Hello friends!!! It’s officially the boring part of winter (post holidays) and this week’s episode is all about things that help us survive winter in Missouri and Tennessee. We also have an embarrassing story that I still can’t believe really happened.
You can stream the episode here on the blog or on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, and Stitcher. You can find the podcast posts archive here.
Here are our tips for getting through a long, dark, cold winter. 🙂
Emma #1: Vitamin D supplements and get outside once a day, even when it’s cold.
Elsie #1: Plan a trip somewhere warm. We’re planning to drive to Florida this winter for our girls’ first beach trip. If you have any suggestions for Florida, I’d love to hear! And spend WAY too much time online choosing the perfect swimsuit. #sparksjoy
If you want to see a clip from the Carnival Cruise VHS we grew up on, here it is in all its glory (still have this song memorized, by the way! I’m so happy this clip was there!)
Elsie #2: Learn something new
I have been so inspired learning new things that I never considered I could do myself. A few years back, I learned royal icing sugar cookies. Currently, I am learning pasta, and next I want to learn to make those fancy layered cakes from Pinterest and also cake pops, just because my kids love them.
Emma #2: Escaping through literature (wine, optional)
Elsie #3: Marie Kondo the entire house!
Emma #3: Gratitude + Lowering expectations
Bonus tip: Live in your hot tub (or bathtub). Just never leave.
Embarrassing story: This one is pretty bad! Shout out to Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge … I still love you even though you rejected my gift!
What do you think? Is Shania Twain classic or no?
Guilty Pleasure Treasure:
(Emma is just straight up doing pleasures now)
-Harney + Sons Cinnamon Tea LIFE CHANGING TEA. You’ve never had tea if you haven’t had this!
Here’s the version with no caffeine.
Emma’s hot toddy recipe using the tea.
-Strange Planet by Nathan Pyle. Here’s a link to his IG.
-Organizing things by color.
Here’s a link to our new app, Template.
I’m SO happy to share my organizing by color defense! I get SO many rude comments from people who don’t like it when I organize my apps or my books by color. It gets even worse when I turn my books around backwards for my fall-Christmas decor. But listen up: I recently wanted two specific books from my shelves, while they were turned around backwards, and I went to the shelves and found then BOTH within 15 seconds. It completely affirmed to me that it does NOT matter how you organize; it just matters that your things are organized to you. You do you, rainbow lovers!
Thank you SO much for listening. We’re SO grateful for your support of our podcast. If you’re just catching up now, you can see our full episode archive right here. xx- Elsie + Emma
23 Comments
You guys are coming out with episode after episode – I can’t listen fast enough! ❤️✨
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
You guys are awesome! I’ve loved following along since the early days of blogging
Emma- you mentioned 2 of my favorite things this episode! Hot cinnamon tea- this specific tea is a part of my morning routine! I have an Amazon subscription that sends me 50 tea bags every other month ☺️
Second, was Where the Crawdads Sing- LOVED that book.
Keep doing awesome things!!
Elsie and Emma, I really enjoyed that podcast! I hadn’t listened to them before today and now I want to binge listen to the other 12 (?) you have done. Hearing your voices and banter brought you to life for me, if you know what I mean. Thanks!
Loved it! And thanks for the tea rec! Just ordered some 😀 What was the other tea company that you guys recommended in an earlier podcast?
David’s Tea! I did their tea advent in December and it was amazing.
Haters on how you organize by color? That seems so insane to nitpick… I love seeing the rainbows and the turned around books.
Will have to give this episode a listen since up here in the PNW we get real S.A.D. this time of year… for me flower essences, listening to music, and all the tea helps me cope with this season.
Plus baths.FOR.SURE. Yes!
Flower scents—love that tip!
Re: people disliking the books organized by color: it’s called a beautiful mess not a practical mess
Re: the rainbow books – I was looking for something on amazon the other day and discovered a seller that, for $4 each, will sell you a random used book in the color of your choice. So if anyone is having trouble thrifting, amazon really does have everything.
Not listened to this one yet but loving the podcasts. I have to suggest Marco Island in Florida to you. It has a very nice vibe that I think you would appreciate! I live in UK and have been twice and would visit again in a heartbeat!
Arghh !!! I think I reccomended Marco Island to you in my comment. I meant Anna Maria Island!!! Marco Island is nice but not the same vibe as Anna Maria at all! Please checkout Anna Maria ????
Overall, I don’t care how people organise their books – I barely organise mine at all and can still find mine (and we have a lot). BUT I do like looking through other people’s bookshelves to see what books they have. I feel like I learn a lot about other people that way plus sometimes get some interesting recommendations out of it. I hope others get the same from my bookcases too.
I agree. Which is why I prominently display my growing collection of romance novels.
🙂
Mondays now give me something to look forward to . Really enjoying your podcast. Actually the first I ever listened to. Harney’s tea makes an awesome tropical tea which I first tried at Neighbor’s Mill in Springfield. If you are looking for a beach because you are going for the beach and the water and not touristy things to do that is within driving distance Navarre, FL is beautiful, small, and quiet. If you are going within the next two or so months the water may be too cold, however. We moved here a year and a half ago and love it.
Thanks for the Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea recommendation. I’m drinking it for the first time as I write this, and it’s great. I love that I don’t need to add any sugar or milk (as I seem to have to with most other teas) – it’s perfect just how it is!
I’m loving the podcast. I was listening while making dinner recently and my husband said “I like this one. These women seem really supportive of one another” and I loved that observation. I’m not a big believer in “GOOD VIBES ONLY” (there are a lot of things happening in the world that may not be fun, but they’re important to pay attention to) but I really appreciate the kindness that you extend to yourselves and your listeners, no matter what you are discussing.
WOHOOOOO!!! This makes us smile SO much! 🙂
Elsie- yall should totally visit St.A Augustine/Jacksonville/ Amelia Island in Florida. Were also one of the most northern parts of Florida and our beaches are amazing (I’ve lived all over Florida). And then stop by our tea room, Ashes Boutique and Tea Room in Jax Beach (we serve Harney and Sons tea including Hot Cinnamon Spice!!!
I LOVED seeing the video from your Carnival Cruiselines ad you remembered from childhood. The outfits in it are priceless!! I loved seeing that you tracked it down!! The podcasts have been delightful!
Emma- Book lovers totally get it. For a fun new years resolution this year I am going to try to read one classic novel each month. I am only half way through January and have almost finished my first one because I don’t want to put it down. 🙂
For the winter blues, I am taking an acrylic painting class- bring on all the colors!
May be kind of weird, but another thing I like to do is put on my favorite suntan lotion…the smell just puts me in that summer state of mind for a bit
I absolutely love your podcast. The one about the self-help books and this episode are two of my favorites but all of them I would listen to again. I already have a bag of cinnamon tea on the way for reading one of the books you both shared. Thank you for being vulnerable enough to share this honest, and super fun podcast.
Enjoy the tea and books!
love the podcast, I follow you guys since the red velvet days 🙂 You should put a link to the podcast on the home page/menu of your website for a quick access to the show notes.
We have one at the very top of our homepage :))