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Today I did nothing, and it felt so darn good. This is a rare occurrence, but it has been delightful. I spent much of it watching "Young Sheldon," and quite honestly, one of the best shows ever. If you're one for dry humor along the line of The Office, Parks and Recreation and Monk, this is going to be your happy place. I hope you spend the weekend with a little humor.

I am the product of a mother who had to raise me with a lot of help from our community. My grandmother, aunts, uncles and family friends played an instrumental role in the person I am today. I am proud of my mother's ability to stand on her own two feet and do what needed to be done to guide me on the right path. There are also the single mothers doing God’s work with little to no support, but still ensuring that their children's needs and wants are met. You can't despise the one who stayed. The status of a single mother can arise from many situations including abandonment, divorce, death, cheating, abuse (physical, financial, emotional) among others. Unfortunately, and far too often, the conversation of single motherhood usually turns into a criticism of the person who stayed. The loudest voices are the ones who deflects the blame from absent fathers who create absent father households to the shoulders of the single mothers. Not only does she bear the weight of being primary care taker, she also has to carry the shame. Very rarely is the well-being of the child/children involved the genuine concern. The circumstances that create single mothers should be addressed rather than the single mother herself. Single mothers deserve all the respect and edification that you would give to any kind of caretaker. They require more support as many are trying to accomplish goals that can be difficult to meet in an unsupportive society. They do not need to be reduced to pseudo scientific soundbites of how they are responsible for the demise of the family structure. The pathology of blame the woman for everything needs to end. Rather can criticize her, celebrate her, support her and love her. Show her that she isn’t being abandoned twice; once by a partner and twice by the rest of society. If children are a blessing from God, so are their mothers, the ones who stay. Here are some quotes to keep you going.

I love thrifting. I love the savings, the quality of items, the unique styles from eras past, and in some way, it is my small contribution to reducing over-consumption. Since moving with my family to upstate New York, I have been excited to decorate our new space. I decided to no longer buy new furniture, but commit to buying only gently used, real wood items. I scoured Facebook Marketplace and local thrift shops to create our style and I am more than pleased with the outcome. Here are a few of the items I found so far: Buffet/Sideboard, picture frames and candle holders I found this solid wood, veneer exterior sideboard/buffer made by B. Brody Seating Company from a Facebook Marketplace seller. I can't tell you if it is authentic or not, but I love it. At first it resided at the entryway, but is now in my bedroom. I also found some picture frames and candle holders at a Habitat for Humanity store that all blended with the look I want to achieve. American-made armchairs I also found a pair of midcentury American made chairs from Gunlocke Company for $20. It was a 30 minute drive out and it was worth it. I do plan on reupholstering it, but for now, I am enjoying it just the way it is. Farmhouse dining set This dining set was meant for me and came from two different sources. I went to the basement at my job and saw three farmhouse chairs in storage. I asked the maintenance crew if they were willing to part with it and they said said yes. Around the same time, someone was selling three chairs and this table that extends on Facebook Marketplace. I needed a larger table for my thanksgiving dinner and I drove to Ballston Spa to pick it up. It was perfect with every piece in tact. I initially thought about painting it, but the wood is so beautiful that I kept it the way it is. Bar height stools I did a two hour round trip for these solid wood, bar height saddle stools that typically go for about $40 a chair at counter height. I got them for $25 for all four. There were a few loose pieces, but I was able to easily repair them. Even Baba enjoys sitting on them. Chest of drawers This Ethan Allen chest of drawers was a surprise for my daughters on Sisters Day 2023. The seller made all these beautiful finishes and it was perfect for their room. I look forward to more thrifting and as I purchase, I will share all the beautiful results. Whatever your motivation, keep thrifting. If you would like to be featured on "What I Bought, How I styled," contact me below.

What are your plans this weekend? Not much is happening here. I seemed to have caught a bug and I plan on doing everything to take care of myself while diving into all the available entertainment I can indulge in. I plan on watching The Circle. If you haven’t already, get into it. After taking the girls to soccer, I hope to stop quickly by Overlook Park or Fall View Park to catch another look at the beautiful Cohoes Falls, the second largest waterfalls in the state of New York. Let’s say that Christian Cooper is wining. The birdwatcher in a viral clash now hosts his own National Geographic show, Extraordinary Birder. Talk about a change of fate. What could have been detrimental to him has breathed new life. Whatever you end up doing, I wish you good health. There is nothing more important.

Originally written: April 25, 2023 I am a mother of two young children under 8 years old and I recently began a new position that requires a combined 11 hours of work and commuting in NYC. Before this position, I have worked both hybrid and remotely from the beginning of the pandemic until now. I made the decision to go back to the office full time primarily for financial reasons, but also because I was starting to experience a great level of isolation that came with parenting and working from home. I was ready for a change and I thought this would be a great idea. Unfortunately, I quickly regretted it, and I have decided that this will be my last position where I go into the office daily. Yesterday, I left the office at 5 p.m. and didn’t get home till almost 7 p.m. Today, I had to let the train that was packed to the brim head to Brooklyn while I waited exhausted, much like everyone on that platform, for the next one. My partner has now taken some of the childcare responsibilities while I work and it feels good to have more participation from him, but having never missed dinner to now missing dinner with my family, especially my children most nights is tugging at me. By the first week, my daughters asked me to go back to working from home. Like most kids who want to keep their parents to themselves, my children are having a difficult time with having less access to me. I miss them dearly, but I know this is a small sacrifice for bigger goals. Considering that we plan on getting out of the city to a suburban community, I am looking forward to creating even more balance in my life with hybrid or remote work. I am so grateful to be living in a time where people are pushing back and redefining what work looks like for them. I love what I do and I know it comes with a cost. I just know that the cost is not my well being, so for this reason, work in the future is remote or hybrid—3 days in the office maximum—in the near future. If I feel isolated this time, I’ll find a hobby, but I will treasure being able to contribute to society on my own terms with my well-being in tact. What is the ideal situation for you as a working parent? Update: I have since moved out of the city and reside in upstate NY, which I love. I am starting a career as a substitute teacher in the best interest of my family and I. I will talk more about moving from a career in human resources to education.

I hope you all had a great week. If you didn't, I hope your weekend will be better. This weekend, we're having friends over for a visit. I get to play with a cute baby. I feel like that is my sweet reward for this week. It is the last weekend before the solar eclipse. I hope you've gotten your glasses. I am super excited about it. We stopped by Warby Parker where we were able to get a few pairs for free. My 6 year old asked me, "Why is a solar eclipse important?" so I told her it is a rare occurrence. Though we may not be in the point of totality, we get to experience something spectacular. I also put on a video from YouTube to further explain the occurrence of a solar eclipse. I hope we can see Jupiter in the night sky before it becomes less visible. I hope we can do some self-care and maybe a little hiking. Fingers crossed. What are your plans for this weekend? (Photo: USA Today)

As the temperature dips, the hot tea and cocoa will be in heavy rotation at my house. This week I have been recovering from a stiff neck, partially caused by my girls jumping into bed with me and throw my body into the weirdest, uncomfortable positions. Welcome to sleeping with kids. It’s the worst no matter how much you love them. Last night I had a mini pandemic meltdownthat I shared with my Instagram followers. I needed to sulk for a moment, because I am hitting the pandemic wall. I’m an introverted homebody, but we’ve been at this for almost a year. I don’t see us getting back to normal anytime soon. If you read anything this weekend, please read anything from Banter Republic. If I need a pick me up, a laugh or something thought provoking, he comes through with all of it. Don’t Stop is the latest post and once you start there, you won’t be able to stop. You will want more. I also finally ordered my daughter that Elsa costume she has been asking for. I totally forgot to order it and pretended it may have been lost in the mail. Welcome to parenthood. And as for the conversation about smooth hair like Elsa, we shut that down. You’re a beautiful, curly haired Elsa. Elsa doesn’t have to look one way. I am still reading The Body Is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Reese Taylor. I hope to finish it very soon. Be sure to read Big Girls Need a Cry, and for some healing affirmations, dive into 10 Quotes to Honor Your Healing. It’s been a proper freezing day, and the weekend will be the same, so stay warm. What are your weekend plans?

What are your plans for the weekend? It's been a busy week for us so far. Mom is visiting so that means making time for a few fun activities. Today, my mom, the girls and I made it to Saratoga Spa State Park and enjoyed a brief, but beautiful time. Much of the ground was soggy, so we couldn't visit the mineral springs, but we enjoyed a beautiful creek and the view of all the trees. The air was amazingly crisp and we loved every part of it. Tomorrow, we plan on visiting the New York State Museum for their gems exhibit. Lately, my daughters are enamored with facts in geology and astronomy. I hope to read more about the passing of beauty influencer Jessica Pettway. It shattered me in a very personal way. I hope to share more of my thoughts next week. Have a wonderful weekend and be sure to make time for you.

Who would think of visiting Montréal at the coldest time of year? Me. As a New Yorker of 20 years, it may be hard to believe that my first visit to the city of Montréal was in February during the kids' midwinter recess. I thought it would be great for my daughters and I to get out of our town to visit my childhood friend. We hit I-87 North on a very gloomy day. In spite of the sometimes rainy weather, we enjoyed the most picturesque view of snow capped mountains and ice covered hillsides while driving up to the border entry at Champlain-St.Bernard de Lacolle. I was asked, "Are we there yet?" about thirty times by my younger daughter, before we made it to Côte-des-Neiges on the island of Montreal. You can imagine my fatigue. Thankfully, I parked right across the street from a Vietnamese spot Restaurant I am Pho where we ordered pho and some spring rolls. The girls and I devoured it. Surprisingly, it was pretty warm for this time of year, so we walked over for an early check in at Hôtel Terrasse Royal. The staff was kind and accommodating and I was happy to have parking on the premises. We checked into our room, got a little rest and went out for a walk as the rain subsided. I was hoping to get us to Saint Joseph's Oratory, but this was the beginning of discovering that so many sites in Montréal are under construction. On our outing the following day, much like the oratory, the Montréal Botanical Garden's exhibits were closed and under construction. Only the outdoor space was opened, so we decided to get tickets for the Biodôme instead, where we enjoyed many of the exhibits. On the final and coldest day of 14 degrees Fahrenheit, my friend and I met in the neighborhood of Vieux-Port at the Montreal Science Center. This moment was so long overdue and I was extremely excited to see my friend. We embraced each other and I was just happy to see the person who was a big part of my teen years. We were later joined by her brother and got a chance to walk around Place Jacques Cartier. After much thought, we settled on lunch at Bevo Bar + Pizzeria where we enjoyed some great food. I had my first taste of poutine and a memorable end to a short, but beautiful trip. I look forward to being back soon. (Photo credit: Saint Joseph's Oratory in winter Jason Thibault; Hôtel Terrasse Royal Trip Advisor)

What are your plans for the weekend? In my neck of the woods, it is supposed to snow tonight, followed by a wintry mix that will last till 11 p.m tomorrow. This honestly is my kind of weather, even though I was hoping for a sunny day. I can look forward at least to Sunday being sunny and a bit warmer. For now, I am indulging in 3 seasons ofTravelers on Netflix. Tomorrow, I will be washing and braiding my daughters' hair, indulging in some self-care, and bake some snacks with the girls in preparation for the school week. As you go into the weekend, I want you to remember these words. Extend it to yourself and to others. XOXO (Photos: Sleeping person Unsplash; quote created using Canva)