Everything That's Making Our Days Brighter Right Now

Here at camp we’re abiding by the CDC’s recommendation to practice social distancing, but we’re determined to use that time to catch up on all the movies and podcasts and books that have been on our TBR list! Maybe you are too?

We’ve compiled many of the things that we’re reading, watching, cooking, clicking on, and listening to right now, so scroll on and click through for lots of ideas for how to spend your time right now. We want to hear from you too - what is making your days just a bit brighter right now? Mission make the internet a happier place, commence!

Reading…

• Taking the opportunity to re-read some of our favorite series like The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia.
• Hanging on to every word of the liturgies in Head Staff favorite Every Moment Holy.
• Paging through the new children’s books from Ellie Holcomb and Melanie Shankle - check out her new book for adults too!
• Whatever we can get from the library with the Libby app! The library buildings may be closed, but you can get free ebooks and audiobooks galore - it’s a game changer. You can look at magazines too!
• Particularly loving Jennie Allen’s new book about not letting untrue thoughts rule your mind - perfect for this time in history.
• Erin Moon’s timely Lent Guide through Ecclesiastes. Don’t miss her weekly newsletter either, or her Quarantine Kit - someone else who loves penpals as much as we do!

Cooking…

• Killer pantry recipes like this Brothy Pasta with Chickpeas and Bri McKoy’s Italian Sausage Pasta with Mushrooms and Peas. P.S. If you aren’t following her on Instagram yet, stop what you’re doing and go there now - she is a breath of fresh air!
• Getting the kids involved in the kitchen with this cookbook - the tomato soup is a must-try!
• Taking advantage of the extra time we have to make homemade popcorn and trying different kinds of seasonings.
• Using Supercook to get creative with what we have in the pantry. No idea what to cook? Just put in your ingredients, and it finds a recipe for you!
• For when those sweet cravings hit, we recommend trying out homemade oatmeal cream pies, sweet potato muffins, or the easiest chocolate chip cookies that will be in your mouth in less than 20 minutes!

Watching…

• The Peanut Butter Falcon for a reminder that there are good people out there!
• Making It is basically the crafting version of The Great British Baking Show (also a favorite) and it is the perfect feel good watch for the whole family.
• Re-watching all time favorite movies like the classic Pride and Prejudice, Remember the Titans, and The Parent Trap.
• Ellen’s Game of Games is perfect for when you’re missing camp EP’s!

Clicking on…

• Live Wildlife cameras from Explore.org to de-stress with some animals. We love watching the otters at the Georgia Aquarium! If you want to get really sucked in, do a deep dive on this shark tracker.
• Free mediations from Calm and Headspace to help us breathe a little easier. Also loving the New York Times’ Calm Place.
• Checking out all the cool virtual tours available to take from your couch. Who wants to go to the Great Wall with us?!
• Doing our best to stay active with all the free online fitness classes that are being offered right now. Check out Obe, the Pelaton app, or one of our favorites, Yoga with Adriene.
• Setting reminders for all the free online concerts happening right now - keep an eye on your favorite musicians to see what they might be up to!
• Looking at pretty things on Apartment Therapy and Pinterest - it was made for times like these.

Listening to…

• Is He Worthy by Andrew Peterson about 100 times a day.
• Our friend Ellie Holcomb’s new children’s album that is perfect for ALL ages. Don’t miss the nightly covers she is doing along with Drew on their Instagram! Almost as good as being back on the Pageant Court on a Sunday night!
• All the podcasts! We’re particularly loving John Piper’s Solid Joys, Annie F. Downs’ daily quarantine updates, The Popcast for a good laugh, and The Lazy Genius to make things just a little simpler during these crazy times (plus Kendra’s voice is just super soothing!).
• New albums from The Brook and the Bluff, Jess Ray, and this sweet song from Lauren Alaina.
• Free audiobooks from the library with the Libby app!

So now it’s your turn! You tell us - what are we missing? What do we need to be enjoying during this crazy time?