This is the Kos newsletter: warm email notes from a friend. Finding the simple joy in parenthood, bodies, spirituality, creativity, and beauty. Sound like your jam? Subscribe below for weekly notes.
Have you ever had that feeling, where you haven’t talked to your sister or best friend for too long, and you have a long list of things you want to talk about? That’s what this week’s Kos note is gonna be. Brace yourself to jump from subject to subject, just like we would in real life.
Are you watching Physical 100 on Netflix, too? It’s a Korean reality competition all about figuring out which body type is the strongest. It’s gym rats, pilates vloggers, MMA fighters, and hot firefighters. It’s like America’s Ninja Warrior but totally respectful, sometimes funny, and heartwarming?
Speaking of TV, did you watch Sheng Wang’s comedy special Sweet & Juicy on Netflix? I heard about in a Forever35 Facebook group and was delighted by it. Since I’m a bit of a comedy prude and I appreciated he kept it mild & clean. I mean, he starts out w/ a Costco joke. That was a sign from the Gods this was a good fit for me.
We re-homed our dog. I would like to normalize transferring your pet from one loving home to another when your circumstances change. She’s very happy in her new set-up. It wasn’t easy and it was emotional but we’re all okay.
Have you been sick the last few months? I came down with something a 1.5 week ago and had to go on medical leave. I’m fine and grateful I could do that. But I haven’t been this sick in a year. It was awful. Still is. Everything they’re saying about how extra bad viruses and flus are now rings true.
From my aforementioned upstairs sick bed lair, surrounded by dirty kleenex and over-the-counter drugs (really sexy week), I watched like a 100 episodes of Homeland. I think it was good? I like anything with foreign operatives so it was a reasonable suspect but I may have been desperate to take any focus I could off my body ache. Also, it made me so grateful I was home sick in a warm bed than a POW guarding classified intel. My gosh. Is this real peoples’ jobs? Last thought: the facial expressions Claire Danes can pull….
I’m doing Whole30 again. I know, I know. Diets. I’ve gone back and forth. I’ve done Whole30 1x 100% for real and another time 95% for real (allowed peanut butter and oatmeal). I don’t like diets. HOWEVER, Whole30 made me feel awesome. And I can’t seem to eat enough fresh food or healthy meals these days. As an obliger (thanks Gretch!) having a strict guideline actually helps me a ton. Don’t worry—I won’t be talking about it here. Just wanted to note for some outer accountability & to acknowledge that nothing is one-size-fits-all. And that sometimes we change our minds. It’s fine.
I bought this baseball cap. Just like my mom says, a hat is the best sun aging protection. My wrinkles are getting real. I’m in denial.
The combo of this La Roche Posay B5 thick face cream plus this $9 CoverGirl lightweight foundation makes me love my skin. I haven’t worn makeup in 1.5 weeks and did this yesterday (with a little mascara and eyeliner) and, like, thought I looked pretty. It was a nice feeling.
If you had to choose between a sauna or a hot tub, which would you pick? I’m back on Pinterest, something I do every few months, and pinning stuff for my imaginary future house. (Pinterest is the best. So positive. So beautiful. Their app is so good.) If I had to pick between a sauna or hot tub in my yard, I think my heart would want a hot tub (hot bubbling bath in the moonlight!) but my head would want a wooden sauna (it’s good to be grossly uncomfortable sometimes). Could I have both? I’d love to hop in between the two as Self Care. These are the things I dream about when I’m stressed.
Everybody’s talking about Quince so I ordered some of these 5 star rated wool socks. My feet are always freezing. I will report back.
I took my boys to a redwood forest nearby. We’d never been. It was so quiet it hurt my ears. But we got used to it. I need to be in nature more.
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