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Badass Matriarch · Aug 14, 2026

Huttopia, Intrusive Thoughts, Abs & Booty Workout + More

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Badass Matriarch · Badass Matriarch

Happy Friday!

We escaped for a few days into the White Mountains last weekend in NH. We stayed at Huttopia. There are a few in California and a few here in the Northeast but it’s basically elevated camping. We stayed on a lake which was a blast with the kids. Lots of paddle boarding, fishing, and swimming. Highly recommend Huttopia if you have never been!

I’ve been craving more of a schedule recently and I think the kids are too. We have been all over the place this summer. I am looking forward to regular bed times, getting back to early AM workouts and having everyone used to their schedules again.

I added more items into my Poshmark this week and more to come in the next few weeks!

Intrusive thoughts postpartum are a lot more common than you think.

Having sudden, unwanted, upsetting thoughts about your baby being harmed is one of the most common experiences after childbirth, FAR more common than most new parents realize.

Studies show that almost all new mothers (over 95%) have fleeting thoughts of their baby being accidentally hurt, and about half have unwanted thoughts about intentionally harming their baby. These thoughts happen to loving, healthy parents whether or not they have any mental health condition.

The key thing to understand is that having these thoughts does NOT mean you want to hurt your baby or that you will act on them. In fact, the reason they feel so disturbing is precisely because they go against everything you feel and value as a parent.

These thoughts tend to be strongest in the first couple of months after delivery, often peaking around 5 to 8 weeks postpartum, when they can feel frequent and distressing. For most parents, they gradually fade on their own and go away completely by around 6 months.

I talk more in depth in this podcast episode if you want to learn more!

Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Anxiety, and Intrusive Thoughts with Dr. Catherine Schmidt

I was able to write up our Acadia itinerary this week and it even includes a printable PDF that you can use for your own planning!

Acadia 8 day Road Trip Itinerary & Photo Diary

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Aug 12

Our trip to Acadia National Park was great. We wanted a trip that wouldn’t require travel by plane and we landed on this since we haven’t been yet! Ailsa & David met us about halfway up since they flew into Boston and then we stayed one night in Ogunquit, Maine before heading all the way up to the Acadia area. It took us about 8 hours total but some of that is because we chose the scenic route.

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Monday: Creamy Garlic Parmesan Steak Pasta

Tuesday: 20 minute Crispy Garlic Chicken Noodles

Wednesday: Easy Smash Burger Tacos

Thursday: Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Friday: leftovers

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TOPS: Old Navy Snug Crop Tank, Vintage Ralph Lauren Flannel

SHORTS: AGOLDE shorts

SHOES: Birkenstock Sandals

ACCESSORIES: COROS Watch, Woman Power Necklace, NOYZ Only Human Perfume Scent, Goodr Sunglasses

View All Outfits Here

My Picks: Clearing Mist (can’t wait for this to be restocked), the smell of this “VACATION” soap bar is glorious, and this is a great product for when you need deep hydration.

  • APIECE APART - Sample Sale - up to 30% off

    My number one dress is part of this sale and now down to $145! It has the most flattering fit.

  • GAP Friends and Family Sale: 40% off sitewide

My Picks: A wardrobe staple, denim oversized shirt jacket, organic cotton cropped oxford shirt, these pants are THE BEST - dress them up or down, utility skort, barrel pants,

  • Ruggable: up to 30% off - a bunch of their bestsellers were just added to the sale list!

My Picks: Pimpernel Jade Rug - Cynthia Rose Gold Rug - Verena Tufted Rug - Sundara Rug

This is where I get my creatine, protein, etc. My picks are below!

My Picks: Clear Protein in Sour watermelon, Salted Peanut Caramel Protein Bars - they taste like a Snickers, Clean Simple Eats Brownie Batter Protein - this is what I make many of our smoothies and my morning coffee with. See how I make my coffee here, Clean Simply Eats in Simply Vanilla, & the daily creatine I take here.

For sale updates - you can subscribe to my “sale alert” substack here.

TOP: T-shirt, Oversized Trench Jacket

PANTS: Bronte Cargo Pants

SHOES: Suede Sneakers

ACCESSORIES: Hair Claw, Ana Luisa Earrings

TOP: Old Navy Crop Tank

PANTS: Easy Double Knee Barrel Pants

SHOES: Suede Sneakers

ACCESSORIES: Hair Claw, Ana Luisa Earrings, Polo Hat

  • WATCH || 35 Min Abs & Booty Workout | Youtube - Move With Nicole → I recently did this workout with one of our kids and it’s a great one for focusing on the core and glutes! Exercises that are important to help support any sports they play! The core is so often neglected and is important to strengthen to decrease injury (hips and glutes as well).

  • WATCH || Shrinking | Apple TV → We watched this awhile back but forgot it for a bit. We’ve been back at it this week and I really just love this show. Such a great way to unwind at the end of the day and laugh a bit. Highly recommend!

  • READ || Longitudinal Effect of Early Social Media Use on Standardized Learning Outcomes During School Career | Nature Human Behaviour (2026) → This is a recent longitudinal study of >5,000 students in Italy that researched the effects of social media. Children who got their first social media account earlier (6th - 8th) did worse on their school tests in reading, English, and math than similar kids who waited until 9th grade or later. A big reason seemed to be that phones were always around during homework, meals, and bedtime, taking attention away from schoolwork and sleep. The study can't fully prove social media alone caused this, but it fits with other research linking heavy social media use to weaker school and thinking skills.

  • READ || We’re All Being Recorded All the Time | Sharon McMahon The Preamble → We used to worry about hidden mics in our homes, now we strap them to our faces voluntarily. People are even recording their first dates now and feeding the transcript to AI for a debrief. I am so happy Sharon addressed this.

  • Restocked one of our go-to bubble bath products this week

  • Can we just have a moment for the strawberry shortcake that I had at Cheesecake Factory last weekend? DELICIOUS.

  • I am a sucker for a cute jumpsuit

  • The first “nature library”, Anythink Library, just opened in Colorado and it even has a mud pit and darkroom with stars projected on the ceiling. You can check out snowshoes, tents, gardening equipment and more. I cannot stop thinking about this library - how wonderful! I would love to see one open near us!

  • Apparently you can get a discount on your pet medications at Costco if you have a membership. For example, simparica trio (so expensive) is much cheaper. Have your vet call the prescription in to Costco with the dog’s name. Then call them and have them link it to your account and membership.

  • I just signed up for the waitlist for when this product is restocked because it’s great for acne (face/back) and post workouts. Great for pre-teen/teens!

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  • This jacket is nearly identical to my favorite Lululemon Define Jacket for a fraction of the price!

  • I recently tried out this deodorant and it smells so good! I use it along with this oil when I get out of the shower (scent: santal bloom)

  • Great swimsuit - I have had the hardest time finding a two piece that I liked but this one fits great (with these bottoms)

  • Apparently this device is equivalent to a spa hydro facial and I am testing it out for the first time this weekend. Stay tuned for the feedback! Have you tried it yet?!

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