What Did I Miss?

Sooo, I may have forgotten to post a blog on April 30^th. And I may have not realized it until three days later when I was in the shower. (Doh!)

Ahem. Sorry!

But I have lots of stuff to talk about this month! Like, here we are, the restrictions are loosening and we can start poking our noses outside again like human Punxsutawney Phils. Lots of people are happy about this, but, you guys, I hardly noticed a difference in my daily routine! 

Even so, I’m not going to debate the coming of the second wave with you, or why people wearing masks seems to be a threat to other people. Here’s what I will openly and happily discuss: All the good things! And some of the changes.

First, why I now hate Thomas Kinkade and Gone with the Wind:

Our county was one of the first to implement a shelter in place order. It was a chaotic time. No school, literally—no even online for three weeks. And no idea how long the shelter in place would last. In a desperate bid to keep my two high school seniors occupied, I pulled out a brand-new puzzle that’d been sitting on the shelf for years…

…and it took three people three long weeks to finish it!

Mind you, I spent a lot of that time wondering what our deal was when many of my friends were blasting through their 1,000-piece puzzles at a rate of two or three days! Needless to say, by the time we finished, we loathed the thing. It’s no wonder we never did start another puzzle.

Next up, why I will never repaint kid #4’s room—or at least this small section of it:

“Mom, do we have any paint brushes?”

“Out in the garage.”

(Thank you, Bob Ross!)

My strategy to keep my dad from going to the stores: 

Taking him for walks! This has the added life-saving advantage of keeping him from driving my mom crazy. We'll continue walking together after the SiP ends. We're both...all, if you include the dog...enjoying the time together too much to stop.

Now for the bitter-sweet:

As I said above, the two youngest of our five kids are high school seniors, class of 2020. The loss of all their senior activities has been a gut punch for them. Over, and over, and over. (Each canceled event also meant a fresh batch of tears for me, but I know I’m not the only parent who cries.) The best the school district could do was a) have personalized yard signs made for the grads (nearly five hundred from our school alone.) b) film a video virtual graduation.

The latter happened this past Wednesday, and was…interesting. The kids were divided into small groups of about eight students, and given a twenty-minute time slot. They showed up at their appointed time at the theater in their caps and gowns, waited in line (masked and six feet apart), walked across the stage to pick up their diploma folder after their name was called, then stepped in front of a mic to give a 6-second speech.

No audience. No clapping. No cheers. It was “weird,” according to my boys. 

But here’s the thing, the rest of that day was AWESOME. They took pictures with their friends outside the theater. Then several kids they went to elementary school with ended up at our house to take pix with each other and the huge wooden “20” my hubby made from some scrap plywood we had. They couldn’t hug their friends, but they did talk and laugh A LOT. (And I got to see some of my mom-friends too, which was really nice.)

It wasn’t the graduation any of us expected, but at the end it was a memorable day, and both of them were very happy.

I think I’m going to stop here. The only thing I’ll add is this: Due to a back injury two years ago, my youngest has been receiving “home/hospital education.” There have been many times we were hopeful that a new procedure would help him, and as many times there has been disappointment that it didn’t work. For each set back, I have told my son it’s okay to grieve, but don’t let it suck you down. Give yourself a certain amount of time, then say, “Okay, so that didn’t work. What’s the next step?” Always have your eye on the future.

And that’s what I’ll leave you with today. Grieve. Cry. It’s okay. But never, ever forget that there is a future. What's your next step?

May you be blessed by good health and surrounded by love.

~Lea

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

USA Today Bestselling Author, Lea Kirk, loves to transport her readers to other worlds with her sci-fi romances. 

When she’s not busy writing about the blue and green aliens of her Prophecy series, she’s hanging out with her hubby, five kids (the nerd herd), and a spoiled Dobie mix pup.

She is currently working on the fourth book in her Prophecy series, and three new books for a new series to be released this fall. 

For more on Lea's books (past, present, & future), check out her:

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Five YA Series to Keep You Company in Quarantine

Am I the only one who has lost count of days during shelter-at-home? If you're like me, you have a zillion books in your TBR (to be read) pile, but there's something extra fun about picking up your favorite books and rereading them. Below, you'll find five of my favorite young adult series.

1. Beautiful Creatures series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl



If there was ever a series that captured my heart, it was this one. These two lovely writers tell the story of a magical girl and her nonmagical love. There are so many things for them to overcome and experience in their small southern town. If there was ever a movie that spoiled a book, it was by far this one, but for fun, you can always watch it after you've read your way through this series.


2. Princesses of the Midnight Ball series by Jessica Day George



I'm a huge fan of Jessica Day George. I love her writing style and the stories she chooses to tell. This series is perfect for those of us who love retelling and princesses. She manages to tell the stories we've all heard before in such a fun, new way. Who knew yarn was so useful? This series is perfect for just about everyone.


3. The Lost Heroes series by Rick Riordan



You've heard of Percy Jackson, but did you know that his story continues in The Lost Hero? I loved this series! There are so many new friends to meet, and new problems to solve (thanks a lot, Hera). If you like Greek Mythology-based stories or hilarious prose, this series is a must-read.


4. Wings series by Aprilynn Pike



If you like relatively nice fairies, this series is for you. It's your classic fairy baby gets raised by human parents, and now has to go back to learn the ways of the Fae. Aprilynn does a fabulous job of keeping things whimsical and interesting without making the protagonist so Fae-like that you feel disconnected from the story. This series is a lovely way to spend your safer-at-home time.


5. Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas


The main character in this series is an assassin. She's clever, determined, and lethal. This series can be pretty intense at times, so it might not be the best read for younger readers. That being said, if you like powerful women protagonists, this will be right down your alley. This is one of those series that's hard to put down, so prepare for some late nights reading.


Have you read any of these series before? What did you think? Did I name a favorite of yours? Or do you have a series to recommend to us? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Either way, I hope you're all fairing well at home (or work if you're an essential employee). Until next time, happy reading!

100 Things to Do at Home

With quarantines quickly becoming a new normal for the moment, I think we can all agree most people aren't used to being stuck at home for long periods of time. Suddenly being contained in one place can be tough to weather.

As a writer who works from home, a well as a natural introvert who doesn't mind being at home for weeks at a time, I feel uniquely qualified for this situation. And I'd like to share some suggestions to help others power through.

Here are tips to help keep mentally healthy (as well as entertained) during a prolonged period at home.

Stay safe and well out there! xoxo

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TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AT HOME

1. Shower and dress the same as you would usually do.
2. Stick to a routine of some sort (regular wake up time/bed time, regular meals, etc.).
3. Get outside if you can. Go take a walk in your neighborhood or hang out in your back yard. Something.
4. If you are working from home, actually work. For the same hours you'd be in the office.
5. Make your bed - less tempting to get back in it.
6. Skype/video chat with close family/friends to get some face time.
7. Do NOT have the news on all day. Yes, stay up to date, but try to limit yourself. Stick to the 5:30 broadcasts, state or national press conferences, and/or your local/state website.
8. Exercise. The endorphins help!
9. Check out this list of 100 fun activities you can do in the privacy (and safety) of your own home...

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100 ACTIVITIES FOR HOME

RELAX & SELF-CARE

1. Read a book you love.
2. Give yourself a manicure or pedicure.
3. Take a bubble bath.
4. Try out a new face mask or beauty product.
5. Doodle, color, or draw on some paper.
6. Do yoga (check out YouTube for tutorials).
7. Write a poem.
8. Write in a journal.
9. Take a nap.
10. Listen to music.
11. Stretch.
12. Look through old photos and videos.
13. Watch a sunset or sunrise.
14. Meditate.
15. Sit or lay outside in good weather.
16. Find a new favorite quote or saying.
17. Write a letter to your future self.
18. Take a long shower.
19. Drink tea.
20. Cuddle with a pet or S.O.
21. Create a self-love list.
22. Find a new podcast to listen to.
23. Play an instrument.
24. Knit or crochet.
25. Create a cozy reading nook in your house.
26. Bonus: Catch up on all those shows you've been meaning to binge watch.

GET PRODUCTIVE

1. Read a "How to" book.
2. Do your taxes. (April 15th is just around the corner)
3. Go for a walk, a run, sit-ups, anything you can for a little bit of exercise.
4. Organize a space that needs it. (Or organize a space a day!)
5. Update your resume.
6. Clean something in your place that you haven't in a while (baseboards, under the bed, kitchen cupboards, etc.).
7. Meal prep for the upcoming week.
8. Clean your makeup brushes.
9. Research dream careers.
10. Look for ways to reach out and help others from home.
11. Make a future finances plan.
12. Sign up for an online class. (like udemy.com or masterclass.com)
13. Clean up your emails.
14. Make a list of personal or professional goals.
15. Start a DIY project.
16. Clean out your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
17. Start a garden (or kitchen garden).
18. Clean your phone or phone case (it's probably very dirty).
19. Watch a how-to YouTube video.
20. Spring clean your yard.
21. Get ahead on schoolwork or future projects.
22. Fine-tune your LinkedIn profile.
23. Do your laundry.
24. Wash your car(s).
25. Learn OneNote and start using it. (Get started here.)

BE ENTERTAINED

1. Read something from your TBR list.
2. Scroll through Pinterest.
3. Online shop (just watch that budget you made in the productive list).
4. Watch a favorite movie or a movie you haven't seen in a while.
5. Skype some friends and do a virtual game.
6. Start an Instagram page for your pet.
7. Watch a documentary.
8. Write love notes for your S.O.
9. Get lost on Tumblr.
10. Make a collage.
11. Make a bucket list.
12. Take some selfies.
13. Catch up on celebrity gossip.
14. Sing & dance to your favorite songs.
15. Have a costume night.
16. Throw an indoor picnic.
17. Have an indoor scavenger hunt.
18. Have a themed movie night.
19. Start family game night.
20. Do a puzzle.
21. Have a water balloon fight.
22. Have a family tea party.
23. Try some stargazing and discover constellations.
24. Put on a play.
25. Build a Lego city.

CREATE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

1. Read a book about -- a different culture, a place you've never been, from a new to you genre, from a new to you author.
2. Start a blog or vlog.
3. Go for a walk in your neighborhood.
4. Try out a new hairstyle or experiment with your hair.
5. Plan a future trip. (might have to be far future).
6. Experiment with new recipes.
7. Make a cocktail or a mocktail.
8. Reach out to a friend or relative you haven't talked to in a while. (virtually)
9. Rearrange your furniture or redecorate your living space.
10. Create your own website.
11. Look for your first (or next) tattoo design.
12. Make an effort to learn something new.
13. Make a vision board.
14. Try learning a new language.
15. Write a book or story.
16. Make a movie.
17. Stage a photo shoot.
18. Create a list of places you want to travel to.
19. Set up a tent indoors and do indoor camping.
20. Play a different game with your family each night.
21. Train your dog/cat to do a new trick.
22. Create a picture book / scrap book.
23. Learn a new hobby (like take up knitting/crocheting).
24. Make a time capsule.
25. Plan a post-apocalypse party.