Feel Good Friday

Hey y’all! We’re wrapping up our fourth week of quarantine over here at the Rice house. Some days are long & we feel like we're living a real life version of the Groundhog Day movie! But for the most part we're taking the time to step back & do our best to enjoy the unexpected slowness this season is bringing. We hope you’ve all been doing well & staying safe + healthy. We wanted to keep y’all caught up with how we’re doing & we want to hear how you are too!

what we've been up to...

Last Thursday was our grandma's birthday so us girls snuck over & chalked her driveway! That evening, our extended family all got together via zoom to celebrate her birthday & to catch up with one another. That was a moment that reminded me just how thankful I am for technology!

Saturday should've been Bethany's junior prom... because you never get this day back, we decided to still try to make it special. Avery & I did Bethany's hair & makeup & we did a pretty dang good job if I do say so myself. ;) She got all dressed up & we drove her around to surprise grandparents, friends, & of course, her boyfriend who is a senior. These moments that people are missing out on are truly bittersweet. A couple of Bethany's friends got ready for "prom" as well & a family friend offered to take their pictures (six feet apart of course) on some dirt roads. She did a wonderful job & we're all thankful that we have such great pictures to document such an interesting time in our lives. We ended the night by playing scattergories & eating brownies. It was a pretty fun prom day!

Over the weekend & almost every night this week, we've been working outside. We recruited a few other family friends, that have done some work for us before, to help us with some more projects. We moved to this house three summers ago & due to busy schedules + Chill (our snocone shack), we haven't been able to do as many outside projects as we would've liked. Since we have ample time on our hands, we decided that now is a good time! The original owners of this house put down a bunch of pavers to create a back patio area. They've held up pretty well, but my parents have always wished it was cement because it's a bit more functional. Additionally, towards the back of our property, the yard has some low spots & water tends to pool there whenever it rains, causing dead spots, so we are having some of the grass removed & starting a landscaping project there. We're also swapping out the rock on one side of our house as it doesn't match the rock that is in the front & opposite side of the house. Yes, we all have a bit of OCD. Along with all of these big projects, we're working on a garden & some more landscaping.

We've moved countless pavers & bricks & limestone rocks in order to clear out space for dirt & rocks to be brought in. Let's just say, after all of these evenings of work, we should look like a little family of body builders by now! The cement truck will be here today to pour the new patio. Can't wait to share more pics next week!

Tuesday should've been Avery's first high school track meet. We decided to put on a "fake track meet". Avery ran all of the events she would've participated in if it was a real meet. She got first in everything, by the way! ;) We're going to do this every day that she would've had a track meet. She's hoping to improve & have some new PR's this season!

One of the struggles of quarantine has been meals. We feel like we're eating the same things & we're kind of tired of it. Anyone else? To mix it up, one night we did our own version of a Trader Joe's sample platter. The foods didn't necessarily all go together, but it was still fun & something different!

We've been playing TONS of different games while in quarantine. One of the games we played this week was spoons. In case you haven't played or heard of this game before, I'll link the instructions & rules here.

We added our own twist to make it into more of a tournament. We played as many rounds as we needed to until only one person was left that didn't have all of the letters for SPOONS (you get a letter every time you lose a round). Avery requested it so it's even funnier that she lost!

One of our favorite meals was individual homemade pizzas! My mom found a delicious recipe for the dough that I'm linking here. We topped it off with pizza sauce, pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, mixed peppers, cheese & pizza seasoning. Here's a link for the little individual pans we use. We have gotten tons of use out of these pans over the years. My sisters use them when inviting teenage friends over after games. A homemade pizza & movie on the projector makes for a great night!

To keep a bit of normalcy in my life, I've been keeping my fingernails & toenails painted. This is something I usually maintain. It just helps me to feel more put together & more "me". I love this bright pink color on my nails! It's perfect for spring + summer! The shade is "896 Brightest Of Them All".

We've been keeping up with our rec center's walking challenge! It's been SO nice to get out of the house for some fresh air, warm sunshine & new scenery! Our weather has been a bit crazy lately -- some days it's super sunny & hot, & other days it feels a bit like winter because it's so windy & cold!

Avery on her hands & knees so Sophie can see out the window.....

We're bored. That's all I have to say about this.

friday favs...

I've seen a lot of different people share about these headbands that you use to keep your hair dry + out of your face when you're washing your face. Do any of you use these? Trying to consider if they're really as awesome as people say they are. I will admit, they're pretty dang cute!

My mom got these ponytails from Amazon a couple of months ago & us girls have been stealing them! They're wonderful! They stay in & don't move at all. I've heard mixed reviews on if they prevent hair breakage or not, but regardless, I love that they don't fall out!

My favorite facial toner of all time!!! We've been spending so much time outside lately & this facial toner has come in very handy. Just put a little bit on a cotton ball, rub it across your face & watch as it works its magic. It removes dirt & sweat particles that are still left on your face, even after you think it's clean. My face feels SO soft & smooth after I use it! I personally love the rose petal smell, but my mom prefers cucumber.

My family is full of popcorn lovers. My dad makes THE BEST homemade popcorn & his machine recently broke. He bought this new one & loves it! We've been getting a lot of use out of it lately. ;)

My sister ordered this sports bra from Old Navy & after feeling how soft & smooth it is, Bethany & I each ordered one for ourselves! I love all of the different color options that they have. They're still offering 30% off so now's a great time to buy if you're in the market for a new sports bra!

So how are YOU doing? Are you in quarantine as well? How are you spending your time? Drop your thoughts & comments below, or feel free to message us on Facebook or Instagram! We’d love to hear how you’re doing & what you’re all up to. We hope you have a great, safe + healthy weekend celebrating our risen Lord!

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