Hits, Misses & Hot Takes: Vol. 80

• Leaning all the way in on your kid’s random special interests and niche love languages

• This happy little blend of comfort + support in the band

• Joe Jonas as the judge on The Voice

• A mahjong app!

• I can feel the back to school organizing coming on, so these for the top of my closet

• Pizza Baby East’s “caprese salad”

• These for Gray’s room

• The pervasive rumor that gluten free Goldfish are about to hit the shelves

• This color combo. I genuinely cannot stop thinking about it. Also, if these are on your school supply list, there’s no better price.

• Packing for a girl’s trip

• This matchy matchy for tailgate season

• Georgia’s BTS line up

• The new season of Project Runway

• This faux duo

• Patrick Clancy

• Every single person who failed Lindasy Clancy

• Whatever this new trend of not putting life jackets on babies is. Absolutely unhinged.

• These 90s maternity vibes

• Summer homework. I get the reason why I just don’t want to manage it.

• Kitten heel slander

• I’m not sure if I got a bum pair, but these earbuds

• Celiac disease

• Delayed gratification. I’m really only here for the instant kind.

• That video of a farmer’s market stand dumping grocery store blueberries into their baskets and selling at market prices.

• Forgetting to print photos of your kids until those “all about me” projects are assigned (print them now!)

Today is my 42nd birthday and this message is for the moms who are sacrificing it all to motherhood in their thirties:

It will get better.

You are doing your best, and most like the best, job at taking care of so many people at once. I know your needs come last and you might not know who you are as an individual anymore. But hold on tight, your forties are coming for you and they are amazing.

I have never cared less about what people think, what the “right” thing to do is our fitting in. I have time to think for myself, my husband and I are able to spend pockets of time together without kids and I recognize myself when I look in the mirror again.

I’m so grateful for all that my thirties gave me, but nothing can replace the feelings of the forties.