Pretty Over Perfect

This week we chatted with our kids to ask them about how they feel loved, how they contribute to our families and what their favorite memories and traditions are! We even asked them what they think parents of kids their age should know. 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

In these long days of summer, all parents could use a little encouragement. We're discussing the latest in our favorite parenting books, podcasts and ideas. Parenting is an ever-evolving journey, and we discuss our thoughts on our currents ages and stages. We share our take-aways from Grit  by Angela Duckworth, Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff, Bringing Up Bebe by Pameral Druckerman and The Child Whisperer by  Carol Tuttle and A Joyful Mother of Children by Linda Eyre.

Our previous episodes on parenting can be found here:
Perspectives on Parenting: Discipline Starts With Me
Let's Play
Parenting Tips and Tricks We Use
Family Culture: What it Is and How We're Creating It

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

We don't want to live a life stuck in the past or buried under a massive pile of memorabilia, but we do want to pay attention to the evidence of good in our lives so we can carry it with us into the present and future. We're talking this week about keeping track of things or moments that are meaningful to us - from organizing our kids' artwork, to journaling our own experiences in simple, doable ways.

Resources from this episode:
Page Protectors for all that precious artwork
14,000 Things to Be Happy About by Barbara Ann Kipfer
Blake Lively's Dress from the Met Gala - skip to 3:55 for her explanation of all the beautiful details

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

Today we're talking tips and tricks for getting good photos. We love taking pictures - and we also realize photographs don't always do our memories justice, and in fact, can steal the moment from us. So we're chatting today about when to pull out the camera and when to leave it behind and just enjoy the present. And! If we're going to pull out the camera - we might as well get a good photo! We're sharing all our best advice on lighting and composition to get you started taking fewer, better photos of your family, friends and food, today. 

Here's a brief overview of the rule of thirds in case you need a quick visual!

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

Summer is a great time for making memories - it feels out of the ordinary, special and free to be full of fun. But we can easily get in our own ways - so concerned about every moment being perfect that we don’t pay attention to all the good things happening around us. This episode is all about how memories are made (hint: it’s usually when things aren’t perfect), how to have real fun making them and why attention is the building block of memory. We also talk about the different kinds of memories we are capable of building at any time. We want to live a life filled with good memories, both for ourselves and our families, and this is all about how and why to do it! Bonus: Did you know you have the power to change your memories? It’s true!

Key Takeaways:
Attention is the building block of memory.
Perfection is antithetical to true fun.
Children thrive in environments where they know they are loved and supported (not in pristine environments). This doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it sounds.
Our memories are highly suggestible - and we can choose to focus on the positive or the negative aspects of any experience.
True fun comes from playfulness, connectedness and flow - and is available to us in many places if we have the desire to look!

Books referenced in this episode:
The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again by Catherine Price - an excellent primer on fun and how to have more of it. We’d suggest you start here if you feel like you're not having much fun these days.

Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting by Lisa Genova

Jessica referenced this article on 5 Ways to Make Happy Family Memories.

Andrew Huberman has an in depth podcast called Huberman Lab.

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

Summer is upon us - with all it's fun, freedom and potential for friction! Today we're discussing ways we're going intentionally into this time that allows us to pursue passion projects, spend more time with family and friends and enjoy the sunshine. We're discussing how we set and manage expectations for ourselves and our families - with ideas ranging from young kids to middle schoolers. We discuss daily schedules, the 5 Ss of Summer, Hatchimal villages, themed weeks, and forts in the mountains. And we've got boredom busters for young kids, too!

The 2022 Summer Calendar Jessica uses is at 8 Minute Classes.
Jordan Page's Clipboard System can be found here.
Here's how to play Snail Hopscotch!

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

We are so excited to have Mallory of Oregon AgLink on our show today to tell us a little bit about the amazing world of agriculture. Though it's a system we might not think of often, or if we do it's with mixed feelings, we all depend on the work of famers to provide the food we eat. Mallory has so much to share about how the farming industry works, is all inter-connected and is constantly adapting to market demand.  She demystifies common food labels you encounter in the grocery store, as well as walking us through what certain terms do and do not mean. We walked away from this conversation feeling incredibly grateful for the work of the few (only 1.3% of the population) that feed the masses, and the intricate network that gets food to our tables every day. 

The documentary Food Evolution was discussed throughout the episode, and here are all of Mallory's resources she mentioned:
Safe Fruits & Veggies - Calculator to see how many servings could be eaten without any adverse effects from pesticide residue
UC Davis - Biotech Program Blog
Cornell University - Alliance for Science
The Genetic Literacy Project
Biology Fortified - Crop Modification Techniques
Australian chemistry teacher James Kennedy’s blog: infographics of fruit (Scroll past the banana in Chinese to see all English versions)
TDF Honest Farming - Find Derrick Josi @tdfhonestfarming on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube -- raises cows for milk for Tillamook cheese, ice cream, etc. (Oregon coast)
Owyhee Produce's Shay Myers growing onions, asparagus, mint, and more on the Oregon Idaho border, went viral during pandemic and can be found @shayfarmkid on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, plus has a podcast called Produce Common Sense
The Farm Babe - Michelle Miller (on most socials)
Dr. Kevin Folta - scientist, science communicator, and professor at University of Florida and hosts Talking Biotech podcast
Tamar Haspel - James Beard award winning Washington Post columnist in pursuit of a more constructive conversation on divisive food-policy issues
Michele Payn - Author of 3 books - Food Bullying: How to avoid buying BS, Food Truths from Farm to Table: 25 Surprising Ways to Shop & Eat without Guilt, and No More Food Fights, can be found on most social media and has a podcast called Food Bullying
 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

This week we’re recapping our spring favorites: foods, activities and life lessons from our past few episodes. Jessica talks about making tiny hats for baby bears and Michelle talks about where the word “quarantine” comes from. 

Michelle recommends Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek and referenced this podcast interview of Anna Lembke on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard (please note that this episode contains adult content including subject matter and language). 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

If you’ve ever wondered where Michelle and Jessica come from, now is your chance to find out. We interviewed each of our moms about motherhood and we can’t wait for you to hear their wisdom and inspiration! Plus, you’ll get a little bonus insight into who we were growing up, and what we’re most thankful to our moms for teaching us! 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

Did you know Jessica's dad, Rich, is a Master Gardener? He really knows his stuff and he is here to help us get started with some gardening made accessible for anyone. If you're like us, you might want to start planting but have no idea where, when or how!

Well, today you're in luck! From taking the mystery out of tomatoes, to container gardening in limited spaces, Rich walks us through some of the basics of vegetable and landscape gardening. This episode is filled with great tips and you'll want to listen all the way to the end to hear Rich describe how enriching and therapeutic of an experience gardening can be (and as a bonus, it ties in nicely with our themes of doing hard things that are truly enjoyable for a more satisfying experience).

Rich recommends these Walls of Water for protecting seedlings and his favorite tool is this Ames Scuffle Hoe. We're pretty sure that if we get these, we, too, can be master gardeners!

Also, Michelle found out more about the Master Gardener program - and it is likely that there is one in your area through an extension of the local Universities. If you are interested in learning more,  search for the Master Gardener program and the University nearest you. 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect