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The Pulse: Reflections, Car Troubles, & Kicking Off Halloween Week
Looking back at this past week, it was heavily rooted in reflection. Comparing where I am right now to this exact time last year gave me a lot of perspective on how I've grown but also a feeling of pause. I was able to put words to the sense of disconnect I was feeling, partly because I'm listening to my body better and partly because I have more space to really ask myself if I like what I'm experiencing, which shed light on how my needs have shifted. When you notice gaps in
21 hours ago
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CHAOTIC THOUGHTS
The Pulse: Reflections, Car Troubles, & Kicking Off Halloween Week
Looking back at this past week, it was heavily rooted in reflection. Comparing where I am right now to this exact time last year gave me a lot of perspective on how I've grown but also a feeling of pause. I was able to put words to the sense of disconnect I was feeling, partly because I'm listening to my body better and partly because I have more space to really ask myself if I like what I'm experiencing, which shed light on how my needs have shifted. When you notice gaps in
21 hours ago
The Itinerary: Our Family Gulf Coast Road Trip: Gulf Shores, Mobile, and New Orleans
This fall break road trip had a few fixed anchors and intentional space structured in between - something I'm not always great at doing. We sprinkled in a first concert experience for the twins, time on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, a stop in Mobile for some history, and several days exploring New Orleans. And the most important piece: making sure the driving and trip were manageable for driving and momming for three boys. Our route was Knoxville → Montgomery → Foley and Orange Beach
6 days ago
The Pulse: Cozy Nesting, Floating Pumpkins, & Fall Photos
We’ve officially crossed another week off the calendar, and the transition from summer into crisp fall weather is finally starting to feel settled. If there’s one big lesson I’ve tuned into lately, it’s that sleep is way more important to my overall health than I gave it credit for. While the first half of the week was a bit of a blur, having a quieter stretch of client sessions and a few cancellations gave my brain a much-needed breather. Between wrapping up the first quarte
Oct 18
The Pulse: Powdered Sugar, Ponchos, and Coming Home
We came home with Bayuo seasoning, hot sauce, souvenirs, and plenty of stories. We also came home with a reminder: the memories do not always happen in the part of the trip you planned most carefully - at least that is my hope. Our fall break took us from Knoxville through Alabama’s Gulf Coast and Mobile, then into New Orleans before an overnight stop in Birmingham on the way home. There were ponchos, powdered sugar, a first concert for the boys, and two $10 candy apples that
Oct 11
The Itinerary: The Pre-Trip Planning Checklist, Envelope Hacks, & Home Reset
Planning the actual trip is only half the battle. The hotels can be booked, the route can be mapped and the itinerary can be beautiful—but somehow four people, one dog, a house and an alarming number of snacks still need to be prepared to leave. Over the past few family road trips, I’ve developed a pre-trip system that makes the departure less frantic (I keep waiting for this), keeps the boys occupied and cuts down on the amount of useless, mindless spending we do at gas stat
Oct 2
The Pulse: "If You Give a Homeowner a Cookie..." & Road Trip Prep
If you’ve ever read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, you already know how my week went. It started with a simple thought: "It’s a great week to own a home, let's get the windows cleaned!" What followed was a full-blown domino effect of home maintenance, sore fingertips, and a crash course in HVAC troubleshooting. Owning a home is a true privilege, but let’s be honest—it is a lot of work. The Home Maintenance Cascade It all started when I hired a startup company of college guys t
Sep 28
The Pulse: Unseen Work, Unexpected Storms, & Sweet Sunday Resets
This week ended up being a bit on the lighter side with client hours—largely due to a wave of seasonal illnesses and schedule shifts floating around. While it was unexpected, I used that open window to lean into my future programming, meet with a business-savvy mentor to pick her brain on pricing and service design, and spend time behind the scenes re-architecting the website. When you have that high-achieving, Type-A drive, it’s hard when your hard work isn't immediately vis
Sep 20
Clear-the-Fridge Fuel, Baseball Burnout, & Navigating "What Comes Next"
If I’m being completely honest, this week’s meal prep was an absolute "clear the fridge out" effort. My energy was sitting at about zero, but I know myself: if I don’t prep food, I won’t eat food. Either I’ll skip meals or grab low-quality quick fixes, neither of which supports how hard I've been working in the gym or with my clients. So, instead of overcomplicating things, I put together a low-effort, high-protein lineup using what was already sitting in my pantry and fridge
Sep 13
The Pulse: Pressure-Washing Burns, Patio Pavers, & Pokemon Cards
Looking back at this past week, it definitely didn’t feel quite as long as the previous one, but man, was it freaking hot! I kicked off my normal weekly routine with clients, along with a special Dolly Parton tribute ride on the bike Monday evening. Tuesday was a marathon day starting with my first client at 6:30 AM, but I managed to sprinkle in my leg day, therapy, and a study session between clients. After wrapping up my evening client hours, I headed straight out to M's 7:
Sep 7
MOTHER OF ALL CHAOS
Welcome to my chaotic world! I'm a single mother of 3 boys, navigating a new job, frugal living, and budget-minded travel. Join me as I share the chaos and adventures of my journey.
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