For the past few weeks, you guys let me moan and whine about the state of humanity, and Iām grateful for the space to do that. Iām tagging in now: if you need to moan and whine and sit on the sidelines for a bit, we can switch places. So letās jump in to some Q + A for the week:
Q: Can you just be the adult and tell us what America should do for Pandemic Halloween?
A: Okay I do actually have an idea for this. Itās kind of a hybrid of a Baptist church Fall Festival in a parking lot and your own personal domicile. I want us to deck out our yards or the parking lots of our buildings or just spaces where we can social distance. Iāve seen a bunch of people build candy slides with shipping tubes and PVC pipes. Or what about the guy who turned his yard into a fake cemetery and put candy at each of the tombstones? Or a candy zip line! Or if you donāt want to go house to house, you could do a big family Halloween party: scary movies (depending on the age of kids that might be involved), costumes, and just a free-for-all on the treats. How fun would be it to do a full-on costume photoshoot with a ring light and props? I mean, Iām very here for that. Itās been a weird year. Let your kids go nuts.
Q: Best autumn nail colors in your opinion? - @ohitskayyy
Q: What can I do about my cynicism/skepticism in church?
A: First, I would tell you to investigate the source of your cynicism/skepticism. Thereās a reason youāre feeling this way, so Sherlock Holmes that mess, especially if you are a naturally intuitive person. Why are you cynical? Well, there are a lot of reasons why you would be and quite frankly, some of those reasons are completely valid. The church is a mess, but hereās the deal: it always has been. Itās been a mess since it started because of humans. You can also take a break. Itās not a sin to skip church every once in awhile, if that is hindering your relationship with Jesus. I would also encourage you to not walk through this skepticism alone. Counseling or a trusted friend is a good helper here, if for no other reason than to just have someone to work it out with. Iāll tell you one other thing that I have to do constantly in regards to this, and thatās commit to prayer. Even when I feel like letting that cynicism take the lead, prayer about stuff like this is crucial for me. Even when I have to just tell God: āHey all of this makes me super mad and Iām also really skeptical about this whole thing.ā Thatās prayer too.
Q: How do I understand mask proponents? Iām not, but I want to be kind about it.
A: Whatās helped me with folks that I donāt agree with on this matter (or any matter, really) is to try to understand where they are coming from. I think when we seek to better understand reasoning behind behaviors, we resist the urge to dehumanize a person. And we win every time when we push through the desire to make people out to be villains. I know this because I frequently lose by failing to recognize that those who disagree with me are not caricatures. One of the best exercises we can do for our humanity is to seek out those we disagree with and do our best to understand their perspective.
Q: How do you choose a haircut? - @bethie_rine
A: I choose a haircut the same way I choose almost anything: I gather what I like, and then I take it to the expert. When I eat out at a restaurant, I choose the top three things I think I like and ask the waiter what they think. When I am about to get my haircut, I bring my top three choices and let the experts decide. This has never failed me.
Q: Trivial: I need denim shirt guidance. - @annecdotally
A: I like this shirt from Universal Thread a lot. The key to getting a good denim shirt is to not worry about getting one that buttons properly. I never button mine, so I can technically get a size smaller than I would usually wear, which fits better in other places. Also always roll your sleeves.
Q: My husband and I are becoming very different politically. Any advice for how to handle this with grace and love? We try our best but sometimes things get heated.
A: So my parents are here this weekend, and as I was putting the final touches on the newsletter, I decided to include this question. We were sitting around talking about it, and my mom, who is a counselor, suggested laying down some ground rules: what you can and canāt talk about and stick with it, when you can talk about hot button topics. My dad, who is not a counselor JUST FYI, asked, āWhatās the reason why they are talking about it? To have a conversation or to change someoneās mind?ā Which I thought was an interesting question to consider. I go back to this quote from I Think Youāre Wrong, But Iām Listening by Sarah and Beth of Pantsuit Politics, and it feels like a good way forward:
āWhen we begin with offering grace, the ways in which we orient our conversations fundamentally change. We begin by offering each other the benefit of the doubt instead of being ready to pounce on the first weakness or illustration of conflict. We begin by prioritizing our shared connection to one another instead of our conflicts. We move forward instead of shutting down.ā
Q: Where can I buy the best denim jacket to channel my fall vibes? - @karishavens
A: Mine is from Target (ARE YOU SHOCKED?!) from last year and I honestly donāt love any of the ones they have this year. The washes are off for me. I really like this one from Old Navy with a little sherpa surprise on the collar.
Q: Do you put any product in for Wet Hair Friday? - @jbaileykins
A: I just started using R + Co Suncatcher. Itās a little pricey, but you donāt use very much and it smells SāGOOD. I canāt remember who suggested this to me, but whoever you are, excellent work.
There were so many good questions. We will do another round next week!
OKAY TREASURES MY BELOVEDS.
š¤ Iām trying to think of a time when I was angrier than I was on Tuesday night when the President tromped over Biden talking about his dead son so he could get a cheap shot in on his son who has struggled with addiction. I can genuinely only think of once. If you are in the throes of addiction, or if someone you love is there, please read this beautiful and moving perspective from Eric Garcia, an assistant editor at the Washington Post. Also using addiction as a potshot is disgusting, thanks I hate it!
š One of the delights of my life this week was watching California Representative Katie Porter absolutely decimate some pharma-bro with her beautiful brand of White Board Justice. And double delight was when R. Eric Thomas gave us the recap. Come for the gifs, stay for the Taraji P. Henson doing math on the side of a vacation cottage reference.
š» Iāve told yāall about my dear friend Retha Nichole, who is truly one of the wisest and trustworthy people I know. Retha is a business coach and sheās doing a fabulous webinar on October 23: A Better You: Proven Strategies for Managing the Most Important Areas of Your Life. Retha is part of my mastermind group, and the rest of us will be joining her on a panel during the webinar to talk about relationships, plus you can hear from experts in wealth, health, self-care, and business. Itās a great price point and guaranteed to be an absolute dump truck of wisdom. More info here!
š The 7 YO is the only child who cares about me and wants to watch Great British Bake-Off, so last week, we snuggled up in the big bed and laughed so hard we cried at the bust cakes. The Lupita cake! I was SENT TO THE MOON. Thank you GBBO for all you do for our mental health.
š¬ Itās been a tough week (weāre just gonna keep saying that, arenāt we?), made worse by little tiny inconveniences like our dryer breaking (our laundry room looks like something out of the first twenty minutes of The Wizard of Oz), the drain under our kitchen sink leaking, and the kids drinking *ALL* of the apple cider I was squirreling away for the debate. This post from @maryvangeffen stopped me in my tracks and challenged me.
š³ BUT listen! The other night, I stepped out to the backyard and was absolutely bowled over by the smell ofā¦what exactly? Apricots? Peaches? Iāve never understood the phrase āthe air smelled sweetā in a natural sense because I grew up half an hour away from the biggest feed lots in the United States, and when the wind blows to the east, you can smell the money. ANYWAY. I noticed our two giant bushes started flowering. Why? How? I used my trusty app (PictureThis!) to figure out what they are: tea olives. Guys. I mean it. I started crying. It smelled so good. Theyāve never flowered before. True offline treasure magic. I wish you could all come over for drinks and snacks on the deck and get a whiff. This is what they look like:
Some good listening this week:
We did an episode on Judas on The Bible Binge this week. Iāve always had a soft-spot in my heart for the guy, and I really loved our conversation about the whys and hows of his actions.
I loved chatting with Erin and McKenna on The Daily Prophcast about faith and Harry Potter. They were so delightful and it was fun to nerd out about my favorite book series.
Twitter Hall of Fame this week:
Iām hoping this isnāt considered tromping in on Jillianās TikTok territory, but the way this girl channels Sarah Jessica Parker is incredible, also her cat plays Samantha. Perfect.
Youāve not known stress until youāve tried to AirDrop this tweet to your desktop, but instead copied it into a family group text where your political leanings are considered suspect.
If purchasing the guide is out of the budge right now, shoot me an email at hello@erinhmoon.com. We have TONS of free licenses and I want you to have one.
We Got You Club is in full swing, so please, if you can, dip in and see what need you can meet. I wanted to share a couple of stories from people who have told me what your gifts meant to them. One gal DMād me to say that things had been really tight at their house, so she asked for some birthday presents for her son. What no one could have known though, was her father unexpectedly passing away in a plane crash that same week. In a moment when she would have 100% not been able to be there for her son, you guys stepped up and ministered in a way that you could have never predicted. She was so grateful. Another mom shared that she was able to gift her daughter with a kitchen play set from an Amazon gift card she received.
I keep thinking about these words from Jen Hatmakerās latest email:
āThe stuff you do for your people who are hurting? It literally saves their lives. The cards you mail, the dinners you make, the texts you send, the time you give, the nurturing you provideā¦I am telling you that this is the stuff of miraclesā¦these paver stones create a path for people to walk back into the light, step by step. Donāt think, āthis wonāt matter.ā Think, āthis is love.ā Because it is.ā
Thereās also a brand new tab called I Got This - which is just people saying what they can help you with. Thereās free maternity clothes, advice for parenting with milk allergies, educators who are offering help with distance learning, resume help, so much! Gah. Yāall are the best.
Erin, thank you for granting me permission to start wearing my overalls again. As the mom of a 14 year old, I felt like if I wore the now-trendy overalls that I have owned since the last time they were trendy (1999-2002ish), I would just look like I was trying to hard. But now? Now I will wear them, maybe even out in public, and love every minute of it!
Iām sure others have answered this, but that plant is called Osmanthus. Its common name is fragrant tea olive. Itās one of our favorite aromas/plants. I put one in my momās yard.
I wore nothing but camp pants or John Deere overalls as pants throughout high school and college, so it amuses me greatly when those things become ācoolā enough to be sold for adult women to wear. Because usually the things I love arenāt available, because theyāre not cool. Which is why I learned to make clothes. But now I have too many kids and too poor sensory processing to do things like that.
Re: accidentally air dropping the Colbert tweet to family group text, itās the truth. So itās educational. š¤·āāļø
I loved your gentle rebuke in the Judas episode. Also loved the Faith Adjacent Hamilton edition, and have shared with friends.
We had a week off of virtual school (which takes all my energy every day) for fall break and I had high hopes to get fun things done for me, but Iām just so exhausted. Itās so difficult to see all the things go un-done. Yard work, the house (both renovation and cleanliness/messes), art jobs Iāve committed to (And already been paid for some), certainly friendships outside 3 very good ones. I feel like a captive because I canāt go out with 4 kids and theyāre all under 12, so itās nerve-wrecking to leave them at home. But Iām sure they feel even more captive.
I am double posting, and I apologize in advance for that but:
FRIENDS.
Yesterday, I moped about how my last house had little baby tea olive bushes and I missed them at my new house. Then at midnight last night I stepped outside to see the moon and Mars align (my husband is out of town, which is why I was up--I never stay up until midnight), and the air smelled sweet. Gloriously, beautifully, deliciously sweet. I knew instantly that my complaining had been unfounded, because my new house has a GIANT tea olive TREE at the end of my driveway. Right now it is filling my yard and even my neighborhood with the most amazing scent. I almost wept for joy last night, and also for sorrow because I had been so quick to complain instead of paying attention to my surroundings. Anyway, I just had to share my joy.
Oh Swipes.. where to begin? I think I'm over 2 weeks with no update on here. I have to admit that if I don't get on here right away, I get so overwhelmed with the comments. Crazy right?
š My company did a massive round of layoffs, over 500 people including 20% of my department. Luckily, I still have a job, but my heart is broken for my friends and colleagues who have to deal with this amid everything else.
š FNL Update: I'm close to the S2 finale. Here's my thoughts: Quote that made me laugh out loud Tammi "What is that thing on our porch? It's moving... oh, it's Buddy Garrity" š¤£; Bo Miller is adorable and immediately fell in love with him. I hope he comes back? Jackie's storyline is uncomfortable- first with Tim and then with his brother??? EW and I think Tyra's hair is getting shorter and shorter with every episode.
ā Finally in FL we had a week with the highs in the 80s and it was glorious.
š I bought all the pumpkin things at Trader Joes to try: Waffles, biscotti, ice cream...
That R Eric Thomas article was amazing, and I need to bump his book to the top of my TBR.
Treasures this week:
1. Watching Hocus Pocus with my six year old daughter for the first time. I was a little concerned it would be too scary for her, but she LOVED it and we had a wonderful time.
2. The fall weather we are having in SC right now is giving me LIFE. I am not here for heat and bugs, so SC is rough for this VA girl (not that VA is all THAT much better), but it's amazing.
3. We are getting our pandemic puppy--a rough collie (i.e. Lassie dog) on Sunday! We lost our beloved old Sheltie in June 2019, then got a rescue pup in September who turned out to have a painful, crippling genetic disorder and we had to put her to sleep in January. So I'm nervous but also excited and hopeful that this will go better. Her name is Moony and she's adorable.
4. Rearranged my living room bookshelves by color and it is AMAZING how much difference it makes! I always hesitated before because of being kind of book snobby about the books being out of order or not grouped by series and I REPENT! It motivated me to rearrange the room a little and it looks so good--ready for puppy hair and accidents, lol.
5. My husband and I were talking on Wednesday about the turds of this week (gestures at the general state of, you know, the world) and he started grinning at me. I asked why and he said he likes it when I'm passionate. He knows I'm passionate about many things internally, but I rarely express it (five here). I've been letting it out lately and it shows. It made me feel pretty good about it despite mixed feedback elsewhere.
A treasure: My husband unexpectedly lost his job last week. The CEO of the credit union that I work for heard about it, and he pulled me aside yesterday, and offered to put the loans that we have through the credit union into forbearance for the next three months. I gleefully accepted, because being able to do that is really going to help our financial situation, and then he let me know that if we need more help after that, just to let him know, and he would make it happen. I was blown away by his kindness!
It's my favorite day for many reasons but 100% because I so look forward to our Lil Swipes Shenanigans. I haven't read all the comments yet and am planning on reading them tonight with my Apple Cider/Fireball adult beverage in hand. Can't wait!
Focusing on Treasures today...
*Erin, tea olives are a gift from the LORD. I had them planted all over my yard when we lived in South Georgia because of that AMAZING scent.
*I purchased the Target overalls a couple of weeks ago and can confirm with Erin that they are a wonder, and I sincerely believe I am still as cute in them as I was in the mid 1980's in my beloved Guess overalls. They have juuust the right amount of stretch, too.
*One treasure is that I just received my Olive & June manicure set today with all the fall colors, and I am incredibly excited to do my nails this weekend. It's definitely the little things bringing the joy lately.
*I am acting like an adult and buying a few Christmas presents each paycheck, which may sound like a no brainer to you very sensible Lil Swipes...but this is a big step for my procrastinator, generally overwhelmed, and slightly irresponsible self.
*Went to Raleigh to see my middle son for the first time since we moved him into his apartment for fall semester at NC State last Saturday. He has been battling a very debilitating autoimmune disorder for over a year and it went haywire over the spring and summer...it was one of the most terrible things I've had to watch my children endure. Anyways, right before moving him in, his amazing immunologist started him on some medication that has given him his life back. My baby look happy, healthy, and just a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as he should. It was such a gift to see him so well!
*Now hang in there with me Swipers...this may seem like a turd (both literally and metaphorically), but it's truly a treasure. My sweet little almost 17 year old dog, had some terrible constipation/butt explosion thing happen last Sunday evening. (I am the daughter of a veterinarian who has never seen such a thing in all my life...it was bizarre.) My sweet little doggie had a softball size wad of you-know-what stuck to her behind and she was just a bewildered as we were horrified. She's so old that any little thing is a always a little scary, but I am happy to report that I got her all cleaned up, checked out, and she has been perfectly healthy and happy ever since! Yay!
I'll be returning later to read all your offerings this week! xoxoxo
Taking a chance here...anybody an expert in fighting against county rezoning?! My neighbors and I are in the process of opposing a rezoning of over 300 acres of farmland and woods (that includes streams leading to the water supply) surrounding our houses that they want to turn into heavy and light industrial. It just makes me so sad that our rural country neighborhood could be destroyed. We've been writing letters, and circulating petitions, and testifying at hearings. I've spent WAY too many hours engaging with Internet strangers on NextDoor and Facebook to drum up support (Lord help me). Feels like an Erin Brockovich-type situation at this point.
You know that look people get when they walk into a restaurant where 25 people yell āsurprise!ā? The way they bend down at the waist and cover their face. And then look around all wide eyed and unsure this is actually happening but so delighted. Thatās me right now in the richest comment section Iāve ever visited! So many incredible ladies sharing such wisdom. And Erin, the perfect hostess gathering us all together. Am I the only extrovert here that talks way better than I write? Can we all just meet on my front lawn? I wonāt make you wear a mask Once You Are Seated. Have a great day people!
hello lil swipes. Can I have your besest and most treasured dinner recipes? I'm in a bit of a RUT and am so sick of my favorites. My toddler won't eat meat, so bonus points if you have vegetarian recipes, but we also just pick the meat out for her.
ALSO. Last night I watched the pilot of Pen15 and it hit the NAIL on the head, perfectly, for my middle school experience. If you are in your mid-30s, I recommend it - even if it's just the pilot. I was dying laughing and immediately pulled up TLC's FanMail album to listen to Unpretty.
Why is Katie Porter not our debate moderator? Or even our next president? When she repeatedly cuts him off and says āLet me reclaim my timeā. It is my new mantra for life.
It's been a long week, so I'm just popping in to give the promised update on The Boy meeting my oma. It went so well! She definitely wasn't at her best since she was recovering from surgery and all, and it's so hard seeing her when she's feeling weak, but she was just as mentally alert as ever and we visited for a few hours. She asked if things between The Boy and I were serious and I said yes, and she texted me later saying she very much approved and was really happy I brought him over to meet her. He was even so sweet to politely listen to her go on about her love of Trump and how America is cursed because of Roe v. Wade and so it's a good thing he's putting in his Supreme Court nominee and all the things. I love Oma, but oof. Bless him for carrying on a polite conversation with her while I just sat in silence not wanting to insert my opinion as per the usual. Anywho, she approves and he loved meeting her and overall it was a great time!
I'm too spent from this week to share anything else, but I wanted to make sure I updated y'all! Cheers to the weekend (almost - still gotta get through another seven hours of work)!
Hello Everyone! The last couple weeks have been a blur. 1. We finally found our pandemic puppy! Everyone is congratulating me like I had a new baby but after the first night I was sobbing for the entire next day. Turns out virtual school, no sleep, and a bitey puppy DO NOT MIX. My husband stepped up and made dinner that night and starting taking one of the night potty breaks (3am one) and giving me the earlier slot when he was against this whole puppy idea to begin with. I have never been so grateful for the man. I will never leave him now š. I will say I do not understand why anyone gets a dog, they are expensive and hardly endearing when they are so much work. Praying for a dog that eventually chills out so we can chill on the couch and eat cookies. Any advice for bitey dogs? He seems to want to assert dominance and play rough with my youngest kids. He's definitely turned out to have a strong personality.
2. I guess I'm old now because my friend who is my age said she enjoyed the movie "bookclub" and recommended it. I watched it and wasn't able to relate much. Which was a relief š
3. The debate was horrifying and I don't drink but I wish I did now. I did occasionally smoke cigarettes in college and to relieve the tension with the political climate rn and dog stress I bought a pack. Just one. I don't have them every day. But I do need to find something else. Why can't it be exercise š...anyone have an exercise routine that isn't hard on my chronic pain inflicted body but that actually burns calories?
4. Reading "practical magic" for my october book because of its "spooky" themes. So far enjoying it even though I don't really read books about ghosts and magic...it's so hard for me to suspend belief. But there is also apparently a movie based on it with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman and I'm excited to check that out.
2. My local library is killing it with kid activities in the time of COVID. We're very excited for the Mystery Spooky Scavenger Hunt: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/mystery-spooky-scavenger-hunt/ My oldest 2 also just finished up a free cooking class via Zoom put on by the library and they were both bummed it was only for the month of September.
3. There is a lot of HP reading going on! I just finished 5-7 for the 3rd or 4th time. I know each has their own opinions on the best book, but my favorite is #5. I really, really relate to teen angst Harry in Order of the Phoenix. I also love to hate Umbridge.
4. I also started Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?: And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House by Alyssa Mastromonaco. It is delightful. As a former, small scale event planner and executive assistant, her stories both intrigue and terrify me. I love it.
5. Hubs and I get to have an overnight without kids (thanks, grandparents!) in a city neither of us have been to (here we come, Wichita!) and I have been looking forward to it ALL. WEEK. LONG. Equally excited - my children, who keep asking me when we leave.
Hope everyone has a great weekend and week! Love you all in this little space!
Yāall Iām tired. Deeply tired of all the things. The closer we get to the end of the week the harder it is for me to find words or figure out how I feel other than tired
Erin, at this moment my hearts greatest desire is patio drinks and snacks with Lil Swipes and the sweet smell of Tea Olives! Swoon! Will have to see if Tea Olives grow in Texas so I can create a close approximation in my backyard. Anyway... I am happyto take some time to sip coffee and catch up with all of you.
On with the Treasures!
- On Monday a year long litigation dance with my ex-husband following my petition to have sole decision making power regarding counseling and mental healthcare our girls among other things was resolved in mediation. Everything we requested was agreed to in some form our fashion and I am just so grateful. Odd bonus is the new phrase āThat husband of hersā stolen from my ex and now used obsessively...as in āit would be great if that husband of mine would take out the trash.ā Lol
- Harry Potter! Our family read along continues and my delight in watching my girls and āthat husband of mineā discover this land and fall in love with these characters has not ceased. We are getting ever closer to the end of The Goblet of Fire.
- Iāve already devoured Erinās episode on The Daily Prophcast and excited to go back and listen to more of this podcast.
- The Cincinnati Zoo Facebook and YouTube feeds are my favorite and I have watched this video of a baby rhino with zoomies more times than I can count
- For years my mom and sisters and husband have encouraged to open an Etsy shop and Iāve always come up with reasons not to ( if Iām honest I was too scared to fail). Iāve run our of excuses and 2020 has āgiftedā me with time I took the leap, launched the shop and had sales in the first 24 hours. Still feeling nervous but also optimistic
This week was a major turd in a lot of ways. Majorly depressing. Iām having more issues with endometriosis that make me want to throw things and eat chocolate (even though that makes me feel worse). I have another appointment with my doctor today. Thereās a lot to discuss and the um... *physical* aspect of my appointment today makes me nervous. Iām also trying to figure out all the college things right now and itās way overwhelming. Do I want to be a special ed teacher or an occupational therapist? Do I want to stay close to home or move 3.5 hours away? Do I want a small campus or a large one? Christian or not? Financial aid? COVID policies? Parent opinions? I wish that the decisions were easier, but theyāre just not.
Treasures this week were pretty slim. But!
š I got to spend some time with friends last night. Theyāre going through a lot of the same things that I am and itās helpful to know that Iām not alone.
š Let this video wash over your soul. Itās amazing. *language warning*
šŗ My family adopted quarantine kittens. Theyāre seven months old now and theyāre the funniest things. They donāt understand that the chairs in our den/dining room area downstairs have wheels. They jump on them and scare the crap out of themselves when the chairs move. They bodyslam each other into everything. And theyāre getting SO. FAT. Itās the cutest. Only if you call the one āfatā, he shames you. We now have two *f-words* in our household...š
1. Erin I see you on that feed lot smelling like āmoneyā comment. My step dad used to grow field corn and turned it into silage for feed š¤¢.
2. The video and article about Rep. Katie Porter by R. Eric Thomas made me laugh and throw up fists in solidarity. So good! Definite Julia Sugarbaker energy.
3. Iām loving that the SEC is finally playing football again! Last Saturday was truly one of the highlights of the year for me and Iām hoping this Saturday will be more of the same football goodness.
4. Looking forward to possibly pumpkin patching with my boys in the next week or so.
5. The cooler weather (think 50s and low 80s) weāve finally gotten in the FLA so that I can pretend to live in a place with four seasons.
6. Apple cider and bourbon - separately or together.
Thanks for the newsletter! Itās a bright spot! š
Annie F. Downs once mentioned one of her friends texting her the following phrase āyou are in the center of Godās kindness right nowā. Iāve always held tight to that even life doesnāt feel very kind - last week was one of those weeks. But this week there have been lots of little moments that just felt really kind.
š All of you here are just the sweetest
š Iāve been saving for a new couch for a while now as my old one was my great grandmotherās and it looks and feels like it. I was almost to the point where I felt confident in the amount I had saved to start looking when a former co worker posted her in-laws barely used, second couch on Facebook for sale. Yāall, it was exactly the style and color of leather couch I wanted! It also came with an armchair and an ottoman for wayyyyyyy less than I was planning on spending. I smile every time I have looked at or sat in my living room this week.
š I currently live on the third floor of an apartment building with no elevator - which makes the whole couch situation quite tricky. My best friends have the best husbands who graciously helped me get my old couch out and the new one in - it was no easy feat. At one point it involved the couch being about 1/3 of the way over the porch railing. Thank goodness for best friends' husbands who step in to make life a heck of a lot easier.
š One of the best friends, her husband, and I had a thoughtful conversations on abortion, gun rights, the direction of government, third parties, and all the other things. We all got real passionate, but also sought to understand and find common ground. It was wonderful to remember that conversations like this can exist.
š Pantsuit Politics episode on RBG and gender roles. I held off listening because I knew I would cry, and I did, but totally worth it.
I mentioned this months ago, but around the time the pandemic hit, I self-published a little book about singleness. With *all of these things* going on in the world, I took a break from marketing it because 1. it felt unimportant and silly when there are so many other important things to be focusing our time, energy, and money towards and 2. I ironically have been feeling kind of "meh" about my singleness the last month or two and I didn't feel ~in the mood~ to post on social media about how being single is great and important and blah blah blah...
I then received a message a couple days ago from a coworker telling me that she was feeling very sad that she was almost 40 and was single, not dating, etc. She said she took out my book and it was a source of encouragement for her.
I share all of this not as a weird way to publically pat myself on the back in this online forum, but just to say that sometimes when you feel called to small or big things in life- whether that be to write a lil book, write a newsletter (ERIN MOON!!), pay for someone's Starbucks, etc. - you just don't know how God can use these small acts of obedience to bless others and make them feel known and loved. I've learned a lot over the last 7 months that, that's all we really are yearning for in this world. It's been a joy to see the way strangers have helped each other during this time, and although I really want things to go back to some kind of normalcy, I pray that we don't stop listening to each other's stories and picking each other up when we feel down!
Weāve had another survivable week here at the mansion.
The turds- I got a speeding ticket. Like five minutes after my mom said donāt speed. Itās hard not to speed when you havenāt had a fast car for 15 years! I mean my trucks name is Buzz Lightyear, I have no choice but to speed. The officer asked why I was speeding and I said I have no reason I just was. I was doing 65 in a 45 but he gave me a ticket for doing 55 in a 45 which is better. I think my honesty helped.
The best thing was my big ole shipment of scratchy bath towels! I love them so much!!! There are so many of them and I no longer have to search for towels! Added bonus they exfoliate your whole dang body!
First time commenting, so I'm wondering if something can be a turd AND a treasure? A turdsure, if you will? (I hate myself.)
My 2 year old's been sick since May with no real known cause. We've done inpatient at the local children's hospital multiple times and the doctors called last week to say they're out of their depth and want us to seek a second opinion. They're not comfortable giving a firm diagnosis but, more than that, the only treatment they know of is steroids every other week until he's 12. So I'm grateful for that doctors who know their limits!
After requesting appointments at multiple recommended children's hospitals and getting turned away, I was at my wits end on Friday and requested an appointment at Mayo Clinic. And they accepted. We're going to Rochester, MN in a week and a half and...I'm barely holding myself together. I'm trying to wrap everything up at work (because of course an event I coordinate is that week lolz) and figure out an 11 hour road trip with a 3.5 year old and 2 year old, food, doctor's appointments, my 3.5 year old asking me "Is Ev still sick or can he play now?", COVID testing, *the general situation of the world*, and all of it feels like too much. Going to Mayo feels BIG and overwhelming and my Ennea 6 self is trying to stay afloat. On top of all that, he hasn't had a flare in a couple of weeks which makes me feel like we'll inconvenience doctors and they'll say he's fine. And the spiral goes on and on and on...
BUT I'm reminding myself that Mayo wants to see him! That means they want to help and there might be alternative treatments. We're going to MN in October so we'll see a real fall! with an apple orchard!--not like what we have here in Oklahoma. And my husband and I were just saying with all of Ev's in-and-out we wanted to get away. We were more thinking like a local bed and breakfast with the grandparents watching our kids but I guess God was like "Nah, y'all-you need to GET AWAY." ĀÆ\_(ć)_/ĀÆ
Also Braum's came back with their holiday ice cream and if that's not a treasure, I don't know what is. IYKYK. If you have kid friendly audiobook recs that won't make me want to bang my head against the dashboard, please let me know. Paddington is fine and all but not for 11 hours. :)))
Hello, lovelies! Thank you for filling my quiet/boring morning at the office with joy. Jillian's TikTok ministry is alive and well and that Kylo as Troy video just did my heart good. Speaking of Kylo, I found these masks this week at RedBubble and now just have to decide how many I'm gonna buy...
Also there is a bush outside my office building that flowered recently and has been smelling SO lovely and I couldn't figure out what it was and now I know! I'm a spring-loving person who hates colder weather, so this bit of new life feels like a God wink.
Last treasure is spending last Friday evening sitting on my porch in sweats drinking Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale with my younger brother. I 10/10 would recommend for a very lovely time.
There were some BIG OL turds in my week but I just don't even have the energy to focus on those today. Thanks for being here, y'all!
I was rendered unable to speak for ten minutes after seeing the bust cakes. It was too much. They took it so seriously, they tried so hard. God bless GBBO āØ
Man, I'm four minutes away from clicking on to a meeting and that We Got You story has me in TEARS. Y'all really are the best people.
Treasures for this week:
Biscuits and gravy. I made it for dinner this week and there are no words for how comforting it was on a soul level. Not only is it delicious, but it's something I grew up eating regularly (we were hella poor) and it's nostalgic.
Sleeping with my phone in another room/app boundaries. I don't want to be yet ANOTHER person bragging about how they have amazing boundaries with their phone (because I don't) or how they sleep with it in a different room and they're just "SOOOO detached from technology" because I always roll my eyes at those people. But y'all. I'm just saying that I'm getting some of the most restful sleep of my life. I figure while I can't control how much screen time I have in the day due to working from home, I can control how much screen time I have outside of work duties. I've been embracing the concept of "parenting your phone" (I heard about it from AFD and she heard about it from someone else) where you "put your phone to bed" before you go to bed and you wake up before your phone "wakes up." I am not a parent so I don't know how much this actually mimics the realities of parenting, but for my phone, I'm really digging it.
This is my response post to Erin's treasures since my treasures post was already long, haha!
The Sex in the City re-enactments are purrrfection (heh heh); I've been considering getting a voting shirt as well as some for my kiddos -- so you may have influenced me; the scent of magnolias in the air is extremely precious to me, so I am happy you have sweet air! I would be suuuuper curious to see what MM as a presidential candidate would be like... and we should all consider if Beth Moore would approve our tweets, posts, and text messaged before we submit them, amen.
Hey evvvverrrrybodddddy! (Said like Dr. Nick from The Simpsons)
I'm masked, I'm at my desk, I'm eyeing my coffee, and its Friday.
LET'S
GO.
1. Great British Bake Off is BACK! We watched it last week as a family -- every Friday night we pick different movies/shows to watch as a family and try to be off our phones as much as possible. The whole family watched this and did our usually commentary as we did. We are like Mystery Science Theatre when we watch shows. We all are talkers. It's why we are also a subtitle house. I can't wait to watch the new ep tonight.
2. Last week we also watched Enola Holmes and crap, now I love Millie Bobby Brown. That role was PERFECTION for her.
3. Loving the I Got This tab and now I am a knitting machine working on projects requested. I am hoping to finish scarf 1 that was requested, then I have requests for another scarf, 2 hats and maybe a cowl too. I will try to honor requests as they came in. LOVING being able to pass along some knit goods and use some of my yarn stash.
4. New show I'm kind of loving --> Filthy Rich on Fox. Quite an interesting take on the whole PTL type sitch. Anyone else watching?
5. This past week I also reached my 1000 mile mark of my 1135 mile goal for 2020. This is tracking miles on Charity Miles for the ALS Association. As of today, I only have 119 miles left to reach this goal. If I'm not able to go outside to walk/run that 3.1 minimum, I do indoor walking workouts (yeah go old school with Leslie Sansone youtube links, go ahead and mock me, but I love her) and it gets me moving, which is the goal truly. Intention movement. Intentional stepping and earning miles.
6. Lasagna. I love lasagna, but my husband dislikes ricotta and cottage cheese, my older son also isn't a big fan. But Lincoln (my 7 year old) has been watching episodes of Garfield on Amazon Prime and was all "Mom, do I like lasagna?" -- so I made a pan. Spoiler alert: He loves it. Like licked his plate clean. I now have a lasagna buddy in my house and will be making it quite often this winter for he and I to happily enjoy.
7. Jillian making me laugh "Ma'am!!!" "GIRL!"
8. Voting early. 'nuff said- I did THAT the night of the debates and didn't watch them. #Win
9. Looking into becoming a Grief Educator. David Kessler is in the process of developing curriculum and I am putting my toe in the water about this.
Erin: loving that link from The Outrage and now I want to buy ALL THE SHIRTS!!!
Over the past few years the trick-or-treating in our neighborhood has dwindled. Last year I think we went to maybe 10 houses, and we had a ton of candy left over. Everyone seems to be trunk-or-treated out by Halloween night. So this year I have decided to have a glow in the dark candy hunt. My four year old is super excited about Halloween this year and I did not want to just blow it off. I got some white plastic eggs, that I am going to draw faces on, and some mini glow sticks to put in the eggs. So that is what we will be doing on Halloween night. It may become a new tradition.
Last week I got a text message from my landlords asking if I could stay out of my apartment between 12 and 8 on Saturday. I had a feeling/was hoping they would install a new shower cubicle since mine has been broken and kind of gross for a while now. When I got home, not only was there a brand new shower cubicle, they had also gotten me a new (to me) washing machine and a very nice, brand new refrigerator! I was blown away! Best part? The new fridge doesn't make weird noises that wake me up at 1.30 at night! Between this and the fall decorating I've been doing, I've had a pretty good week. Oh, and I made jam!
My treasure this weeks is the coffee pot I dug out of my garage last weekend for brunch. Iām all for my fancy Nespresso but this coffee pot has a SELF TIMER...trying to wake up before the rest of the house and my coffee already being made for me is a game changer. Old fashioned and less hipster than my French press for the win. Also, Palo Santo wood burning around my house is my new fave. Seems a little whoo whoo but donāt knock it till you try it.
My brain cannot process everything that happened this week. Last night after a really blah day at work, I started to say, "Why am I feeling this way? Wait, that's a stupid question." THE WORLD'S CIRCUMSTANCES are making me feel this way.
It's just that I'm a pretty high-functioning, productive, to-do-list-killing enneagram type 1, former RA. I'm used to getting ish done. And lately I just feel so blah. My husband was like, "You're probably literally slightly depressed, like everyone else right now." So I'm trying to accept that because these circumstances are just SO far out of my control I need to focus on what I can control and not be so harsh on myself.
So despite the new population of worries and what-if's that have set up camp in my brain since this morning's news, I DID try to write down treasures as I found them this week! Here we go:
1. @bethereinfive's Arbys highlight on Instagram. I just discovered Kate recently (I think from a share by Erin?) and my husband and I were literally crying laughing at this highlight this week. Basically, her hometown Arby's experience was very different from most.
2. This is the best chocolate cake recipe out there, don't fight me. I made it for my son's 3rd birthday this week, and it is our signature birthday cake now after 3 years. It's super moist and rich: https://addapinch.com/the-best-chocolate-cake-recipe-ever/
My treasures this week are school-related: my oldest (2nd grader) went back to school a full month after all her classmates did and the school is still open! No cases of Covid! I genuinely did not think that would happen. And! Iām checking out a new preschool today for my 4 yr old thatās just across the way from my oldestās school. I COULD HAVE 2 OUT OF 3 KIDS GONE FOR 3 HRS 3 DAYS A WEEK! It aināt much, but itās a bit. (It really says something about the past year/6 months for me to be so excited about that.)
Discovering R. Eric Thomas has been a delight of 2020 for me. That article made me actually LOL. My good thing is Iām finally sleeping decently after not for a while. My turd is my kid is acting like a psychopants and Iām not sure if I should blame it on being 3 or back at school. Maybe some of both.
Let's do some winners and losers over the past week or two, shall we? Bad news first:
*My second born turned 12 this week. That means his older sister is OLDER than twelve. That means my birthday, which is later this month, firmly lands me in the ACTUAL forties, not just dancing around the edges... and that's weird. Also, my 12 year old son is taller than me, sounds like a man every other sentence, is growing something on his upper lip, and always smells a little bit stinky, even if he's just showered. Someone hold me and help me--I am not prepared for this growing up thing!
*I have decided that my kids are relying on screens too much to entertain them when the weather outside is absolutely delightful and there is NO REASON they should be indoors. So, moving forward, screen time will be allowed for school work but outside of that, only on the weekends. Pray for me. My kids are about to get really bored.
*I am taking an online philosophy course this semester and I don't understand it. I am trying, but truly feel like my brain is failing. I have a midterm to take this weekend, and would appreciate all the prayers that my fog will lift and I will have enough clarity to at least answer the questions:-)
Good news:
*FALL is here in Upstate South Carolina and it is truly delightful and life giving. I really think this weather is a sweet gift from the Lord during a uncertain and crazy time.
*I thought my fiddle leaf fig was going to die but it recently unfurled gorgeous new leaves and I was as proud as if I had birthed another child. Now to see how it survives cooler temps.
*Last week I introduced my husband and oldest child to Twins the New Trend channel on YouTube and it was so much fun to see my 13 year old have similar reactions to the twins (though she has heard Johnny Cash, which they hadn't-- we are raising her right!). This video might be my favorite one, but they are all delightfully distracting gold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHv0u19fJqE&t=307s&ab_channel=TwinsthenewTrend
Thanks as always for being a light in the darkness.
I took Danaās advice from last week and started keeping an open note on my phone. (Thank you, love! It made all the difference in reminding me to *notice* the moments of joy.)
First, the trash.
Insomnia. Straight up, no sleep for long long hours at random times of the day. Iāve mentioned here that I live with my mom after the sudden death of my dad and her dealing with several health issues the past 3 years, and with COVID, weāve basically shut the door to keep out the Devil since March. My 2 younger sisters donāt do their part to isolate in their lives (the pandemic is *not* political! š¤¬), so Iāve had to be aggressive in keeping Mom and myself safe. Which means hard feelings and angry words and my sisters thinking Iām trying to lock Mom away from them till she dies. ::sigh:: Big Sigh. Iām stressed and Iām sad and Iām still grieving the losses of 4 years and counting. Thus, I donāt sleep. Itās not that I even lie awake in worry; itās that I just canāt *settle*. And Iām unable to take sleeping meds ā they have reverse effect on me into hyperALERTness (ugh) ā so Iāve been channeling my college self and trying to push through until I collapse. Lots and lots of all-nighters, but Iām not 21 anymore and my body gives out between 9am and noon, whereupon I sleep like a bear and wake up 6-8pm to do it all over again. š Mom had a stroke in December that also wrecked her sleep, so our evenings are mornings and wee hour mornings are bedtime. At this point, time is truly irrelevant. But I hate it more and more each week. Sigh.
With all the (literal) dark hours in my life, I get a lot of reading done and came across these JOYS this week:
* For some reason I never knew Robin Sloan had a newsletter and an *inspired* social media platform (not surprised though. His books are divine!), but he shared this from The NY Times and I was mesmerized. Itās a breakdown of a self-portrait by painter Albrecht DĆ¼rer. Iāve never used the term before but Iām pretty sure this is the 16th century equivalent of BDE. š¬https://twitter.com/robinsloan/status/1309609759071326209?s=21
It was me! I was the one who DMd you about the R+Co Suncatcher air dry cream! Friends, Iām here to tell you itās the best. Watch Ashley Streicherās Instagram videos, itās her product. I scrunch some in my wet hair and thatās it. Donāt comb, donāt touch. Just let it dry. I had the mini bottle and it lasted me a month using 4 pumps each time. Just bought the full size. Totally worth it.
Yāall, sleep deprivation is basically what I imagine some realm of hell to be like. I mean, Iām not at Edward Norton Fight Club level, but Iām for sure at a level I do not want to be any longer. SIGH. I love my kids and want to give them the skies, and yet when they are awake at night, it feels like a never ending black hole of doom & YES that sounds dramatic but it is what it is š
Still, I am so grateful for the advice I got last week here about helping my 3.5 yo sleep. We tried everything with some success, but heās still waking up a lot & not falling back to sleep easily. Just gotta tell myself this wonāt be forever & go fill up my coffee mug again. š„±
Anyway, on to treasures!
š This gorgeous fall collection by A Spoonful of Faith. I got some cards & Iām so pumped to send them. https://www.spoonfuloffaith.com/shop
š Finished āEverything I Never Told Youā by Celeste Ng this week. I freaking LOVE books like this, you guys. A deep dive into the life of a fictional family is my favorite (Commonwealth by Ann Patchett, The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall are two others that fall here for me). The ending surprised me. I cried. It was lovely and sad and just really well done. Will definitely be reading Little Fires Everywhere eventually & anything else Celeste gifts to the world.
š§ Abeās wild blueberry smash vegan muffins from Whole Foods. I donāt usually go for vegan options, but these little muffins are delish. My boys love them too.
I think thatās about it this week. Hereās hoping for rest for all of us. There is so much information being jammed into our eyeballs these days, so Iām grateful for the respite of these Treasures. āØ
*Fall weather has official officially arrived in Michigan and I am happier than a pig in $#!+. So, Iāll just start there. As an eternally Sweaty Betty, cooler weather is like balm to my soul and a break for my deodorant. Sweater weather is my heaven.
*My dadās birthday is today and Iām so excited to spend time with him and my mom doing all the fall things in sweaters. (There is a theme here...)
*I work for myself doing high school tutoring and after being underemployed for weeks and weeks, business has finally picked back up to somewhat normal levels. This is wonderful and also I kind of secretly miss the thick of quarantine where all I was doing was making homemade donuts. Lol.
*Iāve been in recovery from an eating disorder for over a year now and, after a long break, Iāve just gotten back into running. Iāve been a runner most of my life but it had turned into a way to punish my body instead of a way to enjoy movement. Iām training for a virtual 5K, and itās really hard right now. But also very good to be in a better mental space.
Hope everyoneās weeks treated them gently. Looking forward to hearing all the updates. ā¤ļø
We made it to Friday, friends! Itās been a tough week with some continued medical mysteries, but Iām trying to stay positive. I love the month of October and kicked it off with waffles for dinner and Harry Potter (all of the HP movies are free on Peacock this month!!)
Some treasures:
- In a move to preserve my mental health, I chose to not watch the debate and instead watched Enola Holmes on Netflix which was a total delight.
- Iāve seen two separate cars in the last two weeks with Golden Girls windshield sunshades. Is this a thing now?
- This week I learned that Kiera Knightley was only 18 in both Love Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean. She won an Academy Award at 20. Sheās currently 35. Iām a little mind blown
- I tried Sarahās apple cider mimosa recipe for Saturday football watching, and it was delicious!
I donāt even know where to begin. To say that this week has been all sorts of odd is 100% correct.
I had the honor of watching my nanny kiddos for 2 nights/3 days while the parents unplugged away from the kids for the first time in 5 years. We all hung in there and kiddos did great! It gave my aching someday-mama heart purpose for a few days even though I questioned if I would be a good parent when the toddler thought it was a great idea to chase after a moving vehicle and I screamed. Ha.
I got stung by a yellow jacket on the way to taking one of the children to preschool only to come home and find out that my college-ex (who cheated on me with multiple women) had come out of the closet. My elbow was throbbing from the sting while my heart felt so much relief.. so many questions answered 13 years later.
My husband and I tried to purchase a used vehicle a few months ago and it was a bust... so itās been a few months of waiting, praying, saving more money. We went yesterday to finally pull the trigger and the one we wanted sold the night before after being on the lot since June!!! I may have pouted and watched British TV all day yesterday. Then, my sweet husband wanted to try one more place last night and we drove home with a ānewā used vehicle at 10pm last night!
Feeling relieved after bouts of tension and angst is the theme of the week.
Ah, Erin, I would LOVE to come over and smell those tea olives. It sounds like the perfect moment of respite. And no one should ever be afraid of tromping, it aināt my territory! The world is wide enough for us all to share, and Samantha cat is a gem not to be missed! Thank you for your words and the laughs they bring and thoughts they provoke.
Had a huge turd watching many in my community get laid off from jobs at Disney. I was laid off from a job at Disney 3 years ago, and my heart is aching watching former coworkers, bosses who taught me so much and stay in touch with me, long lost pals losing some stability. Honestly gonna have to hack my crying with an Act 2 Hamilton viewing to let this weight from my chest go - āthey are going through the unimaginableā. Smaller turd in my dogsitting charge digging in naughty places when I turned my back for 5 min šš. Made the treasures even sweeter though: chatting with a few Swipes via IG (fun to do virtual life with you, Sarah, Mel, Lil!!), wakeup greetings from my dog (just always so happy to see me!), sending some snail mail, and finally getting into GBBO. A coworker advised me to watch Rahulās season (Collection 6 on Netflix) and I am ALL IN.
Wow the Tiktok hits just kept coming this week, so here you go!
I have never heard of tea olives and now I desperately want to try to find them! In a similar vein, one of my biggest treasures this week is that our fig tree is producing so many figs this year. This is the first year since we moved in that weāve been able to eat any of them. Even though our grape vines seem to have been killed by the blasted spotted lanternflies, we have figs and Iām delighted to put my kids down for a nap, walk on to my porch, and pick fresh figs for my āI survived half of my dayā treat.
Also- Iām raising a house of little wild women. My youngestās current obsession is running to the kitchen when Iām otherwise occupied, climbing onto the bottom oven door, holding onto the top oven door, and just leeeaaaannning backwards. Super fun for her, until she hits the floor š¤¦š»āāļø
Erin, thank you for granting me permission to start wearing my overalls again. As the mom of a 14 year old, I felt like if I wore the now-trendy overalls that I have owned since the last time they were trendy (1999-2002ish), I would just look like I was trying to hard. But now? Now I will wear them, maybe even out in public, and love every minute of it!
Iām sure others have answered this, but that plant is called Osmanthus. Its common name is fragrant tea olive. Itās one of our favorite aromas/plants. I put one in my momās yard.
I wore nothing but camp pants or John Deere overalls as pants throughout high school and college, so it amuses me greatly when those things become ācoolā enough to be sold for adult women to wear. Because usually the things I love arenāt available, because theyāre not cool. Which is why I learned to make clothes. But now I have too many kids and too poor sensory processing to do things like that.
Re: accidentally air dropping the Colbert tweet to family group text, itās the truth. So itās educational. š¤·āāļø
I loved your gentle rebuke in the Judas episode. Also loved the Faith Adjacent Hamilton edition, and have shared with friends.
We had a week off of virtual school (which takes all my energy every day) for fall break and I had high hopes to get fun things done for me, but Iām just so exhausted. Itās so difficult to see all the things go un-done. Yard work, the house (both renovation and cleanliness/messes), art jobs Iāve committed to (And already been paid for some), certainly friendships outside 3 very good ones. I feel like a captive because I canāt go out with 4 kids and theyāre all under 12, so itās nerve-wrecking to leave them at home. But Iām sure they feel even more captive.
My dad has early onset Alzheimerās, and moved himself out of his facility this week that I put him in last year (the year of trashing my health and family to get his affairs in order), with the help of his new fiancĆ© (someone I knew as a kid). I havenāt answered their calls because Iām overwhelmed and I donāt trust them to respect my boundaries. And I feel so much guilt over that.
I am double posting, and I apologize in advance for that but:
FRIENDS.
Yesterday, I moped about how my last house had little baby tea olive bushes and I missed them at my new house. Then at midnight last night I stepped outside to see the moon and Mars align (my husband is out of town, which is why I was up--I never stay up until midnight), and the air smelled sweet. Gloriously, beautifully, deliciously sweet. I knew instantly that my complaining had been unfounded, because my new house has a GIANT tea olive TREE at the end of my driveway. Right now it is filling my yard and even my neighborhood with the most amazing scent. I almost wept for joy last night, and also for sorrow because I had been so quick to complain instead of paying attention to my surroundings. Anyway, I just had to share my joy.
Oh Swipes.. where to begin? I think I'm over 2 weeks with no update on here. I have to admit that if I don't get on here right away, I get so overwhelmed with the comments. Crazy right?
š My company did a massive round of layoffs, over 500 people including 20% of my department. Luckily, I still have a job, but my heart is broken for my friends and colleagues who have to deal with this amid everything else.
š FNL Update: I'm close to the S2 finale. Here's my thoughts: Quote that made me laugh out loud Tammi "What is that thing on our porch? It's moving... oh, it's Buddy Garrity" š¤£; Bo Miller is adorable and immediately fell in love with him. I hope he comes back? Jackie's storyline is uncomfortable- first with Tim and then with his brother??? EW and I think Tyra's hair is getting shorter and shorter with every episode.
ā Finally in FL we had a week with the highs in the 80s and it was glorious.
š I bought all the pumpkin things at Trader Joes to try: Waffles, biscotti, ice cream...
That R Eric Thomas article was amazing, and I need to bump his book to the top of my TBR.
Treasures this week:
1. Watching Hocus Pocus with my six year old daughter for the first time. I was a little concerned it would be too scary for her, but she LOVED it and we had a wonderful time.
2. The fall weather we are having in SC right now is giving me LIFE. I am not here for heat and bugs, so SC is rough for this VA girl (not that VA is all THAT much better), but it's amazing.
3. We are getting our pandemic puppy--a rough collie (i.e. Lassie dog) on Sunday! We lost our beloved old Sheltie in June 2019, then got a rescue pup in September who turned out to have a painful, crippling genetic disorder and we had to put her to sleep in January. So I'm nervous but also excited and hopeful that this will go better. Her name is Moony and she's adorable.
4. Rearranged my living room bookshelves by color and it is AMAZING how much difference it makes! I always hesitated before because of being kind of book snobby about the books being out of order or not grouped by series and I REPENT! It motivated me to rearrange the room a little and it looks so good--ready for puppy hair and accidents, lol.
5. My husband and I were talking on Wednesday about the turds of this week (gestures at the general state of, you know, the world) and he started grinning at me. I asked why and he said he likes it when I'm passionate. He knows I'm passionate about many things internally, but I rarely express it (five here). I've been letting it out lately and it shows. It made me feel pretty good about it despite mixed feedback elsewhere.
This thread gives me so much joy, y'all.
A treasure: My husband unexpectedly lost his job last week. The CEO of the credit union that I work for heard about it, and he pulled me aside yesterday, and offered to put the loans that we have through the credit union into forbearance for the next three months. I gleefully accepted, because being able to do that is really going to help our financial situation, and then he let me know that if we need more help after that, just to let him know, and he would make it happen. I was blown away by his kindness!
Popping in super quickly to say: Did you all listen to Miley Cyrus' cover of Heart of Glass?? I'm kind of shocked by how much I like it.
Hello Lil Swipers!
It's my favorite day for many reasons but 100% because I so look forward to our Lil Swipes Shenanigans. I haven't read all the comments yet and am planning on reading them tonight with my Apple Cider/Fireball adult beverage in hand. Can't wait!
Focusing on Treasures today...
*Erin, tea olives are a gift from the LORD. I had them planted all over my yard when we lived in South Georgia because of that AMAZING scent.
*I purchased the Target overalls a couple of weeks ago and can confirm with Erin that they are a wonder, and I sincerely believe I am still as cute in them as I was in the mid 1980's in my beloved Guess overalls. They have juuust the right amount of stretch, too.
*One treasure is that I just received my Olive & June manicure set today with all the fall colors, and I am incredibly excited to do my nails this weekend. It's definitely the little things bringing the joy lately.
*I am acting like an adult and buying a few Christmas presents each paycheck, which may sound like a no brainer to you very sensible Lil Swipes...but this is a big step for my procrastinator, generally overwhelmed, and slightly irresponsible self.
*Went to Raleigh to see my middle son for the first time since we moved him into his apartment for fall semester at NC State last Saturday. He has been battling a very debilitating autoimmune disorder for over a year and it went haywire over the spring and summer...it was one of the most terrible things I've had to watch my children endure. Anyways, right before moving him in, his amazing immunologist started him on some medication that has given him his life back. My baby look happy, healthy, and just a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as he should. It was such a gift to see him so well!
*Now hang in there with me Swipers...this may seem like a turd (both literally and metaphorically), but it's truly a treasure. My sweet little almost 17 year old dog, had some terrible constipation/butt explosion thing happen last Sunday evening. (I am the daughter of a veterinarian who has never seen such a thing in all my life...it was bizarre.) My sweet little doggie had a softball size wad of you-know-what stuck to her behind and she was just a bewildered as we were horrified. She's so old that any little thing is a always a little scary, but I am happy to report that I got her all cleaned up, checked out, and she has been perfectly healthy and happy ever since! Yay!
I'll be returning later to read all your offerings this week! xoxoxo
Taking a chance here...anybody an expert in fighting against county rezoning?! My neighbors and I are in the process of opposing a rezoning of over 300 acres of farmland and woods (that includes streams leading to the water supply) surrounding our houses that they want to turn into heavy and light industrial. It just makes me so sad that our rural country neighborhood could be destroyed. We've been writing letters, and circulating petitions, and testifying at hearings. I've spent WAY too many hours engaging with Internet strangers on NextDoor and Facebook to drum up support (Lord help me). Feels like an Erin Brockovich-type situation at this point.
You know that look people get when they walk into a restaurant where 25 people yell āsurprise!ā? The way they bend down at the waist and cover their face. And then look around all wide eyed and unsure this is actually happening but so delighted. Thatās me right now in the richest comment section Iāve ever visited! So many incredible ladies sharing such wisdom. And Erin, the perfect hostess gathering us all together. Am I the only extrovert here that talks way better than I write? Can we all just meet on my front lawn? I wonāt make you wear a mask Once You Are Seated. Have a great day people!
hello lil swipes. Can I have your besest and most treasured dinner recipes? I'm in a bit of a RUT and am so sick of my favorites. My toddler won't eat meat, so bonus points if you have vegetarian recipes, but we also just pick the meat out for her.
I'll start with some of my fave recipes:
https://pinchofyum.com/creamy-cauliflower-sauce
https://www.howsweeteats.com/2020/04/garlic-sauce-pasta/
ALSO. Last night I watched the pilot of Pen15 and it hit the NAIL on the head, perfectly, for my middle school experience. If you are in your mid-30s, I recommend it - even if it's just the pilot. I was dying laughing and immediately pulled up TLC's FanMail album to listen to Unpretty.
Why is Katie Porter not our debate moderator? Or even our next president? When she repeatedly cuts him off and says āLet me reclaim my timeā. It is my new mantra for life.
It's been a long week, so I'm just popping in to give the promised update on The Boy meeting my oma. It went so well! She definitely wasn't at her best since she was recovering from surgery and all, and it's so hard seeing her when she's feeling weak, but she was just as mentally alert as ever and we visited for a few hours. She asked if things between The Boy and I were serious and I said yes, and she texted me later saying she very much approved and was really happy I brought him over to meet her. He was even so sweet to politely listen to her go on about her love of Trump and how America is cursed because of Roe v. Wade and so it's a good thing he's putting in his Supreme Court nominee and all the things. I love Oma, but oof. Bless him for carrying on a polite conversation with her while I just sat in silence not wanting to insert my opinion as per the usual. Anywho, she approves and he loved meeting her and overall it was a great time!
I'm too spent from this week to share anything else, but I wanted to make sure I updated y'all! Cheers to the weekend (almost - still gotta get through another seven hours of work)!
Hello Everyone! The last couple weeks have been a blur. 1. We finally found our pandemic puppy! Everyone is congratulating me like I had a new baby but after the first night I was sobbing for the entire next day. Turns out virtual school, no sleep, and a bitey puppy DO NOT MIX. My husband stepped up and made dinner that night and starting taking one of the night potty breaks (3am one) and giving me the earlier slot when he was against this whole puppy idea to begin with. I have never been so grateful for the man. I will never leave him now š. I will say I do not understand why anyone gets a dog, they are expensive and hardly endearing when they are so much work. Praying for a dog that eventually chills out so we can chill on the couch and eat cookies. Any advice for bitey dogs? He seems to want to assert dominance and play rough with my youngest kids. He's definitely turned out to have a strong personality.
2. I guess I'm old now because my friend who is my age said she enjoyed the movie "bookclub" and recommended it. I watched it and wasn't able to relate much. Which was a relief š
3. The debate was horrifying and I don't drink but I wish I did now. I did occasionally smoke cigarettes in college and to relieve the tension with the political climate rn and dog stress I bought a pack. Just one. I don't have them every day. But I do need to find something else. Why can't it be exercise š...anyone have an exercise routine that isn't hard on my chronic pain inflicted body but that actually burns calories?
4. Reading "practical magic" for my october book because of its "spooky" themes. So far enjoying it even though I don't really read books about ghosts and magic...it's so hard for me to suspend belief. But there is also apparently a movie based on it with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman and I'm excited to check that out.
Have a great weekend all!!
Just going to dive right in this week:
1. Mark Hamill's post-debate tweets: https://twitter.com/HamillHimself/status/1311198722001235968
Who knew Luke Skywalker was funny??
2. My local library is killing it with kid activities in the time of COVID. We're very excited for the Mystery Spooky Scavenger Hunt: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/mystery-spooky-scavenger-hunt/ My oldest 2 also just finished up a free cooking class via Zoom put on by the library and they were both bummed it was only for the month of September.
3. There is a lot of HP reading going on! I just finished 5-7 for the 3rd or 4th time. I know each has their own opinions on the best book, but my favorite is #5. I really, really relate to teen angst Harry in Order of the Phoenix. I also love to hate Umbridge.
4. I also started Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?: And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House by Alyssa Mastromonaco. It is delightful. As a former, small scale event planner and executive assistant, her stories both intrigue and terrify me. I love it.
5. Hubs and I get to have an overnight without kids (thanks, grandparents!) in a city neither of us have been to (here we come, Wichita!) and I have been looking forward to it ALL. WEEK. LONG. Equally excited - my children, who keep asking me when we leave.
Hope everyone has a great weekend and week! Love you all in this little space!
Oh I forgot something!!! Do yāall call an SUV a truck or car? Example: go get that thing out of my car. Or go get that thing out of my truck.
Iāve been saying go get that thing out of my big van for 15 years!!
Yāall Iām tired. Deeply tired of all the things. The closer we get to the end of the week the harder it is for me to find words or figure out how I feel other than tired
Erin, at this moment my hearts greatest desire is patio drinks and snacks with Lil Swipes and the sweet smell of Tea Olives! Swoon! Will have to see if Tea Olives grow in Texas so I can create a close approximation in my backyard. Anyway... I am happyto take some time to sip coffee and catch up with all of you.
On with the Treasures!
- On Monday a year long litigation dance with my ex-husband following my petition to have sole decision making power regarding counseling and mental healthcare our girls among other things was resolved in mediation. Everything we requested was agreed to in some form our fashion and I am just so grateful. Odd bonus is the new phrase āThat husband of hersā stolen from my ex and now used obsessively...as in āit would be great if that husband of mine would take out the trash.ā Lol
- Harry Potter! Our family read along continues and my delight in watching my girls and āthat husband of mineā discover this land and fall in love with these characters has not ceased. We are getting ever closer to the end of The Goblet of Fire.
- Iāve already devoured Erinās episode on The Daily Prophcast and excited to go back and listen to more of this podcast.
- The Cincinnati Zoo Facebook and YouTube feeds are my favorite and I have watched this video of a baby rhino with zoomies more times than I can count
Https://www.facebook.com/cincinnatizoo/videos/404065770586093/?vh=e&extid=0&d=n
- For years my mom and sisters and husband have encouraged to open an Etsy shop and Iāve always come up with reasons not to ( if Iām honest I was too scared to fail). Iāve run our of excuses and 2020 has āgiftedā me with time I took the leap, launched the shop and had sales in the first 24 hours. Still feeling nervous but also optimistic
This week was a major turd in a lot of ways. Majorly depressing. Iām having more issues with endometriosis that make me want to throw things and eat chocolate (even though that makes me feel worse). I have another appointment with my doctor today. Thereās a lot to discuss and the um... *physical* aspect of my appointment today makes me nervous. Iām also trying to figure out all the college things right now and itās way overwhelming. Do I want to be a special ed teacher or an occupational therapist? Do I want to stay close to home or move 3.5 hours away? Do I want a small campus or a large one? Christian or not? Financial aid? COVID policies? Parent opinions? I wish that the decisions were easier, but theyāre just not.
Treasures this week were pretty slim. But!
š I got to spend some time with friends last night. Theyāre going through a lot of the same things that I am and itās helpful to know that Iām not alone.
š Let this video wash over your soul. Itās amazing. *language warning*
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEuvs8bJ2mk/?igshid=1ix2b5gteags5
š This whole family. I canāt explain why I love them so much... but I do. https://instagram.com/itsthemcfarlands?igshid=1anqvw4kthn49
šŗ My family adopted quarantine kittens. Theyāre seven months old now and theyāre the funniest things. They donāt understand that the chairs in our den/dining room area downstairs have wheels. They jump on them and scare the crap out of themselves when the chairs move. They bodyslam each other into everything. And theyāre getting SO. FAT. Itās the cutest. Only if you call the one āfatā, he shames you. We now have two *f-words* in our household...š
1. Erin I see you on that feed lot smelling like āmoneyā comment. My step dad used to grow field corn and turned it into silage for feed š¤¢.
2. The video and article about Rep. Katie Porter by R. Eric Thomas made me laugh and throw up fists in solidarity. So good! Definite Julia Sugarbaker energy.
3. Iām loving that the SEC is finally playing football again! Last Saturday was truly one of the highlights of the year for me and Iām hoping this Saturday will be more of the same football goodness.
4. Looking forward to possibly pumpkin patching with my boys in the next week or so.
5. The cooler weather (think 50s and low 80s) weāve finally gotten in the FLA so that I can pretend to live in a place with four seasons.
6. Apple cider and bourbon - separately or together.
Thanks for the newsletter! Itās a bright spot! š
Happy Friday, fellow swipes!
Annie F. Downs once mentioned one of her friends texting her the following phrase āyou are in the center of Godās kindness right nowā. Iāve always held tight to that even life doesnāt feel very kind - last week was one of those weeks. But this week there have been lots of little moments that just felt really kind.
š All of you here are just the sweetest
š Iāve been saving for a new couch for a while now as my old one was my great grandmotherās and it looks and feels like it. I was almost to the point where I felt confident in the amount I had saved to start looking when a former co worker posted her in-laws barely used, second couch on Facebook for sale. Yāall, it was exactly the style and color of leather couch I wanted! It also came with an armchair and an ottoman for wayyyyyyy less than I was planning on spending. I smile every time I have looked at or sat in my living room this week.
š I currently live on the third floor of an apartment building with no elevator - which makes the whole couch situation quite tricky. My best friends have the best husbands who graciously helped me get my old couch out and the new one in - it was no easy feat. At one point it involved the couch being about 1/3 of the way over the porch railing. Thank goodness for best friends' husbands who step in to make life a heck of a lot easier.
š One of the best friends, her husband, and I had a thoughtful conversations on abortion, gun rights, the direction of government, third parties, and all the other things. We all got real passionate, but also sought to understand and find common ground. It was wonderful to remember that conversations like this can exist.
š Pantsuit Politics episode on RBG and gender roles. I held off listening because I knew I would cry, and I did, but totally worth it.
š During the debate, I emotionally bought this shirt: https://www.threadless.com/shop/@threeletterbirds/design/strong-women One for me and one for my sister's Christmas present. 50% of the proceeds go to Democrats in tight senate races.
š The acoustic version of Ben Rector's "It Would Be You". It was released today and will be on loop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2hcnDDjX48&ab_channel=BenRector-Topic
š As food service employee during the summers, I felt this: https://www.instagram.com/p/CFcIz74p3sC/?igshid=15u0sj00f1j0w
šI get to see my best friend and my three year old niece this weekend. She lives about two hours away, so these trips are always a treat.
I hope you all have the best weekend available to you! I can't wait to read your treasures and turds!
I mentioned this months ago, but around the time the pandemic hit, I self-published a little book about singleness. With *all of these things* going on in the world, I took a break from marketing it because 1. it felt unimportant and silly when there are so many other important things to be focusing our time, energy, and money towards and 2. I ironically have been feeling kind of "meh" about my singleness the last month or two and I didn't feel ~in the mood~ to post on social media about how being single is great and important and blah blah blah...
I then received a message a couple days ago from a coworker telling me that she was feeling very sad that she was almost 40 and was single, not dating, etc. She said she took out my book and it was a source of encouragement for her.
I share all of this not as a weird way to publically pat myself on the back in this online forum, but just to say that sometimes when you feel called to small or big things in life- whether that be to write a lil book, write a newsletter (ERIN MOON!!), pay for someone's Starbucks, etc. - you just don't know how God can use these small acts of obedience to bless others and make them feel known and loved. I've learned a lot over the last 7 months that, that's all we really are yearning for in this world. It's been a joy to see the way strangers have helped each other during this time, and although I really want things to go back to some kind of normalcy, I pray that we don't stop listening to each other's stories and picking each other up when we feel down!
That's it. That's the treasure.
Weāve had another survivable week here at the mansion.
The turds- I got a speeding ticket. Like five minutes after my mom said donāt speed. Itās hard not to speed when you havenāt had a fast car for 15 years! I mean my trucks name is Buzz Lightyear, I have no choice but to speed. The officer asked why I was speeding and I said I have no reason I just was. I was doing 65 in a 45 but he gave me a ticket for doing 55 in a 45 which is better. I think my honesty helped.
The best thing was my big ole shipment of scratchy bath towels! I love them so much!!! There are so many of them and I no longer have to search for towels! Added bonus they exfoliate your whole dang body!
First time commenting, so I'm wondering if something can be a turd AND a treasure? A turdsure, if you will? (I hate myself.)
My 2 year old's been sick since May with no real known cause. We've done inpatient at the local children's hospital multiple times and the doctors called last week to say they're out of their depth and want us to seek a second opinion. They're not comfortable giving a firm diagnosis but, more than that, the only treatment they know of is steroids every other week until he's 12. So I'm grateful for that doctors who know their limits!
After requesting appointments at multiple recommended children's hospitals and getting turned away, I was at my wits end on Friday and requested an appointment at Mayo Clinic. And they accepted. We're going to Rochester, MN in a week and a half and...I'm barely holding myself together. I'm trying to wrap everything up at work (because of course an event I coordinate is that week lolz) and figure out an 11 hour road trip with a 3.5 year old and 2 year old, food, doctor's appointments, my 3.5 year old asking me "Is Ev still sick or can he play now?", COVID testing, *the general situation of the world*, and all of it feels like too much. Going to Mayo feels BIG and overwhelming and my Ennea 6 self is trying to stay afloat. On top of all that, he hasn't had a flare in a couple of weeks which makes me feel like we'll inconvenience doctors and they'll say he's fine. And the spiral goes on and on and on...
BUT I'm reminding myself that Mayo wants to see him! That means they want to help and there might be alternative treatments. We're going to MN in October so we'll see a real fall! with an apple orchard!--not like what we have here in Oklahoma. And my husband and I were just saying with all of Ev's in-and-out we wanted to get away. We were more thinking like a local bed and breakfast with the grandparents watching our kids but I guess God was like "Nah, y'all-you need to GET AWAY." ĀÆ\_(ć)_/ĀÆ
Also Braum's came back with their holiday ice cream and if that's not a treasure, I don't know what is. IYKYK. If you have kid friendly audiobook recs that won't make me want to bang my head against the dashboard, please let me know. Paddington is fine and all but not for 11 hours. :)))
Hello, lovelies! Thank you for filling my quiet/boring morning at the office with joy. Jillian's TikTok ministry is alive and well and that Kylo as Troy video just did my heart good. Speaking of Kylo, I found these masks this week at RedBubble and now just have to decide how many I'm gonna buy...
https://www.redbubble.com/i/mask/Assorted-Adam-Driver-Collage-by-goon-squad/33532134.9G0D8
https://www.redbubble.com/i/mask/Dynamic-dyad-by-kayleyhenderson/53444974.9G0D8
https://www.redbubble.com/i/mask/Adam-Driver-by-Ben-solo-21/45373243.9G0D8
Also there is a bush outside my office building that flowered recently and has been smelling SO lovely and I couldn't figure out what it was and now I know! I'm a spring-loving person who hates colder weather, so this bit of new life feels like a God wink.
Last treasure is spending last Friday evening sitting on my porch in sweats drinking Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale with my younger brother. I 10/10 would recommend for a very lovely time.
There were some BIG OL turds in my week but I just don't even have the energy to focus on those today. Thanks for being here, y'all!
I was rendered unable to speak for ten minutes after seeing the bust cakes. It was too much. They took it so seriously, they tried so hard. God bless GBBO āØ
Man, I'm four minutes away from clicking on to a meeting and that We Got You story has me in TEARS. Y'all really are the best people.
Treasures for this week:
Biscuits and gravy. I made it for dinner this week and there are no words for how comforting it was on a soul level. Not only is it delicious, but it's something I grew up eating regularly (we were hella poor) and it's nostalgic.
Sleeping with my phone in another room/app boundaries. I don't want to be yet ANOTHER person bragging about how they have amazing boundaries with their phone (because I don't) or how they sleep with it in a different room and they're just "SOOOO detached from technology" because I always roll my eyes at those people. But y'all. I'm just saying that I'm getting some of the most restful sleep of my life. I figure while I can't control how much screen time I have in the day due to working from home, I can control how much screen time I have outside of work duties. I've been embracing the concept of "parenting your phone" (I heard about it from AFD and she heard about it from someone else) where you "put your phone to bed" before you go to bed and you wake up before your phone "wakes up." I am not a parent so I don't know how much this actually mimics the realities of parenting, but for my phone, I'm really digging it.
This is my response post to Erin's treasures since my treasures post was already long, haha!
The Sex in the City re-enactments are purrrfection (heh heh); I've been considering getting a voting shirt as well as some for my kiddos -- so you may have influenced me; the scent of magnolias in the air is extremely precious to me, so I am happy you have sweet air! I would be suuuuper curious to see what MM as a presidential candidate would be like... and we should all consider if Beth Moore would approve our tweets, posts, and text messaged before we submit them, amen.
Hey evvvverrrrybodddddy! (Said like Dr. Nick from The Simpsons)
I'm masked, I'm at my desk, I'm eyeing my coffee, and its Friday.
LET'S
GO.
1. Great British Bake Off is BACK! We watched it last week as a family -- every Friday night we pick different movies/shows to watch as a family and try to be off our phones as much as possible. The whole family watched this and did our usually commentary as we did. We are like Mystery Science Theatre when we watch shows. We all are talkers. It's why we are also a subtitle house. I can't wait to watch the new ep tonight.
2. Last week we also watched Enola Holmes and crap, now I love Millie Bobby Brown. That role was PERFECTION for her.
3. Loving the I Got This tab and now I am a knitting machine working on projects requested. I am hoping to finish scarf 1 that was requested, then I have requests for another scarf, 2 hats and maybe a cowl too. I will try to honor requests as they came in. LOVING being able to pass along some knit goods and use some of my yarn stash.
4. New show I'm kind of loving --> Filthy Rich on Fox. Quite an interesting take on the whole PTL type sitch. Anyone else watching?
5. This past week I also reached my 1000 mile mark of my 1135 mile goal for 2020. This is tracking miles on Charity Miles for the ALS Association. As of today, I only have 119 miles left to reach this goal. If I'm not able to go outside to walk/run that 3.1 minimum, I do indoor walking workouts (yeah go old school with Leslie Sansone youtube links, go ahead and mock me, but I love her) and it gets me moving, which is the goal truly. Intention movement. Intentional stepping and earning miles.
6. Lasagna. I love lasagna, but my husband dislikes ricotta and cottage cheese, my older son also isn't a big fan. But Lincoln (my 7 year old) has been watching episodes of Garfield on Amazon Prime and was all "Mom, do I like lasagna?" -- so I made a pan. Spoiler alert: He loves it. Like licked his plate clean. I now have a lasagna buddy in my house and will be making it quite often this winter for he and I to happily enjoy.
7. Jillian making me laugh "Ma'am!!!" "GIRL!"
8. Voting early. 'nuff said- I did THAT the night of the debates and didn't watch them. #Win
9. Looking into becoming a Grief Educator. David Kessler is in the process of developing curriculum and I am putting my toe in the water about this.
Erin: loving that link from The Outrage and now I want to buy ALL THE SHIRTS!!!
I hope this finds everyone well.
Keep healthy
Keep being you
I see you :) You're doing awesome,
Mel
Over the past few years the trick-or-treating in our neighborhood has dwindled. Last year I think we went to maybe 10 houses, and we had a ton of candy left over. Everyone seems to be trunk-or-treated out by Halloween night. So this year I have decided to have a glow in the dark candy hunt. My four year old is super excited about Halloween this year and I did not want to just blow it off. I got some white plastic eggs, that I am going to draw faces on, and some mini glow sticks to put in the eggs. So that is what we will be doing on Halloween night. It may become a new tradition.
Well, hello there!
Last week I got a text message from my landlords asking if I could stay out of my apartment between 12 and 8 on Saturday. I had a feeling/was hoping they would install a new shower cubicle since mine has been broken and kind of gross for a while now. When I got home, not only was there a brand new shower cubicle, they had also gotten me a new (to me) washing machine and a very nice, brand new refrigerator! I was blown away! Best part? The new fridge doesn't make weird noises that wake me up at 1.30 at night! Between this and the fall decorating I've been doing, I've had a pretty good week. Oh, and I made jam!
Some internet treasures: I can't stop watching this baby getting its hair washed. https://www.instagram.com/p/CDt99JWjxLs/
How cute is this kid? https://www.instagram.com/p/CE2bslHn8Ih/
For my fellow Bake Off fans. Noel Fielding as cakes. A thread. https://twitter.com/Pandamoanimum/status/1310876452678705153
My treasure this weeks is the coffee pot I dug out of my garage last weekend for brunch. Iām all for my fancy Nespresso but this coffee pot has a SELF TIMER...trying to wake up before the rest of the house and my coffee already being made for me is a game changer. Old fashioned and less hipster than my French press for the win. Also, Palo Santo wood burning around my house is my new fave. Seems a little whoo whoo but donāt knock it till you try it.
My brain cannot process everything that happened this week. Last night after a really blah day at work, I started to say, "Why am I feeling this way? Wait, that's a stupid question." THE WORLD'S CIRCUMSTANCES are making me feel this way.
It's just that I'm a pretty high-functioning, productive, to-do-list-killing enneagram type 1, former RA. I'm used to getting ish done. And lately I just feel so blah. My husband was like, "You're probably literally slightly depressed, like everyone else right now." So I'm trying to accept that because these circumstances are just SO far out of my control I need to focus on what I can control and not be so harsh on myself.
So despite the new population of worries and what-if's that have set up camp in my brain since this morning's news, I DID try to write down treasures as I found them this week! Here we go:
1. @bethereinfive's Arbys highlight on Instagram. I just discovered Kate recently (I think from a share by Erin?) and my husband and I were literally crying laughing at this highlight this week. Basically, her hometown Arby's experience was very different from most.
2. This is the best chocolate cake recipe out there, don't fight me. I made it for my son's 3rd birthday this week, and it is our signature birthday cake now after 3 years. It's super moist and rich: https://addapinch.com/the-best-chocolate-cake-recipe-ever/
3. This playlist I made like 7 years ago called Pep in My Step. If you just need a musical pick-me-up, listen: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3dJwoJiZziBJcWuHgQ222J?si=s4ymcSknTDaR0vEq84BirA
4. Great British Bake-Off is back on Netflix, praise the Lord! If you watched the first episode, this tweet is for you: https://twitter.com/hollierebekahx/status/1308509395563749378?s=21
5. This video/animation artist's highlight real is JAW DROPPING and so charming!! https://twitter.com/kevinbparry/status/1310276317221449731?s=20
6. I think I saw Jamie share this after I saw it, but this TikTok series of a man guessing paint colors as they're mixed is the perfect distraction: https://www.tiktok.com/@christianmhull?_d=secCgsIARCbDRgBIAIoARI%2BCjyx12Ru3Ram8rENpBD%2F5lszZCqhuR3xoQRRIUXMsONt%2FZ07to7SyeE7OvMrjSjQoU%2B0jhzpU1Cp98aS7BwaAA%3D%3D&language=en&sec_uid=MS4wLjABAAAAdABeWDWlWBBH-aJLHXfFpokmQGyw4CT1grOE0H7AFrygVDnictr2OF7UvqLYt1he&share_author_id=6733706134547579910&share_link_id=6484E178-0665-4928-AC2A-70DD730268E4&tt_from=copy&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=copy&source=h5_m
7. Speaking of TikTok, the Washington Post has an account, and as a journalism school graduate, I am so pleased. The videos are pretty fun.
8. If you need some excellent Daveed Diggs wordplay about our president... even if you don't want to hear about our president... Daveed's talent is enough to click! https://www.instagram.com/p/CFxEnNSgn_6/?igshid=5ymetmx3nd49
9. If you've been missing good auto-tune parodies, Weird Al's debate response: https://twitter.com/alyankovic/status/1311415596509278209?s=21
10. The Chicks' new album is SO GOOD. If you need some angry woman music, this is for you.
My treasures this week are school-related: my oldest (2nd grader) went back to school a full month after all her classmates did and the school is still open! No cases of Covid! I genuinely did not think that would happen. And! Iām checking out a new preschool today for my 4 yr old thatās just across the way from my oldestās school. I COULD HAVE 2 OUT OF 3 KIDS GONE FOR 3 HRS 3 DAYS A WEEK! It aināt much, but itās a bit. (It really says something about the past year/6 months for me to be so excited about that.)
Discovering R. Eric Thomas has been a delight of 2020 for me. That article made me actually LOL. My good thing is Iām finally sleeping decently after not for a while. My turd is my kid is acting like a psychopants and Iām not sure if I should blame it on being 3 or back at school. Maybe some of both.
Oh, the Sex and the City tiktok!!! I need more!
Let's do some winners and losers over the past week or two, shall we? Bad news first:
*My second born turned 12 this week. That means his older sister is OLDER than twelve. That means my birthday, which is later this month, firmly lands me in the ACTUAL forties, not just dancing around the edges... and that's weird. Also, my 12 year old son is taller than me, sounds like a man every other sentence, is growing something on his upper lip, and always smells a little bit stinky, even if he's just showered. Someone hold me and help me--I am not prepared for this growing up thing!
*I have decided that my kids are relying on screens too much to entertain them when the weather outside is absolutely delightful and there is NO REASON they should be indoors. So, moving forward, screen time will be allowed for school work but outside of that, only on the weekends. Pray for me. My kids are about to get really bored.
*I am taking an online philosophy course this semester and I don't understand it. I am trying, but truly feel like my brain is failing. I have a midterm to take this weekend, and would appreciate all the prayers that my fog will lift and I will have enough clarity to at least answer the questions:-)
Good news:
*FALL is here in Upstate South Carolina and it is truly delightful and life giving. I really think this weather is a sweet gift from the Lord during a uncertain and crazy time.
*I thought my fiddle leaf fig was going to die but it recently unfurled gorgeous new leaves and I was as proud as if I had birthed another child. Now to see how it survives cooler temps.
*Last week I introduced my husband and oldest child to Twins the New Trend channel on YouTube and it was so much fun to see my 13 year old have similar reactions to the twins (though she has heard Johnny Cash, which they hadn't-- we are raising her right!). This video might be my favorite one, but they are all delightfully distracting gold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHv0u19fJqE&t=307s&ab_channel=TwinsthenewTrend
Thanks as always for being a light in the darkness.
I took Danaās advice from last week and started keeping an open note on my phone. (Thank you, love! It made all the difference in reminding me to *notice* the moments of joy.)
First, the trash.
Insomnia. Straight up, no sleep for long long hours at random times of the day. Iāve mentioned here that I live with my mom after the sudden death of my dad and her dealing with several health issues the past 3 years, and with COVID, weāve basically shut the door to keep out the Devil since March. My 2 younger sisters donāt do their part to isolate in their lives (the pandemic is *not* political! š¤¬), so Iāve had to be aggressive in keeping Mom and myself safe. Which means hard feelings and angry words and my sisters thinking Iām trying to lock Mom away from them till she dies. ::sigh:: Big Sigh. Iām stressed and Iām sad and Iām still grieving the losses of 4 years and counting. Thus, I donāt sleep. Itās not that I even lie awake in worry; itās that I just canāt *settle*. And Iām unable to take sleeping meds ā they have reverse effect on me into hyperALERTness (ugh) ā so Iāve been channeling my college self and trying to push through until I collapse. Lots and lots of all-nighters, but Iām not 21 anymore and my body gives out between 9am and noon, whereupon I sleep like a bear and wake up 6-8pm to do it all over again. š Mom had a stroke in December that also wrecked her sleep, so our evenings are mornings and wee hour mornings are bedtime. At this point, time is truly irrelevant. But I hate it more and more each week. Sigh.
With all the (literal) dark hours in my life, I get a lot of reading done and came across these JOYS this week:
* For some reason I never knew Robin Sloan had a newsletter and an *inspired* social media platform (not surprised though. His books are divine!), but he shared this from The NY Times and I was mesmerized. Itās a breakdown of a self-portrait by painter Albrecht DĆ¼rer. Iāve never used the term before but Iām pretty sure this is the 16th century equivalent of BDE. š¬https://twitter.com/robinsloan/status/1309609759071326209?s=21
* This āmagicā book blew my mind (found through Strong Sense of Place): https://twitter.com/drkarrschmidt/status/1157618865691615237?s=21
* And I *am* this little lass who doesnāt understand why she canāt go to the pub: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CFsZs2MBQFf
Hereās to seeing the joy in our weeks! š„
It was me! I was the one who DMd you about the R+Co Suncatcher air dry cream! Friends, Iām here to tell you itās the best. Watch Ashley Streicherās Instagram videos, itās her product. I scrunch some in my wet hair and thatās it. Donāt comb, donāt touch. Just let it dry. I had the mini bottle and it lasted me a month using 4 pumps each time. Just bought the full size. Totally worth it.
Hey hey š
Yāall, sleep deprivation is basically what I imagine some realm of hell to be like. I mean, Iām not at Edward Norton Fight Club level, but Iām for sure at a level I do not want to be any longer. SIGH. I love my kids and want to give them the skies, and yet when they are awake at night, it feels like a never ending black hole of doom & YES that sounds dramatic but it is what it is š
Still, I am so grateful for the advice I got last week here about helping my 3.5 yo sleep. We tried everything with some success, but heās still waking up a lot & not falling back to sleep easily. Just gotta tell myself this wonāt be forever & go fill up my coffee mug again. š„±
Anyway, on to treasures!
š This gorgeous fall collection by A Spoonful of Faith. I got some cards & Iām so pumped to send them. https://www.spoonfuloffaith.com/shop
š Finished āEverything I Never Told Youā by Celeste Ng this week. I freaking LOVE books like this, you guys. A deep dive into the life of a fictional family is my favorite (Commonwealth by Ann Patchett, The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall are two others that fall here for me). The ending surprised me. I cried. It was lovely and sad and just really well done. Will definitely be reading Little Fires Everywhere eventually & anything else Celeste gifts to the world.
š§ Abeās wild blueberry smash vegan muffins from Whole Foods. I donāt usually go for vegan options, but these little muffins are delish. My boys love them too.
šµ The album āChapter 2ā by Juke Ross. His voice is like butter. https://open.spotify.com/album/3N5XKeovbZHLKdeORgHEJ1?si=At3tZAbYTuW6JOCw2oyVxg
I think thatās about it this week. Hereās hoping for rest for all of us. There is so much information being jammed into our eyeballs these days, so Iām grateful for the respite of these Treasures. āØ
LITERALLY EVERY DAY ON OUR WALKS THIS WEEK IVE SAID IT SMELT OF PEACHES AND MY HUSBAND ROLLED HIS EYES AT ME. Canāt wait to say Erin confirmed!!
Things I loved this week:
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJy4mSm1/
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyj5hWu/
https://tanksgoodnews.com/2020/09/23/emotional-support-dog/
https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1254972194611793921?s=21
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFZtbXLnogh/?igshid=174oowiqrdpw1
The entire 33 posts of this story!!!!
https://twitter.com/adambyrne_/status/1304016317784248321?s=21
Imma just gonna jump in...
*Fall weather has official officially arrived in Michigan and I am happier than a pig in $#!+. So, Iāll just start there. As an eternally Sweaty Betty, cooler weather is like balm to my soul and a break for my deodorant. Sweater weather is my heaven.
*My dadās birthday is today and Iām so excited to spend time with him and my mom doing all the fall things in sweaters. (There is a theme here...)
*I work for myself doing high school tutoring and after being underemployed for weeks and weeks, business has finally picked back up to somewhat normal levels. This is wonderful and also I kind of secretly miss the thick of quarantine where all I was doing was making homemade donuts. Lol.
*Iāve been in recovery from an eating disorder for over a year now and, after a long break, Iāve just gotten back into running. Iāve been a runner most of my life but it had turned into a way to punish my body instead of a way to enjoy movement. Iām training for a virtual 5K, and itās really hard right now. But also very good to be in a better mental space.
Hope everyoneās weeks treated them gently. Looking forward to hearing all the updates. ā¤ļø
We made it to Friday, friends! Itās been a tough week with some continued medical mysteries, but Iām trying to stay positive. I love the month of October and kicked it off with waffles for dinner and Harry Potter (all of the HP movies are free on Peacock this month!!)
Some treasures:
- In a move to preserve my mental health, I chose to not watch the debate and instead watched Enola Holmes on Netflix which was a total delight.
- Iāve seen two separate cars in the last two weeks with Golden Girls windshield sunshades. Is this a thing now?
- The story of these silly birds cracked me up https://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/gray-parrots-separated-zoo-swearing-blue-streak-73333169
- This video on restoring old paintings is fascinating https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCTvr2IAIkZ/?igshid=9xafh7xen0t7
- This week I learned that Kiera Knightley was only 18 in both Love Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean. She won an Academy Award at 20. Sheās currently 35. Iām a little mind blown
- I tried Sarahās apple cider mimosa recipe for Saturday football watching, and it was delicious!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! š
I donāt even know where to begin. To say that this week has been all sorts of odd is 100% correct.
I had the honor of watching my nanny kiddos for 2 nights/3 days while the parents unplugged away from the kids for the first time in 5 years. We all hung in there and kiddos did great! It gave my aching someday-mama heart purpose for a few days even though I questioned if I would be a good parent when the toddler thought it was a great idea to chase after a moving vehicle and I screamed. Ha.
I got stung by a yellow jacket on the way to taking one of the children to preschool only to come home and find out that my college-ex (who cheated on me with multiple women) had come out of the closet. My elbow was throbbing from the sting while my heart felt so much relief.. so many questions answered 13 years later.
My husband and I tried to purchase a used vehicle a few months ago and it was a bust... so itās been a few months of waiting, praying, saving more money. We went yesterday to finally pull the trigger and the one we wanted sold the night before after being on the lot since June!!! I may have pouted and watched British TV all day yesterday. Then, my sweet husband wanted to try one more place last night and we drove home with a ānewā used vehicle at 10pm last night!
Feeling relieved after bouts of tension and angst is the theme of the week.
Ah, Erin, I would LOVE to come over and smell those tea olives. It sounds like the perfect moment of respite. And no one should ever be afraid of tromping, it aināt my territory! The world is wide enough for us all to share, and Samantha cat is a gem not to be missed! Thank you for your words and the laughs they bring and thoughts they provoke.
Had a huge turd watching many in my community get laid off from jobs at Disney. I was laid off from a job at Disney 3 years ago, and my heart is aching watching former coworkers, bosses who taught me so much and stay in touch with me, long lost pals losing some stability. Honestly gonna have to hack my crying with an Act 2 Hamilton viewing to let this weight from my chest go - āthey are going through the unimaginableā. Smaller turd in my dogsitting charge digging in naughty places when I turned my back for 5 min šš. Made the treasures even sweeter though: chatting with a few Swipes via IG (fun to do virtual life with you, Sarah, Mel, Lil!!), wakeup greetings from my dog (just always so happy to see me!), sending some snail mail, and finally getting into GBBO. A coworker advised me to watch Rahulās season (Collection 6 on Netflix) and I am ALL IN.
Wow the Tiktok hits just kept coming this week, so here you go!
TJ callout: Kansas City (whole series is worth a watch) - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJUHhaKb/
The club playing the REAL bangers - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJUHjGPr/
Kylo Ren as Troy - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJUbkA6L/
This gate request tho - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJUcGCuU/
UNCUT š„š„ REYNOLDS - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJUcpHto/
This man guesses the final paint color and his anxiety working it out is *chefās kiss* - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJUcqbTx/
Starting to narrow in on my dance move for this challenge - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJUcchtM/
Mosquitos amirite? - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJUTY7Gs/
Canāt stop thinking about my new boo - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyY5jy6/
The sweaters and house shoes may have been filled?! - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyS9STc/
Country WAPs š¤ š¤ š¤ - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyyQGR7/ / https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyyqoh2/
Your gateway to office supply Tiktok (slight language advisory) - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyyX3fT/
Fall recipe and a family story - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyy9GJt/
So majestic, beauty and grace š©° - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyfLyny/
A solid music joke - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyfBtmB/
A great PSA to send to friends - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyfHyhr/
The weekly Anglo music Tiktok - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyuBgWy/
Chaotic GBBO - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJyXgysq/
Presidential debate recaps in classic memes: Lily recommended this one https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJygKJH5/ / this classic - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJypAWmy/
If you need the archive, it is ready for you: https://jilliankmf.substack.com/
I have never heard of tea olives and now I desperately want to try to find them! In a similar vein, one of my biggest treasures this week is that our fig tree is producing so many figs this year. This is the first year since we moved in that weāve been able to eat any of them. Even though our grape vines seem to have been killed by the blasted spotted lanternflies, we have figs and Iām delighted to put my kids down for a nap, walk on to my porch, and pick fresh figs for my āI survived half of my dayā treat.
Also- Iām raising a house of little wild women. My youngestās current obsession is running to the kitchen when Iām otherwise occupied, climbing onto the bottom oven door, holding onto the top oven door, and just leeeaaaannning backwards. Super fun for her, until she hits the floor š¤¦š»āāļø