Hey there,

In all your stay home-ing-ness, has it been harder to keep things clean and tidy-ish, too? Our kids are mostly great at doing their daily chores, but it doesn’t mean that by bedtime, I look around and things are still ….shambolic. It feels like shoveling snow while it’s snowing.

In the meantime, our backyard garden is going bonkers with cucumbers; more than we could possibly eat (time to search for a good shelf-stable pickle recipe, because my fridge can only reserve so much space for these jars — got one?). Tomatoes, zucchini, and bell pepper are on the daily, too, but our green beans and strawberries have slowed. Other peppers are taking their sweet time to ripen, yet we’ve got six watermelons on one vine! 🥒🍅🌶🥗🍓🍉

It’s the little things that make life lovely these days, just like it’s always been.

A rooftop samba concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. #

5 Quick Things ☕️

1. I chatted with my friend Sarah Mackenzie about something we’re both into right now — also, it’s time for me to do a little something I do every summer. You should consider it, too.

2. Good advice from my friend Claire — I’ve been doing this for a long while, too, but I hadn’t thought of applying it in other ways. 

3. “I worry you’re not fighting hard enough when I’m not around.”

4. Is social media deepening your character? Her story is a really great example.

5. I’ve been watching this video (and all in the series) on repeat this week and it’s been total childhood and middle school nostalgia. The editing is mind-blowing!

Quotable 💬

“What you can't afford to lose, you can't afford to buy.”

― Carolyn Wells

Time Machine ⏰

5 years ago, Crystal reminded us to praise other parents. It’s still so true.

Elsewhere 📍

Tsh Oxenreider @tsh

What’s that word for when your current reading stack is entirely too ambitious for your summer work-from-home-with-kids life, but it won’t stop you from trying anyway?

1:05 PM ∙ Jun 23, 2020

Have a good weekend,

xo, Tsh

p.s. Rising COVID numbers here in Texas make me itchy so I still haven’t been to the salon — but my hair is driving me crazy. I may have Kyle resort to this… Anyone have any other tips or resources for at-home pixie cuts? Do share!