Here are 15 things I loved in June.

1. My girl turned SIX. I shared all the details of her party (that I planned in exactly one week) here. She is the SWEETEST girl and I cannot believe what a big kid she’s becoming.

2. I usually shop Boden for the girls, but ended up ordering two skirts and a knit tank. I cannot begin to think about fall but Boden’s new season is out and it’s so cute! And it’s all 20% off! I saved all of my favorites here.

   And speaking of fall, STATE’S new backpacks have arrived so I’m placing an order for the kids. My oldest wants this one for the mirrorball reference, naturally. They gave me a code for you! Use DANIELLEM for 15% off your order.

3. My favorite linen tank is on sale for $29! I ordered one navy and two white ones.

4. I had fun borrowing this, but promised myself I’d mix it up each month, so I just ordered this one. Use DANIELLEMOSS for 50% off your first 2 months!

5. These linen pants. I’ve been wearing them all summer. I made this salad a few times this month. It’s been my go-to when I don’t know what to have for dinner.

6. The adorable things my 3 year-old has been saying. He often says “oops. sorry, that’s otay.” But even cuter, is that he’s really into Taylor Swift now and has been walking around singing Look What You Made Me Do. It’s the cutest thing ever.

7. This swimsuit and quick dry set.

8. Having Estelle here has been the best. Enjoying every moment and trying not to think about the fact that she’s leaving next month.

9. I watched the finals from Bring it On with the girls, and it was so much fun reliving my favorite high school movie (or really, just the final scene) with them.

10. Our portable TV (it’s on sale right now, too). I bought it for our new bedroom since I’d prefer not to have a TV on a wall again.

11. Building a lemonade stand and raising over $1200 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand at our first real, in-person lemonade stand. Our house has zero street traffic so we’ve never had a place to hold one, but my MIL’s new house is on the perfect corner, and it we had so much fun selling lemonade for a good cause!

    I’ve also been having fun with my Cricut again.

12. Finally hitting publish on the post I wrote a year ago and it feeling so aligned that I ran with it and shared even more. I felt so aligned sharing this content and definitely want to keep doing more of this.

13. I’ve shared this dress a few too many times but I loved it so much I bought it in brown, too. And I can’t tell you what it feels like to be able to wear a dress braless. I throw these on and done! What a gift.

14. We went to the pool and my youngest was able to stand in the pool on his toes. This is probably our last summer where he naps regularly, and it feels so good to have three kids. If you are in it with a baby or toddler (not my favorite stages), it gets soooooo much more fun!

15. Jack’s first movie! Estelle and I took the kids to see the new Toy Story movie. He LOVES toy story, and it was just so sweet watching his eyes light up. As a surprise to no one, it made me so excited for his first trip to Disneyland, which I’m hoping we’ll do next year.

    It was another one of those “I have three kids” moments, which has made this summer my favorite with kids so far. If it isn’t very obvious, I strongly prefer kids to babies and toddlers.

June was really, really good. July is going to look very different. I’m having surgery and will be hibernating for at least a week, and we need to start packing since we move next month! Have a great 4th of July weekend. I’m going to do all the fun 4th things with my kids and celebrate what I hope this country can be for everyone.

If you made it all the way here, use this link for 20% off an annual subscription this weekend. That's $48 for the year, and the SEO playbook, the full affiliate breakdown, our plans for the new house, and more!

If you read my post on how affiliate actually works, you know that SEO is a big part of why my affiliate income has grown the way it has. Today I want to talk about why, and next week I’ll share exactly how I do it.

If this post resonates, send it to someone who’s been thinking about starting something and please take a moment to give it a heart - it means a lot.

Somewhere on my blog right now, there’s a post I haven’t thought about in months. I haven’t shared it on Instagram. I haven’t linked to it in a newsletter. It made me money this week.

That’s SEO. A post that answers a question someone is Googling, written once, earning for years. It’s the most passive income I have, and I genuinely think it’s the most underrated thing a content creator can do.

THE NUMBERS THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

In 2023, I made $2,064 in Amazon affiliate commissions for the entire year.
In 2024, I made $70,057.

I didn’t go viral. I didn’t become an Amazon influencer. What changed was that I had blog posts ranking on Google — posts people were finding organically, clicking through, and buying from. That growth came entirely from search traffic landing on content I’d written months or years earlier. I also started deep linking in those posts — that changed everything.

My Mediavine ad revenue went from $16,000 to $39,000 in the same year for the same reason: more organic traffic.

It happened because posts were sitting on page one of Google, and people were clicking on them.

SEARCH IS OWNED

Stories disappear in 24 hours. The reel I posted last week is already irrelevant. The algorithm decides who sees what, and then it moves on.

A blog post that ranks on Google stays there. Sure, posts can be outranked, but a post that ranks answers the question, and keeps working. People find it in November when they’re shopping for their seven-year-old for the holidays, again months later when they need a birthday gift, and again the following year.

WRITING FOR SEO

I wrote a post on the best travel stroller in July 2022 because I had a travel stroller I loved and knew it was something people would search for. It has had nearly 10 million Google impressions since then.

My post on the best gifts for 7 year olds was published exactly one year ago today. It already has nearly 3 million impressions and over 12,000 clicks. A large portion of my Amazon sales come from that post. Gift guides work well for SEO because people search the same questions every single year.

I have a post on how to get slime out of clothes that has nearly 2 million Google impressions and over 17,000 clicks. I wrote it specifically because I knew people were searching for it. The intention isn’t to sell anything, but it takes people to my site, where I share other content. And up until recently, I had ads on my blog that brought in monthly revenue. I wrote more about that here.

There is definitely a strategy when it comes to how a post is written, how long it is, and a myriad of other factors that help a post rank. Writing about something you actually know and want to write about is a big part of that, too.

The posts that perform best are specific, useful, and written by someone who has experience. Not “gift ideas” — but “best gifts for a 7 year old who has everything.” Not “home organization” — but “how to organize a small pantry.” The more specific the question, the less competition, and the more likely you are to show up.

When you’re deciding what to write, ask yourself what someone would actually type into Google — not what would make a good caption. “Gifts for 7 year olds” gets searched. “Things I’m loving this week” doesn’t.

THE DOWNSIDE

Not all posts are going to rank, and not all questions or phrases have tens of thousands of searches. It’s slow. A post I write today might not rank for six months to a year, if ever.

That lag time is why most people give up before it works. You put in the effort, nothing happens for months, and it feels like a waste compared to Instagram, where you know within 24 hours if something performed.

THE UPSIDE

By the time a post is ranking and earning consistently, it doesn’t require anything from you. You’re earning on something you built months ago.

SEO doesn’t care how many Instagram followers you have. It rewards people who write useful, specific content and keep their site in good standing.

I grew my organic traffic while I had under 60,000 followers. The traffic came from Google, not from my audience. Yes, I shared blog posts in stories, but clicks from IG do not impact organic traffic. If you’re earlier in building something and feeling like your audience isn’t big enough yet, SEO is something to think about.

WHERE TO START

Start with what you already know. Write down every question your audience asks you. Then write down everything you Googled before buying something in the last six months. That list is your starting point.

The best SEO posts aren’t written from a keyword spreadsheet. They’re written by someone who has an answer. Figure out what that is for you.

WHAT’S NEXT

In the next few weeks, I’ll share exactly how I approach SEO, from the tools I use, how I pick topics, how I update top-performing posts, and more. That one's for paid subscribers.

If you have questions in the meantime, leave them in the comments. I’ll use them to make sure I’m covering what you actually want to know.

Welcome to House Notes, my series where I share the behind-the-scenes of designing our new home. If you’re new here, we bought our third home, and we’re trying to do as much as we can before we move in. I have a million decisions to make and have been back on Pinterest which has been a little nostalgic.

We’re doing as much as we can upfront. It’s going to be a little scrappy since we’re going to live through a lot of the work, but we demo’d our primary bath when my third baby was just 10 days old, so it’ll be fine.

This post is free. If you enjoy reading it, please give it a heart.

Here’s everything we’re working on:

Exterior — We are replacing all the exterior windows and shutters (already ordered), adding a portico, a new front door, painting the house, fencing the yard, and landscaping. The exterior is the thing I’m most excited about, and we actually have a pretty clear (and aligned) idea of what I want it to look like.

The one area where we haven’t seen totally eye-to-eye is the exterior color, but Conor has agreed to defer to me and Kira, who’s helping us with a few projects. We are moving from a white brick house with black shutters to another brick house with shutters, so I want it to look different.

I’d like to do off-white with beige shutters and a beige front door. He thinks we should do blue or green. I love the look of blue but it doesn’t feel right. Kira agreed with me (and she’d tell me if I was wrong!) so we’re probably going with that.

The primary bath and closet — My MIL suggested doing the demo before we move in since demo is the worst part. I loved the idea, and it felt like a lot to Conor. I personally don’t think it’s a big deal to use another bathroom, and I’d rather avoid the mess that comes with tearing an attached bath out.

Since my MIL, Kira, and I all think we should do it, we’re going to do it before we move in. I’ll be sharing a bathroom with the kids. I’m trying to be a good sport about it. I shared our vanity here, and we decided on walnut cabinets and wallpaper which for some reason, feels very grown-up. It’s also not like I’m not entering my mid-40s.

Once our bathroom is done, we’ll move onto the kids’ bathrooms.

Upstairs — We are replacing the bedroom carpet with wood, which we’ll stain darker than the floors in our current home. I don’t have an exact stain yet but will share when I do.

I need to select wallpaper for the bedrooms (more on that below), which I’ve had some trouble with, so Kira is helping with that, too. We’re keeping pretty much all the kids’ furniture. Margot is getting a new bed and keeping the current dresser, and Kate is keeping her Jenny Lind and getting a new dresser. Jack will eventually need a bed, but everything else stays the same.

We also need a new upholstered bed for our room since our bed is too large for the space, a new dresser with larger drawers, and nightstands.

Basement — The flooring is currently carpet, and it’s fine, but with three young kids, a dog, and two cats, it will be trashed quickly. We’re going to go with vinyl “wood” and are adding an off-season closet down there.

And next spring, the kitchen, mudroom, laundry, and pantry! — We’re finalizing kitchen plans now and ordering cabinets, which take at least three months to arrive. So the actual kitchen renovation happens next spring, and that’s when we’ll redo the flooring on the first floor.

This will be a huge project since we’re adding a laundry room, mudroom, and pantry, all of which I am so excited for. I’ll share more about the design in the coming months. Melinda has been working on the plans, and I think we have it all figured out.

Other Projects — There are lots of little things, the guest bath, guest room bath, a fireplace mantel, closets, and our patio, that we’ll eventually redo, but we don’t have a set timeline.

A lot is happening at once, which is a little overwhelming and also kind of exciting, too. I’ll be sharing updates as we go. The decisions, the mistakes, the things that take longer than expected.

And now, onto the wallpaper and fabric samples I’ve ordered, the ones I loved, and the ones that didn’t make the cut.

Wallpaper and Fabric Samples

We have the Thibaut print above in the girls’ bathroom (top right, green) but I love it, so I ordered each color way. I really like the top middle and left, but don’t have a specific place I want to use them yet.

Then there’s Chloe by Anna French (Thibaut). I prefer the top colorways to the bottom. The white on the darker colors just isn’t doing it for me. I think the light blue/grey or brown are so pretty, and could see doing the wallpaper and an upholstered bed in a matching print.

These Soane samples are gorgeous. I think the wallpaper is like 1k per roll so it’s probably not happening.

It’s probably too busy, but how pretty would the scrolling fern be in a bedroom or bath? Or both? Either way, it’s too expensive for both, especially when we plan on moving again in the next 3-4 years.

This is not the same, but has a similar vibe and better price point. I love this, too. It’s a bit more geometric but so fun.

I have no idea where these would go but they’re beautiful. From left to right, they’re Lucknawi Flower in Blue and Pineapple Lace in Azure by Soane.

I love all of the stripes above. My favorites are the Buckley Stripe or Payton Stripe by Anna French, or the Chatham Stripe in Delft by Schumacher.

Print names (clockwise from top left)
Buckley Stripe in Blue by Anna French
Payton Stripe in Blue by Anna French
Suited Stripe in Navy by Thibaut
Chatham Stripe, Delft by Schumacher
Coco Stripe in Indigo by Schumacher
Westerly Stripe in Navy by Schumacher

I love everything pictured above. The Kristen Leigh fabrics are so pretty, but I’m not sure what I’d pair them with just yet. I especially love the bottom left in green.

I love all of these florals, but the bottom left is the one I chose for my daughter’s room. I’m waiting on samples, but will likely use one of the following for my other daughter.

Print names (clockwise from top left

Margie Floral by Schumacher
Bowood Silver by Colefax & Fowler
Chantilly Silver in Forest by Colefax & Fowler
Blomslinga Blue and White by Schumacher
Fuschia Old Blue by Colefax & Fowler
Sweet Pea by Cole & Son

I want to do something fun for both of the girls, but want to make sure the wallpapers aren’t too similar. My friend Kira is helping me figure out what works well together, and seeing all of these here, part of me wants either a block print or the butterflies paired with Sweet Pea? I don’t know.

Floreana by Schumacher
Baudin Butterfly by Schumacher
Grasscloth Butterflies by Caitlin McGauley
Fuschia Old Blue by Colefax & Fowler (for one of the girls rooms)

The Ones That Didn’t Make The Cut

These are all lovely, but none of them felt right for this house. They’re not bad, but just not for me.

I actually really like the top left and bottom left stripe, but won’t be using any of these wallpapers. The top are all Thibaut and bottom are all Schumacher. The top left is Canvas Stripe by Thibaut and comes in a bunch of colors. The bottom left is Coco Stripe, and I love the stripe, but the color isn’t right.

I love the top left and middle, but prefer the top left in another color, and really like the middle print as fabric as opposed to wallpaper. These all felt a little too flat to me.

I won’t be using anything here. The top are all designs I didn’t really care for, and the bottom ones are pretty but not the right colors.

More samples are on the way, so I’ll be back with more updates soon.

We’re celebrating my daughter’s sixth birthday today, and what started as “a few friends over for cake” turned into a custom Stitch banner (two, actually), a face painter, a shaved ice truck (Hawaiian shaved ice is basically a must at a Stitch themed party), and three of my best girlfriends and their girls. In my defense, we went to a party last Friday that had a face painter and a banner, and I couldn’t let a random Friday be more fun than my daughter’s birthday. Making magic for my kids might be my favorite thing.

WHAT’S NEW THIS WEEK

How Affiliate Marketing Actually Works — I did a full deep dive on exactly how affiliate income works and how much I’ve made the last few years. (paid post)

I Made $400,000 Last Year. My Business Expenses Were $15,344. — Real numbers, exactly what I spent to run this business, and every tool and service I actually use. This one resonated more than almost anything I’ve shared. (free post)

I've been feeling really inspired by sharing this content and love how much it's resonating, so there’s a lot more coming. It’s wild that the post I was too scared to share for a year was the one that resonated most, and inspired a whole series of posts in my head that I know can help other women. I need to learn to trust myself a little more.

If you have any specific requests, please let me know.

WHAT I WORE THIS WEEK

I actually took photos of what I wore this week which is a HUGE deal for me since I’m normally so bad about it. Everything’s linked here (by photo so it’s easy to shop). A quick note that I love my red linen dress so much that I bought it in brown.

THIS WEEK’S FINDS

This eyelet top and short set is so pretty.

This quick dry button down and short set is so easy to wear.

This swimsuit. It runs TTS and as a size small/C cup I found that it fit perfectly and bonus — it has support!

I got this knit set (top and bottom) and love it but am trying to figure out how much I’ll wear it with the kids. Should I keep it? It’s really pretty.

These green striped Lake pajamas (gifted by the brand) launch the 29th. They’re the prettiest shade of green and so perfect for summer.

The cutest beach pants.

WHAT I WATCHED

Ummm…nothing? I meant to watch TV but between the very in-depth Substack content, family time, and banner making, it just didn’t happen.

What should I watch next?

THE PARTS I DON’T WANT TO FORGET

We met Jackie, Bianca (who just launched her new Substack!), and Allyson (her account is private and I love that for her) for an outdoor concert and it was one of those quintessential summer nights — lawn chairs, shaved ice, kids running around, live music, and everyone staying out way too late. These ladies have made this place feel like home.

My friend Kira Obermeier was in town for work, and it was so nice getting to see her for dinner. She’s helping me with the house, so we looked at fabric and wallpaper samples in the driveway of her Airbnb after dinner. There’s a lot to narrow down — I’ll share more soon.

I have loved all our time with Estelle. Our girls day downtown, and decorating for the party together were probably my highlights for the week, but having her here brings me so much joy.

BEHIND THE PAYWALL

My first big house decision, what’s up next, and my pre-op appointment.

Read more

A few weeks ago I shared what I make as a content creator. Tuesday I went deep on how affiliate works. And today, I’m sharing what it actually costs to run all of it.

This post is free. Send it to the person in your life who keeps saying they want to start something but hasn't yet. And if it resonates, giving the post a heart means a lot.

Most people assume a business that makes $400,000 costs a lot to run. I used to think I needed more than I had to do this at the level I wanted because that’s what it took to run my old site. We had tons of overhead — two founders, a full-time staff, dozens of freelance writers, and an office, and my take-home was less than what I’m making now.

Last year I made just under $400,000. My total business expenses were $15,344. That’s a 96% gross margin. (Yes, that number is before taxes, so I made a lot less) but still.

Here’s what I don’t pay for:

Employees — I have Carly, my manager, who works on commission. She receives a % of any partnership she brings in or manages. Last year, she brought in $43,500 worth of brand deals that I wouldn’t have found or negotiated on my own. That’s not overhead. That’s a return.

A Studio or Office Space — I shoot everything at home or outside. My camera is my phone most of the time, although I do have a few cameras and a video camera too, but I rarely use them. The reel that over 430 comments yesterday was shot on my iPhone while I spent the day in the city with my girls.

A Professional Photographer — I stopped booking regular shoots a long time ago. Authenticity converts better than polish for what I do, and it’s a lot less exhausting.

Advertising — I don’t run ads on my content or to grow my audience.

Here’s what I do pay for:

Website hosting — $3,600/year. Flywheel hosts my site, and I have had the best experience with them. It’s fast, reliable, and worth every dollar if your site drives any affiliate or ad revenue.

Commission — My manager receives a commission on every partnership she manages or brings in. Most managers work this way and typically take 15–20% of partnerships they bring in. I’d pay this ten times over.

URLGenius — $2,388/year. This is a deep-linking tool that makes my Amazon affiliate links work properly and track cleanly across devices. The price scales with traffic, so someone starting out would pay a fraction of this. It’s also paid for itself many times over in commission I would have otherwise lost.

Collective Hub — $1,812/year. They handle my accounting, S-corp filing, and the financial infrastructure that I would absolutely ruin if left to myself. This pays for itself — I save an average of $10,000–$13,000 in taxes because of them.

Adobe — $198/year. Lightroom and a few other tools I use for editing. I could probably do without this since I use Canva for almost everything now.

Canva — $120/year. Everything I used to do in Photoshop I now do in Canva. It’s so much faster and easier.

LinkDM — $228/year. This runs the comment automation on Instagram — when someone comments a keyword, they automatically get a DM with the link. That 389-comment reel sent hundreds of people exactly where I wanted them to go without me having to do anything.

RankIQ — $348/year. An SEO tool I use when writing blog content. My organic traffic has compounded for years because of RankIQ. I feel like I need to mention that sometimes a random Bible verse pops up which is, for me, a price to pay for great SEO, I guess. But I am in no way affiliated with any of that.

Google Workspace + storage — $125/year. Email, docs, drive.

$15,344 total. That’s what it costs me to make $400k. I didn’t factor in the new MacBook I buy every 3–4 years. I do have some great camera gear, but I’ve owned it for a while — I want to be upfront about that, but I wouldn’t consider those part of my annual expenses.

I spent years assuming I couldn’t do this at the scale I wanted to without a team.

I had a ceiling in my head — $150k. I’d grown accustomed to making that much and genuinely didn’t think I’d surpass it on my own. There are creators making a lot more than I am — some making more in a single month than I made this year — so where I am is hardly the limit.

I vowed after selling my company that I’d never again be in a position where half my profit went toward running it. So far, so good.

The business is not complicated. A website, a few platforms, one person I trust to manage the partnership side, and a small stack of tools that help me run the show. Yes, it’s a lot of moving parts which can be challenging for my ADHD brain, but I like a challenge. And you don’t have to do it all.

The part that’s hard isn’t the money. It’s deciding to do it. It’s saying yes to the things that feel right and no to the ones that don’t, even when you’re not sure you can afford to be that selective yet. (This is something I learned the hard way.)

If you wanted to start tomorrow, here’s what you actually need:

A computer — I have (and love) my MacBook, but any laptop should work. Don’t buy a new one until you need to.

An iPhone — I’m assuming you have one of those.

An iPhone tripod — Nothing fancy, just something that makes shooting content easier. I have a few options (all super-affordable) and they really do change everything about how you’re able to shoot.

A handheld mic — Optional but worth it once you start doing video with any regularity. I’m feeling motivated and just bought this one on sale.

You can see all my content creator essentials here.

Then there’s Instagram (free), Substack (free), and you could pay for blog hosting — which would cost a lot less than mine, it scales up with your traffic — but you don’t have to start there.

For software, start with Canva (free tier is fine to start), one affiliate platform (ShopMy is free to join), and LinkDM once you’re posting consistently enough to need it. Everything else can wait until you’re making money.

The barrier to entry is lower than you think. The only thing you need before all of this is a reason to start. And really, I can’t think of a reason not to.

I recently wrote about how I make money as a content creator, where I shared my revenue streams and the progression of what I've made working for myself over the last decade. It took me a year to find the courage to publish it.

Today, I want to go deeper into the part of my business that has become the biggest contributor to my income. Affiliate accounts for nearly 70% of what I make. This isn’t a story about going viral or finding a secret formula. It’s about building trust, creating content people genuinely find useful, and doing it consistently for a very long time.

I'm sharing all of this because I know I would have loved seeing someone pull back the curtain years ago. I hope it shows what's possible and gives you a roadmap if you're trying to build something online.

Behind the paywall I’m handing you my affiliate playbook:

• The affiliate platforms I use and why

• How affiliate grew year-over-year (with real numbers)

• How ShopMy works and how I grew it by 4.6x in 2 years (you can sign up here)

• The role SEO plays in affiliate

• Why I moved away from LTK

• Who Amazon is best for and why it converts differently than ShopMy

• Which platform I’d start with if I were starting over

• What I link and what I don’t

• Habits that actually grow affiliate

• The real numbers: what a good month looks like, when it spikes, and how I think about it as a percentage of my income goal

As of June 22, I've made $131,030 in affiliate income this year alone. These numbers represent more than a decade of work, and I’m sharing them because I know I would have loved seeing someone pull back the curtain when I was starting out.

The Real Numbers

To show you what it actually looks like: in June 2026 (the first 21 days), I earned $3,035 in Amazon commissions alone — 15,715 clicks, 3,724 items ordered, and a 23.7% conversion rate.

A good affiliate month for me is around $18,000–$22,000. November is in its own category — last November was nearly $39,000 in affiliate alone between ShopMy ($24,354) and Amazon ($14,603). A slow month is around $12,000–$15,000.

Seasonality matters. July is strong because of Prime Day. August picks up with back to school. October starts the build toward holiday, which is my season. November is by far my biggest month.

January and February are usually slow for me. I use those months to update my storefront, write SEO posts that will earn in Q4, and think about what opportunities to pitch for fall.

ShopMy — How It Works, and What the Commission Structure Looks Like

Read more

Hi! We had the best week. Our au pair returned for the summer, and it’s so good to have Estelle back with us. We took Jack to his first movie, and she was here for another really exciting milestone that I’ll share below. I’m just so happy she’s here. We need to work on our summer bucket list.

It was another fun summer week. I spoke on a panel, hung out with the kids, pulled off a surprise visitor from across the world, and built a lemonade stand. I’m hoping it will be hot enough to serve lemonade tomorrow. If you want to support Alex’s Lemonade Stand, you can hold your own stand to benefit ALSF or buy a virtual cup at our stand.

And last night, my friend Allyson put together a cake decorating party and we stayed out with the girls until 10PM. And I realized that I wanted to plan a little more of a party for my almost six year old next week, so I have some work to do. I was going to have a few girls come over to play, or maybe take them for manicures, but I feel like I need to do something fun because I clearly have a problem and don’t know how to hold back.

If you enjoyed this one, tap the heart at the bottom. It helps more people find me🤍

What’s New This Week

I spent a lot of time with the kids and still managed to get a good amount done. I’m living the life I dreamed of before I decided to really work for myself. Being able to take the day to be with the kids, and squeeze in work is such a gift.

My latest edit is up on the blog, and it’s a good one — timeless summer fashion essentials worth actually investing in. Linen, poplin, clean pieces that work every year.

I made some big updates to my shop — I reorganized everything so it's actually easy to find what you're looking for by piece and by store, too.

Early Prime Day sales — almost everything on this list is something I personally own and would buy again.

The Summer Skincare Products I swear by — my full routine for dry, fair skin, including my SPF, self tanner, makeup, and more.

The Tonies Collab We’ve Been Waiting For — Bluey is finally a Tonie and if you have little kids this is a very big deal. Pre-order now before they sell out.

Reader Survey + Giveaway

I’d be so grateful if you’d take a few minutes to fill out this reader survey. This helps me figure out what’s working and where I should focus my energy. As a thank you, I’ll choose one person at random and send a package their way.

Start Survey

Discount Codes + Sales

Use code DANIELLEMOSS for 100% off your first Vivrelle order.

Use DANIELLE15 for 15% off my body contouring swimsuit. I have 4 of these and feel so much more comfortable and confident in them.

Crate and Barrel is having a big sale. This bow hook is darling, I love this beautiful glider and matching ottoman, and this play table.

A Bonus Giveaway

I also have a beautiful linen carrier to give away to one of my subscribers. If you’re expecting or have a new baby, or if there’s someone you’d like to gift this to, please leave a comment below. I’ll choose one commenter tomorrow.

This Week’s Finds

I did a little shopping this week.

Portable TV — I really don’t want to put a TV on the wall in our next bedroom, so I bought this free-standing, movable TV since it’s almost 30% off. We’re going to set it up for Estelle in the guest room tomorrow, so I’ll report back.

Linen Dress — I linked to this last week but it arrived and I love it even more than I thought I would.

Terry Set — I bought this top and shorts for my oldest.

She got this skort and bag, too.

Linen Shift Dress — so cute and 50% off!

It was time for some new bras, so I ordered 2 more of my favorite wireless bras.

House of Noa sent us this beautiful seat kit. I’m going to get one more plus the matching armrests to make a couch for the kids since their nuggets are always set up as a fort. I cannot get over how pretty it is.

I got dressed a lot this week, and shocker — barely took any photos. I’m determined to do better next week, so I’ll set the bar low and hopefully take photos of 2-3 outfits.

What I Watched

Estelle and I took the kids to see Toy Story 5, and it was really sweet. The animation is so stunning compared to the original and I love the characters, so it was impossible not to enjoy it a little bit. I’ve also loved seeing Toy Story become a favorite in our house again. There was also an especially sentimental moment that (almost) made me cry.

Margot and I have been watching Is It Cake, and it’s not something I’d ever watch on my own, but it’s fun to watch with her.

I didn’t start Off Campus because there just wasn’t time. I’m either working or hanging with the kids, and my oldest has been going to bed so late, that I’ve watched very little TV.

Paid subscribers get a little more from me each week

Today for paid subscribers: One of the greatest moments that I never want to forget, how Estelle surprised the kids.

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Earlier this week, I wrote about our no-camp summer, and I promised I'd share what this is actually costing us, or really, what it’s saving us. It’s not that I’m anti summer camp. If my kids really wanted to go I’d let them go for a few weeks, but want them to have some slow weeks where they can just be kids, too. And they don’t want to go to camp every day, so this makes things easier for all of us in the end.

I never would have imagined having a nanny and an au pair at the same time, but we have three kids, and a nanny who watches our youngest while my middle and oldest are in school. They are on break for summer, and our au pair is coming for seven weeks tomorrow! That sounds like a lot — and it is! — but I jumped at the chance for Estelle to come back, and we love our nanny, so we’re making it work.

Our nanny works 35 hours a week year round. She watches our three-year-old during the school year, and we could pay her more to have her watch all three all summer, but I think the kids need to get out and do a little more. It’s a lot to manage. I started looking into part-time camps, but enrolling both girls in camp for one week, three hours a day would cost almost $700 weekly. It’s so expensive, and they didn’t even want to go.

Our au pair left January 2024, and came to visit for a few weeks last summer. She knows she has a standing invitation to come visit any time, so when she asked how I felt about her coming for most of the summer, I couldn’t have been happier. Having both Estelle and our nanny at the same time wasn't the original plan, but our nanny is a long-term arrangement and we weren't going to let her go for the summer.

But — my good friend’s nanny abruptly quit, so our nanny is going to help her a few days a week, and we’re hoping that schedule will stick throughout the school year since he will be in preschool a few days a week.

If we didn’t have Estelle coming, I would have needed to have them doing some camps, but we do. And I have them in 3 classes each week, and we’re starting tutoring once a week with school friends.

Below I’m sharing what camps would have actually cost us this summer, what we’re paying our au pair and nanny, and how much skipping camp is actually saving us.

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Week one of our no-camp summer is in the books. It was so nice not having to rush the girls out the door in the morning.

There were crafts, way too many playdates, and late nights at friends' houses. I also paid the deposit on a big upcoming project that I am equal parts excited and anxious about. This was probably our most social week all year. Three nights out, a pool day with friends, three playdates at our house, and I’m getting together with Jackie tonight.

We’re also having a lemonade stand this weekend, and if you’re not local, my kids (mainly my survivor who is very excited about this) would be beyond excited if a bunch of you made a donation for a virtual cup to benefit pediatric cancer research.

Earlier this week, I wrote about why we skipped camps entirely this summer and next week I’m sharing what it’s actually costing us.

Camp Estelle starts Wednesday when our au pair comes back for seven weeks. The kids still have no idea and I cannot wait to see their faces! Estelle was with us for a few weeks last summer and we all absolutely adore her. I’m already so sad she has to leave in August.

What’s New This Week

We packed a lot into this week and it turns out you can get a lot done when you stay up until 1AM. I am surprisingly not tired, which I attribute to some recent HRT changes.

Summer Salad Recipes — updated with some really good ones for the season, including my La Scala chopped salad copycat which I make on repeat.

Father’s Day Gift Guide — if you still need a gift, there are some really good options in here at every price point.

The Best Family Games for Kids and Adults — everything we actually play plus some new additions we’re adding this summer.

The Best Outdoor Toys and Gear — perfect timing if you’re doing a no-camp summer and need to keep kids busy outside.

How Much Money I Make as a Content Creator — the post I’ve been sitting on for a year. Real numbers, no vagueness. 🔒

We Skipped Every Single Camp This Summer — why we did it and what we’re doing instead.

A Health Follow-Up

Speaking of not being tired I had a recent follow-up with my Midi Health clinician since my night sweats returned, and I was feeling extremely depleted. My clinician increased my HRT dosage and reminded me to take my iron supplement. I feel less tired and my night sweats have subsided.

Next month will be exactly one year since I started seeing my Midi clinician after breaking up with a $$$ concierge practice. I finally feel listened to, and like I have someone helping me navigate all the hormonal shifts that seem to change every few months. If you’re in your 30s or 40s, you get it. If you’ve been feeling off and wondering if hormones might be part of it, book your first visit with Midi Health here.

This Week's Finds

Linen Tank — ordered this in navy and it was so good I immediately ordered it in white too. Size down.

Linen Dress — I don't own anything in this color but it's the exact color of my summer polish so it had to happen.

Beach Pants — These are so fun! I couldn’t resist.

Hill House Tunic and Shorts — I bought this in blue before it sold out, but it’s still available in black and white.

Strawberry Terry Set — my daughter got so many compliments on this one.

Geo Swimsuit — my friend wore this to the pool yesterday and I absolutely loved the cut and print.

New Skincare — I’ve been loving this new foaming cleanser and cream. One thing I really love about this brand is that you can purchase a travel size of almost any product which is a great way to try something new without investing in the full-size product.

Under $8 Body Wash for Kids — speaking of skincare, this clean brand is so good! We love the scents, and you cannot beat the price. My kids have loved the bubble bath, too.

Kids Play Couch — House of Noa just sent us two of these, and I am so excited to have them in the kids’ new playroom. Thinking I need to pair it with one of these.

New Summer Candle — the strawberry is dreamy, but I’ve yet to try a Hotel Lobby candle I didn’t love. And if you haven’t tried their hand wash, it’s the best and makes such a great gift.

The Softest Pajamas — I didn’t need these in my Lake collection, but I love them.

What I Watched

TSITP — I finally finished it! It was a little cheesy but honestly the perfect thing to have on in the background while working late at night. No complaints.

Your Friends and Neighbors — I don’t know what to say about this one. The finale of season one killed me, but I had to see it through because Jon Hamm. 😍 The storyline was weak, the finale (and honestly the entire season) was completely unhinged and kind of terrible, but also so insane that I couldn’t stop watching. I had no idea it was even the finale until a new episode just didn’t air this week.

Enough of you convinced me to give Off Campus another shot, so I’m going to do that this coming week.

My oldest and I have been on an Is It Cake? kick. She stays up for another 60-90 min after her siblings go to bed, and it’s been so fun to watch.

Paid subscribers get a little more from me each week

Today for paid subscribers: The thing I’ve been feeling this summer that I don’t want to forget, what I’m talking about with my friends, the best moments from our first week of summer, and the big project I've been hinting at. Let's go.

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I started this post in July 2025 after being inspired by a creator who shared her annual income progression on Instagram. I’ve made endless edits and updates, and have almost published it dozens of times since, but it felt too scary.

But earlier today, I was writing something about how I want my brand to feel for a big upcoming project that I will share with you soon. And in that moment, I realized how much this post would have really helped me years ago when I didn’t think I could do this.

I’m going to share the progression of what I made working for myself over the last decade, how affiliate works, and what I wish I knew years ago.

If you’re stuck or have questions, you can ask me anything in the comments. No gatekeeping.

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No, I’m not opening the back door and telling my kids to stay outside until it’s dark. They don’t go anywhere alone, we don’t do sleepovers, they each own multiple water bottles, and I apply sunscreen pretty regularly.

I keep telling people that I’m giving my kids a 90s summer and then list all the things I’ve planned only to realize that I am absolutely not giving them a 90s summer.

This is the second year that my kids are not enrolled in camp. And if they’re not at camp they’re…here.

I’m not planning on avoiding camps forever, but the girls want to be together, and camp would split them up. It’s also really expensive, and doesn’t make sense when we’re paying a nanny. Many camps are only 3 hours which, sure, it’s something, but to get the two girls in a 3 hour camp for one week, we’d be looking at $700-900. Maybe I’m being cheap, and of course I see the value, but that is a lot of money.

The thing that’s making all of this possible is that our au pair, Estelle, is coming back for seven weeks next week. Without her I would be signing up for camp most weeks this summer. With her, anything is possible.

I spend most of the school year feeling like I'm getting my kids out the door, to an appointment, homework done, and off to bed. Summer is the only time that changes. My kids need to be dressed with teeth brushed before 10AM.

I have to be more present and engaged than I would have had to be if they were enrolled in camp, but I’m also good setting up some art stuff, a water table, bubble machine (for ambiance) and relaxing in a chair while the kids do their thing. So think of it as a loosely planned 90s (ish) summer with supervision. And we have our nanny and Estelle.

The Best Outdoor Toys and Gear

I want to be present enough that I get to do what I couldn’t when I had my first and ran a company with someone else. Not getting a break to take her to the park on a nice day made me so sad. I realize the privilege in that, and as a small business owner, not getting that didn’t feel right. I don't want to repeat that again.

Here’s what we actually have planned (the 90s summer lite version):

1. The girls are taking tennis lessons 2x a week and have one more weekly class (something they do all year). I may add one more.

2. Lots of crafts and activities. This is where I shine.

3. Lazy days at home and lots of playing outside. Parks, crafts, water table, ball, and bike riding.

4. We’re going to venture into the city for the farmer’s market, zoo, beach, and more. My guess is we will only do this 2-3 times a month. Maybe more once Estelle arrives next week.

5. Playdates. We love spending time with friends, and most of their friends finish camp between 1 and 3 PM. Some have a few off-days during the week, so it’s easy to get together.

6. Unlimited popsicles (these have no added sugar).

7. Reading for 20 minutes every day, and working on these workbooks.

I spent most of yesterday with the kids — an impromptu lunch with my middle after an appointment, two visits to our friends’ house, Dave and Busters (not my favorite but they’ve been asking), and we all went out to dinner. I was able to squeeze an hour or two of work in during the day, and then worked from 9-12PM. A short workday, but I got some work done.

What I want this summer to be is slower, and to have some fun with my kids. I want (and need) to work, and I’m feeling inspired to start blogging more. This isn’t an off-the-grid, phones-down summer. So. No camps. Three classes. One returning au pair. A lot of popsicles. We’ll see how this goes.

Next week for paid subscribers I'm going into what this summer is actually costing us, what I'm paying our au pair, how we’re structuring having an au pair and nanny for almost two months, and whether I think skipping camps is actually saving money or just an elaborate form of chaos.

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This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something using my links, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

It’s the first official week of summer break and Taylor Swift has a new song out! Cheers to that.

We kicked off the weekend with a movie night, and the kids were so happy when I set up their inflatable car beds.

The weather and Conor’s work schedule didn’t really make a lemonade stand possible, so we’ll do that next weekend. I think we’ll do a little crafting, play outside, hopefully see friends, and we’re taking the kids to dinner tonight.

How I Hope This Summer Will Be Different

We have been talking about life with three kids, and for the longest time, how it didn’t feel worth doing certain things with our youngest. It just didn’t feel worth going to dinner when he wouldn’t sit still, and going downtown felt so hard with naps. He’s so much better at restaurants as long as I come prepared with small toys. I really want to go into the city more this summer, and he can miss an occasional nap and still get by.

Before I really dive in, I have some discount codes for you.

Discount Codes

Vivrelle: I have really enjoyed using Vivrelle. I’ve borrowed some really great bags, and just got this Bottega for the month. Use DANIELLEMOSS for your first month free!

The High Confectionary: Use DANIELLEMOSS20 for 20% off

Pistola: Use DANIELLE15 for 15% off my favorite jeans

Helix: Use DANIELLE for 21% off. I have this mattress, and my oldest just got this one for her new room.

Work Stuff

I am trying to give my blog some more attention, and since my oldest turns 8 soon, published a post on the best gifts for 8 year-olds. I included some of my kids’ favorite things, and things on my daughter’s birthday list.

I also gave my shop a refresh.

Over the last year or two, I’ve struggled to figure out what goes on my blog vs. Substack, and I think I have it figured out. I’ll share more soon.

I wrapped up three partnerships and got the ok to go live with 2/3, so that’s great. Just waiting on feedback for the third one, and I’m actually glad I only have one more to shoot, because I’m going to be with the girls a lot until Estelle gets here in less than two weeks!

Health & Wellness

I’ve been taking my sleep gummies every night and they work, but I’m still going to bed too late. I’ve also been taking these every morning, and they really help me feel less anxious.

I’m on a protein kick, too. Or trying to be.

My knees are still messed up, so I need to get to PT and hopefully get back to workouts soon.

Our Summer Plans

We’re having another lazy, 1980s summer, with no camp and very little structure. The thing that’s really making it possible is the fact that our old au pair, Estelle, will be here for about seven weeks.

My surgery is about a month away (more on that here) and won’t be able to do much out of the house for 10-14 days, so I want to overcompensate the next few weeks.

I’m getting a little nervous. 😬

I’ve been getting dressed more, as I do in the summer months, and am going to try to be better about taking more outfit photos. I just don’t have a great floor length mirror, and a tripod feels like too much work.

Recent Purchases

This top and shorts for my oldest

This striped vest and these sandals.

These block print pants.

Caving and ordering this since it’s so easy to mix and match charms. Use DM15 for 15% off.

My kids are on a big bubble bath kick.

We had a lazy week. Some crafts, Lego building, and lots of time outside. Jack has been loving his new water table.

Things I Liked This Week

A fun and affordable fish necklace.

This rug is so pretty!

Camp Snap just released a new camera.

One of my most-worn (and most-comfortable) pairs of pants are back in the prettiest ecru color. I don’t need a third pair, but I want them.

I’ve been living in these linen pants, too.

My favorite long sleeve tee is back with a few new prints. Size down.

I love this button down dress with the prettiest detail.

Did you see this Clare V. collab?

I can’t own three blue dresses from one brand. Or can I?

I don’t own anything yellow, but maybe this dress is a sign that it’s time.

Top Sellers

My girls’ booster seat
Satin slip skirt
Donni pants
The wireless bra I wear every day
Block print pants
Janessa leone hat

And for paid subscribers:
The big hit I’m voluntarily taking this year.
The blog vs. Substack breakdown
More on my surgery and what scares me most
Summer intentions

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The primary bathroom is one of the first projects we’re tackling at the new house. We will demo it before moving in, and ideally start working on it right away.

I wanted to bring you along from the very beginning, including the actual drawings from our designer, Melinda LaFrey.

Below is the floor plan so you can get a sense of the layout.

I’m sharing all three vanity wall elevations she sent over and the one we chose with my paid subscribers. Plus, my favorite wallpaper for our primary bed and bath.

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I am not someone who handles hard things well — at least not as they’re unfolding. But once I start to process what’s happening, giving purpose to the pain is what gets me through it.

When I shared my story of going no-contact with my parents, I heard from dozens of women who had been through something similar. When I’ve talked openly about anxiety and ADHD, the same thing happened. Grief, pet loss, the mental load — every time I share something I’m afraid to say out loud, someone writes to tell me they needed to hear it. It took me 15 years to talk about getting out of an abusive relationship. When I finally did, I remembered again why it matters.

When my daughter was diagnosed with cancer six years ago, I had to find a way to do something with it. Almost 15,000 children in the US are diagnosed with cancer every year. Here's how you can help make a difference this month.

June 2 & 3: Shop Danrie and Give Back

I am so excited to partner with Danrie this month to give back to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Today and tomorrow, Danrie is donating a percentage of each sale to ALSF. You can shop my curated selection of favorite products here.

How cute is this lemonade stand kit?
These wipeable backpacks are my favorite.
I love this darling play food set. My kids love play food.
This might be the cutest kids’ purse I’ve ever seen.
And this ride-on fire truck!

Host a Lemonade Stand!

Within a few months of Margot’s diagnosis, I started fundraising for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, and for our children’s hospital’s oncology program. And after hearing from a mom of a newly diagnosed child almost every week for months, I started a support group for moms of children in cancer treatment. It turns out that the people you think you’re helping will end up helping you just as much, if not more.

The month of June is Lemonade Days at ALSF. We’re holding an in-person lemonade stand with 100% of the proceeds going to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to fund pediatric cancer research and support families in treatment. And you can, too! Just sign up to hold a lemonade stand here.

🍋 Host your own stand: Sign up here. It’s free, and there’s no fundraising minimum.

💛 Buy a virtual cup of lemonade: Can’t host? Donate here and it still makes a real difference.

📍 Join us in person: If you’re local, message me for details.

I have gotten to know Liz, Alex’s mom, over the last few years, and I feel such a special connection to Alex through her. I love when she shares stories about Alex, and the way she’s dedicated her life to changing the pediatric cancer world, and improving both treatment protocols and survivorship outcomes is both incredible and inspiring.

Liz called me a few years ago and shared that because of the research they’ve funded, if Alex were diagnosed today, she very likely would have lived. Process that for a minute.

I started sharing my story online years ago. It took time before I opened up about my dad disappearing when I was a teenager, and the decision to go no-contact with my mom. You can hear my whole story here.

You don’t have to be okay to show up. I started fundraising a few months into treatment because I needed something to come of the nightmare we were going through. I started a support group because I kept getting messages I didn’t know how to answer alone. Showing up — for others, for a cause, for something bigger than the fear — is often how the healing starts.

Small actions can turn into something big, and this month, we can all work together to turn lemons into lemonade. So please consider having your own lemonade stand or buying a virtual cup. It all adds up to research that saves lives.

It’s a new month, and I’m introducing a new series: a curated edit with a price cap. This week it's fashion and accessories under $200, but some weeks it'll be dresses under $300 or lamps or decor under $150. Everything is hand-picked and they’re all products I’d buy (or already have).

Everything’s linked below, and I also have a bunch of new summer backgrounds, recipes, and my summer bucket list live on my blog.

If you have any requests for future edits (and price caps) just leave them in the comments below. And if you’re feeling nice, give this post a heart.

And here it is. My under $200 edit:

The perfect, crisp button down

Time for a t-shirt restock

I want to add this mermaid charm to my collection

$88 tennis bracelet

Brochu walker tote

Strappy sandals

Striped linen shorts

Navy button down top

This sun hat

Block print pants

Satin skirt

Embroidered terry cover up

Paris shorts

Knit polo

Striped poplin pants

Green sunglasses

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something using my links, I may earn a commission at no cost to you.

A lot happened. Here’s what you didn’t see.

My ADHD has been really bad this month. But even during the most scattered moments, it still feels better than when I was on medication that made me feel awful. I bought a salad downtown, brought it home, left it in the car, and made lunch. Then I saw it 30 min later when I went to a nail appt, so I brought it inside to stick it in the fridge at the nail salon, and then left it there, so I had to go back for it. That plus leaving things open, mixing up dates, and lots of little mistakes. We upped my estrogen dose so hopefully that makes a difference?

I’m going to share a recap of some of my favorite things, purchases, more about our move and summer plans, and a look at the things I didn’t share online, which is a lot.

In Today’s Newsletter:

A paid subscriber giveaway
Where I’m at with work
Childcare changes and summer plans
More about our new house and when we’re moving
The house projects we’re prioritizing

Paid Subscriber Giveaway

I have a box of beauty products to send to one of my paid subscribers as a thank you for your support. I included favorites from Londontown, Innbeauty, Roz, and this $185 Yoe cream. This month’s giveaway is going to Katie Mclean!

Recent Finds, Favorites, and Deals
I am so excited to start using this. It’s up to 233% more powerful than IPL! I am using it on my bikini line and my chin. 😝

After doing a bit of a closet edit, I realized I didn’t have any pants that weren’t jeans, so I bought a mix of (mostly) Donni and Leset. But then I needed some tops that weren’t tees, and ended up ordering this, this, and this, too. I’m still on the hunt for a few more.

I bought this dress on sale. It was a splurge for me but it’s fun and so different from anything I have.

I ordered a bunch of summer stuff for the kids. My oldest is having fun choosing outfits, and is very into leopard right now.

We love our Bugaboo travel stroller. The dragonfly compact city stroller is on sale! If I were looking for a city stroller, it would be this one.

My mattress is also on sale, and I can’t say enough good things about it. I’m a stomach/side sleeper, and it’s so comfortable. But my favorite feature as a perimenopausal woman in her 40s who runs HOT is the cooling cover. We have the cooling mattress cover, too. And I just got this one (gifted) for one of the girls’ rooms. It’s so comfortable!

What I’m Watching and Listening To

I’ve been back on a Call Her Daddy kick and am giving The Summer I Turned Pretty another go. I am probably too old for shows like this, but it’s enjoyable.

If you watched Yellowstone, you’ll love Dutton Ranch. It really feels like an extension of the show, and not like a spin-off.

May Top Sellers

My favorite wireless bra
My moissanite necklace
Striped pants
Linen track pants
My new hat
Kids summer pajamas (on sale)
Striped tote
This Craft kit
My CBD/THC gummies
Kids under $8 clean body wash, shampoo, and conditioner
My most-worn sweatshirt
Sheer sunscreen
Bow pajamas

L to R, Jackie, Bianca (or as Jack says, “I just want to call her Bianc”), me, and Allyson.

I went to a show (in the city!) with Laura, and we met Stasi and Lauren for dinner and drinks before the show.

I chaperoned my daughter’s field trip. 💞

And For Paid Subscribers:
Where I’m at with work
What’s happening at home
Childcare changes
What I’ve been thinking about

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After living in two very different homes over the last eight years, and six apartments during the seven years I lived downtown, I was ready for another change.

Each home gave me a new experience, and our two houses have both been so special. They are where we built our family.

Today, I want to talk about what we were looking for in our next house, and what we found.

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I always knew I wanted to be a mom. I longed for the family part of it. The relationships. Children I’d hopefully stay close to long after they grew up.

One night, my husband and I were coming home after a night out with friends. I was maybe seven months pregnant and it hit me. “I just realized we won’t be able to do whatever we want after the baby gets here.” He was very much aware that would be the case. I just wanted a family.

After our second was born, I felt this pull. When I thought about our future, I imagined one more person in our family. I wasn’t excited to go back to the baby stage, but I needed a third. In some ways, I was more prepared for my third than my first. I was used to someone always needing me and knew to hire help this time around. My third has been a dream, and there are many times throughout the week where three kids feels too chaotic. I can’t imagine my life without them, and I feel overwhelmed a lot.

Loving my children came easily to me, but I didn’t realizing how exhausting and repetitive parenting would feel.

Before I get into the parts I don’t love, I’d like to talk about the parts that make it all so worth it.

The one-on-one time. Late night chats in bed with the girls. My son tells me I’m his best friend dozens of times throughout the day. Knowing I’m their person is the most special feeling in the world, and I love seeing the world through their eyes. I could sit and watercolor with them for hours, and love our little adventures together.

Just watching them grow up feels like such a gift. Their sibling relationships are so sweet, too. The snuggles and “I love you’s” melt me. And the magic, from Disneyland and The Eras Tour to holidays and fun outings and those little magical, childhood moments, like outdoor movie nights, decorating their doors on their birthday, and so much more. I get to help make their dreams come true. I can’t wait to travel with them more as they get older.

The Version of Motherhood I Imagined

I really wanted family, closeness, traditions, and to foster strong relationships with my children. As someone who doesn’t have a relationship with either of her parents, this felt really important to me. That is all I kept coming back to when I thought about growing our family.

The Part I Didn’t Understand

This might sound a little naive, but I didn’t think the day-to-day would feel so hard. It can be extremely tedious. Getting kids ready for school. Making dinner for picky eaters is another level of hard I wasn’t prepared for. Who knew meals could be so stressful?

That’s not to say every morning is terrible. We actually had a very smooth one today. But even when things are going relatively well, parenting can still feel exhausting. The noise, the rushing, the clutter, the logistics, the getting everyone out the door, and how never-ending bedtime can feel. The general chaos and overstimulation are a lot for me sometimes.

I wish I’d understood that motherhood is less about the big, meaningful moments, and more about daily management, with the sweetest moments sprinkled in between the exhausting ones.

And I couldn’t have understood how much I’d love them. How I wouldn’t hesitate to hit pause on my entire life to get my daughter through cancer treatment for over two years. I would go to the ends of the world for them. You hear it and you can sort of imagine it, but it is a love like no other.

Below, I’m sharing the parts of parenting that drain me most, the guilt that came with admitting any of this out loud, and what’s actually helped me navigate the overwhelm of day-to-day motherhood.

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Hi! Happy Memorial Day Weekend. It’s the unofficial start of summer, and I am so ready for sandal season. We’re seeing friends later today, hopefully spending a lot of time outside this weekend, and will celebrate my father-in-law’s birthday, too.

My sleep has been terrible, so I am hoping to get a little downtime in. I stayed up way too late. The girls really want to watch The Super Mario Galaxy Movie so I’m going to let them watch it and hopefully get some rest and hopefully do a little painting outside with the girls. I have a fun partnership due June 5 that I’ll shoot this coming Monday or next weekend.

Jackie asked me to run an errand with her earlier in the week, and we ended up going to dinner. I also took 2/3 of my kids to dinner solo one night, and realized how far I’ve come from the days when I was anxious to do anything with my first.

I finally met Claudia in person. We recorded this months ago, then talked for over an hour afterward and stayed in touch. I finally stopped by her house so we could work together and chat for a few hours. Then I got my hair done in the city and met some girlfriends for drinks after bedtime.

On The Blog

May Tech Backgrounds

Easy One Pan Meals Everyone Will Love

The Best MDW Sales to Shop

You can see a full roundup of my favorite MDW sales and top picks here.

But in todays post, I’m going to focus on the things I already own, love, and would buy again. From home favorites to beauty products to a few fashion staples, these are the purchases that have actually earned a permanent spot in my life. I’m also sharing a few things I ended up ordering this week, too.

What I Own and Would Buy Again: For the Home

Birch Living: I’ve spent years trying to create a healthier home environment, and trying the Birch Luxe completely changed everything for me. It’s supportive, cozy, low-tox, and feels like a hotel mattress. Birch’s Memorial Day sale is their best offer I’ve seen: 27% off.

Visual Comfort: Save 20% sitewide. Almost all the lighting in my home is from visual comfort, and it’s all linked here.

Business and Pleasure Co: wagon and picnic table

Staub: Dutch oven and cast iron frying pan

Lulu and Georgia: Mirror

Annie Selke: My favorite jute rug. It was gifted by the brand, but I love it so much that I have three of them in my home.

The Container Store: I have everything in this post.

Wayfair: My closet rug, guest room lamp, and this mirror

Serena and Lily: The girls’ nightstand and table lamp, this quilt, our swivel chairs, kitchen chairs, scalloped tray, and playroom rug.

Funboy: These air mattresses are so fun for movie nights and sleepovers

Kathy Kuo: Bookcase

Helix: Mattress and cooling mattress protector

Boll & Branch: Percale bedding set (the duvet has a zipper instead of buttons)

The Foggy Dog: dog tag, macaron toy, pancake toy, and dog collar

What I Own and Would Buy Again: Clothes and Accessories

AYR: My most-worn sweatshirt (that I have in 2 colors) is $60 off!

EBY: My favorite relief bra. It’s wireless, lifts, and they stay place. It is my most-worn bra.

Alex Mill: sweater jacket

LL Bean: boat and tote. Everyone in our family has one.

Janie and Jack: My son has this slub tee and polo in a few colors

Hanna Andersson: Linen dress, pajamas

Petite Plume: I bought a bunch of new pajamas for the kids

Ralph Lauren: Save 30% on sale styles. I just found this sale so linked the pieces my kids have here.

What I Own and Would Buy Again: Beauty and Wellness

Supergoop: sheer sunscreen stick, unseen sunscreen, unseen sunscreen body, and everyday sunscreen stick

INNbeauty: affordable and refillable moisturizer

Tubby Todd: Everything linked in this post

Higher Dose: sauna blanket

Cann: Naked hi boy

Sunday Riley: good genes

Coco & Eve: Self tanner

DIBS Beauty: I linked all my favorites here

What I Bought This Week

These sandals are not on sale but they’re beautiful, similar in style to the Hermes ones but a lot more affordable and so comfortable.

The High Confectionary: Buy 2 of my favorite CBD and THC gummies and get 1 free. I bought 2 chill out in sour cherry and got the apricot sleep gummies for free! I take these almost daily — they are so good and help me feel a little chill without feeling high.

Necessaire: I ordered the eucalyptus body wash and rosemary hair duo.

J. Crew: (for the kids) graphic tee, linen shorts, tennis dress, paper bag shorts.

Boden: this top and matching shorts, two more of this tank (for both girls), and these striped shorts, and patch pocket shorts.

Petite Plume: bow pajamas, coastal pajamas, heart pajamas, and le woof pajamas.

Hanna Andersson: kids’ nightgown

RL: Get 30% off sale. I just placed a big order for the kids and got the best deals! I linked some pieces they already owned and what I just bought on shopMy.

And a little something extra for my paid subscribers:
A BIG house update
The work thing I’ve been trying to figure out

Read more

I’ve spent years trying to make small changes around our home that feel better for our family. It started with switching to clean skincare and makeup, then cleaning products, air purifiers, and eventually mattresses for our kids.

I sort of assumed there would be a tradeoff when it came to organic mattresses. So when Birch Living reached out about partnering together, I was genuinely excited to try their mattress because I had been looking for something made with better materials that would still feel really comfortable and luxurious. The one I landed on years ago didn’t feel as cozy and comfortable as I would have liked.

What surprised me most about the Birch Luxe is how comfortable it is. It feels like a really good hotel mattress. Supportive without being hard, soft without sinking, and cool enough for my hot sleepers. The low-tox materials were what initially drew me in, but the comfort is what made me really love it. I love it so much that I’m planning on getting one more for my youngest when he makes the move from a crib to a bed.

Birch mattresses are fiberglass-free and GREENGUARD Gold certified, made with organic cotton, natural wool, and latex instead of polyurethane foams. There’s also no strong chemical smell or off-gassing, which immediately stood out to me.

Birch is currently having their Memorial Day sale with 27% off mattresses, which is the best offer I’ve seen from them. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your mattress, or want something made with more thoughtful materials without sacrificing comfort, I really can’t recommend the Birch Luxe enough.

Thank you to Birch Living for sponsoring this post. I’ve spent years trying to create a healthier home environment, and Birch Luxe is the perfect solution.