Well, hello there, friends! Long time, no chat. It feels like forever and a day since I’ve written a Five Things post!
Spring has definitely sprung here in the Pacific Northwest and we have been deep in the trenches of yard maintenance, but we’re starting to see the fruits of our labor. We’re SO READY for patio season!
Additionally, today marks the beginning of “Maycember” 😵💫 Are we ready, parents?! Hang in there!
Today’s Five Things are items that have piqued my interest or things that have been on my mind / going on in my life recently!
TEACHER APPRECIATION GIFTS
Teacher Appreciation Week sneaks up on me every year… and it’s next week (Monday, May 4 through Friday, May 8)! If you’d like to put together some little gestures to show your kids’ teachers how much you appreciate them, I have some ideas here and some items that should be available for next day delivery here.
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THE TESTAMENTS
I’m a big fan of “The Handmaid’s Tale” series (however challenging some scenes may be to watch) so I was thrilled to learn that the showrunners would be making an adaptation of the sequel book “The Testaments”!
Six of the eight episodes have aired and I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the story unfold, knowing what I know of Gilead from the original series. I highly recommend it if you haven’t watched yet! So far this series has been a lot more “tame” than The Handmaid’s Tale since it’s coming from a young, privileged character’s perspective, but I anticipate that things will go sideways very soon. I’m locked in!
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WD-40 APPLICATOR PEN
This product BLEW. MY. MIND — like, what do you mean I can put the greasing fluid EXACTLY WHERE I NEED IT TO GO??? It’s the perfect focused application of product for smaller home improvement tasks. Who needs a spray nozzle for something like a door hinge?! Sure, it works, but the liquid goes EVERYWHERE and makes a damn mess.
I’m seriously so obsessed with these WD-40 Applicator Pens. I have already de-squeaked five doors in our house that have been driving me absolutely crazy for the past couple of years — what an absolute gamechanger!
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ADHD Parent Hack “GO BAGS”
I just shared about this last week, but I have specific bags packed and ready-to-go for every one of our extracurriculars / activities; all I need to do is add in the essentials (wallet, keys, sunglasses & diaper change kit) from my purse and we’re off! It makes getting out of the house SO MUCH FASTER & EASIER and I don’t forget things anymore. #bless
It’s such an easy “parent hack” to make life run a little smoother and I highly recommend it for other parents (especially those of us who are neurodivergent!)
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BODY SAFETY FOR CHILDREN
This is something we have been meaning to do with Sophie for a long time, and while we use anatomical words for body parts, never force the girls to give affection, and we always respect “STOP!”, we haven’t really given her the tools to advocate for herself or how to navigate a tricky or dangerous situation.
I had no idea where to begin with this kind of education (especially with a four year old) so we turned to Trailies. These cards give us the scripts to talk with Sophie about body safety, which is important to discuss with all children, but especially with little girls.
Having had these conversations we feel like we have better equipped Sophie to be out in the world when we can’t be with her — and we will continue to practice with her often. This kind of empowerment and knowledge is paramount to teach our kids, now more than ever, given everything going on in the world.
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I hope your spring has been filled with sunshine and you’ve been able to slow down to enjoy the little things. I’ve been able to sit out on our back patio with a glass of rosé recently and it’s felt like heaven.
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie
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