We're opening up our makeup bags and bathroom drawers to share the tried and true beauty/personal care products we can't live without. Then we share the runners-up that aren't quite all-star status plus the favorites we're desperate to find. Mentioned on the show: For all Senegence products, check out Erica's... Continue reading

May was indeed hectic and full with the end of school and allll the things. I love the description on the episode of The Mom Hour about the last month of school being like "death by a thousand cuts." I thought of this phrase during the last week of school when, as I was already trying to complete end-of-year teachers gifts and manage a full calendar, sat down at my computer after school drop off, opened up my Google Calendar, and was reminded that it was Dash's day to bring class snack! Ah! But at the same time it was... Continue reading

We chat about our parenting experiences of raising girls and raising boys: what we love about raising girls and boys, the values we hope to instill in them, and what we think would be hard about raising the opposite gender. Along the way we discover that we both have strong... Continue reading

Our kids are out for school this week so summer is upon us! This week we chat about the summer plans and routines we hope to implement so that the whole family enjoys the season. Plus a summer candle sniff quiz! Mentioned on the show: Just structured enough summer schedule... Continue reading

We share several "perfect things" in our lives – those items that not only fulfill a need but do it so well they bring a little extra joy to our lives. This episode is inspired by an episode of the Friendlier podcast on the same topic. Small spatulas Little Hands... Continue reading

My friend Georgia (hi Georgia!) sent me an email recently asking about my favorite books on goal-setting and accomplishment. I had fun thinking of my favorite resources and then realized it would make for a great blog post! Here's a roundup of the books, podcasts, and materials that have been the most helpful to me for making goals and setting myself up for success... Continue reading

For our spring book club we're discussing the best-selling and critically acclaimed memoir Educated by Tara Westover. Mentioned on the show: Essential oil company run by Tara's mother New York Times Educated discussion questions The Glass Castle Connect with us on Instagram at @higirlsnextdoor and on Facebook. Sign up for... Continue reading

I love the academic calendar and the rhythm it gives our lives. My life has always been measured in semesters since even once I was out of graduate school Chris was working at a university, and then I was too (deep archive dive to read about getting my job at ASU – this is why I love blogging!). I'm thinking back to the first day of kindergarten/preschool at the beginning of the school year and all that's happened. A new school that felt so big and unfamiliar is now a regular and comfortable part of our lives. We made new... Continue reading

Every year, April is a busy month for our family. It starts with our anniversary on April 1 (no foolin', as our wedding invitations said), then Dashiell's birthday on the 9th, and Chris has a hectic schedule all the way through. Plus allergies hit! Chris gets them the worst, Cedric seems to get them too, and I've had a few days of sneezing and other unpleasant symptoms. Even though the month felt busy it was so much more manageable now that I'm not working full time plus we don't have the drive to and from daycare. I'm thankful for this.... Continue reading

*Unfortunately there's some audio distortion around the 8:50 timestamp so we wanted to make you aware We share the sage wisdom we've learned being 30-somethings. Plus the advice we'd give our 20 year old selves and how we feel about getting closer to the big 4-0. Mentioned on the show:... Continue reading

"People are so relieved when you start telling the truth." This is one of the many phrases that I scribbled down on my notepad, barely able to see in the dark theater, as I sat next to two dear friends last month listening to the wise and funny writer Anne Lamott. Over an hour and a half she talked about mercy, hope, and writing. Anne describes herself as a devout Christian and although I am atheist I find her reflections on love and faith accessible and uplifting. Her advice about writing I could listen to all day, or at least... Continue reading

It's spring! At least here in Arizona. My palo verde trees have started blooming with little yellow flowers and more open every day. This is why I planted them! Spring also means Dash's birthday and the weather is always perfect. I have a six year old! It's bittersweet when they leave an age behind but six feels like an awesome age already. On his sixth birthday Dash announced that he would wash his own breakfast dishes since being older means more responsibility. (!) The habit hasn't stuck but overall there has been more cooperation in routines and chores which is... Continue reading

To talk about communication in marriage we're joined by special guests: the husbands next door! They'll chime in as we describe each of our communication styles and tell tales of communication in marriage gone awry. Then, Erica and Kelsey share their tips for good marriage communication. Mentioned on the show:... Continue reading

In March, spring break felt like the theme of the month even though it was just a week plus a Monday. Dash got pretty sick over spring break too so instead of parks and adventures we had several cozy couch days watching movies. It wasn't how I expected to spend the week but I did feel very thankful not to be dealing with trying to take time off work to be with a sick kiddo. On the creative front last month I was productive but always want to do more. I'm reminding myself that I'll probably always feel this way.... Continue reading

"Does anybody else feel like they're in trouble at the post office?" We ask this important question as we discuss everything about errands! We talk errand strategies, which ones we love and loathe, and how to include (or not) kids on errands. We also have a special spring edition candle... Continue reading