Do you remember what you did on the last day of summer vacation before heading back to school? I think I walked down to my friend Chelsie’s house, snuck snacks we weren’t supposed to be eating, and built a fort in the backyard. I told Grey we could do *anything* he wanted before this first day of kindergarten – and he asked to pick up garbage at the park ?. He told me it’s just what mayors do. Funny how he took the fun grabber tool and I was relegated to holding the smelly bag. Did I mention it was 100 degrees here in Texas ?? Despite the heat, it was the best day. It’s hard not to find the joy when you get to do something, anything, with this kid. He doles it out in spades.

Here’s to all the joy-seeking this week, and hoping our fun finds in Scrolls bring you just that!

Making.

CHERRY CHIA CHAI SMOOTHIE

• ? 1 cup of frozen, organic dark cherries
• ? 3 T. organic chia seeds
• ? 1 scoop chai vegan protein (this one is yummy!)
• ? splash of vanilla and a few shakes of cinnamon
• ? 2 cups oat or coconut milk – we like the SO Delicious brand, Oatly, and Mooala

This is the vegan vanilla chai protein we have been loving. I only add one scoop instead of two, so it lasts even longer (as a rule in smoothies, I don’t add full serving of protein. It can quickly add up to more than your body can digest in one sitting if you do).

Watching.

The Vault made the Top 3 Netflix movies, and our watch list this week, and was actually better than I expected. It felt reminiscent of the Oceans heist flicks, but with its own twists and turns. Edgy, not too over the top, and a great respite from a string of series-binging.

Reading.

I don’t say this until I really mean it: you need to read this book. I had mentioned a while back that I was in search of a truly excellent recommendation, when a friend of mine (fellow vegan, Scrolls reader, and animal lover ?) Emily told me about The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It is exceptionally written, the premise is brilliant, and a story in which you can truly feel the emotions spelled out before you. The author takes us on a journey of a young woman who makes a deal with the devil in a last ditch effort to escape an arranged marriage. What follows is both heartbreaking and exquisite; an absolute gift from V. E. Schwab. 9.6/10⭐️

Listening.

The term gut health has been getting louder for the past couple of years. Have you been interested, too? I gave it some thought, purchased probiotics, and then put it on the back burner. Sometimes the laundry list of things we need to do for wellness can be overwhelming. The nudge came again this week during my nutrition courses at Cornell. The interesting thing is, the gut health topic wasn’t in the food course, nor the fitness course – but the course on disease…in the cancer module. That put it back at the forefront for me. I’m down a rabbit hole of all the ways gut issues impact our life – not allowing for optimal sleep, brain functioning, and even breeding disease. This podcast was outstanding!

Feeling.

Trying.

My Mom sent this as a surprise to celebrate Grey’s first week of school. When she said she was sending a drum, I didn’t expect this beauty. It is the most soothing, incredible introduction to music for kids. It even comes with a book of songs they can learn to play ?.

Why didn’t I try Thrive sooner? We just stocked up on a bunch of snacks for Grey (who am I kidding, also me ?), and there are SO many delicious deals on all of our favorites. Better than amazon and Costco prices! I grabbed organic cashew butter, s’mores bars, vegan protein bars, a bunch of canned items, these incredibly yummy coconut wraps, etc. etc. Use this link for 25% off your first order ??!

Speaking of – if you’ve been looking for a lunch box for yourself, or your kiddo, here it is. I love a good bento box, but this one got me with the layers. You can swap out depending what’s on the menu that day, plus, it’s easy-clean, and leak-proof.

The best sunglasses you will find for under $15!

After applying my prescription tretinoin at night, I add a layer of this to combat dry skin and wooo, it feels so luxurious and you wake up glowing!

For some reason, I love reading a great thriller, but can’t bring myself to listen to a murder mystery on a podcast. If you love a good scary story – these are for you!

8 Tricks To Help You Sit Less During The Day. I needed these reminders! You get in a work zone, and before you know it, hours have passed without standing.

An interesting approach to authenticity.

Absolutely blown away by the beauty of these handmade plates.

“Control what you can, and eliminate what you can’t.” 4 Ways To Support A Negative Friend.

Please have the tissues ready if you watch this. Thanks to my lovely friend Deanna for sending. Especially this week – I sobbed ?.

I have loved seeing the pictures friends and family post at back to school time. They always make my heart feel so full. Especially the ones you see in June of the side by sides of first and last days ?, there is such an extreme, tangible shift; especially in Kindergarten that you can feel through the screen. I decided that for Grey's first official school year, I'm going to do my very best to take a snap each day to string together in a time-lapse at the end of the year. Here is Day 1. So proud of this tiny human. I thought my heart would actually blow out of my body and into a billion tiny pieces this week. He is such a treasure, and I feel so deeply thankful we get the privilege of being his parents ??.