Pretty Over Perfect

Family culture is all the rituals, traditions, food, fun and weirdness that makes us us! It's all the inside jokes, nicknames and conversations that shape our families and create lasting bonds. This week we're talking about why we think our family values are important to define, and how we think about translating that into a culture that is foundational for everyone in our homes. Family culture gives us all the roots we need to be grounded, and the wings we need to fly out into the world with grace and confidence.

If you're interested in defining your family's culture, here's a questionnaire to get you started thinking about it! Or, ponder these questions we discussed in the episode:
- What do you enjoy?
- What don't you enjoy?
- What do you prioritize?
- What won't you do?
- What rituals or traditions do you all embrace and anticipate?
- How do you make hard choices?

And if you're at a loss for what to talk about with kids at the dinner table, might we suggest Table Topics for Families. 

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

@prettyoverperfect

We’re back with some tips and tricks we use daily in our roles as parents when encouraging good behavior and working through hard things like tantrums, hitting and whining. We want to escape negative feedback loops and ruts with our kids, but all need practical ways to do so. This week we discuss logic, talking through things and our job of creating the scaffolding upon which our children will build their lives, helping them grow from ego-centric toddlers to well-rounded, empathetic adults. None of these things happen overnight, but we do have a special kind of power as parents to set the mood of our homes and to create expectations that encourage growth and learning. Let’s get the positive momentum going with some new ideas in our ongoing purpose as parents. 

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

@prettyoverperfect

Play has been shown to increase brain flexibility and we all know it makes us feel better… so why do we struggle to embrace play so much as adults? This week we are talking about adding little moments of playfulness and levity to our lives, to lighten the mood, forge lasting bonds and remind ourselves that not everything has to be so serious all the time. We’re letting go of self-consciousness and preconceived notions about how things will go in order to simply enjoy what is a bit more.

Since you don’t need to buy anything to start playing, we only have one link for you today, and that’s a super fun podcast episode featuring Jennifer Garner on the joys of being an amateur. 

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

@prettyoverperfect

You asked, and we answered! We have had several requests for some episodes all about parenting, so here's the first one. This week we're talking about what we feel our roles as parents are, what discipline means (hint: it has less to do with the child than you might think), and who we look to for advice and encouragement. We're revealing some of lowest moments of parenting (and in our true nature, tears are shed), and also our proudest moments that remind us it's all going to be okay. So much of being human is a reminder that anything worth doing is going to be hard sometimes, and raising little ones is no exception. But, we hope to offer some cheerleading to those of you in the thick of it with us.

Resources from this episode:

Table Topics for Families - a deck of cards with questions to spark conversation at the dinner table. Michelle uses this to talk with her kids about silly and serious topics.

Simply on Purpose - an Instagram account by Ralphie Jacobs, who shares lots of insight into positive parenting with tenets such as "look for the good" and "remain the adult."

Simon Synek and Angela Duckworth discuss our desires for control in this podcast episode.

3 in 30 is another podcast we've referenced many times. The host, Rachel Nielson, is quoted by Jessica as saying, "Only I can give my children a happy and healthy mother."

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

@prettyoverperfect

Today's episode is special because we are hosting our very first guest, Jessica's little sister, Whitney! Whitney is here to talk all about how she travels with her young family, including how they dream, plan and budget for the adventures they want to take. We're all telling you how we get through long road-trips, the best time to arrive at a destination, minimalist packing ideas and why we think traveling is a good idea in the first place. After all, it is a lot of effort, so how do we make it worth it?

We have lots of resources to give you today!

Whitney recommends Flights From Home and Scott's Cheap Flights for budget-friendly tickets and inspirational travel ideas.

She also recommends this Active Skin Repair for everything from diaper rash to minor injuries on her hikes.

Her own instagram is pretty inspirational itself and you should check it out here!

Michelle also likes to travel. Check out her Instagram here.

She recommends these handy items for packing like a pro:
Packing Cubes - keep your bags organized
These little jars are the easiest for all your needs like moisturizers, balms and cleansers.
Apparently the exact Beauty Book she recommended from It Cosmetics is no longer sold, but here is a similar idea and another one.
These are the backpacks her kids have used all over the place on their adventures.
And this balm is perfect for lips, rashes and dry hands and she takes it on all her adventures (even though it has a weird name).

Look for more travel tips and recommendations on our Instagram this week: Pretty Over Perfect. 

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

@prettyoverperfect

If you’ve ever wondered about the how, when and why behind this podcast, today we’re open books. We’re discussing things like how we got started, being each other’s biggest cheerleaders (and yours, too!), our qualms with social media and even topics we don’t discuss and why. We’re dishing on our MOs here, like how we’ve never improved anything by hating it - only with eyes of love do we see things grow in goodness. Listen in on our phone convo between besties as we flesh out big ideas like how to be vulnerable when we’re afraid of failing, seeing two sides of every coin and not dimming our lights anymore. 

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

@prettyoverperfect

This (much) warmer weather has us dreaming of all things festive and fun. Summer is often a bit of a reprieve from normal life, so we're talking bucket lists, personal goals and mentality shifts as we enjoy the sunnier side of life. Plus, we're telling you our favorite sides to bring to a barbecue and some of Jessica's sound weird, but she swears they taste delicious.

Jessica is planning to make lots of popsicles with Kootek Popsicle Molds. 

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

@prettyoverperfect

Dolly Parton once said, "Find out who you are. And do it on purpose." To wrap up our month focused on self-care, we are evaluating our core values: the main principles we use to determine how we want to live our lives. Once we've established what these core values are, daily decision making becomes a lot easier, and caring for our whole selves becomes habit. And! We're sharing some of YOUR ideas, thought processes and daily routines that help you live your lives on purpose. 

Core Values - a list to get you started on finding yours!

Michelle mentioned a book in the podcast but couldn't remember its title. It is The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris.

Tru Fru is delicious!

P.E. with Joe on YouTube is a great way to get whole families moving together! If you want to make it more challenging for yourself, add weights or resistance bands to the moves the kids are doing!

Other fitness apps we've heard you love: Mamele, FitOn, Wilma and 7 Minute Workout.

Email us! If indeed, anyone emails anymore: [email protected]

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

@prettyoverperfect

In this bonus episode we’re taking the opportunity to let Jessica tell us all about her recent experience giving birth and her current feelings about the postpartum period. We’re talking about what moms - and babies - really need during this time. Jessica tells us how you can detect what your baby needs by listening to their different cries and Michelle gets a little nerdy about neurochemicals and why most mothers hold their babies in their left arms. We know that surviving the 4th trimester may be instinctual, but that doesn’t make it easy, so we’re here to give you the pep talk you need and this is our mantra: Mothers Are Magic!

This episode is sponsored by Brighter Days Sleep. Emma Collett is a sleep consultant who helps babies sleep so parents can enjoy their days and nights more. Check her out - and give yourself, or a friend - the best gift ever: better sleep!

Dunston Language Theory: Check it out here and here!

Why Parents Carry Babies on the Left Side

Dr. Katie Penry on How to Put Your Phone Away and Why it Matters So Much

Dr. Katie Penry on Infant Sleep

Surviving the 4th Trimester with Postpartum Doula Angel Swon

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

@prettyoverperfect

Our philosophy is you have to get dressed every day, so you might as well have some fun doing it! We're no fashion influencers, but if you're like us, you might think of self-presentation as it's own art form. Or maybe you're wondering what the heck "style" even is anymore. This week we're chatting about ways we like to show up in the world, from daily rituals, to our signature additions of sparkle. We're dishing on the things our mamas taught us and how we wade through endless new trends to find our favorite looks.

References from this episode:
100 Cookies Cookbook
Jennifer Garner on Beauty
Justine Leconte on youtube.com
Skin Tones: Warm or Cool

 Sources for products we love:
Jessica's Gold Earrings
Jessica's Favorite Leggings
Nail Stickers

Some of our favorite lip colors:
Mac Lipstick Satin Finish in Snob
Burt's Bees Matte Lip Crayon in Hawaiian Smolder
Maybeline SuperStay Ink Crayon in Seek Adventure or Treat Yourself
Florence by Mills Non-Sticky Gloss in Major Mills

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

@prettyoverperfect