How to Rock and Enjoy Your Staycation

The pandemic has messed up a lot of travel plans across the world, and we have also been directly affected by that. With such a short window in the summer when both of us are free before I need to report back to school, there really was no way to go away for the vacation we had intended. 

I was still determined to have a fantastic summer. The problem was that we needed to have the feeling of actually getting away. Being cooped up in our home for months was difficult especially for J, since I’m a happy homebody. We realize these are totally first world problems, but with everything going on in the last few months, we had really been looking forward to getting away.

Staycation-ing was the only way for us to do things this summer, but it has been pretty good so far. I had a few questions about how we are accomplishing this, so I thought a short blog post on the topic could be fun!

A staycation is a great option when travel is not possible. Maybe you need to save some money, or maybe there is a pandemic and you can’t do any overseas travel. In any case, here are some ideas for your staycation that don’t involve chores. This list is not exhaustive, but I hope that it will trigger some ideas!

Staying Inside:

1. Settle down with a good book

2. Or write a book

3. Light some candles

4. Have a spa day

5. Try a new workout

6. Try a new recipe

7. Hire an in-home chef

8. Board Game night

9. Karaoke night

10. Plan a zero plan day

11. Try a new type of art

12. Do a mat workout outside - or any workout outside!

13. Have a movie marathon

14. Finish a house project, if that’s fun to you

15. Eat breakfast in bed

16. Eat breakfast outside

17. Sleep in and then take a nap

18. Create a staycation playlist

19. Bring your vacation theme home (Luau in the backyard? Mountains of laundry to climb?)

20. Take up a new hobby

21. BBQ everything

22. Rent an inflatable slide!

23. Truly unplug from work!

24. Create a blanket fort in your living room - or any room

25. Learn an instrument or practice one

Spending Time Outside:

1. Visit the closest beach. It could be the ocean, it could be the lake. Just pack your towels, some sunscreen, and spend some time by the water. 

2. Go for a hike or long walk

3. Explore a new trail

4. Go for a picnic

5. Fly a kite

6. Go canoeing or kayaking or paddleboarding

7. Do some gardening

8. Sidewalk chalk it up

9. Build a treehouse

10. Inflatable pool?

Staying Near Home:

1. Go out for ice cream after dinner and walk around

2. Explore a new neighborhood

3. Explore something new in your city

4. Use this anywhere travel guide

5. Pitch a tent in your backyard 

6. Try a new restaurant 

7. Go on a drive

8. Rent a convertible for the day

9. Find a friend with a pool and jump in

10. Check into a hotel in your city

11. Find a fun AirBNB close by

12. Explore a state or national park

13. Find day trips from your city

14. Rent bikes downtown

15. Go to a tourist attraction in your area

16. Do some museum hopping

17. Get a photoshoot done - or do one yourself

18. Set up an outdoor movie theatre

---

What would you do to staycation? Let me know!

---

Love in the Time of Corona: What Our Marriage Looks Like This Season

Okay, y’all. It’s about to get real on the blog this week.

March 13, 2020 was the official start of self-isolation for us. Days turned into weeks which turned into months of living pretty much 24/7 within earshot of each other. Days/Weeks/Months of eating lunch with the same person every day. Days/Weeks/Months of not having very little outside interaction.

So how are we holding up? Has our marriage survived coronavirus?

That’s what you’re going to be finding out today. Below you’ll find a few questions posed to each of us (Amanda and Jonathan) during the time of self-isolation. Enjoy getting the inside scoop of how we’re staying a couple in love during the COVID crisis. Nothing too deep. Something fun and light is what we all need sometimes.

What is the hardest part about being home with your spouse all day?

A: It’s not that hard, honestly, and I’ve gotten used to it. We have our own space, thankfully. Maybe something difficult is when one of us is recording something like a video for work and the other unintentionally makes noise.

J: It’s easy to think it’s the weekend when both are home all day, which can give you the feeling that you can slack with work. Also being able to eat together and talk can make lunch break a little longer than usual. But that’s not necessarily bad. If you are both in the same room working, it’s easy to get distracted cause my wife is the most attractive woman in the world. (A: awwe, thanks!)

What do you enjoy most about being home with your spouse all day?

A: It’s nice to be able to eat meals together or run something by him real quick. I also love that we can exercise and go outside together! Also fun? Blanket forts and hanging out on the deck with our work.

J: Living on the same schedule. Getting up and going to bed at the same time, and eating together! Also having a fresh, home cooked meal is pretty amazing! I am a lucky guy!

You know the game about being stranded on an isolated island, but this time you’re stranded in your house. Is there anything or anyone else you’d like to be stranded with currently?

A: If we had a piano, that would be great.

J: I’d like to be stranded somewhere else! If I can work from anymore, which it shows that I pretty much can, then why not have my ‘home office’ in Hawaii, Bali, or New Zealand?

In your view, how has your marriage changed (if at all) as a result of self-isolation?

A: I don’t think it has really changed. Maybe it’s gotten better because we have more time together to talk things out and get things done together. Now is the perfect time to get house projects completed, and we’ve managed to do several with minimal difference of personality issues that we’re famous for, haha!

J: Every day impacts your marriage. So, yes, COVID-19 has definitely affected our marriage. I feel it has become stronger. We are fighting together against this crazy virus: Exercising, eating more healthy, wiping things down with Clorox etc. A common enemy unites lol. Also being able to spend 24/7 with each other is a privilege in a way! I would be struggling if I was alone to be honest.

Have you learned anything new about your spouse lately?

A: Hmm. That’s tough. I recently found out that his nostalgia (and boy is he nostalgic!) goes as far as downloading an app on his iPhone that acts like playing snake on a Nokia. Thought that was cute. He’s also...really…loud and doesn’t realize he’s quite loud. Or maybe I’m just extra sensitive? Who knows.

J: That introverts are dealing much better with lock downs than extroverts!

What is a piece of advice you have for a couple during corona time?

A: Even though you spend the whole day together, it’s still important to set time aside to be a couple. Having a weekly date night where you don’t discuss work or the to-do list but focus instead on growing as a couple is really important to keep your relationship strong. It’s easy to fall into the trap of “oh, well we see each other all day, so we don’t need to do anything fun together.” It’s also okay and very healthy to take breaks from each other!

J: Stay healthy and encourage each other, don’t waste this special time you have been given, but do uplifting activities together. Go hike, sync your routines and enjoy yourself (while following the guidelines of the state and health authorities)! “Normality” will eventually come back and you will want some great memories from when you lived through the wild year of 2020!

---

Are you at home with family? How has this season affected your relationships?

---