Kristen Blog

Honestly?  I don't take orders well.  I balk at the word "mandated."  Because NO ONE gonna tell Kristen Shanna what to do.  🙄🤷‍♀️ But seriously, I kind of feel like I'm in this bizarro twilight zone where everyone suddenly decides they want to live like I did circa 2001-2015.  And I feel right at home back in this, I-have-to-stay-home business.  Only this time round, I have a few more responsibilities (and a lot less toddlers to keep me from doing it).  And I have to admit, after a brief but rocky adjustment phase, I am kind of TOTALLY in my element and thriving. I mean...now that I am working from home (and not driving all over Kingdom Come), I actually have time to set out my tomato starts and bring them in when it is too cold.  So, my tomato starts are doing WAY better than they ever did before.  And I also now have time to walk out and check my coop twice a day, which means I am regularly gathering ALL the eggs the chickens are la...

In the midst of world-wide panic and pandemic, I consider it soothing to find practical ways to cope.  Making things from scratch is one way I assure myself I am competent to survive just about anything. Since I happen to have a couple of aloe plants lying around, and I am ALWAYS looking for fun new things to try (and ways to use my prolific aloe plants), I figured we should jump on the trend to make our own hand sanitizer. And what better homeschool science activity?  Am I right?!! I mean...we still have half of the gallon-sized sanitizer we bought at Sam's months ago (a year ago?), but...there is definitely room for more, if it is home-made.  We love trying things naturally and from scratch around this little suburban homestead. So, grab your ingredients, and join us to make your own hand sanitizer! Here's what we used: 3/4 isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol 1/4 cup aloe (we used raw aloe, but you can use storebought gel) a few drops of lemon oil a few drops of ...

Well this whole virus thing has really taken off, has it not?  I don't know where YOU live, but my town is under "shelter-at-home" orders.  We can't gather together more than 10 people in a location.  We are not supposed to travel unless it is absolutely necessary to our health and well-being. Of course, Matt still has to go to work, since he is in health care...and to be honest, while I am a little nervous about his potential for exposure (and subsequently ours, and more importantly, the grandparents), I am really grateful right now that we chose jobs in health care and education. My heart hurts for people who are not as fortunate and are really suffering from all of the closures and shut downs.  😢 There is so much to think about when we are remembering the burdens this causes.  Mine are minute...so I'll be a trooper and not complain.  I mean...I'm currently being paid to work from home, alongside my children...so that's actually a bit of a dream...

I mean, I get it.  It's an illness we definitely need to acknowledge.  I may not know exactly what is going on in China or Italy, but I am intelligent enough to know that a pandemic is a pandemic.  And, as with any other illness (I tend to take them all rather seriously), I plan to be super diligent in attempting to stop the spread in my own house, as well as the greater community. This is something atypical.  COVID-19 is something we are not used to dealing with.  And it IS killing people, albeit it tends to be particularly fierce on the elderly and the compromised.  In my book, if it kills 1, it is worthy of heightened awareness and diligence.  I desire to protect the vulnerable.  That is ALWAYS a high priority in this deep and caring heart. Speaking of caring.  I have had a dramatic realization in the recent past.  I care...A LOT.  More than a lot of people, I am starting to realize...though, NOT about self protection ...

Baseball is officially back in season.  We have joined a new team, and it's like going from 1 to 10 in intensity.  He has a tournament THIS weekend.  THIS WEEKEND!!  The first week of March.  What have I gotten myself into? This is the kind of team that throws in an extra practice, because the weather is nice.  So...yeah.  I'm a little nervous.  I don't exactly have all kinds of time to be Dillon's Uber, let alone sit and watch an untold number of games.  But... I think this team is going to be really good for him.  I like the players.  They are respectful.  And they are good.  Intimidatingly good.  I had to help out a bit with his confidence in the transition, because guess what.  He is good, too.  Sometimes, we don't realize our own talents because of our big gaping insecurity.  And being thrown in from rec league to AAA isn't exactly a gradual transition. I think he is transitioning well now....

Meet Willis! I'm not obsessed or anything.  It's just...I found myself pretty attached to Monarch. 👇  (I mean...he was the perfect, most beautiful fish.  A little dumb.  We had difficulty with our feeding sessions, and I had to be very patient to ensure his proper nutrition...but...I think there is NO SHAME in crying over a fish...even a dumb fish...and I don't care what ANYONE else says.) Monarch's replacement refused to eat.  I tried for three days.  He would literally swim right past the food I so delicately timed to land right in front of his face.  When I found him swimming on his side today, I knew we were in for more heartache. So...I told Evan Fin was sick and needed to be returned to the store where (hopefully 🤞) they would be able to treat the water with an antibiotic to help him.  Everyone took it well.  I, alone, carried the burden in my heart.  (These fish are about to do me in...for real.) I engaged in my ...

Guess who is sick again.  Me...that's who.  😭  I am taking a bit of a sabbatical.  Mentally, I've been on it for over a week.   (I just happened to have to finally HAVE to take a sick day/sabbatical today. #theflustinks  Motivation is low.  Attitude is compromised.  Positivity is forced.  It could just be January...winter blues.  Snow days.  Sick days.  Lack of sun.  I know I'm not the only one around here struggling.  Right?    🤷‍♀️ But...I feel like I need to take some time to really sit back and check the scales.  Even the balance, so to speak.  I feel like things are definitely out of balance...and have been for awhile.  And the imbalance is starting to feel like injustice.  And injustice drains me.  I am going to have to "weed the garden" for my own survival's sake.   So, for the past couple of weeks, I have been mentally reflecting on just abou...