the take home folder volume 83
plan for downtime / tracking device / open tabs / pool math / + more
welcome to the take home folder
Do you prefer the beach or the mountains? I am one million percent on team mountains. And we’re lucky enough to be in Jackson, WY for Todd’s youngest sister’s wedding1 this weekend. What a dream! I’ll try to share snippets of our trip on IG stories if you’re interested.
my sunday questions
What is something I can do for our home?
What is something I can do for our family?
What is something I can do for myself?
We’re out of town this weekend and our goal is to get in a solid family hike today. Will I cross “see a moose in the wild?” off of my bucket list? Fingers crossed.
here’s this week’s take home folder, enjoy!
one // utilize facebook marketplace
Stop sleeping on FBMP - seriously. I really value the idea of the circular economy and so many things we may be looking to purchase already exist secondhand.
Ideas of what to look for (and sell!) this month:
gear for fall or winter sports
winter/cold weather gear
Halloween costumes
furniture and home decor (always)
two // pool math
Our first summer with a membership to the pool was a success. Even with an unusually rainy June and a chilly end-of-August, we made it to the pool 25 times. (8 visits was the break even number for the cost of the membership, so we were well beyond that.)
We went with friends/neighbors and also each of my boys were able to bring friends from school occasionally. Our kids became stronger swimmers and learned how to dive. They both started the summer nervous about the high dive and ended summer doing fancy jumps off of the high dive. It was fun to see tons of people we knew from school and sports there. I loved hours of poolside chats with friends, cooling off in the lazy river, reading in the shade, and watching my boys live their best lives.
Worth it.
three // we got our kid a tracking device
A couple weeks I shared about the freedom on bikes we’ve been providing our kids, especially our 5th grader. We are thrilled that he’s outside, playing hanging with friends, getting fresh air/exercise, and experiencing a slice of independence in the world.
At the same time - when he’s gone for hours at a time but not at our house and with no way to directly contact him, it’s admittedly a bit unnerving. (Even though we know the friends he is with and do have open communication with their parents if we needed to get a hold of him.)
Enter - an AirTag. He can easily carry it with him, and I can generally see where he is at any given moment on my phone.
I know AirTags aren’t perfectly accurate or 100% reliable but this has given us some peace of mind for under $30 (AirTag + wristband) and kept us from jumping into a watch/phone just yet.
Sidenote - this is the first AirTag we have ever had and I totally get the hype! They are so slick - I see why people put them in their luggage, their kids’ backpacks, etc. If you have a creative way you use AirTags, please share in the comments of this post.
four // open tabs
best chocolate chip cookie - I made these last weekend and they turned out perfect. I added a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top.
The Ultimate Autumn Reading Guide from The Seasonalist - I’m wrapping up a couple of summery reads but really looking forward to diving into some cozy books for fall/winter.
Quince - Quince has been hit or miss for clothes for me, but I bought Todd a few things that worked great (these jeans, this suuuuper soft hoodie, and these tech pants for work). I have been on the hunt for hoodies without logos for my kids and Qunice was a also a win for that (this cozy hoodie for my 5th grader and this soft lightweight hoodie for my 2nd grader).
momsdemandaction.org for ways to move the needle forward toward common sense gun laws.
Autumn Grain Bowl - a favorite cozy season recipe. Must make ASAP.
fall candles - we’re just beginning the best 6 months of the year for candles. I placed a big SSJ candle order and also stocked up on my favorite Target candle of all time. The Pumpkin Woods scent is *perfect* - not too pumpkin-y and I like to burn it all winter long.
Polarn O Pyret Eco Wind Fleece Jacket - I’ve been crossing my fingers that the larger sizes of the best fleece jacket for kids will restock. I’d love to buy one more for my older son before he’ll size out of these. (Not an affiliate link, just sharing a good thing.)
five // plan for downtime
I know some of your kiddos have been in school for a while, but many of us just started in the last week or two. I have found the beginning of the school year to be pretty tender for my kids. When they were younger, that looked a lot like tiredness. As they’ve gotten older, it has looked more like restraint collapse and/or a less than ideal attitude.
The good news is that it’s normal. They’re working so hard in school and doing their best to keep it together so sometimes at home we see a different side. 😉 And while it can certainly add to our mental load as parents, I like to remember and appreciate that home is their soft landing place where they feel comfortable sharing/showing their emotions as they adjust to the new school year.
So, give the kids a little grace. Have a snack awaiting them after school. Put down your phone and listen to the recap of their day. Get them in a nice warm bath or shower and know their nervous system is resetting with those clean jammies and a bedtime story. Don’t plan a million things. Soon we’ll all settle into our rhythm. But as parents, we can be the ones to soften the bumps along the way while everyone is adjusting.
related reading:
Jen Hatmaker’s Yearly Back to School PSA
see you right back here next week,
p.s. Need anything from Amazon or Target this week? Letting my link open in your app before checking out supports me at no cost to you. Thank you for doing this, I notice and am so grateful!
Todd has two younger sisters and there are 7 years between each sibling. His sister Sara who got married yesterday was 10 years old at our wedding. It has been such a gift to get to see her grow up and now start a new chapter of life.
Love the airtag for your son! I gave one to my grandpa in a waterproof case to keep in his pocket. He is 88 and still has a flip phone, so this was a cost effective way to know where he is. We also have them hidden in our vehicles; long story but we had a vehicle get stolen.
I had my oldest start kindergarten at the same time, so that memory always pops up of him starting school in a mask that had a smiley face on it. What a wild year for them. I only went into the building one time that whole school year and had no idea who the other parents were. Now it’s amazing to see the friendships that have been formed!