This is a collaborative post. All opinions are my own.

With so many people working from home now (and kids simultaneously home from school) it can be difficult to keep up professional appearances. Even if you've scheduled set working hours, established a morning routine, and have an organized home office, it can still be a challenge to stay sharp and productive. Personally, I work part-time from home, and I love the flexibility to spend time with my kids, take care of things like laundry, and go for a walk in the middle of the day. But I know it can be a struggle for a lot of people. Whether working remotely is a temporary situation or you're getting set up as a freelancer/home business, I rounded up some tips to make your WFH life look more professional...even if you're actually working from your front porch with a baby next to you, watching your kids draw with sidewalk chalk. ;)

Don’t hold meetings in the living room

Most of the time it's fine to work from wherever you're comfortable. But when you're holding a remote meeting over video conference, you should try to have the background look professional. Toys and dirty dishes in the background don't exactly give off a professional impression. Set up a space somewhere in the house with a blank background, where you can close the door off to noises like kids playing and the washing machine running. If working remotely is a more permanent situation for you, consider renting a co-working space that lends you a more professional looking environment. Eventually, for face to face meetings, come to them. Find a cafe near them or visit them at their office. This has the added benefit of looking like you’re willing to go the extra mile for your client (because you literally have.)

Invest in decent branding

If you're a home-based business, one of the best ways to make yourself look more established and professional is to invest in a high-quality website and professional branding and advertising services. You don’t need a huge budget, you just need to create some branding that doesn't look homespun. 

Have separate contact info for your business

Right now, almost everyone is working from home. But soon enough, most people will start going back to the office. If you're a freelancer or a small business owner who will still be working from home, you might want to consider a virtual office. This can create some separation (and protection) between your personal life and work life. Virtual offices give you a professional-looking address and phone number to get in contact with, meaning that you don’t have to share your private contact details with business partners.

Be active on your social media channels

Think of the "faces" that your business has. The website is one of them, and so is the phone line that people use to call you. Another "face" that is extremely important in today's day and age is social media. This can be how a lot of clients and customers find you and interact with your business. A dead social media channel with few posts is not going to give off the impression of an active, thriving business. If you don’t have the time or energy to keep producing posts and sharing content on every possible social media channel, it's better to choose 1-2 channels that you can commit to being active on, and close down the rest. It can also be super helpful to use social media management software that allows you to schedule posts, so you can get it all done when it’s most convenient.

Be consistent with your presentation

There’s one aspect of communicating with a particularly small business that can make it exceedingly clear just how small they are. That’s when don’t have a unified and consistent approach to how they communicate. If you want to give off the impression that you are a professional outfit, then set standards for how you communicate and stick to them. For instance, you can use document templates to make sure that any correspondence you send out is formatted in the right way, using the right fonts, images, and any other elements that represent your business. Similarly, you can work from email templates, changing the content to make it fit the recipient, but keeping the general language and tone as close as possible.

As you grow and your clients get to know you and see what you can do, the initial impression of your business might not matter as much for existing clients. However, it's always a good idea to be aware of how your outward branding and presentation affect people who might not yet be decided.

Well, April 2020 was one for the books. Actually, it felt more like a Hollywood movie script, didn't it? Seeing the whole world shut down in a matter of weeks was eerie and bizarre...like is this real life?!? I'm a stay at home with kids that aren't in school yet, so quarantine isn't that different from my regular routine...and still, it was such a strange month. Fortunately/unfortunately, Ben's company is essential so he still went to work, same as usual, and it was just me and the kids at home. There were times when it felt totally normal. But other times, it would hit me and feel like anything but normal.

We have a calendar in the breakfast nook with photos from every month last year, and the kids kept asking if we could do things that we did in April 2019. The gondola? The carousel? The park? It was sad to keep telling them no, that's still closed. And of course the hardest part was when they asked to see people. I hate saying no to that. We've missed seeing our friends and extended family (as I'm sure you have too). On the positive side, I feel like my kids have grown even closer. They've played really well together during this time. Sometimes their age gap is exhausting, but during this quarantine I have been super thankful for how close they are. I mean, don't get me wrong, Ian and Emmett have fights every day, but they also have blissfully long stretches where they entertain each other and have the best time. I know either of them would have been way more bored/whiny/needy without the other. Best friends!!

Ian is almost four; he's my big helper and always wants to do things himself (crack an egg, take out the garbage, pour his own milk, pick his own clothes). I'm trying to encourage it even though it often takes longer and creates more mess. I love seeing his pride and sense of accomplishment when he does something new. Another thing I love seeing? How gentle and sweet he is with Audrey. He asks to hold her all the time and I often find him laying down next to her and telling her "I love you baby Audrey!" Whenever she cries, he is quick to get my attention and demand, "Feed her!!! Feed my baby!" And he's in a stage where I get that hilarious one-eye-closed, nose crinkled face whenever I ask him to smile.

Emmett turned two during this quarantine (I shared some pics from his birthday here). He is growing and developing so fast! He has many, many songs memorized and I LOVE when I overhear him singing so sweetly to himself. He can count to thirteen, knows all his colors, and is speaking in full sentences with an impressive vocabulary (it's so cute to hear him saying big words in his adorable two year old voice). One of my favorite things he's been doing lately is speaking words of encouragement and praise for the most random things! Like watching the garbage truck pick up garbage and saying "Good job garbage man! You did it garbage man!!" It cracks me up, and makes me want to give him a big hug. He is such a sweetie.

Audrey is four months old today, and such a joy!! I got really lucky, she is an EASY baby. She's either sleeping or contentedly kicking around on the floor 90% of the time. She loves to watch her brothers and wants to feel like she's part of the action. Her giggle is the sweetest sound. This month she started rolling (both ways!) and is doing it pretty consistently now. Still not sleeping through the night, but she usually only wakes one time so I can't complain. She has grown so much during quarantine, I feel kind of sad that our family has missed out on all the changes!

One of the best things about this quarantine is that, without any outside plans, I have been forced to really focus on my kids and plan my own activities for them. I realized that normally, I would let playdates with friends or going to Costco or having my mom come over be the activity for the day. With a slower (nonexistent) schedule and no one else to rely on, I have had to figure out ways to entertain the kids myself. And it's been fun! I mean, I definitely miss getting together with my friends, and I miss my mom coming over to play with the kids and give me a break...but I have also enjoyed doing things with the kids that I probably wouldn't have done if we had other activities filling up our time. Lots of of baking, sidewalk chalk, riding bikes, and walking/driving to various construction sites so the kids can watch construction trucks (their current obsession).

We've also done a lot of drawing and little craft projects with supplies we already had around the house. We painted that rainbow for our window, made cat masks, cut out a bunch of trucks from paper (the boy version of paper dolls) and we painted rocks (inspired by a walk we went on, where other kids had lined the trail with colorful rocks).

It's like the saying on that letterboard behind Emmett..attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure. I have really tried to make this an adventure for the sake of our kids. I actually feel pretty thankful for that because, without the kids, I probably would have let my mind spiral trying to predict the future, reading way too many news articles, and binge-watching too many shows (although I admit I have done some of that still...anyone else watching Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist? It's cute and light-hearted).

As the weather has gotten warmer, we've also done a few hikes and small nature walks to see the wildflowers and blooming trees (such mood lifters). Driving has also been my way to get out of the house and enjoy some different scenery in a "socially distanced" way. Nap drives are the only way I can get all three kids to sleep at the same time, so they have been my go-to this month (with drive thru coffee for the win)!

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen that one of the most "exciting" things to happen this month was when a big tree fell over in our backyard. It was really windy, we heard a crack, and we looked outside to see the tree topple over...right where the kids had been playing just minutes before. Very, very scary and freaky. Thankfully the kids had just come back inside so no one was hurt, and nothing was damaged, but it could've been soo much worse. Thank you, Lord!!!!

Here are a few more photos from our April in quarantine.

How are you all?? Let's hope these April showers bring some May flowers!!! I think we could all use a big metaphorical bouquet (I'll take a real bouquet too).

This post is written in partnership with Tranquility Bedding. All opinions are my own.

It's been a crazy few months for the whole world. COVID-19 has totally upended life as we know it, and there's a lot of uncertainty about where we go from here. I have personally felt a lot of anxiety about the future, and I don't think I'm the only one staying up way too late, frantically reading news articles and entertaining the scary what if's. But stressing about our health is (ironically) terrible for our health, so I rounded up ten practical ways to reduce anxiety. These tips are all simple, inexpensive, and totally applicable under the current stay-at-home directives. I'd love to hear your tips as well. How do you deal with stress and reduce anxiety during uncertain times?

1. Write it down:

This is something I have done since I was a ten-year-old with a diary. Whether it's writing a blog post, journaling for myself, or just jotting down ideas or things I need to do, writing helps me to focus my thoughts. It also helps me to let go of whatever's making me anxious. I know that if it's written down, I don't need to keep running through that to-do list in my head! I keep a notepad on my nightstand for this reason. So many times, once I write something down, I feel free to finally fall asleep.

2. Talk to someone:

Talking to someone else is also a great way to work through your thoughts. When you keep your worries secret, you give them power. Discussing them with someone you trust can be a huge relief. Simply sharing the burden can be enough to release you from the grip of those stressors. The person you open up to may also be able to offer practical help or solid advice. And honestly, sometimes just commiserating with someone else and knowing you're not alone in your worries can make you feel better. We may not be able to get together in person right now, but we can Zoom, FaceTime, or get on a good old-fashioned phone call. Whether it's your friends, your family, or a trained professional, reach out to whoever makes you feel better.

3. Exercise:

4. Try a weighted blanket: 

Speaking of sleep...if you're having a hard time relaxing at night, I have found that a weighted blanket really helps me to calm down, fall asleep more quickly, and wake up feeling more rested. And it's not just beneficial at bedtime. I love my weighted blanket even when I'm just hanging out, resting on the couch (it's shown to reduce stress and anxiety). Mine is from Tranquility...they make high-quality, affordable weighted blankets that are sold online at Walmart and Target. I even saw that Walmart has them available through grocery pickups and deliveries, so you could add one to your next order (all while observing your state's stay-at-home guidelines).

5. Watch something funny:

Instead of watching the news, try watching something light-hearted that makes you laugh and forget about the heavy stuff for a while. Even better, watch a funny show while snuggled under that weighted blanket. Laughing is a healthy, positive way to improve your mood, release tension, and relieve stress.

6. Take a shower/bath:

During this time when we're not getting out of the house and seeing people, it can be tempting to skip our normal morning routine and stay in PJs all day. But while it's nice to be comfortable, skipping the shower isn't necessarily good for our mental state. When I'm feeling anxious and irritable, a hot shower can often be exactly what I need to reset my attitude and literally wash my worries away. I also love a relaxing bath...even better if it involves candles or epsom salts with relaxing scents like lavender.

7. Hug the members of your household:

We're supposed to stay six feet away from others right now...but we can hug the members of our own household! Positive physical touch is important for humans all the time--but especially when we're feeling anxious. Hugs can be a big stress relief and comfort for our kids, and it works both ways. I can personally attest to the mood-lifting powers of snuggling my babies! So, while we can't hug anyone else, make sure to hug your own family extra tight.

8. Get off technology and do something physical:

In today's world, we are on our screens so much. Even more so during this time of social distancing, when we're using technology to stay in touch with each other, work from home, and do online school. And while I'm grateful that technology enables us to do all those things, sometimes we just need to get offline and do something physical.There's something therapeutic about working with your hands, whether it's a productive activity like cleaning, painting, baking, or gardening...or just something for fun, like playing a board game, doing a puzzle, or creating an art piece.

9. Take a break from the news:

If you're feeling stressed about the current situation, you might benefit from taking a break from the news. I found myself compulsively refreshing the news on my phone, checking the latest statistics...which was only adding to my anxiety (my cuticles are proof of that). So last weekend I decided not to check the news at all, and it was so freeing. At the very least, try not to read or watch the news for an hour before bedtime so you can give your mind a chance to unwind and process.

10. Get outside:

This last tip is my favorite. The weather here in Spokane has been beautiful the last few days (sunny and in the high 60s!) so we have been getting out in our yard and going for neighborhood walks every day. Seeing the blossoming trees, budding flowers, and other signs of spring give me hope and encouragement that better days are ahead. If possible, get outside. Even if that just means stepping out on your deck or opening a window to get some fresh air and feel the sunshine on your face.

This post is written in partnership with Jaxpety. All opinions are my own.

Ok I realize I said in my budget breakdown post that we were calling our kitchen done, but I forgot about one last little detail that we still needed to make our kitchen more finished (and more functional): stools for the island! I held off on this purchase because I wasn't sure what to get, plus we'd already spent so much money on all the "necessities" for the kitchen. I thought maybe we could get away without stools. After all, the dining room is right there so I reasoned nobody would actually sit down to eat at the island. But the kids were constantly pushing the dining chairs over and standing on them, so they could be part of the action while we chopped veggies or kneaded dough (as evidenced here). Plus I felt like the kitchen still looked somewhat unfinished without stools at the island. I didn't want to spend a lot since we still may sell this house in the near future, but I figured who knows how long that'll be, and stools can be moved. Plus, the counter stools I ended up finding were only $51 apiece! Perfect.

Besides the great price, I love that they are adjustable so they work for all our various heights (kids and adults alike)...and they swivel!

Also, I was wrong about no one sitting at the island. The kids have really enjoyed eating breakfast here as well as hanging out while I prep dinner.

As far as style goes, I was actually originally thinking of getting stools with a back (they're more comfortable), but when I mocked it up I felt like the backs were competing visually with those dining chairs. We don't need the stools to be super comfortable since we're not eating long meals there...so they're really just a spot to perch. In the end, I think the simplicity of these bar stools is perfect. The black legs tie in with the black dining chairs too!

A small detail, but one that was definitely worth it. NOW (I think) our kitchen is done.