FROM: STELLA

TO: LAURA

1. My husband and I decided to invest in two different kinds of baby carriers. I’ve been loving the Moby Wrap and he prefers the ErgoBaby Carrier. Our little one loves to go on walks and it’s been really cool to see him start to discover the world around him.
2. I started a 529 college fund account for Colby through CollegeBacker.com — I love how easy the interface is for friends and family to contribute to his education. Hopefully, by starting early, the money will grow and grow! If anyone else is interested, by using my referral link you get an extra $15 added to your fund when you sign up.
3. There are very few desserts that compare to a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. I love eating them right out of the oven when the chips are still a bit melty. Lately, I’ve been making a big batch and freezing individual cookie balls so that I can take them out and make a single freshly baked cookie just for me or whip out a few for guests at any time of day. I’ve also been topping them with a few flakes of sea salt for extra deliciousness.
4. Very impressed and inspired by these two (1, 2) infographics featuring side hustle opportunities.
5. I’ve been getting back into selling on Poshmark this week and have added a bunch of new items to my closet and dropped prices to get a few sales. It feels so good to declutter and side hustle a bit!

FROM: LAURA

TO: STELLA

1. I am both surprised and apprehensively optimistic at the drop in average birthrates in the U.S. Watching and reading ‘The Handmaids Tale‘ has definitely put some stress in fear in my life surrounding this topic, so I’m hoping the decline is more due to personal choice than the science behind it.
2. I love this dog house design. Our pup isn’t super interested in tennis balls, but I could see this becoming the world’s best toy for one that is.
3. We’ve been dealing with a sick baby for the last week and I am now learning the pains of childcare gaps when he can’t attend daycare. It was a bit of a puzzle to piece together working from home, last-minute babysitters, etc. and made me want to ramp up our resources arsenal/phone tree to call when we need kid-watching coverage. Bookmarked this app and considering renewing my Care.com membership to have on hand, too.
4. It’s so cool to see nearby houses profiled on Design Milk. This one makes me want to befriend the owners so I can go over and see it in person!
5. It’s my ever-present quest to trim our budget. I really appreciated the many ways that Frugalwoods’ readers make frugality feel luxurious. Some great tips in there!