MMP Ep 333: Share a Highlight

Jess Gaertner: Hey friends! Can't wait till Wednesdays to get

Laura Bruner: your Modern Mamas fix? Join us on Patreon. You can choose your tier and when you subscribe you'll get bonus content, early access to Retreat, first peeks at new swag, plus shoutouts and even real time monthly virtual hangs

Jess Gaertner: with us. Visit patreon. com forward slash Modern Mamas podcast to check it out and support the podcast.

Jess Gaertner: It truly means the world to us. We are so grateful for you and for this community.

Laura Bruner: Hi

Jess Gaertner: friends! Welcome to the Modern Mamas podcast. We are two modern mamas here to inspire,

Laura Bruner: empowerment, self love, deep physical and spiritual nourishment,

Jess Gaertner: holistic health, open minds, and joy,

Laura Bruner: no matter your journey or perspective. I'm Laura of Radical Roots. I'm a certified CrossFit trainer, certified nutrition consultant, and mama to [00:01:00] Evie Wilder and

Jess Gaertner: Indie Bow.

Jess Gaertner: I love outdoor adventure, good

Laura Bruner: food, especially sourdough,

Jess Gaertner: and mindful movement. And I'm Jess of Hold the Space Wellness. I am a level one CrossFit trainer, a licensed and certified athletic trainer with a master's in kinesiology, and mama to Bear and Camille. I love food, trying new things, creating art, and being a perpetual learner.

Jess Gaertner: Please note that while we're here to provide advice and insights, we aren't medical practitioners, and always recommend that you check with a trusted provider before implementing any changes. Thanks for joining us. We're so happy you're here. Good morning, friends. Hi. Hi. It's us. It's us. We're here. It's October.

Jess Gaertner: It's Friday, October 27th. We're almost through October. I'm like, I don't, I feel like yesterday was July, honestly, truly. What

Laura Bruner: the fuck is going on? Sorry. If there are children present, but

Jess Gaertner: seriously. We're in some like time, space, warp, [00:02:00] continuum. Very weird. It's very weird. But I think I mentioned this. I.

Jess Gaertner: It's like I'm getting to the point where I'm like, who did I talk to this about? Did I mention this on the Patreon? Was it Boxer? Did I talk about this on a podcast? But I'm like ready. I'm like ready for 2023. So not that I'm like wishing away the time. It is 2023 right now. I mean, I just essentially I want to redo 2023, redo.

Jess Gaertner: So when it turns 2024 for everyone else, I'm just going to say that it's 2023. No, I'm like trying not to wish away the next couple of months because I love the holidays and I want to be present, but I'm also like, I don't know. For some reason, it just feels like on the other side of all that, maybe there'll be some, I don't know.

Jess Gaertner: That's just probably me being delusional and... It's rationalizing a really hard time, right? Yes, exactly. That's a way more sensitive way to put it rationalizing a [00:03:00] really hard time. And it's like it's bananas because like my birthday is in like a month. Yeah, 40th. And I keep giving Tim a hard time. I'm like, did you already order the ponies?

Jess Gaertner: Like, did you already reserve the venue? Like, you know, I do not want slash expect like a big party, but it like kind of gives him fun to mess with them. Yeah. Fun to mess with them because he's like, you said you didn't want him. Like, okay, I'm joking. I'm totally joking, but yeah, sort of, but I don't know what we're going to do.

Jess Gaertner: Like, I, I don't really have, I mean, we don't have like a ton of funds, so that's one thing, like we don't have. You know, I don't want like a giant party. People keep asking me, and I'm like, please, like, this is not like a humble thing. Like, please, no, like, please do not throw that. Don't throw a surprise party.

Jess Gaertner: Like, don't do that. So, like, I really don't know what we're going to do. Tim was talking, like, maybe we could take like a small trip. And he was like asking if [00:04:00] would we want it to be like a family trip or like just like me and him trip and so I don't know it's like we're kind of low, anything that we're going to do it's going to be like last minute but I

Laura Bruner: don't know.

Laura Bruner: I hope that whatever you do that it's just cup filling and not. Not exhausting.

Jess Gaertner: Yeah. Yeah. That's the other thing. It's like, like, don't,

Laura Bruner: this is for my friends. Don't plan something, you know, like a big old trip that then you have to also like pack

Jess Gaertner: for and prepare for. Yeah, exactly. No, you're totally right.

Jess Gaertner: And it's like, I keep telling myself, like, I don't feel that celebratory right now. And it has nothing to do with turning 40. It's just like the vibe of like life. And I keep telling myself, like, if you want to do something later, like, yeah. Well, next year or in a couple months or whatever, like you can still do something.

Jess Gaertner: And so

Laura Bruner: we're celebrating our 10 year anniversary next weekend. And it was in September. So, yeah,

Jess Gaertner: I mean, I feel like that's totally fine and appropriate, especially at this. Like adult stage where it's like, you know, you sound like [00:05:00] and there are other things not necessarily more important But that are just taking like a little bit of a priority space.

Jess Gaertner: So I know we will see what's gonna happen like the November through December is like heavy celebratory for us like we've got Tim's birthday, Thanksgiving, my birthday, Tim's mom's birthday, my sister's birthday, Christmas. Like, just a bunch of stuff going on, and so it'll be our 12 year anniversary coming up

Laura Bruner: too?

Laura Bruner: Gosh. It was just two years ago that you went to Jackson. Oh, yeah.

Jess Gaertner: Right? I'm like, is that right? No, that can't be. Yeah, I think it is.

Laura Bruner: At that point, we were still very much going to move there, and I was like living vicariously. Yeah. And now it's been, I mean. It's been almost two years since we decided not to move there.

Laura Bruner: No. Been almost a year since we decided not to move there. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know.

Jess Gaertner: Well, we did go to Jackson, uh, at the end of A, March. [00:06:00] Okay. Versus, so it's been like a year and a half since. Yeah, so

Laura Bruner: it'll be two years in March.

Jess Gaertner: Yes. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. But that's still, that feels like a lifetime away.

Jess Gaertner: Honestly, I feel like I was a different person a year and a half ago. Yeah. So lots of things coming up, hopefully to celebrate, but like, I mean, just like even the day to day, like Tim and I were talking, like we haven't been on a date in months. Like I don't even remember the last time we were on a date, like six months maybe, like honestly.

Jess Gaertner: Yeah. Like that we had like true, I mean, we work together alone. During the day, but like, both of us are like, it's not the same and it's like, we're head down, like, we're both in it right now and so like, I don't know, I'll just be happy with like a date, honestly, it's bad. I mean, it's not bad. I want to try and choose my words wisely and intentionally, but like, it is definitely a season.

Jess Gaertner: And like, don't get me wrong, like our marriage is rock solid. It is at its core foundation. Like [00:07:00] not having a date night isn't going to change that fundamental strength that we have, but like it's, we're definitely in a season where we are finding is much harder to connect, like outside of just like. A lot of passing in

Laura Bruner: the night.

Laura Bruner: Yes. Or like, yeah, that's kind of how, we're in a similar situation. We try to be super intentional, but it's kids, it's all the things, transitions, like transitions make it hard as you kind of settle into like, okay, when do I actually have time? I feel like you've been in a pretty long, I mean, we're in a transition, like, you know, seasonal and with his work and all the things, but you're in like a major life transition with like a whole new career

Jess Gaertner: and yeah,

Laura Bruner: it's a lot, it's a lot.

Laura Bruner: Can I, so my, one of my really good friends here, we share a birthday and her parents are local. And what they did is they dropped their kids off at Grandma and Grandpa's and they went, they drove to this like cool area where there's like a bunch of trails and stuff and they like mountain biked and hiked and stuff and got lunch and then came home on the way home, picked up a bunch of fun ingredients and just like, which you probably don't want to do that, but yeah.

Laura Bruner: Maybe you do cook for joy. And then they [00:08:00] just like made a nice dinner at home and like watched a movie and say that they stayed at home by themselves and had the whole night into the morning and the next morning they went out and like, I think they went for, they went to the hot springs and like went for a long hike and had a nice long sit down breakfast and like sip their coffee slow and stayed in bed until forever and then pick the kids up, you know, midday on the next day.

Laura Bruner: Like that could be something that yeah. Like, when she would tell me, I'm like, that rings Jess.

Jess Gaertner: Like, you gotta stay home on your own couch. Because you have

Laura Bruner: those friends nearby, right? Yeah. They're like basically family.

Jess Gaertner: We do. We do. And it's like, it's been even hard, like, to just coordinate something with them.

Jess Gaertner: And usually they're like our go to. I mean, we have Tim's mom too, but like, she is working full time and like, she is, she watches a kid, a baby. And anyways, not to like give everyone all of her life details, but like. I mean, she's just, she's working too, and like, everyone feels like, it just feels like everyone has so much going on, and it's like, but you're right, like, that, if I was gonna [00:09:00] If I was going to do anything, that would probably be the most, like, cup filling.

Jess Gaertner: And yeah, I

Laura Bruner: And then, like, a dinner with the whole family, you know? Yeah, totally. Like, throw some family time, too, but Yeah. That sounds amazing. Like, all time favorite restaurant. Or go to that cinnamon roll place, or I don't

Jess Gaertner: know. Yeah. No. I want to plan it for you, but Oh, so Well, you're giving me lots of good ideas.

Jess Gaertner: So, essentially, you're planning it for me. Keep it simple. Okay. Yeah. And well, the other thing is, Tim is I mean, I don't think he would, I don't, it's not a secret or anything. He's doing, I've heard of this numerous times. It's never tickled my fancy. I, it's not that I'm against it, like I just in this season would never do it, but he's doing the 75 hard.

Jess Gaertner: Have you heard of this? Yeah. 75 hard. And he's doing it for a couple of reasons, none of which are like the physical, Taylor's doing it right now. Yeah. It's, it sounds, it's very intense and you know, there's like physical part of it, like a working out thing. But like for him, I think. You know, I'm a type of person where I'm like, if I decide I'm going to [00:10:00] do something, usually, you know, barring like major life shifts, I'm able to like, be like, okay, so we're doing like, I'm going to run a marathon, a half marathon, and now I'm going to start training tomorrow.

Jess Gaertner: And then it's easy for me to be like, okay, this is what we're doing. For him, I think it's, it's much more of like a struggle. Like he will essentially be like, like, you know, like bail if it's, if it no longer aligns for various reasons, which is great, that's a superpower in and of itself. But like, I think he kind of wanted to prove to himself, like, Hey, I can do this.

Jess Gaertner: Like I can do hard things. I can utilize my time well. And like, make this happen. And so he's like in it right now. I think he is,

Laura Bruner: gosh, week four,

Jess Gaertner: maybe I'm super proud of him. Cause like It's not easy. They have to work out like two times, two 45 minute workouts, one of them has to the outside, and all of it's like positive things, and it's not like working out like two CrossFit workouts, like one can be a [00:11:00] walk or like a stretching session or

Laura Bruner: whatever.

Laura Bruner: It's just time

Jess Gaertner: commitment. Yes, it's a huge time commitment, which I'm like, okay, I'm going to be supportive, but like we have so much going on, I'm like, ah. But he's stepping up to the plate, like he is just. I'm a little bit worried because at the end of the day, I'm like, you have run yourself ragged all day trying to do your work, all this stuff, feed yourself, the house stuff, the kids, like schlepping the kids around, you know, and I'm like, okay, like I support you, but yeah, well, sometimes like

Laura Bruner: I know personally when I have that kind of thing to keep me like.

Laura Bruner: You know, some people thrive with that kind of structure until they don't, but I can see how that could be beneficial for some, and I see how for some, like you, that would probably. But yeah, but I guess it's just all a matter of, because all the things he's doing are taking care of his body. Yeah. Yeah. You know, and if it can just be a stretching or a walk, it's not like [00:12:00] too intense cross that we're got today.

Laura Bruner: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Jess Gaertner: So far he's liking it though. Oh, yeah, he's I mean, and he's seen like huge results. It's like, it's kind of bananas. I mean, just like physically and mentally like there's reading there. It's all aspects like it's kind of addresses everything in terms of like your health. And so, yeah, of course, he's seeing like Huge benefits.

Jess Gaertner: I'm super proud of him. He asked me if I wanted to do it with him, and I honestly think maybe in a different season, like, potentially I would be interested, but like, right now, I'm like, I can't even like, I can't even get myself out of bed in the morning to go do anything, honestly, and so, like, trying to fathom all of the other stuff, like, I just, I don't think it's the right season, but Yeah, he's doing good.

Jess Gaertner: All that to say he's it's over. He's doing it. I think the very end of it is right after Thanksgiving. So he's not really like he is not doing like he's doing like mostly [00:13:00] like a paleo diet. And so we wouldn't be able to really go. Well, I guess for my birthday, he would be, we would be able to. So yeah, maybe, yeah, that'll be like a good, maybe that would be like a good reward for him completing it.

Jess Gaertner: And then, you know, just all the celebration. So, Is that why you brought up to save my bird? I

Laura Bruner: don't know. Birthday. Yeah, yeah. Birthday. Yeah, yeah. That's where it came from. Rusty does stuff like that where he'll just be like, no sugar for a month. Because I think that's not fun. Okay. You just have like sugar, like twice a week because, but different, you know, I am moderation is very, I can, like, I just baked a bunch of like chocolate chip zucchini muffins yesterday and I can have one.

Laura Bruner: And then we're like, I make a galette and I'm like, Oh, I look forward to like having a little, a slice, not a little slice, a solid slice tomorrow for breakfast. I like look forward to that as a thing versus like, I know some people it's like, I've been sitting on the counter. It will get eaten until it's gone, you know, and I get that it's not like a, one is not better than the other, they're just [00:14:00]different.

Laura Bruner: And so he needs to be like a hard no for a month, and that helps kind of just get him down. He's also doing, his adrenals are shot, you know, when you drink so much coffee, I mean, the summer, obviously, coming off, and then the surgery, when you, Drink a cup of coffee, and it almost makes you feel more tired, like he's like, my adrenals are, so he's slowly shifting to decaf, and then he'll rub it back

Jess Gaertner: up, but yeah, and we thought,

Laura Bruner: so we pushed this episode from yesterday to today, because I'm like, today's his weekend day, he'll be home with the, you know, in bed with Indy.

Laura Bruner: We forgot, both of us forgot that he's coaching the 5 and 6 a. m. on Fridays. So he doesn't, he was, when he realized, we went to a friend's last night and like, at the wine, like he made this amazing feast, including like sourdough pasta and like all the things. And we left later than we'd usually be getting home on a weeknight, you know, and I was like on the drive home.

Laura Bruner: He remembered when he got home, he was so, so salty. He totally thought he

Jess Gaertner: got to sleep in. That's like so disappointing when you're like, yes, it's gonna be great. And then you realize. [00:15:00] Nope. I feel

Laura Bruner: like this quote unquote three day weekend has been a teaser because last weekend he had to go to Seattle and he had to be up at like five or four to catch the ferry to go to Seattle for an appointment for his thumb, because in case you don't know listening, I don't even know if I've shared this, but I don't think you've shared.

Laura Bruner: He had some because of the IV during the surgery, which he time and time again told them was incredibly uncomfortable. They didn't do shit about it. He has nerve damage now and he cannot bend his right thumb on his own. The only way he can bend it is like with his other hand. And it obviously, I mean, it affects his work.

Laura Bruner: Thankfully, there's the crossfit. So at least we've got that for like Olympic lifting and stuff. But, I mean, it's literally losing, you know, if you look at your thumb, you see all the creases in your joint. He's losing those creases because he doesn't bend his thumb. And he'll be like typing on his phone and like really just irritated, you know.

Laura Bruner: And so, anyways, he's trying to figure out, like, get to the bottom of it and figure out if there's a way, a solution and or compensation that might be. Yeah. Like, you know, humans, one thing that sets us apart from a lot of other animals is our possible [00:16:00] problems. Uh, yeah,

Jess Gaertner: I feel like

Laura Bruner: that's a huge thing. Yeah.

Laura Bruner: So last week he had to go to Seattle. So it didn't feel like a weekend day. And then today, you know, he's supposed to have these three weekends, but he'll fall into this, you know, and I'm coaching Wednesdays because ultimately we both love coaching. We also don't want to lose our free membership. So we need to be coaching at the gym to have that.

Laura Bruner: And this was the first week I started coaching Wednesdays at nine because now they have childcare there. So I can. I'm dropping Evie at a buddy's behind our house and then I walk her to school and then I get there by like 845, 850 and I've got Indy and she can go to childcare and I can coach. So, um, it's nice.

Laura Bruner: So, coaching Wednesdays and then he's coaching Friday early morning. But yeah, life is, it's small but it's also, you know. It's intense, but I feel like we just kind of went hopped back and forth. So I want to hear more. Well, maybe I'll go just because given that he's not home and he could wake up. No, because we were kind of chatting before.

Laura Bruner: Like, I don't have a ton of life updates from last one, really. Settling into the groove. We talked about like CrossFit work and kind of how things shifted there. You know, I'm now on a six month contract and, and [00:17:00] it actually feels really good. I will say, and I said this after like recapping the birthday and all that, but like, I feel there's balance in my world and what it comes to.

Laura Bruner: I don't feel like there is. You know, and this is probably how you're feeling, so I can empathize because I was just there where it's like, I never ever feel like there isn't something pressing on my to do list. And I was like that all summer and then well into fall, and I finally feel like there are times when I can just like sit on the couch.

Laura Bruner: And yes, there's always something to do. Without that like pressure on my back, like there's something on that to do list that like I should have crossed off today, but I didn't there's things that like, yeah, that's upcoming. I see it. I also know that I have the space to complete it. And that is like, man, game changing.

Laura Bruner: And like having, I launched my sourdough croissant guide and that's been well received and it just makes my heart really happy. I launched it. Yeah. Back, I'm trying to refresh share this here just on Patreon, but I launched a sourdough workshop. It's on Tuesday, November 7th You know, this is gonna be so fun.

Laura Bruner: It's sold out in like five at six hours Then [00:18:00] the little shopper I'm doing it was like do you want to do another one the next week? I'm like sure launched it sold out in like six hours And then I launched another one December 5th, and there's only one spot left. So I'm just kind of reevaluating You know, this whole idea of like doing more local things here because that ends up being relatively lucrative for minimal time now that I have that workshop really dialed in.

Laura Bruner: It also gives me a chance to be more immersed in my local community, which has been so fun. And I'm going to start, I was going to do a cinnamon roll workshop when I audibled there because Ultimately, that's like fully reinventing the wheel I've had over a year now of or about a year of these workshops under my belt.

Laura Bruner: And so I feel very competent and comfortable putting on the bread one and I've got it dialed in the time. Everything's different first, you know, so I don't really, I'm not in a season of life where I want to reinvent, but the local coffee shop that's attached to our gym. They're really trying to build up, you know, people coming in, customers and whatnot, on the weekends.

Laura Bruner: And so I'm gonna start doing just pop ups. So, I bought new baking tins for, like, to do [00:19:00] 12 cinnamon rolls at a time. I'm gonna do a trial run potentially this weekend, and then once I get that dialed, bake two trays at a time, so I can do at least 24, and just show up in the morning, like around 9, share on social media, they all share too, and then just, when they're gone, so I'm gonna do the first one, the first weekend of December.

Laura Bruner: So a couple trials in the meantime. And then I'll probably do the same with croissants, just like fun, bring it, bring my book, copies of my book and like starter bundles that people can buy them if they want. And it's a cool way to get people in the gym and in the coffee shop and just again, immerse in the community, which has been just a really special place for us, really like, you know, it's really a cool thing.

Laura Bruner: So I'm feeling grateful to be here and yeah. What else? I'm looking forward to the holidays. I feel, I'm like worried that it's all going to go too fast. My mother in law is coming today. She's driving out from Wyoming. She'll be here for a couple weeks. And we are going to tomorrow, yeah, tomorrow's Saturday, the winery that we're members at that I just like fell in love [00:20:00]with.

Laura Bruner: I think for me it's very nostalgic to California and kind of like some of the vibe that I love there with like the wine tasting and whatnot. But it's got this beautiful fire pit outside and the wine. I don't think I've ever been to a winery where I've genuinely liked every single. Or I'm a tasting.

Laura Bruner: They're dry. You know, it's like, it's so good. And they make it all right there. It's like very, what do they call it? I'm forgetting the word right now, but it's like small batch. Like, anyway, so they're doing a dinner or like a, it's like you show up and there's all these different little mushroom dishes paired with the wines.

Laura Bruner: And so we're treating my mother in law. We got a sitter. And so tomorrow we're going to, just the three of us, Rusty, his mom and I are going to do that, which I'm looking forward to. And then he and I have our first night ever away since having Indy. Yeah. The following weekend, she's going to stay with the girls.

Laura Bruner: And so we've been like test running. Remind me where y'all are going again? Just Port Townsend. We were going to do Victoria, but my password's not here yet. And also... Our first night away, I don't really want to be a 90 minute ferry right away where I can't control when it takes off, you

Jess Gaertner: know, if I need to get out [00:21:00] of the country.

Jess Gaertner: Yeah,

Laura Bruner: technically. I mean, I can see it from here, but it's out of the country. So Port Townsend's about an hour drive. We got a hotel. There's this place called Soak on the Sound. And it's like these really nice saltwater, like, reverse osmosis, whatever, tubs. So we'll do it in a private tub. So we'll do a soak together and then go to our favorite spot where I actually went Monday There's this place called Bishop block in Baba shop And it's just they have like they I've never been somewhere where you can find the same wines like on a shelf that I get Through dry farm wine.

Laura Bruner: So I don't know how they source them or whatever, but there's so many times I'm like, oh my gosh, I've had that bottle from dry farm and it's like the nicest like Petnat or like organic whatever biodynamic wines and so We'll probably like, go get a drink, they make really nice cocktails, go have a nice dinner, go to a hotel room and just be and like sleep and wake up when we want, which for me would probably still be early, but like walk along the beach and get coffee and then cruise back.

Laura Bruner: So that should be really nice. Yeah, we got therapy today.

Jess Gaertner: Oh my god,

Laura Bruner: that's amazing. And yeah, [00:22:00] Indy's doing like a little forest school, which has been really sweet. She goes on Mondays, I stay, it's two hours. And like they're, you know, getting a little toddlers in there and feeding them into their bigger kid classes and getting them more comfortable and it was just the sweetest thing ever.

Laura Bruner: She's having so much fun and she's been twice now. In the first week, you know, she was like right by my side the whole time and until the ball came out and she was like super confident. She would, you know, she was just, she wasn't into like the organized anything, the parachute or like any of that, but and this next week she was like playing with her buddies and Just like all, just like didn't need to be in my arms really much at all.

Laura Bruner: So that was really fun to see. She's just so comfortable in nature. It's just a matter of like getting more comfortable with like a lot of other people. Yeah. And we're just, you know, chugging right along. I'm gonna get microblading done. Ooh,

Jess Gaertner: on your eyebrows. That's the eyebrows, right? Eyebrows. Tell me more about that.

Jess Gaertner: 'cause I've always

Laura Bruner: wanted, I'm really excited. Yeah. And I went and talked to, it's this Blo mama and she owns a little really cute little shop and in the back has a, like a microblading studio and some point over the past six months. I used [00:23:00] a gel, a brow gel brush that was in it from a mostly empty tube, and I tore some different brow hairs out on both eyes.

Laura Bruner: And so, and I was talking to her and she's like, yeah, once, if you tear, if you pull those out deep enough, this is what happens to people like overplot, you get the follicle, it's not growing back. And it's not something, I don't think most people look at me and see it, but I notice it and it bothers me. And she has such a gift for doing it like very naturally.

Laura Bruner: And the way she does it on this like very surface level, it actually simulates hair growth. So I'm going to get the microblading, she's going to do it, but like, I was like, my goal would be that if there was no healing process that like Rusty wouldn't even notice, you know, I just want it to be super natural.

Laura Bruner: And so, and we're doing a trade, so I'm going to be creating some like Instagram content for her, creating a couple of different reels and sharing those and like co, you know, when you like co brand

Jess Gaertner: or you have a co

Laura Bruner: creator or whatever. And so I don't, you know, we get to trade, which is cool. And then again, it's more.

Laura Bruner: Immersed in the community and then we might end up doing some touch up trades for like sourdough lessons and like that. I'm big into trading these days. Any chance I get to like trade skincare or wine or sourdough, you [00:24:00] know, I've got friends who bring Evie home from school because Indy's napping, they walk her home after and I like give them bread and it's just, it's, and I trade our photos that we get, like our family photos for skincare and it's like, just nice to be able to barter a little bit.

Laura Bruner: Remove the middleman. So yeah, I'm gonna share more about that process. At first I was like, do I want to share that online? I'm like, yeah, why not? I'm always trying to be authentic. It's not, I'm not like, I'm not embarrassed about it. I think it's cool that exists. I love tattoos, and I think it's just, it's a really cool thing that we are able to do.

Laura Bruner: Not have to worry about, it's like the only makeup I wear is brow gel, not anymore. And like, you know, some highlighting, whatever. And so it's nice to just have that done and not have to think about it, so. Cool.

Jess Gaertner: I will report back. Please report back, because I feel like mine won't be as like, If I get mine done, it's going to be like, it's like a full refill.

Jess Gaertner: Like I'm definitely the 90s over plucked at the root or whatever, and the hair is never going back. So I'm very curious. That's exciting. When are you doing it? Monday. [00:25:00] Oh,

Laura Bruner: wow. So by the time this airs, I will have gotten my first round of it because my mother in law is coming, so I can actually have like a two hour appointment and she's going to take Indy to her school and I'm going to get my brows done.

Laura Bruner: And I'm really excited. I know. Yeah. So I'll show more on social. I'll share more here too. She's like, you know, come in, you'll come in 30 minutes for numbing cream. I'm like, do I need that? Yeah, you've seen the ink on my arm. I'm just gonna do the whole thing and I'm gonna sit there and I'm gonna just like, you know, try and treat it as self care.

Laura Bruner: It's a cool thing. So

Jess Gaertner: yeah, I can't wait to see the results. It's getting hot in here. So take a Wait, it's not that kind of podcast, but it is getting hot in here, and I need to fill you in on one of my latest obsessions from Paleo Valley, their new essential electrolyte powders. I've been a long time fan of electrolytes added to my water, and one of the main reasons I do is because all of the vennies, y'all.

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Jess Gaertner: Trust me, your body will thank you. One of the gals that works with Cassie at the office at foot and foot, she got hers done probably like a year ago. And she has like reddish blonde hair, like very similar, but it's [00:27:00] probably more of a red color than yours is. But like just light brows and she got hers on and she loved it and it looks so good like Looks

Laura Bruner: so good.

Laura Bruner: It looks so natural. It's like people put on and brow makeup pencil in or whatever every single day It's like this is the same, you know She does this gal does like eyeliner touch like, you know, and I would never actually don't wear eyeliner anymore ever, but Like brings me back to high school when I was literally outlining

Jess Gaertner: my entire eye.

Jess Gaertner: Oh my gosh.

Laura Bruner: No judgment. It's just not my thing anymore. Anyways, so I'm really excited. And my browser, you know, I've had seasons of life where I like love them big and full, but it's just like... So, two, I yanked some out on accident, and then also, I got my face too close to the pizza oven over the summer, and I singed my eyelashes and my brows, so then it made

Jess Gaertner: them, like, even shorter.

Jess Gaertner: They have not been kind to my face this summer. Oh my gosh. So anyways,

Laura Bruner: and it even, like, gave me more baby hairs. It was, like, all the front of my, like, the front of my head, like, oh, I smelled it. I was like, oh my god, I just burned my face off. So that's what [00:28:00] happens when you're busy, and like, you know, yeah, flawless in five, great, but also, like, don't.

Laura Bruner: Rip your eyebrow hairs out. Don't

Jess Gaertner: burn your face in the pizza oven. We don't recommend the pizza oven for facial hair removal.

Laura Bruner: All of this happened while I was solo parenting

Jess Gaertner: for extended stretch. Anyways. Yeah, that's the latest year, I think.

Laura Bruner: Look, we had snow on the mountains yesterday on the walk to school.

Laura Bruner: It was in the 30s and there was frost on the ground. So it's like winter has hit, but it's beautiful. It's like, it's fall and crisp and sunny and lovely. So I, you know, I've talked about this. Before, of course, but for the first time in my life, I'm like, in this place, I don't know my favorite season anymore.

Laura Bruner: I love summer. I'm like summer lover through and through, but fall brings rusty home more, you know, and so brings a slower pace. I'm learning to know that I don't have to like have a favorite and I can love them both for different reasons. So,

Jess Gaertner: yeah, that's awesome. What's

Laura Bruner: the latest over

Jess Gaertner: there? Yeah, I, it was.

Jess Gaertner: Yeah, I, it was. Yeah, [00:29:00] I, it was. Yesterday, it rained a lot, which sounds cozy and wonderful, but it was like still so hot that it was like a sauna out like the perfect mosquito breeding ground. Yes, we're still getting mosquitoes in October, almost November, but from what I hear, there's also a tornado touchdown in San Antonio.

Jess Gaertner: Like I saw the video and it wasn't too far away. Had no idea until after the fact, but like, I guess yesterday there was just like a storm cell that like kind of hung out. We got a ton of rain, which is good. Cause we needed it. Then we got apparently a tornado. And now we're having, we're just like roasting in like a sauna steam room right now, but it's supposed to get cold on Monday, like actually cold, not like 75 degrees cold.

Jess Gaertner: So I'm really excited about that. It's supposed to be cold on Halloween, which like, I can't even remember the last [00:30:00] Halloween that it was like actually cold. We were like sweating walking around in our. Costumes like the last couple years of Halloween. So weather. I don't know I feel like we're definitely at the age where like I talk about the weather a lot more than I ever thought I would And

Laura Bruner: my joints feel a little more creaky this shift in temps

Jess Gaertner: Oh my god, it's funny. It's so funny so exciting. I'm telling you but no so that's my

Jess Gaertner: weather update Like, I'm just, oh god, it's running out of content over here, but I saw you saw a terrifying Halloween decoration. Oh my god. I hate that. I hated it. I hated it. And actually, I've seen it before. So I knew it was there, but I wasn't thinking about it. Like, I'd seen it in the light of day. Like, to be fair, but like, I was walking to the gym.

Jess Gaertner: Yesterday morning. Was that yesterday? Yeah, it's yesterday. [00:31:00] And I'm just like running. I have like my ear pods in it's dark Like no one's awake. It's super early and i'm just like You know, I don't even know, along with my thoughts for a brief moment, and I just like turn and see that I literally screamed and was like, like, no one's there to hear me, obviously, but like, that thing is so real looking like that they however they stepped the body.

Jess Gaertner: I just like it is bananas. And so it scared the shit out of me. It's for all the all who didn't see it. It's like this man sitting on a porch. It's not a real man, but it looks like a man. It's like, And it's got like a scream type mask, but it's like slightly different. It's way scarier. And it just, and like the house itself is kind of like spooky looking.

Jess Gaertner: Like it's not, I don't know. Anyway, it's just major creeper vibes scared the shit out of me. And then on the way back, I saw this white, uh, possum. It was huge [00:32:00] coming out from under this house. It was like, not afraid of me like at all. And so I was like, am I about to get jumped by a possum? Like. What is happening?

Jess Gaertner: It was possum posse. Yeah, well, and I feel bad because the other day, aw, so sad. And, you know, possums are disgusting looking. They really truly are, but Their faces are, like

Jess Gaertner: Ugh, scary, and her eyes and her snout and her tail, the whole thing, just, I'm like wondering why on earth they exist, but Fiona caught a baby one, and like, it was, she like brought it, she brings us all sorts of things, like she's super proud, but the kids were so sad, and like, really, like, this thing is like disgusting, and your, like, cameo was like in tears, but I think the possum was actually playing possum.

Jess Gaertner: Like it was tiny. It was like maybe the size of like a potato, a small potato. [00:33:00]I'm like trying to, I'm making them the size of my hands over here. Y'all can't see, but Fiona's like throwing it around and stuff. I'm like, Oh God, this is just like horrible. But anyways, she stopped messing with it. And then I nudged it with my toe and I could see it like respond.

Jess Gaertner: So I think, and then later when I came out, it wasn't there anymore. Like if I, that was the moment where I got to like actually. Examine a possum up close and I'm telling you, uh, like just so anyways, so far my updates have been the weather and the wildlife. Okay. What else? What else of consequence and value?

Jess Gaertner: Let's see. Okay. I Rusty's. Because I feel like my toe, it's not the same because I feel like you can get by without your big toe much more easily than I mean, I don't know if like I didn't have full function on my big toe. That [00:34:00] might be pretty difficult balance wise, but like I still it's still numb. Like I am just like at a loss.

Jess Gaertner: I had a moment the other day where I started So I'm having like a lot of numbness and tingling in my hands, but I think it's like positional, like when I read a book or something in bed, but the other night I was having like numbness and tingling in my hands, like just like laying in bed, like not any weird position.

Jess Gaertner: And so then of course I'm like, you know, WebMDing it and I'm like, okay, well I have MS, like I have like all this stuff and I'm like, but in the back of my mind, I'm like, should I really like go get this checked out? Because it's not just my big toe, it's actually both toes. And now my hands off and on sporadically.

Jess Gaertner: So that's kind of like a health update because again, I'm just like chuckling to myself, weather, wildlife, and health updates. I feel like my mother right now, because that's all she ever talks about is her ailments.[00:35:00]

Jess Gaertner: Love you mom, but it's true. This eternal optimist Enneagram7 over here is going to

Laura Bruner: ask you to close out when it's time with something great

Jess Gaertner: to ask. I will. I will. I for sure will. There's, there's definitely some good things. I'll have a little bit of a moment to think about what they could possibly be, but yeah, so that's kind of like a health update.

Jess Gaertner: My bag actually. This is a positive. My back is actually feeling a lot less unstable, a lot less moments of feeling like, Oh my gosh, I can't bend over or I can't roll over or like constant hurting. Like that is definitely subsiding. So that is kind of recent in the last couple of weeks. And I really want to acknowledge that because that's huge.

Jess Gaertner: The whole one of the things that kind of set off this like Cascading, I feel like set of challenges this year was when my, I ended up in the ER for my back in February. And so it's just been this like constant thing that I've been dealing with. And while we talked before we started recording, [00:36:00] like I can't really sit like anymore, like I can't sit and bend over at all.

Jess Gaertner: Like if I'm sitting, I have to be straight. Which is obviously a good thing, but like, aside from that, feeling really good with the back stuff, however, I have been kind of, I've taken the back seat of like, my working out. Not by choice, but just because, like, I am so tired that I honestly think that getting more sleep every morning in this stage of life is, like, kind of taking priority over the actual movement, and I'm trying to figure out how to work it back in, because...

Laura Bruner: Isn't there a lot of movement, like, with the photography, like, the work that you're doing? Oh, constantly. Like, I

Jess Gaertner: am on

Laura Bruner: my feet. I'm a big proponent of, like, you don't have to go spend 30 or 60 minutes in the gym if you, like, are conscious as you move throughout the day. Like we are meant to move. That is fitness.

Jess Gaertner: Yeah. Yeah. And I feel that like I definitely like my work before food photography was a was essentially sedentary. I mean, like I was just sitting at a computer [00:37:00] like all the time. And so I'm definitely much more active. Like I don't sit. I am like cooking back and forth. I'm like, you know, crouching, you know, doing all sorts of things much more active.

Jess Gaertner: So I'm trying to keep that in mind and I feel okay. But I just know that like the mental part for me about just intentionally moving is super huge. So just trying to find something, I'm still on the lookout, haven't really landed on a program that feels right. Cause like I, at this stage, I just want something I can do quickly, like 30 minutes or less that I could potentially, I mean, we have a gym, but like I could potentially do at home.

Jess Gaertner: I want to feel like I'm not doing it for like strength gain, like gains with the Z, like, you know, I like I don't want to hurt afterwards. I don't want like I don't have any like big weight goals or anything like that. It's restorative. Yes. Like that's what I'm looking for. Ability, mobility. Yeah, totally.

Jess Gaertner: And I [00:38:00] just like having a little bit of a hard time finding it. I know I'm being like super picky because I told them, I was like, I don't want to run 400 repeats, like even some of these, like the programs that I've looked at, like, I just, I don't want, it was like, you don't want to sweat. And I was like, well, when you say it like that, like, it's not really about that.

Jess Gaertner: It's more just like, I'm not in a season where I want to like push myself with in any way, shape or form. So if y'all have any recommendations, I am actively looking and yeah, I'll share if I land on anything. Cause I had a couple of people reach out when I shared like a month or two ago saying that they want it.

Jess Gaertner: Like for me to share what I landed on and haven't landed on anything so I haven't shared anything so yeah So that's update kind of physical physically all of that and then the food photography stuff It's just it's going so well, but at the same time like with the intention of This is not like I'm not gonna be doing this [00:39:00] case forever.

Jess Gaertner: Like I want to continue to do food photography, I would like to whittle down my workload by like, I would like to do maybe a third of what I'm doing, like long term and so a lot of things really have to fall in the place for that to actually be feasible. Is it like financial right now? It's financial.

Jess Gaertner: Yeah, it's absolutely 100 percent financial, like, and so some things have to move on Tim's part for him to kind of take back a lot of that, like the financial. Responsibility for me, and it's just a give and take, you know, there's no, I mean, when I say like, there's no resentment, there's no hard feelings or anything like that about that, like, that is just that is partnership and marriage and like, it's wonderful, it's like, you know, I'm happy that I'm able and have the ability to pick up slack there when things are slow for him and vice versa, like I've been in seasons where I'm like, You know, he's the sole like financial provider and I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with my life.

Jess Gaertner: And so I love [00:40:00] that we can do that for each other. And so, yeah, I'm just kind of writing that out with the hopes that like eventually be able to like really pare down the workload there. And yeah, I mean, the kids are doing good. I think I had shared. I can't remember if you land on something for a bear or school.

Jess Gaertner: Well, we're going, we're touring in the next like two weeks, we're going to take some tours of some of our top choices. Are any of those public or are you doing more like? So we have some public on our, so we would only really be able to attend like a public charter school unless we choose the public school in our district, which we're not going to choose that one.

Jess Gaertner: And so we do have some that we're going to go see. And like, we're hopefully, I mean, Bear's going to be involved in the process and like a big part of it will be like how he feels and his interests and you know how he can be like supported in those environments. He's just, I obviously I'm a parent. [00:41:00] I worry about my kids 24 7 a lot and I worry about him in particular in terms of just like he's a sensitive kid.

Jess Gaertner: Like the other night we had a breakdown at bed because. He was like, you know, he has this idea in his head. Like I did something inappropriate or I made inappropriate noises and like, and I'm like, you know, talking about it through it with it. It's like 10 year old boy stuff. It's like, yeah, you're guys are acting silly.

Jess Gaertner: Like you're just. You know, that's it's okay. It's totally normal. Like, if you don't, if you feel like you don't want to be doing that stuff, we can, you know, you can work towards not, you know, quote unquote, acting inappropriately. It's like, but there's, you're forgiven. Like, there's nothing, you know, that you need to be worried about right now.

Jess Gaertner: And so like a lot of that really plays into my mindset because I'm like, you know, he's in a very sheltered environment right now. I mean, granted these are still kids from all walks of life that are in his class. He's been with for a long time. [00:42:00] And so he's. Getting exposed to different things that necessarily meet maybe we.

Jess Gaertner: Wouldn't want him to at this age. And so I worry about, I mean, I think all parents worry about this, just like getting thrown into a big pond with a lot more people who are going to be sharing things that maybe he's not ready to hear. And so I don't know how people, I don't know how parents address this.

Jess Gaertner: I mean, obviously it's like. I went to public school. I it's not even that like a private school or a charter school is going to be any different. It's not. I mean, like, I have friends who have their kids and The sweetest little, you know, on paper, amazing schools who are still struggling with like peer pressure and drugs and yeah, all of that.

Jess Gaertner: I mean, it's like there's no place where you're going to be sheltered from that stuff completely. It's just, I don't know. I feel like we're just, we're entrusted with [00:43:00] their little hearts and souls and minds and like, I just want to give them both what. As best I can with Amy, while I have him. You don't, does that make any sense?

Jess Gaertner: A hundred percent, yeah. And it's like, I don't even know, like, I don't know, we have the ability, the privilege to do that and make those decisions. And so I'm just holding it. It's like a big responsibility in my heart. So I don't know, I don't know. I will. I obviously not going to share exactly where he's going, but like, I can definitely share the process and like what, how it went and what kind of led us to the decisions and everything.

Jess Gaertner: But you know, bears a real social kid. And so, yeah. He's really excited about like clubs and athletics and things like that. So we'll see. He's smart. He's like some of these schools you have to take a test to like get in. And I'm not really worried about that at all. They don't test in Montessori. Like they don't really, [00:44:00] I mean, I just don't see he's not a kid who has like test anxiety or anything like that.

Jess Gaertner: Mostly because I feel like he doesn't really, he's never really been exposed to it. So it's kind of fun actually. What he gets tested. He's like, cool. A test! So anyways, that's kind of a little update with him. Cammy is doing so well. She is, I think I've shared here, I just, so she had her first choir concert last night.

Jess Gaertner: And I, it was precious and adorable. She asked me to like do double French braids for her hair and she had her little choir shirt and like a little khaki skirt and she has choir practice every week. And it's one of those things where, you know, she has done quite a few different things. She's currently in volleyball, you know, we're just trying to find the things that kind of like she feels passionate about.

Jess Gaertner: And the choir, it's like. She always is ready to go. She's always excited. She's always practicing like afterwards. She's like very, she was very [00:45:00] nervous about the choir concert yesterday, but like very excited. Like, she took a bath when she got from school so that she could prepare for the choir concert.

Laura Bruner: Gotta unwind, smell good.

Jess Gaertner: I know, she was like, very, just very intentionally preparing herself. So, it's like, I wasn't that kid. Like, I think I was in choir in maybe like 6th grade, so, but it was never something that like super interested me. Bear's not interested, but she is like, very, like, this could be her thing, and that's like, Me kind of adjusting my, I guess, look at my personal dreams or hopes for her is that she'd find a sport that she loves and like, you know, we still want her to find something that where she can like move her body, but like, I don't know, I think choir could be our thing.

Jess Gaertner: Like it lights her up. She's excited about it. And you know, she's good at it. She's just going to

Laura Bruner: say it's perfect to ask. How's her voice?

Jess Gaertner: No, I mean, her voice is like, she can sing combo can sing and not just like [00:46:00]a, like adorable, precious, progress. seven year old singing. Yeah, it's all, I mean, it's always adorable and precious, but like, she's got pipes.

Jess Gaertner: And so, I don't know. We'll see. We'll see what happens. I love it. Yeah, that's kind of an update on the kids. Update on me. I'm trying to think if there's anything else big. No? I think that's, I think that's a major thing. I'm having, we're doing a beauty counter event here locally tomorrow and it's been another thing where I've been like, Oh, this is like just time away.

Jess Gaertner: Like it's just initially what I wanted to do, but I'm actually getting kind of excited about it. It's going to be small. I, you know, haven't done a lot of in person things at all in any capacity. Like just even outside of beauty counter outside of, you know, just even like in person local friendships like have not been strong.

Jess Gaertner: And so I'm just excited to like kind of go and Cammie's gonna come with me because she doesn't want to go to her brother's [00:47:00] soccer game. So it's good. And she's like, she loves, she's going to be so, I mean, this is like her type of thing. It's a sip and shop. Obviously she's not going to be sipping on anything, but like juice, but sip and shop.

Jess Gaertner: She's going to love it. I know it's going to be really fun. And Cassie is kind of putting it on for the most part. And so, um, a lot of that responsibility is, has fallen on her and like her team. So it's just going to be nice to kind of show up and hang out and see people face to face. So yeah, that's about it.

Jess Gaertner: It's about it over here. Sweet. Yeah. Let's talk about sex, baby. Jess here and I want to shake things up and chat a little bit about it, yeah? If you've been listening for long, you know that I don't talk about something else. I love it and I still love using Arforia sex and intimacy products, even after all this time.

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Jess Gaertner: com forward slash modern mamas or use code modern mamas at checkout. That's F O R I A wellness. com forward slash modern mamas for 20 percent off your first order. I recommend trying their awakening arousal [00:49:00] oil and sex oil. You'll thank me later. Highlight of your week so far. Oh, highlight of my week.

Jess Gaertner: Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. Maybe, maybe. Highlight of my week. Cute. Highlight of

Laura Bruner: my week. Cute.

Laura Bruner: Amy gets like paralysis and I ask her that and I always have to, if I don't for her, if I forget, I have to shift the two. What was one highlight of your week? . I feel like it's too much pressure. Like I don't know the highlight. So what was one highlight? A highlight.

Jess Gaertner: A highlight. This is gonna sound so silly and probably, I don't know.

Jess Gaertner: It's like I'm not a huge proponent of T Like, listen, I'm not, I don't watch TV all the time. I rarely watch it, but we, our kids are at the age where. We can actually watch things together and it's silly to me that like this might sound no Okay, I'm not gonna even just justify this the highlight of our week is we've been really into this show called the Hardy Boys And it's [00:50:00] a little like it's kind of you know, they're teenagers.

Jess Gaertner: And so some of the stuff I have to be like, okay Like let's ignore that or like you're watching with the kids. Yeah, we're watching with the kids They're super into it. We're so it's and Tim is not watching it with us. So it's just a me and them thing And so we'll watch occasionally. It's taken us a really long time to get through the show because there's like three seasons But we'll occasionally watch, like, if they don't have anything and I don't have anything, we'll watch one in the evening, and it's so good, and we're so into it, like, we're screaming after the episode, like, we're like, oh my god, like, that just so fun, because we're all, like, we only have one couch in our entire living room, because there's no space.

Jess Gaertner: So we're all snuggled on it with like blankets. And so like, we're just together. We're like enjoying it. And so the season finale was this of season two was this week and we were just like losing our minds together. And it was so fun. It was like, it's just, I don't know. I have dreamed about the moment where I [00:51:00] sound so silly where I can watch TV with my kids because that's like a lame quality time.

Jess Gaertner: But at the same time, it's like something we can do together that we can enjoy together. That's entertaining. And. It was just fun. That was a, that was a highlight. I love

Laura Bruner: that. Yeah. Rusty's similar. Like he would, that would be a highlight for him too, like spending time watching something that he loves with the girls.

Laura Bruner: Yeah. Yeah. I, we are, we've been leaning back into this time of year, you know, it gets dark early. We've been leaning back into a great British baking show. Oh. So we, we'll, like, we, typically, we'll start an episode after dinner once everyone's like bathed and everything and, and jammies. And then we'll make it through like the signature and the, what's the middle section called?

Laura Bruner: The technical? Technical. And then we'll pause and then the next day. We'll do the showstopper and then we'll start by Cadence again. So it's super fun. And both, like, Indy loves it. It's so funny. She's like so excited.

Jess Gaertner: Are you on the current season? Yes.

Laura Bruner: Okay. We just finished, or we're going to finish Bread showstoppers

Jess Gaertner: tonight.

Jess Gaertner: So [00:52:00] I think. I always feel like this with Tim, Tim said it's his favorite show. Like literally, like hands down. I

Laura Bruner: love it. Mine too. It's like one of the few shows I will sit and just watch. Yeah. I mean, then there's like. New Girl and, you know, Gilmore Girls and I love those as well,

Jess Gaertner: but they have the same vibes.

Jess Gaertner: I feel like I don't know. It's just like wholesome, comforting, funny. I don't know. I just love it so much. We're, we're watching the current season too. I always feel like when it starts, I'm like, I don't really feel connected to any of these people. Like none of them are our favorite. And then as I get into it, I'm like, you know, you get connected to like the people who are making it through and I'm curious, um, do y'all, are y'all liking this year's participants?

Jess Gaertner: Some of them, yeah. I mean,

Laura Bruner: Evie is obsessed with Tasha, the one who, with the like ear implant obsessed. And Demcha as well, she's like, she's my favorite. She's so sweet. But it's hard to compare with the year with where the Italian guy won. Giuseppe? Yeah. It's so good. We're not [00:53:00] like as into it as we have been in the past, but we're getting there.

Laura Bruner: I think. Yeah. Maybe we'll see. It's early. I always like try and give time. I'm getting the vibe that you are

Jess Gaertner: unimpressed. No, I am. I, no, I initially, so we just finished chocolate week. I think that was the last episode. I, and now I have my like front runners. There was some like a really funny. Like, I think people are, like, starting to come into their, like, personalities a little bit more.

Jess Gaertner: And so, this last episode just cracked me up, that Rowan, who is, I think he's, like, in university, he is hilarious, like, he is just, he's, makes me laugh, because he's such like a, I don't know, I guess, but it's like Gen Z. Is he Gen Z? I have no idea. I

Laura Bruner: don't know those, but yeah, I know what you mean. Yeah,

Jess Gaertner: and so his humor is just hilarious to me.

Jess Gaertner: And then sometimes Tim and I, like, we have to watch it with captions on. They'll look at you and be like, literally, is that a word? What they just say? . We both speaking English [00:54:00] because doesn't feel like it. I know's. It's so funny though, like the little, like grandma, the Irish, I, she's gosh, Irish or Scottish?

Laura Bruner: She, she's Scottish. She's amazing. Precious, and she's adorable. The first thing I said when I saw her, I was like, she's so cute. Yeah. Like she's such a cute.

Jess Gaertner: She's so funny. Like, so cute. She, and she, I feel like she gets funnier, too. This last chocolate week was, no, bread week. It was bread

Laura Bruner: week. Bread week.

Laura Bruner: She makes the

Jess Gaertner: little cow,

Laura Bruner: right? Yes. Okay. Okay, we did finish. Okay. She makes the cow and it's so cute. And I swear, I was laughing at first because I'm like, The moment she started talking about this cow, her accent got so much thicker. I'm like, I didn't even know she was Scottish until she started talking about

Jess Gaertner: her cow.

Jess Gaertner: Well, she says she tries to say horns. Did you, did y'all see that part? Horns. Horns. Horns. So that's like now become a family joke. We can't stop doing it. We're like, Horns.

Laura Bruner: Oh my gosh, so good. Yeah. So

Jess Gaertner: good. Oh gosh, so great. Anyways, what is your highlight? That's some nice [00:55:00] levity.

Laura Bruner: My highlight. I'm prepared

Jess Gaertner: for this.

Laura Bruner: Sorry. What day is it? I got to see Laura. She's a podcast listener. She's been to a retreat. I met her and it was like, that was Monday. Started the week off. I went and drove to Port Townsend by myself. I, the sitter came and I went and drove to Port Townsend and like got some work in and went to that Bishop bottle shop and like had a glass of that dry farm wine.

Laura Bruner: And then we went to an awesome restaurant. It's like farm to table tacos. And we sat there for, we should, we got there at five and we closed them down. It was like eight o'clock. We sat there for three hours and just talked like lights and kids and motherhood. And then I went to a little shop next door after dinner and got like this really nice salted caramel chocolate and a tea.

Laura Bruner: And I just really slow rolled home because the whole part of this is also like have Rusty put Indy down for the first time in a very long time so we can start to prepare her for us being gone. And it's just all together was a really nice time. And then last night was lovely to just going to a friend's house and.

Laura Bruner: Watching our kids play and eating sourdough pasta that was like, this guy, like our friend Aaron is, I mean, [00:56:00] he's not a professional chef, but he is so good. And he's like sitting there just like hand cutting the pasta noodles on like their counter. And he made them, he got cocktail chicken and he got a bunch of local mushrooms and made this like insane mushroom sauce with the pasta.

Laura Bruner: And I brought a galette and it was just, it was lovely. So, so full time this weekend, where if you had asked me like two, three weeks ago and like, I don't want social, I just like want to be home. So, yeah, just, and then Evie, it, taking Indy to forest school and watching her blossom just within a week was also very special.

Laura Bruner: And one more, I'm sorry. No, this is great. And again, seven. I, Evie did a little, she has, so she goes a month's way, right? And she stays after school two days a week. One is geography and one is science. And for their geography, they did a little play. So we got to go watch the play. The kindergartners have like an extra hour than the younger kids.

Laura Bruner: And so their geography play, and it was like all about the universe and the galaxy. And like, so it goes like, we live in the universe and then it goes down to like the solar system or whatever. And then the, are like. worlds and whatever [00:57:00] and each and so they each have a line and hers was you know she got to talk about our city and it was just really sweet like we live in a city of port angeles where the mountains meet the sea and she like rounded all out and she was just so proud she got to go watch her her little play at school and i'm just very proud of her

Jess Gaertner: That's amazing.

Jess Gaertner: That's a very Montessori thing. They will, they use that theme every single year, but they obviously look at it like a different level, like advancements or whatever, but like, yeah, because I feel like they are always doing, I mean, we've been with Montessori for so long, but there's, they're usually like this semester or whatever you want to call it.

Jess Gaertner: We're focused on civilizations or focused on the gout, like the universe, like, and so it's like interesting to see how they use those like overarching themes to teach like within every subject matter. And it's just like, I just, oh my gosh, I just

Laura Bruner: think it's so sweet. I know, I wish you could stay. I wish it went further than kindergarten for us.

Jess Gaertner: So it only goes to kindergarten? Yeah, this one [00:58:00] is just,

Laura Bruner: it's like three, so it's like pre K or preschool, pre K and then kindergarten. And that's it. So then next year the plan is right now to homeschool with like four, back to four school two days a week or one day a week and then there's like a really cool local It's through the district, and she'll get to go one day a week to, and take classes.

Laura Bruner: My, my mother in law is actually bringing her violin, and so one of the classes that she can choose is violin, and like arts, and it's gonna be really cool, so.

Jess Gaertner: That's so awesome. Oh! It's gonna be great. Yay! The dogs are making a lot of noise. Is someone up? Yeah. Rusty just got home from the gym. Okay, cool.

Jess Gaertner: Perfect timing. Okay. All right. Thanks for sharing all your positives, too. Those were great. Yeah.

Laura Bruner: And yours, too. I feel like this kind of started on, like, a little bit wonky, I think, maybe for both of us. Yeah. That ended up with a lot of levity. So, thanks always, listeners, for being here and hearing us process and ground.

Laura Bruner: I feel like I get so grounded at the end of all these episodes. Totally. Yep. Yep. Love you guys. All righty, love all. Bye. Talk

Jess Gaertner: later. Bye.[00:59:00]

Jess Gaertner: Thanks for listening to our See you next time. Thanks for listening to our podcast. See you next time. Bye.