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Favorite Things, Life, Self Care

What I’m Reading as a Non-Reading Convert

April 22, 2020 By Robyn 44 Comments

I have always been that person who wants to devour books. You know those people who curl up with a good book for hours and they enjoy it? That was wannabe me. For years and years I always thought I didn’t have as much time to read as I hoped. I read a book every couple months, but I wanted to read more. Well, enter quarantine life that coincided with a month long digital detox of sorts that I recently emerged from (and am still sorting out where to go from here after learning a lot) and I have come to find out I actually have way more time to read than I though. I just have to prioritize it. EARTH SHATTERING, I KNOW.

Things that get in the way of reading for me:

  • non urgent life tasks in the evening vs down time
  • instagram ….because my brain would rather default to the constant noise of a screen
  • a continual productivity mindset where I choose to check off a box instead of take 20-30 minutes of down time during Cal’s afternoon nap (I am laughing as I type this because this “time” won’t exist come July)
  • blog reading – I have a few life giving blogs I like to read, which is good, but they do take time away from book reading

I read the book, Digital Minimalism, in a couple days at the beginning of March. The author suggests that you come up with hobbies to fill your down time when you would usually be using technology because if you don’t, the pull to bop back on social media or get online or whatever you do digitally is that much stronger. So, some things I wanted to do more of in my “down time”

  • cook (like in a relaxing way, not a rushed, chaotic, toddler-so-adorably-helping-but-also-making-a-massive-mess kind of way)
  • learn to use yeast – cinnamon rolls, bread, pizza dough….all the things I feel intimidated by but are so dang tasty
  • write letters to friends, you know like actual letters sent to a mailbox
  • journal – my last entry was like 4 months ago and before that another 4 months ago
  • READ

Want to know how many of the above things I’ve done more of? ONE. Read. But I’m calling that a win.

Nick gave me a Kindle for my birthday and it has been the best gift. There is something irreplaceable about turning the pages of a physical book. But also a Kindle, it’s wildly convenient for reading on the go. I’m a fan. Most of what I’m reading lately is on Kindle. I also love getting books from the library (hi, free and the library vibes are too good) when the world isn’t shut down. And some I buy to keep that I think I’ll be referring back to often.

Books I’ve recently read

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

I checked this out from our library. Read it in a couple of days and it sobered me up in the best way. But it’s a book that’s easy to read and then forget about and not be changed by. I was SO HYPED UP about the concepts right after finishing it, but have found myself having to be pretty intentional about keeping all the info in mind and actually changing habits.

The Call of the Wild + Free by Ainsley Arment

Nick thought I went off the motherhood deep end when I was going on and on to him about what I was learning in this book. I do hang out on the weird fringes sometimes lol. Regardless of how we decide to school our kiddos, this book just made me so excited about raising humans to be curious, lifelong learners who never lose their wonder. I’m into that. It’s $20 for the hardcover, but I bought it on Kindle for only $2.99!

Your Mom Walk with God by Sally Clarkson

This book was free with my free trial of Kindle Unlimited. I would like to be Sally’s mentee in real life. I love her. She speaks/teaches/mentors from a Christian perspective and has been such a breath of fresh air to me as I navigate motherhood as a new mom. I’ve never heard of someone talk about motherhood like she does. I started with The Life Giving Home, then read The Mission of Motherhood and have so many of her books on my want to read list. Her podcast is in my ears at least a few times a week.

The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies

I don’t ascribe to any parenting philosophy, it feels better for me/us to read and learn and pull stuff from different people and sources that resonate and sound like they will be a good fit for our family. This book is super practical (vs theory) which I found really helpful and not overwhelming. I can get overwhelmed when learning about Montessori because we live in the age of Pinterest. I liked the simple, budget friendly approach to this book.

Books I’m currently reading

The Girl They Left Behind by Roxanne Veletzos

I want to read more fiction. I mostly read books that provide new knowledge/learning but I think there is so much value in a good novel. Help me out with some of your favorites in the comments! This book was also free with my trial of Kindle Unlimited and I am loving it so far. It’s about a Jewish girl during World War II. If I’m going to read a novel, I like stuff like this. I’ve also heard great things about Lilac Girls and want to read that.

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

I’m re-reading this one after finding it really helpful leading up to Cal’s birth. This book & The Birth Hour podcast are what I found most helpful in preparing for the wild ride of labor & birth.

Book on my list to read

The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson

I ordered a used copy from Amazon a few weeks ago, but then got my Kindle so haven’t started this one yet.

The Tech Wise Family by Andy Crouch

I’ve heard this one is pretty good and very practical. And a quick read. I’ll report back.

Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman

We started watching this series on Netflix that is based on the book. I am so excited to dig into this once our library opens back up and I can borrow it.

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

I’ve heard many people, including Cal’s pediatrician, recommend this so it’s on my list.

Share your favorites (especially novels good for bedtime!) in the comments. And hang in there with this quarantine life, I’m hopeful we will see a positive shift over the next couple months. In the meantime, know I’m right there with you stumbling through these uncertain times.


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Comments

  1. Laura says

    April 22, 2020 at 8:51 am

    I loved Montessori Toddler as well! The book How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen by Joanna Faber (aimed towards toddlers/preschoolers verses the original which is great for older children) is such a good book. My favourite parenting books of all time though are Peaceful Parent Happy Kids by Dr. Laura Markham and the sequel Peaceful Parent Happy Siblings. They’re so insightful and I go back to them all the time.

    Reply
    • Claira says

      April 23, 2020 at 1:45 pm

      I was just going to make pretty much this exact same comment about “How to Talk so Little Kids will Listen” and Peaceful Parent Happy Kids” 🙂 I also love both of Janet Lansbury books! AND Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson! And so many more – I love reading 🙂 And I also find Montessori to be super overwhelming. I tried to get into it early in my motherhood journey and it made me feel like a huge failure. I think I do better with a more intuitive approach to education.

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        April 30, 2020 at 9:37 am

        I have to take Montessori with a grain of salt – I like thinking about is as a overarching philosophy (whole person, independence, etc) vs the “work” itself

        Reply
  2. Julie says

    April 22, 2020 at 10:37 am

    Robyn I’m so happy you’re back to posting! I love your blog and have often referred to old posts just because they always feel positive. I feel like I get practical ideas for how to improve my quality of life. Congratulations on the new baby and thanks again for coming back to this space!

    Reply
  3. Amy says

    April 22, 2020 at 1:24 pm

    I just made yeasted bread for the first time. The recipe was from jocooks and was amazing and incredibly easy.
    Books recs: The German Midwife, The Marriage Lie, Talking to Strangers, A Spark of Light.

    I’m a full time mom and make it a priority to read for a bit during nap/rest time. It is so important that I give myself a break during the day even if it’s only 10 or 15 minutes.

    Reply
  4. Samantha says

    April 22, 2020 at 1:49 pm

    For the past year I have been on a huge reading kick!

    Some stand outs that I would recommend:

    – The Great Alone
    – Consider The Fork
    – The Way We Eat Now
    – City of Girls
    – Educated
    – Where The Crawdads Sing

    Books that I have on hold at the library:

    – Train Happy
    – The Queen of Hearts
    – What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding
    – Where The Forest Meets the Stars
    – Untamed

    Reply
  5. Johanna says

    April 22, 2020 at 1:59 pm

    Hi! I love to read and the convenience of the kindle in quarantine rocks. I would highly recommend the Libby app if you have a library card. You can have the books downloaded to your kindle and a loan is 2-3 weeks. Its a life changer in these times and a money saver (it is way better than the Overdrive app that turned me off digital loans from my Library for a long time) plus so many of the books that said they would be on hold for ages (think 6 months) have come up early (less than 4 weeks) because so many people are devouring books!
    I could go on and on with books I love but start with Celeste Ngs books for fiction reads.

    Reply
  6. Sydney says

    April 22, 2020 at 2:23 pm

    I LOVE a good book but am having a hard time focusing my brain enough to read in the past month. I’ve gotten a few Kindle books from the library lately but a couple of them were hard to get into, which didn’t help! Can’t wait until libraries are open again but Kindle is great in the meantime.

    If you like a good WWII historical fiction, I’d highly recommend:
    – The Nightengale
    – We Were the Lucky Ones
    – The Things We Cannot Say
    – All the Light We Cannot See

    Reply
  7. Kendall Kronenberger says

    April 22, 2020 at 3:22 pm

    Hey Robyn! Can you please list some of the blogs you love? Yours is the only one I subscribe to right now but I would love to find more.. thanks!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:39 am

      See my comment reply above!

      Reply
  8. Heather says

    April 22, 2020 at 5:14 pm

    I’ll echo the comment about ebooks through your library. I much prefer a paper book to an ebook, but with libraries closed right now, I’m happy to get ebooks through my library that I can read on my Kindle app. Most libraries also offer audio books for checkout, along with access to a lot of streaming video content. Happy Reading!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:39 am

      Yes! But Cville library is far more limited than BPL when we lived in Boston – that library was an ebook gold mine and I miss it!!

      Reply
  9. Kara says

    April 22, 2020 at 9:37 pm

    What blogs do you enjoy reading? I’m looking for some new additions. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:38 am

      I really enjoy Pinch of Yum personal content and the Faux Martha. I also enjoy Kylie’s content on motherhood (Immaeatthat.com) Those are really the small handful I read.

      Reply
  10. Anonymous says

    April 23, 2020 at 10:27 am

    So glad you’re back to posting more frequently! Would you mind sharing what blogs/podcasts you recommend? I’m a huge bookworm and enjoy a good mix of spiritual/learning mixed with some fiction! Definitely recommend:
    Fiction:
    The Sound of Gravel (a little intense/heavy so maybe not right now, but it was so good)
    Small Great Things
    The Silent Patient
    The Wife Between Us

    Spiritual:
    Theology of Home
    My Sisters the Saints
    Three to Get Married
    Life of Christ

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:37 am

      Maybe in a future post! Thanks for this list!

      Reply
  11. Cassi says

    April 23, 2020 at 12:36 pm

    So glad you are back posting again!!! I just got digital minimalism on my kindle, inspired by your post, so I’m looking forward to reading that!

    A lot of the books I was going to suggest have been captured already but two I don’t see are: A Man Called Ove, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

    I’d love to hear what blogs you enjoy as well❤️

    Reply
    • Hillary Gras says

      April 23, 2020 at 7:29 pm

      Yes read Eleanor!

      Reply
  12. Hillary Gras says

    April 23, 2020 at 7:28 pm

    Does your library do digital? I’ve been checking out books via Libby at my public library!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:36 am

      Yes! But Cville library is far more limited than BPL when we lived in Boston – that library was an ebook gold mine and I miss it!!

      Reply
  13. Genevieve Miller says

    April 23, 2020 at 8:44 pm

    I can’t wait to read Untamed by Glennon Doyle! Her recent podcast interview with Brené Brown absolutely blew my mind.

    Reply
  14. Emily says

    April 24, 2020 at 10:08 am

    Reading is my favorite past time🙌 So agree it’s grounding and nourishing for the soul right now. Love all your recommendations ( I have a five five month old so interested in a lot of the same topics my topics )

    I have literally read about three do about three dozen books in quarantine already (addicted and also stressed😂) But some of my favorites recently have Been:

    The choice Edith Eger (PLEASE READ!) a memoir like no other (she survived Auschwitz, moved to America and became a trauma specialist)

    All that I am by Anna Funder (stunning and important)

    The Joy luck Club (Classic!)

    Garlic and sapphires by Ruth Reichl (Yum and surprisingly insightful)

    Stoner by John Williams (Highly recommend! It’s subtle and unfolds beautifully, also the writing itself is achingly good- I literally marveled at passages and had to re-read them! Stunning)

    I could go on and on but I’ll leave it there💛🙏🥰

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 24, 2020 at 10:11 am

      Sorry for the typos! Phone typing eek🤦‍♀️

      Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:35 am

      “grounding and nourishing for the soul” love that Emily

      Reply
  15. Abigail Murrish says

    April 24, 2020 at 2:08 pm

    Have you read Call the Midwife? One of my favorites… warm, encouraging, hard and inspiring. Lovely to listen to.

    You might enjoy the Lager Queen of Minnesota if you’re looking for a bedtime novel.

    I recently finished The Day the World Came To Town… absolutely delightful for these days. I am currently reading Wise Counsel (the letters of John Newton) and looking to start listening to Emma by Jane Austen.

    Also, highly recommend stuff about Charlotte Mason if you’re enjoying Sally Clarkson and Montessori. Really beautiful approach to children, education, home life, etc.

    The Tech-Wise Family was one of the most influential books in my life the past few years… One of the most underrated Christian writers of our day IMO. His book Culture Making (though too long) is really excellent too and I used that when I led a theology of food, agriculture and eating reading group for my church a few summers ago. If you’re interested in theology of culture/food/creation, highly recommend The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon. The most influential book in my life, period. Capon was my intro to a solid theology of food a few years back, and I discovered your blog a bit later and they’ve been a delightful pairing.

    Whew. Books make me ramble. Loved reading your list. Happy reading!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:34 am

      So many people have recommended Call the Midwife so I will have to look into it! I have Charlotte Mason’s books on my list as I’m so excited to read her stuff. You’ve got a treasure of good recommendations Abigail – thank you!

      Reply
  16. Julie says

    April 24, 2020 at 2:22 pm

    Robyn,

    When I retired from teaching, I was determined to read more. I asked around for friends’ suggestions. The best one was any book by Karen Kingsbury. Christian fiction at its finest!

    Xoxo,

    Julie

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:33 am

      Oh I’ll have to look into her books!

      Reply
  17. Cassidy says

    April 25, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    Audiobooks were a game-changer for me last year. I am a lifelong reader, but in my late 20s I realized I wasn’t reading as much as I did/reading wasn’t that first leisure activity that I reached for – I think because of the feelings of non-urgent tasks, a productivity mindset, and social media consumption being in play. That said, I have always been a fervent listener of podcasts and then something just clicked last year – audiobooks. As a librarian, I can say that reading is reading no matter the format, and cognitive skills are exercised on both sides. Like other parts of our individual identities, reading is deeply personal and also vulnerable to other’s criticism and definitions of what reading “is”. There is more than one way to read like print books borrowed from friends, digital audiobooks borrowed from the library, and print books purchased and read over time – read the way that works for you.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:32 am

      I love a good audiobooks Cassidy! I love your words on what reading “is” <3

      Reply
  18. Kate says

    April 27, 2020 at 4:17 pm

    If you’re looking for good medical books, anything by Atul Gawande! He’s a physician and writer in Boston (at the Brigham I believe?) Personally, my favorites of his are Being Mortal and Better.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:31 am

      Ohhhh I’m totally checking him out. Thank you!

      Reply
  19. Kate says

    April 29, 2020 at 11:50 am

    -Crazy Rich Asian series (3 books, fiction, light, easy, fun)
    -A Man Called Ove (so heartwarming)
    -Call the Midwife (LOVED this series and the TV show as well)
    -No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (sweet, light), as well as anything by Alexander McCall Smith
    -Strange Situation: A Mother’s Journey into the Science of Attachment
    -American Royals (haven’t read yet, looks light and frothy and interesting)
    -Shameless, Nadia Bolz-Weber (LOVE, she’s an amazing Christian pastor)

    Goodreads will make reading more fun!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:31 am

      Thank you!!

      Reply
  20. Maggie Getz says

    April 30, 2020 at 6:09 pm

    Love this, Robyn! I got an iPad as a gift and have finally started reading again! I highly recommend “Bringing Up Boys” by Dr. Dobson if you haven’t read it already. I think you and Nick will both enjoy it.

    So happy for you and your sweet family! Sending lots of love and hugs.

    Reply
  21. Melody B. says

    May 2, 2020 at 12:36 am

    Thank you for your article, this really inspired me to change my lifestyle for a better and healthy lives. I am grateful to this article and https://tinyurl.com/y9re8x9t
    weigh loss program, that I starting to see the benefits. Hoping other people do the same.

    Reply
  22. Niecie says

    May 2, 2020 at 6:49 pm

    One of my favorite fictions books is redeeming love. It’s a longer books but so worth it! Sally clarkson is the best I have almost all of her books as well.

    Reply
  23. Raji says

    May 16, 2020 at 10:08 am

    The Real-Life Rd is literally the best blog I have been following from time to time. Thanks for all your great articles which help me a lot in my daily life. Out of all, I am very thankful for this one article https://bit.ly/2WzAgit which has given me the best outcomes.

    Reply
  24. Mackenzie says

    May 26, 2020 at 3:20 pm

    Hey Robyn!
    So excited for you that you’ve gotten back into reading in your spare time- I’ve always loved reading, but like you get stuck in the social media black hole. Here are some of my top suggestions that I’ve been crazy about lately!

    -The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (it’s the prequel to the Hunger Games Trilogy!!!)
    -Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows/The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal
    -Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

    I’ve definitely been on a fiction kick and these books are so wonderful! I hope you are enjoying your reading! 🙂

    Reply
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    July 14, 2020 at 8:12 am

    The Reallife is literally the BEST weight loss community anywhere. I read it every day. And I am also so grateful I found https://tinyurl.com/customsdiet .It helped me not only lose weight but keep it off, hope it helps some others!

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  27. alexandra says

    September 3, 2020 at 12:53 am

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    Reply

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A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years o A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years of getting to spend so much time with my kids: aka another way I’m discovering some pockets of peace so my heart & mind & soul don’t crumble under the reality of dependent & emotionally dysregulated tiny humans.  About once a week we go somewhere for baked goods. We drive or walk, buy something buttery & then find a beautiful, relatively quiet outdoor spot where the boys can romp and I can sit and think my thoughts while I watch them play. This past week we were found ourselves at the Wool Factory where the boys threw rocks & whatever else off the bridge while I ate 90% of this almond 🥐 from @coucourachou that will blow your mind. Boys ate the other 10% bc they were busy playing and didn’t ask for more quickly enough 😜  I’m finding *for me* playgrounds have a time & place but they aren’t where I enjoy motherhood & my two toddlers the most. Baked goods & a pretty outdoor spot without high drops my 15 month old could launch himself off of…I’m here for it.
I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the boys to hike out at one of our favorite spots last week and when I ripped it open I was regretting my choice to share them with my kids. @baresnacks randomly sent me a box of snacks and I usually eat free food we receive or give it to a friend/neighbor and move on. But I felt it my duty to tell you about these bc they are THAT GOOD. I’m not getting paid and this isn’t sponsored - I was just shocked at how tasty these were and felt you needed to know. We ate them with some buttery roasted nuts and the combo was 👌🏻 but they are good just on their own.  The boys climbed rocks and swam in the reservoir - leave it to my almost 3 year old to want to strip down naked and fully submerge himself in chilly water on a sixty degree morning. “Mama can I get super nakey?” Sure baby. Sure. This is your childhood.
It’s a hard sell to get me to accept an offer of It’s a hard sell to get me to accept an offer of extended alone time away from the babies to just be. And that isn’t something that’s best for me, it’s an area I gotta grow in. So this afternoon when Nick pushed me out the door and was like - get out of here plzzzz - I walked to my favorite cafe and ordered a thick pastrami sandwich and sat there for a good LONG while before taking a long, peaceful walk in the rain to wrap up the afternoon. Note to self: stop being such a control freak and go be by yourself sometimes.
a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face from @mariebettecafe this morning when she came to get her toddler who played with us all morning and it is v good. even better when paired with an iced latte 😍
#AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing a #AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing about how taking @alignprobiotic regularly has improved my digestive regularity.  And I’m still taking them! I’ve permanently added Align 24/7 Digestive Support* into the roundup of supplements I take before bed (prenatal, vitamin D, choline & DHA - all which help keep me healthy while breastfeeding) so I can keep seeing the benefits.  Just because you see benefits, doesn’t mean you should stop taking your probiotic. Keep taking Align daily (under the supervision and recommendation of your health care provider of course) to keep seeing the benefits!  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - one of my favorite parts of Align probiotics is that they don’t need refrigeration AND they come in a convenient little blister pack that has the days labeled. It’s the little things people! #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoo I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoon (91 and muggy in MAY 🤯) when a toddler nap was refused and a baby nap was cut wildly short ....so my tired mom brain pulled out two plastic storage bins, filled them up with soap & hose water and striped ‘em down naked in the yard. Two hours later, it was almost time for an early dinner and I had magically been able to sit for most of that time and we already had baths checked off the list. 👍🏻 I’m archiving this idea for my future self, hope it helps another tired mama out.
#AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about #AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about getting better at doing the basics to care for myself which included taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic regularly.  Probiotics take time to work so I wanted to give it a full month to see the full effects of @alignprobiotic. So here are my honest thoughts: it took a few weeks to notice any differences, but near the end of the month I did notice some changes in my digestive balance - even while traveling! I’m not someone who experiences occasional gas, bloating or abdominal discomfort frequently enough to notice a difference, so I don’t feel like I can comment on how well Align works for those benefits.  All in all though, taking @alignprobiotic was a positive experience and I really appreciated how the capsules don’t need to be stored in the fridge, making it convenient to take them with me anywhere #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Where we will spend a good majority of our summer. Where we will spend a good majority of our summer. Because the swampy VA summer has already begun (it’s in the low 90s today 🥵 lord help) and creeks are our retreat - not only from the heat but also from the noisy world. I need this just (if not more) than they do! We’ll be at the splash pads and pools too, but the quietness of the creek...my mental health is so about it. And it’s hours of play for them! Win win.  A couple things to note: this scene also included a few toddler reminders on finding another direction to throw rocks instead of at his brother - so not all is serene 🤪 and also, yes I am now that mom who buys the same clothing for both kids bc it keeps things simple & i think i kinda like it too 🤷🏻‍♀️
Things I love about midwifery among many: the appo Things I love about midwifery among many: the appointments, no matter how long, feel so unhurried. 
Just walked in from an appointment with my midwife because I was due for a Pap test + an overall wellness visit. My last pap was during my first trimester with Cal which feels like a jillion years ago, but it’s only actually been three years. Life changes so fast! Pre-baby life feels like a whole other life.  I’m wayyyy overdue for a visit to my PCP bc I’ve been under OBGYN or midwifery care for the majority of the past three years while having babies, but I am pretty good with keeping up with my paps. It seems women often think they need pap and/or HPV testing way more frequently than they do (and providers sometimes perform these tests more frequently than necessary - remember more testing doesn’t always mean better outcomes!)  So if you need it, here’s a quick little reminder on this chilly spring Friday afternoon on how often you need this testing (these are the recommendations from ACOG)  Women aged 21–29 years should have a Pap test alone every 3 years. HPV testing is not recommended.  Women aged 30–65 years should have a Pap test and an HPV test (aka co-testing) every 5 years (preferred). It also is acceptable to have a Pap test alone every 3 years.  If you get abnormal results, this testing frequency could change - but for healthy women with normal results, you actually don’t need testing as frequently as you might think. Which is great news for those of you who hate the speculum.  Ok, off to finish up some things on the to-do list (including cleaning this kitchen) during nap time and then come 5 o’clock, crack an IPA with our neighbors 🍻
#AlignPartner Over the past seven months since bec #AlignPartner Over the past seven months since becoming a mom of two, caring for myself has gotten shoved to the back burner. And it's been a challenge to make it a priority. My routine-resistant personality has upsides and downsides when it comes to motherhood. So I'm starting small this year with a consistent bedtime routine that includes taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic and hoping as that becomes consistent, my mornings will naturally shift too.  In short my bedtime currently goes like this….jammies & face care when putting the babies to bed. Before I go to bed (anytime between 9pm and 12am...) I’ll pump, take my supplements and fill my water. Then I go upstairs and brush my teeth. And then get in bed. The kicker: 70% of the time I find myself finishing up tasks on my phone IN BED. I hate this habit.  Back to supplements. This is something I have been able to stick with. On top of fish oil, my prenatal, choline and vitamin D, I recently added @AlignProbiotic 24/7 Digestive Support*§ to see if it helps with abdominal discomfort and regularity because when I don’t drink coffee or am traveling that can get thrown off.  I’ll be taking it every day for the next 28 days since it takes TIME for our bodies to adjust to probiotics - and I'll be taking you guys along with me as I share my honest thoughts. Many people think if they don’t see changes within the first 7-10 days then the probiotic isn’t working, but that’s not the case. I’m giving myself more than just a week or two and instead a full month to see the full benefits. I’ll keep you posted over the next month. Check out my stories to learn more! #MyAlignGutJourney #guthealth
 
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
We had an AFTERNOON today. Toddler didn’t care f We had an AFTERNOON today. Toddler didn’t care for a nap. Putting baby down was harder than I wanted it to be. Miraculously, I had a moment of clarity as I was covered in tiny humans and decided I wasn’t doing the nap battle thing a on 60 degree, gorgeous, sunny spring day 🙅🏻‍♀️ so I piled both babies into the car half naked, opened the sun roof, put on white noise for them and an audio book for me and drank a kombucha as I drove a meal to a postpartum mama. Thirty five minutes later we had a sleeping baby and a toddler who at least had a rest. Baby transferred without waking HALLELUJAH and although my toddler didn’t nap today (lord help) at least we got soaked in breezy sunshine 😎🤘🏻💆🏻‍♀️
We veered from our usual Friday night homemade piz We veered from our usual Friday night homemade pizza (minus the dough, we leave that to @albemarlebakingco) because we are eating pizza tomorrow with some friends - instead I called my mom and asked her how she makes her chicken fingers and we fried up a big ole batch of chicken nugs 🙌🏻🤤 along with a sheet pan full of sweet potato fries and a simple arugula salad dressed with parmesean, olive oil and s&p. Oh and my moms honey mustard recipe for dipping. It’s SO DANG GOOD.  Over the past 6ish months we’ve been practicing (and practicing and practicing bc it doesn’t come naturally) unplugging from technology and slowing down and resting and just being for one day a week. Some call it Shabbat. Some call it Sabbath. Maybe you call it something different. All I know is IT IS SO GOOD FOR MY WEARY SOUL and the day I look forward to ALL WEEK. Sundown on Friday to sundown Saturday. Nothing but rest. For us that means hiking (or something outside) and napping and reading and being with friends and eating really good food. And drinking some really good wine or craft beer. Sometimes whiskey. 😛  And because I know I’ll get asked about the chicken finger recipe and also because it’s too good not to share and Momma Coale said I could, here ya go:  Cut chicken breast into thin strips or small pieces (I prefer nug size bc the breading to chicken ratio is perfection). Salt and pepper those babies really well. Then dredge them in all purpose flour, then egg, then panko - just like you would bread anything else. Then fry them up in a light oil - I use avocado oil because that’s our everyday oil. You could also use canola or peanut oil. Just fill a pan with an inch or so of oil on medium high heat. They only take 2-3 minutes per side. You can always temp them to make sure they are at least 165 degrees F to really make sure they are done. Dunk in all the sauces and enjoy!  Happy weekend!

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