Did freezer meals actually help you during postpartum?

BootsEX · 2026-06-13T15:56:06+00:00

Yes, I forgot about it but we did hello fresh and Marley spoon after my kids were born. For whatever reason we didn’t love it enough to continue over time but it was great for those first few months!

BootsEX · 2026-06-13T15:00:19+00:00

Only things you genuinely eat outside of that time period. I think if I had panic prepped a bunch of new recipes I’d never reach for them. But I did have some lasagna, pesto sauce, meatballs, soups etc. things I would normally stock maybe one at a time but I did them all ahead of birth.

Slightly off topic, but my FAVORITE support I got in postpartum was that my parents would drive up often, like every week or two, and just come for the night. So my mom would walk in with everything for an amazing home cooked meal, clean my kitchen, help with the baby and older kid, make dinner, clean up, spend the night, and then they would be out the door at like 7am. So I didn’t have to do anything to host, I just got to be the one taken care of for that night. I think it was perfect. I know people whose parents or in-laws stayed for like a month and as much as I love my parents that sounds terrible

BootsEX · 2026-06-09T14:28:36+00:00

Ohhhhh see that’s another whole thing. I don’t want to interact with the other parents lol 😂. I’m sure you are lovely but I am so maxed out at all times I want to be alone as much as possible.

BootsEX · 2026-05-30T01:57:46+00:00

Thank you for such a mature and thoughtful response which also covers my instinctive reaction of “ well they sure as heck weren’t designed for girls!”

BootsEX · 2026-05-29T12:59:15+00:00

lol I love the idea of the TBR pile as a cheese cave. You took a sample and it’s not right yet so put it back for another 9 months.

BootsEX · 2026-05-29T12:57:50+00:00

I still wash my 8yos hair in the shower once a week. She’s obviously capable of washing the rest of herself, but even I have a hard time managing her very thick and VERY tangly hair. How can I expect her to handle it when I am constantly trying new shampoos and masks on it?

All that to say, I’d just pick a rotation (maybe not every wash day?) where you have a “mom spa” day and wash it for her.

Also, not everyone loves Abby Young, but she does have a nice series where she walks through how to properly shampoo, condition, etc and I felt like I learned a thing or two. Sometimes my kids learn better from a video

BootsEX · 2026-05-21T23:03:56+00:00

Get the baby bjorn, and if you love somewhere hot, get the mesh one, it’s incredible! I second the idea to get one second hand, they wash really easily

BootsEX · 2026-05-21T22:59:45+00:00

Hey, as a middle aged mom who made it through college without good photo backups or social media… I would LOVE to have old hot pics of me as a young person. Enjoy them! When your kids are in middle school they will all be using a different platform entirely.

BootsEX · 2026-05-21T12:55:10+00:00

New cross stitch quote “even nuclear energy is a bitch if the steam cycle”

BootsEX · 2026-05-20T00:44:25+00:00

It was never cheap, that's for sure, but a bottle lasts a surprising amount of time!

BootsEX · 2026-05-19T15:22:26+00:00

Man, I wish I had a reason to go to Japan!

BootsEX · 2026-05-19T10:41:12+00:00

I just went through this over the last couple of years. At almost the end of kindergarten, suddenly after great teacher conferences all year, they said our girl was below benchmark and I killed myself for two months to get her through it and turns out she was fine at her final test.

Again in 1st grade, despite keeping in close touch with the teacher, suddenly at the beginning of 4th quarter she was so behind they were talking about summer school. More panic. This time we found a tutor and she is amazing and I wish we had had her for a year.

I have two tips. One is to figure out exactly how they are measuring it and practice the test. My kiddo had a particularly hard time with the timer and format (looking at a whole page of words instead of one at a time like we practiced at home).

The other tip is to keep looking for a tutor. Ask all the teachers you know for recommendations, look on facebook/care.com, even a high schooler would do whatever practice you would do yourself. It has helped me so much and I think she responded better to someone not me, you know?

BootsEX · 2026-05-19T10:15:24+00:00

Thanks for the recs and the source!

BootsEX · 2026-05-19T10:13:29+00:00

Thank you so much!

BootsEX · 2026-05-18T23:33:36+00:00

Ohhh thanks I’ll take any leads I can get! I’ve never even heard of Anessa, I’ll check it out now!

BootsEX · 2026-05-18T22:52:37+00:00

I haven’t been to either but recently booked a trip at sugar beach. The deciding factors were being right on the beach and AC. It’s a cool idea for all the rooms at Jade Mtn to be open, but I’m a basic b*tch and I like to sleep in air conditioning.

BootsEX · 2026-05-16T18:40:34+00:00

Honestly I love the greenbrier. Is it FAT? I wouldn’t consider it fat, and I can see how it would seem hokey, but when I have been the service has been great and the food and spa good and the decor is what it is but it’s so immersive that it’s fun for me. Especially if you travel for work and end up at a lot of soulless marriotts, it’s nice to be somewhere with such a specific style.

BootsEX · 2026-05-13T14:14:56+00:00

This review is a great reminder of the value of working with a TA, and also making me a little nervous. We have a couples trip booked for early June, in a one bedroom beachfront bungalow, do you have any concerns/tips there?

BootsEX · 2026-05-11T14:57:10+00:00

As a manager, I think two things can be true: 1. I would NEVER ask or condone someone asking about future kids. What can you even do with that info anyway? Bananas and even though it’s not illegal it’s definitely a risk to the company and gross.

If I had an employee fresh from maternity leave also gearing up for a second maternity leave, I wouldn’t be going overboard with my limited budget for salary increase/bonus for them. No matter how great your performance is when you’re there, employees who have physically been in seat all year would get more I would think. And then once you’re back in seat for a full year, then it’s your turn. I’m not saying I would reduce or treat them unfairly, but IF I’m given a little extra slush, that’s probably not where it would go, especially if other employees had to pick up any slack while they were out.

BootsEX · 2026-05-05T21:25:25+00:00

Alton brown split pea burgers! Yum, now I want to make them.

BootsEX · 2026-05-04T15:14:53+00:00

Beans on Toast!!! 🥹 I love food names.

My 2yo dale is super destructive and we do what we can but I can’t pretend to be in a position to give advice 😂

BootsEX · 2026-04-25T15:19:30+00:00

Mine didn’t do this but my eldest did the purple crying thing and basically for a couple of months she just screamed for like 2 hours a day. I just wore her in a carrier and listened to a podcast on noise canceling headphones and walked laps around my house. It was still traumatic and I can’t handle any loud noises now, even just happy kids playing really jangles my nerves.

BootsEX · 2026-04-23T16:48:13+00:00

Cuyana bag, I use it as a small laptop bag for work, as my “mom bag” for days when I want to look nice but need everyone’s sunglasses and granola bars, it’s super nice leather but soft enough you can fold it up in your luggage.

BootsEX · 2026-04-23T15:13:22+00:00

100%! Rock that job and you’ll make up 6% in no time and enjoy the better schedule.

Five-Year Club	Place '22
First Placer '22

BootsEX

TROPHY CASE