Nate and I have an outdoorsy home with a bit of a wild side. In case the big dog, the axe on the front stoop, and the chainsaw carving of my face didn’t make our lifestyle glaringly obvious…we also went ahead and adopted Moby.
When we bought our house, it came with a hot tub. The sellers made it part of the deal that they could leave said hot tub where it sat, and we soon learned why. It was dead as a door nail from day one! There was something wrong with the overly-complicated electrical setup, and soon this massively-heavy beast of a machine was acting as a makeshift sanctuary for wayward frogs and snakes. It HAD to to be replaced, but we didn’t have a ton of money for this task or the first clue about how to install a hot tub.
I don’t foresee the Sonos One hopping up to wash my dishes anytime soon, but this sexy little number gives every other smart speaker a run for its money. And there’s even more capability on the way. The biggest testament to its abilities? It got this husband and wife to agree that it’s the best choice in home assistant hardware on the market today.
I feel like vacationing together is the Amazing Race of friendship tests. It COULD go well. You might double your fun-having capabilities and emerge champion in epic memory-making! On the other hand, it might implode into a bicker-fest. Your besties might decide to claim the master bedroom for the duration of the vacation rental, leave their hot curling iron on the bathroom floor and scream about you owing them $1.63 for your family’s excessive ketchup use on barbecue night.
I’ve always been a rather health-conscious parent, but as my kids get older I’m starting to realize how much emotional health matters, too. These concepts are so intricately-woven. As important as it is to provide their bodies with nutritious food, they also need to be supported with time and patience from their parents. Kids are more willing to try new things when they come from a foundation of security and safety.
The boys have had a Hawaiian calendar up in their room for the last year, a gift from a friend of mine who lives in the islands. Several times over the last few months, Sidekick has pointed to one of the streaming waterfalls or sandy beaches in the photos and asked if we can visit. “One day,” I promised, “I’ll take you to Aulani and you can see ALL the special things about where I grew up.”
There are few things that my husband loves more than pizza. I’m pretty sure I’m one of them, and I’m fairly positive his truck is up there on the list as well.
I’m a BIG proponent of delegation, to the point that several conferences have invited me to speak on the subject. I’m even writing a course about it! My lovely assistant comes to my house to help with studio tasks in-person each week while remote consultants wrap up the digital stuff I need done. It’s wonderful. In business, however, there are fairly clear-cut lines between what a manager should do and what someone else should take care of. Delegating domestic stuff is a whole other ball game, especially during this festive season of crafts and gifts and baubles and bows!
People often ask how we keep the kids occupied on plane trips or infinite-seeming stretches of road. I do have a magic trick up my sleeve, but it isn’t any big secret or surprise. Tablets. We hand the kids tablets. These long travel stretches are the one time they’re given total, unbridled (parental pre-screened) access to all the apps and videos their little hearts could desire.
We just had our last baby’s first birthday cake smash! I feel like QUITE the pro at this now, having celebrated four first birthdays with my four little boys within a span of six years.