Being a CSO (Chief Scheduling Officer) and CKC (Chief Kid Chauffeur) may have left you longing for the days of early March when temperatures flirted with 40 degrees, and you created aspirational lists of things to do this summer. Happy hours. Beach days. Relaxing under that delicious sun, soaking in Vitamin D.
What. Happened. Where did the time go?
I’ll tell you. Your summer was spent in your moving headquarters, circumventing construction, twisting around traffic and navigating like a big rig driver. Art camp. Swim lessons. Playdates. Target drive-up.
It may be too late for Big Island on Lake Minnetonka, but alas, I have compiled a list of things you might have missed while hunkered down in your traveling mobile Center of Operations.
Pool reads
Every time I see a book referred to as a “pool read,” I cringe. If you’re anything like me, water activities with small children bring me all the anxiety, so that lovely book that’s begging to join the sunscreen, goldfish, and goggles in my pool bag gets left on my nightstand. However, there is still time to crack open a guava são paulo LaCroix (why do these exotic flavors make me feel so sophisticated?!) and devour a book that caused a lot of buzz this summer.
- All The Blues Come Through by Metra Farrari – Chick-lit meets comedy with a dash of mythology. A quick and delightful read – you’ll be begging for book two!
- Hail Mary by Andy Weir – Not a quick read but worth the investment. Science-y but so much heart to this galactic space story
- The Last Flight: A Novel by Julie Clark – This is a twisty delight that kept me guessing the entire book. Quick and suspenseful!
- We Were Never Here: A Novel by Andrea Bartz – Couldn’t put this down; another suspenseful mystery to devour!
Summer Jams
Remember when our iPod minis held the “song of the summer” and not the entire My Little Pony movie soundtrack? Ahhh memories. Here are a few jams that were bangers this summer (did I use that right?).
- Olivia Rodrigo – Good 4 You (I have sweatpants older than her, but she keeps me young)
- Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby – Levitating
- The Kid LAROI & Justin Beiber – STAY
- Glass Animals – Heat Waves
- TLC – No Scrubs (OK not a recent jam, but classics live forever)
Gossip
While I LOVE the Target Drive-Up, I will say that I miss scanning the latest gossip magazines for all the latest tea. Here’s a quick glimpse of what you missed:
- Pete Davidson and Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor Are Dating!
- Pete Davidson and Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor Split Up!
- JTT was spotted for the first time since, like, 1998!!
- Two people who didn’t scream-sing Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Getting Back Together”? Bennifer. (2002 called…they want their velour Juicy Couture jumpsuits back)
- We may differ in politics and beliefs, but we ALL share one things in common: #freeBritney!
Shows
Things to Watch Now (although I feel like as moms, a lot of us hunker down in front of the TV after bedtime, so these might have been binged already)
- Mare of Easttown (HBO) – Love our girl Kate Dubbs
- The White Lotus (HBO) – Jennifer Coolidge? Yes please!
- The Twilight Movies (Netflix) – teehee! (Don’t @ me at this suggestion…)
- Working Moms (Netflix) – I am SUPER late to the game on this one but it’s the most relatable show on television for moms/caretakers
- 100 Foot Wave (HBO) – A documentary series about lunatics professional surfers hunting for a rogue, ginormous wave. Intriguing and beautifully shot.
Fancy Schmancy Summer Drinks
Screw it: Just go for the Pumpkin Spice Latte.
