Hey from sunny (cold?!) California! For the last 5 years, we have made a point to get out of Charleston for a few weeks in the heat of summer. Early on, we took road trips to the Tennessee mountains and up to Nate’s family in PA. Last year, we did our first bigger trip to Maine. This summer: the CA coast/Lake Tahoe! I am very, very grateful our jobs allow us to work remotely and get this time away as a family. I will say, as the kids get older, the travel gets easier but the “togetherness” gets… more challenging. There are more opinions and more bickering. Nate and I are discovering there’s a lot that can be masked when we are at home in our own routines. They have more space, more options of people to play with, more televisions! These trips are so special, and I think they also stretch us all. We live closer together. Need a playmate? Yep, it’s your sibling. There is one TV. We are also learning the balance of enjoying time in nature and spending money, and also attempting to teach the kids how to steward both well. Yes, we are going to eat out a ton, but we also want to buy groceries and use what we have. We will hike in the woods (free) and go to the giant arcade (most definitely not free). These are lessons I care that they learn and understand that trips like these are not a given. Anyways… I will ramble if I go on, but all this to say time away as a family gives me a lot to think about and also reveals areas we all (me big time) could grow in.
A trip highlight: We went over to Caroline Chambers (who my kids call Caroline Chambers every time they reference her as if it’s a double name 😂) and it was a dream. Caro and I both went to UNC at the same time yet somehow never crossed paths. Over the last few years we have become friends, meeting in person in Charleston in 2024 while she was on book tour. This time our families got to meet and they were fast friends!! JR and Mattis playing basketball. Alberta and Cash attempting any and all forms of mischief. Caro’s ability to host and cook for a crowd is awe-inspiring. She’s calm. She’s present. And yet I know somewhere in that mind she still thinking of the rice that’s on the stove or the salad that needs dressing. She served an absolute feast and also plain buttered noodles because we both know what it’s like to have picky kids. Caro also runs the #1 (yes, 1!!!) Food and Drink Substack “What to Cook” and has her second cookbook coming out in less than a month. I pre-ordered the day she announced and cannot wait. I honestly don’t know where her bandwidth for recipe creation comes from, and every single thing I have made is delicious. She is so inspiring to me, and I feel grateful to call her a friend.
Reef Sandals are beloved by our entire family. They transition from beach/pool to casual to church like a dream. I packed my favorite Cushion Slim because I can wear them with a dress or jeans, and they kind of disappear. They’re water-friendly and even the vegan leather toe strap is quick-dry. Johnny has been wearing these slides constantly and he and Nate both brought Reef sneakers on the trip. Shop all of our favorites here! Use code RF-KATE20 to take 20% off any purchase. The Power Nap is free each week, and sponsors like Reef help make that possible! Thanks for sponsoring this Power Nap, Reef!
It’s trash maggot season…here’s the garbage guard I put inside my can, the straps I use to keep pests out, and the outdoor fly trap Molly swears by.
Ruggable is having a buy more, save more sale! BUY 1 RUG GET 20% OFF, BUY 2 GET 25% OFF, BUY 3+ GET 30% OFF. They’re washable, durable, and made for everyday life. We have this one at our front entrance (the highest-traffic area of our house), this one in the hallway, this one under our bed, this one under our dining room table, and this fun welcome mat at the front door! Find them all in one place here.
I have had many outfit q’s since being in California. You can find all of my CA clothes here and I (with Jess’s help) try and keep my ShopMy IG stories section updated. Note: I get a lot of clothes gifted to me as a part of this job and try and denote that in the comments section on my Substack posts. Speaking of CA outfits, I am also getting to wear my new favorite sweater in July. I know this likely feels like rage bait to all of you living in the Southeast, but save this one for fall! It's organic cotton, the perfect cropped length, and only $39.
This is my new favorite recipe for #PastaMonday — I have made it 5 times! Even though it seems like a lot of spinach, it really cooks down. The first time I made it I did half the amount and regretted it. I do it with Banza noodles and everyone eats it even with the spinach!
I am still doing the Moves App on vacation and 1 year in, it remains so dang good. My code "naptimekitchen" for $10 off your first month or year still works through Friday 7/17!
Hamnet (2025) -- A few observations: The first 3/4ths was slow and sad. The final 1/4 was excellent. “On the Nature of Daylight” (the ending song) is among the best songs out there. It is no surprise Jesse Buckley won Best Actress. I suspect she is still suffering from back pain because she carried the film. Try as I might, I cannot understand a lick of Shakespeare (when they quote Hamlet). It sounds great, but I have no idea what any of it means.
The New Yorker at 100 (2025) - Watched this documentary with Alberta when she was having a hard time falling asleep. I'm pro-New Yorker. Not because I think it's unbiased. But because I'm pro long form journalism with high standards in a world where media has become who can speak the loudest and fastest. People should read magazines more than they do. Plus I love the covers and cartoons.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) -- What a would call a "proper British cast" with Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, etc. I would say I liked -- not loved -- this spy movie based on a John le Carré novel where Oldman tries to discover the mole in MI6.
Bugonia (2025) -- Two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. Yorgos Lanthimos movies are all super weird and disturbing. His movie Kinds of Kindness from last year was potentially the worst movie I've ever seen. This one stars the same two actors: Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. This one, while also super weird and disturbing, I found to be much better. "Worth the discomfort" is how I'd frame it.
Sirat (2026) -- Subtitles. This one came recommended, but did not land for me at all. It's about a father and son searching for the father’s missing daughter in the desert rave scene of Morocco. But the trip turns from a rescue mission into something much darker. I like raves in Morocco as much as the next guy, but this didn’t land for me. You don't love or even feel like you know any of the characters. I'd pass.
The Secret Agent (2025) -- Subtitles. Significantly better than Sirat. The end will leave you unsatisfied, and there is much context not given about what is actually happening. But the music, the scenery, and, above all, the casting were top-notch. I felt like I was in 1970's Brazil, a time and place I know nothing about. Totally get why this was nominated for best picture.
I went to the beach with my 4-month-old, 4-year-old, and 2-year-old and quickly realized no device or piece of equipment was going to save us. 😂 However, there were a few things that definitely made it easier.
We picked up this utility cart from Harbor Freight last year with its multi-purpose use in mind. We only go to the beach once or twice a year, so it didn’t make sense to invest in a beach cart we’d rarely use. Instead, we bought one we could also use around our property for carrying buckets of water, moving hay, and hauling heavy equipment. It worked beautifully on the beach too! The sides fold down if you need a seat for a toddler or need to carry something that doesn’t fit within the sides. Here’s an Amazon version that looks very similar for $70 cheaper!
Before we left for the beach, I surprised my daughter with these water dolls that come with a mini look-alike Bogg Bag. She couldn’t believe her bag matched mine! She carries a baby doll everywhere she goes, and I didn’t want her favorite dolls getting trashed by sand and saltwater. These solved that problem perfectly. They come with three dolls and the bag for around $35, wring out easily, float in the water, and double as bath toys when you get home.
Lastly, these viral swim trunks with built-in compression shorts are THE BEST. My son wore a different pair on the first day and ended up with a terrible rash. We switched him into these for the rest of the trip, and they completely solved the problem. They also come in more than 30 different patterns and are under $20 right now!
I have no tips for an infant on the beach except for a beloved baby carrier, and a breathable nursing cover. I use these both daily, off the beach too. He was stuck to me like glue all week and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
On a completely different note, I’m back on my postpartum fitness journey. I’m doing my own version of 75 Hard (read: 75 Gentle) where my goals are to walk 15,000 steps a day, complete a 20-minute strength workout, read at least one chapter of a book and my Bible, drink one gallon of water, and pray for three people each day. I love a chart where I get to fill in a completion circle at the end of the day.
This all-in-one standing desk and walking pad has been critical for helping me hit my step goal and has been so good for my mental health. Instead of buying a standing desk and separate walking pad, this does it all! It’s lightweight and can fold and fit under a bed for storage. I have it set up in the garage with a huge fan blowing on me while I work. It allows me to stay active, work for the best boss in the world, and still be available while my kids play outside or in the garage. Hello, multitasking! Click the coupon for $50 off! I’ve also joined the weighted vest cult and love the challenge it adds to my walks.
I’m also still loving my pedometer watch. It’s simple, beautiful, and tracks my steps in a wonderfully low-tech way, which is exactly what I was looking for.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.