you soon!