Everyone holding up OK? We are in isolation / lockdown day 348 over here… or at least that is how it feels, and I think I can speak for all of us when I say that the cabin fever is really starting to set in. I have left the house exactly once since 15 March. And now that I’ve actually written that, it’s just sinking in. One month. Phew. Who knew 2020 was going to be this bizarre and this brutal. I hope everyone is keeping well and safe, wherever you are in the world.
Things have been busier than usual here at House of Hawkes HQ, what with the new role of home-school mum on top of the existing workload, kids around all day – and hungry ones at that – life as we know it has really turned upside down. But as with anything in life, you quickly learn to adjust and go with the new flow. We’ve joined the lockdown baking squad, had pyjama days and some days that have even seen my bed unmade (gasp!). We enjoyed a very quiet Easter breakfast and the usual weekend lie-ins, which I now have a newfound appreciation for! I’ve relished the odd delivery of fresh flowers and am polishing my year 6 Math skills like a boss.
With all this in mind, this month’s Scene & Heard feature is a bit of an unusual one since we find ourselves in these bizarre circumstances. I asked the girls to share any cool tips and ideas that they’ve used in the past month – how they are coping, (particularly with home-schooling and the kids around all day) and if they’ve discovered any must-have / must-do things along the way. Naturally, we had to call it The Lockdown edition.
Household hero: I want to start with a little shout-out for our new Quooker tap that is working overtime in our home during this #stayhome period. As is the case with many revolutionary household appliances, I literally cannot imagine life without this tap, particularly now with us all in the house all day. If you missed this new addition to our home and are wondering what I’m talking about, you can have a look here, but it comes with a warning: you WILL want one.
A promotion to take advantage of: I saw this week that Nordic Homeworx , our local supplier of real wood floors is running a promotion that offers 35% off all their flooring in stock in Dubai – and I believe they have a good stash. My personal favourite is the Oak Dome flooring that we have in our office. I can often be found on the floor in there and it has everything to do with those natural wood feels.
Local is lekker: I just got a peek at the new, interactive website of Custom no.9. If you don’t know this brand, you need to check them out for amazing tables and home decor. You can purchase their ready-made options or customise your own combination of legs and tops for consoles, dining and coffee tables.
IKEA has a new collection of mirrors with a slim black frame that are too good not to share! It may sound extra, but trust me, you will love their stylish simplicity and their awesome price tag!
Virtual time in the bush: We have really been missing our family in South Africa during this time, particularly since they’re living the actual lockdown dream on a game farm with lots of fresh air space to roam. But the kids and I have been getting our daily bush fix with ‘live’ morning & afternoon game drives via @andbeyondtravel’s Instagram and WildEarth’s youtube channel.
CHARLY
Bold Colours: Homeschooling means no uniforms and other rebellion, so in came the blue hair. We used “Wella Color by You” to colour Arthur’s hair and he’s loving it. Me too to be honest!
Sharing talents over Zoom: My father, an artist affectionately know to his grandkids as ‘Tropa’, the “Opa from the Tropics” has given the boys multiple drawing lessons via Zoom and is even organizing one for all their friends here in Dubai!
Motivation: The boys decided they wanted to buy fitness trackers from their pocket money. After we did some online research they ended up choosing the StarWars branded ones from Garmin Vivofit Jr2. Parents can set goals and chores for the kids. If they reach them they get rewards that gives them moves in their apps for a proper StarWars adventure.
Active: The hubby and I have been trying to keep active, not only by waking within our gated community before the lock down, but also my doing HIIT sessions in our living room (yes, you may laugh, we still do so every time we start). Our favorite apps include Down Dog (currently offering free in use during this pandaemonium) and I’ve recently also started the Fiton app, which lets you choose so many different goals and methods.
What’s cooking: We’ve finally gotten our Hello Chef subscription and are loving it! Our boys are not the best eaters, but they are actually having to try all the recipes and discovering that there are more things in life to eat besides broccoli, pasta and sausages. Possibly the best part is that I get to do less grocery shopping in this lockdown and it only leaves 3 days a week for me to have to think of “what’s for dinner”. Winner!
MARLI
Being confined at home with an energetic toddler has been anything but a walk in the park and I think it is safe to say I won’t be taking up any new hobbies or becoming a fitness junkie during lockdown. But with that being said, getting acquainted with a decluttered, simple life, has had its perks and I’m sure to miss this unique time spent at home once “normal” life resumes.
While the internet is full of ideas on how to keep your little ones busy, most of of them guarantee turning your house into a wreck and to be honest, no one needs an extra mess to clean-up at the end of the day. So here’s a list of some of the things that have kept our sanity in tack.
Play area:Our first course of action was moving the dining table and designating this area for Mila to play. And I have had to make complete peace with the fact that her toys will be strewn all over the living room.
Bath but not bathtime: I fill Mila’s baby bath with water, add some bubble bath and throw in a few random objects, and that’s pretty much it. She loves playing with water and this keeps her occupied for a little while. An alternative to this is sink play. I fill the kitchen sink halfway with warm, soapy water and let her “wash” her plastic dishes and cups
Pasta play: This no fuss play idea is super fun and easy to clean. All you need is a variety of pasta and some play dishes.
Drawer ransack: Mila loves to empty a drawer and discover all the new wonders that lay within. The plastic container drawer is a firm favourite of hers.
Salt clay (play-dough) play: No explanation needed here. There are plenty of recipes online, I throw in some cookie cutters and I have myself 10 minutes to make a quick cup of tea.
Baking and Cooking: Mila has been snacking a whole lot more than usual and I can’t blame her as I haven’t been handling the lockdown in quite the controlled fashion I’d thought either. However, we have found some very tasty recipes over at Annabel Karmel, not only yummy for the littlies but to be enjoyed by the whole family.
In a nutshell that’s pretty much how we have managed so far.
The Kids Collection – I want to give a shout out to an online shop I recently stumbled across. They stock some lovely kids’ brands and I am especially fond of their hair accessories. I bought the most adorable hairclips from a brand called Bon Dep. Kath introduced me to the brand when she did some shopping for Mila on her visit to Sweden.
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