Speaker 1: 0:00

Hey everyone, you're listening to 5 Years Time with your host, grace Black. Hey cuties, welcome back to 5 Years Time Podcast with your host, grace. I'm so excited that you've joined us. It is such a dark and thunderstormy day today. It's been quite thunderstormy the past couple days and I got to tell you I love a summer thunderstorm, but it has been so dark. I even have one second. I'm going to turn it up because I feel like I look like I'm a little dark shadow here, but it's just so dark and if you hear thunder, you hear thunder. I've been waiting. There was like this one moment where it was like so loud I was like, hey, I can't record you up. Anyways, we're here, we've picked up. Welcome back, I'm so glad that you've joined us.

Speaker 1: 1:03

This week we are doing our Q&A. I'm going to break into all the questions you gave me and just have a fun time answering. That being said, before we jump in, let's get into my weekly recap. This past week has been good. I feel like I have lots of stuff to catch you up on, but I have been feeling so low energy, which I just know means that my monthly friend is on the way and I'm trying to just like keep myself accountable to knowing that that's what that means. Also, the fact that it's been dark and gloomy, like I don't think that adds to high energy, but I have talked about this so much on the podcast. I try my hardest to really embrace these low energy times and not let it get me in a funk. But then I also feel like I have a few things on the radar that maybe I'm pushing off as well, and so that's making me feel in a funk because it's like, hey, grace, just get your work done, get the things done you need to get done, and you'll feel better for that, and then you can really just rest and relax. I've also been falling asleep with a row the past couple nights and whenever I do that, I end up waking up in the middle of the night. It's not a good sleep, or row wakes me up like first thing with like turning the light on or something just like so vicious and I'm like huh. So yeah, I just feel like I'm in just like this, like funky monkey mood and I'm trying to, you know, stay neutral about it. But other than that, this week was good. It's really humid right now and obviously rainy, so it's just not enjoyable to go out.

Speaker 1: 2:40

But this weekend was really fun. I can't think about what we did on Friday. We probably just had a chill time. Sorry, I've got an iGooby if you're watching on YouTube. That being said, go subscribe over on YouTube at Five Years Time Podcast.

Speaker 1: 2:54

But on Saturday Trevor and his dad were going to see a movie, so me and Ro made plans with his mom to go do something. So we actually ended up going to our friend's house. We went over to see their new house for the first time and have some brunch and hang out and that was lovely. And then we had his Trevor's parents and him and his dad went off and me and Ro and my mother-in-law went to this farm in Milton.

Speaker 1: 3:24

What was it called? Spring Ridge? I think that might be wrong. It was on the escarpment. I've never been there before. I feel like I've been to so many of the locally farmies around because when I used to work in childcare that was a classic trip and we always tried to switch it up and go to the new ones or different ones. But yeah, I don't think I've ever been there before and it was on the escarpment, so it's kind of on a hill and it was such a sunny day so you could feel the heat. But it's a really cool place because as soon as you get into it you kind of once you turn around from the escarpment, you get a really cool overview of the city and the lake and then it's definitely like a kids farm. There is a bakery farm store and a little fast food cafe type thing that you can go to without paying an admission to the play area so you could just go for like a little shop around and food and they have quite cute seating area. Enjoy the escarpment-ness-ness that way.

Speaker 1: 4:24

But yeah, we went in and they had lots of fun stuff. They had like slides and tractor rides and they had like trikes tractor trikes that you could go on and I feel like every kids farm has like a singing robotic show. These ones were chickens. They also had a tractor that I think was a singing robot. They had like a petting zoo with goats and chickens and, oh, they also had mountain goats. Oh, and the cutest bunnies ever. They had these really fluffy bunnies. All they were so cute and this little baby bunny so cute. They had like a pretend milk, a cow, yeah, and so it was a really fun place and honestly, I was getting confused that it was a Saturday because it was not very busy, like there were definitely people there but like Ro didn't have to wait for anything and we could like when we wanted to go on the tractor ride, like there was availability and yeah, oh, and they had a giant sandpit. They have lots of seating, lots of shaded seating important for the parents. So, yeah, definitely it was an awesome place and, again, it's up in the escarpment so it's a nice drive to get there and just like a lovely place to be and I'm sure in the fall it's probably beautiful. I think they're open till Christmas, so they probably do lots of fun like fall and Christmas-y stuff too, which is always just the vibe, but yeah, so that was really fun.

Speaker 1: 5:37

Also, when I was talking about goats, that reminded me that in the morning before we went to our friend's house to go over her brunch, we were like, oh, we'll stop and pick up something along the way and we were going to stop on like a farm stand and see what was local and like in season and we ended up stopping at this garden center to pick up a plant for them and we like get out of the car and we like go to walk and we like get a couple feet in. It's kind of like an outdoor, indoor garden center, as most of them are. And this man was like, hey, what are you looking for? And Trev's like, oh, we're just looking for like house plants or cut flowers. He's like, oh yeah, there's a bunch inside, just by the light. But he was like, oh yeah, you can keep continuing on. Go to the petting zoo. And we're like petting zoo. We like chose some random place and they had like so many goats and chickens and things, so Ro got to feed goats twice that day, which I mean that does not happen very often for us. So that was very fun. I was like everyone's got goats, what are we doing with the goats? But yeah, so that was good.

Speaker 1: 6:40

Then we had dinner at Trevor's parents and then we had at home and then on Sunday Trevor took Ro to church and I just took the morning for myself because I again, as I was saying, I was just in this like low energy mood, and so Trevor was like, why don't I take Ro to church and you just hang out at home? Which was awesome, and it was such a beautiful sunshine day, and I think this was the first time all summer, almost like I think maybe once in the spring I did this and I should do it more often. But I went and I put on my bathing suit and I went to hung out at the pool and read a book and went for a swim and just like totally enjoyed that. And then all of a sudden a thunderstorm came out of nowhere. Literally it was like sunshiney days. I don't even think the weather said it was supposed to rain. And then I had already gotten out of the pool and I was headed back upstairs to make some food for lunch and I was like, oh, maybe I'll watch a show and have some lunch.

Speaker 1: 7:33

And then all of a sudden I heard this thunder and I was like, is that thunder? Like it is no cloud in the sky, so sunny. I was like, is that thunder? And then I was like, whatever, I'm going to go on with my time. And then I get myself all set up on the deck, which is covered, and then I hear the thunder again and I'm like, hmm, is it going to rain? And all our cushions were out like and they just dried from the last surprise rain because we forgot to put them away, or we didn't have the opportunity to put them away. And so I was like, should I put the cushions away? Like is it going to rain? And then all of a sudden it just got dark. And then I ran, put all the cushions away and then as soon as I got back upstairs it just poured. So that was perfect. And then I got in the cushions away and my swimmin and my little sit in the sun and I was ready for some shows and eats. Then Trevor called me and he said he was driving home from church and it was so, so rainy where they were that they every car pulled over. Everyone was just like waiting on the side of the road till the rain had cut out. And so, yeah, lots of, lots of surprising thunderstorms, which, again, I love a summer thunderstorm. There's something so special about them.

Speaker 1: 8:37

And yeah, I'm trying to think when we did the rest of that day. Oh, you know, I think we hung out with the neighbors for a bit, just chilled, had a really relaxed day. I think I took a nap, but then I was feeling like so groggy in the afternoon and I've just been feeling that like low energy feels, and I think, because of like all the rain, you get like that little bit of a headache too. So you know, you're just like over it, and I'm trying not to be over it. I'm like I'm not over it, but at the same time it's like, okay, I'm over the feeling of just like this, and then this week has just been flying by. I'm just kidding, it's only Tuesday, it's Wednesday for you, but it's Tuesday for me.

Speaker 1: 9:14

Yesterday I went and saw the movie Oppenheimer's that was called yeah with my mom and aunt and uncle and it was. We went in the middle of the day and it was literally like a full day thing. Like I swear, I went there when I dropped off row and then I basically had to go pick up a row again. So it's a long movie but it was really good. It was very fascinating. It's definitely a heavy topic but I enjoyed it. There was one part where it felt maybe a little long, but no, like it was still good. I enjoyed all. I enjoyed every bit of it. I felt informed. So that was good.

Speaker 1: 9:44

And now I'm really looking forward to seeing Barbie whenever I get around, to see that Trevor wants to go. So I don't even know when me and Trevor will get to go see a movie together, so I might just go see myself, I might just go. I already told him. I said, if you know, we can't figure it out in a week, I'm going, I'm just going. And yeah, today I literally was so tired this morning, I really just was absolutely so tired. And then I got home from dropping off row and it just started that got so dark and then it just started thundering and storming and I was like you know, I'm just going to take a nap and that made me feel a lot better. And I'm doing laundry today because I went to the movie yesterday so I didn't get it done. But so I'm doing laundry and just chilling and now I'm recording the podcast and I have a little bit of work that I need to get done and something I need to get in the mail, which I just got to get it done. It's all these little things like that I've done 95% of the way and it's like I just need to finish it for something. That 5% is really just, I don't know, weighing on me lately. But yeah, I think that's pretty much all I've been up to this week Just hanging out, chilling, having fun, going to some farms, you know, doing the summer thing.

Speaker 1: 10:54

Okie, dokie, let's jump into my drink of the week. Now, dun-dun-dun-ah. I don't actually have my drink of the week here, because I made it this morning and I didn't want to have another one. One second, I'm going to take a sip. This is just water. I made it this morning and I could make another one, but then I was like I'm not really in the mood. I kind of just want some water. So I'm just going to tell you about it. If you have been on TikTok.

Speaker 1: 11:19

I don't know if this was popular or other places, but like back in 2020, it was like whipped coffee everywhere and I think there's a name for it, like DeLong or something. I'm not actually sure what the name of it is, but it's essentially a whipped coffee. It was like so popular and I never tried it. And then this week I was at the grocery store and I went to go pick up my decaf beans, because I'm all out of decaf coffee. And then I looked and I was. I literally had the bag in my hand. I was like, okay, I'm going to get these. And then all of a sudden I turned my head and I saw the Nescafe, like instant coffee, and the only option they had there was decaf. And I was like, oh, maybe I'll get this and then I will make whipped coffees, because me and Trevor share our espresso machine, as most people have one coffee machine for their house, but it has the grinder in it and normally we're really good at going back and forth and putting like a little bit of beans for me, a little bit of beans for him, because he drinks caffeine.

Speaker 1: 12:11

I drink decaf, but like lately, because I've been at a decaf for a while, he has like filled it full of his beans and now I'm just like I'd have to grind them myself, wait till those are done. So I was like I'm just going to do a coffee this week. So that's what we're doing. And I tried it this morning and at first I did okay. So I only tried it the latte way.

Speaker 1: 12:28

They said you could try this as an Americano or a latte. I mean, you could really do anything, I'm sure, but I did it on top of milk and ice for a latte. I think tomorrow I'm going to try an Americano with probably a dash of cream, but you just take the powdered coffee, instant coffee, and then some sugar and then a equal instant coffee to water and you literally I did a tablespoon of water, a tablespoon of coffee and then I just did a sugar cube and then you just whisk it and you do hot water like boiling hot water, and then you just whisk it and you like watch it transform. It starts like as a liquid, then it gets a little bit lighter brown, lighter brown, lighter brown and then eventually it's like a whipped cream, a whipped coffee cream. And yeah, then you just put it on top of your milk and coffee and you like mix it up. So I did it and I like gave it a really good mix and I tried and I was like I don't really know, it does not that much flavor to it. But then I let it sit for a bit. I think I let it sit for like five minutes and that incorporated it more together and then it was good. It was. It's refreshing. Definitely not espresso like. It's definitely different. But I'm excited to try it with an Americano and see how I like it. But it's very fun, it's fun and fun is fun, right.

Speaker 1: 13:39

As for my snack of the week is the chickpea salt and pepper chips. No, they're not salt and pepper. I don't think they might just be pepper, they probably have salt on them. So, whatever, the chickpea chips from Farm Boy, the pepper ones, they're so good, they're my favorite and I love them dipped in hummus, like I love them so much. And row used to not like the pepper ones, which is understandable because they have quite like a peppery flavor to them which can be a little bit like oh, but now she loves them and so that's like me and her favorite snack and I've been having so much fun making her little after school snack plates with just some like pepper, some veggies, like peppers and like sliced up pepper what's it? Bell pepper, like what is it? Veggies and those chippies and whatever else she wants. But yeah, oh, so delicious. So that's my snack of the week, my snack and drink of the week.

Speaker 1: 14:31

Let's get into this week. I learned where you learn about me because we've got a Q&A here. Still have not read these questions since I collected them last week. Don't worry, cute, we're racking them off the top. So let's start with the first one when is your birthday?

Speaker 1: 14:47

My birthday is in August. I am a Leo. It's coming up. I'm excited. Well, I mean, because I'm a Leo, I'm excited. I don't have any plans for my birthday as of now, kind of I don't know. I feel like my birthday, like I normally always do something, I will definitely do something, but I am, I am running a camp literally directly after it and I feel like I have so much stuff to do for that. So I'm just in like that. As I said, that, 5% like procrastination, stress, mood. You know what I mean. Okay, what do you? Oh no, what have you found to be most helpful in times of anxiety? That's a good question For myself, I think recognition, like realizing, like okay, right now, what I'm feeling, is anxious.

Speaker 1: 15:41

A lot of the time, my anxiety comes from social settings, social situations, not even necessarily the social situation themselves, but like leading up to it, feeling like, oh, my gosh, my gosh, and I kind of try and get myself like pep talks, like grace, it's going to be okay. What's the worst thing that can happen? I am going to go in there, smile, I can talk about this, I can talk about that, it's going to be a okay. I just love to give myself a good old pep talk and do some breathing and maybe tell someone how I'm feeling, because I feel like most of the time, when you say it out loud, it like helps a lot. Then you stop festering. But yeah, so that's my biggest thing. I'm, like, in general, not a very anxious person like. That's not my baseline, I'm pretty chill, but I definitely do feel anxiety at times and I try to always speak, speak whatever I'm feeling out, talk to somebody trustworthy, even just like when I talk to the podcast. That helps. So, like, even if you did like a voice memo, like I know that people love journaling, but I feel like that doesn't do much for me, but talking does. So journal as a voice memo type thing, that really helps.

Speaker 1: 16:49

Okay, what is your parenting inspiration? You are so gentle and kind and you can tell you're so loving, so sweet. Also, I just realized I'm like so hot right now because it's so humid. I feel like I want to open my closet door. I'm just going to let in some fresh air. It's so hot. Oh no, that's switched up my lighting and I need to sip of water. Okay, I think I got. Oh no, I don't think my lighting on my YouTube is going to like me. Okay, that's okay, I'm gonna survive. I'm gonna be able to sit here. You know what? All of a sudden, you're just like so hot. Whoo, I feel so hot. Okay, I'm okay. My parenting inspiration also, that is so sweet. Okay.

Speaker 1: 17:36

I don't know if I have like a specific parenting person that I look to you. I mean my mom I like. But then when I think of like my mom as a kid, like do I actually remember how she parented? I don't even know, but anyways, I Was an ECE for many years and worked in childcare and I feel like I learned a lot of like what I liked and didn't like and how I interacted with children and taught them and all of that stuff. So like that that I think like helped me to foster more of what my style of parenting would be. I think I'm just like a super oh. And then, on that note, so there's like lots of different philosophies that have to a childcare and like regiomelia Emilio is my favorite and was ever since I was like a Kid, since I was in school for ECE, and I think I carried that throughout like my career.

Speaker 1: 18:31

So like, if we're talking about like a Philosophy, that's like kind of where I stand and you can look more into that if that's something you're into, but it's definitely more about like just loving in the nature and being free and having independence and a lot about like connecting with nature and so, anyways, then when I became a parent, I think I think I just grew into who I am today. Like Ro and me work together to create a relationship of who I would be as a parent and, obviously, who she is as a daughter. But, like her, she's always changing and so am I. So like I feel like we just grow together but I try to be as free and accepting to what Ro is interested in doing. Like I feel like a lot of the time People say like oh no, we can't do that or whatever, but like there's not really a reason. I'm definitely like a high-mess mom, like let's make messes, let's be loud, let's have fun. If you're feeling that you want to do something, like, let's see how we can like make it happen.

Speaker 1: 19:41

I am very child directed, so yeah, and I think that makes my life easier, like being child directed always. Like when I worked in child care, it was way easier to be child directed than make a whole plan Around something that kids don't care, your kids don't care about, and I think that's the same thing with Ro, like she has so many amazing ideas and she loves to be creative and she loves to do make-believe and all the imaginative play and so, like I just roll with the punches. Like if she is wanting to be a princess today and Scoot around the neighborhood in a fairy dress or, I guess, a princess dress, pretending that she's Princess Peach in Mario Brothers or whatever it's called she's, we're doing that. Or if she wants to Build a Hotel out of Duplo for all her stuffies and whatever, then we're doing that. If she we're having a tea party and taking every single dish out Of the cupboard and making a huge tea party on the floor and inviting all her little stuffy friends, then we're doing that. If we're making Brownies, we're doing it. Whatever. Like I just like let her run the show.

Speaker 1: 20:53

No, I guess that's not how you say, but like I really am child directed, so I think that's my inspiration, for parenting is just like me and Ro, we're a team. We work together and we create. We grow and create the best version of ourselves when we work with each other. That being said, I also have always been like a super. My baseline is pretty chill. If you're not hurting anyone, like I usually am not stressing.

Speaker 1: 21:23

There are certain things and one time I'd like not someone who will be like, oh, be careful, be careful, don't do that, be careful. Like I love risky play, strong believer in risky play, and one time she was climbing up a tree that like I'd fallen tree. So it was on a slant and she's climbed it before, but only so far up. She'll be the only ever gone so far up. And then she jumps off and it's kind of like slanted over a forest so you can only jump off at a certain point, other than that you're like up Too high, you'd have to call back down. But she was with an older kid in the neighborhood and he like went all the way to the top and she's like, oh awesome, like I didn't know I could do that. So then she followed along and then she got up to the top part and like stood up.

Speaker 1: 22:04

And then I had said to Roa she was going up. I was like okay, ro, like what are you feeling? Like look down, do you feel like you're in control? And she was like determined. She like did not even hear me, she just kept going. And then when she got to the top I think she freaks herself out and realized, like how high up she was and I Accidentally I say accidentally I Didn't like, because probably I shouldn't have said it like that, especially being the parent I am and Ro not normally hearing those things but I was like, okay, ro, you're starting to freak me out like I normally am. Like I feel like Ro looks to me as like a Place of like a rock, like a Sturdiness, and like so when I let her know that she was freaking me out, like I feel like instantly she was like wait, oh my gosh, and anyways it all worked out. Like I went and caught her and she jumped in, it all was fine, but like I just was like oh Gosh, so pushing boundaries is important and I I'm I'm glad to support her through that, but anyways, yeah, so for parenting inspiration, I think, just like it's so I think you will always be a different parent. For, like, I'm sure every kid probably builds you into a different parent if you have multiples.

Speaker 1: 23:14

And I Just try and take it one day at a time and I really try to walk away when I need a space so that I don't explode, and because I want to be calm, cool and collected, and if I do explode, I'm not calm, cool and collected. Then I come back and I apologize and we talk about it and I think that that's a that's an important thing, because we all make mistakes and we all have bad days. Okay, how do you deal with? Oh no, I already said we're gonna do an episode about that. Sorry, I Am in awe of your ability to have fun and find fun and everything. I can't seem to stay happy. How do you do it? Okay, I think I have always just been someone who like feels fun, like I feel like I get excited really easily, like I think I'm easily excitable and I can find fun in a lot of things.

Speaker 1: 24:07

I think I had a lot of freedom growing up, like a lot of flexibility. I didn't have a really packed schedule. I wasn't into like competitive sports. I didn't do all the after-school activities. I was in before and after-school care, so like I would get home from school at like six or whatever. So that was like my after-school activity. I did Girl Guys, which again is a very like free-flowing after-school activity where you like go camping and sing songs or whatever, but like it's very like open-ended and like gives you free time and freedom to discover who you are, all that stuff. So I just feel like I had a lot of freedom and flexibility in my schedule and that gave me a lot of time to sometimes be bored and like I think I really learned a lot in my boredom times because I created a lot of hobbies for myself. I would I had a room that it was slash our laundry room, but I call it my room, even though it was a laundry room with a table in it my craft room, and I would get up to all different types of crafts and sewing and clay making. I would just try everything. I love to go biking and get freezes at the local shop or go on walks especially we lived on the back of a ravine that had a nice path, so I'd love to go for walks with my dog.

Speaker 1: 25:30

And I feel like I spent a lot of time like on my own too, especially in summer. It was like when everyone's away and I would go to camp for like a month or so at a time but then for the rest of summer I would just be like home and having to figure out what I want to do and I think like all of that really helped me to like hone in on who I am and what I like doing and just like finding the joy in the little things. Like I think that all really helped to shape that of who I am now. Okay, so then moving into now, my adult life. How do I have so much fun, have fun and find fun in everything as an adult, where I feel like a lot of the time it's like I don't know, like it's seen as childish too. I feel like I get called a child all the time and I'm like, thank you, that is a compliment. Like I would love to be more childlike. That is my goal, because why would I not want to be that?

Speaker 1: 26:26

So, anyways, I think I like really just try and appreciate the little things I like to do, really disconnect at walks where you don't even listen to anything. It's just you and going on a walk and you're thinking to your thoughts, or you're thinking and my thoughts are always like kind of an imagination land. Sometimes they're about real things. I really try to not think about real things most time because that stresses me out. I have lots of other time during the day to think about that, but when I'm on these walks it's like I like to create imagination lands and or listen to the way that the creek is flowing or the way that the sun is shining, or notice new flowers that have bloomed and things like that. Like I'm really disconnect because I think we live in a time now where you can really have so many like you could be watching a show, be on TikTok listening to me I don't know you could be doing so much stuff or working with a podcast and, well, also checking social media, like it's like everything is just kind of canceling each other out and overbearing. So I try to just really disconnect a lot and, yeah, just notice the small things in life and I think, like I don't know, like I'm trying to think Like, as for staying happy the second part of this I can't seem to stay happy.

Speaker 1: 27:44

I wouldn't say I'm happy 24-7. Like I already told you at the beginning of this episode, like I am in a low energy mood and I'm probably gonna be in it for a week, a week and a half. That's typically what happens and I'm gonna try my hardest not to connect it to being in a funk and negative. It's just I'm low energy. That's fine, and find the beauty in that. Find the beauty in boiling a kettle and making yourself cup of tea and putting on your favorite show and eating a yummy snack, like in those low energy things. So I even just like folding laundry and smelling it. That's just like one of those things. I try to find the happiness in those little bits.

Speaker 1: 28:21

So, yeah, I guess I would encourage anyone who's feeling disconnected from their happy side to try and be more childlike in their day-to-day. Do things maybe that you like doing as a child or wish that you had the opportunity to do as a child, and then also disconnection walk, so like go on a little walk every day honestly, it can be five minutes where you just like leave your phone at home and just walk around the block and breathe in some fresh oxygen and enjoy whatever else is out there. And then I would also just suggest that you note to yourself things that made you happy that day, Like you could even just start with one. Today I'm feeling happy because of this my roses, buds and thorns. I think is a really great practice to do in your daily life, where you do your highs or lows, your rose, your thorn and what you're looking forward to. It's a good reflection practice and also it helps you to notice more of those small things, especially in days where they feel really, really hard. There's usually one thing you can pick out. That was a good thing, even just like the temperature of my shower today was good. Yeah, I hope that helped.

Speaker 1: 29:32

Okay, having dinner for friends this week? What's your ideal menu for a summery dinner party? Well, since this is from last week, I apologize because I'm probably not being helpful for you. I would love to know what you made for the dinner party, but I'm still gonna answer it. What's my ideal menu for a summery dinner party? Well, I love keeping it simple with a dinner party, if you're hosting and you're cooking. Yeah, definitely trying to keep it easy peasy with what the dinner can be and something that's like all available at once. Well, as in like the course at once, but like some appies I love to do this summer I've been living off of. I feel like I have like an echo in here. I'm just noticing it now. Hopefully it's not picking up to everyone else. I just all the sudden was like I feel like my voice is echoing so much. Hello, okay, anyways. Yeah, so I love to do some pre-made appetizer situations, so maybe some dips.

Speaker 1: 30:34

Oh, tzatziki I've been living off of that this summer and it's so easy and you can make it for a crowd so easily. You just get a big, big tub of yogurt and mix that with like a whole zucchini, so much garlic, the lemon, dill, mint and like let it sit. You can, and you can make that the day ahead and it just gets so good. And then you just buy a pack of pitas oh yum, and then also fruit and veggie trays, so easy to start with, if that's something you want, and then you can also do the little kabobies with the cheese, the bocciini and the tomato and the basil, and I really love focusing on like what's in season. So for dinner parties, a lot of the time I'll go to the farmers market because then I'm like buying really delicious produce and delicious goodness and I also get lots of inspiration from the farmers market just being there and walking around.

Speaker 1: 31:27

But one of my favorite things to make for a summer dinner party is a gigantic salad, because you can make a showstopper really easily and most of it you can make ahead of time and then just assemble and only have to like think about the protein if you want it to be a warm protein, or you could even make the protein ahead if you don't mind it being cold, but like, and you have so many options. You could do steak, you could do chicken, you could do salmon, you could do tofu, even. You could do so many different things. I love a steak salad, I also love a salmon salad, but like on a huge tray, like serving platter, like think of anything flat with maybe a little bit of a lip a huge or depending on how big your audience is and then just pack on like three different types of lettuces and to add that like loveliness of a different crunch and color. And then I love to do some cherry tomatoes. I like to get the tricolor ones, slice them up. You can do cucumbers, literally any vegetable. You want radishes, get all the colors in there, and then you're gonna slice your beautiful protein on and you're gonna lay that down and keep the protein super simple, like salt, pepper, garlic, like nothing too much, because your dressing is gonna be the Wow stopper. But slice that down, you're gonna make a beautiful dressing.

Speaker 1: 32:47

So depending on what it is that you're making, but recently, like a Niko, I'm gonna say Niko's, niko's, how do you pronounce that salad? And I, oh see, I don't know. Anyways, it's a salad that has anchovy anchovies in the dressing, but it's not a Caesar. It's like a vinaigrette oh, it's so good, so something like that, a vinaigrette version of it. So it's like literally, just like oil, a bit of anchovy, some lemon juice or any acid you want. Like literally, you could do lemon juice, you could do white wine, vinegar, whatever acid you like, and then put in some garlic and pepper and any fresh herbs. Like put lots and also rip up some herbs into the. If you don't put herbs in your dressing, definitely rip it up and put it on your salad and then you're just gonna dress that. Oh, and I also another thing I love to do is like roast potatoes or even boiled potatoes and blanched green beans, like add in some cooked vegetables to just for a little something different, and then you're gonna put that all on jouse it in your dressing. Beautifully.

Speaker 1: 33:52

I always like to have more dressing for the side, just in case when people to plate it they want some more dressing. So have a little extra dressing on the side and then, if you can get edible flowers, please do it. It's just like that next level adorableness and then you're gonna add on your little edible flowers. It's gonna be so beautiful. Oh, you know another thing that's beautiful to put on this, that's cooked vegetable corn. Oh, it's so good and it's just like fun and it's really beautiful. And then you have your beautiful cocktails. If you're making cocktails whether they be mocktails or cocktails, but something beautiful in a glass, even just a wine glass with bubbly, or a fun glass with bubbly, or you could pop your persacco, whatever, whatever you want, like literally chef's kiss.

Speaker 1: 34:38

And then for dessert, I love to do some sort of like berry biscuit or biscuit cream and fruit combination, so like what's in season. Right now we're getting into peach season, so you could make a scone or a biscuit, like any type of doughy thing, and then some cream. So you choose. Is it gonna be a whipped cream, is it gonna be a double cream, is it gonna be a liquidy cream, and you're gonna slice up your peaches and serve it all together somehow. Or you could do a crumble, even mm. A crumble is nice because you can pop it in the oven while you're eating dinner and then it'll be able to sit after dinner. It'll be done, probably by the like in an hour, by the time dinner is done, and then you can let it sit for a bit while you guys just have a little chill, digest and then bring out that. So a cobbler is always a good one too, or, on that note, a crumble, but delicious, and a crumble, so easy, oh, so good. Now I'm like is this what I should do for my birthday?

Speaker 1: 35:36

Okay, any wrecks on navigating spirituality and faith or what's been helpful on your journey? Oh, it's so personal. I think my biggest recommendation is know that it is forever changing and growing. You are forever changing and growing, your knowledge is forever changing and growing and like your feeling and vibe is forever changing and growing.

Speaker 1: 36:01

And so not to feel I don't know like if I think too big about the picture when it comes to spirituality and faith, then it gets like not scary, but I feel overwhelmed. I feel overwhelmed especially when we're talking about life and death. I feel overwhelmed about afterlife. I feel overwhelmed about a lot of stuff. So then I try not to think that far into it, which is totally fair and fine, but that was like another side note. That's where I've been thinking recently.

Speaker 1: 36:29

I feel like I've been having so many conversations with Trevor about that, because I'm like, hmm, wait, wait, what about this, what about this? But just know that like it's literally a journey and a relationship which means that it goes through highs and lows and that it like there's never a starter end, because I think it's like, when it comes to your spirituality, like I think that is from birth to death, like I think that is truly, and onwards, if that's whatever you choose to believe, but like I really think that it's a part of you and it's you resonating and connecting and also meeting other like souls and people and hearing other people's journeys, and so, like I feel like I not to turn my back to religion, but I really thought that like church was not going to be a part of my future around, like I don't even know, maybe 2020, 2021. I think 2021,. I really thought, like you know, I don't know, I just didn't, I didn't even think about it. I think that was it. It's like I just didn't even think about it.

Speaker 1: 37:33

Me and Trevor had tried so many churches I can't even begin to explain to you how many churches we had tried going to and we always ended up a couple services in and then somebody would say something and it would just not sit right with you and you were like, why? Why would I go here? Like I don't know. So anyways, but then I don't know right place, right time. I ended up going to the church I'm going to now and, that being said, like I'm not saying that, even if you are, if this is more speaking on behalf of like faith, christianity, that I don't believe that you have to go to church to be a believer and I don't think that church necessarily has, where that relates, is what holds the relationship between you and Jesus.

Speaker 1: 38:13

I think that that's very personal and through your day to day, but for me it was more about finding a community of people that I felt like I hadn't connected with that I was a big part of my childhood and growing up, a faith community and so now being in one and feeling way more connected than I have ever, probably because I have all the beliefs outside of faith within me, of my life, of whatever has changed in motherhood, of who I am and what I've learned to this up to this day, and now connecting with people, I don't know I feel more confident in my relationship because it has nothing to do with anyone else. I don't know if that makes sense. Like I feel like growing up, faith was always about following the rule and trying to decipher what was right from wrong and making sure that, like you, were checking off the right boxes and talking to the right people and whatever when. Now I feel like it literally has nothing to do with anyone else and I feel no justification to anyone and I feel supported by people who are lovely and I meet eye to eye with and maybe don't agree with them on some things, maybe and I think that's with everyone right. So I just feel way more confident because I don't feel like other people's opinions are welcome in my personal journey. So I think, really just knowing that it's never over, it is forever. You and your spirituality is part of you and there's no right or wrong. Like it's for you to figure out what makes the world make sense to you or makes whatever makes sense to you and, yeah, to keep connecting and talking to people and moving on from what doesn't serve you and finding more things that do serve you. Yeah, it's, it's something cool, but also it's just a wild ride.

Speaker 1: 40:14

Okay, baby, sleep advice. Oh, baby sleep. Okay, my 10 month old still doesn't sleep through the night. Three hour stretches maximum. Honestly, like I feel like I'm so disconnected from baby sleep in because Ro was like a great sleeper and she always had regressions here or there, but like, other than that, she was always a great sleeper. And now, like, she's still a great sleeper when she goes to sleep, but bedtimes are forever long. Sometimes they're not, but most days they're at least an hour, an hour and a half long, sometimes two hours long, and I'll fall asleep while we're doing them, which I'm really trying not to do and I don't know that's. That's something that's frustrating, because my evenings used to be like my time, like, and now I don't have that anymore. So, anyways, that's a side note, but like I feel like what I can say is has your baby always been sleeping like this? So it says, my 10 month old still doesn't sleep through the night.

Speaker 1: 41:17

Because I found, like Ro, she never slept through the night. She did more than three hour stretches. Like I think she and I breastfed her, so I and I would feed her back to sleep, like if she woke up in the middle of a feeder and then put her back to sleep. I'm trying to think like I feel like she always slept, like maybe six hours was her longest stretches and then eventually she slept through the night. Like there was a time, a chunk of time, where she slept for 12 hours for like a chunk of time, and it was marvelous. But yeah, I just think babies are like so different, so like I really don't know if I could give advice on that other than and also it's so the baby's different and also it's so personal to you.

Speaker 1: 41:58

Like for me, sleep is so important for me, so I knew like that I wanted Ro. I knew that that was a big focus for me right from the get go. So I think around like six weeks I started putting her, putting her down for like proper sleep naps, and like I started putting her in her bassinet for nap time instead of just letting her sleep on me all day. And I think once I instilled that like routine during the day, it helped with her evening sleep. But then again, like she was a great sleeper and then there's people that aren't great sleepers. So I don't know, I'm sorry and it's so hard. The sleep is so hard, like I know, in the sense that right now I like always fall asleep with Ro and then I'm awake for like four hours in the middle of the night because I went to bed too early and that's just like annoying. But yeah, oh, baby sleep, that's probably like. The one thing that like really really shook me when I had Ro was just like I don't get the same sleep I used to get.

Speaker 1: 43:06

Okay, what are your go-to lunches when you have zero time? Snack plates? Literally just throw grab out something like a cracker, a bread or whatever, something salty, carby and then throw on whatever produce, veggies you have, fruit you have. If you have a dip, throw that on there. If you have cheese, if you have a meat, throw it on there. Like, literally, that is my go-to. I'll just and or leftovers I love leftovers. Okay, grace, I literally love you.

Speaker 1: 43:35

I just got engaged to my girlfriend and my family is not supportive. Oh, that is so tough. Okay, I have a question where they support of did they know about your girlfriend prior to you getting engaged and now being your fiance? Because I have friends who hid their relationships like all the way up until they got engaged and then, when they told their families, they were like whoa, okay, I didn't even know you were dating someone. Not that they wanted to know. I think that's why they hid it and then it took a while, but now it's all chummy everyone loves each other. I think it took like some took a couple weeks, some took a couple months, but now it's like the moms met each other and they were planning the wedding and it's like all chummy. That's so tough and ultimately, I think the best thing you can do is work, work to get to know your family's views and understanding and like try to be empathetic and understanding to their side and then, if it really, and then also at the same time, you're trying to explain your side and then, if you really can't see eye to eye, that's a shame, but like I would hope with like open dialogue and conversation and connection over time.

Speaker 1: 44:50

Things take time. I always try and remember things take time and it's not a definitive answer when someone gives it to you. When it comes to these types of things, like no means no, yes, I know, but then also on the positive note is that you and your now fiancee have chosen each other to start a family and start a life with each other and become each other's everything. And I'm not saying that that means that you should isolate yourself from others, but just know that, like you, this is something so exciting to be so excited about and then, if your family at this moment cannot see that joy, that's their whatever discomfort I'm not knowing enough like that's their, that's their problem and I know that it affects you 100%. That's your family. But at the same time, like you have now your chosen family and that is something so, so incredible and so I'm so excited for you. And, yeah, time is always. I think time is always on our side and open dialogue and conversation.

Speaker 1: 45:55

Okay, what are some tips to help get yourself out of a rut? Are you jogging straight to my soul, me being in my low energy, rut time of the month? I think the best thing you can do is talk your problem out, whatever it is, say it out loud or whatever you're feeling. It doesn't even need to be a formulated thought. Just say the things out loud. Go for a walk, get up and do something, take a rest and then get up and do something, whether it be a shower and get dressed, or do a little bit of work, or do a little bit of a hobby, read a little bit of a book, whatever it is, or even just go for that walk, give yourself the rest and then get up and do something and then feel free to go back and do your rest, know that it takes time and that it's just now, it's not forever and that it's a moment sometimes it's not even a whole day, but sometimes it's many days and just really try to not connect the feeling of with every single else, with every other thing in your world going on, because I feel like it's really easy for me to make my like low energy moods in fact like everything going on, like I'll feel like everything but like really it's everything that I'm feeling about. So just trying to like find that middle ground, okay, one more question I think we have time for do, do, do, do. Okay, how do I get out of postpartum depression and love myself again if I constantly have negative things happening in my life?

Speaker 1: 47:31

Postpartum is a scary time and I feel like it is a make-believe world. Even though it is so real, it's literally like not what you're feeling most of the time is like not even connected to what's actually happening, and I feel like you're isolated. When I became a first-time mom, I felt so isolated. I feel like motherhood is very isolating. You're isolated. You're usually by yourself, like if your partner is at work, you're with your baby, but you're with thing that you're still trying to figure out and learn, and you feel guilty because you want just to be alone, but then you also literally can't be alone because you just want to be with your thing all the time. I keep referring to this baby as a thing sorry, and I think I wish I knew more about what these negative things that are happening in your life are and I'm like so sorry that that's happening and it really sucks when you don't have the support around you.

Speaker 1: 48:42

But I think the best thing that you can do is make a list of maybe a routine. I think I was craving routine so much after I had Ro and that was something that I really couldn't get for the first few weeks because obviously you have a baby and you're literally connected to them 24-7 forever, like it's this whole thing. But like, just make a list of a little bit of a routine that would feel nice for you and try and complete it, and by that I mean like even just like taking a shower and drinking a cup of ice water, making yourself a snack plate before you sit down for feedings like that was something that I really got excited for and loved and I knew that when I was in a feeding frenzy I was stuck to wherever I went. So I was made sure I had my iPad and my show was ready and I had my big snack plate and my big thing of water and I could just sit and relax, take moments. Oh, another thing appreciate those moments where it's just like even sometimes they're even just three minutes, where you just get to be I don't know the baby's just happy for three minutes. Maybe you're home alone or maybe there's people there, but they're like not bothering you and you just get to be for three minutes, like appreciate those three minutes and walk around and feel like you just like own the space, just really tough. And the biggest thing I would say is reach out for help. I think that you can talking to your doctor, finding someone that you can talk to if either there's postnatal or I'm not postnatal prenatal supports around you, therapists or people who you can open up and talk to more like I think that's such a big, important part Maybe even just calling a friend when you really feel like I had a friend that had a baby just a few months after me and I loved being able to be that person for her when she was just feeling at her wit's ends and she could call me and just say it all out, and I think that's my like common message is just say it all out, because I feel like a lot of the time we fester on things in our minds and it makes us worse. But she could call on me and just say it all out and we could talk a bit and she would just feel better from feel later and feel more collected after getting that off her chest. So, yes, but please talk to the people in your life that you can support. Make a little list of a little routine that you like that. I mean, it's not routine in the sense that you're going to do everything every single day or the exact same time, but like, even just like three things that you want to do every day that are simple. That would make you feel better about yourself and really, patience and time, patience and time.

Speaker 1: 51:26

I never thought I would feel myself again. I feel like everyone I knew I was looking for people to tell me the answers, like I would go on Instagram and look at people who are already had babies close to me or were already moms or second time moms and like read their oh, I started feeling myself again at whatever, and I never linked up to anyone's timeline ever and that was so discouraging, so don't do that. I feel like that was. The worst thing I did was try and feel like, oh, this person was wearing their clothes this morning before this person said they started feeling themselves at six months, like feeling like themselves again at six months or eight months or nine months, postpartum, or ten months or twelve months. I only started feeling myself like a year. I feel like I feel like every six months I say like, oh, I'm feeling myself again. So I feel like I don't think you'll ever feel yourself again in that sense, but it's like a different thing. But anyways, just don't look at comparison of other people. That was the worst thing for me was that I was looking for control and I found that in comparison and then that gave me no control because I felt like I wasn't linking up with other people's timelines, which is so true in motherhood, no one can ever be the same. So that is, that's that.

Speaker 1: 52:36

Okay, that's leaving off our Q&A cutes. Let's head into our roses, buds and thorns. Okay, roses buds and thorns. Let me take a sip of runny. I just realized how Thursday I am and that I am still feeling so incredibly warm. It's just not a good day to be recording because it's so humid. Anyways, we're here.

Speaker 1: 53:07

Okay, my rose, I'm really trying not to infect this, this episode, with my negative mood. It's not even negative mood, just low energy. But okay, my rose was swimming in the pool myself. I had such a wonderful time doing that. It was so fun. And then it also made me like want to go in the pool more often. Sometimes I like forget, like, oh yeah, I can just swim when I want to. It doesn't have to be when Roe wants to. Okay. And then my thorn is that I'm just feeling meh, meh, meh, meh. And then my bud is I feel like I have so much stuff I'm looking forward to, but what am I looking forward to specifically this week? I'm getting a bunch of my to-do lists done because I know I can do it and I'm going to feel so much better after I do it. So that's, that's my bud, and let's get into the entertainment recap. Entertainment recap, entertainment recap Okay, cute. As for the entertainment, I watched Oppenheimer. I told you about it.

Speaker 1: 54:14

I'm back to Desperate Housewives, which I haven't been watching in a while and it's taking me a bit to get into it. I'm still on season 7. Around the Halloween episode, and I'm kind of just trying to figure out where I left off and I'm still not fully sure what the season is about. So that's where I'm at with that. I caught up on Keeping Up, which I was not going to do because I was finding it really boring, but then I was feeling low energy and it was a great show to fall asleep too, because I didn't feel like I missed out on much. So, that being said, still I'm like I don't know, like I don't. I think it's still just like so much filler, and also they just did their Beauty Standards episode, which kind of confused me. Yeah, so that's that and I am back to catching up on my below deck sailing yacht. I'm almost done the season and I've been watching it super in the background while I do like laundry and stuff. So I'm like barely even paying attention. I feel like that's most things right now. It's like I'm not actually taking most things in.

Speaker 1: 55:12

I did watch the new episode of the Summary Turn Pretty. I was kind of disappointed because I thought it was going to be three episodes every week, but it was only one and that's just sad. But yeah, it's just so, reminding me like how sad this book was. I totally remember. I totally remember when I switched from reading the first book to the second book and being like, oh my gosh, I wasn't expecting this, but I do like it, like I am enjoying it and I think that's all I'm watching, yeah, so, anyways, if you want to know what I'm listening to, you can go check out my Spotify playlist, always linked below in the show notes FYT 2023, I think, is what it's called, and I always put my most loved songs there.

Speaker 1: 55:55

You know, it's like my liked playlist for you all. Yeah, so I'm sending you lots of love and I hope that this week is something beautiful for all of you, whether that be calm travels, exciting, slow, fast paced or a recovery. I just hope that there's beauty in it. Wishing you all the best, sending you love, hugs and kisses. Muah muah, muah, muah muah. Love you, qs.