We are all spending a lot of time in our homes these days, and so more than ever it's important to make sure your space is a happy one! It's your refuge (but may also be serving as your schoolhouse, workplace, restaurant, bar, and entertainment space), and so we have some ideas to quickly make your space feel a little more you, and a lot more happy!

Do you find yourself overthinking every major and minor decision? Sometimes it makes sense to list the pros and cons and carefully weigh the outcomes but sometimes we may, as moms, just put way too much thought into the smallest of small decisions. We ruminate on everything from what our child is eating for dinner to should we breastfeed? Best preschool? Best extra curricular activities? Why do we torture ourselves by doing so much research and asking every friend that will listen their opinion when we really know what we want to do? We break it down and discuss ways to calm our thinking, get comfortable with our decision and move on! Listen in...

WINE OF THE WEEK
Klinker Brick Zinfandel 2016 from Lodi 

Books we mentioned
Women Who Think Too Much - Susan Nolan-Hoeskema, Ph.D

Planning, schedules, calendars, oh my! How does a busy working mama keep all the extracurriculars, birthday parties, vacations, and weekend plans organized, and dare we say, thoughtfully considered? Do you end up without Labor Day weekend plans year-after-year, or planning your vacations at the last minute only to realize everything is sold out? Well then, today's episode is for you! Today's episode is all about how to proactively plan the year ahead to achieve all your personal and professional goals, and to schedule trips throughout the year on the timeline you want. Working with the school year, not the calendar year, quintiles allows you to segment the year in a way that works for your family. Have a listen, and please share your feedback!

WINE OF THE WEEK
Bread & Butter 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon

Family photos, what!? Yes, believe it or not according to expert planner, Jenn, she says the time is now to start securing a photographer, thinking about location, location, location, and of course the outfits! What to wear! It's enough to make our heads spin. We break it all down to let  you determine - "Can I still do this with COVID, school starting, and every thing else?!" Our answer is "yes, and listen in to learn how."

SHOW NOTES
Wine of the week: Louis Martini Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (we both loved it and loved the vineyard manager - a millennial, black female Brenae Royal - we are obsessed and oh so jealous of her life and success!)

Feeling overwhelmed by this COVID world we are living in? Are the littlest things ruining your day, or making you lose your mind? Hang in there mama ... we understand! In this week's episode we offer our best tips and suggestions to keep it together when the going gets tough!

SHOW NOTES
Wine of the week: Bartholomew Estate Winery 2014 Chardonnay (yum!)

You know how you never know what to wear? And sometimes you aren't sure if something looks good on you, or if the color is right for your skin tone? And doesn't this whole process just take up so much time, between the shopping, the trying things on, the re-trying things on ... well, this is where capsule wardrobes come in! Have a listen to this week's episode to see if this trend in minimalism is for you!

SHOW NOTES
These are the websites/blogs we referenced for how to start a capsule wardrobe:

• Project 333
• Verena Erin with My Green Closet
• Daria Andronescu of Wonder Wardobe
• Vetta Capsule
• M.M. LaFleur
• Everlane

Jenn and Natasha share their most reliable grocery market finds to make shopping a little easier and faster during these times. They have so many recommendations from a few of their favorite grocery stores: Trader Joes (loved by both); Costco (Jenn's a fan, Natasha, meh) and Costco (there are just reasons everyone has to love it). Take a listen for some great recommendations you will want to go out and buy today!

SHOW NOTES
This week's wine pick: David James Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, 2018

Trader Joes: Vanilla meringues, Mochi balls, Cauliflower crust pizza, Lemongrass chicken stix, Quinoa veggie burger, TJ's Mediterranean hummus, Chicken tikka masala/naan, Frozen cauliflower rice, French lentils, Sweet & spicy pecans, Chicken salsa verde Burritos, Pickle popcorn, Chocolate lava gnocchi, Sweet corn burrata ravioli, Frozen mushroom risotto, Frozen orange chicken (Kids love it), Frozen jasmin or brown rice, mini ice cream cones, Center cut filets (in the meat section)

Whole Foods: Califia almond milk, high quality meats - pasture/humanely treated, Wild shrimp, Smoked mozzarella, Anything for making a cheeseboard, Chantilly cake, Abes vegan mini muffins, Ashlands Hard Seltzer

Costco: Garden Lite Veggies Made Great muffins, Sandwich Brothers pita sandwiches, Ready-made taco dinners, Kirkland vodka

Spending much time in your kitchen? Us, too! For those of us that quite enjoyed our restaurants, we are reacquainting ourselves with our kitchens, and trying to find new recipes to love, that are quick and easy! So this week, we chatted about all our must-have kitchen appliances and tools to make the job easier, as well as recipes that don't take too much time, and that the whole family will eat. Have a listen to make this week's meal planning just a wee bit easier!

SHOW NOTES
This week's wine pick: Buerré Chardonnay 2018

Awesome virtual wine tasting company we mentioned: In Good Taste

Great movie to watch on Netflix: Uncorked

One of our favorite wine documentaries: Somm

Kitchen stuff we love:

• Breville toaster oven
• MAC MTH-80 knife
• Global knives
• Lettuce Grow
• All Clad double griddle
• Boos Block cutting boards
• Microplane
• Spider strainer
• Kitchen scale 
• Duralex glass bowls
• French beechwood wooden spoons 
• KitchenAid stand mixer / Smeg stand mixer

Cool things we mentioned:

• Knife Aid sharpening service
• Zenology wine glasses
• Ooni pizza oven

Tash’s recipes:

• Ambitious Kitchen Banana Choc Chip muffins
• Suzy’s shepard’s pie recipe
• Ellie Krieger’s 3-bean chili

Jenn’s recipes:

• Giada’s Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss chard
• Giada’s Linguine with Shrimp, Tomatoes and Asparagus
• Food Network’s Curried Shrimp with Cauliflower Rice
• Eating Well’s Creamy Parmesan Mushroom Chicken
• Eating Well’s Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken

In continuing our skincare series, this episode is all about taking good care of your skin in the summer! From oiliness, to sunburns, to hyperpigmentation, summer tends to beat up the skin a bit! So, what to do? Join us as Jennifer Kolinski, a dermatology nurse practitioner, and Natasha Tharp, a lover of skincare and products, discuss everything you need to know to keep your skin happy, healthy and glowing!
 
SHOW NOTES
You will find all our products recommendation mentioned in this episode, here!

Our Wine Pick of the Week (that Tash LOVED):

• Chateau du Galoupet 2018 Rosé

We are trying to wade through all of the emotions, parent chatter and ideas for taking on fall online schooling while juggling work and everything else. We discuss how to work toward homeschooling, taking a gap year with younger ones, and if we feel safe sending our kids back! Its dizzying and overwhelming. Listen in to hear how we are sorting it all out.

SHOW NOTES

• Cline Old Vine Zinfandel 2018 - (A feels like 'coming home' wine for Jenn!)
• Gap Year Association
• Teach Your Own (A guide for parents to teach their own children)
• Simple Home School Blog (steadyhomemom.com's new site)