Dolly’s dead, and we’re all in mourning.

To me, Dolly Parton has always been epic. A true, larger-than-life icon who embodied so much—if not all—of what we aspire to be: humble, kind, generous, down-to-earth, unapologetically herself, philanthropic…I could go on.

I think about all the lives she touched, improved, and influenced, and I’m in awe. I think that’s what we connected with: the goodness. The light. The voice.

And maybe, in some small way, we can emulate that in our own communities. We can bring joy, show up, and be unapologetically ourselves—quirks and all. The world craves needs more authenticity.

☀️ What went well? Seeing all the back-to-school photos/posts makes me smile! My kids lucked out and still have one more week of break, but for many, school is back in full swing!

🌧️ What flopped? I didn’t walk once this past week, and I felt it. My mind needs those morning walks as much as my body does.

🌱 What’s next? Haircuts for both kids and squeezing every ounce of fun and family time I can out of this final week before school starts.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Thank you for supporting The Porch!

recent porch faves + joys 💛

daily dose of lol — this made me laugh because same 🤣

fresh summer corn — we picked up a half-dozen ears at our local farm. Sweet and perfect! I use this recipe—which is basically a non-recipe—when boiling fresh corn. It is the best method. I will die on this hill.

full moon sound bath — crashing waves, Tibetan gongs, and the light of the full moon. Deeply restorative and healing—just what my soul needed.

behind the trend

I read a lot, and like most people, I get many of my recommendations online (Sarahflippingpages, I’m looking at you!) or from friends. But because I mainly read through Libby, I’m usually way behind the trends. It takes weeks—sometimes months—for me to get the hot new “it” book. 😂

This week, both The Calamity Club and Theo of Golden became available after being on hold forever. Side note: isn’t this always how it happens? Nothing, nothing…and then two books become available at the exact same time!

I started The Calamity Club. I forget how this book came onto my radar, but years ago, I read and loved The Help, so I was excited for this one! I’m only two chapters in, but so far, so good! It’s moving a little more slowly than I’d hoped, but that could also be because I’m low-key stressing about finishing both books before my time is up.

Sometimes I wonder if anyone cares what I’m reading when the books are already old news. 😂 But if you do, I published Read & Recapped this past week—a monthly roundup of everything I read. It originally started as Mood Ring Reads, but I completely overhauled the format. TBH, I’m still figuring out what I want the feature to be, but for now, I’m keeping it and learning as I go. What a ride it’s been!

game night

It’s crazy how different our family rhythm is throughout the year. A balmy July evening looks completely different from a dark, snowy January night. I love embracing all the seasons and the changes they bring, and I feel fortunate to live somewhere where we get to experience them all.

This past week, we had glimpses of fall weather: cooler temperatures, more wind, and even a few days of chilly rain. With more time indoors—and wanting to avoid screens—my kids pulled out Uno Flip. We spent an hour after dinner playing as a family.

We’re a big game-and-puzzle family. Here are some of our favorites:

• Uno1 — A classic! It builds number skills, too.

• Uno Flip — Like Uno, but with a “dark” side. We all have fun with this one!

• Zingo — The nerd teacher in me loves games that teach educational concepts but are also fun! Word recognition and association mixed with Bingo while reinforcing pre-reading skills? Yes, please!

• First to Worst — You rank things the way you think your family member or friend would. Funny! My kids always request this one!

• Talking Point Kids2 — I’m a sucker for these types of “games.” The thought-provoking questions really get your kids talking!

• Rush Hour Jr. — A one-player logic game, but we all like working together to solve it!

• The Genius Square — The BEST! It vaguely reminds me of old-school Tetris. One or two players compete to place all the blocks into the grid. SO fun—and it can get competitive! 😂

• Silly Poopy — My kids insisted I add this one. I didn’t want to because it’s obnoxious and the song will get stuck in your head…forever. 🤣 But they love hiding—and finding—the poop! Kids!!!! 🙃

grandmacore

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: I’m a seventy-five-year-old trapped in a middle-aged woman’s body. Forget hot girl summer—give me books, thrifting, and baking. And The Golden Girls? Goals.

Have you heard of the “grandmacore” aesthetic? Think vintage—or vintage-inspired—pieces, warm lamps, homemade goodies, and the overall cozy feeling of being at Grandma’s house.

Sounds like my ideal home. 😅

I’ve always loved repurposing things and breathing new life into old treasures. I have so many beautiful pieces from both of my grandmothers, and they make me think of them every time I see them.

I’m thrilled this style of decorating is having a moment.

Naturally, I joined a Grandmacore Facebook group, because apparently I needed another reason to scroll through photos of quilts, floral lampshades, and vintage dishes. 😂

Are you team vintage/thrift, team buy new, or somewhere in between?

the waiting room

Someone I know recently suffered an unimaginable tragedy. There was a fire on her property, and the small cottage where her father lived burned down. He didn’t make it out. Neither did the dog.

We’re not close, but I can’t stop thinking about her and her family. She has three small children, similar in age to my own two, and I can’t imagine what she’s going through. I can’t imagine continuing to live there, looking out the back door, and facing that constant reminder.

Naturally, tragedy makes me ponder my own life and confront my mortality. And I’ve been thinking about how much of my life I spend waiting for some future version of it—a version I’m not guaranteed to get.

I tell myself things like:

When I lose weight…
When I have more money…
When I have more subscribers…
When the kids are older…
When we retire…

Then what?

I’ll be happier? More satisfied? Finally feel like I’ve made “it”?

I think I’m realizing that I have a habit of making the future the place where I’m finally allowed to live. And I don’t want to do that anymore.

Because this is not my practice life.

Life is happening now.

Not yesterday.

Not tomorrow.

I don’t think the answer is to stop improving or wanting. I do want to grow my writing. I do want to save for retirement. I do want to move toward future goals.

But maybe the answer is both/and.

I can want to lose weight and buy clothes for the body I have today.

I can want to earn money from writing and decide it has value before I earn a single penny.

I can look forward to retirement and refuse to make it some elusive reward for suffering through a job I dislike.

I can want the future I’m working toward without treating the life I’m living right now like a waiting room.

I’m not entirely sure how to stop waiting.

But I’m thinking about it.

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on

The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on The Porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Follow me on Instagram here.

☕️ If you would like to support The Porch, you can buy me a coffee here.

If you’ve joined me on The Porch, you know I’m in a bit of a book slump—and you’ll definitely see that reflected in my thoughts below. Sometimes it’s a great book, but the timing isn’t right, and it just doesn’t land the way it normally would. I’m in one of those dips right now, but I’m confident I’m on the upswing!

If you’ve read any of these, let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear if you agree—or completely disagree—with my take.

Happy reading!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Using my links helps me continue creating and sharing free content here. 💛

The Divorce by Freida McFadden

Hot Take: I always enjoy a good Freida book! I love that they’re quick reads, fast-paced, and I never see the plot twist coming.

Admittedly, this isn’t one of my favorites by her—the first half dragged a bit for me, but then it picked up. The book uses the “unreliable narrator” premise, which was fine, but the story itself felt a bit like an actual case I’d see covered on 20/20.

That being said, you can’t go wrong with Freida’s books! I’d grab this one if you’re looking for a little thrill, a little wtf?, mixed with a healthy dose of wait, did this actually happen?

Read This if You Love: unreliable narrators • domestic thriller • 20/20-style twists • books that keep you guessing

📖 Read Now → The Divorce

Just for the Plot by Meghann Quinn

Hot Take: This one missed the mark for me, but clearly it’s a me thing because this book has repeatedly popped up on the romance bestseller list.

My honest thoughts: the book was too long. I don’t mind the “he falls first” trope, but Bennett was a bit of a pu$sy (wait, can I say pu$sy? 🤔 🫣 😅). The constant text threads asking his friends what to do/how to proceed? Secretly pining for years without one hint of your true feelings? Setting her up with someone else? It all felt…juvenile.

That being said, something kept drawing me back in, and I appreciated that the classic “brother’s best friend” trope was reversed—he was in love with his sister’s best friend.

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🌶️ (there’s a lot of talk about edging 😅)

Read This if You Love: he falls first • long-time pining •sister’s best friend •lots of spice •heroes who are completely gone for the girl

📖 Read Now → Just for the Plot

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

Hot Take: I’ve been thinking a lot about parallel universes, fate, and what-if romances. So when Expiration Dates popped up in my feed, it felt, well, like fate. 😅

This book surprised me! I thought I knew what I was getting: Daphne Bell receives mysterious notes for every relationship she’s in, with an expiration date that signals when the relationship will end. Interesting—and the premise vaguely reminded me of The Measure (one of my favorites of all time, and I still think about it!).

About halfway through, we’re thrown a curveball, and not gonna lie, at first I was like, wtf? I felt like we (the reader) had been a bit deceived. But by that point, I was so thoroughly invested in the story that I got over it quickly. I found myself rooting for Daphne and had my heart set on one specific love connection. I never read and tell, so you’ll have to read it for yourself to see if it all worked out! 😉

The book is a great love story, but it also makes you think about fate versus free will—and whether knowing what’s going to happen would actually change the choices you make.

Read This if You Love: magical realism • fate vs. free will • what-if romances • unexpected twists • books that make you think

📖 Read Now → Expiration Dates

📖 Know a book lover who’d enjoy Read & Recapped?

Share this post with a friend

Share

✨ One last thing: I don’t just read books—I write them, too! You can find my contemporary romance novels by CJ Martín here.

☕ Like reading along with me? You can buy me a coffee to support the next chapter.

Summer’s almost over, and I’d be lying if I said I’m not looking forward to crisp, cool mornings, pumpkin everything, and fall foliage.

But also, no.

Autumn, please don’t come, because I know it means my kids will be back in school (oh, how I will miss them even though summer days can be hard).

With my youngest starting kindergarten, my mama heart is not okay. There’s something bittersweet about watching the baby of the family reach all those milestones. The finality of it is hitting me hard.

☀️ What went well? Ehh, struggling to write this! Nothing was bad, but nothing was particularly great either. I guess I’m mostly grateful for surviving another week and finding joy in the mundane.

🌧️ What flopped? I forgot to text a dear friend on her birthday. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 😩 I didn’t forget her birthday per se, but my mind somehow didn’t register the calendar date. I felt so bad. I know we’re human and make mistakes, and she totally understood, but I felt like the worst friend ever.

🌱 What’s next? A Full Moon Sound Bath + Reiki session on the BEACH!!!!! My husband and I have done this once a year for the past four years, and it’s transformative. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Thank you for supporting The Porch!

recent porch faves + joys 💛

spa headbands — good quality for the price ($1 each! 🤯). They’re super soft, cute, and, most importantly, not tight. Perfect for washing your face—and they come in a pack of eight! Of course my daughter confiscated them and left me only one!

smart sensor light — a friend gifted me this light, and it’s a game-changer! The battery lasts a LONG time—I’ve yet to recharge it! It turns on when motion is detected and stays illuminated for 15 seconds. AND it’s magnetic, so you can remove it from the wall mount and use it like a flashlight.

I know this sounds like an advertisement 😅 but it is amazing and works so well in our dark stairwell! Bonus: it’s not ugly. 😂 10/10 recommend!

on my tbr radar — The Compound. I saw this posted by sarahflippingpages on IG and was intrigued. A little dark, a lot unhinged, and dystopian? This may be the one to get me out of my book funk (see below 😐)

book slump

Lately, my reading life has been lacking. It’s not for want of good books or recommendations. It’s just that nothing is landing.

I truly believe the right book finds you at the right time. And for me, right now, the timing has been off.

I’ve actually been reading a ton of short stories and serials on Substack! I’m so impressed by the quality of the writing and the authors’ dedication to publishing their work for free. If you know of any amazing authors or stories on Substack, please drop them in the comments!

P.S. In that same vein, I’m thinking of writing and publishing a short story of my own. I’ve never written one before—I tend to be long-winded in writing—and in life 🤣—but I have a fun idea for a meet-cute and thought…why not?

Stay tuned! Possibly coming to an inbox near you this September!

opting out

The sober lifestyle movement is becoming more and more popular in the United States. And I’m here for it!

When I tell people I don’t drink, they often expect a story about my own addiction or a rock-bottom tell-all. But for me, it was never about quitting a habit, but rather choosing not to start one.

I was taught never to talk about family “problems,” and to be honest, as an (almost) forty-three-year-old woman, I still have a hard time sharing this part of my life.

I grew up with an alcoholic father.

No lie, my fingers shook as I typed that line. Because my knee-jerk reaction is to shield, hide, and protect. I don’t want people to judge him, criticize him, or find out the truth.

It’s hard to describe my childhood because it wasn’t completely dark and horrible like you see in after-school specials. I wasn’t abused, and my basic needs were met. But there was a lot of instability. To this day, there is a lot of instability.

I won’t go into the details, and I honestly thought I was “over” most of it—if one could ever get over it, that is. But having kids of my own has reopened a lot of those old wounds and made me want, more than ever, to give them the childhood I never had.

The childhood I wish I had.

Opting out of alcohol feels like the most natural gift I can give my kids. I want peace and presence to be their baseline. I want them to grow up in a home where sobriety isn’t a struggle to be managed, but a quiet, joyful default.

So, no, I don’t drink.

No, I’m not judging you if you do.

I’ll still join in all the fun.

Just make mine a water!

planning breaks

This may seem like a silly thing to write about, but with the end of summer approaching, our schedule has been jam-packed. Mostly (okay, entirely) my doing.

It’s that feeling of not wanting to miss out on the “last hurrah,” so to speak. But man, oh man, my husband and I are running on fumes. 😵‍💫 😮‍💨 😴

So here’s my reminder to myself (and to you!): schedule breaks into the calendar.

With back-to-school gearing up—or already underway for some—there will always be extracurriculars, meetings, housework, jobs, and an endless pile of to-dos and obligations.

Protect your time by scheduling “at-home days.” Days with no rushing out the door and no dashing from one place to the next.

And while these “slower” days never truly turn out to be slow (life with young kids!), I appreciate the unstructured time to catch up on housework and laundry—and to give the kids plenty of downtime to do what they need most: just be kids.

Give it a try. Map out your week and leave one day completely free. Your future self will thank you!

what will they remember?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately because my brain still cannot believe our children are five and seven years old.

I’ll spare you all the clichés about how quickly time passes, but I will say this: the older I get, the faster it seems to move. And while I’m not trying to be all gloom and doom, I do believe we get one chance at this beautiful, precious life—and I want to make the most of our days.

Looking back over these years with our kids, I’ve started wondering: What truly matters? What will they remember and talk about when they’re older?

I suspect it won’t be the Christmas presents, the carefully planned meals, or whether the house was spotless.

But they’ll remember the holiday traditions. They’ll remember sitting down to eat dinner together every night as a family. They’ll remember the songs we sang, the things we always did, and, most of all, the feeling of home—all those little traditions that make up the backdrop of their childhood.

Here are a few ideas:

• Saturday or Sunday morning pancakes — A classic!

• One ridiculous song — The one everyone has to sing when it comes on in the car.

• The birthday person chooses dinner

• Family movie morning — We do this with our kids, and we all look forward to it!

• The same photo or pose every year — It’s so fun to see the pictures side by side.

• A special family recipe — A way to celebrate your family and remember the people you love.

What little traditions do you hope your family will always remember?

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on

The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on the porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Follow me on Instagram here

☕️ If you’d like to support The Porch, you can buy me a coffee here.

Hi friends, and welcome back! My kids found out their teacher assignments for the upcoming school year. It feels official now. Summer is winding down. Wherever you are, I hope you’re squeezing every last ounce of happiness, fun, and sunshine out of your days!

☀️ What went well? Went through our household budget and made updates as we approach the final quarter of 2026. I’m the weirdo who loves budgeting and crunching numbers. 😅

🌧️ What flopped? Lots of storms in our area this past week gave me terrible headaches. Is anyone else affected by changes in barometric pressure? It’s the worst. 😭

🌱 What’s next? A family trip to our local-ish amusement park. Going during the week (my husband got the day off!) so hopefully fewer crowds!

recent porch faves + joys 💛

this sign — but what if it does work out? Won’t you be happy you tried?

ice cream cake — a local shop sells individual slices for only $5! The perfect portion when you don’t want/need an entire cake.

summer campfires — kids, sticky marshmallows, and gooey s’mores. Doesn’t get much better.

Fingerbrush

Whether it's due to aging, postpartum, or the 2020 virus that shall not be named, my hair sheds a ton. A ton.

I’ve tried all the things—increased iron, increased protein, vitamins, fewer washes, not using heat or styling products… and guess what? I’m still shedding like a golden retriever in July.

But one thing I bought recently and love is this Olivia Garden Fingerbrush1. It is so gentle on hair and gives my flat hair some lift. I have even used it on my daughter’s hair, which is really thick and tangles easily. So. good.

making room for new stories

Up until yesterday, my kitchen table was quite literally filled with my kids’ books.

One thing I have always tried to instill in our kids is a love of reading. From the time they were babies, I have surrounded them with books—different types, sizes, and colors—and have always made them easily accessible.

As a former teacher, I feel strongly about raising readers. Strong reading skills touch virtually every subject in school (and life). I could write an entire post about this...maybe someday I will. 😅

But as my kids are growing, I have been going through their books and weeding out some to make room for new books.2

I've been in my feelings, remembering how many times we read certain stories, their excitement as they pointed to the pictures, and their sleepy little faces as we snuggled in for a book (or two, or three) before bed.

I’ve saved some of the more special ones (I know, I know, they are all special), but now I have tons of books that are ready to be passed on to another little one to treasure and enjoy.

Where do you pass on your books?

Some suggestions:

• local library

• Little Free Library (if available in your area)

• local Buy Nothing/Free Facebook groups

• local preschools and daycares—they are almost always underfunded and happy to receive donations!

netflix and…walk?

I don’t have much time to watch TV these days.

If I do, it’s at night watching something with my husband, so we need to find a series we both agree on. Or, we watch nothing at all, and I spend my free time (ha!) reading.

But sometimes I want to indulge, be a little selfish, and watch something no one else in my family is interested in.

Enter: Netflix and walk.

Every morning I get my butt out of bed and hop on my Peloton Tread. I use their “entertainment” feature, pop in my AirPods, and get to steppin’. I truly enjoy walking (low-impact, for the win), and time passes so quickly. I usually end up walking way longer than I expect because I’m invested in the show.

And you don’t need a fancy Peloton to do this! A walking pad and your phone will achieve the same result.

Some recents that I loved:

After — recommended by my cousin and sister, based on the books by Anna Todd. Loved it! I’ll never pass up a good girl/bad boy plot.

After We Collided — second in the “After” series. Good, but I wasn’t as invested as the first. Admittedly, I have commitment issues. There are five movies in this franchise 🤯

Stars Fell on Alabama — super cute rom-com! Hollywood starlet/agent fake dating goes back to hometown? All the tropes and all the swoon.

The Idaho Murders — I love 20/20 and Dateline-type shows, so this was right up my alley! Darker (obviously 😅) than the previous, but very good. Being from Pennsylvania, I followed this case closely and appreciated how much of the documentary focused on the victims rather than Kohberger.

EVs: love or hate?

My husband and I buy and keep our cars a long time. My current car is eleven years old, and we know it’s on borrowed time. So…we’re in the market for a new-to-us car.

Full disclosure: I hate the whole car-buying process, and it takes me forever to get used to driving a new car.

I’ve been intrigued by hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) for a while. But when the Rivian SUVs hit the market a few years ago, I thought they looked cool. Tesla was also on my radar, but admittedly, I don’t like the look of them as much. The idea of lower maintenance, combined with the soaring price of gas, made a full electric vehicle seem even more appealing.

So, my husband and I made an appointment to test-drive a Tesla to see what EVs were all about. And y’all, it was super cool. I was fully prepared to hate everything about it—the one screen controlling everything, one-pedal driving—but it was easier and more intuitive than I imagined.

We left the test drive more convinced than ever that an EV could be a good fit for our family.

Some considerations/caveats:

• We don’t live in a super EV-friendly area. Chargers are few and far between, but I know they add stations each year.

• I am the person who runs her gas tank to “0” miles left in range and bargains with God to get her to the nearest gas station. Every time, I swear I’ll do better…I never do. 😅 With that in mind, I’m low-key terrified that I will be stranded somewhere without a charge.

• We would like to purchase a pre-owned vehicle (1-2 years old), and I’m not sure how warranties, etc. work with used EVs.

• We would need to have a Level 2 charger installed in our garage. ($$$)

So, we’re not ready to pull the trigger yet. We are hoping to get another year out of my car 🤞🏻, but I would like to learn more and hear your experiences.

What is your take on EVs? Give me the good, the bad, and the ugly!

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on

The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on the porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Follow me on Instagram here

Yesterday my husband, Joe, and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. Some days our wedding day feels like a lifetime ago. Others, like it was yesterday. We were just two crazy kids deciding to build a life together. They say one of the most important decisions you'll ever make is choosing your life partner. While no one is perfect, I'm grateful I chose well and get to share this life with a wonderful partner.

Anniversaries look different in our house these days. Gone are the days of couples-only getaways, lavish gifts, and fancy adult dinners.

How have your anniversaries changed over the years?

☀️ What went well? Finished back-to-school shopping for my kids and stayed in budget!

🌧️ What flopped? So random, but my kids broke the middle seatbelt in my car. They love to yank on it, and for the life of me, I cannot get it to retract. I’ve tried everything, so I think it’s time to call the garage. I worry that it’s a safety hazard driving around with a fully extended, unlatched seatbelt.

🌱 What’s next? Soaking in the last days of summer with some pool time and a playdate with friends.

Years ago I read In Five Years by Rebecca Serle, and I loved it, so when Once and Again popped up in my feed I instantly requested it on Libby. As is the case with most popular books, the wait time was months, and to be honest, I forgot about it.

I was pleasantly surprised when I got the notification reminding me it was ready. My progress has been slow because I've been so tired at night this past week, but so far, so good! The premise is interesting: each woman in the family gets one “re-do,” a chance to change one event in their lives.

three kitchen gadgets I actually use

I’m not a minimalist but…I don’t love clutter. Two rules I follow before bringing anything into my house are:

1.) Does it have a purpose?

2.) Do I have a place for it?

These kitchen gadgets have passed the test and have genuinely made my time in the kitchen easier.

bargain: KitchenAid slider mat

Over the winter, I finally upgraded my KitchenAid stand mixer to the professional series. It’s bigger (and heavier) than my previous mixer, so I knew lifting it in and out of the cabinet would be cumbersome and annoying.

This bamboo slider mat1 is everything. I can easily push the mixer into the corner of my counter when not in use and slide it forward when I need it. So easy and convenient.

mid: Geedel Rotary Grater

Not gonna lie, I was skeptical about this one. I have a box grater; why did I need another tool to do the same thing?

I was wrong. So wrong.

I’ll commit and say this is one of our most used kitchen gadgets. Grating cheeses (even soft ones, like fresh mozzarella) is a breeze. It literally takes less than a minute, and it's so easy anyone can use it. Seriously, my sister saw my seven-year-old son using it and was instantly sold. It can also be used to shred vegetables, comes with three blades, and all parts are dishwasher-safe.

Save yourself from store-bought pre-shredded cheese and add this to your kitchen arsenal.

luxe: Technivorm Moccamaster 53930 KBGV 10-Cup Coffee Maker

This is a splurge and one I hesitated to share because should a coffee maker really cost this much? 🤔

Full disclosure: I am not a coffee drinker. Shocking, I know. But let me paint a picture:

My husband is a coffee aficionado. He loves a good cup of coffee, and when our old drip coffee maker bit the dust last fall, I went into full research mode to find the best at-home maker to surprise him with at Christmas.

This might sound crazy, but I actually ordered three coffee makers (so extra, I know) and had him complete a blind taste test. I was really hoping he wouldn’t pick the Moccamaster cup (spoiler alert: he did), and he hasn’t looked back. He loves this coffee pot. I’m not entirely sure of the science behind it… Something about the brewing temperature and the amount of time the water passes through the grounds?

As I said, not a coffee drinker. 😅

But all that to say, Moccamaster is reported to be one of the best. It’s a simple machine—there’s no clock, no auto brew, etc., but if you’re a coffee snob like my husband (or know someone who is), this might be worth checking out!

shop their closet first

Back-to-school shopping is in full swing, and I’d be lying if I said that it’s not different from my childhood. Nowadays, most of our shopping is done online, and if your kids are anything like mine, they don’t need a ton of new stuff—mostly because they get lots throughout the year.

We’re fortunate that our school district shares specific supplies needed according to grade level, so I’ve been chipping away at those items slowly when I see sales.

As far as clothing goes, in early August, I always take inventory of their closets and drawers. I weed out what’s too small, what is stained, and what they truly need for the upcoming year.

Clothes they’ve outgrown either get sold at our local consignment shop or donated.

Stained clothing goes into their "play clothes" drawer, and both of my kids know these are a no-go for school. I can’t tell you how many arguments this avoids when my daughter inevitably picks out her favorite (i.e., stained) shirt.

As I sort, I make a list for each kid. Yes, I write it down (or put it in my notes app) because I will forget. 😅 Then, I use said list when shopping online or in-store. This avoids buying something they don’t need and overspending.

It has truly been helpful and also motivates me to clean out their packed closets.

How do you navigate back-to-school shopping? Can a clothing inventory work for your family?

as happy as a kid in a candy store

If you've ever spent much time around kids, you might have noticed how little it takes to make them happy. Almost every parent I know has said, We spend so much money on toys, and the kids want to play with cardboard boxes…or toilet paper tubes…or plastic kitchen bowls…you get the idea.

Bigger or more expensive isn’t better to them. There’s no expectation, no comparison. Just joy. Pure joy.

Recently we took our kids to our local trampoline park—loads of fun for them, sensory overload for my husband and me. Oh, the things you do for your kids.

But what really got me was the look on their faces: excitement, joy, pure bliss. And the saying "as happy as a kid in a candy store" immediately came to mind. I looked at my husband and asked, "When was the last time you were as happy as they are right now?"

Embarrassingly, we both had trouble answering that question. In this season of our lives, most of our time is dedicated to raising our kids, providing for them, and keeping our household running.

Yes, there are tons of joyful moments, smiles, and happy memories.

But that’s not what I was asking that day.

What I meant was: what brings you—not the parent, the spouse, the employee—joy?

Don’t think. Just answer.

Mine? A beach house rental in early October. No crowds, just me, the waves, lots of books and writing.

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on

The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on the porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

Recent Porch Faves + Joys 💛

fresh summer tomatoes - so yummy and amazing when used in this bruschetta recipe.

on aging - 90s kids forever! If you’re in your 40s, this account will make you lol.

legos with the kids - building and designing with Legos never gets old. My kids finally graduated from Duplo to the traditional-sized bricks.

homemade pasta - a few simple ingredients and tastes so much better than boxed. I use this recipe.

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Follow me on Instagram here

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

Welcome to The Porch—a Sunday morning check-in. A few quiet minutes to reflect on the week behind us and the one ahead. Pull up a chair, get comfy, and let’s catch up.

Welcome, August! We’re in the final month of summer. With it come mixed emotions: I can’t believe we made it, and, also, I don’t want it to be over. That’s the life of a mom, I guess. Whatever you're feeling, I hope you find a little time to do something just for fun. You deserve it.

☀️ What went well? Mapping out August goals—feeling motivated 💪🏻

🌧️ What flopped? Purchased new headbands—too tight and need to send back 😩

🌱 What’s next? Update my books’ keywords using Publisher Rocket. Wish me luck 🤞🏻

what type of reader are you?

For years, I was a bit of a book snob—I always reached for a physical book. There’s just something about holding a book in your hands and the smell of the pages. Where are my fellow bibliophiles at? 📚

Somewhere along the way, I switched to a Nook before eventually settling on my Kindle Paperwhite. These days, 99.9% of what I read is digital. My bookshelves are already overflowing, and the convenience is hard to beat. I love downloading a book instantly, reading in bed without turning on a light, and picking up where I left off in the Kindle app if my Kindle isn't nearby.

I’m curious... what kind of reader are you? Do you prefer physical books, e-books, or are you really throwing a wrench into things and listening to audiobooks? Or maybe you’re a mix of all three?

Sadly, I've never been able to get into audiobooks. I've tried! They would've been perfect during my commute when I was teaching, especially because I get hours of premium audiobooks with my Spotify subscription. But for whatever reason, my brain just refuses to cooperate—I'll get to the end of a chapter and realize I couldn't tell you a single thing that happened.

soft launch

If there’s one thing you need to know about me, it’s this: I’m an all-or-nothing person. I’m either one green smoothie away from becoming a wellness influencer or one (or ten) cookie(s) away from telling myself I’ll start over Monday.

As a busy mom of a certain age (ahem, 42), my body has changed a lot. I can't even blame pregnancy—I lost all the baby weight both times. But somewhere after 40, everything changed.

I won’t tell you my weight (that’s between me and God 😅), but I will share my goal: to lose twenty-five pounds by Christmas 2026.

I’ve attempted (and failed) numerous “diets” 4,959,845 times, so this time around I’m trying something a little different.

Three healthy habits that feel realistic and sustainable for this season of life. With two kids home for summer, laundry to fold, and books to write... your girl ain't got time for a complete lifestyle overhaul.

Three healthy habits:

no snacking after dinner—I know for some this is challenging, but I’m naturally not a snacker, and I always announce to my kids after the dishes are washed: "The kitchen is closed."

no sugar drinks—I don’t drink alcohol (I plan to talk more about this in a later volume), but I love sweetened iced tea and the occasional fountain soda. Empty calories seemed like the easiest place to start. Ask me again when I’m enjoying chips and guacamole…

walk 20 minutes a day—Six days a week, I get my butt out of bed before the kids wake up and walk on my Peloton tread. Some mornings I do more, but 20 minutes is the minimum because I figure it's one mile and something good for my heart.

So that's it. You may roll your eyes and think, is that all? But for me, in this season of life, it's all the energy I can dedicate to my wellness.

Maybe someday this soft launch turns into something bigger. But for now, this season gets Version 1.0—and honestly, that's enough.

What are some (small) habits that you can incorporate into your daily routine that your body and mind will thank you for later?

is color analysis worth it?

I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for seven years, and I fear I’ve fallen into every stereotype imaginable.

Dowdy, worn-out clothes? Check.

Hair in a messy bun? Check.

A body I no longer recognize—or know how to dress? Check and check.

I saw a post in a local mom group on Facebook about color analysis. I’d heard of it before, but I didn’t really know what it was or where to get it done. Several women recommended House of Colour, saying it helped boost their confidence and finally gave them a sense of personal style.

My husband and kids gifted me a session at our local studio for Mother’s Day, and it turned out to be such a fun, unique experience.

I left knowing my “wow” colors, my season (turns out I’m an Autumn, which makes my heart ridiculously happy because fall is my favorite season), a 90-second makeup routine, and even a list of websites where I can shop by season so finding flattering colors is much easier.

Was it worth it?

For me, yes—but only if you're actually ready to use what you learn.

On one hand, it was a genuinely fun morning, and it was fascinating to see how dramatically different colors could brighten—or completely wash out—my face. I also discovered I’ve been choosing the wrong colors for most of my life. 😅

On the other hand, it’s expensive (over $400 😳). When you consider it’s a highly personalized, one-on-one experience and you leave with everything you need to make more confident wardrobe choices, the price makes sense.

The reason I hesitate to recommend it wholeheartedly is that I haven't yet applied what I learned.

I’m still wearing the same clothes I wore before, and the idea of overhauling my wardrobe feels overwhelming.

I keep telling myself I’ll buy a few new pieces once I’ve lost some weight (see above!). And before you come for me—I know I deserve clothes that fit and make me feel good at every size. I truly believe that.

But I also know myself.

Right now, I’m not comfortable in my body, and I don’t want to invest in an entirely new wardrobe that I hope won’t fit me a few months from now. So for now, I'm sticking with my well-loved leggings circa 2018... and maybe adding an Autumn-colored sweater this fall.

If you’re curious but not quite ready to invest in an in-person color analysis, Colorwise.me is a fun (and free!) place to start. It won’t replace professional draping, but it can give you a good idea of your season.

long live the rom-com

Rom-coms have a special place in my heart. Sure, they’re predictable. Sometimes they’re cheesy. But they’re also comforting, hopeful, and guaranteed to leave me smiling by the time the credits roll.

I recently watched Voicemails for Isabelle and absolutely loved it. Think You’ve Got Mail (an all-time favorite that I watched way too many times as a tween), but reimagined for 2026—voicemails instead of AOL emails.

I genuinely enjoyed watching Wes and Jill fall in love, and I already know this is one I’ll reach for again on a rainy day, snuggled up in my favorite robe with a cozy blanket.

That got me thinking about all the rom-coms I’ve loved over the years, so I put together my own Rom-Com Hall of Fame—a mix of timeless classics, nostalgic favorites, and the movies I’d recommend to just about anyone.

How many have you seen? And more importantly... which one would you add to the Hall of Fame? 💛

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on

The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on the porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

Recent Porch Faves + Joys 💛

beach bums - family vacation, watching the kids play happily while the waves crashed in the background. Summer at its best. Not pictured: finding sand everywhere for days. 😅

this sign - spotted at an antique store while on vacation, made me lol

bienvenue - my Paris-loving heart adores this welcome mat, also spotted while vacationing. Sadly not for sale, and I can’t find it anywhere to buy online.

a new read - one of my favorite notifications: Libby hold is ready!

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Follow me on Instagram here

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

Four books. Four moods. One perfect match.

When I was a little girl, I had a mood ring. It was flimsy, probably from the Dollar Store, and I was obsessed with it. I studied the changing colors, convinced they could predict exactly how I felt.

As an adult, I’ve noticed that my reading life works the same way. While swoony and spicy (SAS) romance will always have my heart, my reading tastes change with my mood. Some days I want a thriller, others a cozy escape, a fascinating nonfiction read, or a love story that makes me swoon.

If you’re a fellow mood reader, you’re in the right place. Here are this week's Mood Ring Reads—four books for four different moods!

Welcome to July’s reading roundup! How was your reading month? What moods have you been gravitating toward?

For me, it’s been romance with a splash of nonfiction to satisfy my inner nerd 😅 If you’ve joined me on The Porch, you know I’ve been pushing through The Idea of You, and I’m happy to report I’ve (finally) finished it! Keep reading to hear my thoughts and what else kept me company during this hot month of July.

Happy reading!

End of Story

by Kylie Scott

Mood: ❤️ Swoony + Spicy

Hot Take: This was fun, funny, and wonderfully original—even if it wasn't quite an all-night page-turner.

I’m a huge Kylie Scott fan. I fell in love with her Stage Dive series years ago, and Jimmy will forever be one of my favorite book boyfriends. I haven’t read a book from Scott in a while, so I was excited to find End of Story when I was scrolling through KU.

The premise intrigued me: a divorce certificate found buried in the wall, post-dated ten years in the future by two characters who are not currently in a relationship?

Color me curious.

A lot is going on between these characters—dating history, relationship insecurities, and family drama. I thoroughly enjoyed Susie’s inner monologue and laughed out loud at several parts. Lars's appeal came through in little moments—a slow arch of an eyebrow, a small smirk—and somehow it worked.

There were some spicy bits but nothing too over the top. It enhanced the plot, rather than drove it. Overall, this was a fun, easy read. It didn’t give “couldn’t put down” vibes, but I found myself genuinely invested in seeing how it all played out and what became of their mysterious divorce certificate and whether or not the prediction came true.

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Read This if You Love: witty banter • relationship drama •romances with just enough spice.

📖 Read Now → End of Story

The Psychology of Money

by Morgan Housel

Mood: 💛 Thought-Provoking

Hot Take: This is one of the most approachable money books I've ever read.

Although I am very interested in finances and budgeting, I don’t read a lot of books solely on money—does anybody? 🤔 This book was interesting because it focused on how people think about money—their habits, behaviors, and motivations.

I appreciated the short chapters and how the author used vignettes to illustrate his points, often using well-known public figures, and I found myself sharing interesting tidbits with my husband on more than one occasion. It felt very relatable and left me feeling hopeful, rather than overwhelmed.

This is a book you can read a little at a time and come back to later. You can even read it out of order—each chapter is its own mini-lesson.

Read This if You Love: personal finance •habit-building • behavioral psychology • books that make you think differently without feeling preachy.

📖 Read Now → The Psychology of Money

The Idea of You

by Layne Fargo

Mood: ❤️ Swoony + Spicy

Hot Take: I know I'm in the minority...but I liked the movie better.

I didn’t love this book. What am I missing?

Age gaps don’t generally bother me... to each his own and all that. But the fact that the author kept referencing how much younger Hayes was and saying things like “you’re such a boy” or “you’re practically a baby” was incredibly off-putting. To me, it almost felt like Solène was attracted to how young he seemed, which made me uncomfortable.

Also, Solène’s daughter was a superfan of the boyband and in love with Hayes. Not saying children should dictate parents’ dating life, but (in my opinion), Solène acted in complete disregard of her daughter’s feelings and then was surprised by her daughter’s reaction.

I also didn’t like how, for the first half (maybe more?) of the relationship, Solène was okay with Hayes sleeping with other people? Then suddenly he declares he’s stopped sleeping with anyone else, so now they don’t need to use protection.

I never (and I mean never) say this, but I liked the movie better than the book. I know, I know. I can’t believe it either.

But hey, I’m definitely in the minority. This novel was a sleeper hit during the pandemic and clearly has a strong following. If you do decide to pick up the book and you've already seen the movie, just know the ending is VERY different.

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Read This if You Love: celebrity romances • forbidden relationships •emotional angst • age gap

📖 Read Now → The Idea of You

The Most Fun We Ever Had

by Claire Lombardo

Mood: 💛 Thought-Provoking

Hot Take: This may be one of my favorite family sagas I've ever read.

I adored this book. Seriously, I wish I could go back in time and reread it as if for the first time.

The novel follows the lives of Marilyn Connelly and David Sorenson, who fall in love during the 1970s. It alternates between the present day and flashbacks, highlighting pivotal moments in each family member’s life. In the present day, the couple has been married for over forty years, and each of their four adult daughters faces her own struggles and keeps her own secrets.

The family dynamics are rich and complex. It’s the story of the parents and four daughters and the complexities of human relationships.

At times, I related to all of the characters, which were incredibly well-developed. Coming from a family of three sisters, the author so accurately described the unique relationship between sisters. As a mother and a wife, I related to Marilyn’s struggles of trying not to lose herself in motherhood, while also feeling she was failing as a mother.

This book was not plot-driven (i.e., no main problem to solve with a goal-based ending) but rather a peek into the lives of one family. I promise this book has something for everyone.

Read This if You Love: sprawling family sagas • complicated sister relationships • richly developed characters • literary fiction that stays with you.

📖 Read Now → The Most Fun We Ever Had

Now tell me: What's the best book you've read lately? Or are there any books you'd like me to read for a future Mood Ring Reads? Let me know in the comments!

📖 Know a book lover who’d enjoy Mood Ring Reads?

Share this post with a friend

Share

✨ One last thing: I don’t just recommend books—I write them, too! You can find my contemporary romance novels by CJ Martín here.

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

Welcome to The Porch. A Sunday morning check-in—a few quiet minutes to reflect on the week behind us and the one ahead. Here’s a peek at what’s been filling my week: books, shows, life lately, and the things that made me smile. Pull up a chair, get comfy, and let’s catch up.

Welcome back to The Porch, friend.

How was your week? I hope you found some moments that made you smile.

This week my kids finished their last week of library camp, and I have been hustling to get my son to his karate dojo so he’ll be able to test next week… he needs four more classes. Wish me luck! 🤞🏻 Other than that, it’s been uneventful. The sun has been shining, the air quality is better, and we’re just boppin’ along.

☀️ What went well? I got my butt out of bed and got some steps in early in the day! After weeks of minimal exercise, it felt good to move my body and break a sweat!

🌧️ What flopped? Butter fingers. I have no idea what happened to me this week, but I feel like everything I touched, I either dropped or broke. I dropped an entire glass jar full—did I mention it was full?—of mini pretzels in our pantry. It took me over an hour to clean it up, and I am still finding slivers of glass days later.

🌱 What’s next? A quick beach getaway! We’re heading to our local(ish) beach for two days, and the kids are very excited. I’m not the biggest fan of sunbathing (especially as I get older), but I love playing and building in the sand with the kids and splashing in the waves!

Author Update

I’ve spent the past week updating the back matter of my book catalog. When my kids were born, I basically stopped life and let my books die a slow death on Amazon. To my fellow authors: 10/10 don’t recommend doing that.

My catalog isn’t extensive, but six books is still six books, and it’s taken me a lot longer than I anticipated. What started as a simple task in my brain—go in, update back matter, and re-upload to Amazon—has become a full-fledged book audit. I’ve spent every free second of my week proofing my books and regretfully (I am SO embarrassed to admit this 🫣) fixing silly typos and grammar errors that were missed upon publication. I’ve made it through three of my six books, so decent-ish progress.

Next, I will tackle keywords. My current ones are… 😳 🫣 😂 I'm still getting up to speed, as the self-publishing landscape has changed dramatically in the past seven years.

The mountain is tall, but I keep trucking.

All that to say, I’ve actually been re-reading one of my books. Snowbound was the first book I ever wrote; a virgin romance between a hot, Norwegian professional snowboarder and a college student who happened to be visiting the ski resort. The idea came to me one night while freezing my you-know-what off while snow-tubing with my husband and some of our friends.

I’m not sure if all writers experience this or if it’s unique to me, but I’m in awe that I actually wrote this book. Like, it’s hard to believe that such a beautiful, tension-filled love story came from my mom-addled brain. I am thoroughly enjoying falling in love with Anders and Elena all over again. And now, I’m really motivated to finish the follow-up book in the duet, Snow Baby—JJ and Erika’s story!

You can read Snowbound here. It’s free in KU (you know, I’m a fan!) and since readers (apparently?) love seeing all the tropes here, ya go:
virgin romance • forced proximity • one bed • unexpected pregnancy • coming of age

As the mom, AKA the sole person in charge of what everyone eats in my house for every meal, I rely on meal planning to keep me sane. But with the chaos of a busy summer, my meal planning ways have all but gone out the window.

Lately, we’ve been eating a combo of simple, quick meals and/or what’s left in the fridge. But this week, I felt like I had my life together (somewhat?) and I actually planned our meals and tried a new recipe.

Enter chuck roast pasta. I like chuck roast, and I love pasta…color me intrigued. The recipe didn’t disappoint—my husband and I loved it, but my kids gave it a thumbs down. Keep in mind, my kids do have a very refined palate and prefer frozen chicken nuggets and Kraft mac & cheese. 😂

I followed the recipe (mostly), but I did braise the roast in the oven rather than cook on the stovetop. We enjoyed this for two meals during the week, and I still had a decent amount leftover to freeze for another night.

Sleep Divorce

A few nights ago I was listening to a wellness podcast and the host mentioned a "sleep divorce," and my first thought was, "Well... that's either the saddest thing I've ever heard or the smartest."

A “sleep divorce” is when married couples intentionally sleep in separate rooms for various reasons—snoring, different sleep schedules, restless sleeping, different temperature preferences, etc.

I won’t bother you with all of my sleep woes, but trust me, I cannot turn off my brain. My husband’s head barely hits the pillow, and he’s out like a light. Meanwhile, my brain is replaying moments from 2003.

My husband will kill (kill!) me for sharing this, but his snoring is next level. The number of times that I have whisper-hissed his name in the middle of the night, or when that doesn’t work, elbowed him 🫣 is… a lot of times.

So naturally this concept appealed to me. We're not there, mostly because we don’t have a spare bedroom, but maybe one day? It did make me wonder why we've attached so much meaning to sharing a bed when sharing a life is what really matters.

Shouldn’t a good marriage be measured by how well you care for each other and not where you sleep? And, if you are sleeping down the hall, please think of me kindly when you close your eyes and drift off into eight uninterrupted hours of bliss.

Tired but Trying

Recently spotted this mug at my local Kohl’s, and I think this may be my mantra for the summer. Y’all, I am TIRED, but man, am I trying.

This is my reminder (and yours) to slow the heck down. Life be lifin’, time passes quickly, but are you actually enjoying the days? Or do you rush from one thing to the next and never really slow down to enjoy yourself?

In the busyness of our family, with two kids home all day, all summer, I sometimes feel like a robot: wake up, cook, clean, do laundry…rinse and repeat.

But some moments stop me dead in my tracks—moments when I look at my children and think: I am so glad you are mine, and all the rushing and work and tiredness is worth it. Because hey, we’re all tired, but we are trying.

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on

The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on the porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

Recent Porch Faves + Joys 💛

a good song on the radio - in a Spotify streaming world, does anyone listen to the radio anymore? A song is just better when it randomly comes on the radio. Singing along is not optional.

nugget-style ice cube molds - a Coke with these ice cubes just hits after a long, hot day. Silicone molds that are easy to fill and reusable, perfect nugget-sized cubes, and no bulky ice machine? Yes, please!

blueberry buckle cake - this was a Brunch with Babs recipe, and it didn’t disappoint. It makes a ton and was such a hit at our picnic!

afternoon coloring on the porch - my kids are getting older, but it’s moments like this, spent together, quiet and coloring on the porch, that I will look back on and treasure forever.

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Follow me on Instagram here

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

Welcome to The Porch. A Sunday morning check-in—a few quiet minutes to reflect on the week behind us and the one ahead. Here’s a peek at what’s been filling my week: books, shows, life lately, and the things that made me smile. Pull up a chair, get comfy, and let’s catch up.

Welcome back to The Porch, friend.

This week was jam-packed, and while I am grateful to have family and friends and a busy calendar, I found myself wishing for a quiet afternoon to gather my thoughts and spend time at home—I am nothing if not a homebody.

To add fuel to the fire—no pun intended—my state has fallen under severe air quality alerts due to the Canadian wildfires. These past few days, we’re all a little stir crazy from being “trapped” inside. Thinking of all the people who are affected and hoping everyone stays safe!

☀️ What went well? We were fortunate to spend a lot of family time together this week. We spent the week at a truck museum (my husband's request), a trampoline park (my kids' request), and saw a local play adapted from the beloved Mo Willems’ Piggy and Elephant books. If you have children: have you read these books? They are so fun, and I credit this series for helping my son fall in love with reading.

🌧️ What flopped? Dumplings fail. If you’re a mom living in the U.S. with an elementary or tween-aged child, you’ve probably heard of the viral Dumplings that are circulating on TikTok. My kids were randomly gifted one each by their uncle, and ever since then, they’ve been asking for them nonstop. The problem? They are nearly impossible to find. The number of times I’ve trekked to 5 Below and left with two disappointed children is more than I care to admit.

🌱 What’s next? A quieter week (hopefully) and one last week of library camp as we near the end of July. And one more 5 Below attempt—word on the street is that they’re getting their delivery on Tuesday, and I was advised to get there early (i.e., before the store opens) because there’s always a line. Hopefully, in next week’s Porch, I will be reporting back that I have secured the goods!

Earlier this week, I spotted a trending books sign at my local library. A lot of the books that made the list are on my radar, and I am (not so) patiently waiting for my holds to come through on Libby. However, one of the books I was able to grab immediately through Kindle Unlimited is The Divorce by Freida McFadden. It already has that signature Freida McFadden quality of grabbing you immediately. I’m curious to see what happens because the main character comes across as a bit clueless and naive (even though she is a trained doctor, so we know she’s smart), but I have a feeling this is intentional, and I’ll be shaking my head at the twist I didn’t see coming as the book progresses.

Also, I am in desperate need of a good romance. My perfect romance is a believable plot, likeable characters, and incredible tension that builds to a spicy payoff 😉 I know there are TONS of romances available through Kindle Unlimited, but lately I’ve been finding duds. Admittedly, I am picky, but can someone help a girl out? My favorite tropes are friends-to-lovers (swoon), rockstar romance (sigh), and fake dating/marriage (the one bed bit never gets old!) Please (please!) leave me some good reads in the comments!

I randomly found The Exception by Allyson Lindt. She is a new-to-me author, and I hesitated to buy the book because it’s listed as book number four of the series. I am hit or miss with series—I have commitment issues 😅—has anyone read any of her books? Please let me know!

Birthday traditions

“Birthday” month is in full swing at our house. Both of my children and my husband, whom I consider my biggest kid 😅, are all born in July.

Some people don’t like a lot of fanfare on their birthdays.

We are not those people.

We embrace birthdays full force and try to make the day as special as possible. And while I’m not (nor will I ever be) the over-the-top birthday party planner mom—no part of me desires to plan an extravagant birthday party for a five-year-old—we do let our kids pick the place they want to visit, within reason. Full disclosure: BOTH of my kids asked to go to the Kirby Cafe in Japan this year, which was not on the calendar or in our budget 😂. We also let them pick their favorite meal—it could be at home or a restaurant. This year my daughter chose our local Mexican restaurant (she looked adorable in the oversize sombrero they put on their birthday guests) and my son chose pizza from his favorite pizzeria. Birthdays in our house have become mini "yes" days, and we all look forward to them.

Somewhere along the way, my older sister—who has always been an incredibly gifted artist—became our family's official cake designer. Because she is extra (love you, Sis!), she indulges every whim my children request, and nothing is too big or too complicated for her to tackle.

The cake flavors themselves don’t vary much—usually plain ol’ chocolate or vanilla—but my husband always requests this rainbow cake, and something about it is just so fun when celebrating a birthday! Admittedly, it is a pain because you have to make all of the individual layers, but hey, I’m not the one making it! 😅 Also, I know food dyes are bad and make it a point to avoid them regularly, but once a year? Let me live!

Below are some of my favorites throughout the years—my kids are young, so there are a lot of Disney-themed and cartoon cakes, but they are all so beautifully done! I had so much fun looking through these photos and reliving all those special moments.

The older my kids get, the less I remember the presents and the more I remember the rituals. Maybe that's why traditions matter so much—they become the memories.

What are some birthday traditions you celebrate with your loved ones?

Which one is your favorite?

Low or No Spend Month

Lately I feel like we have been hemorrhaging money. As a single-income family, budgeting is super important to helping us stay on track and manage our monthly finances.
Recently, we've had a few unexpected expenses...including one that literally started smoking in our driveway, and with all the birthdays (see previous paragraph lol), our outgoing bills are higher than I’d like them to be.

Enter the “low” or “no spend” month. Have you heard of this? If you’re unfamiliar, the basic concept is to eliminate all non-essential discretionary purchases for a given time period (usually thirty days). You only spend money on absolute necessities like rent, utilities, groceries, and debt payments.

In total transparency, I have tried this once before, and it didn’t go well. And if I’m being completely honest, with back-to-school shopping around the corner, it may prove more difficult than I like, but I am going to try!

I’m in the habit of picking up things that I anticipate we will need (school supplies, for example) when they are on sale, so I’ve already picked up and stashed away: lunchboxes for both kids, crayons, dry erase markers, and erasers. I plan to re-use my son’s backpack from last year (it’s in good condition), and thankfully, both kids already have pretty simple wardrobes—especially my son. Shorts (or joggers) and a T-shirt are basically his uniform, so I don't expect we'll need much clothing.

And now for the (major) unexpected expense…

My husband has a 1990 Jeep Cherokee. It’s in excellent condition (or so we thought 😅), and every now and then we pile the kids inside and pretend it’s 1995. The thing is basically a time capsule.

Last week, we took it to a church picnic about thirty minutes from home—the longest drive we’ve ever attempted in it. It was also incredibly hot, so naturally we had the AC blasting. (Calling it “blasting” is generous. If you’ve ever ridden in an older vehicle, you know the AC is more of a suggestion than an actual cooling system.)

After the picnic—and, of course, an ice cream stop—we were almost home when my husband suddenly shut off the AC. The temperature gauge was climbing, the Jeep was overheating...and so was I. 😅

We limped into our driveway just in time. The moment he turned off the engine, smoke started billowing from under the hood while fluid gushed onto the driveway. For a brief moment, we genuinely thought the whole thing was about to catch fire.

Long story short, the Jeep was towed to the garage, and after multiple repairs, the mechanic still isn’t entirely sure what’s wrong because fixing the original problem... didn’t actually fix the problem.

My husband is mourning the loss of his Jeep.

I’m mourning the loss of our bank account.

Wellness Practice

I’ll be the first to admit that I am pretty terrible about maintaining any sort of wellness practice. Starting them? I am great. But somewhere around day three or four, my enthusiasm peters out, and I quit. Then I feel bad that I missed it. I sulk for a bit until I find my next “it” thing and the cycle begins again.

But the one thing that I have actually been sticking with—and looking forward to—is doing a nightly stretch. It is the perfect wind-down to my day, and it feels so good in my body.

I love that it’s not a huge time commitment (generally 10 to 15 minutes), and I like knowing that I am doing something good for myself, especially on the days when I've given every ounce of time and energy to my family. I love the full-body stretches on Peloton. You cannot go wrong with an Adrian Williams stretch—his classes are such a vibe—great music and long holds. If you don’t have access to Peloton, there are a ton of free stretching classes on YouTube. This is one of my absolute favorites. This neck and shoulder sequence saved me in those early postpartum days when my baby was attached to me 24/7. And in today’s modern world, with all of us glued to our phones and computers, all our necks could use a little extra love.

Maybe this week's lesson is that life rarely goes according to plan. Cars break down. Budgets get stretched. Kids ask to fly to Japan for lunch. 😂 But we can still find small ways to take care of ourselves in the middle of it all.

What is one wellness practice—big or small—that you can do for yourself this week? Little moments yield big gains, and your mind and your body will thank you!

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on

The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on the porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

Recent Porch Faves

these wide-mouth 1-gallon mason jars - Amazing glass jars! Durable and work perfectly for storing large bags of flour and sugar. A little pricey but very good quality!

afternoon snacks on the porch - sun-kissed skin, playing with the garden hose, and yummy snacks. What more can a kid want?

bird watching in the morning - our whole family is invested in the birds who visit our feeder.

beautiful sand art - I’m in awe of Andrew Clemen’s sand art from the late 1800s. His pieces are incredibly detailed and all done by hand. Worth googling to see the beautiful, intricate designs. In 2020, a bottle sold at auction for $275,000. 🤯

USB rechargeable lighter - little but mighty, and comes in SUPER handy when lighting all those birthday candles. Holds a charge for forever!

fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies—because, why not?

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Follow me on Instagram here

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

Subscribe now

Being a mom is hard. Day in and day out, for better or worse, you show up for your babies. You love them more than words can express and would do anything for them without question. But also, you’re exhausted and a little confused. Is this as hard for everyone?

The answer is yes. You are not alone. And this is my love letter to you.

Dear exhausted mom,

I don’t have time to start writing this letter. In fact, I’ve sat down at my computer no less than ten times to write to you, to share my feelings, but I have been consistently interrupted.

And now that I have found a few precious minutes, I don’t know how to start. My words are jumbled, my mind jumping from one item on my to-do list to the next, my brain foggy. Why? Because I, too, am an exhausted mom.

There are moments, days even, when I hold back the tears because I am so overwhelmed, so exhausted, so done that I don’t think I can manage to make one more decision.

Motherhood is scary. Somehow I feel both built for it and wholly unprepared for it. I don’t really know what I’m doing. Am I doing it right? Am I doing enough? Am I selfish because I need five minutes—just five minutes—to do something mindless, like scroll through my phone so I don’t have to think so much? Is it wrong that I want to scream (but don’t) when my three-year-old touches me for the thousandth time on any given day? Is it normal for my brain to never fully stop, even when I’m sleeping? Do other mothers worry this much? Is it this hard for them? Are they just as tired as me?

Because in full honesty...I am an over-touched, overworked, exhausted mom.

Social media: An Exhausted Mom’s Kryptonite.

In a culture that thrives on comparison and information overload, it’s nearly impossible not to venture down the rabbit hole. Secretly, I envy my mother (and the mothers of previous generations) because although they too were exhausted, they didn’t have to contend with the constant self-doubt and comparison that social media brings.

Open any social media app on my phone, and you will be bombarded with the latest and greatest sensory bin activities, meal prep ideas, or how-tos on “gentle parenting.” Information crashes over us like a tidal wave, and within seconds, the self-doubt and comparison start.

My inner dialogue at any given point:

Should I have sensory stations set up for my kids?

If I only cut my kids’ fruit into those fun little star shapes, they’d eat more.

My kids would be fill-in-the-blank if I only did XYZ.

Maybe my kids need to be in more activities like so-and-so’s kids.

It continues like this. And yes, there are TONS of great ideas to be found online—I have used many of them in my own life with my kids! But also, how can I possibly do all of these things? Be all of these things?

The answer is: I can’t.

Comparison is the thief of all joy.

I think it’s okay (and healthy) to say out loud that what we see online and what others do for their children are examples of what parenting can look like. An idea. A suggestion.

What it shouldn’t be is a one-size-fits-all, do this, or you’re a failure type mentality. Social media is great...until it isn’t.

Did my mother fret endlessly over having multiple sensory bin stations for me and my sisters to play with? No. Did my mother limit screen time (back then, simply called TV time)? No. Did my sisters and I turn out okay? Yes.

The point is, my mom trusted her instincts and relied on advice from her mother. She didn’t consult Google every 2 seconds or spend hours scouring Pinterest for the best Valentine’s Day cards—she bought them from the grocery store and went on doing the important things like living her life and letting us be kids.

But nowadays that’s inadequate. There are standards. A level of expectation.

But what happens when you fall short?

Because you will fall short. Maybe not today, but eventually, you will.

Or even worse, you’ll burn out, and reach the end of your rope...what then?

Because motherhood is hard.

How many decisions does a mom make every day?

I recently heard that moms make around 35,000 decisions every day. Per day.

While I’m not convinced it’s quite that high (although maybe it is), we, as moms, are calling all of the shots. Not just for our own lives, but our children’s as well. Couple that with household and financial decisions, and it’s no wonder that we’re exhausted. Managing both the physical and mental load of motherhood is not easy and predominantly falls on the mother—no matter how supportive the other partner may be.

This is sometimes referred to as being the “default parent.”

Being the default parent is hard.

You know the one. You probably are the one.

The one who prepares snacks and packs the diaper bag. The parent who ensures there are enough diapers and milk. The one who knows clothes sizes, medication lists, and where the favorite pacifier is. The one who kisses “ouchies” and brushes their teeth at bedtime.

Sure, you’re a super mom and the one your baby wants, but it takes its toll.

It’s a double-edged sword.

I love being the default parent... and sometimes I quietly resent it.

At times it’s hard not to be a touch resentful when my partner slides easily into the warm car, as both of my kids simultaneously demand that I be the one to get them each in their car seats while it downpours.

So where does this leave us, friend?

In solidarity, together. Acknowledging that this is hard. It’s not just you. You aren’t alone.

I see you.

I hear you.

I am you.

And while I don’t have the answers to magically make it any easier, from one exhausted mom to another, give yourself grace. Every day won’t be perfect, and you will make mistakes, but the truth is, no one else can be their mom the way you can.

I know you don’t hear it enough, but you are doing a great job. Truly.

Okay, mama. Now it's time to shut down your phone, get some sleep, and hopefully tomorrow you'll feel a little less exhausted.

Before you go…

Know a mom who could use these words today? Share this essay with her. Sometimes the best gift we can give another mom is the reminder that she isn’t alone. 💛

Share

Leave a comment

About the Author

Hi, I’m Carmela Jane.

I’m a former high school Spanish teacher turned stay-at-home mom. While being a mom is the most important role in my life, it’s not the only one. I write about books, motherhood, ordinary life, and all the moments in between.

Every Sunday, I invite readers to The Porch, my weekly newsletter where we catch up on life lately, favorite finds, books, and the small moments that make up a meaningful life. I’d love to save you a seat.

Subscribe now

Welcome back to The Porch, friend.

We’re already into the second week of July, and summer is flying right by. Some days I wonder if I’m letting it all pass me by, trying to survive a chaotic house with two kids who seem to vacillate between being BFFs and fighting nonstop over a toy that no one cared about for months.

Other days, I am thankful for the unstructured time, the lazy mornings, and not having to rush from one extracurricular to the next. I guess what I’m saying is that no day is perfect, no one has it all figured out, and we’re all doing our best.

However your July is going, I hope you, too, are finding small joys and know you’re not alone.

☀️ What went well? Catching up with extended family members and my kids playing with their cousins during a holiday picnic while enjoying warm, sunny summer days.

🌧️ What flopped? Our garbage bill went up (again 🙄) five dollars per month, and some would argue it’s only five dollars; what’s the big deal? But I would argue that the price of everything is increasing, squeezing our already tight family budget. The small increases feel like death by a thousand cuts. I’m not sure how much more we can “cut back” to make our dollars stretch further. Sigh.

🌱 What’s next? Two single-day trips: one to celebrate my husband’s birthday and one to celebrate my daughter’s. We have a tradition in our family: on the day of your birthday, you get to decide what we do (i.e., day trip) and what we eat!

In terms of my book life, there’s nothing too new to report. I’m still reading (and enjoying) The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. I’m only about 1/3 of the way through the book, but I appreciate the short chapters and vignettes. It’s a very easy read, and I can immediately see why it’s a bestseller and highly recommended—it does not feel like your typical finance book.

I recently shared a note that talked about “romanticizing my life.” Now to be clear, what I don’t mean is burying your head in the sand, ignoring problems, and pretending everything is rainbows and sunshine. What I do mean is celebrating the small joys and noticing the beauty in the day-to-day moments of your life

For years, every Labor Day my husband and I spent the weekend at Inn on the Ocean in Ocean City, Maryland. (I know, it’s giving 28 Summer vibes 😍). As things often go, life got busy, we had two kids, and slowly lost the tradition. But one of our favorite things about staying at the Inn was that each morning, they served a gourmet breakfast on their covered porch overlooking the ocean. The tables were these beautiful wicker pieces, and they used placemats and real silverware and wine glasses for fresh-squeezed orange juice. It all felt so posh and elegant. Such a slow start to the morning, and we always enjoyed chatting with the other couples.

Fast forward to the present day. By this point, you all know I’m low-key obsessed with my porch 😅 Most of our wrap-around porch is covered, but we have a small section that is not, and this is where we had our outdoor dining table for years. If you’d asked me why, I’d have no answer…the previous owners had their table there, and we followed in their footsteps.

We rarely ate out there because the chairs and table always got covered with pollen, and despite having an umbrella, it still felt like we were baking in the sun. It felt like it was more hassle than it was worth.

A few weeks ago, I was reminiscing about our lazy breakfasts at the Inn and had the idea to move our table to the covered part of our porch. To my surprise, my husband agreed! After lots of searching for the perfect table (I am nothing if not a chronic overthinker), I settled on a resin wicker set I found through Walmart.

We anxiously awaited its arrival, and I’m happy to report that once we set it up (which was super easy, btw), we’ve eaten almost every meal outside, including breakfast!

Meals outside, using a fancy glass cup to pour my pancake syrup (yes, I do this and it makes me SO happy), or the glow of a candle at the end of a long day—these are small things that bring joy to the ordinary and mundane and slowly help build a life that feels extraordinary.

What's one simple, inexpensive way you can "romanticize" your life this week?

Why do we push off easy tasks that literally take minutes? We let them live rent-free in our brains for days, weeks, months…when if we just do them it would be over and done within minutes? Please tell me I’m not the only one.

The backstory…

As you may (or may not) know, I’ve written six romance novels. A reader, who coincidentally is now a very successful author herself, reached out to me ages ago to purchase signed copies of two of my novels.

My first thought was feeling absolutely terrible because the message she sent was from years ago (I wish I were joking 🤦🏻‍♀️), but I hadn’t received the message because when I had my kids, I let everything from author life go to the wayside, and the account became inactive. Of course, I also felt incredibly honored and grateful. As I’m sure any author can attest, when someone reads your work and enjoys it, it’s an amazing feeling. When a reader reaches out because your stories touched them in some way? It’s priceless.

Fast forward to 2026. My youngest is heading into kindergarten, and I’m making my way back to writing and publishing and all the things. I receive and read her message, and I immediately reach out to her to apologize and explain my absence. Much to my surprise, she remembered me! We chatted a bit, and I promised that I’d send her two signed copies.

So, now I’m tasked with signing, packaging, and mailing two books. Not hard, right? That’s what I thought too, but when I went to grab the books, I didn’t have a copy of one of them, so I had to order it…which I kept forgetting to do…until now.

I can happily cross this task off my to-do list. I hope she enjoys the books, and I really hope what they say is true: Better late than never.

What is something—simple or complex—that you’ve been putting off? Can you tackle one small step to move you closer to checking it off the list?

I’ve been thinking a lot about comparison, feelings of “enough,” and staying grounded in an age where we’re constantly inundated with information.

A friend recently sent me a post about how our great-grandmothers measured a good life—not by more, but by enough: a full pantry, healthy children, a roof that didn’t leak, and Sunday dinner with the people they loved.

Whether it’s true or not, I once heard someone say that we take in more information before breakfast than our great-grandparents did in an entire year. In a world that’s always telling us to want more, it’s easy to forget how much we already have.

It was a good reminder that a meaningful life isn’t always built from big moments, but from the ordinary ones we’re grateful enough to notice.

You can read the full Facebook post here.

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on the porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Follow me on Instagram here

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

Welcome!

If you love romance books, cozy routines, affordable finds, honest motherhood, and the beauty hidden in ordinary days, you’ll feel right at home here.

Every Sunday, I publish The Porch—my weekly newsletter filled with books, cozy living, motherhood, and real life.

Once a month, I share Mood Ring Reads—book recommendations organized by vibe instead of genre. Fellow mood readers...I see you.

Think of this publication as the print version of catching up with a friend every Sunday—delivered straight to your inbox.

Subscribe now

oh, heyyyyy 👋

Hi, I’m Carmela Jane, pen name CJ Martín.

I’m a former high school Spanish teacher turned stay-at-home mom.

I’m an author who writes romance for women who want to escape reality, fall for unforgettable book boyfriends, and lose themselves in a happily-ever-after.

Somewhere between school pickups, laundry piles, and endless to-do lists, you'll usually find me reading on my Kindle, planning out my monthly calendar, or jotting story ideas in my Notes app.

Sincerely, Carmela Jane is a peek into my life—professional and personal—where all those pieces come together.

I am so glad you’re here.

Take a look around ↓

📚 Ignore the laundry. Pull up a chair on The Porch.

👉 Browse The Porch

A slow Sunday morning tradition—a few quiet minutes to reflect on the week behind and the one ahead. Filled with books, favorite finds, motherhood, life lately, and little moments that make ordinary life meaningful.

Read: The Porch | Volume 1

Swoon Worthy 📖 ❤️ 🔥

👉 Browse Between the Chapters

Romance lovers unite! In Between the Chapters, I share writing updates, behind-the-scenes glimpses into my creative process, sneak peeks, bonus content, and, of course, plenty of romance, because happily-ever-afters are my favorite kind of ending. ❤️

Whether you love friends-to-lovers, a swoony college football quarterback, or a tortured rockstar romance, my books have something for everyone.

Find your next book boyfriend here.

📚 Looking for your next book?

👉 Browse Read & Recapped

A monthly roundup of everything I’ve been reading—from page-turners and comfort reads to swoony + spicy romance and thought-provoking fiction. I’ll give you the quick gist and my take on each.

Read: Read & Recapped | August

💛 Love honest motherhood stories?

👉 Read Like a Mother

Essays about motherhood, identity, family life, and finding yourself in the middle of it all.

Read: What Am I Doing With My Life?

The essay that started it all.

✨ Stay awhile ✨

Thanks for spending some time with me. I'll save you a seat on the porch.

How has your week been, friend?

Here in Pennsylvania, it has been a hot one—I’m talking record highs and excessive heat warnings that seemed to stretch on forever. Thankfully, we've spent the week eating lots of yummy fresh fruit (hello, watermelon!) and keeping cool in the shade under our covered porch. I also invested in a patio mister (Porch Pick of the Week 🤩) which has been a lifesaver on these extra-hot days.

This past weekend, we also celebrated the 4th of July. Taking our kids to our local parade has become a yearly tradition and something we all look forward to. This year, both kids had the opportunity to be in the parade, but opted to hang with us on the sidelines instead. I’m telling myself it’s because they love our company and not at all because of the copious amounts of candy thrown from the parade floats.

If you’re in the U.S., what are some of your Fourth of July traditions? From picnics and parades to fireworks, the Fourth has always felt like peak summer to me.

☀️ What went well? Art club at the library for the win! I truly appreciate the free resources our community offers. My kids enjoy the activities and get to see their friends, and I get a blissful thirty minutes of uninterrupted time to read! What free activities are available in your town that you could take advantage of?

🌧️ What flopped? Bickering with my husband over silly things 😩 Between his packed work schedule and me being home with the kids 24/7, we've both been a little on edge. The way I was disproportionately mad at him for opening a gallon of whole milk that I needed specifically for a recipe…wild times 🤪

🌱 What’s next? Birthdays…lots and lots of birthdays! Everyone in my family (besides me!) has a July birthday! 🥳

After two weeks of "bleh" reading, I'm back! I recently started End of Story by Kylie Scott. I fell in love with her Stage Dive series years ago, and she's been a favorite ever since. A lighthearted rom-com, I’m loving the banter between the two characters and appreciate Susie’s inner dialogue.

Another book came through on Libby, and while I don't usually read two books at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to suspend the hold because I've been waiting forever for it. The book? Drum roll, please... The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. I know, I know. The nerd in me, though. I'm fascinated by personal finance, the psychology of money, and why people spend it the way they do. Honestly, given the chance to do it all over again, I think I might have gone into finance.

You win some, you lose some.

Why does it always seem like the moments when you need everything to go perfectly are the moments when everything falls apart?

I love to bake. I wouldn’t call myself a professional by any means, but I enjoy it and make a lot of goodies for my family.

Recently, a friend whose husband had surgery was celebrating her birthday. Since he was still recovering and they weren’t able to go out, I thought it would be nice to surprise her with a homemade cake.

After texting back and forth with her husband to keep everything a secret, we settled on a dark chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting—a recipe I’ve made several times before.

The recipe calls for a 9×13-inch pan, but I figured a layer cake would make for a prettier presentation, so I baked it in two 9-inch round pans instead.

Turns out there’s a reason the recipe calls for a rectangular pan.

This cake does not like being a layer cake.

Everything seemed fine at first. I baked the cakes, let them cool, made the frosting, and started assembling everything. I did notice the frosting seemed a little silky—almost slippery—but convinced myself it would firm up once it chilled in the refrigerator.

Spoiler alert: It did not.

Fast-forward to departure time. As usual, our family of four was running late. 🤣

I’m hustling everyone out the door while carefully balancing this increasingly lopsided cake. As my husband drove, I glanced down and noticed a tiny crack running across the top.

Okay, I thought. Deep breath. It’s barely noticeable.

A few minutes later, that tiny crack had turned into the Grand Canyon.

The cake was literally splitting in half.

Mission aborted.

There was absolutely no way I could hand this cake to another human being.

Picture the scene: two kids in the backseat laughing hysterically and trying to peek at the disaster, a husband wisely choosing to remain silent, and me gripping what was left of this poor cake while mentally cycling through every expletive I knew.

We turned around, raced back home, and I shoved the cake into the refrigerator to deal with later.

Then we found the nearest grocery store, and by some miracle, they had a chocolate peanut butter cake sitting in the bakery case. I didn’t even look at the price. I just grabbed it and ran.

In the end, everything worked out.

My friend got her birthday cake.

We all had a good laugh.

And yes, my poor mangled cake may have looked absolutely terrible, but it tasted incredible, dare I say, even better than the store-bought cake. We happily demolished it over the next few days.

If you’d like to make the recipe yourself, I’ve included it below. Just do yourself a favor and use the pan it calls for. 😉

My favorite time of day is “putting the house to sleep” for the night. The kitchen is clean, the dishwasher humming quietly in the background, the cozy glow from a soft lamp, and most importantly the quiet. The blissful, beautiful sound of quiet. I call this the “magic hour” (no, not that kind of magic hour 😉). When my husband and I can veg on the couch, scroll our phones, or watch TV.

A new series we started is Castle Impossible. It follows the journey of an American couple renovating a five-hundred-year-old chateau in France. This show checks the boxes for so many reasons.

As someone who has been to Paris twice in her life (and would love to go back)—I adore the city. The culture. The architecture. The food. And—this is probably blasphemy to admit as a former Spanish teacher—but France? France has my heart.

The chateau and grounds are absolutely stunning. We’re only three episodes in, but from what I gathered (and googled 😅) the first floor is completely renovated and used for weddings and events. The remaining floors and outbuildings need complete updating. It’s fun to watch, but the financial budgeter in me keeps seeing dollar signs. Also, I am overwhelmed for them. I mean, they seem pretty chill about taking on such a massive project, but I’m getting chest palpitations.

Another reason I connect to the show is that I secretly (or not so secretly?) have always imagined myself moving to a remote village in Italy in my later years and buying one of those $1 homes we’ve all seen advertised. I imagine myself there, in a renovated stone kitchen, rolling out fresh gnocchi as a pot of homemade sauce bubbles on the stove. My husband and I will enjoy slow mornings on our terrace, walk everywhere, and our kids will come to visit us in our cozy cottage.

The $25 mister that is saving me this summer…

If you’ve read my post: Hot, Humid, and Over It, you already know how I feel about the heat and humidity. If you're new around here, let me catch you up: I despise it. It feels like it sucks the soul right out of me. 😅

My kids, however, love the warm weather, and since they’re not quite old enough to play outside unsupervised, I dutifully trek outside with them each and every day.

Enter the patio mister.

To be honest, I bought this on a whim during one particularly miserable afternoon when I was slowly dissolving into a pool of sweat while the kids happily played. I could’ve sworn I read that it cools the surrounding area by up to 20 degrees, but when I went back to check the listing, I couldn’t find that claim anywhere. 😂 Either my brain was completely fried from the heat, or I simply saw what I wanted to see.

Regardless, we’ve used it every single day since it arrived. It was incredibly easy to set up, hooks right up to a garden hose or outdoor faucet, and it genuinely makes sitting outside more bearable. My kids love running through it, and even my husband—who teased me for buying it—has admitted it was a good purchase.

If you’re spending your summer “sittervising” little ones (or just trying to survive the heat yourself), I’d absolutely recommend it.

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on the porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Follow me on Instagram here

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

Can you believe it’s almost July? I feel like I blinked and June was over. Vanished. Poof. Just like my sanity. I’m joking…mostly. 🤪

Both of my kids attended summer camp this past week—three hours each morning—and let me tell you, the break was a godsend. During those precious hours, I moved at hyper-speed and tackled as many tasks as possible before pick-up time.

How was your month? If you’re in the U.S., do you have any plans for the upcoming 4th of July holiday? 🇺🇸

It’ll be here before we know it!

☀️ What went well? Productive mornings—crossing things off my to-do list!

🌧️ What flopped? Anxiety overload—the overthinker in me was in full effect as I spiraled about reviving my long-abandoned CJ Martín social media accounts. 😩

🌱 What’s next? A 4th of July picnic and figuring out something to bake!

My reading life has been a little slower this past week. I’m still working my way through The Idea of You. Admittedly, it’s not my favorite. It’s good, but not quite the “I can’t put it down” experience I was hoping for. I did enjoy the movie, though, which may have ruined some of the urgency for me.

Also on my nightstand? The Nodpod.

Have you heard of this thing? It’s basically a weighted blanket for your eyes, and y’all, let me tell you—it is magical. It was on my Christmas list, and I was thrilled when I received one because ever since having kids, my sleep has been a trainwreck.

I once read that a mother’s brain actually changes after having a baby, making her more responsive to her child’s cries. Whether it's science or simply years of listening for little feet in the hallway, the second one of my kids whispers “Mom” from the other end of the house, I’m instantly awake.

I’ve tried all the things—melatonin, ashwagandha, OTC sleep aids, and even some of those THC gummies advertised on social media. I then promptly convinced myself I’d fail a drug test if I ever had to take one. For reference, I’ve never had to take a drug test in my life. Welcome to the inner workings of my brain at 1:00 a.m. 🤣

The Nodpod is one of the few things that’s actually helped. If you struggle with sleep issues—perimenopause ladies, I’m looking at you—give it a try.

Years ago, I was listening to a podcast featuring a couple on a debt-free journey. The host asked what sacrifices they had made to pay off their debt.

The husband answered with three simple rules:

Use it up.

Do without.

Make it do.

The way those words resonated with me... I can't even tell you. I quickly scribbled them down and have been following that advice ever since.

That’s not to say my family doesn’t spend money or enjoy nice things—we do. But I try to use what’s already in the pantry and fridge before making another grocery run. My kids don’t need a new toy or tchotchke (as I like to call them 😅) every time we go somewhere, and I try to repair, repurpose, or buy secondhand whenever possible.

I love thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, and giving things a second life.

We live in a consumer-heavy world, but buying more stuff isn’t always the answer. It’s a never-ending cycle where the finish line keeps moving farther away.

One of my goals each week is to get our “fridge to zero”—using what we already have and leaving little to no waste

What’s one way you could put these principles into practice in your own life this week?

Back when I was teaching, I commuted 45 minutes each way to work. That’s a lot of time in the car.

While I’ve always loved reading, I’ve never been much of an audiobook person. Podcasts, on the other hand? I love them.

These days, I rarely spend time driving alone, but there are still a handful of podcasts I follow regularly. One of my favorites is Smart Money Happy Hour from the Ramsey Network.

If you’ve never heard of Dave Ramsey or Ramsey Solutions, the brand focuses on living below your means, saving for the future, and practicing outrageous generosity. While Dave Ramsey isn't everyone's cup of tea (and that's okay), I’ve learned a lot from the Ramsey team over the years.

On Smart Money Happy Hour, two Ramsey personalities chat about everything from pop culture and current events to, of course, money. The hosts have great banter, are genuinely funny, and feel refreshingly relatable.

My favorite part? Each episode ends with a “Guilty as Charged” segment, where the hosts answer listener-submitted questions with complete honesty.

Episodes are typically 30–50 minutes long, new ones drop every Thursday, and it’s one of the few podcasts I look forward to every week. If you’re looking for something entertaining with a side of practical money talk, it’s worth a listen.

If there's a picnic, cookout, potluck, or family gathering on the calendar, this is the pasta salad I'm bringing. It's easy, can be made ahead of time, and somehow always disappears before anything else on the table. With the 4th of July right around the corner, I thought it’d be a good one to share.

My Go-To Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz. box of rotini (cook according to package directions)

• 3 - 4 carrots, peeled and shredded (use a box grater)

• 1 medium bell pepper, any color, seeded and diced

• 1 pack of Good Seasons Italian Dressing & Recipe mix

• 1 bottle of Wishbone Italian Dressing

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Don’t forget to salt the water!

2. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water.

3. While pasta cooks, peel and shred the carrots, and seed and chop the pepper.

4. Add the noodles, pepper, and carrots to a large bowl and toss together.

5. Sprinkle the entire pack of Good Seasons dry dressing mix over everything and mix.

6. Top with Wishbone Italian dressing and mix.

7. Refrigerate 3-4 hours.

That’s it—you’re done!

A few notes:

I use about 1/3 to 1/2 the bottle of dressing, but if you like more dressing, add it all (my mom does 😅). Before I serve it, I mix it again and add a touch more dressing.

I prefer a vegetarian pasta salad, but you can add diced meats (ham, salami, etc.) or even cubed cheese. The possibilities are endless!

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on the porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

P.S. If you've enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

When I was a little girl, I had a mood ring. It was flimsy, probably from the Dollar Store, and I was obsessed with it. I studied the changing colors, convinced they could predict exactly how I felt.

As an adult, I’ve noticed that my reading life works the same way. While swoony and spicy (SAS) romance will always have my heart, my reading mood changes constantly. Some days I want a thriller, others a cozy escape, a fascinating nonfiction read, or a love story that makes me swoon.

If you’re a fellow mood reader, you’re in the right place. Here are this week's Mood Ring Reads—four books for four different moods!

This week's mood ring is a little bit of everything—a true reflection of my Kindle and reading life. Whether you’re looking for an emotional page-turner, historical nonfiction, or a sweet romance, there’s a book here to fit your mood.

A brief heads-up: Mood Ring Reads will move to a monthly feature starting in July. The last Thursday of every month, I will recap the previous month’s books I’ve read. Don't worry—I’ll still be sharing plenty of book recommendations in The Porch and on Notes. Mood Ring Reads is simply getting a monthly roundup format.

Happy reading!

Finding Grace

by Loretta Rothschild

Mood: 🧡 Page-Turner + 💛 Thought-Provoking

Hot Take: This one is hard to characterize because I think it truly encompasses all the moods. That being said, I went with the strongest contenders.

Honor’s life seems picture perfect—a beautiful daughter, an adoring husband, and a successful career. But she yearns for another baby, which, after years of trying to conceive, causes tension between her and her husband. A shocking event early in the story sets everything in motion.

I hesitate to say more because this is one of those books that's best experienced with as few spoilers as possible, but trust me when I say this story has it all. With themes of romance, friendship, moral and ethical dilemmas, as well as figuring out how to live a life that doesn't go according to plan, this is the kind of story that lingers long after the final page.

Read This if You Love: Jodi Picoult-style storytelling • emotional page-turners • character-driven fiction

📖 Read Now → Finding Grace

Fortune’s Children

by Arthur T. Vanderbilt

Mood: 💛 Thought-Provoking

Hot Take: Full disclosure: I read this book after binge-watching HBO’s The Gilded Age. Written by a Vanderbilt descendant, it’s a fascinating deep dive into the dynasty’s rise, extraordinary wealth, and eventual decline. This book was fascinating, but it's definitely not a light read. It's heavy on the history and left my head spinning more than once as I tried to map out the family tree in my head.

A few fun facts that have stayed with me: At the time of his death, the Commodore (the patriarch of the family) had more money than the U.S. Treasury, and to this day, members of the Vanderbilt family still have an apartment in the servants’ quarters of the famous Breakers Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island.

This is a wild card. It may not be for everyone, but if you’re a history buff, love period dramas, or are generally curious about the Vanderbilt family, this is a good one!

Read This if You Love: The Gilded Age • American history • family dynasties

📖 Read Now → Fortune’s Children

The Favorites

by Layne Fargo

Mood: 🩷 Romance + 🧡 Page-Turner

Hot Take: This book brought me back to my preteen days and my obsession with the movie The Cutting Edge and the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding drama. Some (okay, a lot) of reviewers have compared this book to a modern-day retelling of Wuthering Heights. And while I didn’t automatically make that connection on my own, I can see where they’re coming from.

While technically it's classified as romance, don't expect a sweet love story. The book chronicles a figure skating couple’s toxic relationship in the highly competitive world of figure skating. This one made me want to lace up my skates and hit the ice! I felt fully immersed in their world, and because of the author’s descriptive language, it felt like I was watching a movie.

Read This if You Love: The Cutting Edge • Daisy Jones & The Six-style storytelling • complicated relationships • competitive sports dramas

📖 Read Now → The Favorites

Husbands and Lovers

by Beatriz Williams

Mood: 🩷 Sweet Romance + 💛 Thought-Provoking

Hot Take: I picked this one up on a whim after seeing a mom influencer recommend it. I really enjoyed this one. And let me tell you, new mom fear unlocked: must never let my son go to a day camp where he could eat a poisonous mushroom.

This book follows two different females—one in the current day, whose son is in need of a kidney transplant after eating said mushroom. The other is a woman living in 1951 Cairo, Egypt. This story was rich in history, and I loved seeing how both women’s lives interconnected. There were elements of love, secrets, and heartbreak.

A great beach read!

Read This if You Love: Dual timelines • family secrets • historical fiction with a touch of romance • stories that weave the past and present together

📖 Read Now → Husbands and Lovers

📖 Know a book lover who’d enjoy Mood Ring Reads?

Share this post with a friend

Share

✨ One last thing: I don’t just recommend books—I write them, too! You can find my contemporary romance novels by CJ Martín here.

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

Before we get started, Happy Father’s Day to everyone celebrating today!

Summer break is officially in full swing over here, and with two kids under six, the days somehow feel both slower and more chaotic at the same time. I’m trying to remind myself that not every week has to be productive to be meaningful. How has your week been?

☀️ What went well? Finding pockets of time to work on Sincerely, Carmela Jane.

🌧️ What flopped? My healthy meal plan. (Hello, chocolate chip cookies. 😬)

🌱 What’s next? Surviving another week of summer break.

Full disclosure, I am cheap, some would say super cheap (ahem, my husband), so I read mostly through Libby (a free library app that magically sends books to your Kindle) or through Kindle Unlimited, which I only subscribe to when Amazon runs promos—did I mention that I was cheap? 🤣 Currently, I have a KU membership, so I am catching up and enjoying some KU titles that have been on my TBR.

Which brings me to my current read…

I'm super late to the party. At this point, the party may be over 😅, but I finally started The Idea of You. Thoughts so far? It’s…okay. It’s different than what I expected, and I think the movie (yes, I did watch it) ruined the book for me. It’s not a typical romance novel, and some parts drag a bit. That being said, I am enjoying it—I mean, swoonworthy boy band member meets middle-aged mom? I totally get the appeal! I'll report back in a future Mood Ring Reads once I finish it.

For the love of sourdough…or not?

Y’all, it feels like the whole world is growing starters and making sourdough. And I’m not an exception. A dear friend, who is like a mother to me, mentioned months ago that she would start a starter for me when I was ready. I (mostly) blew it off because I didn’t want to go down that rabbit hole (how many obsessions can I have? 😅), and honestly, sourdough baking to me is more akin to a science experiment—I do not, nor do I have any desire to weigh my food.

When I cook and bake, which I do often, I measure with my heart.

Fast-forward to a few weeks ago, when said friend gave me the sourdough starter she had made for me. Then she took the time to teach me how to feed and maintain it. By this point, she had been feeding and maintaining it for months. How could I say no?

So I took it. I bought fancy glass jars and special flour, and then, drumroll please… I baked exactly two loaves of bread. One for my friend and one for my family.

And I’ve come to a few startling realizations:

1. I do not like sourdough. I’m talking real sourdough. Commercial, mass-produced sourdough suits my taste buds just fine, apparently, but the pungent, intense flavor of homemade sourdough? No, thank you.

2. My kids—even my son, who adores bread—hated it.

3. The whole process is waaaaaaayyy more hassle than it’s worth.

So while the rest of the Internet is perfecting stretch and folds and naming their starters, I’ll be over here, making the bread my family actually eats.

This recipe is a family favorite. Super easy and uses only four ingredients (four!), which you most likely already have on hand!

My older sister, a self-proclaimed TV junkie, is my go-to source for the best (and often obscure) recommendations. I usually watch a series while logging miles on the treadmill, though, full disclosure, it’s been much harder to squeeze in now that both kids are home for summer break. I digress…

Old Money on Netflix did not disappoint. Think family drama, old money, power struggles, plenty of secrets, and a little romance mixed in. It’s a Turkish series with soap-y vibes, and I was hooked. As an aside, don’t sleep on Turkish series and movies—they are SO good!

Episodes are about 50 minutes each (there are eight total), and season two is expected to drop later this year.

In the words of Will Smith, it’s:

Summer, summer, summertime
Time to sit back and unwind

BUT

In my neck of the woods, the bugs are bad, and my body is basically an all-you-can-eat buffet for mosquitoes and every other biting bug imaginable. I wish I were joking. My son suffers the same fate, and we love to joke that we’re the “sweeties” of the family because my husband and daughter never seem to get bitten.

Over the years, I’ve tried numerous natural bug repellents, and while I love that they're chemical-free, they’re not very effective. A friend recently recommended this bug repellent lotion, and it’s been a godsend. It’s safe for kids, doesn’t feel greasy, doesn’t smell weird, and—most importantly—it actually works. If you’re a mosquito magnet like me, give it a try.

Know someone who’d enjoy pulling up a chair on The Porch?

Share this post with a friend.

Share

Thanks for spending a little time on the porch with me. I’ll save you a seat for next Sunday.

P.S. If you've enjoyed chatting with me on The Porch, you might enjoy my contemporary romance novels, too. You can find them here.

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

When I was a little girl, I had a mood ring. It was flimsy, probably from the Dollar Store, and I was obsessed with it. I studied the changing colors, convinced they could predict exactly how I felt.

As an adult, I’ve noticed that my reading life works the same way. While swoony and spicy (SAS) romance will always have my heart, my reading mood changes constantly. Some days I want a thriller, others a cozy escape, a fascinating nonfiction read, or a love story that makes me swoon.

If you’re a fellow mood reader, you’re in the right place. Here are this week’s mood ring reads— four books for different moods!

This week’s mood ring is heavy on the page-turners with one cozy comfort read thrown in for balance! If you’re looking for a twisty thriller, a marriage-centered existential crisis, or a reminder that your life is better than Instagram says it is, I got you.

Happy reading!

Lucky Night

by Eliza Kennedy

Mood: 🧡 Page-Turner + ❤️ SAS

Hot Take: This was one of those books that popped up on my feed, and I was intrigued. I took a chance on it, and I’m so glad that I did!

The premise: A couple who have been having an affair finally steal away for an entire night alone in a hotel room. Finally, after years of stolen moments, they have an uninterrupted night together, but the fire alarm goes off, thwarting their plans. What was once believed to be a simple malfunction escalates into a real threat, leaving the couple scared and vulnerable as they share their secrets and question their life choices.

I loved this book. I still think about it months later. I can’t count how many friends I’ve recommended this to. What impressed me the most was the depth. I expected a suspenseful night-gone-wrong story, but what I got was a thoughtful exploration of marriage, desire, regret, and the complicated realities of middle age. And even though I am a happily married mom of two, the themes that weave throughout the novel spoke to me and had me asking those same questions in my own life.

A couple of things: The main characters are having an affair. It is stated directly in the blurb, so this is in no way a spoiler, but I wanted to make it clear because I know it can be a trigger for some. Also, (and this was entirely new to me as a reader), there are no quotation marks in the book to indicate dialogue. I’m not going to lie, it bothered me at first, and if I’m being honest, it still does, but I loved the story so much that I overlooked it. As far as I know, it was a stylistic choice by the author and gives “stream of consciousness” vibes. It can be a touch confusing because the book shifts between each character’s perspective, but to me, the story itself was worth it.

I wouldn’t say this was a typical SAS read— the couple is alone in a hotel room, so there is some spice, but it doesn’t drive the plot. This one will keep you turning pages past your bedtime and leave you thinking about life, marriage, and middle age long past the last chapter.

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Read This if You Love: Books that make you question “What if?” • character-driven suspense • the messy middle of life and marriage.

📖 Read Now → Lucky Night

Love of My Life

by Rosie Walsh

Mood: 🧡 Page-Turner

Hot Take: Okay, this one is kind of my worst fear. Imagine being married to someone only to discover that everything you’ve been told is a lie—the person you thought you married doesn’t exist, and the secrets they are keeping are beyond your wildest imagination.

This is exactly what happens between Emma and Leo. After a scary health diagnosis, Leo, an obituary writer, decides to release stress by drafting a tribute for his wife, even though she asks him not to. But as he digs deeper, he realizes that everything he has believed to be true is false. From missing file folders with personal documents to interviews with former colleagues, Leo discovers that the lies his wife has spun are much harder to unravel.

This was a fast-paced read for me! As the novel progressed, I thought I had it all figured out, but nope! I did not see the twist coming. I can definitely see why this one was a GMA book club pick! Part thriller, part marriage story, this one kept me guessing from beginning to end.

Read This if You Love: Secret identities • marriage-centered suspense • stories where nothing is as it seems.

📖 Read Now → Love of My Life

The Trap

by Catherine Ryan Howard

Mood: 🧡 Page-Turner

Hot Take: I literally could not put it down—I read it while attending an NFL game with my husband (I know, I know, I have a problem 😅).

Set in Dublin, Ireland, Nikki went missing after a night out at a pub with friends. She is the third woman who has gone missing. Nikki’s sister, Lucy, plagued by the uncertainty about what happened to her, cannot rest until she uncovers the truth.

There is a whole host of characters in this novel that make this feel so real. As I was reading, I found myself asking, “Is this based on true events?”

As the story progresses, a man driving in the night picks up a young woman and decides to confess everything. The confessions are chilling—you don’t want to know, but also want to know in the same way you look at a car accident as you pass.

I know I’ve said this before, but I didn’t expect the twist. Like at all. I was gobsmacked, much like the ending of The Sixth Sense, we, the readers, are led to believe one thing, but learn that quite the opposite is true. And truthfully? I was left shaking my head, wondering how the heck I didn’t see it coming.

P.S. This novel by Catherine Howard inspired an original Prime series. Regrettably, I didn’t read the book, but did watch the series. It’s fast-paced, sexy, and worth a watch IMO!

Read This if You Love: Shocking twists • missing person mysteries • psychological thrillers

📖 Read Now → The Trap

I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen

by Kate Strickler

Mood: 💚 Comfort Read

Hot Take: This book is like slipping into your favorite robe at the end of a long day. You know the one? Where you’re freshly showered, the house is quiet, and you look around and breathe in the peace, the calm, the essence of your home, and you feel… grateful. That’s this book.

Let’s face it, we all have played the comparison game at some point. It’s very easy to lose touch with what’s real in a world where social media bombards us with picture-perfect homes, families, and outfits. We know it’s curated, we know it’s not reality, but it leaves us feeling less than. If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I love my life, I just wish _______” (guilty 🙋🏻‍♀️) this book is for you.

This book is a breath of fresh air. The author is relatable and down-to-earth, offering a new perspective on loving the life you have rather than always chasing an unattainable goal or standard. It’s packed with practical wisdom and feels like chatting with a friend. As a mom who often feels overwhelmed and wonders if I am doing anything right—in my job, in my marriage, in my health, with my kids— this book spoke to my soul. And as someone who loves thrifting and re-purposing secondhand things, I appreciated the book’s message of more isn’t always more.

The author runs Naptime Kitchen and shares a ton of kitchen tips and recipes. Worth a follow if you’re into that kind of thing!

Read This if You Love: Cozy nonfiction • simple living • permission to stop chasing more

📖 Read Now → I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen

📖 Know a book lover who’d enjoy Mood Ring Reads?

Share this post with a friend

Share

✨ One last thing: I don’t just recommend books—I write them, too! You can find my contemporary romance novels by CJ Martín here.

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

Unpopular opinion: I don’t love summer.

I said what I said.

Every year, as people start posting pool pictures and counting down to vacation, I find myself wondering if I’m the only person who isn’t excited.

I know, I know - it is hard to believe. How is it possible not to love the sun? The heat? The carefree attitude that goes hand in hand with summer?

Don’t get me wrong, as a child, I loved it. Sunny, warm, school-free days. Days that were meant for swimming, cookouts, and playing with neighborhood friends. Falling into bed exhausted, happy, and content, knowing the next day I got to do it all again. And I agree - this version of summer is magical.

But summer as an adult hits different.

First, let’s talk swimming. As an adult woman, the thought of swimming is exhausting. Yes, I still love the actual swimming part, but the before-and-after? No thanks. Finding the perfect bathing suit—one that doesn’t make me feel like a stuffed sausage and is easy to get on and off when I have to pee—is akin to finding a parking spot at Target on a Saturday. Nearly impossible. Then there’s the issue of hair. The maintenance! 😩 Even after multiple washes, a faint chlorine smell still lingers, and then, my hair turns to straw. Oh, and sitting in a wet bathing suit for more than 30 seconds? Absolutely not.

Second, the weather. Those warm, sunny days I talked about loving? Sure, I’ll take them any day of the week from the comfort of my home. I’m fully aware that I’m spoiled by modern HVAC. My body likes a balanced 72°F and low humidity. Heavy emphasis on the low. Maybe it’s being a woman in her 40s with hormones surging and plummeting like the stock market during COVID, but this girl minds the humidity. A lot. It drains the crap out of me, leaving me snappy and miserable.

My kids, however, love summer. They are still young enough that they cannot be left unsupervised outside, so I spend a lot of time enduring the bugs, the humidity, and the sun.

Third, can we talk about all the extra work summer creates for moms? As if we didn’t already have enough to do 😭 Let’s talk sunscreen that needs to be reapplied constantly, but make sure it’s mineral, not chemical, please and thank you! Use kid-safe bug spray and stickers. Answering the constant requests for snacks and drinks. The sharp crack of the screen door slamming shut every thirty seconds. The begging for bike rides at 2 p.m. when the sun is actively trying to kill you. The nightly showers because everyone somehow managed to become sticky despite spending half the day in water.

I know I’ll miss this someday.

I really will.

One day, there won’t be bikes scattered across the driveway. No one will ask me to put up the water slide and smile at me like I hung the moon once it’s up. The screen door won’t slam twenty times an hour, and there won’t be sticky popsicle fingers reaching for me every five minutes.

But today is not that day.

Today, it’s 87 degrees, 90% humidity, and I just spent forty minutes sweating my butt off setting up a water slide that will probably hold my kids’ attention for twelve minutes.

So for now, just let me complain.

Tomorrow I’ll be nostalgic about it.

What about you? Are you a summer person, or are you counting down to fall? Let me know in the comments!

When I was a little girl, I had a mood ring. It was flimsy, probably from the Dollar Store, and I was obsessed with it. I studied the changing colors, convinced they could predict exactly how I felt.

As an adult, I’ve noticed that my reading life works the same way. While swoony and spicy (SAS) romance will always have my heart, my reading mood changes constantly. Some days I want a thriller, others a cozy escape, a fascinating nonfiction read, or a love story that makes me swoon.

If you’re a fellow mood reader, you’re in the right place. Here are this week’s mood ring reads— four books for different moods!

Happy reading!

Dear Debbie

by Freida McFadden

Mood: 🧡 Page-Turner

Hot Take: I am a huge Fredida McFadden fan, so it’s not a surprise that I liked this book, but this one in particular, I loved! I flew through it and found myself rooting for Debbie amid all her, ahem, quirks. Debbie, a disgruntled Dear Abby-type advice columnist, solves problems not only for her readers but also for her family. Throughout the book, she exacts her revenge on those who have wronged her and her loved ones, and let’s just say her methods are…unconventional. I could not put it down and did not expect the twist at the end!

Somehow, Freida McFadden manages to make you root for a character who absolutely should not be encouraged. What’s more? You’ll love every second of it.

Read this if You Love: Quirky characters, dark humor, and twisty thrillers.

📖 Read Now → Dear Debbie

Love Song: A Briar Universe Novel

by Elle Kennedy

Mood: ❤️ Swoony + Spicy

Hot Take: Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus Series is having a moment, and like the rest of the world, I absolutely adored the Amazon series on Prime. Now, for the part I don’t like to admit so freely: I haven’t read all the Off-Campus books 🫣 I did read The Deal (years ago), but sadly, it must not have been that memorable because I don’t remember much of it (read: none). I know, I know, what is wrong with me? I have to give it another go!

I did, however, read (and remember, ha!) Love Song. Both Wyatt Grahama and Blake Logan escape to their shared family’s lake house, each believing they’ll have the place to themselves for the summer, and sparks fly. This book touches on multiple tropes: childhood friends-to-lovers, bad boy/good girl, and forced proximity. There are also quite a few references to the original Off-Campus cast through “Dad Chat.” As I said, I haven’t read the Off-Campus series (nor seen the Prime series when I read Love Song), and I was not confused at all; Love Song is absolutely a standalone novel. I am simply mentioning it because if you’re a fan of the Off-Campus series, you’d appreciate the references!

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Read this if You Love: Friends-to-lovers romance, forced proximity, and summer-at-the-lake vibes.

📖 Read Now → Love Song

Next of Kin

by Kia Abdullah

Mood: 🖤 Emotional Wreckage + 🧡 Page-Turner

Hot Take: Part of me hesitates to recommend this one because the story is heavy. But also, I was really drawn to the premise, and I could not put it down. Sometimes, you need a good cry, and this book delivers.

One busy morning, Leila’s brother-in-law phones her to ask if she can drop her nephew off at daycare. Although she’s already running late, she agrees. When she receives a phone call hours later inquiring why Max, her nephew, isn’t at daycare, Leila’s world shatters in an instant. What ensues is a high-stakes courtroom battle: Who bears the responsibility for Max’s death? Or was it just a tragic mistake?

This is one of those books that (especially as a mother) wrecks you. It forces you to ask, “What would I have done?” because the “accident” is not unrealistic; it could happen in the real world. Equal parts legal thriller, family secrets, and heartbreaking exploration of guilt and responsibility, this one had me reading way past my bedtime.

Read this if You Love: Courtroom drama, family secrets, and books that emotionally wreck you.

📖 Read Now → Next of Kin

Bel Canto

by Ann Patchett

Mood: 🧡 Page-Turner + 💛 Thought-Provoking

Hot Take: I know that Ann Patchett’s new book is getting a ton of publicity right now, but she is a new-to-me author. Admittedly, Bel Canto started a little slow for me, but once I got into it, I was in it. I adored this book—the writing, the depth of characters, the author’s ability to so expertly demonstrate each side’s point of view—this is one that will stick with me for a long time.

The (simplified) premise is: a group of wealthy investors and businessmen, along with a famous opera singer, are taken hostage in (what is likely) an impoverished, Spanish-speaking South American country; the name of the “host” country is never disclosed. The group is held captive for months. Left to grapple with this new reality, they are forced to confront questions such as: Who are we at our core? What is left when titles and money fall away? What is truly important? How do we form and make connections in the most dire circumstances? Are we more alike than we are different? Deeply profound and thought-provoking, it invites the reader to ponder these questions in their own lives.

P.S. The former Spanish teacher in me loved all of the language and cultural references; while reading, I found myself trying to figure out which country was meant to be the “host” country.

P.S.S. Also, as the name suggests (Bel Canto = Beautiful Singing), there is an underlying element of music (opera) woven throughout the story, which I enjoyed even though my knowledge of opera is very (very!) limited.

Read this if You Love: Character-driven literary fiction and stories that explore what it means to be human.

📖 Read Now → Bel Canto

📖 Know a book lover who’d enjoy Mood Ring Reads?

Share this post with a friend

Share

✨ One last thing: I don’t just recommend books—I write them, too! You can find my contemporary romance novels by CJ Martín here.

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to continue creating content for free. Thank you for the support.

Lately, I’ve been having a mini (sort of?) existential crisis. Feeling the pressure, the unending need to do more with my ONE precious life. It doesn’t help that my social media feed is littered with people (influencers and “regular” people alike) who seem to be more successful, more established, more popular, more fill-in-the-blank. Just more.

This, coupled with the big changes happening at my house, is a recipe for disaster for a chronic over-thinker like me. Side note: I need to be chill. Can someone, anyone, teach me their ways? I desperately want to adopt an IDGAF attitude, but alas, it eludes me. I digress…

A little background: I am a former teacher turned stay-at-home mom, and now I’m on the brink of a new chapter: my youngest is starting kindergarten in the fall. With that brings a whole host of identity questions:

Who am I when I’m not a full-time mom anymore?

Should I go back to teaching? (Spoiler alert: I really, really don’t want to return to the classroom, but would if financially necessary)

Who am I? Not my identity as a mom—I’ve lived this for seven years—but who am I as a person, before two tiny humans dominated my existence?

Before having my babies, I stopped and started a lot of projects: I’m a registered yoga teacher, wrote and published six romance novels under the pen name CJ Martín, and even blogged for a bit. And while my kids fulfilled me and added meaning to my life in ways I didn’t even think possible, I still feel like I lost parts of myself, parts that made me me. So here I am, finding my way back to myself in my 40s, figuring it out one chapter at a time. I hope you’ll join me on this journey!

This space is for us—the moms who need a break, the women who love swooning over book boyfriends, the friend who feels like she never quite belongs.

All of us.

You and me.

A space for books, writing, motherhood, TV obsessions, creativity, and whatever else is taking up space in my brain.