The Weekend Edit No. 18
A new (old) hutch for the offie, dressing up for a good cause, and the 100 best TV performances of the 21st century
Dear reader,
Happy Friday! And happy March! I don’t know if this only happens when you get older or when you become a parent (or maybe both?) but the speed at which time moves these days is wild. We’re in the third month of the year and it feels like Christmas was just last week. Do you feel that way, too? I’m sure there is a science behind it and I’m sure I’ve read it a dozen times, but for now, I just know I wish someone somewhere would invent something to slow time down, even if just a little. It’s 2025 after all!
In other news, today starts the kids’ spring break, and we’ve been toying around with the idea of going to the beach. At first, it was a no-brainer: Spring break = a trip to the beach (naturally), and we happen to own a little beach shack right next to the ocean that we happen to adore, so of course we would go down for a few days. But the weather is supposed to be cold there at the beginning of the week, and we already know the water will be way too freezing for the kids to swim in, so now we’re second guessing ourselves. We’ve also been spending so much time out at the farm (and absolutely loving it) that maybe we should just stay here this week? TBD.
Thoughts? What would you do?
Here’s what else went on this week:
PJ scored these really great cabinets like five years ago from Facebook Marketplace, and we’ve used them a few times, like in the kitchen at Getaway House, but we still have so many in our storage building waiting for their time to shine. Well, we have a plan for a few of them now! With this configuration, we are going to use them in our office at home against the big, blank wall, and then plan to float the desk in front of them so that the desk has a nice view of the outside. Then put the couch against the windows that will face the desk. Are you confused yet? I know it sounds like a lot, but we think it’s going to be great.
One of the biggest skincare routine-related items PJ has been loving lately are these Vitamin C eye patches. He puts them on a few times a week as we’re winding down for the evening and he swears by them. It’s become his little nightly ritual.
I made a creamy, one pot French onion pasta the other evening, and though it definitely needed chicken added to it, overall it was pretty yummy and super easy! Caramelized onions are always a good idea, don’t you think?
Last weekend, we took a tour of a summer camp right down the road from us in Ocoee. Our new friend John, who is in charge of the camp, gave our family an after-hours tour of the grounds and cabins, much to everyone’s delight. Then, as the sun was setting, he busted out hotdogs and bratwursts with all the fixings and made a fire for us to cook everything over. After that, he told us all a really beautiful campfire story before ending the night with s’mores. I can’t think of anything better in life than friends who shower each other with love and go out of their way to make an evening extra special for you.
Lastly, I went to our sister-in-law’s Epilepsy event she helped organize this past Saturday, and you guys, I went BY MYSELF. I know this is probably common for most couples, but PJ and I never go to events or parties alone. We are a unit and much prefer going to these things together, especially since we know all the same people. But PJ had to stay back at the farm to pick up our new ram, so he couldn’t make the almost-hour drive to Chattanooga. I am so glad I went, though. My younger sister, her wife, and their friend Maddie accompanied me and we all met at my sister’s house beforehand to eat pizza and a Greek salad. It was so fun to hangout with them for an evening and get dressed up for a good cause. If you would like to donate to the Epilepsy Foundation of Southeast Tennessee, you can click here.
Have a cozy weekend, friends.
Welcome Distractions
Something to Watch
“The White Lotus” on Max. Season three of our favorite Max show is out now and it’s SO good. We’re already hooked on all the characters and wondering who is going to end up dead and how. I feel like everyone I know watches this show, so I’m sure you’re already watching it, but this season is set in Thailand and there’s so much mystery wrapped up in the storylines that it makes coming back every week to tune in super easy. Are you watching?
“Goodrich” on Max. Written and directed by Nancy Meyers’ daughter Hallie Meyers Shyer, "Goodrich”has Michael Keaton portraying Andy Goodrich, a 60-year-old Los Angeles art dealer whose life is upended when his younger wife, Naomi, enters a 90-day rehab program, leaving him to care for their nine-year-old twins, Billie and Mose. He’s extremely unprepared for being a single dad (or a dad in general, really), so Andy seeks assistance from his estranged adult daughter, Grace (Mila Kunis), leading to a journey of personal growth and familial reconnection. As Andy navigates the challenges of single parenthood and attempts to salvage his failing art gallery, he strives to become the father he never was to Grace, all while forging a deeper bond with his children. It’s a movie for adults that they don’t really seem to make anymore. It was a lovely film.
Something to Read
“The 100 Greatest TV Performances of the 21st Century” When I first saw this list, I immediately was searching for Sarah Michelle Gellar’s performance in Buffy to be ranked near the top, but the editors said they have to cap it somewhere, so the list only features those since 2000 (sob!). Still, I was happy to see Peggy Olson from Mad Men, Santana Lopez from Glee, and Ruth Langmore from Ozark pop up on the list. If you like listicles like I do, then this one from Variety will be a great weekend read.
Something to Listen to
“Mayhem” by Lady Gaga. Finally LG7 is here! And it’s such a throwback to “The Fame” and “The Fame Monster”, so for people like me who have listened to her since the beginning, this is a real treat. It’s pure pop delight, and the perfect way to start the weekend. My favorite tracks are “LoveDrug”, “How Bad Do U Want Me”, and “The Beast”.
Trunks for Hunks
We rounded up our favorite swimming trunks for the warmer weather that is hopefully heading our way soon. My favorite pair that we own are the seersucker ones in the bottom right :).
A Closer Look
I loved this post by sita.home where she highlights the importance of children doing chores around the house. In the video, it lists some of the benefits, including that they will most likely be:
Happier children
More successful later in life
More confident adults
Have higher self-esteem
I found it fascinating and completely agreed with it. Our kids have daily chores around the house, like folding their clothes and putting them away, loading and unloading the dishwasher and washer and dryer, cleaning their rooms, etc. They also make simple foods, like sandwiches, noodles in the microwave, oatmeal in the microwave, etc. We don’t let them use the stove, but they’ve been making their own food for years and take such pride in it.
What do you think?
You May Have Missed…
This Week’s Vlog
In this week’s video, we're celebrating our second snow day, making some yummy recipes, PJ gives me a haircut (and the boys), and we're looking for a new man in our life (!).
Have a wonderful weekend. We’ll see you on Tuesday. If you feel up to it, please like this post and share it! It helps get the word out and lets others discover Okay McKay. Thank you, friends!
As a kid we never got to go to the beach for spring break, always our family farm. It was fun though. My favourite song from Mayhem is Disease. Have a splendid weekend.
I think I’d definitely do a “staycation”, considering the weather down here right now, and plan to visit the beach when the school year ends. I’ve heard that kids are much more likely to try foods they wouldn’t normally if they’re involved in the preparation and cooking, seems like a great reason to give it a try! 💙