My family is celebrating during COVID-19

Because spring still springs.

Even when our new full time job is to stay at home, the clock never stops. Anniversaries, birthdays, Easter and more holidays and milestones keep coming.

Some couples focus their energy on where they would've gone had their anniversary not fallen during this pandemic. Others pout about not being able to go out and get crazy with friends on their birthday. I admit, I would be a bit disappointed too. Which is why it has been so amazing watching the internet flood with unique new methods people are finding and creating to celebrate.

The Markert family celebrated a wedding anniversary by dressing the part, dancing, and visiting with loved ones online.

My daughter, Audrey, is one of the "lucky" ones to have a birthday in this time. She turned DOUBLE DIGITS this week and was so looking forward to a sleepover with friends. Obviously that did not happen. I love to make sure the kids' birthdays are a big deal (that they feel extra special), so we didn't let the new limitations dampen her day.

Family members sent gifts in the mail, and since many arrived early, I thought why not let Audrey open one per day for the few days leading up to her birthday? That helped build up her excitement. She was also able to play BINGO with 6 friends via an online video chat.

Thankfully the weather worked in our favor as we played in the sunshine most of the day. And come 4pm, per my secret Facebook event invite, guests started driving past to wish her well and HONK! Lots of honking from those driving past (sorry neighbors). She was excited to see her friends and even had a surprise drive-by from some silly guy in a pizza costume (Gary of Joey Nova's)!

As is birthday etiquette, we had an XL Joey Nova's pizza for dinner. I picked it up curbside and could barely fit it through the car window! I was impressed by the smooth operation they had running to get customers their orders in a timely, friendly and safe way.

Okay, have you tried these? Mochi ice cream (my kids prefer ice cream to cake). It's one of those love-em-or-hate-em type foods. Delicious high quality ice cream inside, but the "shell" is a chewy Japanese rice confection. I don't mind it, but it is definitely not for everyone. *I picked them up at Kowalski's.

And, in stead of watching a movie from the vintage seats at the Dock Cinema with buttered popcorn in hand, we ended the day on the couch with a newly released movie on Amazon Prime Video.

Then, we decorated for Easter! Okay, well I decorated and while I was doing that the kids came up with their own, uhm, bathroom decor? In case you can't tell, the egg-shape sign says "Lay your eggs here".

We decided to go ahead with all the things we would've done to host our family for Easter, including an egg hunt for the kids, and our tradition of planting (burying) jelly beans on the eve of Easter. Magically the jelly beans grow into suckers by Easter morning (hopefully the expected snow won't be too deep to find them this year)!

And what better way to prep for the Easter season than to bring home some chicks and, well of course, have a photo shoot? For some reason they weren't super cooperative.

Let me introduce you to the flock.

       Spike                       Rainbow                      Fluffy

      Dragon                        Marilyn                     Dennis

They're soft, fuzzy, and super chirpy. Ooh, and a special thank you to the ladies at Spike's Feed, Seed & Pet Supply for the advice and the Easter Lilly! And thank you to the girls at Nothing Bundt Cakes Minnetonka for our special Easter Bundtinis (so, so delicious)!

No matter how you go about it, I hope you're able to celebrate and maybe even start a new tradition from home this year.

Now, what about Mother's Day?