The Middle of Everything

In this week's episode, Sarah and Claire share our resolutions for 2019 - broken down into Personal, Parenting and Podcast. From minimalism to health goals to picky eaters and productivity, we are asking you to hold us accountable! Kick off the year with us and share your goals as well!

EPISODE 34 - LISTEN HERE !

In this episode we talk about:

"Taste Plate" for Picky Eaters (https://www.realmomnutrition.com/taste-plate-for-picky-eaters/)

Weighted Blankets (https://www.mycalmblanket.com/products/the-weighted-blanket-to-reduce-insomnia-and-anxiety?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjNavpOfF3wIVELvsCh1Aqw3aEAAYASAAEgJ7rPD_BwE)

This week we are talking holiday food - including some of our own family traditions - with freelance food writer Natalie Mikles.  She shares some of her favorite non-turkey dinner ideas, her love of trying new cookies each year, and gives us some great ideas for making the holidays sweet for our kids, without stressing ourselves out too much!

EPISODE 33 - LISTEN HERE!

In this episode we talk about:

Natalie's story on Preemie Mom Camp (http://preemiemomcamp.com/preemie-mom-story-natalie-mikles/)

Kid's Cookie Exchange Tips from Tulsa Kids (http://www.tulsakids.com/December-2018/Kid-Friendly-Christmas-Cookie-Recipes/)

Tulsa Public Schools Bean Chowder and Cinnamon Rolls (https://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/it-s-bean-a-long-time/article_347a53bd-cf0d-5eda-9ec6-3578bc1cf7c0.html)

Fruitcake: Memories of Truman Capote and Sook (https://www.amazon.com/Fruitcake-Memories-Truman-Capote-Sook/dp/1892514818)

Trader Joes Butter Toffee Pretzels (https://www.amazon.com/Fruitcake-Memories-Truman-Capote-Sook/dp/1892514818)

This week's episode is so much fun! We teamed up with Thom Crowe of Tis The Podcast, a year-round Christmas movie review podcast, to debate....um, DISCUSS our favorite Christmas movies! To kick off the episode, we each listed our Top 5 Holiday movies to start the discussion.  While we had some crossover between lists, we also hit on a few controversial topics.  Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?  Which Home Alone is the best (Claire makes a convincing case for #2)?  And what are the problematic / implausisble parts of SO MANY holiday movies that could never take place in 2018?  Speaking of 2018, we also dive into the Rudolph bullying controversy, the "Me Too" / "Baby It's Cold Outside" moment, and laugh at ourselves for a minute (or two).  As a Christmas movie expert, Thom fills us in on his favorite non-traditional treats, including Hallmark/Netflix specials, some of the obscure Christmas/Horror genre and some unexpectedly good unknown flicks.

We laughed so hard during this episode you guys, enjoy and let us know where you stand on your holiday guilty pleasures and favorites!

 

In this episode we talk about:

(I'm not linking every single movie we talked about you guys, especially all the ones everyone knows.  But I WILL link to the obscure/topical ones that we mentioned!)

'Tis the Podcast (https://tisthepodcast.podbean.com/)

Pop Culture Happy Hour Episode 'Tis The Season: We Talk Hallmark Holiday Movies (https://www.npr.org/2018/12/06/674108581/tis-the-season-we-talk-hallmark-holiday-movies)

Free Rein: The Twelve Neighs of Christmas (https://www.netflix.com/title/81001412)

She and Him Christmas Album (http://www.sheandhim.com/)

Circle Cinema White Christmas Sing Along (http://circlecinema.com/portfolio/white-christmas-special-sing-along/)

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Best_Christmas_Pageant_Ever)

Northpole (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3595848/)

Pete's Christmas (http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/petes-christmas)

Santa's Slay (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393685/)

Krampas (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3850590/)

Lydia Liza and Josiah Lemanski - Baby It's Cold Outside (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amK4U4pCTB8)

Emmett Otters Jugband Christmas Returning to Theaters (https://nerdist.com/emmet-otters-jug-band-christmas-fraggle-rock-coming-to-theaters/)

One Magic Christmas (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089731/)

Paragraph

It's time for Gifts!  We got tips from our resident Toy Correspondent - Jana Doyle, owner of Kiddlestix Toys - on the hottest trends in toys for 2018 for a variety of age groups.  We weigh in on her picks, and talk about how holiday gifting looks for us this year.  We talk about non-toy gifts (pets, event tickets, etc.) and how our various extended families handle gift giving for the adults in the family.  When we share what we want for Christmas, the podcast takes an unexpected segway into beekeeping (Claire has to break it down for Sarah). Enjoy and happy shopping!

In this episode, we talk about:

Kiddlestix Toy Store (https://www.kiddlestixtoys.com/)

Target Sleep Poncho (https://www.target.com/p/women-s-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-holiday-fleece-poncho-cream-one-size/-/A-53730539)

We dive into the Christmas season in this episode, starting with a controversial Eggnog conversation…then talk about both our households “no Christmas til after Thanksgiving” stance, and BlackSmallCyber Weekend shopping.

Next we chat about our favorite holiday decorations, traditions and drop a few hot tips about decorating practices, live tree procurement and overcoming kids tree OCD.  Sarah shares Elf on the Shelf regrets (get out before it’s too late people) and her love of the non-chocolate advent calendar tradition she’s passed on to her kids.

Claire talks about her family’s Nutcracker tradition as well as the British Pantomime Season she grew up with, and we talk light displays, Polar Express trains, and All The Things to do this holiday season, including Santa visits, Silver Dollar City and stay-at-home activities.  Tired yet?  We also talk about holiday anxiety and fatigue, and how getting a tentative calendar can ease some of the FOMO.

To wrap up the first of this month’s holiday extravaganza, Sarah gives an update on her son’s Christmas list – spoiler alert, it features a pet lizard!  All the feelings are happening here…

In this episode we talk about:

Owasso Tree Farm (http://www.owassotreefarm.com/)

Mark and Graham Advent Calendar (https://www.markandgraham.com/products/quilted-hanging-advent-calendar/?pkey=e%7Cadvent%7C0%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C1&cm_src=NLASEARCH)

Tulsa Kids – Holiday Traditions: A Claus for Debate (http://www.tulsakids.com/December-2017/Holiday-Traditions-A-Claus-for-Debate/)

LEGO Advent Calendar (https://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-City-Advent-Calendar-60201?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs9r_m9nz3gIVqyCtBh3hSAv5EAAYAiAAEgITfPD_BwE&ef_id=UvEUwAAABIefM330:20181127040700:s&s_kwcid=AL!790!3!308913515735!b!!g!!&Buffer&cmp=KAC-INI-GOOGUS-GO-US-EN-PS-BUY-SHOP-XX-XX-RN-DSA)

London Pantomime (http://www.bigpantoguide.co.uk/london.php)

Polar Express Train Ride Locations (https://www.raileventsinc.com/polar-express/locations)

Silver Dollar City Old Time Christmas (https://www.silverdollarcity.com/theme-park/festivals/an-old-time-christmas)

The Christmas Chronicles (https://www.netflix.com/title/80199682)

Utica Square Santa House (http://www.tulsapeople.com/Tulsa-People/November-2014/Lights-Christmas-Action/)

Philbrook Museum of Art Festival (https://philbrook.org/visit/fundraising/festival/)

Rhema Lights (http://www.rhemalights.org/)

The Gathering Place Winter Wonderland (https://www.gatheringplace.org/events//event/1294536)

Sarah and Claire have both been traveling for work for years - especially this fall, so we decided to weigh in on some of our experiences, starting when our kids were small.  We share adventures in pumping - from the car to the hotel kitchenette - and talk about how our experiences have changed (for the better!) now that our kids are a little older.  Claire gives Sarah some tips on communicating logistics with your spouse/childcare giver, including reminders and to-dos, and we talk about how we keep in touch (or don't!) with our little guys from the road.  Then the best part of work travel - ME TIME!  We share our favorite self care rituals, and how we make the most of it and enjoy the time to ourselves.

EPISODE 29 - LISTEN HERE!

In this episode we talk about:

Elderberry Syrup (https://wellnessmama.com/1888/elderberry-syrup/)

Elder Millenial (https://www.netflix.com/title/80213658)

Cozi App (https://www.cozi.com/)

You guys.  We are so excited for this weeks guest!  We have been big fans of the Crunchy Cocktail Hour (https://crunchycocktailhour.com/)podcast for the last several months, and we are thrilled to have Larisa, their Crunchy Co-Host, to share with us some tips for making changes in our lives toward a cleaner, greener, healthier lifestyle.  Larisa shares a little of her not-so-crunchy background, and what led her to start doing research and making changes for her family.  She talks us through some Crunchy 101 points in the areas of food/dietary lifestyle, skincare/makeup products, and in-home products like cleaners, food storage and the (now) dreaded Teflon that we cook with.  We also chat about talking to our kids about making good choices, toddler food shaming, and struggles with getting our spouses on board with changes we would like to make.  In the overwhelming world of choices and confusing information, Larisa gives us some great tips on places to start small making changes - and how every bit makes a difference! Enjoy!!!

In this episode we talk about:

Crunchy Cocktail Hour (https://crunchycocktailhour.com/)

What Kind of Crunchy Mom Are You? Quiz (https://crunchycocktailhour.com/crunchy-mom-quiz/)

Clean 15 / Dirty Dozen (https://www.produceretailer.com/article/news-article/2018-dirty-dozen-and-clean-15-lists-released)

CCH Episodes 15 and 16, Skin Care and Beauty Routines (https://crunchycocktailhour.com/page/6/)

Bar Shampoo (https://www.amazon.com/Peppermint-Ingredients-Dandruff-Psoriasis-Conditioning/dp/B072XSS496/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1541470194&sr=8-3&keywords=soap+bar+shampoo)

Native Deodorant (https://www.nativecos.com/)

EWG (https://www.ewg.org/)

Dr. Bronner's Soap (https://www.drbronner.com/)

CCH Episode 36 - Larisa Begs Alison to Stop Using Teflon (https://crunchycocktailhour.com/cookware/)

IKEA Glass Food Storage (https://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/usearch/?query=glass%20food%20containers)

Think Dirty App (https://www.thinkdirtyapp.com/)

Things get personal when we answer some of your listener questions!  We got some great ones in, from parenting advice to more about us, to random...so here we go!  First we talk about how and when we each decided to have our kids (shocker - Claire had a plan!), then tackle a listener question about toddler screen time.  Next we share more about how we both ended up on our career paths, and where we are today.  One listener asked us for advice on tipping, from hairdressers to the UPS guy, so we both share how/what we like to give.  And finally, we answer the question about why we rarely post pictures of ourselves, and awkwardly compliment each other on our looks. It got weird you guys, for real.  Enjoy, and send us more questions anytime!

In this episode we talk about:

One Bad Mother Podcast (http://www.maximumfun.org/one-bad-mother/one-bad-mother-episode-276-i-still-got-it-plus-nightmares-psychologist-dr-eileen)

Yasmine Bleeth (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000109/) (see I told you it got weird)

It's all things Halloween this week as we talk through our favorite traditions and practices...starting with prep in early October! Sarah and Claire share our favorite ideas for pumpkin patches, carving kits, roasting seeds and spooky movies (for kids and grownups) to get us in the mood for the big day. Then, we get to the good stuff - costumes (for kids, grownups and family), trick or treating and CANDY!  Claire's family has a big party every year so we chat about our favorite (and not so favorite) parts of celebrating.

In this episode we talk about:

Pleasant Valley Farms (https://www.pleasantvalleyfarmsok.com/)

Carmichaels Pumpkin Patch (https://carmichaelsproduce.wordpress.com/)

Pumpkin Carving Kits (https://www.target.com/p/pumpkin-masters-halloween-day-of-the-dead-pumpkin-carving-kit/-/A-53294600?gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1246978&ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Seasonal+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Seasonal&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9026542&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIouHEgeya3gIVFr3sCh0JzA5uEAQYASABEgK_e_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060550/)

Hocus Pocus (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107120/)

Coraline (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327597/?ref_=nv_sr_1)

Nightmare Before Christmas (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107688/?ref_=nv_sr_1)

Curious George : A Halloween Boo Fest (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3124292/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)

Hotel Transylvania 3 (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5220122/?ref_=nv_sr_1)

Practical Magic (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120791/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)

IT (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1396484/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)

Making A Murderer (https://www.netflix.com/title/80000770)

The Keepers (https://www.netflix.com/title/80122179)

Out of Thin Air (https://www.netflix.com/title/80119349)

The Staircase (https://www.netflix.com/title/80233441)

Evil Genius (https://www.netflix.com/title/80158319)

In this week's episode, we jump into the world of ethical fashion with Kara Moseby of the Cultivated Conversations podcast and Cultivated.Fashion blog.  We love the tagline behind their business: "As Cultivated.Fashion we want to come alongside women, especially moms, on their journey to living minimally and ethically with friendship, education, style, and cute clothes!"

Kara talks us through why we should avoid "fast fashion", and gives us tips for starting to think through our purchases in the sometimes overwhelming world of ethical fashion.  We talk about the ways to think about purchasing in ways that are kind to people, the planet, and/or animals, the idea of Cost Per Wear, and how to get started with consignment shopping and shopping what we already own.  Plus, Kara does the research for us and shares some of her favorite companies and sources for ethical fashion.

At the top of the episode, we catch up a bit - Sarah talks sick days and starting the Keto diet, and Claire shares about her oldest son's birthday party with a great new location idea!

In this episode we talk about:

ClimbTulsa (https://climbtulsa.com/)

The Root Collective (https://therootcollective.com/)

True Cost (https://truecostmovie.com/)

LeTote (https://letote.com/freetote/SARAH%2011711)

The Tulsa Tailor (https://www.thetulsatailor.com/about/)

Echo Tulsa (http://www.echoshops.com/)

SoBoCo Tulsa (https://shopthesobo.com/)

Dress For Success (https://dressforsuccess.org/)

Kara's Consignment Tips Episode 2.4 of Cultivated Conversations (http://www.cultivated.fashion/blog/cultivated-conversations-24-consignment-shopping)

Thom Kelly (https://thomkelly.com/)

Patagonia WornWear (https://wornwear.patagonia.com/)

Factory 45 Marketplace (https://factory45.co/)

Noonday Collection (https://www.noondaycollection.com/)

Brass Clothing (https://brassclothing.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl8fkrYOJ3gIVC39-Ch1gVA7FEAAYASAAEgIC9vD_BwE)

Everlane (https://www.everlane.com/)

Levis Water