Latest / Pretty In Pink Again / Episode 76: We’re Back in a Routine… Kind Of: Back to School, Christina recaps NYFW & T (finally!) Turns 40

Transcript

Episode 76: We’re Back in a Routine… Kind Of: Back to School, Christina recaps NYFW & T (finally!) Turns 40 · Pretty In Pink Again

• 0:00
  I'm Christina.
• 0:00
  And I'm Tate.
• 0:01
  And this is the Pretty in Pink Again podcast.
• 0:03
  Where motherhood meets rediscovery.
• 0:16
  Hey.
• 0:16
  Hi.
• 0:18
  Solo.
• 0:18
  We have a solo episode.
• 0:20
  Solo.
• 0:21
  Solo.
• 0:22
  It's just us.
• 0:24
  Don't you feel like September is like January?
• 0:26
  It is.
• 0:26
  Like September is New Year.
• 0:28
  When I think of September, I think of this being the new year.
• 0:30
  Mm-hmm.
• 0:31
  It really feels like that.
• 0:32
  Yeah.
• 0:32
  Like, it's like fresh start, new schedules.
• 0:35
  New routines new routines.
• 0:37
  Mm-hmm.
• 0:37
  There's like a crispness to the air.
• 0:39
  I feel like this is the new year.
• 0:41
  Yes, it feels like a rebirth.
• 0:42
  So Happy New Year.
• 0:43
  Yes, Happy New Year.
• 0:44
  Happy New Year, everybody.
• 0:46
  Right?
• 0:46
  And happy officially 40.
• 0:48
  Oh.
• 0:48
  My God, we've been saying that you're 40 for a very long time.
• 0:51
  Everyone's sick of it.
• 0:52
  I am.
• 0:52
  Everyone's sick of it, but you had a great weekend.
• 0:55
  I did.
• 0:55
  Celebrating.
• 0:56
  I had a good weekend.
• 0:57
  Well, when I woke up on Friday morning, I had wanted to do this, like, Instagram trend where you, wake up and you shoot one of those confetti cannons into a four and a zero.
• 1:09
  So I I InstaCarted a four and a zero and a confetti cannon, and a four and a two came.
• 1:16
  And a faulty confetti cannon, which we discovered was faulty the next morning.
• 1:21
  So Nick ran out to Walmart to get me a four and a zero.
• 1:25
  Mm-hmm.
• 1:25
  And he decided to buy a case of confetti cannons.
• 1:29
  So the next morning we wake up, we have the four and the zero.
• 1:32
  The kids shoot the confetti cannons at me, and they don't, like, shoot at me.
• 1:36
  They just kinda, like, fall to the ground.
• 1:39
  So I was just left- Very lackluster with a mess to clean up, and I was like,"This is the perfect metaphor for turning 40." This is 40.
• 1:46
  Like, it was just another day- Yep and another mess to clean up, and everybody hurry up'cause now you're late for school.
• 1:52
  Like, just move it along here.
• 1:54
  And h- Nick filmed it, and he's like,"This needs to be long on social media"- Absolutely because this is actually- This is 40 40, you know?
• 2:01
  The movie.
• 2:02
  It's not like, poof- Yep celebration, whatever.
• 2:04
  This is 40.
• 2:04
  Yep.
• 2:05
  But the day was great.
• 2:06
  I had a very quiet day.
• 2:07
  I spent the day with my parents.
• 2:09
  Mm-hmm.
• 2:09
  And I, roped them in to this, reflection and, I, played podcast host with them, and they were like,"You are so annoying with the questions, okay?" What were you asking them?
• 2:18
  So I asked my mom,"What has not changed about me in the past 40 years?" Good question.
• 2:24
  And then I asked my dad the same question.
• 2:26
  So I asked my mom first, and she was like,"Oh, God, I don't know.
• 2:32
  I don't think a whole lot's changed, Christina." She said,"You've always had a zest for life.
• 2:38
  You've always been super curious, how's it, how it's made, how people do things, how it works.
• 2:43
  Like, you never met a stranger." Things would paralyze me, and you would, like, figure it out, and I don't think that's changed about you." And then my dad said- What hasn't changed about me, in his eyes, is my loyalty to family.
• 2:56
  Oh, I love that.
• 2:57
  He said when I was a kid, I was always, like, very loyal to my family I always wanted to, like, be close to them, like cousins- You prioritize them always, yeah parents, grandparents, yeah.
• 3:05
  And he said,"And I see you doing the same thing now so I don't think that, that's changed." And I was like,"That's such a cute answer from the two of you." Yeah.
• 3:13
  So that was my little 40s reflection.
• 3:15
  I love that.
• 3:16
  And then we went to dinner as a family on Saturday with, my husband's parents- Mm-hmm and my sister-in-law.
• 3:22
  The whole crew.
• 3:23
  The whole crew, and you know, my sisters, their kids like my one best friend from growing up.
• 3:28
  Mm-hmm.
• 3:28
  It was just really, it was like a special night.
• 3:31
  So I'm happy it's come and gone.
• 3:34
  Yeah.
• 3:35
  And- That's how I felt, too.
• 3:36
  Yeah.
• 3:36
  It was almost like a relief to have it over, because there was so much anticipation for it.
• 3:42
  Mm-hmm.
• 3:42
  And it kind of just, like, happened quietly and left quietly.
• 3:45
  Yeah.
• 3:45
  And I was okay with that.
• 3:46
  It was.
• 3:46
  It was, like, very nice, you know?
• 3:48
  I got my first public recognition.
• 3:50
  You did?
• 3:51
  I did, and this is, funny because I'm so dumb.
• 3:55
  I'm with my mom at the beach on Friday, and there was quite literally nobody there.
• 3:59
  It was me and my mom and my dad, and then this group of girls that were there on a girls' weekend.
• 4:05
  So we had gone for, like, a beach walk, and we walked past this group of girls, and I was like,"Is this not the best day ever or what?" Because it was, like, a beautiful day.
• 4:13
  So nice.
• 4:14
  We had the beach to ourselves.
• 4:15
  Mm-hmm.
• 4:16
  And this one girl was like, first she said,"I know you." I, and I go, and I looked at my mom, and I'm like, and I thought she was talking to my mom, and my mom's like,"Not me.""She's talking to you." And then she said she follows us on the podcast.
• 4:29
  So fun.
• 4:30
  She was like,"I message you guys." She was so sweet.
• 4:33
  So cute.
• 4:33
  She's, like, our age.
• 4:34
  Yeah.
• 4:35
  And she was like,"I wanna learn how to play mahjong." It was just, funny.
• 4:39
  You know?
• 4:39
  So I know this happens to you all the time, and it's how we met.
• 4:42
  Not all the time.
• 4:43
  But- But it is funny.
• 4:44
  I know, it is how we met.
• 4:45
  Which is, like, so funny.
• 4:46
  I know.
• 4:47
  Love it.
• 4:47
  So okay.
• 4:48
  Aw.
• 4:48
  So that's, that's enough about that.
• 4:50
  Page is turned.
• 4:51
  Mm-hmm.
• 4:52
  I'm 40 now.
• 4:53
  It's over.
• 4:53
  Nothing's changed.
• 4:54
  It's over.
• 4:55
  It's over.
• 4:55
  It's over.
• 4:56
  We'll stop talking about it.
• 5:00
  talking about it okay, well, I wanna hear about your weekend,'cause you went to Fashion Week.
• 5:04
  I did.
• 5:04
  And- I did I cannot explain to you my excitement that you went to Fashion Week.
• 5:10
  When I went to your house- on Saturday morning to do laundry, which that's a whole other story.
• 5:16
  This is what we do.
• 5:16
  And your mom answered the door, and she was like,"Christina's not back yet." I was like,"That's amazing.""Tell me everything." I know.
• 5:24
  I- there's a lot to unpack here, and I wasn't sure, like, what people would wanna know about it.
• 5:30
  Everything.
• 5:30
  Who- I wanna know everything.
• 5:31
  I don't know.
• 5:32
  I don't know how to, like, unpack it all, but...
• 5:34
  'Cause I don't know what's interesting to everybody.
• 5:37
  So when I think of Fashion Week as a- Mm-hmm as a layperson- Mm-hmm I think of going and watching, like, outfits that I probably wouldn't put on my body- Mm-hmm on a runway.
• 5:47
  Okay.
• 5:47
  Like, when I think of Fashion Week.
• 5:49
  Yes.
• 5:49
  But I don't feel like that's ex- at all what you did.
• 5:51
  I feel like- Well, so that's actually what I used to do.
• 5:54
  That's what you used to do.
• 5:55
  So it's a little bit different.
• 5:56
  So anybody who doesn't know, I've been a content creator for, like, 15 years.
• 6:01
  It's actually been exactly 15 years in September,'cause that's when I launched my blog back then.
• 6:06
  And so the first Fashion Week I ever went to was in 2012, and it was so different.
• 6:13
  I treated it different back then, and it just was different back then.
• 6:16
  Back then, and I would say probably from 2012 to, like, 2019, so that was, like, the, the stretch of me going, not only in September, but I would go in some Februaries too, so it was, like, twice a year.
• 6:28
  It was all about who you're with and what events and shows you could get into.
• 6:35
  And I would, first of all, run myself to the ground prior to Fashion Week with- Oh, trying to get in doing all the things, like outreach I would have.
• 6:44
  Either me or my agency, it was just all about where you could get in, and you didn't wanna miss a damn thing if you got into something.
• 6:53
  So that would have me running throughout New York like an actual crazy person, changing in the car to shows, squeezing in.
• 7:00
  Like, there was not a second of downtime.
• 7:02
  I would literally come back ill from that week, because it was like my social battery would be so drained.
• 7:08
  Could you imagine doing that as a mother?
• 7:10
  You would be- Absolutely not destroyed Absolutely not.
• 7:12
  You would be destroyed.
• 7:13
  So then I took, like, a huge break.
• 7:14
  Obviously, there was, like, 2020.
• 7:16
  I had my kid, so I didn't go in for a really long time.
• 7:18
  The next time I went to Fashion Week was two years ago, and I went in just for a couple events, and I did, like, a day trip there and back.
• 7:28
  I didn't stay overnight.
• 7:29
  Last night I stayed one night, and then t- this time I, I stayed two nights, and I really treated it super different.
• 7:35
  And honestly, like the way I approached this Fashion Week, I would've made fun of me back then.
• 7:41
  Really?
• 7:42
  Because I went in, I didn't give a shit about the shows.
• 7:45
  I was like,"I don't care about going to the shows.
• 7:47
  I don't care, and I don't think my audience cares anymore." It's not about that anymore.
• 7:52
  I think your audience is more interested in, like, the fun stuff you're doing- Yeah like, in between shows or after shows or, like- I wanted to go and hang out- You know?
• 7:59
  with my friends.
• 8:00
  This time specifically brought in a ton of girls that I, like, kinda grew up with- Mm-hmm in the industry, and we were all able to be there this time.
• 8:09
  And so I wanted to, like, maximize that.
• 8:10
  I was like,"I wanna sit at a three-hour brunch and talk," about life and about our careers and, like, what we can do.
• 8:17
  Right, creatively.
• 8:18
  Yes, creatively.
• 8:20
  Give each other constructive feedback, kind of the ins and outs of the industry, what's changed, what's working.
• 8:26
  So it's kind of like shooting the shit with people.
• 8:28
  Mm-hmm.
• 8:29
  And I wanted to spend time actually going to brands that invest in me.
• 8:35
  You know, instead of just going and having to be seen somewhere, it was like,"Who are the brand partners that I actually work with?
• 8:42
  Who do I wanna actually promote?" You know?
• 8:44
  Mm-hmm.
• 8:44
  Like, what do I actually wanna promote going and doing?
• 8:47
  And so I was strategic about what I wanted to do, who I wanted to spend the time with, and so that meant some parties, that meant more intimate things, that meant more meetings with the brands- Mm-hmm that I actually work with.
• 8:59
  And so it was still busy, but I wasn't leaving, like, run to the ground.
• 9:04
  Okay.
• 9:04
  So it's, it is very different.
• 9:06
  I love it.
• 9:06
  So what do you think, like, the 40s crowd is gonna like for the fall?
• 9:10
  In terms of fashion or products or beauty, like- I'm sure you probably already knew some of this going into it.
• 9:17
  Mm-hmm.
• 9:18
  But, like, was there anything that you saw there that you were like,"Oh, this is, like- That's a good question it for the season"?
• 9:24
  I do have, like, one specific trend.
• 9:26
  I'm gonna save it for my pink spotlight though at the end of the episode.
• 9:29
  But I really am just at a point where I wanna wear what I wanna wear.
• 9:34
  Yeah.
• 9:34
  It's kind of- And is that sort of, like, what the trend- It, yeah, it's kind of- is or what the trend was there?
• 9:38
  Well, no, I feel like the trends are always, there's always things to focus on.
• 9:42
  But I don't know if I'm focusing on that.
• 9:45
  So it's just so different.
• 9:47
  I wanna wear what I wanna wear.
• 9:48
  I went out and took a meeting in jeans and sneakers, you know, one of the times, because that's what I was comfortable in.
• 9:54
  And again, thinking back to me 10 years ago, I would've been in, the highest heels and the most uncomfortable outfit running around, and that's just not who I am anymore.
• 10:05
  Mm-hmm And So I just kind of like leaned into more of that.
• 10:10
  I always kind of felt like Fashion Week was, like, the girl you wanna be, right?
• 10:14
  It's like, ooh, like, what unique outfits can I put together that I would never wear in real life?
• 10:21
  And, this time I was like, no, I wanna wear what I wear in real life.
• 10:24
  I'm not dressing for the girl- Yeah I wanna be.
• 10:26
  I'm dressing for the girl I am.
• 10:28
  And so- I saw in your pictures a lot of, slicked back buns and ponies, sneakers relax fit jeans- Yeah an oversized blazer.
• 10:36
  Yeah.
• 10:36
  Like, I saw very, like- What I wear cool girl yeah, what you actually wear- Yeah outfits Just kind of, yeah, like a little bit of a dressed up version, you know?
• 10:45
  But I, traveled in a set like I'm in now.
• 10:49
  Like, I just don't, I don't care.
• 10:51
  But it's very refreshing- I love that to not care.
• 10:55
  But- No, that's so fun.
• 10:56
  Yeah.
• 10:56
  I- Feel like back then, and I'm sure you can relate to this in some way, it was l- it's like, high school, where you feel like you're like,"What can I get invited to?
• 11:07
  Who am I with?" This all matters, you know?
• 11:10
  And then it's very refreshing to just drop that.
• 11:13
  Mm-hmm.
• 11:13
  And I do feel like this kind of relates to what we've been talking about as we've gotten into our 40s is, we're dropping a lot of that.
• 11:21
  And so I'm dropping that in all parts of my life, not just, like, my social life, you know?
• 11:26
  Yeah.
• 11:26
  It's kind of like throughout work.
• 11:28
  It's like,"Who do I wanna be surrounded with?" What people add value to me as a person and give me feedback and aren't withholding secrets, you know?
• 11:38
  It just feels good to b- surround myself with those types of women, and that's who I was with.
• 11:43
  And I was so happy to see all my girls.
• 11:44
  A lot of them we've had as guests on the podcast, so it was fun.
• 11:48
  A few of them I was able to talk with, and they wanna come on and talk on the podcast.
• 11:53
  Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
• 11:53
  And so, yeah, it was just really fun to be able to connect that way.
• 11:56
  I love that.
• 11:57
  What else would you wanna know?
• 11:58
  Did you discover any new brands?
• 12:00
  I know there's, LTK.
• 12:01
  You work with- Yeah ShopMy.
• 12:02
  Yeah.
• 12:02
  Like, how did that whole, like those two platforms, as a user of those- Yeah you know, and as a shopper on those, like- I, so w- I went to the LTK party, which was really fun.
• 12:13
  They really honored the top 50 creators, and it wasn't, like, the top 50 sales, which I appreciated this time,'cause a lot of the times they focus so much on who is driving the most sales.
• 12:24
  And that's, like, usually the top 50.
• 12:26
  And this time they were focusing on the creators that were really just doing things differently.
• 12:33
  And it was like, who...
• 12:34
  So they might not have the biggest following, they might not generate the most revenue for LTK, but they're kind of, like, disrupting the industry they called it.
• 12:41
  Ooh.
• 12:41
  And I really liked that a lot.
• 12:43
  What is an example of, like, an industry disruption?
• 12:45
  So somebody maybe who is creating content in a different way, and maybe has a smaller audience, but is really, really close with that audience.
• 12:55
  Like, they have a true community of people and true influence on them.
• 13:00
  Mm.
• 13:00
  And so maybe they're not doing things the exact way that everybody else is doing things.
• 13:04
  They, they might be creating content a different way.
• 13:06
  They might be connecting with their audience in a different way.
• 13:09
  Okay.
• 13:09
  And so they kind of celebrated those people, which I thought was really cool.
• 13:12
  And then I took a more intimate meeting with ShopMy, which is what I primarily use.
• 13:17
  Yeah.
• 13:18
  It's what you use.
• 13:18
  Yeah.
• 13:19
  And that's where we link all of our looks.
• 13:20
  It's where we link products for our show notes.
• 13:23
  So when you're actually clicking through, that's the tracking link behind what we're sharing.
• 13:28
  Mm-hmm.
• 13:29
  So that it connects- the consumer to the product or to the thing And they're constantly adding more brands- Yep and- And it's where we are able to discover a lot of brands- Mm-hmm which I really appreciate.
• 13:38
  So we just had a, a, a much more intimate conversation with the Shop My team, what's working, what type of content- Cool works.
• 13:46
  So that was really cool.
• 13:47
  It wasn't brand specific because- Right a lot of the times we're using, you know, we're using- Yeah, yeah Shop My to kind of figure out branding and new products, and that's really cool.
• 13:56
  So I feel like that's very specific to you- Mm-hmm and you as the Shop My creator.
• 14:02
  But yeah, I just feel like it was really cool to hear feedback from people- Mm-hmm and get genuine feedback from people.
• 14:10
  I heard this is, a, the first time I've gone since my content has really shifted to mostly all humor, and everyone's loving it.
• 14:21
  Everyone is loving it.
• 14:22
  Well, if you, if you know you, it's not a, it's not a- It's not a stretch it's not a stretch or a shift.
• 14:26
  Right.
• 14:26
  And a lot of those girls do.
• 14:28
  It's, it's actually you're just sharing- Right I feel like you're just being more genuine now- Yes with how you share your content.
• 14:32
  Yes.
• 14:32
  And so that was really positive to feel like people are resonating like that.
• 14:37
  You still love beauty stuff.
• 14:37
  I don't think- Yeah that you'll ever be the girl that, like, forgets about the beauty, no.
• 14:41
  But I think, you know- Or forgets about the fashion, but it's just a little bit more integrated and there's less pressure on those things, you know?
• 14:46
  Mm-hmm.
• 14:46
  It's kind of like I like what I like, you know?
• 14:49
  I, I'm wearing what I wanna wear.
• 14:51
  I'm doing the same five-minute face, that's kind of what happens when you get older.
• 14:55
  You're just kinda like- Did you get any products that you were like,"Oh, I like this"?
• 14:58
  Yeah, a couple things, but I haven't tried anything, so I don't wanna, like, reveal the- It's too soon to speak on them.
• 15:03
  Yeah.
• 15:03
  I, yes.
• 15:03
  Oh, I'm excited.
• 15:03
  But I did get a couple things that I was, like, excited to try, and yeah.
• 15:08
  Well, I'm happy for you that you went and you got away for a couple of nights- Yeah and that everything was, like, fine at home.
• 15:14
  Everything was fine at home.
• 15:15
  Like, it all worked out.
• 15:15
  That's a huge- Shout out to my mom that's huge.
• 15:17
  Oh my God, Char.
• 15:18
  My mom was- She's so freaking cute my mom was running the ship because actually Raja was traveling at the same time, which, you know, we never, I don't think that, I think this is the first time we've taken- separate trips at the same time, and that was just coincidentally, and my mom was like,"I got it." It's kind of nice, actually- Yeah if you think about it.
• 15:34
  Yeah.
• 15:34
  You know?
• 15:35
  'Cause then it's like you both had got off to work- Yep and then you could both come back.
• 15:39
  Exactly.
• 15:39
  You know?
• 15:40
  And so thank you to my mom, who held it down Oh my gosh a lot They were so cute.
• 15:44
  But they were great.
• 15:45
  They were great for her.
• 15:46
  That's what she said.
• 15:47
  Yeah.
• 15:47
  They were so cute.
• 15:48
  They were riding that little pony when I came to the front door, and they were so excited.
• 15:52
  They were na- they were in the process of naming the pony.
• 15:54
  I was like,"Mom, Tee's dropping by to do laundry.
• 15:57
  This is how it works around here." Like, it just- Well, it was funny because, like, obviously TMI- but, like, I turned 40.
• 16:03
  I got my period, and I got, like, period on my sheets.
• 16:06
  I'm like,"This is so dis-..." Like, what?
• 16:09
  When am I gonna grow up?
• 16:10
  Never.
• 16:11
  I'm never gonna grow up.
• 16:12
  So the night before, my washing machine broke, and Nick and I are taking pictures of the washing machine, sending it to ChatGPT, trying to, like, troubleshoot it, and it turns out, according to chat, it was the lock sensor.
• 16:26
  So on the washer, water can't be added until it- It works locks.
• 16:30
  Yes, it locks.
• 16:30
  Yep.
• 16:30
  Like, I remember as a kid being able to push the button down to, like, override it and wash it, watch the washer go with the lid open.
• 16:38
  I, I remember being able to, like, full-on open it up- Yeah and throw in if you- Throw in more if you, like- Can't do that anymore randomly decided to throw in more laundry.
• 16:45
  Can't.
• 16:45
  You could- Somebody's cat got stuck- You could, you could do that in there once, and- Oh forget it.
• 16:48
  They had to, you know, fine.
• 16:50
  Whirlpool needed to reinvent it.
• 16:52
  So anyway, so I ordered on Amazon a new lock, but which I still didn't even know if it was gonna work.
• 17:00
  So on Friday morning, I went to the laundromat, and I dropped off laundry for wash and fold, and it was$87, and I was like- That's ridiculous"I'm really splurging for my birthday today- to have somebody do my laundry." So on Saturday morning, I figured, like, that would, like, get me through, and then on Saturday morning, I had a, you know, this- You had an oopsy mishap.
• 17:21
  Yep.
• 17:21
  So I called Christine, and I popped over there, and she was so funny.
• 17:26
  She, I think she just, like, gets a kick out of us- She gets a kick out of us the way our, my mom does too.
• 17:30
  Yes.
• 17:30
  Like- Yes we are two grown women- Yes but we're not.
• 17:33
  No.
• 17:34
  But we're not.
• 17:34
  No.
• 17:34
  And just, like, I think my mom, too, is, like, a grown woman, but she's not.
• 17:37
  No, no, we're all- Like, we're all still little girls who- I actually think that's a great way to look at women.
• 17:43
  It's like everyone's just a woman doing life for the first time.
• 17:46
  Yeah.
• 17:46
  And so, yeah we're all those girls.
• 17:48
  We are all those girls.
• 17:50
  And then Sunday morning, Nick and his dad fixed the washing machine, and all was- Perfect.
• 17:54
  So you're good all was good.
• 17:55
  So you're good.
• 17:55
  All was good.
• 17:56
  That's what neighbors are for.
• 17:58
  We're like, we have become the people where it's like, you know, when you would always be like,"Oh, you need a cup of milk or a cup of sugar?" We're like,"Can I have your washing machine?" Like, that's happened to us a bunch of times.
• 18:07
  Well, you sent me that Instagram reel, which I want us to make, and it's like, you know, you go to some friend's house and you're like,"Are you a shoe-on family or you a shoe-off family?
• 18:14
  Do I need to whisper?
• 18:16
  Can I speak loudly?" Like, it's like, which friend are you?
• 18:19
  Yes.
• 18:19
  And I was like, I'm the friend that barged in with her shoes.
• 18:21
  We barge in.
• 18:22
  We barge in.
• 18:23
  And it's like,"What do you need?" My house is your house.
• 18:26
  Oh my gosh.
• 18:26
  That, that's where we've, that's where we've become.
• 18:28
  Yeah.
• 18:29
  Now, now it's over.
• 18:30
  So we're onto the fall schedule.
• 18:32
  Mm-hmm.
• 18:32
  How was the first week of school?
• 18:34
  It's been good.
• 18:35
  I mean, it, it's been an adjustment.
• 18:37
  It's nice having routine, but now that we're in it, it's always like the grass is greener, you know?
• 18:44
  It is crazy to be so structured.
• 18:46
  Mm-hmm.
• 18:46
  Where there's drop-off at a certain time, pick-up at a certain time.
• 18:50
  It's a lot of running around.
• 18:51
  I don't know how you do this.
• 18:52
  Like, I really don't know how you do this.
• 18:54
  But we're good.
• 18:56
  We're gonna make it work.
• 18:57
  I think how I do it is we, I kind of work backwards the day before, and then I have to be strategic with my time while the kids are in school.
• 19:05
  Mm-hmm.
• 19:05
  Because if you're, like, lackadaisical about it, like,"Oh, I have so much time," the time runs out- Right like, super, super fast.
• 19:13
  Right.
• 19:13
  And then nothing's accomplished.
• 19:14
  And my household, when everybody's home from school, they think that I've had the entire day to serve them which is not necessarily-'Cause they're not, like, on when they come back the case.
• 19:24
  So when they're home, I try to, like, have as much stuff that I needed to do for myself- Mm-hmm while they were gone.
• 19:30
  Mm-hmm.
• 19:30
  So when they get home, I can, like, do the stuff for them so they can, like, see the effort that I'm putting into it.
• 19:37
  Yeah.
• 19:37
  You know?
• 19:37
  Yeah.
• 19:37
  'Cause when, if I do everything for them while they're gone, they think it's, a magical fairy, and then they don't, I feel like they don't appreciate it.
• 19:44
  Right.
• 19:44
  Right, right, right.
• 19:45
  Yeah.
• 19:45
  But I've been working backwards a lot.
• 19:47
  The night before, like,"What's the schedule for tomorrow?
• 19:51
  Does everybody know where they have to be?" I also made a much lighter, we have a much lighter schedule- Yeah this year.
• 19:57
  Lighter than we've had in probably, like, 10 years, honestly.
• 20:00
  Maybe not quite 10 years.
• 20:01
  Maybe since, like, when the boys started elementary school.
• 20:04
  Mm-hmm, they're all only doing one- One activity activity.
• 20:07
  And I'm somebody who would let them all do multiple.
• 20:11
  So, like, in the fall, I would let Vincent do two sports, I'd let Joseph do two sports.
• 20:15
  If you have two kids in two sports- Yeah, that's already- that are two to three days a week, they're, some, then they get overbooked.
• 20:23
  So some nights it would be football then baseball.
• 20:25
  Then sometimes what's happening is, is they're canceling on one thing, and then that team is, looking for them, And I'm, then Nick and I are teaching them bad habits that you're, like, can make half-ass commitments.
• 20:38
  And I was like, we're not doing this anymore." You pick a thing, be all in at it, be good at it, and then use your free time to, like, have free time.
• 20:44
  I actually remember that happening to me.
• 20:47
  I used to, I obviously danced, and that was, like, my thing.
• 20:51
  And I also was horseback rider when I was a kid, and I remember getting to a point where my mom and dad were like,"We have to pick, because the schedule is too chaotic at this point, and things are overlapping, and w- we can't make it work." And so I do think that's very fair to do.
• 21:08
  So then you do make a commitment to one thing.
• 21:10
  Right.
• 21:11
  So, so far we've done that.
• 21:13
  Mm-hmm.
• 21:13
  And my one son has one thing- And you still have four kids- a night so, like- Yeah let's not minimize this and make it like- No, but I'm just saying, like, he has one thing.
• 21:21
  He's doing it for the fall.
• 21:23
  Mm-hmm.
• 21:23
  Come winter, he can do another thing, you know?
• 21:26
  If the kids wanna ski on top of it, that's not, like, a commitment.
• 21:30
  That's, like- An ac- that's just a activity for fun.
• 21:32
  Right.
• 21:33
  And I, I kinda had, like, a talk with them, and I'm like,"These activities are for exercise and socialization." Mm-hmm.
• 21:40
  That's what they are for, and I think as soon as we kind of decided what we were using them for, it was very easy to make that conversation.
• 21:47
  I'm like- Like, take the pressure off"You're not using this, to go to, high school with or to go to college with.
• 21:52
  Those are separate conversations for other families, if that's what you are intending your sport for," we are intending this sport for exercise and socialization.
• 22:00
  And fun.
• 22:01
  This is p- purely for fun.
• 22:03
  Mm-hmm.
• 22:04
  Why are we killing ourselves and double and triple booking ourselves and missing family parties and, other things that take precedence in our life?
• 22:11
  So what do you think is different, then, about this year compared to other years when you've been crazy?
• 22:16
  Like, are you finding, I know it's only a few weeks in- I don't feel so stressed.
• 22:19
  Yeah.
• 22:19
  I'm not stressed out.
• 22:20
  I'm not running myself ragged.
• 22:22
  This coming Saturday, we don't have any activities.
• 22:26
  The kids are all gonna do lessons,'cause they all play tennis and squash, for fun.
• 22:31
  They're gonna do, like, tennis and squash lessons, for fun.
• 22:34
  Or, maybe we'll watch my niece's soccer game.
• 22:37
  We've never got to watch a family member's game.
• 22:40
  So, like, it's not like we're doing nothing.
• 22:42
  We just, we don't have to be up at 6:00 AM and me and Nick dividing and conquering.
• 22:47
  Yeah.
• 22:47
  Like, that's the difference.
• 22:48
  Do you feel like it's helping them, too?
• 22:50
  How do they feel?
• 22:51
  Everybody seems fine.
• 22:52
  Yep.
• 22:53
  Everybody seems happy, you know?
• 22:55
  I just feel like- I don't know why I ran everybody ragged for so long.
• 23:01
  What would your advice be then?
• 23:02
  Like, to do this early, or do you feel like...
• 23:04
  'Cause it's at the same time, kids need to be able to be exposed to things, so I think that's what ends up happening, is that there's this intense pressure to expose them early and keep exposing them because you're like,"I don't know what they're gravitating towards." But- I think if you wanna expose your kids, you can expose them in a rec sport.
• 23:23
  Mm-hmm.
• 23:23
  That's what parks and recs- Mm-hmm is for.
• 23:24
  Mm-hmm.
• 23:24
  For exposure for, like, low commitment, but we were exposing them in travel things.
• 23:29
  Or exposing them and then doing, like, two exposures a season.
• 23:33
  Right.
• 23:33
  Uh-huh.
• 23:33
  You know?
• 23:34
  Mm-hmm.
• 23:34
  And I don't think I had to do that, okay, I think that's really good advice.
• 23:38
  So we're just kinda cranking it back a little bit.
• 23:41
  So, you know, if the kids start asking for more, we will reevaluate, but nobody's asking for more, so I'm trying to, like, take the pressure off a little bit.
• 23:50
  That's re- that's really good advice.
• 23:51
  Good to know.
• 23:52
  I'm also trying to have them take some more responsibility in, their activity.
• 23:56
  And I always struggled with having them take responsibility in their activity, and I was like,"What is wrong with them?" But they were doing so many things, I don't even think they knew- Yeah, it was over chaos how to take responsibility for those- Right, right five things.
• 24:08
  But when they're just doing one thing, it's easier for them to build a routine and build- mm-hmm you know?
• 24:14
  And to know what they're responsible for doing, right.
• 24:15
  Like, have some more skin in the game.
• 24:17
  Right, for sure.
• 24:17
  all right, so we're gonna just kinda keep this one brief.
• 24:20
  We have a busy schedule.
• 24:23
  Speaking of, our schedules are still busy even though the kids are lighter.
• 24:26
  We have a couple of guests coming up, so and we're recording a little bit later- Mm-hmm this week.
• 24:31
  Mm-hmm.
• 24:31
  So we were just popping on for a mini catch-up, and sometimes it's nice to just- I know lay of the land episode.
• 24:38
  But so we're gonna go right into our Pink Spotlight.
• 24:40
  So this is kind of a, this is short one for you.
• 24:42
  Yes.
• 24:43
  But okay, do you have a Pink Spotlight for me?
• 24:45
  I do.
• 24:45
  So this is kinda like a two-parter.
• 24:47
  Okay.
• 24:48
  Before summer started- Mm-hmm we did a huge purge.
• 24:51
  Mm-hmm.
• 24:51
  I'm talking probably, like, eight bags per kid gone and me and Nick.
• 24:56
  Mm-hmm.
• 24:57
  And you would not believe how much stuff you don't use, and when you have less, it's easier- 100% to make decisions.
• 25:06
  It is.
• 25:06
  I like it's been so much easier.
• 25:08
  So we did the big purge, and what I did was instead of, taking stuff that they, like, love and they use I made everybody, like, a car bag.
• 25:17
  Mm-hmm.
• 25:17
  Because in this time of year, feel like you wake up and you need a snowsuit, and then you need a bathing suit midday, and then you're back in your snowsuit at night.
• 25:26
  So there's, so many different, like- Mm-hmm outfit changes.
• 25:28
  And even though we've lightened our load, we still have running around to do, so I made a car bag, and in the car bag I put socks, an extra pair of sweatpants for everybody.
• 25:39
  And I just used all the stuff that we cleaned out of our closet- Just to have some extra stuff j- just to have some extra stuff, and I kept it in the car.
• 25:45
  A sweatshirt for everybody,'cause sometimes, like, you know, they leave, they're hot, then they get cold later.
• 25:52
  And if your children are not comfy, if they get wet or they're not comfy, my k- my kids just start screaming- Oh, same and crying.
• 26:00
  Same.
• 26:00
  The second anybody is uncomfortable, and I'm all for teaching my kids to be uncomfortable and do hard things, but I don't wanna hear it if they're cold, like, you know, at 5:00 or 6:00 when everybody's hungry and tired.
• 26:14
  Like- That's a really good idea.
• 26:15
  So I packed, so I have, like, a car bag of, like, extra clothes.
• 26:18
  I have, two random pairs of sneakers in there in case somebody forgets a shoe or whatever.
• 26:23
  Like, I have extra sneakers.
• 26:25
  I have, like, some hair ties.
• 26:26
  I threw some water bottles in there, a couple granola bars, I love that.
• 26:31
  And I shoved it in my trunk.
• 26:32
  That's a great idea.
• 26:32
  And I even threw in something for Nick, too.
• 26:34
  It also just eliminates every time you need an outing having to think about those things.
• 26:38
  Mm-hmm.
• 26:39
  Because that's where I'm running into now, where it's like, oh, I'm running out the door, and to your point, the temperature can change.
• 26:46
  We're wearing shorts, but we're gonna be out later and it's gonna get freezing, and so do I need to pack sweatpants to throw over the shorts?
• 26:53
  That's a great idea.
• 26:54
  Yeah.
• 26:54
  And I even threw, I threw something in for myself too.
• 26:57
  That wa- And that also eliminates, like, we have to go home or another stop, because I can't tell you how many times I've stopped at Target or Walmart to buy them something, and then we have extra stuff- Right laying in the house that we don't need.
• 27:07
  Right.
• 27:08
  So this eliminated me having to, buy anything extra- Mm-hmm or tie up their favorite whatever.
• 27:14
  It's just- I love that was probably going in a donation bag anyway.
• 27:18
  Wait, so the two-parter was the purge and then using the stuff?
• 27:21
  The two-parter was the, the first part is purge.
• 27:23
  Yep.
• 27:23
  I think everybody needs to do a purge.
• 27:25
  Mm-hmm.
• 27:25
  'Cause I don't do a full back to school shopping thing until October, because September is, my kids are still- Right in their summer clothes.
• 27:32
  Yes.
• 27:32
  So as much as I love back to school shopping, I personally don't think my kids need it until the fall.
• 27:39
  The true change of the season.
• 27:40
  Until the true change of the season.
• 27:41
  Yes.
• 27:41
  Because in September they're still wearing, their summer clothes.
• 27:44
  So I did the big purge.
• 27:46
  Yeah.
• 27:46
  And I didn't replace.
• 27:47
  Okay.
• 27:48
  Will replace as fall comes.
• 27:49
  That's a great idea.
• 27:50
  So do a purge, and then use some of your purge and make a car bag.
• 27:54
  I love that.
• 27:54
  What a great tip from the mom of four.
• 27:57
  I love it.
• 27:59
  So mine this week, I had said at the earlier in the episode that you asked me, like, what trend- I know.
• 28:05
  I'm always digging i, I had said that I, I kinda like wear what I wanna wear.
• 28:11
  Mm-hmm.
• 28:11
  But I will say that the thing that I love to wear and that always, like, sells out super quick- Mm is anything chocolate brown suede.
• 28:19
  Mm.
• 28:19
  Like, give me all the chocolate brown suede, anything and everything.
• 28:23
  So it's still in?
• 28:23
  It's still very in.
• 28:24
  Brown has technically moved to a, a neutral.
• 28:29
  I always use it as a neutral, but I really think brown became my new black.
• 28:34
  Truly.
• 28:35
  And so I've invested in those pieces.
• 28:38
  Like, I want a chocolate bag.
• 28:40
  That's my next hunt.
• 28:41
  Because it's something that I know I'm always reaching for, but I just love, love chocolate brown suede.
• 28:47
  Mm.
• 28:48
  I cannot get enough of it.
• 28:49
  So that, to me, is the trend that I was wearing there and, like, but it doesn't really feel like a trend to me, you know?
• 28:55
  Okay.
• 28:55
  So- But you saw a lot of it.
• 28:56
  I saw a lot of it.
• 28:57
  You saw a lot of chocolate brown suede.
• 28:58
  Yep.
• 28:58
  I love it.
• 28:59
  Okay.
• 28:59
  Did you see any bags while you were there?
• 29:01
  Did you- Of course do you have your eye on one that you were like- Of course"Oh, this is the one." Do I have my eye on one?
• 29:04
  I have my eye on five.
• 29:05
  Like- What's, like, a high and a low example?
• 29:07
  The bag that I know that I use all the time I had gotten from Anthropology, so it was, like, around$100.
• 29:14
  Sometimes I like to do that, and that's another good hack, I put, like, my feelers out there- Mm-hmm sometimes with something and I'll buy it.
• 29:20
  I don't wanna say cheaply, because sometimes I feel like when it's too disposable, I'm not really getting the cost per wear.
• 29:27
  So I'll, like, mid-invest in something.
• 29:29
  So I had gotten a chocolate brown suede bag from Anthropology.
• 29:32
  It was, like, 100 something dollars.
• 29:34
  I used that the last two seasons.
• 29:36
  Love it.
• 29:37
  And so now I know I'm, like, ready to fully invest, because it's something that I'm constantly going for.
• 29:42
  And so maybe I want that bag to be a little bit nicer, a little bit, like, treat myself, something that's classic that I could always grab- But a smaller one and I just...
• 29:50
  Yeah, kind of mid-size.
• 29:51
  Like, not a tote.
• 29:52
  Because I'm out of that season.
• 29:54
  Um, but not something super small.
• 29:57
  Okay.
• 29:57
  Like, something that's more of, like, an everyday size.
• 29:59
  Ooh, all right.
• 30:01
  I have my eye on one, but it's too much.
• 30:02
  Okay.
• 30:03
  Maybe you can rent- from Vivrelle.
• 30:05
  Yes.
• 30:06
  That is also, like, one of my hacks is- Which I love Vivrelle.
• 30:09
  I know.
• 30:09
  I need to switch out mine.
• 30:10
  I have, like, a- Me too a, um, a Miu Miu, like, summery bag- Mm-hmm right now, which is perfect, because I got to wear it for what I needed it for.
• 30:17
  Yep.
• 30:18
  And now- I know on to something new.
• 30:19
  That's also another good way to try something.
• 30:22
  And last year I ended up trying out a bag and loved it so much- Yeah so I have the bag now.
• 30:27
  You got it.
• 30:28
  And yeah, so that is a, that's a great way to- Yeah.
• 30:31
  That's another good hack.
• 30:32
  All right.
• 30:32
  Uh- Well, this has been fun.
• 30:33
  I know.
• 30:34
  Um- Great, and we will be back next week.
• 30:36
  I'm so excited for next week's episode.
• 30:39
  Yeah.
• 30:39
  We had to push it back just because moms, you know?
• 30:41
  Like, we're all, we all have schedules and things come up.
• 30:44
  Yeah.
• 30:44
  But it is the sleep- The sleep episode- Mm-hmm that we've been teasing for, like, a year and a half, so I'm excited for that one.
• 30:50
  And then we have a full lineup of fall guests and puns.
• 30:54
  Yes, we do.
• 30:55
  Lots of fall fun.
• 30:56
  Yes.
• 30:57
  All right.
• 30:57
  So we'll see you guys next week.
• 30:58
  Bye.
• 30:59
  Bye.