xo, MM

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Saturday morning, we packed up for the beach! Neither of our moms had gone for a full beach morning before…So we made sure it was an outing with alllll the bells and whistles. After stopping for smoothies and donuts at Hometown Juice and Coffee, we hit the lakeshore. Our 11-month-old son, Cal, went for his first real dip in the lake with Dad! And Parsons stayed busy building sand castles with the grandmothers. BLISS!! Covered in sand, we then stopped at the new house to check on paint and hardwood floor projects. Who knew there were 519 different shades of white to choose from?! More on that later..

That night, we cooked dinner at home—my new favorite meal: BAKED kabobs. I have passed kabobs in the butcher case my entire life, but only gotten them if we’re grilling. Don’t get me wrong, I love grilled kabobs…But this season of life has been sparse on time and free hands. So anything I can throw in the oven and let do its thing while I mother two babies is a win!! I bought beautiful steak and chicken skewers, threw them in the oven at 375 for 30 minutes and called it a night. Asleep by 8, which was my request!!

Sunday we had a glorious stormy afternoon…Thankfully we made it out to the park and a long walk to Small Cheval for burgers and fries at lunch beforehand! If you’re ever in Chicago, it makes for a charming meal—small menu, al fresco picnic tables. Easy. That afternoon, we got ready for the new week ahead…And I managed to sneak in some baby snuggles with my son asleep on my chest, until a crack of thunder woke him up from an enviable snooze.

I am now back in the grind of a new week…Forever appreciating the routine and productivity of something I love doing, while also daydreaming of weekends with my family. A huge thank you to our moms for making this last week possible and fun! May your week be fabulous! xo, MM

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1. No polish manicures. A girlfriend texted me an article the other day about bare nails being the new quiet luxury, and said “made me think of you.” Which is one) flattering but two) funny because my never-polished nails were just born out of laziness and hating nail appointments. But I do find it chic on other women—And my own mother has never really worn polish, so somewhere along the way I made it my brand, too, I guess! When I go in to get a pedicure, I have them do a quick maintenance manicure—cuticle work and reshape to “squoval.”

New FAVORITE polish for my pedicures: OPI “I’m a Bubble Bunny.” My sister got me onto this shade. Apparently all these girls were going to salons asking for a mix of OPI’s Bubble Bath and Funny Bunny…And it became so popular that the company mixed them to create this color. It’s the perfect nude with a whisper of bubble gum. Into it.

2. Monogrammed snack bags for the kids!! These were gifted to me this week by a fantastic online embroidery shop in OKC— Taylor Made in OKC! I discovered Taylor last year when she recreated my favorite bracelets I wear in what I call my “Happy Stack.” I get a million questions about these bracelets—They just spark joy. But this week she sent custom snack pouches for Parsons and Cal…How cute! Perfect to pack and throw in diaper bags, purses, strollers on the go. Also ideal to pack in our weekend beach bag with individual accessories, change of clothes, diapers, etc. Bonus: VERY easy to clean. Thank you, Taylor!

3. Mid-week tennis date. This week, I got together with one of my girlfriends from high school to play tennis and we had a TIME. Erica and I played high school tennis together many moons ago in Oklahoma—And wildly in a twist of life fate, we are both now in Chicago and had both of our children within weeks of one another. Who knew high school tennis would transcend time to postpartum tennis?! We met at her club and had a court to ourselves for an hour. Ten months postpartum…Our form was not stellar, but the cardio and laughter were good for the soul! A much-needed reminder for me to break from the usual workweek grind to do something fun with a friend. And old friends who have known you since you were 15 are irreplaceable.

I hope you enjoy this random smattering…And I hope you’re having a great week! We’ve almost made it to Friday. xo, MM

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I’ve been craving more one-on-one time with my kids lately. I’m typically not hit with much “mom guilt,” but I think any working parent will attest it can creep up on you out of nowhere some weeks. Very easy to get caught up in the chaos of work and deadlines and chores and to-do lists…and then all of a sudden your iPhone serves you up a throwback photo from six months ago (immediate lump in throat) and you become desperate for time to stand still and soak it all up while they’re still this tiny version of themselves. I had one of those weeks—so Friday I took Parsons on a mother/daughter outing!

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We got up early on the Fourth (but let’s be real…our house gets up early holiday or not) and hit the lake! For starters, we stopped in for a pastry run at Hewn—We picked up hot coffees, banana bread for our son and a raspberry jam muffin for our daughter.

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Three “glimmers” for this week that I’m currently loving! Let’s start with the tuna wrap I can’t stop thinking about…

1) If you live in the Chicago area and have never been to Foodstuffs in the North Shore…Consider this a mandate. Coming from Texas, I have searched high and low for three years for SOMETHING comparable to Eatzis in Dallas. Think specialty, gourmet food store with magnificent glass displays full of beautiful pre-made meals, picnic delights, made-to-order artisanal sandwiches, salads, you get the picture. Well just when I was about to give up on the hunt…In walked Foodstuffs into my life. Floor to ceiling magic. They even have tiny containers of spreadable brie…All is right in my world again. Anywho…my tuna sandwich order that I think I’ve perfected: The “Sorry Charlie” on a whole wheat wrap, no cucumbers, add pickles, banana peppers and whole grain mustard. Then, grab a bag of salt and vinegar chips to the left of the sandwich counter and shove those in, too. Oh, and an Arnold Palmer out of the Arnold Palmer bucket. Thank me later.

2. A new pair of In My Sundays pajamas! I am a serial pajama collector…Which is a fairly new hobby of mine in the last three years thanks to my sister who sparked my addiction. We both have drawers full of pajamas—different brands, different styles, different prints and cuts. I never cared about pajamas until I was pregnant with our daughter. Any woman who has been pregnant before knows it is a blessing, but physically and mentally SPECIALLLL at times. She got me my first cute set to help boost my mood on days I needed to lounge and didn’t have much energy. That has turned into a full-blown obsession. I look forward to picking out a different pair every night. My mom just sent me a new pair—jellyfish!! Will be wearing these this weekend.

3. If you only make one Amazon purchase this weekend, make it this bamboo steamer for the kitchen. My husband and I adore Asian cuisine and steamed dumplings, in particular. This is a fabulous $20 purchase that we use twice a week—and makes at-home date night and weeknight meals feel so special and elevated. We typically do Mila pork soup dumplings on the top layer and edamame on the bottom. Steam for 11 minutes and you have a full dinner. But can also do steamed fish and veggies, as well! So simple and satisfying. In my next life I’m going to be a dumpling influencer.

   
   TTFN, ta ta for now! See you next week. xo, MM

Saturday morning, we hit the beach with the babies!

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The tradition started while I was on maternity leave with our son. It was a little glimmer to look forward to at the end of long, nonstop newborn days. A brief moment to enjoy a cocktail with Chris before we turned it in for the night to get what little sleep we could before it was time for overnight feedings. And, you know, the tradition just stuck. So here she is—our Friday night martini recipe. Which is also my order when we’re out at restaurants: “Vodka martini, Grey Goose if you have it, filthy, three olives.” You’re welcome. xo, MM

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First, freeze your martini glass at least 30 minutes before. We almost always have two in the freezer (you never know when an emergency might arise):

-Two jiggers of Grey Goose vodka
-Half jigger of olive juice (We use these)
-A whisper of extra dry vermouth (enough to coat the glass and then pour out remainder)
-Two or three olives for garnish

In a shaker with ice, shake the vodka and olive juice together for a minute until shaker gets frosty. Coat the glass with vermouth. Pour the martini and serve with two or three skewers.

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If you’ve followed me for any amount of time—Firstly, thank you for joining me here on Substack. And secondly—you know I am a professional weekender. I love my work, I pour myself into my show Monday through Friday…But a 2am alarm clock five days a week calls for two sacred days off. Two days with my husband, our babies, no TV glam or alarm clock, a date night at home, maybe a night out with friends. I say no to a lot to prioritize rest and family time. And I live for those quiet, everyday moments with them.

Friday night at our house is a bit of a ritual—I LIVE for Friday nights. I typically make a special dinner for the kids, put on a new movie for them…And when we put the babies down, Chris makes martinis, I order takeout and we watch something we’re excited about. Asleep by 8:30pm. A dream. This weekend, it was way too much Chinese food and an episode of “Your Friends and Neighbors.”

Saturday, we hit the beach. I love taking the kids there first thing in the morning before it gets busy. The lake looks like glass, the sunrise sky above is glorious and the quiet is a needed respite for the soul. Sometimes we pack a homemade beach breakfast, but this weekend P chose a sprinkle donut from the coffee shop and was the happiest girl in the world. Cal had a blueberry muffin and discovered sand for the first time…Mom and Dad had fresh, hot coffee. Bliss.

Saturday night, we hit a friend’s annual Summer Solstice party! Backyard cocktails, taco food truck…Say less, I’m there. We’ve made some incredible new friends from our daughter’s first year of school. Those friendships have meant the world in a city we’re not from. What a joy to find yourself laughing out loud like old friends with people you didn’t even know nine months ago.

Sunday was Father’s Day, and Chris made a few simple requests: A rainy day at home, a night on the grill, my summer mango salsa and in bed at 7pm! The babies actually slept 12 hours, which allowed me to go for a sunrise coffee run to our neighborhood shop to kickstart the morning. And we relished in a simple Sunday: family walk, Facetimed our dads, meal prep, honey dos, dinner around the table…Together. xo, MM

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Nine months after giving birth to our son, the newborn fog is starting to lift for me. I’m starting to see glimmers of my old self again— energy, interests, exercise, mindset (although I did show up to the office in two completely different shoes last week, and somebody ELSE had to point it out to me. So don’t count me a Phoenix risen from the ashes just yet). It has taken me longer to return to self after our second baby than it did our first, but the beautiful thing about the second time around is you understand every postpartum struggle is a fleeting season. And my husband and I have started prioritizing time for just us again. Any new parent will agree: It feels miraculous to regain that balance again. So when we were extended the weekend invite, we quickly called in the grandparent troops and confirmed the trip.

We had a TIME. I have seen the “Pure Michigan” ads my entire life, and I now completely understand why people escape there for summer getaways. An easy trip from the city—scenic views, charming Main Streets, magnificent trees. We passed an asparagus farm and I audibly yelled: “Okay WHAT IS HAPPENING?!” in our rental car. The Vitterts have an extraordinarily special, generational family lakehouse—every room full of meaningful treasures, each one with a story. We grilled, read on the dock, shopped in town and sat around the campfire until midnight talking and making s’mores. I awoke amazed each morning to see I had slept in until 7am! Between waking up at 2am for my show and early morning milk bottles—I haven’t seen much past 4am for the last two years. A miracle. It was adult camp, and we were just a few hours from home. A huge thank you to them for hosting…I will gladly pack my sleepaway trunk again next year!

I’ve always thought of true vacation as needing to be an entire workweek somewhere far away, but this weekend was a beautiful reminder that the reset button is more easily within reach. I love my children with every ounce of my being, but to have two days and nights sans diaper duty does something good for the soul. And to have unfettered time with my husband was also the ticket. Not to mention I think it’s healthy for our children to see us leaving for date nights and Mom & Dad weekends! I pray they carry that into their own relationships and marriages one day. So here is to scheduling more mini getaways—for ourselves, our kids and the grandparents who cherish that time alone with them. Win win for all! xo, MM

NOTE: I wrote this first post in the thick of maternity leave/postpartum with my son last Thanksgiving. And kept it hidden on the shelf while I dreamed what this space could be. So it is dated, but still rings true—and I think offers you the perfect window of what to expect here. Welcome!

It’s an idyllic Sunday afternoon. Sunshine is pouring through the kitchen window, and we’ve got football on in the living room with two sleeping babies upstairs—not a care in the world except for whether or not our newborn will let us sleep tonight. So, actually…MAJOR care. I’m nearly three months postpartum, running on fumes with two under two, writing this wondering how the single cylinder I currently have left in my brain will fire off enough to add a Substack to my list of things to do. Alas, here I am, giddy excited to share in this way with the world!

When I’m not on maternity leave, you can find me on your televisions—I anchor “Morning in America” on News Nation. Monday through Friday, 5am-8am CST. I love what I do. I love who I get to do it with. A front row seat to the current events and conversations of the day—I take pride in my career and being invited into homes each morning. That privilege is not lost on me. I will return to work right after the holidays, but in the meantime I am soaking up what will likely be the last maternity leave I’ll ever take. Weird.

So why am I Substacking (Subbing? Stacking? What do the kids say??) and what will you find here? Honestly, I’m going to figure it out as a I go—but I have always been a writer, and I’m eager to use this creative outlet as a place to share all the different parts of my life I juggle. I’m a working mom to an 18-month-old daughter and two-month-old son…I’m married to the boy I met in college…My days start at 2am for my own cable news show on network television…and I love cooking, entertaining, travel, reading and all things health and wellness. So expect a little of everything—from behind the scenes at work and mom life, to recipes from the weekly SaturDate Night I have with my husband at home after we put the babies to sleep.

Our life is joyful chaos, and we are in the thick of it—A season of heavy lifting and being stretched thin. But in that chaos, we are learning to make the everyday moments more meaningful (not only for memories, but also for sanity!)—I believe in making the at-home date night feel special, decorating even though the kids are too young to understand the holidays, romanticizing the mundane and routine. Because after all, life is mostly Tuesdays. Why not make the most of them? So. Welcome! Settle in, relax and go pour a steaming cup of coffee—Lord knows we all need a hit of caffeine to get us through the day, the news and the wake windows! xo, MM