Kelley is a wellness coach, but Gretchen is a late-onset athlete, who has struggled with "Gympostor Syndrome," and has to work harder (mentally) to feel like she's allowed to be part of the gym scene.

 

Mentioned on the podcast

Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome

Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome

The Oatmeal: At the Gym, Who's Looking at Whom

USDA School Lunch Guidelines

Whole30

http://www.easylunchboxes.com/

Silicone Cupcake Liners

Kelley's kids' colorful lunches:

 

 

Our Favorite Things!

Kelley: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo*

Gretchen: Moving Comfort/Brooks Jubralee sports bra, 90 Degree by Reflex high waist leggings, Stronglifts 5x5 App 

*Or try what Gretchen mentioned, How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind: Dealing with Your House's Dirty Little Secrets

 

Kelley is back with her story about traveling with Oprah (yes, that Oprah!) and as tribute to her, we have a full episode of our favorite things. Only, our favorite things are not in the Oprah price range, they are in OUR price range.

Our Favorite Things!

Gretchen's:

• You're a Creepy One, Elf on the Shelf
• Bluetooth Headphones: I have these but Skullcandy has great options and wonderful customer service. We have the Crusher, Hesh3 is similar. For an earpiece, I use a Plantronics one like this (but there are lots of options.)
• Roku: the model I have isn’t sold any longer, but the Ultra is most similar
• Scotch Laminator Pro TL906
• Amazon Basics Laminating Pouches
• Podcasts: Pod Save America, The Dollop, My Favorite Murder
• Heated Mattress Pad Invisiwire Ultra Plush
• Sewing Machine I won a Janome Skyline S5, but I can also recommend the Brother CS6000i as an excellent beginner machine, or if you are looking for a kid (Don’t buy a toy one!)
• Varidesk
• Instant Hot Tap
• Goodreads.com
• Authors: Rainbow Rowell, Liane Moriarty, Jennifer Weiner
• Odyclub (your car probably has a forum, too)
• Headlamps: I have a Petzl Tikka and kids are getting Tikkinas
• Long charging cables: 6 feet or nothing!
• Grid it cable management 

Kelley's:

• Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover
• DoTerra Past Tense
• The Millionaire Next Door
• Pickles. Just Pickles.
• The Bachelor, Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise
• Shark Tank
• LLBean Ultralight 850 Down Coat, Long  
• Talbot’s
• CardCash
• Taboo
• Guesstures
• WellCoaches
• Golden Doodle Puppy
• Les Mills
• Cops with Cakes
• Whole Foods
  
  

This week Gretchen talks with author and columnist Sarah Smiley about raising independent kids who are allowed to take risks. (Kelley had to balance her chaos by missing this week, but she's back next week!)

 

Mentioned on the podcast

www.sarahsmiley.com 

Dinner With the Smileys: One Military Family, One Year of Heroes, and Lessons for a Lifetime

Got Here As Soon As I Could: Discovering the Way Life Should Be

Lenore Skenazy (who wrote Free-Range Kids, How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry)) now blogs at www.letgrow.org

To the Parents Who Called the Cops After My 80-year-old Dad Chatted with Your Child at the Supermarket

The Modern American Brag: “My Kids Were About to be Trafficked, Too!”

Gavin de Becker's Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane)

Jessica Lahey's The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed

Tom Wayman: Did I Miss Anything?

Our Favorite Things!

Sarah: Tim Horton's Large Unsweetened Iced Tea (I couldn't find the caffeine content!)

Gretchen: Polar Seltzer (especially the seasonal flavors!)

This week, we talk about what we are thankful for!

Mentioned in this episode

Maine Governor Paul LePage Threatens State Lawmaker With Profanity-Filled Voicemail

These Are the Happiest Cities in the United States

Maximizers vs Satisficers: Who Makes Better Decisions?

Party Lines: 10 Aspects of Old Telephones That Might Confuse Younger Readers

If You're A Real Grown-Up, Minivans Are Cooler Than Crossovers

Parents, Just Buy the Damn Minivan

Our Favorite Things!

Kelley: Facebook

Gretchen: The Wirecutter and for this week, their Black Friday deals page

This week, we have guest number two, Shira, a prosecutor (and new mom) who works on domestic violence and child abuse cases talking about links between domestic violence, homicide, and even mass shootings. She also gets some advice about going back to work after maternity leave!

Links Mentioned

Calif. gunman killed his wife before rampaging through community, trying to storm elementary school

Maine concert promoter pleads guilty to domestic violence charge, maintains he didn’t do it

Facing the Sins of the Democratic Party

Our Favorite Things!

Shira: The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World’s Happiest Country, Helen Russell

Kelley: Essential Oils - She mentions DOTerra, (the ones that Gretchen uses that are not MLM are from Plant Therapy)

Gretchen: Find My Friends the app that keeps track of everyone (if they let you)

 

In this episode, we talk about election results, being politically active, and where we stand on health care and gun reform.

Links mentioned:

The question every parent should be asking before a playdate

It was a Florida law that prevented doctors from asking about guns in the home. Here's a Washington Post article that explains it:

Have a check-up? Why your doctor might ask you if you own a gun.

The Dickey amendment prevents funding for research on gun violence:

Why gun violence research has been shut down for 20 years

After Maine approves Medicaid expansion, Governor raises objections

 

Our Favorite Things!

Kelley: Devafuser Hair Dryer (that's the whole shebang, but you can buy the creepy alien hand diffuser to use on your existing hair dryer for $50, too.)

Gretchen: Netflix and especially Parks and Rec. I also love that you can skip the intro on every episode! No ads, no waiting through the theme song. Perfect. (and yes, we talked about Netflix last week, but after a 10 day internet blackout, returning to the comforts of our cord-cutter lifestyle was much appreciated.)

This week we have our first guest, Leah, a women's healthcare provider who talks about contraception, sex education, and abortion - and about how the terms "pro-life" and "pro-choice" aren't exactly what they seem.

Discussed in this episode:

Our Bodies, Ourselves (this is the new edition, but this link goes to the cover I remember so well from childhood - I was right about the signs! - Gretchen 

Taking Charge of Your Fertility

Robie Harris series of sexuality education books:

It's Not the Stork! Ages 4+

It's So Amazing! Ages 7+

It's Perfectly Normal Ages 10+

(also, not mentioned but worth noting - if you have daughters the American Girl series is great - The Care and Keeping of You 1 is for younger girls, and The Care and Keeping of You 2 is the next step for girls 10+.)

 

Our Favorite Things!

Leah: Netflix Original American Vandal*

Kelley: iPhone Smart Battery Case

Gretchen: Kindle Paperwhite**

 

*This convo included recommendations to so many other things, including other Netflix originals like The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Love, Making a Murderer, Atypical, and the podcast My Favorite Murder.

**And also the Flipster app and my local public library!

Who isn't influenced by HGTV!? Kelley and Gretchen talk about how the ideals that HGTV puts forth are not the ones that actually make the best options for choosing a home. Balancing the idea of being content with what you have and striving for more - how does it work with your home?

Links Mentioned:

Tiny House Hunters

Protecting the Gift, Gavin de Becker

ANM Properties

Favorite Things:

Kelley - Facebook Marketplace

Gretchen - Delta Faucet temp2.0 hand shower 

The most HGTV feature of Gretchen's house, the new paint job: 

 

This week we discuss the concept of Leaning In - if it's about supporting a woman's ambition, what if the ambition is to be a stay at home mom? (and what are the risks when you choose that?)

Patton Oswalt on Annihilation - "It's chaos, be kind."

Lean In

NYTimes: The Opt-Out Generation Wants Back In

Tom Perrotta, Little Children

Our Favorite Things!

Kelley: Chalk Paint (this is the brand she used, and it definitely gave that buffet a new look.)

Gretchen: Ask A Manager Blog (and to get started, check out the writer's favorite posts: http://www.askamanager.org/favorite-posts

 

Kelley talks about her resistance to being called Dr (and she totally is one!) and Gretchen talks about her resistance to "leaning in." 

Mentioned:

Hillbilly Elegy

Talbot's 

National Institute of Nursing Research

Favorite things:

Kelley: DevaCurl

Gretchen: Plated