So, I realize that in the grand scheme of things, finishing a bottle of nail polish is totally not a big deal compared to, say, delivering a baby on a plane, or fighting oppression with acts of civil disobedience!
Buuuuuuuut, if you’re a beauty lover like I am, I think you’ll totally get this. See this bottle of mint green polish by Olive & June? I’ve finished almost a quarter of it, and I’m thrilled by the prospect of perhaps even finishing — gasp! — half of it soon. Or, perhaps the whole thing.
(MIND BLOWN.)
You guys, I can’t even remember the last time I finished a bottle of nail polish down to the last drop. I’m fairly sure it was decades ago.
This might have something to do with me getting rid of all of the old-@ss polishes that were gathering dust in my office for literally YEARS. I recently decided to only keep colors that I truly love, and even though I have far fewer bottles of nail polish now, deciding what to wear on my nails is so much easier than before.
I FULLY realize that I sound like a broken record there, but it’s been so liberating.
FYI, this is KMC with a slice of yellow watermelon! I bought a mini yellow watermelon from Trader Joe’s yesterday, and yes, I already finished most of it by myself, in one day, because it’s been the only decent watermelon I’ve gotten this year.
Every single red watermelon I’ve brought home in 2021 was either mealy, flavorless or otherwise inedible and gross! I’ve tried all of my “watermelon whisperer” tricks to pick them, too, like looking for the ones with the darkest yellow spot, comparing them by weight, knocking on the outsides to hear a hollow sound, but I’ve still yet to find a halfway decent red watermelon this year.
How’s your luck been with watermelon this year? Inquiring minds want to know…
Anyway, the watermelon was part of a picnic lunch that Connor “hosted” in our circle with her friends in the neighborhood. She’s with me this week because it’s the break between school and summer camp, and over the weekend she made a list of things she wanted to do while away at “mama camp.” One of the things was having a picnic outdoors with her buddies.
Guess what I figured out yesterday? If you have to feed children at a picnic — they don’t need much food! I put together a whole spread for the kids, but all they ate were slices of watermelon, homemade guacamole and tortilla chips. *shrugs*
I wanted to take a picture of the guacamole, but the kids ate it all before I could grab a shot. For the guac, I left out any strong spices, so no garlic or onion powder, and only used smashed avocado, a little bit of lime (lemon will work in a pinch) and some salt. That was it.
So, yeah, the next time you have to feed some little ones outdoors, keep in mind this *very gourmet* food combination, LOL! It’s a winner.
Oh, I almost forgot, but the kids also ate the homemade chocolate chip cookies Connor and I made the day before. I whipped up a batch of cookies to bring to my high school friends, Jen and Cindy, who I met for lunch at a sushi restaurant in Sausalito for a belated birthday fete.
I hadn’t seen them both in well over a year!
As a side, I like to get Connor up in the mix whenever I do things like write cards or make cookies for my friends because I think it’s important for her to learn about the importance of small gestures. I want her to know that this is what caring for your people looks like…doing the seemingly small things. I want her to know that there are many ways to say “I love you,” and sometimes the smallest gestures are very meaningful.
One of those “seemingly small but big” acts happened at the restaurant with Jen and Cindy. We were sitting at the table catching up, and when it was time to order, I had no idea what to choose. Ya know, you’d think that ordering a couple of California rolls wouldn’t be so damn hard, but it’s been so long since I’ve seen them (they’re like the sisters I always wanted), and I’ve been having to hold it together for everyone else around me for what feels like THE LONGEST YEAR EVER, and I just didn’t have it in me 1) to keep my guard up anymore, and 2) order food.
Because she knows me, Cindy saw that I was struggling and said, “Don’t worry about ordering. I got you, girl.” She then grabbed my menu, rattled off a meal for our table (she’s the bossy one, LOL!), and took care of it.
I don’t remember the last time I got to actually relax during a meal outside the house. I mean, yes, Connor and El Hub and I eat at restaurants every once in a while again, and even though it’s a break for me because I don’t have to cook, I’m still “on duty.” I’m watching Connor and helping her mind her manners, monitoring what comes out to our table because of El Hub’s gluten allergy, things like that. And I’m always making sure other people are set before I eat. I’m happy to do it all, of course, but when we eat out, I’m never truly relaxed. I’m mom-ing and wife-ing, and doing all the things people around me probably don’t even notice.
But, last Sunday, when I was having sushi with my friends, all I did was sit there. IT WAS GLORIOUS. Having a friend order for me (and for her to do it without me having to ask) made me feel so cared for and so, so loved.
It’s all the little things, right? In the end, they always end up being the big things.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
