Don't turn Memorial Day into a, well, memorial

Like most people, we have a Memorial Day tradition. A group of friends, along with our family of three, rent a big house somewhere either by water, on a mountain, or in a town we've never explored. We grill, drink and occasionally check in on our combined child army, to make sure everyone's still breathing. 

For obvious reasons, we won't be gathering this year. But I'm determined not to make this Memorial Day feel like a memorial to the holidays of yore. We have to make the most of what we have, because what's the alternative?

Instagram would indicate that a lot of us are spending more time doing two things: baking, and gardening. If the latter is true, you've likely spent more time sprucing up the yard. What a perfect backdrop for Memorial Day. Though you might have ramped up your drinking just a bit to deal with the kids (or the spouse, no judgement), it is true that there may never be a era in our lives where we get to spend so much time with our families.

Our best option is to eat well, drink well, and enjoy the sunshine in your yard. The mosquitoes aren't at their most vicious, humidity has yet to paralyze us and oh the food. Below are a few tips to make the most of your back yard hullabaloo.

• Keep the bugs off your prized grilled ribeye, with these mesh food covers. 
• Drinking games aren't just for big crowds. Less people? More tequila for you! Ladles and Linens has just the thing.
• Does your child also use their clothing as a napkin, though there's one right in front of them? Yea. Feel free to slather the corn cobs in butter, with these tidy cob holders. 
• On Memorial Day, remembering our fallen military is important. And it's as American as apple pie. So why not bake some?
• And don't even think of ditching the whipped cream!

Have a happy Memorial Day.