Saturday evening, mid-April
We’re arrayed across the couch in our jamma jams - which is what Claire used to call pajamas; we have no idea why, as no one in our family calls them that, but she’s recently graduated to “PJs” and I’m grieving the loss of the uniquely toddler-Claire nomenclature - watching The Wizard of Oz, my father’s favorite movie…
Job Hunting as A Mom of Young Kids
When I started looking for a new job this past fall, I knew that a family-friendly environment was a non-negotiable. Here’s what I kept my eyes open for as I networked and interviewed:
How I Meal Plan and Cook Real Dinners (While Working and Momming), Part Two
Okay, so Part One was the navel-gazing essay. Part two is the practical stuff!
How I Meal Plan and Cook Real Dinners (While Working and Momming), Part One
For many of us, cooking feels like a chore and the idea that we could prioritize it in the name of self-care is beyond strange. I always liked cooking, but through college and grad school it was really a means to an end - the end being entertaining friends over a meal, which I loved doing. A turning point came in 2013/2014, when I was unemployed for nine months. Jon and I were long distance at the time and I lived alone in a studio apartment. My parents were nearby and I had Charlie, but I was lonely, directionless, and deeply depressed. I took refuge in food blogs, meal planning, and cooking elaborate dishes for myself.
Consider the Opening: A Poem for 2024
In November 2022, Kathleen Donahoe published an untitled poem on Instagram that regularly pops up in my mind to serve as - depending on the circumstance - a reminder, an admonition, or a promise. The two lines in the middle of the poem, in particular, have captured me:
Then you, and by you I mean me,
Might consider the opening