Welcome to this week’s ✨ Group Chat 💬 , where we spill what’s happening behind the scenes. From everyday chaos to the things we can’t stop talking about, consider this your front-row seat to the sister thread. Here’s what was on our minds (and in our texts) this past week…
Less pleasing, more boundaries. Alaina’s current read is highly recommended: The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi. One of her big goals for 2026 is finally putting an end to her strong people-pleasing tendencies - one of those underrated culprits that can totally sabotage your health! More thoughts on her journey to come… thinking about making it an IG series!
Weekday meal prep. Whenever Alaina and Tommy are planning their meals, they are always stealing recipes from Primal Gourmet. The recipes are awesome because they’re built around a solid animal protein and always packed with tons of veggies, which makes weeknight planning feel way less of a force.
They just made the spinach + feta turkey burgers with the homemade dill sauce and it was divineeeee. Adding this to the regular rotation!
First birthdays. Alaina is busy planning a small first birthday party for her daughter, and how cute is the theme “Some Bunny Is Turning One”?! She got the inspo from Pinterest, and she wanted to share her vision so you can steal it for your little one’s birthday if you love it too!!
We found the cutest little party hats to put on stuffed bunnies. We’re using Carly’s gingham tablecloth, hanging a colorful flag banner, and tying gingham ribbon onto pastel balloons for the sweetest detail.
Carly is making cinnabunnies (yes, bunny-shaped cinnamon rolls… the cutest!! 🐰).
And Julie put us onto custom birthday signs from Etsy… Alaina got one for each of her kiddies and plans to use them for every single birthday moving forward. Overall, a simple, sweet celebration!
Weekly faves. Coming at you with all the new discoveries and old faves we are shopping this week! A few call-outs below:
Julie has been using this stress support supplement recently during her postpartum journey…. She’s 3 months PP and digging it. This supplement is safe for both pregnancy and postpartum, thoughtfully formulated, and includes saffron, which has been studied for mood and emotional support (and as a bonus, third-party tested!). Postpartum is a LOT (physically, mentally, and emotionally) and sometimes mamas just need a little extra support. This has been such a gentle, reliable add-in during this season. Even if you’re not postpartum, stress support is something we all need! (code: BALANCEDBEYARS)
Non-tox infant and toddler hand cleanser is a must-have during cold/flu season! We have had so many illnesses run through our houses, so we are locking down on keeping our hands clean!
Now that Alaina is almost one year postpartum, she is beginning to track her cycle again and has been leaning on her fave wearable basal-body temp monitor. They are having a crazy 25% sale now and you can stack our code BALANCEDBEYARS for an extra 10% off, so don’t miss out!
These ‘warmmuffs’ have been an absolute lifesaver this winter. They’re essentially cozy mittens that attach directly to the stroller handle, so you can slide your hands in and stay warm on walks without juggling gloves.
They make it easy to slip your hands out when you need to tend to your baby. These live permanently on Julie’s stroller and are a big reason she and Tolin have been able to get out for so many winter walkies this season.
Postpartum skin reset. Alaina recently went down a major rabbit hole of Korean Skincare in effort to rejuvenate the skin on her face... she polled our IG audience & ordered some of your personal favorites. Here's what she grabbed!
Sometimes it’s the smallest thing - a phrase, a laugh, a reminder - that shifts the whole week. Here’s to noticing those little sparks when they show up and letting them carry you into the rest of your week.
Wishing you rest, joy, or whatever you need most right now.
Talk soon 💌
Alaina, Carly and Julie
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