We chat about how good we are at getting things done, which tasks are easy for us to start and finish, and whether anything helps us check things off our lists. Life lately Sarah (along with all of Bloomington) is prepping for April 8's solar eclipse. Abby got a puppy, Edie. Reading lately Sarah highly recommends the YA novel, In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner (especially the audio version). Abby has been slowly making her way through the first three books of the Her Royal Spyness series by...

Life lately Abby is feeling good about their family's summer plans. Sarah's kids are enjoying some winter hobbies. Reading lately Abby read True Biz by Sara Nović and Sarah read S.K. Ali's young adult novel Saints and Misfits. Looking ahead to turning 40 As we enter the last year of our 30s, we look back over the last decade, look ahead to our 40s, and share how we hope to celebrate our milestone birthdays. Eating lately Sarah tried two new focaccia recipes but had the most success with this...

Life lately Sarah is thankful that January is behind us, and night shift is going surprisingly well for Abby. Reading lately Sarah read (and loved) The Good Part by Sophie Cousens. Abby listened to Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann. Religion and spirituality We discuss our experiences with religion and spirituality, growing up, today, and how we think about religion and spirituality as parents. Eating lately Abby ate Torchy's Tacos every...

New year’s intentions, 2024 We set our intentions for the year, share our words for the year, and discuss specific goals in various categories. Life Lately Abby is looking forward to time with family over the holiday (plus Tex-Mex!). Sarah shares to home winds: the headboard Neil made and all the secondhand plants. Reading lately Abby found a new romance series by Sarah Estep--the Brunch Bros. Sarah read the technology parenting book Growing Up In Public by Devorah Heitner. Eating...

We look back on our respective years, talk about how we did with our intention words, and do a lightning round of favorites from 2023. Life lately Sarah recommends the Fantastic Fiction website. Abby is leaving the leaves this year. Reading lately Sarah read the nonfiction book The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World by Max Fisher. Abby enjoyed the first two installments of the Wilmot Sisters contemporary romance series by Chloe Liese. Eating...

Our year in books, 2023 We share the highs and lows of our reading year as well as our favorite books in various categories. Life lately Abby loves her new Pact sweaters. Sarah is cozying up with the Calm Christmas podcast. Reading lately Abby read the spicy romance novel (set in Bloomington!) How Not to Fall by Emily Foster. Sarah read Michelle Huneven's novel Search. Eating lately Sarah made cranberry orange bread and Abby wants you all to know about shrimp toast. If you’d like to join in...

We give an update on the state of clutter in our homes and discuss how we think we might manage it better. We'd love your ideas! (And here's the podcast Sarah mentioned: A Slob Comes Clean) Life lately Sarah ran a half marathon—yay! Abby built a screen door. Reading lately Sarah read the satirical novel Wellness by Nathan Hill. Abby enjoyed the first two mysteries in the Jane Austen-inspired Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney series by Claudia Gray. Eating lately Abby tried out a new spinach dip...

Parenting strengths and weaknesses We share areas of parenting that come easily to us (and those that don't!), our partners' parenting superpowers, and a recent parenting win. Episode about our everyday superpowers Life lately Abby shares the sad news that the hospital where she works will be closing Labor and Delivery later this month. The renovation continues at Sarah's house... In this update, concrete stain! Reading lately Abby read the YA fantasy novel To Shape a Dragon's Breath by...

We look back on how the summer went and what we learned about how to make next summer even better. Life lately Sarah is picking paint colors again. (What a nightmare.) Abby healed one of her kitty's ears without a vet trip thanks to this product. Reading lately Sarah read the Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom Duology by Leigh Bardugo. Abby read Feed the Baby: An Inclusive Guide to Nursing, Bottle-Feeding, and Everything In Between by her dear friend and IBCLC, Victoria Facelli. Eating lately Abby...

Mindsets We share mindsets and mantras that have served us well over the years, ones that do not work for us, and mindsets we are trying to help our kids cultivate. Life lately Abby was on television for her work. Sarah's family has joined the local climbing gym. Reading lately Abby is all-in on Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. Sarah recommends Maame by Jessica George. Eating lately Sarah and Abby both enjoyed meals cooked by their moms: orzo pasta salad and hashbrown casserole. If you’d like...

We reflect on how the year is going so far, remind ourselves of our words for the year, and look ahead to the second half of 2023. Life lately Sarah’s children are at sleep away camp for the first time. Abby recently did a refresh of her indoor plants. Reading lately Sarah read and loved You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir by Maggie Smith. Abby listened to Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Eating lately Abby and her family have been harvesting their homegrown...

Preferences We share our preferences in our lifestyles, food, music, tv/movies, books, and socializing, as well as how our they have changed over time and whether they align with our spouses' preferences. Life lately Abby's battling the lice that made their way into her home. Sarah's family is preparing for an egg drop competition. Reading lately Abby read the queer, young adult romance Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth. Sarah read Laura Bates' Men Who Hate Women, which she heard about through...

With this episode, we're starting a new schedule for Friendlier. We’ve decided to release new episodes on the first Tuesday of each month, instead of every other week, as we’ve been doing. As our lives have gotten busier, it’s been tough to fit in podcasting, but we love this creative project and connecting with all of you, so we’re hopeful that the new schedule will help us continue to fit the pod into our lives. Life lately Sarah and E enjoyed seeing Annie together. Abby has a nest of baby...

K-12 school experiences We share the highs and lows of our experiences in elementary, middle, and high school. Life lately Abby has poison ivy. Sarah just got back from the SEC gymnastics championships in Georgia. Reading lately Abby enjoyed the cozy fantasy The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. Sarah read Jennette McCurdy's memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died. Eating lately Sarah's family is having pancakes for breakfast nearly every day. Abby's enjoying hearty salads for...

We discuss what we want more of and less of, as well as things that are just right in our lives. Life lately Sarah took the kids to their first public meeting. The neighbors fixed the fence at Abby's house. Reading lately Sarah enjoyed Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. Abby got into the cozy fantasy/romance Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. Eating lately Abby resurrected a childhood frozen favorite: Mrs. T's Pierogies. Sarah brought back delicious gummy bears and chocolate...

Technology We share our most used tech in daily life, technology other people seem to love but we don't, favorite tech related to kids/parenting, and our technology aspirations. Links we mentioned: Kindle strapWireless headphonesWyndy appCalm app Life lately Abby shares that her beloved cat, Duncan, passed away last month. Sarah just got back from a ten day to trip to Germany. Reading lately Abby listened to, and loved, Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. Sarah read the tennis novel Carrie...

We talk about cultivating a family food culture: what we want food and eating to feel like in our families, what is working and not working in our family food experience, and resources that we’ve used in developing family food culture. Links we mentioned: Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse ReschVirginia Sole-Smith’s InstagramEllyn Satter’s Division of ResponsibilityVisible Child Life lately Sarah and Neil rented and watched Free Solo. Abby remade some old pillows with new stuffing...

The days are dark and cold, at least in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere. We thought it would be fun to share what is bringing us joy, comfort, and generally helping us get through these months until spring arrives. Life Lately Abby used this kit to pierce a second set of holes in her ears. Sarah’s kids are enjoying sleepovers with friends. Reading lately Abby read Out of the Clear Blue Sky by Kristan Higgins which was a recommendation from a listener—thank you Chrissie! Sarah and E...

We discuss our favorite spaces in our homes, the projects we want to tackle, and how we want our homes to feel. Life latelySarah’s enjoying her newly installed windows and an accompanying living room rearrangement. Abby passed the NCLEX (nursing board exam) and is now an RN. Reading latelySarah read a cozy mystery, The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Abby loved the most recent romance in the Spoiler Alert series by Olivia Dade, Ship Wrecked. Eating latelyAbby was pleasantly surprised...

New year’s intentions, 2023 We set our intentions for the year, share our words for the year, and discuss specific goals in different categories. Life Lately Abby shares a toy all six of her cats love. Sarah and Neil attempted a calendar meeting to moderate success. Reading lately Abby read The Bookwoman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson, the sequel to The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek. Sarah read Sophie Cousen's Just Haven't Met You Yet. Eating lately Abby is loving the chipotle pot de...

We reflect on the past year and discuss our words of the year, how it went in several categories, and do a lightning round of 2022 favorites. Life lately Sarah and her family took an awesome train trip to California, and Abby is struggling with the transition away from school.  Reading lately Sarah listened to Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton, and Abby enjoyed The Stand-In by Lily Chu. Eating lately Abby made an autumn sangria (subbing champagne for white wine and bourbon...

Our year in books, 2022 We share the highs and lows of our reading year as well as our favorite books in fiction, non-fiction, memoir, romance, audio, most-enjoyable, and read-aloud. Life lately Abby has finished nursing school and Sarah is starting a new job. Reading lately Abby read the novel We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman. Sarah read Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Eating lately Sarah attempted this caramel sauce while Abby enjoyed two new cheese...

Life lately Sarah and her family had a lovely Halloween, and Abby gives a winter garden update.  Reading lately Sarah enjoyed the nonfiction read, Achtung, Baby: An American Mom on the German Art of Raising Self-Reliant Children by Sara Zaske, and Abby read two romance novellas from the Love Unscripted series by Olivia Dade. Gift giving and receiving We share our philosophies about gift giving and receiving around the holidays, at birthdays, and for anniversaries. This is an update to...

Life lately Abby successfully completed her longest solo-parenting stretch to date! Sarah is headed into a cold-weather camping weekend; wish her luck! Reading lately Abby read Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, the first book of a fantasy fiction trilogy. Sarah stepped outside her usual genre and listened to the classic novel Another Country by James Baldwin. Graceful quitting We share why neither of us are quitting averse, our most memorable quitting (and not-quitting)...