GOOD THINGS THIS WEEK: Kamala = More Maya, my book from The Bookshelf Shelf Subscription this month is amazing (it’s Hamnet), and I picked some really just absolutely perfect figs off our fig tree yesterday.
Thought we’d do some treasures and then maybe answer a few questions, shall we?
🪑 I listened to Leslie Odom, Jr. on Armchair Expert and LOVED IT. You know when you see someone play a role you love and then you expect them to just kind of be a different version of that person in real life? Well, friends. There’s a reason LOJ won that Tony and it’s because he’s a dang fine actor. I was so impressed with his story about how we negotiated his Hamilton/Disney+ contract the DAY BEFORE FILMING. It’s a long listen, but great.
💃 Something about this excellent movie dancing compilation set to “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” is just uplifting as heck. And made me really want to watch Singin’ in the Rain.
💒I think I mentioned that the podcast I am on with Knox McCoy and Jamie Golden, The Bible Binge, is now weekly, and our first two episodes are up. This season is all about the disciples, and you can listen to us discuss the Apostle Peter, as well as the first episode of our new current events show, Favored or Forsaken, where this week we discussed if Jesus was white (newflash: He was not) and Rachel Hollis. We also have a lovely little Patreon community, where one of my pieces of content this week was a Bible Scholar Question That Needs An Answer: What’s Up with Ladies in the Bible?
☹️ It’s unfair to me that Kelly Bandas can be funny on Twitter AND Instagram. You have to pick one, Kelly!
Okay how about a few questions, shall we? I’m going to keep it light and rapid fire this week because…well, I want to. I’m just not in a place of thoughtfulness so if you asked a question requiring thoughtfulness, we’ll try again next week.
🛌 Q: Who would be at your dream slumber party? Anybody, living or dead. - @elizabethhomme A: May I be frank and say I do not like slumber parties? I liked spending the night with a few of my friends, but big birthday slumber parties are not my jam. I don’t like sleeping bags. I do not like pranks. I do not want to stay up late, unless it’s with a few of my ride-or-dies and we’re doing a movie marathon, no horror. I don’t want to play Bloody Mary, I don’t want to freeze anyone’s bra. I want to sit under my own vine and fig tree. I know that wasn’t your question, but I really felt the need to make sure you understand I would rather just stay late at someone’s house, then have my mom come and pick me up so I can sleep in my own bed without the fear that the one girl who had an older sister would stick my hand in a bowl of warm water while I sleep. I think I would choose Olive Oatman, Katherine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine (she has to play the role), Vanessa Nadal, Chris Jackson as George Washington, and Serena Williams. But we would just hang out, watch movies, and eat pizza. Then everyone’s mom has to come pick them up.
👶 Q: What were your postpartum experiences like? STRUGGLING over here. - anonymous A: Look, my mom walked into my child’s nursery when I was probably one week postpartum and I was shirtless and wailing. The baby was on the rug where I had placed her with great care as I went full sackcloth and ashes. She knelt down the floor with me and asked what was wrong and I blubbered to her that I couldn’t let the baby sleep in her room alone because wolves would definitely come through the window and take her away and raise her as their own. I legitimately thought this. I knew it to be true above all else. Here’s what’s hard about having a baby in any time: you have never had this baby before. You are also having a baby you’ve never had before in the midst of a global pandemic. SO THIS IS HARD. Really hard. I would pop Percocets and watched Arrested Development and cry about how I could not bond with my child because I HAD to watch Michael Bluth and his shenanigans. So while I was ridiculous and sad and frustrated and lonely, I probably didn’t have full-on PPD. Everyone struggles. It’s absolutely normal, but it’s also 4000% okay to go see someone or talk to someone. Sometimes when we are in the bad place, we don’t really know HOW bad we are. And it’s tricky because…again, you’ve never had this baby before. Also pandemic. There’s nothing to compare it to. When you talk to someone who knows what’s up, they can help you gauge. Maybe you need someone to ask the right questions or maybe you need our good friend Lexapro. A third party is always helpful, especially one with a degree in counselling. I love all you new mommas so much. So much grace for you all.
🤓 Q: VERY best Lazy Genius life hack that has optimized your life? - @britfrey A: Decide once. I made a really big decision last week that felt stupid sometimes, and then felt like the right thing to do. I KNEW it was the right thing to do, but I kept second-guessing myself. BUT Kendra taught me to decide once, and while I rarely trust my gut, I always know if I decide once and move on, I don’t have to. I LOVE decisions when they’ve been made. Also, as a side note, my Lazy Genius routine that Kendra helped me with (we talk about it here) is going great. And even since then, I’ve decided to wake up early and go walking sometimes, but the principle remains. I don’t have to worry about whether or not they are taken care of because there’s nothing my children love more than a screen to sit in front of. They are perfectly content and I can do what I want, whether that’s go walking before the temperature reaches skin-melting points or lay in bed and scroll Twitter. LAZY. GENIUS.
🍗 Q: What is your dream company to have approach you for sponcon? - @lemonadeh A: Bagel Bites or a wings restaurant.
⏰ Q: How far in a book should I force myself to read before quitting? My type 3 hates DNF. - @greycycler A: I think when you start to think to yourself: this has stopped being enjoyable or educational. And just reframe it from not finishing to being more economical and productive with your time. BOOM. HACKED.
🥱 Q: Are you tired? - @greatscott A: Very.
Alright, you crazy diamonds. I cannot wait to see what you’ve been up to this week. May your school reopening plan be thorough, may your cases be declining, and may all your Kamalas be Mayas. Happy Weekend.
Hi! If you like the Swipe Up, will you share the Swipe Up? I sometimes slide into your DMs with a treat, but mainly you get my undying gratitude. Thank you, it means a lot to me when you share with your people. ❤️
I thoroughly enjoyed the Armchair Expert episode with Leslie Odom Jr, however I must say I was unprepared for the snake/butthole conversation in the fact checking section. 😳As someone who is as afraid of snakes as Monica, I will now have nightmares for days.
Now I need to work out how to get my husband to bed and out of the way early enough to watch Flashdance, Singing in the Rain, Clueless, and then re-watch Hamilton... I think that's the right order...Had to have a second MRI in a month this morning, and that dance compilation was *exactly* the medicine I needed to rewind. Thanks for your work as ever Erin
The Lion in Winter mention sent me on two quests last night - to figure how to stream that great film & on some late night baking making my favorite brownies - which are apparently from The Katherine Hepburn. Yes, they are from scratch but super easy and legit the best brownies that have ever graced my mouth. Is it worth it when box mix is so delightful? 1000%. (And this is coming from a girl who did a whole 4H project back in the day arguing why boxed mix made superior brownies). Also there is just that added classy factor because you are making what the great Katherine Hepburn made herself. My winning combo is no nuts but stirring in dark chocolate chips & milk chocolate chips but I don’t really think you can go wrong here. They are the treasure your weekend needs!
📚I’ve been in my classroom this week attempting to set up everything up. It's just plain hard no other words to say for it than that. Heavy Ts and Ps to any other teachers having to do this and parents having to make this choice. Setting up desks six feet away from each other instead of in groups and forgoing my big semi circle table where we gather and laugh and learn makes me grieve a little bit (a lot) for my students. The laughter and family formed around that table is pure magic and we won’t get that same form of magic this year. But there have also been moments of joy and praise dances while doing so (thank you, Maverick City Music). My little classroom is my second home and being able to be back in it and focus on creating a safe and loving community for my little learners is giving me joy in spite of all the unknowns.
⭐️ Hamilton brunch last week was a pure delight. I spent the first several minutes of it just watching my three year old niece be fully enraptured with the singing and dancing - same, girl, same.
📺 I’ve been rewatching Community this week. And it’s just so dang good. Highly recommend.
👟 I know I mentioned last week how exercise is keeping me sane. Well, I took the plunge and ordered new running shoes. They came in this week and have made running so much more enjoyable.
I can only imagine all the feelings that the start of school is bringing for teachers. My heart is so sad for you all. Enjoy the new running shoes! I get giddy everytime I get new ones, it really does make a difference!
So I’ve subscribed forever and look forward to my email every week, but never have actually clicked through to here. I’m in that weird ‘old millennial’ category where I don’t realize there are things like this. I tried Tik Tok at the very beginning of quarantine, watched myself and promptly deleted it. 😂 But hi everyone!
I have two boys, one in 3rd and one entering kindergarten which makes me sad for him. Husband is a counselor and non profit director, I work in local government doing economic development. We’ve been working from home since March just left our kids with their grandparents for 4 days, and it was amazing and weird and all we did was work, order out, drink wine and watch Netflix. 😂 Also, to whoever posted the comment about watching WWII era things - right there with you. I’ve been reading so much historical fiction set in WWII England and France. It’s strangely cathartic like ‘oh. At least there aren’t bombers flying over my house right now.’
You and my 2.5-year-old would be besties. Her YouTube requests alternate between “watch singin in da rain!” and “watch doompa doompa!” (Oompa loompa). I took her outside in the rain with her umbrella and rain boots the other day and I thought she was going to explode with joy.
Y'all I had some really fantastic thing to share with you... and then I forgot it when I got the email this morning, BUT I just remembered - lucky you! ;)
(Backstory: I have been employed at a hotel for the past 10 years. Enter COVID and a 4 month furlough. I've been back 3 days a week since last month. It's not the best financial situation, but enough to get by as a single lady sharing a house with 2 other girls and sharing costs.)
TREASURE: I got my hair cut and colored for the first time since February. For a thick-hair girl with red bayalage, this is a MAJOR deal! My boss is on vacation next week, so they've asked me to work 5 days (the extra 2 days helps to cover most of the cost of my salon visit)!! Praises for not being a complete financial failure for the sake of good hair!
If you are the praying type, I'm actually working on an application for a new job that would be an automatic pay increase, consistent hours, time off for all of the holidays (being in hospitality you get 6 holiday paid days off), and way better benefits/insurance. My best friend currently has the role within the organization in a different department and everything she has told me about her day-to-day makes me think I am completely capable of doing the thing (legal secretary). However, I haven't ever done a career pivot or really completed a non-hospitality related application before. And have only ever done a handful of interviews. I am 100% psyching myself out before I even push submit. So I guess that's kind of a turdy treasure??
Amen to the greatness that is that dance compilation! That is something we didn't know we needed right now and I will be sharing with my IG friends bc let's not hide that joy.
Good morning...there's four minutes left of the "morning" so I'm still going to say good morning.
*Erin, the dance compilation was everything I needed this morning. Who doesn't love a supercut that includes The Cutting Edge and Troop Beverly Hills!
Treasures: The church I've been interning at for 9 months is starting to feel like home. As I looked out from my make shift sound booth at the biggest group of masked congregants that we've had since we started doing in person service, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and normalcy and goodness. I felt right, normal and good with my church. It's the hardest thing I've done this year to leave my comfy cozy home church to learn and grow at a new church. The moment I had on Sunday was holy and needed.
* I discovered Stephen Colbert's Just One Question and someone asks Hillary Clinton where her keys and another asks her how to fix a toilet...it's comedy gold and not too terribly political
* My sister in law had the whole house to herself last week and texted me questions about Dawson's Creek at 10pm at night. I love the thought of my very together, very smart sister in law having the house to herself with no teenagers or my brother to dictate the TV choices and she chose our beloved Dawson's Creek.
Turds
*I've been diagnosed with uterine fibroids back in October and have been on the journey of curbing their growth with birth control which stops my periods (which has been amazing). But about a month ago, I started spotting and finally got into the doctor yesterday. She recommended going on an IUD instead of pills which is frankly very attractive to not have to remember to take a pill, to have a targeted medicine instead of a pill that is process by my whole system. However, I'm waiting to hear if my insurance will cover it and just the adulting of this whole situation is dumb.
* I've had several very good but emotionally draining conversations in the last week which has left me with what this community so accurately describes as a vulnerability hangover. I postponed a coaching sessions this morning on those grounds which I'm proud of myself for asking for what I need from my coach. Combined with grad school beginning on Monday, I feel...well I feel tired in more ways than one.
It does suck but I have to keep remembering that it is very manageable and my gynecologist is lovely, I was able to ask her all the questions and share my real feelings about potentially taking them out very far down the road which would also mean taking out my uterus. She was great and understanding and funny. But yes, adult stuff sucks especially female adult stuff.
I'm attempting to seek out new communities at the moment since my husband and I chose to leave our local church recently. It was a long-time coming, but I don't think either of us expected to reach our breaking points at a time when the risk of isolation is this high. We're both introverted and extremely fortunate to not have been more dramatically impacted by the lock down, but definitely recognize that it's risky to make a shift right now. So, that's my recent turd.
I have been finding a lot of treasures recently, though. A friend of mine turned me on to the British show Taskmaster. The first 6-ish season are on Netflix. They're def NSFJM/NSFKM in later season (they stop bleeping the cuss words), but it's a compact form of absurd comedy that I desperately need these days.
I'm especially pumped for the Faith Adjacent Book Club and plan to read The Dearly Beloved this weekend. I've also got a vacation planned for next week in an Air BnB with a private pool in a town about an hour away. I'm so looking forward to disconnecting and relaxing with a change of scenery.
And probably most exciting at the moment, my husband's friend is spinning up a new Dungeons and Dragons campaign online for us and few of our other favorite people. I'm really excited to get to play again - our last campaign suspended back in January, so it's been awhile. Session Zero is next week!
Thanks for being the best dang community on the internet. I appreciate you all. :)
We made the final decision to change churches in February. We found a contender in March...the week before everything shut down. We’re both introverts, too, but it isn’t fun feeling THIS cut off in a pandemic. Solidarity! ❤️
I recommend watching Series 4 to really get a feel for it. It had Mel Giedroyc and Noel Fielding as contestants (both presenters on the Great British Baking Show). It has been my favorite series. Mel is such a ray of sunshine!
An IRL friend of mine made a church change right before the pandemic, and it's been pretty weird for her too timing-wise. Hugs to you going forward, and I hope you find other ways to make connections. (Like D&D! My husband's weekly group is still playing online, and I'm so glad they can shift that way)
Thank you for the kind words! Finally participating in the Li’l Swipe community is already a giant leap forward in making connections with awesome people! :)
My biggest treasure this week is getting to read the thread the day it is posted and to comment. May I never take it for granted. The last two weeks were turds b/c of Hurricane Isaias. While the damage was much less than anticipated, my line of work ramps up big time either way. For that reason, I didn't really get to read/participate much and I missed it!
This week is much better than the last two, but I did just look behind me thinking the cat was making a noise when, in fact, it appears to have been my intestines.
2. A change of perspective. There are a few interpersonal scenarios in both my professional and personal life right now that have been really challenging. I've been bringing some baggage to how I perceive/interpret those scenarios that has NOT been Coach, Chanel or Kate brand, and it has been v unhelpful. This week I took the time to do some processing and changed my perspective and it's helped a lot. I'm proud of myself for doing the work and thankful for the shift in my experience.
3. My kitty is snoring and I think it's one of my fav things ever.
Turd:
One of my corona fam and I had a conflict and things have felt off since. I tried to do the right things - listened to what I had done that hurt her feelings, acknowledge, apologize without qualifying. In the process of answering questions she asked me, I said something that translated to her as defensiveness (it wasn't. It was me trying to figure out how I could have avoided the situation and trying to internalize it so as not to hurt her in the future). She confronted me AGAIN on those comments from the original conversation...a month later...after shifting how she is interacting with me.
It all feels very...junior high? Dramatic? And honestly, it feels super crappy when this is my primary outlet for human to human interaction during corona. I'd totally appreciate t's and p's.
Friend, I would take them! Thank you. Tbh, I felt a little sheepish sharing the turd, b/c I was afraid I would be given the scarlet letter O for overshare. But it's my reality, so there she blows! See what I did there? Two classic book references, one paragraph. The librarians are probably groaning.
This week has been a whole lot of finishing up house projects because on Sunday we're leaving for a family trip and then the day we get back home I'm throwing a very belated baby shower for my sister-in-law and 8-month-old nephew. I had a shower planned for September of last year, but then my SIL had a very bizarre medical mystery that looked a lot like HELLP but wasn't so she was hospitalized for a few weeks and then they wanted to stay close to home (they live 5ish hours away) as they waited for baby then when you have a newborn at the beginning of December you do not go anywhere and then coronavirus... So this is the first time they have ventured down this way in an entire year and the timing just works best that we do the shower at my house within hours of arriving home. 😅
But before I run off to finish painting my dining room and deep cleaning my kitchen, I've just made a very important discovery that I haven't listened to yet but I am **very** excited about. Jill Lepore has a podcast. It's called The Last Archive and it looks very promising. 🎉
Yes, whatever weird things that were going on while she was pregnant stopped when she gave birth. And she ended up going full term! Drs thought they'd have to induce her at like 30 weeks but never had to, fortunately.
I loved slumber parties! I especially loved them when they weren't at my house. Friends' houses were always so much more exciting than my own, ya know? Give me all the junk food snacking, movie marathons (even horror because I'm weird and never really get scared at that stuff), hair braiding, pranking, truth or dare, sleeping bags, girl talk, and staying up all night. This is why I thrived working at a summer camp (however, my late-20s self cannot fathom surviving on that schedule for an entire summer anymore).
Treasures:
-After nearly five years at my job, I FINALLY got a phone in my work space this week (I say work space because I don't have an office, which is a different story). I have only asked for one, oh, about five million times, and I walked in on Wednesday morning to a box sitting on my desk with a brand new phone! Let me set the stage as to why not having one has been such a pain the last five years: every staff office and the welcome center phones are at the front of the building. My learning center where I spend pretty much my entire day is allllll the way at the back of the building. This means whenever a call came in for me, I either had to be paged over the intercom to come all the way to the front to answer it, someone would have to walk back to tell me I had a call, or whoever was working reception would just get confused when they didn't see an extension for me and they'd take a message instead, which would get written on a tiny piece of paper and shoved to the back of my mailbox to be found a week later. So I'd usually end up giving my cell phone number to volunteers and select clients, which makes it very hard to keep boundaries and stick to working during office hours. So, all the praise hands for this one! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
-The Boy is meeting my family this weekend! I am very nervous for him because, well, I know my parents, but he is confident and I know he'll make a good impression. I'm more concerned for their expectations and critical nature, especially since I've never brought a guy home for them to meet before, but I think everything will be great! My sister and I are close, so she's heard all the details from the start and will be easy to win over, so I'm glad she'll be there too. Also, the Boy and I had a big conversation about the future this week. 😳 This seems crazy to say after being official for less than a month, but my friend keeps reminding me that we're on nobody's timeline but our own, so as long as it feels right, then it's not too soon.
-One more very minor one: Starbucks changed their sippy cup lids to have a smaller drinking hole now, which means no more spilling my drink down my face every time I take a sip too quickly. 😂 (Yes, I know Starbucks is not the greatest company to support, but there are no small local places on my way to work anymore and I was out of coffee this morning and it was very much needed.) It's the little things.
I love the Starbucks sippy cup lid praise. Hahaha. And it’s ok to go to Starbucks - as far as big conglomerates taking over the world, they’re not that bad.
Also as for timelines, so true - you only have your own! What a scary but fun thing to discuss!
I am currently sitting in my OFFICE and it is so weird. On Friday's just my supervisor and our amazing Admin comes in so I had to come in today and get some things and wow I miss working in my office. However I am missing my furry coworker best friend, Finn.
Dolly is a Queen and I would invite her to my slumber party but I am with Erin on that front. I don't like pranks and such and have just never been the slumber party type. Now having a long dinner with some of the most amazing people I can think of would be glorious.
Joe (the partner) and I have gone down the Osbournes tilt a whirl. We watched a show with Jack and Ozzy and now we are wishing we could watch the original. That fam? Fascinating. Ozzy is a bit of a genius in his own weird way.
I have felt quiet lately but I did some mental health musts and say my psychiatrist and started seeing a counselor because being stuck at home since March was weighing heavily.
I am still stuck on Hamilton. The music is getting me through today. I seriously am a late comer and am not the least bit sad about it.
How I know it’s Friday: Erin’s amazing newsletter in my emailbox and lots of awesome turds & treasures to read! My turd is I was tested for COVID19 on Mon. I haven’t gotten the results back yet. I’ve been having headaches off and on and tightness in my chest since about a week ago. I’m not too scared and self-isolating isn’t hard for me because I live out in the country with just my husband, it is just a little unsettling not knowing yet.
Thank you! I really thought I would hear by now - my neighbor friend has to be tested before she can have a monthly therapy procedure and she said she usually hears in 3 days. But I’ll just continue living in isolation on my couch until told otherwise😄
I’ve been watching a bunch of WW2 documentaries because somehow focusing on a different worldwide horror makes today’s troubles seem small by comparison. 🤷🏻♀️ Maybe not, but one can hope!
Dolly announced yesterday that she’s releasing a new Christmas album and y’all I think Christmas 2020 might be saved!
I’ve been feeling some major feelings this week along the lines of March and April feelings. The longer this all goes on the more slothlike my soul becomes but I’m meeting with my youth tonight (I work at my church) and they always lift my spirits!
Okay, first off. Dolly Parton is someone America definitely does not deserve. Queen. Yass! Also I want that quote of white asses as a shirt.
To the momma with postpartum: it is totally normal to struggle! I absolutely abhor that it is not openly talked about how much your hormones are crazy town after birth. I remember for the first few weeks at SUNSET EVERYDAY I would cry, and I then would be crying saying, "why am I crying, I have no reason to cry!" But cry I would and be so sad. It was helpful to me to know this is my body re-regulating from having two sets of hormones inside of me and all the hormones it needs to create a human for nine months. I am coming down the mountain of all that, it will take a bit and that's okay. I would just let the feelings come and as long as I didn't want to hurt myself or my baby I knew I would be good. (Please talk to someone and let them know you are struggling, being less alone is helpful). You will come out of this!
A turd for today: we went camping in Colorado for the past few days drove from Texas. Driving home our car broke down about 10 minutes outside of colorado (8 hours away from home) and 7 hours later we now need a 7k fix on a 2500k car, a rental that has to be taken back to New Mexico and now looking for a new car. We left Colorado at 7am and got home at 4am. Yesterday was dumb. But I listened to the new episode of the popcast at 1am in the middle of nowhere, Texas and that helped.
Yesterday I woke up - grabbed my phone in anticipation- and scrolled email. A promotion from J Crew? A package has shipped? What... where is Erin? I’m upset but then think, you know, it’s ok, she just needs a break.
Two hours later it dawns on me. It’s only Thursday. Well that makes more sense...
Real life awaits! I start back at work Monday. We made the decision to do a nanny share for the baby and daycare part time for the older kiddo. It was a hard decision and I’ve felt judged by another mom recently for it. Sigh. I do think we’re all trying to do our best but the nuances of parenting are already tough and a pandemic makes it even harder. These liturgies and breath prayers are getting me through: https://instagram.com/liturgiesforparents?igshid=wkzyazrfzmlo
I’m anxious for work because a lot has likely changed in the four months I’ve been away. I’m trying to fight fears that I’ve been replaced. I am grateful I’ll be working from home however I do enjoy many of my coworkers and I think it will be deep into 2021 until I see them again.
Someone last week mentioned L.M. Montgomery and so I decided it was necessary for me to read her entire anthology. (Truly a balm for these times.) Before I dive in, I’m reading a sweet biography on her called House of Dreams. Highly recommend for fans.
and p.s. I love Dolly. Highly recommend the Dolly’s America podcast.
I started reading Anne again after we talked about her on here. Currently on Anne’s House of Dreams. And I have a biography too, but it’s called The Story of L. M. Montgomery. ❤️
Please report on your LM Montgomery reading! And for what it's worth, I think you made a great decision, because you are their mom and you know what's best! (Sheesh. People)
- i enrolled my son in preschool this week. i have been having lots of feelings about it, but i know this will be so good for him! he just turned 3 and stays with my in-laws during the week so the social aspect is what will be most beneficial. he can be very, very bashful around others, which i know is typical for his age, but it's so funny to me because the moment he is around people he knows, he is chatty, loud, + always asking questions.
- currently reading: "the good daughter" by karin slaughter. i finished "the glass hotel" by emily st. john mandel earlier this week.)
- currently watching: veronica mars, season three.
- currently loving: watermelon with trader joe's chile lime seasoning. this combo seems odd, but IT IS THE DELIGHT OF MY LIFE right now.
i liked it a lot, but i wouldn't say i loooooved it. . i tried very hard not to compare it to station eleven, which was a wonderful book. i'll read anything she writes!
Good morning! My week basically consisted of trying to keep my tiny people occupied and waiting to go into labor... Two weeks until my due date but I am oooooover it.
I just finished that biography of Catherine the Great— it was meant to be my “fall asleep” audiobook but I found the story (particularly in the beginning) so outlandishly ridiculous that I kept extending my sleep timer.
Anyway, my kids are fighting with each other over floor cereal right now and I might go into labor from sheer irritation.
At the beginning of the year, my friend group decided to set a little competition to see who could read the most books and pages, audiobooks don’t count. I’m a full-time working mother of 3 who is in Seminary. I don’t have time to read anything other than school books. (I am also not competitive in the least. In my mind, competition creates conflict and I would rather be friends than have anyone bothered by me winning anything. No joke, I apologize when I win. 🙈) I noticed I started to feel guilty when I would do an audiobook instead of reading, and instead of just sharing with my friends something great I had listened to, I would feel bad for not fully participating. All that to say, my decide once that was made yesterday was not feeling guilty that I just do not have time to read and audiobooks are 100% fine. (In fact, I got almost halfway through The Lazy Genius Way yesterday while doing laundry!) It’s a small thing, but those matter too.
I shared last week that I had a total breakdown over spilled sweet tea (really months of stress, anxiety, and crushing disappointment, but spilling sweet tea opened the floodgates) because this season was just not supposed to be this way, y’know? (I think we all feel that.) I’m getting remarried next month (yay!). And it’s been a really rough road getting to this spot. My first marriage ended really horribly and it was devastating. So this new life and love and the rebuilding of my little family feels very redemptive. (Truly, I get to marry the greatest man.) We got engaged in February and planned our sweet, fun day with all of our friends and family. But lots of constant changes, lots of guidelines to follow, and honestly, a lot of grief that we won’t have the day we were hoping for. We’ve swapped locations, cut down guest list, are now live-streaming, moved everything outdoors, etc etc etc. I know there are so many things going on in the world and God has bigger fish to fry than my one small afternoon, but there is real grief surrounding the unmet expectations too. So with that said, the ray of sunshine is that my bachelorette party is this weekend. 🎉 Definitely looks very different now with all of the things going on, but it’ll be a relaxing weekend in a cabin in the mountains with a couple of my very best friends, and I am pumped. It feels just slightly normal.
Congrats on your wedding! It is so normal to feel grief with this. I pray that the ceremony exceeds your expectations and feels like a gift in this time.
First off.....look at all the comments! LOOK AT THEM! *clapping hands with the joy of a child watching something magical*
I needed this.
This week. I'm slugging through. I am awaiting an email from my sons' school district telling us which days my kids will be in school and out. Rumor has it (sung like Adele) they are trying to take into account those families with multiple children to try to make it so siblings are in school the same day and home the same days. Well hall-eh--fricking-loooo-yah. But still I wait. Y'all. Normally by Aug 14 I'd have school supplies labeled and packed in backpacks and back to school outfits bought. So we MIGHT be going school supply shopping as a family on Saturday.
Although
I might buy myself something
BECAUSE I LOVE SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
Okay so my list of the week.
1. My dad came down on Sunday. It was a little bit of a surprise (he told me on Thursday). It was lovely to see him as it always is. So, I classed it up and made mussels -- gang, don't sit on the frozen mussels at Aldi. If you like mussels GO GET THESE. I took a box of those, some tomatoes, garlic, chicken stock and omg it was like we were on one of our food trips.
2. And because I thought of doing this, it forced *twist my arm* me to bake a loaf of bread. Typically I wait until after labor day to make a lot of the No Knead Bread (google it). But the power of bread compelled me. And in my house, that bread DISAPPEARS. My kids know the smell of that bread baking and it was gone by Monday at lunch. So the power of bread is a magical mood lifter.
3. Baseball is OVER. Thank you. Sure. last night at the last official game (there might be a rain make up game but I am not holding my breath) -- NO ONE SAT NEAR ME. Not a single person. In fact one mom came near me, saw it was me and TURNED AROUND. You guys. These are grown @ss women pulling this. OH and did I mention they tried to coordinate a tailgate/potluck before one of the games. And that was the game where there was a massive rainout. It's like the universe was all "no potluck in a pandemic!!"
4. Mascara -- Now I know for many make-up has long since fallen off the radar in the Covid Era. But since lipstick is something I don't wear (unless home haha) anymore at work which is a whole very very very weird thing for me. I would typically skip all/most other make-up but ALWAYS sport a lip. But I have done the Jamie Golden *(Holden?) move of buying the mini/sample/trial size of a couple mascaras off Sephora and this one might be my favorite. https://www.sephora.com/product/monsieur-big-mascara-P419848
It has the right viscosity, it colors my lashes well, it makes them purty without shedding and making me look spent by the end of the day. WIN! What mascaras do you all like?
5. The power of a dream ........ this weekend I had a powerful dream featuring my mom. In the five years since she has passed she has popped into dreams of mine, but its very rare we interact -- she'll be there, but I won't be able to really talk to her. Or the Mel in my dreams knows she has passed but the Mom has not, its all very weird and I know I'm breaking the talk about dream rules....but just hear me out. In my dream, a family friend of mine (we have known each other for 20 years) that I haven't spoken to since....March was there. He and my mom were talking, just having a very casual and comfortable convo. Which is accurate as when he knew my mom they were that way. Now I haven't spoken to this friend as the last time we interacted he lashed out and said some nasty things about our governor and was just a real jerk shooting the messenger and I was all "okay well, you do you, be well" and left it at that -- so in the dream my mom asked me how I was doing and I MELTED DOWN. Basically saying how everything is hard and I don't know what I'm doing and I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. And they both listened and tried to console me, but then my mom got up, put her hand on my back and said "you two need to talk, I'm going to let you do that" and she walked away. That's when I woke up. And immediately texted my friend to just say hey, let him know as crazy as it sounded I had a dream where my mom told me to talk to him --- long story shorter, he wrote back and apologized for our last interaction. It totally was unexpected.
My favorite mascara is Thrive Makeup Mascara. Weird internet brand with GREAT mascara. It’s the weird fiber stuff but it never does the under-eye circles stuff and it looks good alllll day.
When my husband got to the game he remarked "I see all the other moms don't want you to play reindeer games with them" ..... like wow ladies, BE BEST! (laughs)
The dream I actually cried when I sort of pieced it altogether that morning. And yes the fact that it lead to a good conclusion, so needed.
I always buy myself school supplies while shopping for my kids!
1. I wish I liked mussels
2. The Power of Bread Compelled Me - we need that on a tshirt!
3. GIRL. I am opting out of our homeschool co-op's salad bar lunch tradition because WHAT THE WHAT. Sorry you had to endure that, but rejoicing with you that the season is over.
4. Mascara is the only makeup I wear; thank-you for sharing!
But yes the moms shunning me. When my husband arrived to the game and saw how I was in Siberia he was all "aww Rudolph, no one wants you joining their reindeer games?"
HA! I love bread. I can't quit it. The Power of Bread Compels Me. The one thing that gets me through fall and winter are the many loaves of no knead bread my family and I enjoy. Pairs perfect with soups, cheese, wine, nutella,.... :)
I just keep visiting the link "has it been fixed? has it been fixed?" as someone who used to have edit controls of websites for nonprofits I worked for, seeing that typo makes me micro-panic.
The fact that you school may be trying to accommodate families with multiple children is.... just the kindest thing I’ve ever heard. ❤️ I hope it’s true because taking that level of time to help local families is what we need in 2020.
I truly hope that IS the case because having a child in middle school and another in elementary and having to wonder "crap will they have totally different schedules" is tooooo much. But still I wait for actual confirmation of anything. WHICH IS THE WOOOORRRRRST. Hurry up and wait is my least favorite mood.
Too funny about Jamie “H”olden! I’m guessing it’s a typo but it does make you go hmmmm. Your dream is the dearest t!! My sweet mama died 26 years ago and every once in a while I’ll dream about her. When I wake up, I’m always a little bit sad and try to tell myself it’s almost like I got a little bonus time with her.
I need that typo fixed though! I can't handle it! LOLz
I mean I know logically dreams are just my brain manifesting something I needed to feel or see or work through, but right now in 2020, my mom is what I need. So I will take it!
Hello hello. A couple of treasures for this 105 degree Friday in Dallas, TX...(that's not a treasure it is a turd, but I know a lot of us here are in the south and miserable too so all the T's and P's to you)
1. I just started re-watching Friday Night Lights on Hulu with my roommate. I never finished it when I watched in college and there's so much I've forgotten that it's like watching a new show for me. I also am not from Texas but have lived here for 8 years (if you include my 4 years in college) and my roommate isn't from Texas either so we feel like it's a rite of passage especially during these ~times~. I actually am mainly only watching old TV shows right now as my escape to the 2020 reality. 10/10 recommend.
2. I'm contemplating a career pivot/pursuing more school or certification. I've been connected to some great people who are in the current career I'm interested in and honestly this networking experience has made me feel some kind of hope in our world. It sounds silly, but I have felt an overwhelming amount of support from my friends and strangers and it's just nice. People sending me articles, book recommendations, Youtube vids, their portfolios, etc. etc... So with that said, if any of you are in the UX design field, or know anyone who is..I'd love to connect and hear about your experience in the job!
3. Watched the Netflix movie "Work It" with Jordan Fischer last weekend...dang I love that boy. This movie is basically a rip off of Pitch Perfect and Bring it On but instead it's dancing but I mean whatever I still loved it...
I have a treasure to share this week - I had my first sale on my very new Etsy shop! Yay! If you're into handmade cards or someone to address your envelopes or write your thank you notes, I'm your girl. "Handwritten by Noel" on Etsy :)
I also am a teacher on week one of professional development on campus and it's going okay!!! I had been so nervous to come back, but we are easing in with just staff for a week and a half and then half the students per day... baby steps...
first of all: We STAN Dolly in this house. "Don't be a dumbass" amen.
second of all: despite hormones doing their best to make me believe everyone hates me (the waterworks this week yall...) there are still some treasures.
-I made it to SIX YEARS of librarianship in the same library! there's days I think I should have moved on and up by now, but most of the time I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be and I'm pretty proud of my self for powering through the tough early years.
-Some of my sweet library girls - whose family I immediately bonded with 6 years ago, cause big families understand big families - asked to hang out last night, so we got tea at the local coffee shop and gabbed for ages then ended up back at the family farm where the littlest brothers gave my James a run for his money in the cuteness arena (I was serenaded on piano by the 5 yearold) and I left with grassfed beef from the freezer and an armfull of books to borrow. cause when you're from a big family it aint wierd that you're 10 years older than the girls you're hanging out with cause you've got siblings 17 years younger than you nbd.
- The picture. iykyk.
nahhhh fam. I wouldn't do you like that. Storytime.
So sunday after church I bid my Boy goodbye and left the soundbooth, only to get waylaid talking with friends in the lobby (I usually head straight to the car, cause introvert and covid) Boy is going about turning off electronics around the church, and he stops in the group of our friends to chat a sec then goes on his way. I get ready to leave and am walking away when I hear him yelling for me, so I turn around and head back to the group, where he's like "hey, we're cute. we need a picture." So I grab one of my girlfriends to get a picture for us and DANG YALL WE ARE DANG CUTE. He's not really a picture taker so I haven't wanted to make him uncomfortable, but the genuine smile and his eyes and how we just *fit* together was worth the wait for this picture. am I making too much of this? probs so. Do I have his face at my desk now? HEELLLL YEAH. *all the heart eyes*
Resounding YES AND AMEN to the words on postpartum. It took struggling through severe PPA with three babies for me to realize, “oh, wait, maybe this is more than just regular parenting stress.” For anyone feeling deep in the postpartum trench, talk to someone who loves you. Or talk to me if you feel like your honest feelings are too much to share with your people. You are not alone. ❤️
I swear this week has felt like it's lasted a year. No idea why! Thankfully it's over. But since we’re all living, working, and parenting from home the weekend means nothing any more!😂
Treasures:
-I just discovered The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. GUYS. I love the Palladinos (except for how they ruined my life with the GG Revival). THIS SHOW HAS EXISTED FOR MY CHILD’S ENTIRE LIFE AND NO ONE TOLD ME. Firing all my friends immediately.
-Books books books. As always, reading heals my soul. I'm reading Big Summer and I'm Still Here. VASTLY different books, but both very good. ISH is challenging me in the best ways. Pretty certain it's going to really change a lot in my mind once I finish.
-I’ve got a coupon for a Sonic cold brew for $1 (WHAT?!) and I'm excited to try. I love a good coffee...add in sonic ice and I'm pumped. Has anyone tried it? (PS, download the Sonic app. I haven't pressed the little red button in months and drinks are always at happy hour prices. The best hack ever. If my 65-year-old Dad can do it, you should too!!)
-I found a mom hack to get your tiny person to sleep longer in the morning: if you wake up early to get alone time, they'll inexplicably oversleep for +/- an hour. However, if you don't and try to sleep in, they'll wake up with the sun BECAUSE WHY NOT. 👀
I watched season one of TMMM and then never picked it back up (I prefer completed shows so I can know the ending won’t piss me off), maybe I should pick it back up. Even if the Palladinos are on thin ice with me too after the revival.
AND, weirdly enough, besides the ending of a Year in the Life, I’ve come back around to it. The Summer musical was something I was so annoyed by on first viewing, but I watched it again a couple months ago and CACKLED. Would recommend revisiting 😂😂😂
I liked where we were going with the first two episodes but I fell like the wheels fell off in the last two. I wanted to love it, I really did. The rumors that they're coming back for another season make me nervous. WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER HUNTSBERGER.
I just started watching TMMM last week and it is such a delight! Are you in season 2 yet? How did I not know that Zachary Levi became so freaking hot after Chuck ended?!?!
On the last episode of Season 2. I've done little else! I've never seen this actor before 😬 but his voice reminds me of someone else. I can't remember who right now though. 😂
If you really want them to sleep in and think that the night before, they’ll sense it and get up earlier than normal. (Happened this morning after staying up too late...)
We are watching “TMMM” (is it ok that I just shortened it to that?!) and loving it! We usually try to not watch a series until it’s last season because I am impatient and don’t want to wait for the next season. But we had run out of things to watch and heard so many recommendations for it. It is funny and has heart - the best combo!
Have you watched Gilmore Girls? I have all 7 seasons on DVD and am a big GG nerd. I can draw a lot of comparisons to how the Palladinos wrote both shows similarly, or at least, it feels familiar if much MUCH more adult. F-words and what not.
I'm almost finished with Season 2 and may just lose it when I finish Season 3, but gosh I hope this one continues for awhile. So good.
My friends say I should really be a Sonic influencer. Sadly, they do not pay me for my work! May I suggest a soft pretzel and questionable cheese sauce the next time you go? (Auntie Anne’s dupe). DELIGHTFUL.
Sonic really is a treasure. A friend moved to Wisconsin and the nearest Sonic was something like 5 hours away, which is mind boggling considering my (Southern) town of 10k has 2. The app is a great tool, too. My only beef with Sonic is their lack of half priced shakes after 8 this year. 2020 needs more shakes!
My friend in college from Illinois has never been to a Sonic. She was so sad because they always showed commercials for it on TV where she loved but the closest one was hours away lol. So she was thrilled when she went to school in Missouri and could finally try it.
Right?! I did way more sonic than usual in the pandemic for whatever reason. I think because it was somewhere to go when I just needed to GO and the starbs drive through line was way too long.
Pandemic Sonic trips were a real mood in my house! Especially with a three year old...sometimes mama needs you in your carseat so I can enjoy a hot meal in peace. HA!
My favorite thing this week is Jami Nato‘s (@jaminato on Instagram) “Fake influencer challenge” - have you seen it?! It’s hilarious. You (a normal person and def not an influencer) act like one and say “so many of you have asked about how I [fill in the blank with a thing you totally do not do, like “clean my fans 3x/ week” or “keep my lawn mowed and edged myself” or “wake up at 5 every morning to wash, dry, fold, and put away laundry in one sitting before anyone gets up” etc]” You act like you’re filming yourself but you’re actually filming your spouse or kids and their reaction to your blatant lies. ITS HILARIOUS. She has a highlight button for it. Please, prepare to cry happy tears as you realize none of us do those things, and at the end of the day, most of us and our significant others are sitting in front of the tv on our phones 😂
Happy Friday, internet friends. I read this voraciously every week, but I don't think I've ever contributed, because I didn't have anything worthy to share. But my friends, in the words of Angelica Schuyler, "I'm about to change your life."
I have found a piece of Internet brilliance that I've been waiting several days to share. I believe in looking for the good in things, so I think the pandemic happened to bring Hamilton to Disney+, and give some random guy the idea to re-create the Hamilton score with the Muppets. Don't believe me? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZzDP-vQXao&t=1846s
I didn't know I needed "Chef, Refuted" by the Swedish Chef. I didn't know the sheer brilliance of Animal as King George. And I had no idea how the Marquis de LaFozette was going to get through "Guns and Ships."
Please let this video make up for any turds in your life this week. Don't forget to browse through the comments section on the video as well. (And yes, Act 2 is also now available.)
I guess so. I found a post he (the creator) made on Reddit earlier in the week. He's only got 6K subscribers, so I don't think he's well known in any way, but he's brilliantly creative. I've been telling everyone I know about this.
I had a “found myself eating chocolate chips off the pantry floor after the bag split open” kind of week. The good news is that we are about halfway through August (aka armpit month) and I say good riddance to the heat and summer blahs. The best (only?) thing about August is the bountiful produce in the garden. This year my husband surprised me by planting some lemon cucumbers, which were a favorite of mine from childhood. My Dad and I used to eat them together slice after crunchy slice. In this first summer without him, it has been so nice to have a tangible memory of our time together.
My 2.5 yr old daughter has some developmental delays (particularly in the speech/sensory areas) and it turns out a pandemic really doesn’t help with getting the support and socialization she needs. We are so over zoom, but when that is all you have you keep trying. I feel so bad that her world has changed so drastically and I am unable to right for her. I know many of you are dealing with sohpie-choice like decisions for school and you have my deepest admiration and sympathy as you make the best of this crazy time.
📺When my phone died via water baptism and I had to get a new one-Apple offered a free year of Apple TV. There is not much on there, but I have been enjoying the show “Little Voice.” It is about a songwriter trying to get her big break in NYC. She sings songs that Sara Bareilles wrote especially for this show and the music is lovely. The show gives off major Felicity vibes (no surprise as JJ Abrams is involved), but thankfully with a much more diverse cast. With my current pandemic eyeglasses on it is wildly nostalgic to watch people socialize on the show in groups, attend concerts etc.
📚The memoir book “Here For It” by R Eric Thomas was a delight on audio. I always love when authors read their own work (including you Erin!), and his inflections and emphasis on certain parts made for such a fun listening experience. What other book has shoutouts for both Lady Elaine Farechild and Pontus Pilate? Switching to mostly audio has been a game-changer for my reading life. I am slowly creeping up in speed-if anyone has any tips for getting up to 2x speed let me know.
I hope all of your weekends are filled with deliciously yummy things you don’t have to eat off the floor.
August really is THE WORST (although living in Houston, sometimes September is a close second). I'm sorry it's been a rough week. Lemon cucumbers sound lovely! And what a nice, tangible memory.
I obtained my free year of AppleTV+ the SAME WAY. 🤣 I’ve been wanting to try Little Voice, so thanks for giving it a green light! That album was my go-to when I got my license - the catharsis I experienced belting out “Between the Lines” alone in my car is unparalleled.
We tried speech therapy via zoom twice- that was a no go! My four year old wouldn’t wear underwear and tried to show his business repeatedly to the SLP 🤦🏻♀️
Thank you for the Little Voice endorsement! I’ve been weighing a free trial just for that show cause Sara is mh FAVE. Can’t wait to read Here for It either!
Wishing you snacks not off the floor (but not here to judge either 😂)
I feel bad coming in with turds (I know I shouldn’t, that’s why we’re here) but I’m just sad this week. I lost my cat on Wednesday. We called her my puppy because she was always following me around. She slept next to me every night and sleeping has been hard the last two nights. Also, I live in the Central Valley in CA and the temps are going to range from 100-109 for the next nine days. It happens at least once a summer and it sucks hard. Thanks for listening. As an Enneagram 2 feeling my feelings isn’t easy.
Oh mercy. That cuts deep. I'm sooooooooo sorry and can empathize with the pain of that.
I got my very first cat as a 22 year old. She grew through her life while I grew into an adult, and she was the one constant presence across a couple of moves, boyfriends, and jobs. I cried hard for a very long time.
Annette. I am so, so very sorry. I know the pain of losing your companion cat. I lost my Bella 3 years ago and there are so days the ache is still so deep. Know I am thinking of you so very much. Love and hugs. <3
Erin, I never liked slumber parties either. In junior high I would stay the night a lot with my best friend, but never liked the big groups. Always felt stressful to me. And when I was younger I just didn't like being away from home. Anyway..this week has been a weird one. Husband got tested for Covid-19, so he's trying to isolate in our house until we get the results back (he feels fine, but had a sore throat plus no sense of taste or smell so...). Other stuff happened, but nothing major, just stuff that made me feel a little unmoored like I did the first few weeks of the pandemic. I often struggle with negative thought loops, and yesterday it really got me. I ended up abandoning all thoughts of productivity, listened to some soul-soothing Jesus music (Ellie Holcomb mostly), and just read my current fiction read for a couple if hours on my back porch (The Glass Hotel, by Hillary St. John Mandel). Even in the suffocating heat (August! Blarg!) while the kids played with Legos, and it did wonders. Then I played Castle Panic with my almost 5yo and felt even more more like myself. Another treasure this week has been watching Grantchester on Prime. Thank you to the person who recommended it! Sending cool thoughts everyone's way!
Yesterday I was so worked up about a Facebook interaction I finally realized “dude, you need to STOP and listen to Rend Collective NOW.” It definitely helped.
I’ve been know you throw 1/2 slumber parties. Everyone comes in their pjs, we eat pizza, eat junk, watch movies and your mom gets you by 10:30. It’s all the good things without the next morning grumpies.
That sounds perfect! Once, when I was in third or fourth grade, I was spending the night with a friend, and doing ok but getting a little anxious around bed time. Then my friend said "guess what! Tomorrow we get to go out on my uncle's boat at the lake!" Uh, sorry, no. Little me did NOT pivot well. About 30 minutes later I told her didn't feel well and wanted to go home. Felt fine after that!
Oh no! We have a no sleep over policy at our house anyway- with the exception of grandparent and cousins. But sleepovers have never resulted in anything good in my experience. Grumpy kids or fighting friends. It’s just best to peace out and get your butt into your own bed!
Hi all! My only son is grown and gone so the back to school decisions aren't affecting us directly but man, I feel for all of you, parents and teachers alike! Do what you think is right and works for your family and everyone who jumps in to offer their opinion can just be struck mute.
I'm adopting a new kitten today so that's going to make the pandemic much brighter! I am naming him Hamilton and will call him all sorts of cute varieties of that. It's a fact I will sing his name "ALEXANDER HAMILTON" every day.
I have been on Facebook for years but spend most of my time on Instagram. Less uninformed opinions, more cute animal posts! Mostly I just do a quick check to see what my non-Insta friends are up to. I have decided to jump in and start challenging uninformed and blatantly false posts, in a kind and informative way. I just can't sit by when a family member posts that Kamala Harris is not African American because her father came from Jamaica. Let's review history!
I live in Kansas City and our mayor just extended our mask mandate into January. *Insert heavy sigh here. Mainly to ask the Lord to help me deal with the complainers.* I have been making masks for family and friends so I guess I will just go buy more cute fabric and keep sewing. If we have to wear them, we should look cute right?
Here's a sign of the times. I have a Zoom call with my new kitty today at 1:00! Our shelter is completely virtual so I won't meet this little nugget until they bring him back out to my car in the carrier we bring and drop off! A Zoom call with a cat. I'm am 100% IN FOR THIS! :)
😂 I’m laughing because your vow to start engaging people on Facebook is the exact opposite of my vow to STOP engaging people on Facebook in my moment today 🤣🤣 I’m tapping out and calling you into the game! Hahaha
Erin, did you actually experience sleepovers like the ones described above or did you watch too many sleepover adjacent movies? Because I had A LOT of sleepovers as a kid and almost none of them included pranks and unpleasantness haha. Mostly I spent the night with my best friend basically every Friday night in junior high, to the point at which I kept a toothbrush and PJs at her house 😆 She was an only child and I was the eldest of 4, so it was a mutually beneficial weekly appointment. But I had various sleepovers up into SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL when I invited 10 girls to spend the night and we all slept on the floor of my living room and watched Aladdin... aka we were all dorks in AP English and nearly all my sleepovers stories are entirely wholesome.
My treasure is actually turd adjacent in that I checked the Lazy Genius fb group for the first time in ages yesterday and stumbled upon a potty training post that might be the answer to all my potty training woes — my son is probably chronically functionally constipated and thus cannot tell when he needs to pee. Can’t wait to ask my pedi if we can get an X-ray to check so he can start feeling the need to pee and stop having accidents if we don’t take him to the potty on a regimented schedule! Gah... motherhood is just gross.
Also I have been watching Ozark because I love dark crime TV and my husband does. It understand and sometimes checks in to make sure I’m ok 😆
Lastly I think I need to go on a Facebook hiatus because I went off on an acquaintance who shared one of those posts about “how easy it is for your child to be abducted into sex trafficking because everyone is wearing masks and how will we protect our kids and FACEBOOK TOOK THIS POST FOWN WE’RE BEING CENSORED.” I shared a NYT article about how conspiracy theorists are hijacking the trafficking convo and she told me “I can’t trust the NYT because it’s biased.” And I can’t anymore. THEN WHO DO YOU TRUST?! RANDO KAREN ON FACEBOOK WHOM YOU'VE NEVER MET??? Anyway I feel like that was the last straw for fb and me because it adds basically 0 value to my life except to procrastinate work and work me into an anxious mess because the deep pockets of the internet are evil and duping really genuinely nice smart people... and it promotes meme politics which I realized is a huge problem because it presupposes the other side are idiots rather than having thoughtful meaningful conversations about real issues. Literally the only things good about fb at this point are a few mom groups (one local that is good for local recommendations and news, one relates to my profession that I love nearly as much as your lil swipes), but I think I may need to abandon even those groups at this point for my mental sanity.
Oh and PS I am finally watching Community because it’s literally the last 30-minute comedy that’s highly recommended that I haven’t watched.
I’ve been ready to send FB to the bottom of the ocean so many times since 2016, but never so much as this year. Even the dearest, most beloved person on the planet, the woman who gave birth to me, has sent me into orbit with her FB posts. The problem, though, are the groups. I manage the FB page for my professional associations; my church community group has a closed FB group that is our primary communication method; and I’m a member of a couple of closed groups for book lovers that are really fulfilling to me. Not to mention the pages I follow for non-political organizations, retailers, etc. that I truly love and for whom FB is their main platform. This was the dilemma that has kept me frustratedly (word?) on Facebook, randomly muting and hiding the most annoying people. Then I read this hack in one of the groups I follow. Hide/mute/unfollow every single individual and person. Every last one, including the woman who gave you life. Do not unfriend them, just unfollow. You are then left with a feed of solely posts from the delightful local bookstore, your employer, your church, your library, your professional associations, favorite small businesses, etc. No politics, no mask shaming, no arguing. Facebook is now a happy place for me again!
I wish there were a way to be like "Show me posts about when this person gets pregnant, has their baby, gets engaged, gets married, has a new job, moves, has a diagnosis, or share other life updates I need to know. Nothing else." Like today I actually realized some old friends I had muted just to quiet the clutter of my feed 1. had a baby and 2. have breast cancer, and 3. moved to my state, and I was a little sad I didn't know that until now.
Yes, that is the trade off. For me, though, I found that less than 20% of my FB friends were still active and sharing those personal milestones. So I’m in the dark about some things going on in a handful of my friends’ lives. The stress-free news feed is worth it!
So smart! I have unfollowed quite a few people. Like... almost everyone. I think the problem is when it's a person you do want to interact with, but then they shock you with a post. Like.. I just want to see cute pics of your kids! Why you gotta re-share a conspiracy theory????
The one shining star on my Facebook is a free quilt block-a-week group I'm in. There's not a lot of controversy, but when there is it's a very enjoyable sort of petty. For example last week there was a pattern sort of similar to a previous pattern, and those women who raised an entire generation of Karens rose up to protest having more than one heart block pattern. And then more women protested the protest with all the reasons why this block was different from the other heart block (very different measurements and construction). It's just a balm to my soul to see these ladies who could be my grandma bickering over things of zero consequence. 😂
The only thing it is truly good for right now is anxiety and finding out who in your family/friend circle is certifiably insane. I have seen some crazy things posted by people I THOUGHT were stable. Note to self: they are not.
I’m of the firm opinion that there is nothing good on Facebook. Do you have a friend in the mom group who could pass along good information to you then you don’t need it at all?
FB groups are the only thing that help me keep my sanity there. Also the unfollow button. And I have used the mute button on Instagram multiple times recently since it seems the memes about conspiracies of child sex trafficking are moving there 😕
I got back on FB for groups, but then had a panic one night because my profile is just full of photos from high school and college that make me want to crawl into a hole, so. Definitely deleting again soon. 😅 But yes - it’s a true dumpster fire. Not worth your emotional energy!!
If only it weren't for the FB groups...I feel that. I have gotten a lot better about only checking groups when I get in FB and just ignoring the feed. Also, meme politics makes me want to scream. I hope you get some forward progress in potty training! It's the worst. (And I feel justified thinking that, because my friend with 8 kids also says potty training is the worst)
Hey friends! Well, we made the decision to keep our kids home for the first 9 weeks of school and then reevaluate. I thought I would feel so much better after making that decision, but strangely I do not. 🤷🏼♀️ But my youngest, who cried real, deep tears when we told her, has plans for PE everyday with 2 friends who are also staying home. That’s a treasure for sure.
On the turd side, my oldest’s girlfriend is going through some really turdish stuff. If you’re the praying type, will you pray for sweet Caroline? It’s breaking my heart. But on the treasure side, he brought her candy and flowers and a card which I was impressed with. I didn’t know teenage 8’s knew how to be sympathetic. 🤣
And I read a good book! The Ten Thousand Doors of January. 🙌🏼
Here's a kind of funny kind of painful 9 vs. 8 story for you. My sister and I are both 9s (don't ask me how that worked out, but maybe it's telling of our upbringings 😂). She's been wanting to quit her job for a while since she has baby #2 coming in a few months, so she told her 8 boss this week that she's leaving. Her boss said no. Straight up told her she can't quit. So my 9 sister didn't know what to do and will now still be working as an occasional independent contractor for them and doesn't know how to feel about it. I died when she texted me this yesterday. 😂😂😂
Hi! I am new to this community and so happy to have found it! Actually, my 31 year old daughter shared it with me because I brought her up right and she knows stuff! Here is where my mind has been this week: Sorry I am not sorry that I watched Clueless and Booksmart. Who does not love Cher’s sweetness and huge Paul Rudd fan here! Thanks for having him on your post this week, Erin! Then, on the opposite spectrum, I read Sarah Bessey’s Miracles and Other Reasonable Things. Her writing is a balm for my soul right now. Honestly, weekends are not my fave right now since WE CANT DO ANYTHING! The two days loom large and empty so need help figuring out what to do besides more endless hours of streaming services! Have a great one, and be safe!
Happy Friday everyone! This was a mundane (in the nicest way) week around here. I took my two toddlers to the dentist on Tuesday. Per usual, the three year old behaved like a poster child, and the one year old acted as if an exorcism was necessary. Those first kids really know how to trick you into thinking you are THE BEST parent. The second kids bring you back to reality. We celebrated with a quick stop at a vacant playground and Sonic ice cream, and it was the treasure of my week.
Ha! Mine were opposite. That first was (and still is) a humdinger. When we had our second we said if we had her first, we probably would have had 6 kids. So maybe better that we didn’t. 😂
My DNF book rule: if you get to 100 pages and you don’t care how it ends, move on to another one. Sometimes you know at 50 pages, though. And sometimes for longer books you might adjust to 200. Life is too short to finish something you’re not into and there are so many books to read!
We’ve had a long but sorta uneventful week here at Spatz mansion. My 16 year old went to target with the boy she likes, because according to her it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She now what’s to go to his house for dinner and a movie with his family. I told she can go but I’d need a copy of his insurance card, drivers license and credit report. She did not appreciate this.
I was almost attacked by the world largest spider! It was the size of my two years hand with a big ole egg sack on it. But I managed to survive with the help of a paper plate and duct tape. The USDA came to our house to tell us that a very large family of beavers was living in the creek across the street, in our back yard pond and the pond across the street. He put out traps since it was causing issues with the drainage when it rains. He said he was surprised they were an issue since it wasn’t even beaver season. Who knew beavers had a season!!
I’d be very impressed if she got the documents! I did save her text message that said going to Target with him was a once in a lifetime opportunity. So when she’s an adult I can show her proof that she been nuts since forever!
Apparently I needed to hear “you’ve never had THIS baby before” to validate that it’s okay that WHOA MAMA this postpartum situation is way harder than my other one was... and that’s okay. I’ve been seeing my counselor but I think it’s time to talk more seriously about bringing in the big guns and taking some meds since I keep checking to make sure everyone in my home is still breathing in the middle of the night. Including my husband, who OF COURSE.... is in fact still breathing. Pandemic babies y’all. It’s a time.
Thanks for the virtual thumbs up that even strong, super capable women can need meds sometimes.
Strong, super capable women know to get help when they need it - meds, therapy, house cleaner, whatevs - so they can keep being strong and capable. Because we got sh*t to do. No shame in the meds/therapy/house cleaner game. Get some help, momma. xoxo
As someone on meds and who has a 4 month old and 2 year old - I can confidently tell you it is not a weakness, it I not something to be ashamed of. You are getting help and that’s important. Hang in there.
First to the momma struggling with postpartum, I had it hard core 4 times. I’ve been deep in the trenches. My therapist had to come lay in the bed with me because I couldn’t even make it out of the bed. I have supported more women through their postpartum depression than I can count because of my own experience. You can reach out to me, via Instagram or if you’d like to talk I’ll give Erin Moon my number. I’ve been there and felt all the feelings.
Motherhood at any stage is not for the faint hearted. But especially when you’ve been handed a brand new person, given a pat on the back and sent on your way!
It's a happy morning when I get to read this while sipping my coffee AND my children are still sleeping :) I would also HIGHLY recommend this/his compilation to Robyn's "Dancing On My Own": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9ZRfNHmWR4 . It served as a much-needed emotional release mid-April when things were falling apart.
We got back from our “family trip” (aka vacation with two small people) on Sunday, and I’m hoping that today’s the day we’re finally back into more of our normal routine 🤞A repair man is coming this morning to fix the dryer that broke three days before we left. That man is treasure #1.
Treasure 2: Thank you to everyone who gave me book suggestions! I showed up at the library for my time slot and the librarian informed me that no one else had signed up so I had the entire library TO MYSELF. I told her that this is literally something I have dreamed about and practically skipped through the aisles. I ended up with 4 books, and cannot wait to read all of the other suggestions you all gave me!
Treasure 3: this video of a deer. It is so clumsy and so unphased at the same time. I wish I could recover like this from an embarrassing experience
Treasure 4: my favorite cookbook author (Jenn Segal aka Once Upon a Chef) is releasing a new cookbook and I’m a recipe tester.
Lastly, my oldest is turning 2 in 3 weeks (how did this happen?!) and I am struggling to come up with gift ideas for the family members who are requesting them... my preference is always experiential gifts vs more things, but because many things are still closed/greatly restricted, those ideas are not really feasible right now. Any ideas?
Books. Lots of books. Puzzles. Check out @busytoddler for great toy ideas.
But from the family, we asked for contributions to a small indoor trampoline (my girl loves to jump) and my sister in law found a cozy coupe car on OfferUp for $20!
Gifts for 2yos!! I feel this as my oldest is turning 3 next month. Some good ones for us have been Koala Crates from Kiwi Co. (experiential because they’re like little preset activities for you to do with your kid), a water table, outdoor climber/slide (outdoor toys in general are great because they’re pricier and grandparents want to spend money and they don't clutter your house), we’re asking for a balance bike for our kid this year... other good stuff has been Water Wow books, and cars with little race track ramps. You can also ask for clothes or pjs... if it’s characters your kid likes they’ll probably still be excited and it’s practical and necessary. Like maybe Elmo undies and slippers and some Paw Patrol t shirts, you know? We also asked for money to do our Disney+ subscription so he can watch movies....
KiwiCo is a great idea! We love ours! Also, there is a small shop Young, Wild & Friedman that makes and ships sensory bins and kits--a great learning activity that you can reuse and it's not loud or annoying! I've been eyeing them for a bit for my 3-year-old. They have a great ”starter” kit for a younger kiddo! I'm all about activities to make the day go by faster! (you can absolutely put your own kit together but I'm team ”if you can buy it, I'll buy it” 😂 #aintnobodygottimeforthat
The library. To yourself. What. Jealous doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings 🤣 that’s amazing!!
I’m so bad at requesting gifts for my kids. One thing I’ve tried to do is make an Amazon wish list, although I want to find another platform that allows me to pull from different sites that aren’t Amazon. One thing my 3-year-old has LOVED is the Kiwi Co subscription box. My parents got it for him for Christmas last year (he was 2 at the time!) & it’s still going strong. He loves getting the box on our porch & the activities are super fun & educational. 😊
(Whoops! Hit post too soon). I try to have an ongoing note on my phone for whenever I think of something that might be a good gift idea, but because our girls are only 7 months apart, it’s pretty tapped out at this point 🤦🏻♀️
We do family gifts. So I find a “big” purchase. Swing set, large doll house etc. something that everyone contributes to the purchase of and then said child get one really big/great gift from everyone who loves her. She’s not overwhelmed with a load of gifts and I’m not overwhelmed with where to put it all!
Oh gosh it’s Friday thank GOODNESS. 🙏 So happy to be here with you all 🙃
Two main reasons I’m happy it’s finally Friday:
1) My husband is going to submit his final (yes FINAL, as in the very last one) exam today, which means he is done with his master’s program. PRAISE. He and I have both been in grad school since 2017 & now one of us is finally freaking done. He’s been parading around with my Joanna Gaines “Actually I Can” mug all morning. 😂🙌🎉🎓
2) We leave for the beach tomorrow! 🏖
And here’s my treasure this week. I’ve watched it every day and it is the light of my life right now.
Just went wayyyyyy too deep into that instagram and laughed TOO LOUDLY for this early in the morning lol. And CONGRATS to both of you...accomplishing stuff is hard work, and you did it!!! Enjoy the beach!
A Thesis baby!! Love it. Our first baby was more like “oh, you just started grad school a month ago? Here’s your first test and it’s positive.” 😅 It’s been a JOURNEY. I’ll be done next summer 🤞, but I’m glad one of us will have more freedom now.
Took last weekend to watch the new season of Jordan Peele’s Twilight Zone, and I freaking love it (now understand my friend’s fear of cephalopods). Other treasure was getting my hair done - in a touch-starved situation, a head massage with shampoo was v nice. I did go a little HAM on Tiktok this week 😂 without further ado...
Jillian, thank you for your service of bringing a delightful curated Tik Tok list every week. I cannot bring myself to “be on” Tik Tok but this curated list is the delight of my Friday mornings! The dating apps and the She’s the Man... I cannot!! 😂 the STM one is so specific and it’s been way too long since I watched that movie and I need to now
I thoroughly enjoyed the Armchair Expert episode with Leslie Odom Jr, however I must say I was unprepared for the snake/butthole conversation in the fact checking section. 😳As someone who is as afraid of snakes as Monica, I will now have nightmares for days.
Now I need to work out how to get my husband to bed and out of the way early enough to watch Flashdance, Singing in the Rain, Clueless, and then re-watch Hamilton... I think that's the right order...Had to have a second MRI in a month this morning, and that dance compilation was *exactly* the medicine I needed to rewind. Thanks for your work as ever Erin
The Lion in Winter mention sent me on two quests last night - to figure how to stream that great film & on some late night baking making my favorite brownies - which are apparently from The Katherine Hepburn. Yes, they are from scratch but super easy and legit the best brownies that have ever graced my mouth. Is it worth it when box mix is so delightful? 1000%. (And this is coming from a girl who did a whole 4H project back in the day arguing why boxed mix made superior brownies). Also there is just that added classy factor because you are making what the great Katherine Hepburn made herself. My winning combo is no nuts but stirring in dark chocolate chips & milk chocolate chips but I don’t really think you can go wrong here. They are the treasure your weekend needs!
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10782-katharine-hepburns-brownies
A note: a food cocoa powder is key here, personal fave is Rodelle, ditch the Hershey’s. You won’t be disappointed.
Hi fellow Lil’ Swipes!
📚I’ve been in my classroom this week attempting to set up everything up. It's just plain hard no other words to say for it than that. Heavy Ts and Ps to any other teachers having to do this and parents having to make this choice. Setting up desks six feet away from each other instead of in groups and forgoing my big semi circle table where we gather and laugh and learn makes me grieve a little bit (a lot) for my students. The laughter and family formed around that table is pure magic and we won’t get that same form of magic this year. But there have also been moments of joy and praise dances while doing so (thank you, Maverick City Music). My little classroom is my second home and being able to be back in it and focus on creating a safe and loving community for my little learners is giving me joy in spite of all the unknowns.
⭐️ Hamilton brunch last week was a pure delight. I spent the first several minutes of it just watching my three year old niece be fully enraptured with the singing and dancing - same, girl, same.
📺 I’ve been rewatching Community this week. And it’s just so dang good. Highly recommend.
👟 I know I mentioned last week how exercise is keeping me sane. Well, I took the plunge and ordered new running shoes. They came in this week and have made running so much more enjoyable.
I can only imagine all the feelings that the start of school is bringing for teachers. My heart is so sad for you all. Enjoy the new running shoes! I get giddy everytime I get new ones, it really does make a difference!
Running is my therapy (when I can force myself to go!) I’m glad it keeps you sane. And thank you, for being a teacher and caring for our kids. 💕
So I’ve subscribed forever and look forward to my email every week, but never have actually clicked through to here. I’m in that weird ‘old millennial’ category where I don’t realize there are things like this. I tried Tik Tok at the very beginning of quarantine, watched myself and promptly deleted it. 😂 But hi everyone!
I have two boys, one in 3rd and one entering kindergarten which makes me sad for him. Husband is a counselor and non profit director, I work in local government doing economic development. We’ve been working from home since March just left our kids with their grandparents for 4 days, and it was amazing and weird and all we did was work, order out, drink wine and watch Netflix. 😂 Also, to whoever posted the comment about watching WWII era things - right there with you. I’ve been reading so much historical fiction set in WWII England and France. It’s strangely cathartic like ‘oh. At least there aren’t bombers flying over my house right now.’
Re: singing in the rain
You and my 2.5-year-old would be besties. Her YouTube requests alternate between “watch singin in da rain!” and “watch doompa doompa!” (Oompa loompa). I took her outside in the rain with her umbrella and rain boots the other day and I thought she was going to explode with joy.
Just told my husband yesterday that if I ever left him it would be for LOJ. Can't wait to listen to the podcast! Thanks!
Y'all I had some really fantastic thing to share with you... and then I forgot it when I got the email this morning, BUT I just remembered - lucky you! ;)
(Backstory: I have been employed at a hotel for the past 10 years. Enter COVID and a 4 month furlough. I've been back 3 days a week since last month. It's not the best financial situation, but enough to get by as a single lady sharing a house with 2 other girls and sharing costs.)
TREASURE: I got my hair cut and colored for the first time since February. For a thick-hair girl with red bayalage, this is a MAJOR deal! My boss is on vacation next week, so they've asked me to work 5 days (the extra 2 days helps to cover most of the cost of my salon visit)!! Praises for not being a complete financial failure for the sake of good hair!
If you are the praying type, I'm actually working on an application for a new job that would be an automatic pay increase, consistent hours, time off for all of the holidays (being in hospitality you get 6 holiday paid days off), and way better benefits/insurance. My best friend currently has the role within the organization in a different department and everything she has told me about her day-to-day makes me think I am completely capable of doing the thing (legal secretary). However, I haven't ever done a career pivot or really completed a non-hospitality related application before. And have only ever done a handful of interviews. I am 100% psyching myself out before I even push submit. So I guess that's kind of a turdy treasure??
Y'all - I SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION. It's out of my hands now, so we'll see what happens next.... <3
Hair cuts are magic! And definitely apply for the job. You never know!
Yes hair care!!! And don’t count yourself out. The worst they can tell you is “no”. Cheering you on!!!
Amen to the greatness that is that dance compilation! That is something we didn't know we needed right now and I will be sharing with my IG friends bc let's not hide that joy.
Good morning...there's four minutes left of the "morning" so I'm still going to say good morning.
*Erin, the dance compilation was everything I needed this morning. Who doesn't love a supercut that includes The Cutting Edge and Troop Beverly Hills!
Treasures: The church I've been interning at for 9 months is starting to feel like home. As I looked out from my make shift sound booth at the biggest group of masked congregants that we've had since we started doing in person service, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and normalcy and goodness. I felt right, normal and good with my church. It's the hardest thing I've done this year to leave my comfy cozy home church to learn and grow at a new church. The moment I had on Sunday was holy and needed.
* I discovered Stephen Colbert's Just One Question and someone asks Hillary Clinton where her keys and another asks her how to fix a toilet...it's comedy gold and not too terribly political
https://youtu.be/muEwpZ7B72U
https://youtu.be/wdBQKl2W4nY
* My sister in law had the whole house to herself last week and texted me questions about Dawson's Creek at 10pm at night. I love the thought of my very together, very smart sister in law having the house to herself with no teenagers or my brother to dictate the TV choices and she chose our beloved Dawson's Creek.
Turds
*I've been diagnosed with uterine fibroids back in October and have been on the journey of curbing their growth with birth control which stops my periods (which has been amazing). But about a month ago, I started spotting and finally got into the doctor yesterday. She recommended going on an IUD instead of pills which is frankly very attractive to not have to remember to take a pill, to have a targeted medicine instead of a pill that is process by my whole system. However, I'm waiting to hear if my insurance will cover it and just the adulting of this whole situation is dumb.
* I've had several very good but emotionally draining conversations in the last week which has left me with what this community so accurately describes as a vulnerability hangover. I postponed a coaching sessions this morning on those grounds which I'm proud of myself for asking for what I need from my coach. Combined with grad school beginning on Monday, I feel...well I feel tired in more ways than one.
I bet you do feel tired! I hope you can take it easy this weekend.
I'm so sorry about the fibroids. That just sucks. ❤️
It does suck but I have to keep remembering that it is very manageable and my gynecologist is lovely, I was able to ask her all the questions and share my real feelings about potentially taking them out very far down the road which would also mean taking out my uterus. She was great and understanding and funny. But yes, adult stuff sucks especially female adult stuff.
Loved EACH treasure - and praying for good news from insurance and for a quick vulnerability hangover recovery
Oh, hey.
Long-time lurker, first-time poster.
I'm attempting to seek out new communities at the moment since my husband and I chose to leave our local church recently. It was a long-time coming, but I don't think either of us expected to reach our breaking points at a time when the risk of isolation is this high. We're both introverted and extremely fortunate to not have been more dramatically impacted by the lock down, but definitely recognize that it's risky to make a shift right now. So, that's my recent turd.
I have been finding a lot of treasures recently, though. A friend of mine turned me on to the British show Taskmaster. The first 6-ish season are on Netflix. They're def NSFJM/NSFKM in later season (they stop bleeping the cuss words), but it's a compact form of absurd comedy that I desperately need these days.
I'm especially pumped for the Faith Adjacent Book Club and plan to read The Dearly Beloved this weekend. I've also got a vacation planned for next week in an Air BnB with a private pool in a town about an hour away. I'm so looking forward to disconnecting and relaxing with a change of scenery.
And probably most exciting at the moment, my husband's friend is spinning up a new Dungeons and Dragons campaign online for us and few of our other favorite people. I'm really excited to get to play again - our last campaign suspended back in January, so it's been awhile. Session Zero is next week!
Thanks for being the best dang community on the internet. I appreciate you all. :)
Hi Meredith, if you ever need another D&D player, I'd be down! :D <3
My husband got me into D&D a couple years ago and now I’m even more of a nerd than I was before!
That’s so awesome! Are you in a campaign now? Tell me about your character!
My campaign is on hold because of Covid but yes! I’m an Air Genasi Bard and I love her. What’s your new character?
Oh, that sounds like a fun build! Our DM is restricting us to only races and classes in a couple of books, so I settled on a Dragonborn monk.
What is this faith adjacent book club? The dearly beloved was on of the best books I read in 2019!
It’s part of The Bible Binge‘s Patreon offerings—a monthly (I think) virtual book club with Erin Moon featuring a book the community votes on.
I’m only 9% done with the book but have already teared up twice. It’s gonna be a doozy!
We made the final decision to change churches in February. We found a contender in March...the week before everything shut down. We’re both introverts, too, but it isn’t fun feeling THIS cut off in a pandemic. Solidarity! ❤️
My hubs is a huge D&D fan and the community surrounding it is so much fun. Have a great campaign!
Hi Meredith! Great to have you here!
I never managed to get into Taskmaster, I thought I'd love it because British comedy shows are my jam. Maybe I should give it another chance?
I recommend watching Series 4 to really get a feel for it. It had Mel Giedroyc and Noel Fielding as contestants (both presenters on the Great British Baking Show). It has been my favorite series. Mel is such a ray of sunshine!
She's great! And Noel is one of my favorites when he's on panel shows.
An IRL friend of mine made a church change right before the pandemic, and it's been pretty weird for her too timing-wise. Hugs to you going forward, and I hope you find other ways to make connections. (Like D&D! My husband's weekly group is still playing online, and I'm so glad they can shift that way)
Thank you for the kind words! Finally participating in the Li’l Swipe community is already a giant leap forward in making connections with awesome people! :)
Hi friends!
My biggest treasure this week is getting to read the thread the day it is posted and to comment. May I never take it for granted. The last two weeks were turds b/c of Hurricane Isaias. While the damage was much less than anticipated, my line of work ramps up big time either way. For that reason, I didn't really get to read/participate much and I missed it!
This week is much better than the last two, but I did just look behind me thinking the cat was making a noise when, in fact, it appears to have been my intestines.
So.
Treasures:
1. Sleep is SO important, and your girl here struggles with light sensitivity. I bought this and after one night was all "I MUST SHARE WITH THE L'IL SWIPES!" b/c it is 100% treasure and is the best light blocking sleep mask I've ever owned: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M9BC1M8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
2. A change of perspective. There are a few interpersonal scenarios in both my professional and personal life right now that have been really challenging. I've been bringing some baggage to how I perceive/interpret those scenarios that has NOT been Coach, Chanel or Kate brand, and it has been v unhelpful. This week I took the time to do some processing and changed my perspective and it's helped a lot. I'm proud of myself for doing the work and thankful for the shift in my experience.
3. My kitty is snoring and I think it's one of my fav things ever.
Turd:
One of my corona fam and I had a conflict and things have felt off since. I tried to do the right things - listened to what I had done that hurt her feelings, acknowledge, apologize without qualifying. In the process of answering questions she asked me, I said something that translated to her as defensiveness (it wasn't. It was me trying to figure out how I could have avoided the situation and trying to internalize it so as not to hurt her in the future). She confronted me AGAIN on those comments from the original conversation...a month later...after shifting how she is interacting with me.
It all feels very...junior high? Dramatic? And honestly, it feels super crappy when this is my primary outlet for human to human interaction during corona. I'd totally appreciate t's and p's.
Oh man! Sorry for that turd this week - those are so hard especially with all this going on *gestures vaguely* Praying for understanding
Now I want to bring *you* brownies and give *you* a hug! That's a big ol' turd. Lots of T's and P's.
Friend, I would take them! Thank you. Tbh, I felt a little sheepish sharing the turd, b/c I was afraid I would be given the scarlet letter O for overshare. But it's my reality, so there she blows! See what I did there? Two classic book references, one paragraph. The librarians are probably groaning.
I'm sure the librarians were very impressed 😉 And I don't think there is such a thing as oversharing in The Alley!
All the Ts and Ps, and I frigging love your non-luxury baggage description. Also good looking out with that mask!
I mean, if you're gonna have baggage, carry it well... LOL.
Um, I think I want that cross stitched on a pillow now 😊
Ts and Ps for sure. That sounds really frustrating.
Thank you! I appreciate it a lot.
This week has been a whole lot of finishing up house projects because on Sunday we're leaving for a family trip and then the day we get back home I'm throwing a very belated baby shower for my sister-in-law and 8-month-old nephew. I had a shower planned for September of last year, but then my SIL had a very bizarre medical mystery that looked a lot like HELLP but wasn't so she was hospitalized for a few weeks and then they wanted to stay close to home (they live 5ish hours away) as they waited for baby then when you have a newborn at the beginning of December you do not go anywhere and then coronavirus... So this is the first time they have ventured down this way in an entire year and the timing just works best that we do the shower at my house within hours of arriving home. 😅
But before I run off to finish painting my dining room and deep cleaning my kitchen, I've just made a very important discovery that I haven't listened to yet but I am **very** excited about. Jill Lepore has a podcast. It's called The Last Archive and it looks very promising. 🎉
Oh wow 😅 Good luck with all the projects and the shower!
Is your sister-in-law fully ok now? Assuming so since the shower is happening, etc.
Yes, whatever weird things that were going on while she was pregnant stopped when she gave birth. And she ended up going full term! Drs thought they'd have to induce her at like 30 weeks but never had to, fortunately.
I loved slumber parties! I especially loved them when they weren't at my house. Friends' houses were always so much more exciting than my own, ya know? Give me all the junk food snacking, movie marathons (even horror because I'm weird and never really get scared at that stuff), hair braiding, pranking, truth or dare, sleeping bags, girl talk, and staying up all night. This is why I thrived working at a summer camp (however, my late-20s self cannot fathom surviving on that schedule for an entire summer anymore).
Treasures:
-After nearly five years at my job, I FINALLY got a phone in my work space this week (I say work space because I don't have an office, which is a different story). I have only asked for one, oh, about five million times, and I walked in on Wednesday morning to a box sitting on my desk with a brand new phone! Let me set the stage as to why not having one has been such a pain the last five years: every staff office and the welcome center phones are at the front of the building. My learning center where I spend pretty much my entire day is allllll the way at the back of the building. This means whenever a call came in for me, I either had to be paged over the intercom to come all the way to the front to answer it, someone would have to walk back to tell me I had a call, or whoever was working reception would just get confused when they didn't see an extension for me and they'd take a message instead, which would get written on a tiny piece of paper and shoved to the back of my mailbox to be found a week later. So I'd usually end up giving my cell phone number to volunteers and select clients, which makes it very hard to keep boundaries and stick to working during office hours. So, all the praise hands for this one! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
-The Boy is meeting my family this weekend! I am very nervous for him because, well, I know my parents, but he is confident and I know he'll make a good impression. I'm more concerned for their expectations and critical nature, especially since I've never brought a guy home for them to meet before, but I think everything will be great! My sister and I are close, so she's heard all the details from the start and will be easy to win over, so I'm glad she'll be there too. Also, the Boy and I had a big conversation about the future this week. 😳 This seems crazy to say after being official for less than a month, but my friend keeps reminding me that we're on nobody's timeline but our own, so as long as it feels right, then it's not too soon.
-One more very minor one: Starbucks changed their sippy cup lids to have a smaller drinking hole now, which means no more spilling my drink down my face every time I take a sip too quickly. 😂 (Yes, I know Starbucks is not the greatest company to support, but there are no small local places on my way to work anymore and I was out of coffee this morning and it was very much needed.) It's the little things.
No major turds to report this week!
I love the Starbucks sippy cup lid praise. Hahaha. And it’s ok to go to Starbucks - as far as big conglomerates taking over the world, they’re not that bad.
Also as for timelines, so true - you only have your own! What a scary but fun thing to discuss!
So exciting! 🥰
EXCELLENT TREASURES! Keep us posted on Dinner™️
Oh hey, I see your new profile pic!
These are really great treasures and you deserve a raise for working there for five years without a phone!
The profile pic is a nice change, yeah? 😊
And ha! I really do deserve a raise for that! 😂
Super cute! 😊
MEETING THE FAMILY!! Exciting times.
I am currently sitting in my OFFICE and it is so weird. On Friday's just my supervisor and our amazing Admin comes in so I had to come in today and get some things and wow I miss working in my office. However I am missing my furry coworker best friend, Finn.
Dolly is a Queen and I would invite her to my slumber party but I am with Erin on that front. I don't like pranks and such and have just never been the slumber party type. Now having a long dinner with some of the most amazing people I can think of would be glorious.
Joe (the partner) and I have gone down the Osbournes tilt a whirl. We watched a show with Jack and Ozzy and now we are wishing we could watch the original. That fam? Fascinating. Ozzy is a bit of a genius in his own weird way.
I have felt quiet lately but I did some mental health musts and say my psychiatrist and started seeing a counselor because being stuck at home since March was weighing heavily.
I am still stuck on Hamilton. The music is getting me through today. I seriously am a late comer and am not the least bit sad about it.
Have you tried to the Hamilton mixtape? It’s even more music delight!
How I know it’s Friday: Erin’s amazing newsletter in my emailbox and lots of awesome turds & treasures to read! My turd is I was tested for COVID19 on Mon. I haven’t gotten the results back yet. I’ve been having headaches off and on and tightness in my chest since about a week ago. I’m not too scared and self-isolating isn’t hard for me because I live out in the country with just my husband, it is just a little unsettling not knowing yet.
Praying!
Thank you!
The waiting must be tough. Thinking of you!
Thank you! I really thought I would hear by now - my neighbor friend has to be tested before she can have a monthly therapy procedure and she said she usually hears in 3 days. But I’ll just continue living in isolation on my couch until told otherwise😄
I hope you'll hear soon. Until then, enjoy your couch!
Thank you!
Dolly For President!
DOLLY 2020!
Also.......I think I need this dress that Melanie Shankle highlighted in her Fashion Friday email.......
https://www.target.com/p/women-s-flutter-short-sleeve-dress-universal-thread/-/A-79760506?preselect=79557022&clkid=ff0c2e50N30ba11ea9bec42010a246c11&lnm=81938&afid=rewardStyle&ref=tgt_adv_xasd0002
So pretty!
Right?? I loooove the burgundy!
I can confirm. You do.
Love you friend LOL
Also, have this odd fascination with these linen japanese aprons??
https://www.etsy.com/listing/589841451/mustard-yellow-heavyweight-linen?utm_medium=display_product&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=us_rtg_dartg_olfv2rev_np&utm_content=toppower_combined_listing_conversion&utm_custom2=23845308172520515&fbclid=IwAR1xRUt2iwBn4tMhXpz03u5aqjRtk6XJvE2tnvA5hN7VxTe2FOysZxYxBbs
Feels very Laura Ingalls to me. I say yes to this, too.
I love your buy the things to bring you joy vibe .... we'll see which I allow myself to get. ;)
I think Enneagram 1's need people who tell them it's okay to buy stuff that'll make you smile even if you don't *need* them. 😉
YES, I need to be like "but do I need this, who needs something else before I get something not necessarily NEEDED but oh it looks so nice!"
I’ve been watching a bunch of WW2 documentaries because somehow focusing on a different worldwide horror makes today’s troubles seem small by comparison. 🤷🏻♀️ Maybe not, but one can hope!
Dolly announced yesterday that she’s releasing a new Christmas album and y’all I think Christmas 2020 might be saved!
I’ve been feeling some major feelings this week along the lines of March and April feelings. The longer this all goes on the more slothlike my soul becomes but I’m meeting with my youth tonight (I work at my church) and they always lift my spirits!
I hope you'll have a great evening with the youth!
Okay, first off. Dolly Parton is someone America definitely does not deserve. Queen. Yass! Also I want that quote of white asses as a shirt.
To the momma with postpartum: it is totally normal to struggle! I absolutely abhor that it is not openly talked about how much your hormones are crazy town after birth. I remember for the first few weeks at SUNSET EVERYDAY I would cry, and I then would be crying saying, "why am I crying, I have no reason to cry!" But cry I would and be so sad. It was helpful to me to know this is my body re-regulating from having two sets of hormones inside of me and all the hormones it needs to create a human for nine months. I am coming down the mountain of all that, it will take a bit and that's okay. I would just let the feelings come and as long as I didn't want to hurt myself or my baby I knew I would be good. (Please talk to someone and let them know you are struggling, being less alone is helpful). You will come out of this!
A turd for today: we went camping in Colorado for the past few days drove from Texas. Driving home our car broke down about 10 minutes outside of colorado (8 hours away from home) and 7 hours later we now need a 7k fix on a 2500k car, a rental that has to be taken back to New Mexico and now looking for a new car. We left Colorado at 7am and got home at 4am. Yesterday was dumb. But I listened to the new episode of the popcast at 1am in the middle of nowhere, Texas and that helped.
I feel like "yesterday was dumb" might be a bit of an understatement. It sounds awful. Glad the Popcast helped!
Yesterday I woke up - grabbed my phone in anticipation- and scrolled email. A promotion from J Crew? A package has shipped? What... where is Erin? I’m upset but then think, you know, it’s ok, she just needs a break.
Two hours later it dawns on me. It’s only Thursday. Well that makes more sense...
Real life awaits! I start back at work Monday. We made the decision to do a nanny share for the baby and daycare part time for the older kiddo. It was a hard decision and I’ve felt judged by another mom recently for it. Sigh. I do think we’re all trying to do our best but the nuances of parenting are already tough and a pandemic makes it even harder. These liturgies and breath prayers are getting me through: https://instagram.com/liturgiesforparents?igshid=wkzyazrfzmlo
I’m anxious for work because a lot has likely changed in the four months I’ve been away. I’m trying to fight fears that I’ve been replaced. I am grateful I’ll be working from home however I do enjoy many of my coworkers and I think it will be deep into 2021 until I see them again.
Treasures:
Reimagining the endings to childhood books. https://www.topherpayne.com/fixed-it?utm_medium=newsletter-parent_content&utm_source=email “Love you forever & I’ll call before I come over is my favorite” 😂😂😂
Someone last week mentioned L.M. Montgomery and so I decided it was necessary for me to read her entire anthology. (Truly a balm for these times.) Before I dive in, I’m reading a sweet biography on her called House of Dreams. Highly recommend for fans.
and p.s. I love Dolly. Highly recommend the Dolly’s America podcast.
I started reading Anne again after we talked about her on here. Currently on Anne’s House of Dreams. And I have a biography too, but it’s called The Story of L. M. Montgomery. ❤️
I finished the biography today and LM’s life was really hard. I never knew this and I’m a bit shook by the revelations.
Please report on your LM Montgomery reading! And for what it's worth, I think you made a great decision, because you are their mom and you know what's best! (Sheesh. People)
Thank you :)
Starting Emily of New Moon now. I’ll report back!
WHAT MOMS ARE SERIOUSLY OUT HERE JUDGING OTHER MOMS FOR THEIR CHILDCARE/SCHOOL DECISIONS?! cmon ladies!! We’re better than this...
Screaming with you!!! Like honestly. IT'S TOO MUCH! (Says the mom who got judged and banished because she narc'd on her non compliant baseball team)
I blame the judgement on her own pandemic stress, maybe? Or that’s what I’m telling myself.
That's a generous and helpful assumption haha :)
"Two hours later it dawns on me. It’s only Thursday. Well that makes more sense..." --> oh my word that is so something I would do! I just LOLd
I always had issues with dates/time and pandemic life has made me lean into it only harder.
OH my word, that's like the nightmare of showing up for a final for a class you never went to --- COME TRUE!
good morning!
- i enrolled my son in preschool this week. i have been having lots of feelings about it, but i know this will be so good for him! he just turned 3 and stays with my in-laws during the week so the social aspect is what will be most beneficial. he can be very, very bashful around others, which i know is typical for his age, but it's so funny to me because the moment he is around people he knows, he is chatty, loud, + always asking questions.
- currently reading: "the good daughter" by karin slaughter. i finished "the glass hotel" by emily st. john mandel earlier this week.)
- currently watching: veronica mars, season three.
- currently loving: watermelon with trader joe's chile lime seasoning. this combo seems odd, but IT IS THE DELIGHT OF MY LIFE right now.
What did you think of The Glass Hotel? I read it earlier this summer.
i liked it a lot, but i wouldn't say i loooooved it. . i tried very hard not to compare it to station eleven, which was a wonderful book. i'll read anything she writes!
Veronica Mars is valued around here!!!
one of my fondest memories of last summer is watching the series for the first time!
Good morning! My week basically consisted of trying to keep my tiny people occupied and waiting to go into labor... Two weeks until my due date but I am oooooover it.
I just finished that biography of Catherine the Great— it was meant to be my “fall asleep” audiobook but I found the story (particularly in the beginning) so outlandishly ridiculous that I kept extending my sleep timer.
Anyway, my kids are fighting with each other over floor cereal right now and I might go into labor from sheer irritation.
Have a great weekend!
Dear Lord, please put Allie in labor, and make it a smooth delivery.
Amen
Same
At the beginning of the year, my friend group decided to set a little competition to see who could read the most books and pages, audiobooks don’t count. I’m a full-time working mother of 3 who is in Seminary. I don’t have time to read anything other than school books. (I am also not competitive in the least. In my mind, competition creates conflict and I would rather be friends than have anyone bothered by me winning anything. No joke, I apologize when I win. 🙈) I noticed I started to feel guilty when I would do an audiobook instead of reading, and instead of just sharing with my friends something great I had listened to, I would feel bad for not fully participating. All that to say, my decide once that was made yesterday was not feeling guilty that I just do not have time to read and audiobooks are 100% fine. (In fact, I got almost halfway through The Lazy Genius Way yesterday while doing laundry!) It’s a small thing, but those matter too.
I shared last week that I had a total breakdown over spilled sweet tea (really months of stress, anxiety, and crushing disappointment, but spilling sweet tea opened the floodgates) because this season was just not supposed to be this way, y’know? (I think we all feel that.) I’m getting remarried next month (yay!). And it’s been a really rough road getting to this spot. My first marriage ended really horribly and it was devastating. So this new life and love and the rebuilding of my little family feels very redemptive. (Truly, I get to marry the greatest man.) We got engaged in February and planned our sweet, fun day with all of our friends and family. But lots of constant changes, lots of guidelines to follow, and honestly, a lot of grief that we won’t have the day we were hoping for. We’ve swapped locations, cut down guest list, are now live-streaming, moved everything outdoors, etc etc etc. I know there are so many things going on in the world and God has bigger fish to fry than my one small afternoon, but there is real grief surrounding the unmet expectations too. So with that said, the ray of sunshine is that my bachelorette party is this weekend. 🎉 Definitely looks very different now with all of the things going on, but it’ll be a relaxing weekend in a cabin in the mountains with a couple of my very best friends, and I am pumped. It feels just slightly normal.
Have the best time at your bachelorette!!
Have such a fun weekend!
Happy bachelorette party! Sounds like you have weathered a lot lately. Big hugs to you!
Congrats on the new beginning. :)
And yes, SO much grief in this pandemic season.
Congrats on your wedding! It is so normal to feel grief with this. I pray that the ceremony exceeds your expectations and feels like a gift in this time.
First off.....look at all the comments! LOOK AT THEM! *clapping hands with the joy of a child watching something magical*
I needed this.
This week. I'm slugging through. I am awaiting an email from my sons' school district telling us which days my kids will be in school and out. Rumor has it (sung like Adele) they are trying to take into account those families with multiple children to try to make it so siblings are in school the same day and home the same days. Well hall-eh--fricking-loooo-yah. But still I wait. Y'all. Normally by Aug 14 I'd have school supplies labeled and packed in backpacks and back to school outfits bought. So we MIGHT be going school supply shopping as a family on Saturday.
Although
I might buy myself something
BECAUSE I LOVE SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
Okay so my list of the week.
1. My dad came down on Sunday. It was a little bit of a surprise (he told me on Thursday). It was lovely to see him as it always is. So, I classed it up and made mussels -- gang, don't sit on the frozen mussels at Aldi. If you like mussels GO GET THESE. I took a box of those, some tomatoes, garlic, chicken stock and omg it was like we were on one of our food trips.
2. And because I thought of doing this, it forced *twist my arm* me to bake a loaf of bread. Typically I wait until after labor day to make a lot of the No Knead Bread (google it). But the power of bread compelled me. And in my house, that bread DISAPPEARS. My kids know the smell of that bread baking and it was gone by Monday at lunch. So the power of bread is a magical mood lifter.
3. Baseball is OVER. Thank you. Sure. last night at the last official game (there might be a rain make up game but I am not holding my breath) -- NO ONE SAT NEAR ME. Not a single person. In fact one mom came near me, saw it was me and TURNED AROUND. You guys. These are grown @ss women pulling this. OH and did I mention they tried to coordinate a tailgate/potluck before one of the games. And that was the game where there was a massive rainout. It's like the universe was all "no potluck in a pandemic!!"
4. Mascara -- Now I know for many make-up has long since fallen off the radar in the Covid Era. But since lipstick is something I don't wear (unless home haha) anymore at work which is a whole very very very weird thing for me. I would typically skip all/most other make-up but ALWAYS sport a lip. But I have done the Jamie Golden *(Holden?) move of buying the mini/sample/trial size of a couple mascaras off Sephora and this one might be my favorite. https://www.sephora.com/product/monsieur-big-mascara-P419848
It has the right viscosity, it colors my lashes well, it makes them purty without shedding and making me look spent by the end of the day. WIN! What mascaras do you all like?
5. The power of a dream ........ this weekend I had a powerful dream featuring my mom. In the five years since she has passed she has popped into dreams of mine, but its very rare we interact -- she'll be there, but I won't be able to really talk to her. Or the Mel in my dreams knows she has passed but the Mom has not, its all very weird and I know I'm breaking the talk about dream rules....but just hear me out. In my dream, a family friend of mine (we have known each other for 20 years) that I haven't spoken to since....March was there. He and my mom were talking, just having a very casual and comfortable convo. Which is accurate as when he knew my mom they were that way. Now I haven't spoken to this friend as the last time we interacted he lashed out and said some nasty things about our governor and was just a real jerk shooting the messenger and I was all "okay well, you do you, be well" and left it at that -- so in the dream my mom asked me how I was doing and I MELTED DOWN. Basically saying how everything is hard and I don't know what I'm doing and I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. And they both listened and tried to console me, but then my mom got up, put her hand on my back and said "you two need to talk, I'm going to let you do that" and she walked away. That's when I woke up. And immediately texted my friend to just say hey, let him know as crazy as it sounded I had a dream where my mom told me to talk to him --- long story shorter, he wrote back and apologized for our last interaction. It totally was unexpected.
Now onto my * above.
So The Popcast is on the Wondery network.
I went to the Wondery page well over a week ago ---> https://wondery.com/shows/the-popcast-with-knox-and-jamie/
I am still in Type 1 hives that Jamie is noted as Jamie Holden.
Is she really Jamie Golden?
What is real anymore?! #freejamie
Laughs
Happy Friday all :)
Mel
I LOVE school supplies.
My favorite mascara is Thrive Makeup Mascara. Weird internet brand with GREAT mascara. It’s the weird fiber stuff but it never does the under-eye circles stuff and it looks good alllll day.
Those women! What nonsense. That dream though, so lovely and such a nice results.
When my husband got to the game he remarked "I see all the other moms don't want you to play reindeer games with them" ..... like wow ladies, BE BEST! (laughs)
The dream I actually cried when I sort of pieced it altogether that morning. And yes the fact that it lead to a good conclusion, so needed.
I always buy myself school supplies while shopping for my kids!
1. I wish I liked mussels
2. The Power of Bread Compelled Me - we need that on a tshirt!
3. GIRL. I am opting out of our homeschool co-op's salad bar lunch tradition because WHAT THE WHAT. Sorry you had to endure that, but rejoicing with you that the season is over.
4. Mascara is the only makeup I wear; thank-you for sharing!
5. I love this so much.
HA, the shirt idea! But for real, bread is magic!
But yes the moms shunning me. When my husband arrived to the game and saw how I was in Siberia he was all "aww Rudolph, no one wants you joining their reindeer games?"
Love your list of a reply :)
Other mascaras I tried, for your list: https://www.sephora.com/product/better-than-sex-mini-P425608
That one was second favorite
And https://www.sephora.com/product/lash-blowout-mascara-P448147?skuId=2273191&icid2=quicklook:p124402:view%20full%20size -- this one isn't available as a mini, I actually think I got a sample with points and it was 'meh"
HA! I love bread. I can't quit it. The Power of Bread Compels Me. The one thing that gets me through fall and winter are the many loaves of no knead bread my family and I enjoy. Pairs perfect with soups, cheese, wine, nutella,.... :)
HA! Glad to see I have Team Bread fans here :)
I really like the Jamie Holden Who is the real Jamie conspiracy you have started 🤣🤣🤣
Dreams can be crazy cool. And school supplies ARE THE BEST!
I just keep visiting the link "has it been fixed? has it been fixed?" as someone who used to have edit controls of websites for nonprofits I worked for, seeing that typo makes me micro-panic.
But really, which Jamie is real??! HAHAHA
The fact that you school may be trying to accommodate families with multiple children is.... just the kindest thing I’ve ever heard. ❤️ I hope it’s true because taking that level of time to help local families is what we need in 2020.
I truly hope that IS the case because having a child in middle school and another in elementary and having to wonder "crap will they have totally different schedules" is tooooo much. But still I wait for actual confirmation of anything. WHICH IS THE WOOOORRRRRST. Hurry up and wait is my least favorite mood.
Yeah I am next level stressed about it. I just hate this not knowing what is happening so that we can plan accordingly.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES! I think I might pretend I'm still in school so I can go get myself some...
Why yes I do need a new set of pens! Why yes I do need this pretty notebook!
There is no such thing as too many notebooks!
Agreed, this reminds me to get my inventory of what I do have
Too funny about Jamie “H”olden! I’m guessing it’s a typo but it does make you go hmmmm. Your dream is the dearest t!! My sweet mama died 26 years ago and every once in a while I’ll dream about her. When I wake up, I’m always a little bit sad and try to tell myself it’s almost like I got a little bonus time with her.
I need that typo fixed though! I can't handle it! LOLz
I mean I know logically dreams are just my brain manifesting something I needed to feel or see or work through, but right now in 2020, my mom is what I need. So I will take it!
Hello hello. A couple of treasures for this 105 degree Friday in Dallas, TX...(that's not a treasure it is a turd, but I know a lot of us here are in the south and miserable too so all the T's and P's to you)
1. I just started re-watching Friday Night Lights on Hulu with my roommate. I never finished it when I watched in college and there's so much I've forgotten that it's like watching a new show for me. I also am not from Texas but have lived here for 8 years (if you include my 4 years in college) and my roommate isn't from Texas either so we feel like it's a rite of passage especially during these ~times~. I actually am mainly only watching old TV shows right now as my escape to the 2020 reality. 10/10 recommend.
2. I'm contemplating a career pivot/pursuing more school or certification. I've been connected to some great people who are in the current career I'm interested in and honestly this networking experience has made me feel some kind of hope in our world. It sounds silly, but I have felt an overwhelming amount of support from my friends and strangers and it's just nice. People sending me articles, book recommendations, Youtube vids, their portfolios, etc. etc... So with that said, if any of you are in the UX design field, or know anyone who is..I'd love to connect and hear about your experience in the job!
3. Watched the Netflix movie "Work It" with Jordan Fischer last weekend...dang I love that boy. This movie is basically a rip off of Pitch Perfect and Bring it On but instead it's dancing but I mean whatever I still loved it...
Friday Night Lights is on HULU?? #GameChanger I missed it when it was still on Netflix, so I know my next Binge. I've never watched it.
I watched Work It last week and found myself thinking "oh, NOW I see why everyone keeps talking about this guy..."
Yo, don’t sleep on Jordan Fisher - a real gem
Jesus be near in that level of heat.
Confession: I've never watched Friday Night Lights.
I KNOW! I'm expecting the vote for me being booted out of the alley to take place by next Friday...
Bahahaha!
I've never watched it either... We'll be kicked out together.
Heeheeeheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. We can save it for The Great Abyss that will be Sept - Dec with no new shows!
Now, that's a plan!
I have a treasure to share this week - I had my first sale on my very new Etsy shop! Yay! If you're into handmade cards or someone to address your envelopes or write your thank you notes, I'm your girl. "Handwritten by Noel" on Etsy :)
I also am a teacher on week one of professional development on campus and it's going okay!!! I had been so nervous to come back, but we are easing in with just staff for a week and a half and then half the students per day... baby steps...
Lovely! Congrats!
Congrats on your first sale!
Thank you! ❤️
GOOD MORNING LOVELY HUMANS!
first of all: We STAN Dolly in this house. "Don't be a dumbass" amen.
second of all: despite hormones doing their best to make me believe everyone hates me (the waterworks this week yall...) there are still some treasures.
-I made it to SIX YEARS of librarianship in the same library! there's days I think I should have moved on and up by now, but most of the time I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be and I'm pretty proud of my self for powering through the tough early years.
-Some of my sweet library girls - whose family I immediately bonded with 6 years ago, cause big families understand big families - asked to hang out last night, so we got tea at the local coffee shop and gabbed for ages then ended up back at the family farm where the littlest brothers gave my James a run for his money in the cuteness arena (I was serenaded on piano by the 5 yearold) and I left with grassfed beef from the freezer and an armfull of books to borrow. cause when you're from a big family it aint wierd that you're 10 years older than the girls you're hanging out with cause you've got siblings 17 years younger than you nbd.
- The picture. iykyk.
nahhhh fam. I wouldn't do you like that. Storytime.
So sunday after church I bid my Boy goodbye and left the soundbooth, only to get waylaid talking with friends in the lobby (I usually head straight to the car, cause introvert and covid) Boy is going about turning off electronics around the church, and he stops in the group of our friends to chat a sec then goes on his way. I get ready to leave and am walking away when I hear him yelling for me, so I turn around and head back to the group, where he's like "hey, we're cute. we need a picture." So I grab one of my girlfriends to get a picture for us and DANG YALL WE ARE DANG CUTE. He's not really a picture taker so I haven't wanted to make him uncomfortable, but the genuine smile and his eyes and how we just *fit* together was worth the wait for this picture. am I making too much of this? probs so. Do I have his face at my desk now? HEELLLL YEAH. *all the heart eyes*
Yessss beef and YES THE PICTURE, but you know I would never let that slide without acknowledgment. And congrats on 6 years at the library!!
I love your visit to the farm! So fun! And your picture is adorable!! Hundo P worth celebrating
LOOK HOW CUTE YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!
Congrats on six years, lady. :)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDrzFo2Hzto/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
oh my gosh so cute!!
Look how cute y’all are!!! As a friend of mine says, you have hearts coming out of your eyes! 😍
Congrats on SIX YEARS! Amazing. 👏👏👏 Also the picture. I saw. I double tapped. SO DANG CUTE, Sarah. 😍🥰
I bet you're freakin' adorable in that picture!
I need to see this picture. That is all!
Resounding YES AND AMEN to the words on postpartum. It took struggling through severe PPA with three babies for me to realize, “oh, wait, maybe this is more than just regular parenting stress.” For anyone feeling deep in the postpartum trench, talk to someone who loves you. Or talk to me if you feel like your honest feelings are too much to share with your people. You are not alone. ❤️
Hi everyone!
I swear this week has felt like it's lasted a year. No idea why! Thankfully it's over. But since we’re all living, working, and parenting from home the weekend means nothing any more!😂
Treasures:
-I just discovered The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. GUYS. I love the Palladinos (except for how they ruined my life with the GG Revival). THIS SHOW HAS EXISTED FOR MY CHILD’S ENTIRE LIFE AND NO ONE TOLD ME. Firing all my friends immediately.
-Books books books. As always, reading heals my soul. I'm reading Big Summer and I'm Still Here. VASTLY different books, but both very good. ISH is challenging me in the best ways. Pretty certain it's going to really change a lot in my mind once I finish.
-I’ve got a coupon for a Sonic cold brew for $1 (WHAT?!) and I'm excited to try. I love a good coffee...add in sonic ice and I'm pumped. Has anyone tried it? (PS, download the Sonic app. I haven't pressed the little red button in months and drinks are always at happy hour prices. The best hack ever. If my 65-year-old Dad can do it, you should too!!)
-I found a mom hack to get your tiny person to sleep longer in the morning: if you wake up early to get alone time, they'll inexplicably oversleep for +/- an hour. However, if you don't and try to sleep in, they'll wake up with the sun BECAUSE WHY NOT. 👀
I watched season one of TMMM and then never picked it back up (I prefer completed shows so I can know the ending won’t piss me off), maybe I should pick it back up. Even if the Palladinos are on thin ice with me too after the revival.
As Susie (but also Drella/Miss Celine/Doris) would say: ”EFFIN’ thin ice!”
Did you see the rumor that they're doing a second installment of GG? My fragile heart can't take it!
I’m Still Here is LIFECHANGING.
AND, weirdly enough, besides the ending of a Year in the Life, I’ve come back around to it. The Summer musical was something I was so annoyed by on first viewing, but I watched it again a couple months ago and CACKLED. Would recommend revisiting 😂😂😂
I liked where we were going with the first two episodes but I fell like the wheels fell off in the last two. I wanted to love it, I really did. The rumors that they're coming back for another season make me nervous. WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER HUNTSBERGER.
I just started watching TMMM last week and it is such a delight! Are you in season 2 yet? How did I not know that Zachary Levi became so freaking hot after Chuck ended?!?!
On the last episode of Season 2. I've done little else! I've never seen this actor before 😬 but his voice reminds me of someone else. I can't remember who right now though. 😂
He was the voice of Flinn Ryder in Tangled. Maybe that's it?
If you really want them to sleep in and think that the night before, they’ll sense it and get up earlier than normal. (Happened this morning after staying up too late...)
EVERY TIME.
We are watching “TMMM” (is it ok that I just shortened it to that?!) and loving it! We usually try to not watch a series until it’s last season because I am impatient and don’t want to wait for the next season. But we had run out of things to watch and heard so many recommendations for it. It is funny and has heart - the best combo!
Have you watched Gilmore Girls? I have all 7 seasons on DVD and am a big GG nerd. I can draw a lot of comparisons to how the Palladinos wrote both shows similarly, or at least, it feels familiar if much MUCH more adult. F-words and what not.
I'm almost finished with Season 2 and may just lose it when I finish Season 3, but gosh I hope this one continues for awhile. So good.
I haven’t watched GG - I’ll have to give it a try!
Seasons 1-6 are SOLID. 7 is rough but I still cried through the finale. 😂
Sonic has cold brew?!?
YES! However, I will not suggest it to anyone just yet, as I have not tasted it. BUT I will do anything with a coupon. $1 for a medium? I'm in.
Welcome to the world of Midge Maisel! I think that is my number one favorite show - which is a bold statement.
Gotta love that Midge! And her outfits are 🙌🏻
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is fantastic, I'm glad you found it.
Enjoy your cold brew!
Perhaps I will enjoy it while watching Mrs. Maisel! DAY MADE.
Perfect!
Sonic app for Happy Hour all day is WHERE IT'S AT.
Yes yes yes!
ahhh, i did not know that sonic has an app OR that they have cold brew. thank you for sharing! :)
My friends say I should really be a Sonic influencer. Sadly, they do not pay me for my work! May I suggest a soft pretzel and questionable cheese sauce the next time you go? (Auntie Anne’s dupe). DELIGHTFUL.
The pretzels are so good!
Sonic really is a treasure. A friend moved to Wisconsin and the nearest Sonic was something like 5 hours away, which is mind boggling considering my (Southern) town of 10k has 2. The app is a great tool, too. My only beef with Sonic is their lack of half priced shakes after 8 this year. 2020 needs more shakes!
My friend in college from Illinois has never been to a Sonic. She was so sad because they always showed commercials for it on TV where she loved but the closest one was hours away lol. So she was thrilled when she went to school in Missouri and could finally try it.
Looks around sheepishly and raises her hand. “I’ve never been to a Sonic.”
👀👀👀
Go. Immediately! And get a pretzel! And cheese tots. 😂🙌🏻
Ok the nearest one is 18 miles away. With no traffic (#pandemic) it may be with it.
I just can't comprehend not having cheese tots at your disposal. I would probably have not lived through COVID without Sonic. 😂
Right?! I did way more sonic than usual in the pandemic for whatever reason. I think because it was somewhere to go when I just needed to GO and the starbs drive through line was way too long.
Pandemic Sonic trips were a real mood in my house! Especially with a three year old...sometimes mama needs you in your carseat so I can enjoy a hot meal in peace. HA!
Cracked up at your last bullet point. IT IS TRUE. Also so glad you are enjoying Marvelous Mrs. Maisel!! It is a delight 👏
The outfits! She's a national treasure, truly. I can also only watch with my headphones in because holy F-words!
May I humbly recommend that you slice those delicious figs, swipe some goat cheese on a cracker, and wallow in that snack-time bliss?
Do you want to come fix me dinner?? 😂🤤
My favorite thing this week is Jami Nato‘s (@jaminato on Instagram) “Fake influencer challenge” - have you seen it?! It’s hilarious. You (a normal person and def not an influencer) act like one and say “so many of you have asked about how I [fill in the blank with a thing you totally do not do, like “clean my fans 3x/ week” or “keep my lawn mowed and edged myself” or “wake up at 5 every morning to wash, dry, fold, and put away laundry in one sitting before anyone gets up” etc]” You act like you’re filming yourself but you’re actually filming your spouse or kids and their reaction to your blatant lies. ITS HILARIOUS. She has a highlight button for it. Please, prepare to cry happy tears as you realize none of us do those things, and at the end of the day, most of us and our significant others are sitting in front of the tv on our phones 😂
Yes!! I shared those last week and cried laughing too many times
Those fake influencer videos are HILARIOUS!
Happy Friday, internet friends. I read this voraciously every week, but I don't think I've ever contributed, because I didn't have anything worthy to share. But my friends, in the words of Angelica Schuyler, "I'm about to change your life."
I have found a piece of Internet brilliance that I've been waiting several days to share. I believe in looking for the good in things, so I think the pandemic happened to bring Hamilton to Disney+, and give some random guy the idea to re-create the Hamilton score with the Muppets. Don't believe me? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZzDP-vQXao&t=1846s
I didn't know I needed "Chef, Refuted" by the Swedish Chef. I didn't know the sheer brilliance of Animal as King George. And I had no idea how the Marquis de LaFozette was going to get through "Guns and Ships."
Please let this video make up for any turds in your life this week. Don't forget to browse through the comments section on the video as well. (And yes, Act 2 is also now available.)
INCREDIBLE. 👏👏👏
I started cracking up so hard in the first song Hamilton Muppets song. So wonderful.
How did he make this?? Is he just a great impersonator??
I guess so. I found a post he (the creator) made on Reddit earlier in the week. He's only got 6K subscribers, so I don't think he's well known in any way, but he's brilliantly creative. I've been telling everyone I know about this.
DYING. LaFozette, I cannot.
Saving this for later. Cannot wait 🤣🙌
Daveed Diggs is my favorite in the Hamilton cast, and Fozzie Bear is my favorite Muppet - I cried laughing at this when I heard it. SUCH a treasure!
Daveed is a treasure in and of himself. The way the guy handled that particular song is just brilliant.
Erin I can’t BELIEVE LMM nor Zak Efron made the cut for your slumber party?! Are you ok??? (Fantastic list otherwise 🤩)
I want to have dinner with them. Or go to France and touch the holy water with them. I don't think they have a slumber party vibe. 😆
I'd still need them to be as quiet as necessary. LOL. I will motion for when I need an appropriate whoa, bro, dude, or wow ;)
*Zac (did not mean to disrespect all the “Zac”s out there with a “Zak” 😂
Happy Friday Friends,
I had a “found myself eating chocolate chips off the pantry floor after the bag split open” kind of week. The good news is that we are about halfway through August (aka armpit month) and I say good riddance to the heat and summer blahs. The best (only?) thing about August is the bountiful produce in the garden. This year my husband surprised me by planting some lemon cucumbers, which were a favorite of mine from childhood. My Dad and I used to eat them together slice after crunchy slice. In this first summer without him, it has been so nice to have a tangible memory of our time together.
My 2.5 yr old daughter has some developmental delays (particularly in the speech/sensory areas) and it turns out a pandemic really doesn’t help with getting the support and socialization she needs. We are so over zoom, but when that is all you have you keep trying. I feel so bad that her world has changed so drastically and I am unable to right for her. I know many of you are dealing with sohpie-choice like decisions for school and you have my deepest admiration and sympathy as you make the best of this crazy time.
📺When my phone died via water baptism and I had to get a new one-Apple offered a free year of Apple TV. There is not much on there, but I have been enjoying the show “Little Voice.” It is about a songwriter trying to get her big break in NYC. She sings songs that Sara Bareilles wrote especially for this show and the music is lovely. The show gives off major Felicity vibes (no surprise as JJ Abrams is involved), but thankfully with a much more diverse cast. With my current pandemic eyeglasses on it is wildly nostalgic to watch people socialize on the show in groups, attend concerts etc.
📚The memoir book “Here For It” by R Eric Thomas was a delight on audio. I always love when authors read their own work (including you Erin!), and his inflections and emphasis on certain parts made for such a fun listening experience. What other book has shoutouts for both Lady Elaine Farechild and Pontus Pilate? Switching to mostly audio has been a game-changer for my reading life. I am slowly creeping up in speed-if anyone has any tips for getting up to 2x speed let me know.
I hope all of your weekends are filled with deliciously yummy things you don’t have to eat off the floor.
That's so sweet of your husband! Now I'm off to google lemon cucumbers because I've never heard of them.
They are great-small but good flavor
August really is THE WORST (although living in Houston, sometimes September is a close second). I'm sorry it's been a rough week. Lemon cucumbers sound lovely! And what a nice, tangible memory.
Yes I live in SoCal and I always feel wronged when we invariably have a hot september.
I obtained my free year of AppleTV+ the SAME WAY. 🤣 I’ve been wanting to try Little Voice, so thanks for giving it a green light! That album was my go-to when I got my license - the catharsis I experienced belting out “Between the Lines” alone in my car is unparalleled.
Nice! She is such a talented artist.
We tried speech therapy via zoom twice- that was a no go! My four year old wouldn’t wear underwear and tried to show his business repeatedly to the SLP 🤦🏻♀️
Oh my! 😅Yeah probably was for the best to call a halt to zoom.
Thank you for the Little Voice endorsement! I’ve been weighing a free trial just for that show cause Sara is mh FAVE. Can’t wait to read Here for It either!
Wishing you snacks not off the floor (but not here to judge either 😂)
You will love it then! The music is quite good!
I feel bad coming in with turds (I know I shouldn’t, that’s why we’re here) but I’m just sad this week. I lost my cat on Wednesday. We called her my puppy because she was always following me around. She slept next to me every night and sleeping has been hard the last two nights. Also, I live in the Central Valley in CA and the temps are going to range from 100-109 for the next nine days. It happens at least once a summer and it sucks hard. Thanks for listening. As an Enneagram 2 feeling my feelings isn’t easy.
Oh mercy. That cuts deep. I'm sooooooooo sorry and can empathize with the pain of that.
I got my very first cat as a 22 year old. She grew through her life while I grew into an adult, and she was the one constant presence across a couple of moves, boyfriends, and jobs. I cried hard for a very long time.
Annette. I am so, so very sorry. I know the pain of losing your companion cat. I lost my Bella 3 years ago and there are so days the ache is still so deep. Know I am thinking of you so very much. Love and hugs. <3
Annette! I'm so sorry! Your cat sounds like such a sweetheart.
I'm so sorry.
I am so very sorry for your loss
So sorry!
I’m so sorry to hear about your cat. Sending love and all the AC/indoor time vibes next week!
I am so sorry about your cat, Annette. Losing a companion like that is never easy. 💗
So sorry about your cat! Losing a pet is very underrated on the Hard Things In Life scale.
Erin, I never liked slumber parties either. In junior high I would stay the night a lot with my best friend, but never liked the big groups. Always felt stressful to me. And when I was younger I just didn't like being away from home. Anyway..this week has been a weird one. Husband got tested for Covid-19, so he's trying to isolate in our house until we get the results back (he feels fine, but had a sore throat plus no sense of taste or smell so...). Other stuff happened, but nothing major, just stuff that made me feel a little unmoored like I did the first few weeks of the pandemic. I often struggle with negative thought loops, and yesterday it really got me. I ended up abandoning all thoughts of productivity, listened to some soul-soothing Jesus music (Ellie Holcomb mostly), and just read my current fiction read for a couple if hours on my back porch (The Glass Hotel, by Hillary St. John Mandel). Even in the suffocating heat (August! Blarg!) while the kids played with Legos, and it did wonders. Then I played Castle Panic with my almost 5yo and felt even more more like myself. Another treasure this week has been watching Grantchester on Prime. Thank you to the person who recommended it! Sending cool thoughts everyone's way!
Good for you being able to look after yourself instead of trying to be productive at all costs. Hope your husband's test comes back negative!
Btw, are you enjoying The Glass Hotel?
I am enjoying it!
Good to know! I've been thinking about reading it for a while now.
Yesterday I was so worked up about a Facebook interaction I finally realized “dude, you need to STOP and listen to Rend Collective NOW.” It definitely helped.
I’ve been know you throw 1/2 slumber parties. Everyone comes in their pjs, we eat pizza, eat junk, watch movies and your mom gets you by 10:30. It’s all the good things without the next morning grumpies.
That sounds perfect! Once, when I was in third or fourth grade, I was spending the night with a friend, and doing ok but getting a little anxious around bed time. Then my friend said "guess what! Tomorrow we get to go out on my uncle's boat at the lake!" Uh, sorry, no. Little me did NOT pivot well. About 30 minutes later I told her didn't feel well and wanted to go home. Felt fine after that!
Oh no! We have a no sleep over policy at our house anyway- with the exception of grandparent and cousins. But sleepovers have never resulted in anything good in my experience. Grumpy kids or fighting friends. It’s just best to peace out and get your butt into your own bed!
I’m really into that!
Hi all! My only son is grown and gone so the back to school decisions aren't affecting us directly but man, I feel for all of you, parents and teachers alike! Do what you think is right and works for your family and everyone who jumps in to offer their opinion can just be struck mute.
I'm adopting a new kitten today so that's going to make the pandemic much brighter! I am naming him Hamilton and will call him all sorts of cute varieties of that. It's a fact I will sing his name "ALEXANDER HAMILTON" every day.
I have been on Facebook for years but spend most of my time on Instagram. Less uninformed opinions, more cute animal posts! Mostly I just do a quick check to see what my non-Insta friends are up to. I have decided to jump in and start challenging uninformed and blatantly false posts, in a kind and informative way. I just can't sit by when a family member posts that Kamala Harris is not African American because her father came from Jamaica. Let's review history!
I live in Kansas City and our mayor just extended our mask mandate into January. *Insert heavy sigh here. Mainly to ask the Lord to help me deal with the complainers.* I have been making masks for family and friends so I guess I will just go buy more cute fabric and keep sewing. If we have to wear them, we should look cute right?
Hang in there all!
KITTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's a sign of the times. I have a Zoom call with my new kitty today at 1:00! Our shelter is completely virtual so I won't meet this little nugget until they bring him back out to my car in the carrier we bring and drop off! A Zoom call with a cat. I'm am 100% IN FOR THIS! :)
Wading into FB territory. Blessing your mission and battle field.
I'm girding my loins.
😂 I’m laughing because your vow to start engaging people on Facebook is the exact opposite of my vow to STOP engaging people on Facebook in my moment today 🤣🤣 I’m tapping out and calling you into the game! Hahaha
It can only be done in shifts. No one can survive long term. :)
100% here for Hamilton the cat. I wish we could share photos here so he could be our mascot! 😸
Even though I haven't met him yet, I know he would be totally down for this job.
Hamilton kitty! I love it.
The eye rolling my family gave me though. :)
Erin, did you actually experience sleepovers like the ones described above or did you watch too many sleepover adjacent movies? Because I had A LOT of sleepovers as a kid and almost none of them included pranks and unpleasantness haha. Mostly I spent the night with my best friend basically every Friday night in junior high, to the point at which I kept a toothbrush and PJs at her house 😆 She was an only child and I was the eldest of 4, so it was a mutually beneficial weekly appointment. But I had various sleepovers up into SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL when I invited 10 girls to spend the night and we all slept on the floor of my living room and watched Aladdin... aka we were all dorks in AP English and nearly all my sleepovers stories are entirely wholesome.
My treasure is actually turd adjacent in that I checked the Lazy Genius fb group for the first time in ages yesterday and stumbled upon a potty training post that might be the answer to all my potty training woes — my son is probably chronically functionally constipated and thus cannot tell when he needs to pee. Can’t wait to ask my pedi if we can get an X-ray to check so he can start feeling the need to pee and stop having accidents if we don’t take him to the potty on a regimented schedule! Gah... motherhood is just gross.
Also I have been watching Ozark because I love dark crime TV and my husband does. It understand and sometimes checks in to make sure I’m ok 😆
Lastly I think I need to go on a Facebook hiatus because I went off on an acquaintance who shared one of those posts about “how easy it is for your child to be abducted into sex trafficking because everyone is wearing masks and how will we protect our kids and FACEBOOK TOOK THIS POST FOWN WE’RE BEING CENSORED.” I shared a NYT article about how conspiracy theorists are hijacking the trafficking convo and she told me “I can’t trust the NYT because it’s biased.” And I can’t anymore. THEN WHO DO YOU TRUST?! RANDO KAREN ON FACEBOOK WHOM YOU'VE NEVER MET??? Anyway I feel like that was the last straw for fb and me because it adds basically 0 value to my life except to procrastinate work and work me into an anxious mess because the deep pockets of the internet are evil and duping really genuinely nice smart people... and it promotes meme politics which I realized is a huge problem because it presupposes the other side are idiots rather than having thoughtful meaningful conversations about real issues. Literally the only things good about fb at this point are a few mom groups (one local that is good for local recommendations and news, one relates to my profession that I love nearly as much as your lil swipes), but I think I may need to abandon even those groups at this point for my mental sanity.
Oh and PS I am finally watching Community because it’s literally the last 30-minute comedy that’s highly recommended that I haven’t watched.
I’ve been ready to send FB to the bottom of the ocean so many times since 2016, but never so much as this year. Even the dearest, most beloved person on the planet, the woman who gave birth to me, has sent me into orbit with her FB posts. The problem, though, are the groups. I manage the FB page for my professional associations; my church community group has a closed FB group that is our primary communication method; and I’m a member of a couple of closed groups for book lovers that are really fulfilling to me. Not to mention the pages I follow for non-political organizations, retailers, etc. that I truly love and for whom FB is their main platform. This was the dilemma that has kept me frustratedly (word?) on Facebook, randomly muting and hiding the most annoying people. Then I read this hack in one of the groups I follow. Hide/mute/unfollow every single individual and person. Every last one, including the woman who gave you life. Do not unfriend them, just unfollow. You are then left with a feed of solely posts from the delightful local bookstore, your employer, your church, your library, your professional associations, favorite small businesses, etc. No politics, no mask shaming, no arguing. Facebook is now a happy place for me again!
I wish there were a way to be like "Show me posts about when this person gets pregnant, has their baby, gets engaged, gets married, has a new job, moves, has a diagnosis, or share other life updates I need to know. Nothing else." Like today I actually realized some old friends I had muted just to quiet the clutter of my feed 1. had a baby and 2. have breast cancer, and 3. moved to my state, and I was a little sad I didn't know that until now.
Yes, that is the trade off. For me, though, I found that less than 20% of my FB friends were still active and sharing those personal milestones. So I’m in the dark about some things going on in a handful of my friends’ lives. The stress-free news feed is worth it!
So smart! I have unfollowed quite a few people. Like... almost everyone. I think the problem is when it's a person you do want to interact with, but then they shock you with a post. Like.. I just want to see cute pics of your kids! Why you gotta re-share a conspiracy theory????
The one shining star on my Facebook is a free quilt block-a-week group I'm in. There's not a lot of controversy, but when there is it's a very enjoyable sort of petty. For example last week there was a pattern sort of similar to a previous pattern, and those women who raised an entire generation of Karens rose up to protest having more than one heart block pattern. And then more women protested the protest with all the reasons why this block was different from the other heart block (very different measurements and construction). It's just a balm to my soul to see these ladies who could be my grandma bickering over things of zero consequence. 😂
haha! yes for the inconsequential tiffs!
Facebook...BURN. IT. TO. THE. GROUND.
The only thing it is truly good for right now is anxiety and finding out who in your family/friend circle is certifiably insane. I have seen some crazy things posted by people I THOUGHT were stable. Note to self: they are not.
Good for you!
Agreed! I deleted my FB account in early 2016 and have never regretted it! It is literally the worst
Quitting FB was the best decision for my mental health awhile back. Also the mute button on IG :)
I’m of the firm opinion that there is nothing good on Facebook. Do you have a friend in the mom group who could pass along good information to you then you don’t need it at all?
That is a good idea!!
FB groups are the only thing that help me keep my sanity there. Also the unfollow button. And I have used the mute button on Instagram multiple times recently since it seems the memes about conspiracies of child sex trafficking are moving there 😕
I got back on FB for groups, but then had a panic one night because my profile is just full of photos from high school and college that make me want to crawl into a hole, so. Definitely deleting again soon. 😅 But yes - it’s a true dumpster fire. Not worth your emotional energy!!
Community is a DELIGHT. Enjoy! 😎
If only it weren't for the FB groups...I feel that. I have gotten a lot better about only checking groups when I get in FB and just ignoring the feed. Also, meme politics makes me want to scream. I hope you get some forward progress in potty training! It's the worst. (And I feel justified thinking that, because my friend with 8 kids also says potty training is the worst)
Hey friends! Well, we made the decision to keep our kids home for the first 9 weeks of school and then reevaluate. I thought I would feel so much better after making that decision, but strangely I do not. 🤷🏼♀️ But my youngest, who cried real, deep tears when we told her, has plans for PE everyday with 2 friends who are also staying home. That’s a treasure for sure.
On the turd side, my oldest’s girlfriend is going through some really turdish stuff. If you’re the praying type, will you pray for sweet Caroline? It’s breaking my heart. But on the treasure side, he brought her candy and flowers and a card which I was impressed with. I didn’t know teenage 8’s knew how to be sympathetic. 🤣
And I read a good book! The Ten Thousand Doors of January. 🙌🏼
Loved Tttdoj
Can we start a support group for patenting teenage 8s?! The struggle is real 😂
Listen, I don’t know why God chose you give this 9 an 8 as an oldest child, but FOR SURE the struggle is real!
Here's a kind of funny kind of painful 9 vs. 8 story for you. My sister and I are both 9s (don't ask me how that worked out, but maybe it's telling of our upbringings 😂). She's been wanting to quit her job for a while since she has baby #2 coming in a few months, so she told her 8 boss this week that she's leaving. Her boss said no. Straight up told her she can't quit. So my 9 sister didn't know what to do and will now still be working as an occasional independent contractor for them and doesn't know how to feel about it. I died when she texted me this yesterday. 😂😂😂
Hilarious!! Well, if her baby is an 8, in about 15 years she’ll be able to say no! I speak from experience.
😂
I'm a 9 too!
Oh we definitely need a support group!
Praying for Caroline!
Praying! And adding that book to my TBR 😍😍
Hi! I am new to this community and so happy to have found it! Actually, my 31 year old daughter shared it with me because I brought her up right and she knows stuff! Here is where my mind has been this week: Sorry I am not sorry that I watched Clueless and Booksmart. Who does not love Cher’s sweetness and huge Paul Rudd fan here! Thanks for having him on your post this week, Erin! Then, on the opposite spectrum, I read Sarah Bessey’s Miracles and Other Reasonable Things. Her writing is a balm for my soul right now. Honestly, weekends are not my fave right now since WE CANT DO ANYTHING! The two days loom large and empty so need help figuring out what to do besides more endless hours of streaming services! Have a great one, and be safe!
Clueless is my all time favorite movie!!
Welcome! Clueless and Booksmart are BOTH wonderful!
Katherine it really sounds like you raised a very cool daughter. 😎🙌
Hi Kathrine, welcome! Clueless, Booksmart, Miracles and Other Reasonable Things. You have great taste!
Clueless is an absolute classic!
Ah, Booksmart. A fantastic hang. I laughed out loud multiple times.
Welcome!
Welcome!! ☺️👋 Paul Rudd is definitely a treasure. And I LOVED Booksmart!
Happy Friday everyone! This was a mundane (in the nicest way) week around here. I took my two toddlers to the dentist on Tuesday. Per usual, the three year old behaved like a poster child, and the one year old acted as if an exorcism was necessary. Those first kids really know how to trick you into thinking you are THE BEST parent. The second kids bring you back to reality. We celebrated with a quick stop at a vacant playground and Sonic ice cream, and it was the treasure of my week.
Ha! Mine were opposite. That first was (and still is) a humdinger. When we had our second we said if we had her first, we probably would have had 6 kids. So maybe better that we didn’t. 😂
I'm now and forever going to call my firstborn a humdinger - LOVE IT!!!
😂😂😂
My DNF book rule: if you get to 100 pages and you don’t care how it ends, move on to another one. Sometimes you know at 50 pages, though. And sometimes for longer books you might adjust to 200. Life is too short to finish something you’re not into and there are so many books to read!
That's a good rule. I have trouble not finishing books I don't enjoy because what if they suddenly become great near the end? (They never do!)
We’ve had a long but sorta uneventful week here at Spatz mansion. My 16 year old went to target with the boy she likes, because according to her it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She now what’s to go to his house for dinner and a movie with his family. I told she can go but I’d need a copy of his insurance card, drivers license and credit report. She did not appreciate this.
I was almost attacked by the world largest spider! It was the size of my two years hand with a big ole egg sack on it. But I managed to survive with the help of a paper plate and duct tape. The USDA came to our house to tell us that a very large family of beavers was living in the creek across the street, in our back yard pond and the pond across the street. He put out traps since it was causing issues with the drainage when it rains. He said he was surprised they were an issue since it wasn’t even beaver season. Who knew beavers had a season!!
Just posted a spider update in my insta stories!
There is the biggest spider in my bathtub right now. Leaving it for my husband. :)
Hairspray when the hairspray dries the spider can’t move and then vacuum
Yikes, the spider! I feel like I'm gonna have nightmares. Super impressed by how you handled it!
That spider was no joke! And I kinda hope your daughter delivers the requested documentation 😂😂😂
I’d be very impressed if she got the documents! I did save her text message that said going to Target with him was a once in a lifetime opportunity. So when she’s an adult I can show her proof that she been nuts since forever!
That’s a hard NO to that spider. SHEESH. Go you for saving the day!! 🦸🏻♀️
It is so full of innuendos.
Beaver season is October through March.
Apparently I needed to hear “you’ve never had THIS baby before” to validate that it’s okay that WHOA MAMA this postpartum situation is way harder than my other one was... and that’s okay. I’ve been seeing my counselor but I think it’s time to talk more seriously about bringing in the big guns and taking some meds since I keep checking to make sure everyone in my home is still breathing in the middle of the night. Including my husband, who OF COURSE.... is in fact still breathing. Pandemic babies y’all. It’s a time.
Thanks for the virtual thumbs up that even strong, super capable women can need meds sometimes.
Strong, super capable women know to get help when they need it - meds, therapy, house cleaner, whatevs - so they can keep being strong and capable. Because we got sh*t to do. No shame in the meds/therapy/house cleaner game. Get some help, momma. xoxo
As someone on meds and who has a 4 month old and 2 year old - I can confidently tell you it is not a weakness, it I not something to be ashamed of. You are getting help and that’s important. Hang in there.
Sending you lots support and encouragement! Postpartum is no joke. Deep breaths, self care and meds if you need them.
First to the momma struggling with postpartum, I had it hard core 4 times. I’ve been deep in the trenches. My therapist had to come lay in the bed with me because I couldn’t even make it out of the bed. I have supported more women through their postpartum depression than I can count because of my own experience. You can reach out to me, via Instagram or if you’d like to talk I’ll give Erin Moon my number. I’ve been there and felt all the feelings.
Here for this! Let’s just start a little postpartum support group in our Lil Treasures vacation village.
I think this might be my favorite thing about this community.
There's a group of women who offer to flank you during The Hard Things. In a covid-approved, socially distant, internet appropriate way.
Motherhood at any stage is not for the faint hearted. But especially when you’ve been handed a brand new person, given a pat on the back and sent on your way!
100000% this!
It's a happy morning when I get to read this while sipping my coffee AND my children are still sleeping :) I would also HIGHLY recommend this/his compilation to Robyn's "Dancing On My Own": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9ZRfNHmWR4 . It served as a much-needed emotional release mid-April when things were falling apart.
Your morning is off to a great start!
We got back from our “family trip” (aka vacation with two small people) on Sunday, and I’m hoping that today’s the day we’re finally back into more of our normal routine 🤞A repair man is coming this morning to fix the dryer that broke three days before we left. That man is treasure #1.
Treasure 2: Thank you to everyone who gave me book suggestions! I showed up at the library for my time slot and the librarian informed me that no one else had signed up so I had the entire library TO MYSELF. I told her that this is literally something I have dreamed about and practically skipped through the aisles. I ended up with 4 books, and cannot wait to read all of the other suggestions you all gave me!
Treasure 3: this video of a deer. It is so clumsy and so unphased at the same time. I wish I could recover like this from an embarrassing experience
https://mobile.twitter.com/politelyviolent/status/1291721544196972547?s=09
Treasure 4: my favorite cookbook author (Jenn Segal aka Once Upon a Chef) is releasing a new cookbook and I’m a recipe tester.
Lastly, my oldest is turning 2 in 3 weeks (how did this happen?!) and I am struggling to come up with gift ideas for the family members who are requesting them... my preference is always experiential gifts vs more things, but because many things are still closed/greatly restricted, those ideas are not really feasible right now. Any ideas?
My daughter is turning 2 next week!
Books. Lots of books. Puzzles. Check out @busytoddler for great toy ideas.
But from the family, we asked for contributions to a small indoor trampoline (my girl loves to jump) and my sister in law found a cozy coupe car on OfferUp for $20!
Happy almost birthday to your daughter 😊 And yes- I will definitely have to check out busy toddler for more ideas. I love her Taby activity ideas!
Ok, cry laughing at that deer 😂
Gifts for 2yos!! I feel this as my oldest is turning 3 next month. Some good ones for us have been Koala Crates from Kiwi Co. (experiential because they’re like little preset activities for you to do with your kid), a water table, outdoor climber/slide (outdoor toys in general are great because they’re pricier and grandparents want to spend money and they don't clutter your house), we’re asking for a balance bike for our kid this year... other good stuff has been Water Wow books, and cars with little race track ramps. You can also ask for clothes or pjs... if it’s characters your kid likes they’ll probably still be excited and it’s practical and necessary. Like maybe Elmo undies and slippers and some Paw Patrol t shirts, you know? We also asked for money to do our Disney+ subscription so he can watch movies....
Fantastic ideas! Thank you!
Blocks, magnatiles, a sensory table, books you can never go wrong with books!
Magnatiles yes!! They’re so cool
And expensive haha
The library. 😍😍😍😍
KiwiCo is a great idea! We love ours! Also, there is a small shop Young, Wild & Friedman that makes and ships sensory bins and kits--a great learning activity that you can reuse and it's not loud or annoying! I've been eyeing them for a bit for my 3-year-old. They have a great ”starter” kit for a younger kiddo! I'm all about activities to make the day go by faster! (you can absolutely put your own kit together but I'm team ”if you can buy it, I'll buy it” 😂 #aintnobodygottimeforthat
I am definitely part of that team right now, too! 😂
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, the idea of the whole library to myself makes me teary (the happy kind).
The library. To yourself. What. Jealous doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings 🤣 that’s amazing!!
I’m so bad at requesting gifts for my kids. One thing I’ve tried to do is make an Amazon wish list, although I want to find another platform that allows me to pull from different sites that aren’t Amazon. One thing my 3-year-old has LOVED is the Kiwi Co subscription box. My parents got it for him for Christmas last year (he was 2 at the time!) & it’s still going strong. He loves getting the box on our porch & the activities are super fun & educational. 😊
I know, right?! It was for sure the highlight of the week and made an appearance in my photo-of-the-day book 😂
Kiwi Co is a great suggestion! Thank you!
(Whoops! Hit post too soon). I try to have an ongoing note on my phone for whenever I think of something that might be a good gift idea, but because our girls are only 7 months apart, it’s pretty tapped out at this point 🤦🏻♀️
Omg ALSO. Gathre mats!! I have one mini & one mini micro. We use them constantly for art projects, under the high chair, etc.
Anything to help with all of these crumbs is a winner for sure
Jealous
Oh my goodness. The DREAM!
BLISS INDEED.
*stares at you silently, while blinking often.*
DANA. That sounds like therapy.
We do family gifts. So I find a “big” purchase. Swing set, large doll house etc. something that everyone contributes to the purchase of and then said child get one really big/great gift from everyone who loves her. She’s not overwhelmed with a load of gifts and I’m not overwhelmed with where to put it all!
I’d never heard of Nova Natural! Thank you!
Oh gosh it’s Friday thank GOODNESS. 🙏 So happy to be here with you all 🙃
Two main reasons I’m happy it’s finally Friday:
1) My husband is going to submit his final (yes FINAL, as in the very last one) exam today, which means he is done with his master’s program. PRAISE. He and I have both been in grad school since 2017 & now one of us is finally freaking done. He’s been parading around with my Joanna Gaines “Actually I Can” mug all morning. 😂🙌🎉🎓
2) We leave for the beach tomorrow! 🏖
And here’s my treasure this week. I’ve watched it every day and it is the light of my life right now.
“The next day after watching Hamilton”:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDrGksjDRD1/?igshid=1x6xokyjurhd0
Love to you all! 🥰
Enjoy the beach - it’ll probably feel even better with your husband being done!
Yes! We’ve been looking forward to this trip all summer because we knew he’d be done. 🙌🙌
Just went wayyyyyy too deep into that instagram and laughed TOO LOUDLY for this early in the morning lol. And CONGRATS to both of you...accomplishing stuff is hard work, and you did it!!! Enjoy the beach!
Thank you!!! Also yay for laughs 🤣🙌
Have a wonderful time at the beach!
Thank you!! We are really looking forward to it. 😊
Congrats and thank you for that clip 😂
You are very welcome 😄
Wahooooooooooooooooooooooo! Congrats to Team Myer on that thang getting finished! And hoorah for the beach!
TYSM, Danielle! We are pumped 😎😎😎
Yay for grad school being done!!
🙏🥰🙏
Congrats to your husband!! That mug energy is a MOOD. Have the BEST time at the beach 😍😍
Aaaaand i feel that Ham afterglow hard
I also have one that says “I Can’t Even” so it’s nice to have options depending on the day. 😂
I should say both were gifts from friends. They know me well.
Congratulations!! We were at the beach yesterday it was perfect!
Yes!! I’m so excited 🤩☀️🌊
A Thesis baby!! Love it. Our first baby was more like “oh, you just started grad school a month ago? Here’s your first test and it’s positive.” 😅 It’s been a JOURNEY. I’ll be done next summer 🤞, but I’m glad one of us will have more freedom now.
I can’t decide which clip is my favorite 😆
🙌🙌🙌
Took last weekend to watch the new season of Jordan Peele’s Twilight Zone, and I freaking love it (now understand my friend’s fear of cephalopods). Other treasure was getting my hair done - in a touch-starved situation, a head massage with shampoo was v nice. I did go a little HAM on Tiktok this week 😂 without further ado...
That Would Be Enough in reality - https://vm.tiktok.com/J6RGRYu/
Meow meows to the next level - https://vm.tiktok.com/J6w7VeL/
Target run - https://vm.tiktok.com/J6jK4Kc/
Dating Apps: Exile - https://vm.tiktok.com/J6Lcy9S/
She’s the Man meets US History - https://vm.tiktok.com/J6BtWnn/
Jane Bennet who? - https://vm.tiktok.com/J64D4LN/
Tight harmonies - https://vm.tiktok.com/J6KJJUF/
Notebook 2020 - https://vm.tiktok.com/JM2owXK/
“He’s not good for you” - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJMHCfH4/
Jillian, your tik tok lists are a joy! I feel attacked by the dating app exile one - oh so very very accurate 🤦🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️😂
Truly!! And the eyes/mouth thing is ESPECIALLY funny to me
Yes!! I’ve been debating getting back on them after taking a break and now I think I’m just gonna see that all the time 😂
Jillian, thank you for your service of bringing a delightful curated Tik Tok list every week. I cannot bring myself to “be on” Tik Tok but this curated list is the delight of my Friday mornings! The dating apps and the She’s the Man... I cannot!! 😂 the STM one is so specific and it’s been way too long since I watched that movie and I need to now
Emphatic agree!
It is TRULY my pleasure!!! And that’s the fun of tiktok - so many possibilities for dumb, specific jokes!
Agree! I appreciate this and do not have the energy to be on Tik Tok b/c I would never. work. again.
I HAVE BEEN SENT INTO OUTER SPACE BY THE SHE'S THE MAN MEETS US HISTORY I SWEAR THE INTERNET IS BEAUTIFUL.
I love the specificity of it - also brinf back She’s the Man
IT IS SO NICHE AND PERFECT
New hair changes everything.
It SO does. And been seeing my girl for 6+ years now, we family at this point 😂
I refer to the girl who cuts my hair as the Hair Pope.
I’ve been seeing mine since 2016 & I will follow her wherever she goes. Like our dear Fleabag said, HAIR IS EVERYTHING.
Also that first tiktok 🤣🤣🤣
PWB speaks the TRUTH!
And I DIED laughing at that one 😂
Perfect wind down! 😂
I definitely like to think she was his inspiration - and she is Jersey/Long Island Moms everywhere :D