The Liz List - August 20, 2021
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It’s Friday again! 🥳 Praise be because this week was a whirlwind for me. Really the past couple weeks there’s been a lot going on for me behind the scenes. So much so that I’ve been a bit quiet on Instagram. But I promise I’m still here and all is well!
As we speak I’m down in Houston attending a funeral, but I’ll be home this afternoon and one of my best girlfriends is staying the weekend with me. I’m super excited about that! We’re going to drink wine and eat cheese to our heart’s content + we have tickets to see comedian Heather McMahan on Saturday… woohoo! A weekend with my girlfriend is just what the doctor ordered. 🍷🧀
Without further ado, here’s what I’ve been into this week:
BOOKS: I recently finished "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah and oh my word. When I tell you I balled my eyes out… wow. So many feelings. It’s definitely up there with the best books I’ve ever read. 5 stars. If you haven’t read it yet, definitely do! Then after such an emotional read, I needed a palette cleanser, so I started “The Invisible Life of Addie Larue” based on recommendations from a couple friends. It’s a bit of a slow start, but it’s picking up now and I’m really enjoying it. I’d recommend it as well. It has a super unique storyline, which keeps things interesting.
CELEBRITY: It’s no secret that lots of Californians are moving to Austin, but did you know even celebrities are making the move? Especially celebs of the B-list variety. Here’s a fun article from Texas Monthly that gives the names of every star* who’s recently made Austin their home. I’m still waiting to have a celeb sighting!
HOME DECOR: Maybe this is a little strange… but one of my favorite spaces to see fully designed are closets. There’s so many fabulous ones out there, and I love getting a peek inside them. I found this round up of 41 high-end primary closets and dressing rooms that are each so stunning and had to share it with you! Any one of these would be the DREAM!
HOME TOUR: This week’s home tour is another Austin stunner. It sits on Lake Austin and was completed by my favorite architectural firm in town, Ryan Street & Associates. Everything they do is incredible, and this home is no different. That bar is so moody and perfect. And that oak tree! What a treasure.
KIDS: If you’re a mom reading this, PSA: it’s time to buy Halloween pajamas (and costumes for that matter!) before they sell out. This round up of PJ sets from Everymom.com has some great options for kids of all ages + matching options for mom and dad. I just bought Kate this adorable Disney themed set.
MENTAL HEALTH: Guys. The news lately. It’s so heavy. It’s such a struggle for me because I know I need to stay informed, but I also want to protect my mental health. Between the Delta variant and everything going on in Afghanistan, it’s been too much lately. And news anxiety is real! It even has a name: Headline Stress Disorder. I found this article from Camille Styles that gives tips from an expert on how to stay informed while also protecting your good vibes very helpful. The main takeaways? Curate your media feed (think NPR not MSNBC or Fox), set aside a specific block of time for consuming news, and - my favorite suggestion for any mental health problem - meditate.
MOTHERHOOD: I’ve actually never seen an article out there make a case in defense of mom’s choosing to induce labor, so when I saw this one I had to share it. I know a lot of women struggle with this decision based on worries it will lead to a C-section, but the newest research actually shows this fear is unfounded. If you’ve got babies in your future, definitely read this if you think a scheduled induction is a good choice for you. I made the choice to have a scheduled induction at 39 weeks (which did not lead to a C-section), and it was the best decision for me! I’m so thankful I had a doctor who was up on the research and willing to do things how I wanted. I had a very positive birth experience, and I really believe scheduling an induction is the main reason why.
XOXO,
Liz