Hello all! This newsletter is inspired by the one and only Kendra Adachi (aka @thelazygenius), and I believe she credits this idea to Barbara Brown Taylor. In essence, I wanted to share with you “Ten things that are saving my life right now.” February is a short month, and I hope to keep this newsletter nice and short for you. 

 

By the way, if you like a short newsletter, you should absolutely subscribe to The Power Nap! The Power Nap is an email that keeps you connected to NTK even if you aren’t on Instagram or missed something I posted. That is also where the bottom of this newsletter (Current Reads/Listens/Watches) has migrated. Anything anyone on the NTK team loved will end up over there in some shape or form. 

 

Our entire family was so sick from the end of January into February. It started with one random virus, then I got an ear infection. Then, John Robert got some other virus that swiftly passed from Nate to Millie to Alberta to me and finally to Scout. We were each so sick for about 48 hours, but of course mine lingered the longest. Also, I somehow hurt my wrist in that time as well. So much school missed. Doctor visits. An x-ray in there for me. All this to say, we limped into February and have finally turned a corner as it comes to a close. I tell you that because some of the things saving my life right now are intricately connected to the sick month we had.

 

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Without further ado, let’s get started! 

1. Sleep: this is not surprising, as sleep tends to help everything. But in the last month, I have prioritized sleep over just about everything. I opted to sleep longer and not workout in the mornings, and opted to head to bed rather than hangout with Nate after the kids went to bed. It sounds weird, but I felt like I could actually feel my body healing itself the more I slept. I craved it. Having been through many seasons with kids where sleep is hard to come by, I was thankful any night I could get into bed before 8pm and no one woke me. To anyone out there in a season where sleep is hard to come by, I hope you are so very kind to yourself. Sleep deprivation affects so much of life. Side note: this sleep mask is fabulous. It is weighted and so soft. One of my top five purchases of 2021.

 

2. Liquid IV: while sick, I started to drink a liquid IV after trying one when friends came to town. Oh my word they are so good! I made Nate one while he was sick and he asked for one each day he liked it so much. My favorite flavor is the Fruit Punch, and I can honestly say I could tell a difference when I drank them. When there was little else I could do, I was very thankful to mix this powder into water and feel like I was at least doing something. Plus, it tasted good. 

 

3. The trampoline: our kids got a trampoline for Christmas and I gotta say it has been a GAME CHANGER. They get on it everyday after school and jump their little hearts out. John Robert and I have created a soccer game we play on it that is fun for us both (always a win with an eight year old boy). It’s this bouncy fifteen foot circle that provides some sort of magical therapy for my kids. So glad we got one.

4. Sunshine: I don’t know where you live, but the last week here has been unbelievable. Sun shining, warm temps…so blissful. I always say that we have to cling to these days in February and remember them in August, when we hate everything, mosquitoes are everywhere, and we want a one way ticket to Minnesota. One silver lining of me hurting my wrist has been that I had to find other ways to exercise. Insert: walking. This small change of walking outside, in the sunshine, has been incredible for me. I can feel a mood shift when I do it. Vitamin D is amazing!

 

5. New tennis shoes: I started walking more and realized I really needed some new tennis shoes. I went to my local shoe store, tried on tons of pairs, and landed on Hoka Clifton 8’s. I LOVE them! One, I actually really love the color of them, and two, they are so comfortable. I got lucky because the Clifton 9’s just came out so all the 8’s were on sale–woo hoo! There’s something about warm weather and new tennis shoes that just makes you want to get outside. If you live somewhere freezing, I hope you treat yourself to new tennis shoes when the tundra thaws. (PS: if you already have a shoe you love, I highly suggest checking sites like RunningWarehouse.com or Fleetfeet.com and seeing if they have last year’s style on sale. I have done this for years and can almost always find the shoes I wanted for a major discount). 

 

6. The Mindy Project: I got introduced to this show on my recent girls trip to Florida and oh my word I love it so much. I started halfway through season one and laughed so hard. It’s such an easy show to watch, which was a balm to my soul while I was sick. Mindy Kaling is such a talented writer (she also wrote for and starred on The Office) and is absolutely hilarious. 

 

 

7. Chicken sausage: this is so random, but I am so thankful for Aidell’s chicken apple sausage. I buy it at Costco and everyone in my family eats it. I can count on one hand the foods that everyone will eat, and this one is on the healthy side. Such a win! I can serve it with basically any side or throw it in pasta. It’s just nice to know that all I have to do is cut it and saute it on some butter and my kids are getting some form of protein.

8. Set things on the calendar for making meal planning easier: For the first time ever, we have some night time extracurriculars for our kids. While this takes some extra planning, I have loved the little bit of structure it adds to the meal plan. When the kids were all super little, every single night was the same. Every. Single. Night. Meal planning decisions were exhausting. Y’all know we started Pasta Monday last year and always do Pizza Friday, and now we do “pick your sandwich night” on whatever night we have extracurriculars. It’s just one more decision made for me and I am so grateful for it. I am sure one day I will miss the nights when we had no plans, but for now this is new and exciting and I am enjoying the structure. 

 

9. My skincare routine: My skincare routine has started to err on the side of boujee and I am not mad about it. As I age, I am seeing how important caring for my skin is, and I actually love the time at night to be alone in my bathroom and do all the skincare things. I have a blog post that outlines my current routine, and I want to give a shoutout specifically to the cryoball (the one I have is sold out so I am linking one that looks just like it for the same price). Y’all I did not expect to love this like I do. I was convinced by my friend Anna to try and I have noticed a change in my skin. More than anything, I love the cold feeling of the cryoball and how my skin feels when I put on my makeup after using it. Also, I love that it’s a one time purchase. I spent $25, and I shouldn't have to buy another one. 

10. The voice memo app on my Apple watch: I plan to do a reel about this on instagram for a visual, but I have my apple watch set up so that the voice memo is on my home screen (see photo below). Whenever I get an idea for a reel, something I want to write on, etc. I click the button and talk the idea into my watch. This is super helpful because I have a lot of ideas while I walk or shower and I can quickly record the idea without needing my phone. The voice memos sync to my phone and once a week I sit at my computer, listen to all the different memos, and type out the ideas/thoughts. I use this feature differently than adding a reminder to my phone. This is more for processing an idea or verbalizing something I want to write down word for word later (many of my black and white instagram posts started as voice memos recorded into my watch). I also click the button sometimes when one of the kids is singing or telling a funny story. I can then go into my phone and name it and save it to my computer as well. I have one of JR singing “You are my sunshine” that I will treasure forever. Side note: this is my absolute favorite watch band. It is skinnier than the classic apple band and the milk tea color is super subtle and beautiful.

 

That's all I've got! Thanks for reading. Grateful for you all,