Weekend Reading #44

Recent finds, work and parenting without childcare, a dream partnership, and a big reason I took my kids offline.

For those of you who are new here, Weekend Reading is my weekly post on what I’m loving and feeling inspired by. It’s a chance to share highlights from the week, like what I did, watched, listened to, and wore this week.

So hi! How was your week?

I’m writing this in bed on my iPad and am loving this keyboard. It’s a little smaller than my computer and navigating a iPad as a computer is quite different, but I really like it, and I like that it’s forcing me to pull links a little differently. I hope this is the start of a plan to shift IG use to my iPad.

I was doing so great, but fell off the wagon and have been scrolling at night. I hate to admit that, but I’m sharing this to hold myself accountable. I know I’m not the only one, and have a goal to shift our evening energy into something like this.

We had the most beautiful weather this week and were able to spend some time outside. I did some weeding and ordered this new weeder. And I got solo time with each of the kids this week which was so nice.

We had zero childcare this week so I was fully in mom mode. There were appointments and meetings, I got Kate’s surgery scheduled and am working on getting a few things scheduled for Jack. And I managed to get a little work done during nap and after bedtime. Things are nonstop but feel really good. I’m still managing to get enough work done, and I’ve really enjoyed having some more quality time with the kids, which has made me realize that I want things to shift this year.

I was a good month overdue for a hair straightening, but wanted to do it close to our upcoming trip. My frizz is insane. I can’t tame it and had been seeing my hair stylist at least once a week for a blowout the last month because it was just so bad. I do magic sleek since it’s a clean treatment (no formaldehyde) and it works well. Life is always so much easier when I wake up without frizz.

I may have gotten a little forehead botox, too. I really needed it.

Margot has a birthday party today and I can’t be the only one that really doesn’t enjoy kids’ birthday parties. I am very much a sit down one-on-one and talk about everything kind of gal, and parties are all small talk, which is not my favorite. I planned three playdates last weekend but birthday parties are just not for me.

We’re honoring my friend Sarah on Sunday, and I’m excited to spend the afternoon with her daughter and one of our mutual friends. Her little girl is the sweetest and reminds me so much of her mom.

I had just talked about partnerships slowing down here and within hours of hitting publish, got another partnership with Nordstrom, and a small opportunity with Saks! I’m excited to work with Nordstrom a third time, and Saks has been at the top of my short list, so that’s a big one for me.

The highlight of my week was hearing from a mom I’ve connected with who’s son went into remission! They have a long journey ahead but it’s a huge win, and those wins need to be celebrated. I also heard from an old cancer mom friend I haven’t talked to in forever, and I had just thought about her the day before she messaged. Her daughter is doing great, and I’m just so happy for them.

I don’t know what to do with what I’ve been through, but being able to show up for these moms is one of the greatest gifts of my life. That might sound crazy since cancer isn’t a gift, but it’s truly a gift to connect with someone during their darkest days, and getting it because they were your darkest days too, and then, you get to tell them that you made it through, are five years out from diagnosis, and living a life you couldn’t have imagined back then. Getting to help others feel less alone and giving them hope is probably the most meaningful thing I’ll ever do.

On that note, I need to raise $7,000 to fund parking passes for the oncology floor at our local children’s hospital so I’m trying to brainstorm the best way to do that. These passes are huge for inpatient families who cannot afford to pay $25/nightly to park at the hospital. WThere are kids in there for months, and the passes can also be used for a second parent to visit, which many families also can’t afford. We were so privileged to be able to afford those things during treatment, but the whole time we were in it, I thought about the families who couldn’t and vowed to do something to make it better. It’s time to start fundraising soon.

I managed to put a new blog post together, and updated my post on travel toys, too.

What I Watched and Listened to

I am loving Your Friends and Neighbors and can’t seem to get into The Studio but also only half paid attention to that one.

Margot and I planned a special girls night since Kate goes to bed before she does, and the girl can hang late. She requested Father of the Bride 2. That’s my girl.

I really enjoyed Amy Poehler on Smartless but didn’t listen to too many podcasts this week since there wasn’t much time without kids around.

Recent Finds

I just got this top and these pants, and love them! I’ll share a photo this week.

I need to get some art for the kids’ bathrooms and want to do something in this frame (in white) in Jack’s bathroom and this one in the girls’ bath. And I want to find something for this frame. Isn’t it beautiful?

I’ve been loving my Lemme gummies and have been taking these, these, and these.

My favorite fresh scent for spring/summer is on sale. It goes with this diffuser which I keep near our robot litter box.

This pareo that I’ve had my eye on is on sale. And this one is gorgeous.

I just added this dress to my cart for Kate.

Before I sign off, I want to share another big reason for taking my kids offline. It’s…a little dark.