Please stop asking me what day it is

My soon-to-be 4 year old has a habit of always asking me what day it is, then following that with "and do you know where we are going?"

Needless to say, he's stopped asking me the follow up question because the answer is always NOWHERE.

We're rolling with it, because really, what choice do any of us have?

They've been excavating dinosaur eggs.

There have been picture search books.

There has been basement shenanigans.

The few decent weather days have been filled with ATV rides.

And meals have been, well, frozen boxed food with whatever sides I can scrounge together (in this case loaded potato sticks, frozen broccoli, and homemade cherry Greek yogurt).

My usual go-to Wal Mart grocery pickup has been completely booked up, as has Amazon delivery. I'll admit that I don't even want to bother with Instacart or Shipt because I'm not willing to pay a membership fee...yet, at least.

I did a solo trip to Aldi this morning since of course there was no church to attend. I know it's not just me when I say I haven't been in much of a mood to cook at all, much less try new recipes. Caring for the kids is all I've been able to manage.

Is it the funk of being in the midst of the pandemic? The fickle rainy spring weather? Or being 37 weeks along now? All of the above.

For those of you who DO have good energy and are feeling ambitious (kudos to you!), here are some great cooped-up-at-home recipes to consider trying. I'm not saying they're high nutrient, but I am ALL FOR everything in moderation. These are also fun for kids to help out with!

Homemade cinnamon rolls I make these a few times a year, mainly for special occasions. The kids love rolling them out and sprinkling on the cinnamon and sugar. These also freeze really well. You do NOT need a bread machine to make these- just combine all the dough ingredients in a large bowl and mix until a sticky dough ball forms. Place in a large greased/oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise for at least an hour. Continue on with recipe steps.

Homemade pizzas I do love me some Ree Drummond, and hers is my go-to pizza crust recipe. I have been known to swap out white whole wheat flour and these still turn out great. We'll do homemade pizza night at least once a month and let the kids choose their toppings.

Roasted chicken If you've never tried making your own roasted chicken, you neeeeeed to. I think a major barrier to doing it is that it takes time, but that's nothing we are short on nowadays. I love Ina's simple recipe- it's not complicated and it tastes amazing. If you're feeling extra ambitious, boil the carcass in a large pot of water when you're done to make your own homemade broth.

Classic Bolognese There's nothing wrong with popping open a jar of Prego to go with your pasta, but man alive, a good Bolognese is next level. Some of the ingredients seem fancy (ahem, looking at you, pancetta), but make do with what your grocery store has. In a pinch you can sub finely diced bacon.

Pretzel dogs Yes, so this is a treat type of food- nothing we eat on a weekly basis, but man these are fun to make. You get the adventure of yeast again with the pretzel dough, but then also the satisfying plunge into the baking soda bath, followed by making them golden delicious with a trip to the oven. These are pretty freezer-friendly as well.

Here's to another week of keepin' on. May Amazon Prime and Target drive-up be ever in your favor.