Part two of my favorite things are home-related items, the first of which comes from one of the greatest companies of all time: Sheets & Giggles. The product? Sheets...made from eucalyptus. Speaking of eucalyptus... Sheets & Giggles Eucalyptus Lyocell Sheet Set Still one of *the* best videos of all time, but I digress. In May of 2018 I backed an Indiegogo campaign for eucalyptus bedding from Sheets & Giggles. My life was changed for the better five months later when these sheets and this duvet were delivered by my beloved UPS driver. I have at least a little bit of experience when it comes to buying sheets, thanks to our yearly home rental for the Masters tournament. When it is time to upgrade one of my tournament sets, I pour over sheet reviews, attempting to ... [Read More]
My Favorite Things Pt. 1
Anyone who knows me understands that without good food, there is no joy in my life. My day is planned almost entirely around my kids' extracurriculars my next meal - when I will get it, where it will come from, and what it will consist of. So naturally, the first of my "favorites" comes from the food category. Smart Sweets I was introduced to Smart Sweets about a year ago after seeing...wait for it...an Instagram ad. Intrigued by the idea that candy could be low calorie and high in fiber, I took a chance and ordered a box of their Seriously Sour Gummy Bears from Amazon. After one pouch I was fully addicted and promptly ordered the Sour Blast Buddies, my current favorite, and Sweet Fish. I can not wait to try their new Peach Rings! I'm not going to say that this is nutritionally ... [Read More]
These are a Few of My Favorite Things
Based on the copious number of faux pumpkins on my porch, it is already October...and nearing the end of it. I'm happy to report that Augusta decided that *perhaps* fall has come to stay. Well, until next month when we are hit with "winter" (I use the term loosely - in the Southern vernacular this indicates highs in the 60s or 70s). Our cooler evenings have me flipping on our hysterical, yet much appreciated gas log (Zella refers to this as "hot hot.") I am already well on my way toward gaining the requisite "Fall Fifteen" that occurs sometime between mid-October and Thanksgiving. Visions of pumpkin bread and spiced apple cider dance in my head. Reese's pumpkins line the secret candy stash. And just this morning we were "Booed!" by gracious neighbors with a bucket of Halloween treats. ... [Read More]
Minimal Bandwidth
Will your newborn exclusively breastfeed for at least the first 6 months of their life? Does your baby eat homemade, organic baby food, or do you prefer they get their daily arsenic serving from a glass jar of death? Will your 3 year old's speech ever be understood by anyone other than yourself and your spouse? Do you pollute your 6 year old's fragile brain with SCREEN TIME? Have you made the decision about when to get your child a cell phone?When do you plan to allow your child to stay home by themselves while you run an errand? Too. Much. Living in Crisis Mode These are the parenting questions we are faced with every day. But for some of us living in a fog of worst-case scenarios with a medically complex child, we just don't have the bandwidth to process (or frankly care about) ... [Read More]
Life is Hard. Then You Die.
Sometimes the problems of this world are all just too much to bear. You are laid off at a job you adore...You get a call from the principal about your kid's behavior... You make a bad investment and are out hundreds or thousands of dollars... The list of bad days goes on. And on. And on. And then it happens. You find yourself in a public space. Perhaps it is a doctor's office waiting room, or an elevator. You overhear a story. A young wife lost her husband to gun violence.A son discovers both his parents are gone in a tragic accident.A mother watches her daughter slowly die in hospice care. Suffering I grew up at the peak of wealthy, WASPy, American privilege. Despite being raised by nearly perfect parents, being grateful for what I have is not something that comes ... [Read More]
No-bake Peanut Butter Balls
In this house peanut butter is life. Sometimes it is the *only* thing left for dinner. Don't judge. As a kid I had this amazing children's cookbook. It was filled with incredibly simple recipes even the youngest cooks and bakers could handle. It was in this cookbook that I discovered the most delicious recipe for "no-bake peanut butter cookies" comprised of only peanut butter, nonfat dry milk powder, and honey. I realize it sounds strange. I mean who uses dry milk powder in 2019? Zella is skeptical. (Or that might have been the "smile" I requested from her). I decided to update my childhood favorite snack and swap out the honey for Truvia Nectar for a slightly lower calorie option. If you prefer to use honey, feel free - just double the amount. If you are ... [Read More]
