Sara and Melissa Talk About...Things We Love

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. We are finishing up our fifth year!

This month, we are keeping it fun and positive, by just talking about the things we love, which can refer to people, places, objects, experiences, etc. A great way to close out the year!

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them. 

Melissa Amster:

There are plenty of things that I love, so I will try not to make this into an entire novel and just narrow it down to ten. I'm taking books out of the equation, since that's a given or this blog wouldn't be here right now!

1. My husband. We've been married almost 21 years and are thankfully still happy together.

2. My kids. I love them equally and could never, ever pick a favorite. They each have traits that make them special and it's been amazing seeing them grow into the remarkable teenagers they are. They also get along with each other, which is so wonderful!

July 2024

3. My family, as in my parents, sister, and nephew, as well as my aunt, uncle, and cousins. Even though we live far apart, we find ways to stay close.

4. My in-laws. I'm lucky to have in-laws I get along with. I'm especially close with my mother-in-law. 

5. My friends. I don't know where I'd be without them, whether I've known them all my life or just met them a few years ago. I treasure the friendships I have!

6. Musical theater. I love seeing shows on Broadway, on tour, and in local professional productions. I obviously love seeing my kids perform in musicals at school and camp. (They all love musicals, so it's really nice to share that with them.) I primarily listen to show tunes when I'm driving or doing chores.

7. Being Jewish. While it's been harder to be Jewish over the past year or so, it's also made me love it even more, if that makes sense. There are ways to find Jewish joy and I've seen a lot of it around. I will be participating in the #JewishBookstagramTour later this month (@mel_thebookfairy) and am excited to talk about what brings me #JewishJoy over there!

8. Humor. Give me a reason to laugh and it just brightens my day. I love seeing funny videos and memes, hearing a good joke (or pun), sharing inside jokes with my family and friends, watching comedic TV shows and films, etc.

9. My job. I've been doing book publicity work for the past few years and I'm really enjoying it. I've taken on some new responsibilities that go along with my job and have learned so much. I really feel like I'm in my groove. I also like the people I work with and feel valued there.

10. Baking challah and desserts. Enough said, right?!? Obviously, getting to eat the final product is the best part! I have been trying out some new recipes that I found to keep things interesting, too. 

Round challahs I made for Rosh Hashanah

Sara Steven:

Some of the things that I love:

1. My family–but, that is a given. This photo is from my older son's high school graduation last year. My parents and mother-in-law are there too.

2. Being outdoors: I love the great outdoors, even if that means going for a long walk around my neighborhood, running on the wash trail by my house, or gardening in my backyard. I don’t feel like I’ve had a good day if I haven’t managed to get outside at some point. 

3. The smell of the desert after it rains: This ties in with being outdoors–there is a specific smell that comes from cacti and sagebrush after it rains in the desert. I’m sure the sandy terrain and gravel comes into play, too, creating the perfect aroma.

4. Theaters with dine-in options: I love the Majestic theater in Gilbert, Arizona. What can be better than getting to watch a movie in the theater, recline the seat, and have food delivered to you–not just popcorn and boxes of candy and hot dogs but an actual meal! When I saw Barbie at the Majestic, they had the most delicious Barbie bites offered up for an appetizer. It was this cream cheese corn thing and I couldn’t get enough of them, and the best thing of all–I didn’t have to cook or prepare anything.

5. Inside jokes: Sharing inside jokes with family and friends is a lot of fun. Melissa and I have a lot of inside jokes, too, which often shows in the gifts we give one another for birthdays and holidays. This one is a tie back to our 90 Day Fiancé viewing days:

6. Yoga: Yoga centers me. I’ve been doing it for the last decade and it’s become an integral part of my life. Lately, I do yoga as a means of physical therapy, to help with some issues I have with compressed discs and neck and back pain, and it really helps a lot. Hot yoga is my go-to.

7. Starbucks: I’ve had friends who were super into Starbucks and I remember scoffing when they’d pull up their Starbucks apps, but now I’m that person with the app. My husband has the app on his phone, too, for me. I love (I’m obsessed) with Starbucks. My day doesn’t feel complete without a tall hot chai, or after hot yoga, I indulge with a venti strawberry acai refresher. When I’m feeling a little saucy and need some caffeine, I’ll add a shot of blonde to my chai to make a dirty chai–something I’ve recently discovered and I swear it tastes like a slice of tiramisu.  

What are some things that YOU love?

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Our Younger Years

We've been running a column series (for over three years now!) to get more personal with our readers. This month, we are talking about what we were like when we were younger. 

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them. 

Melissa Amster:

Since my oldest child just turned eighteen recently, I decided to focus on who I was at that age. Unlike my son, I started college a little after I turned eighteen. (My son missed the cutoff so he will start when he's nineteen.) I was doing my best to break away from who I was in high school and start fresh in a new environment. I still wanted to fit in and sometimes didn't make the best choices in that regard (not about the friends themselves, but what their interests were), but I learned quickly and found ways to be who I was without having to like the same things they did. I also started dating for the first time when I was eighteen and I was so naive about all that dating involved. (If you read the linked post, you'll see the thing I did to try to fit in.) 

Me at 18

However, I'm going to take things in a different direction now. Since it's almost Halloween, this is fitting for the topic at hand (technically we're doing a "time warp" here). When I was eighteen, I first started going to midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. That had a huge impact on my life! 

For a few weeks, I was going there just to watch and learn the callback lines. I gradually started meeting people who regularly attended. Then, one week at the end of my senior year of high school, they were having an audience night. It meant that audience members could play the characters in front of the screen, instead of the usual shadow cast. I just happened to be wearing a pink dress that night and they just happened to need someone to play Janet... It was an exhilarating night altogether (even after being called out as "the most innocent girl" by someone I knew from high school who was playing Rocky) and I went to a nearby diner afterward with the cast and ultimately made a new group of friends. However, that was my one and only time playing Janet because I was truly meant to play Magenta. I had the hair for it, after all! 

I loved wearing the makeup and putting together a costume for Magenta. It's such a fun role to play in a shadow cast too. Being Magenta allowed me to break away from who I was in high school and became part of my personality in college. My friends even called me Magenta and I used the name for my online handles. 

The hand belongs to a friend

In my adult years, I stopped going to Rocky Horror midnight showings after a while. First of all, the theater I went to regularly went under new management and stopped showing it. That was a devastating blow at the time. Then the cast kept migrating to different theaters and some were harder to access than others. I'm still friends with some people I knew from my Rocky Horror days and am thankful for that. 

Last year, I took my older son to see Rocky Horror a couple times. He had a blast and was laughing out loud from all the callback lines I still remembered (and there were a lot). We're hoping to go again closer to Halloween. I'm glad I can pass along my love to someone who used to call Frank N. Furter "Hot Dog the Frankenstein" when he was younger. 😅

Here's a little more about my experience with Rocky Horror, if you're interested.

And just for fun....

Sara Steven:

Last night, my eighteen year old drove us to the local supermarket in his 1992 yellow Mazda Miata, his very first car. I slid inside the tiny compact seating area, the faded hot leather seat barely cushioning me, feeling like I was practically on the ground with how low the car is. It smelled of exhaust and gas, immediately bringing me back to my teen years. When I told my son that it smelled like the nineties, he said, “It better. That was the best decade.” 

Can’t argue there. It really was the best decade. Despite all of the technological advancements and how I can’t seem to go anywhere anymore without my cell phone, I miss the days where I didn’t have to rely on that. When writing a letter and sending them out to my romantic crushes or my best friends meant something. When waiting for the mail and getting those types of letters in return felt meaningful and special. When using the computer meant writing papers or stories vs. sending emails or becoming engrossed in social media platforms. When life seemed a lot more simple.

My friends drove Honda Preludes and Ford Econoline vans, with the occasional VW slug bug thrown in for good measure. They smelled of gas and heat and lagging engines, much like my son’s car, but there was nothing better than getting the coveted passenger front seat after calling shotgun.

Riding along with my son made me think of myself at his age. I think I exuded a lot more confidence than I ever felt back in those days. 

Inside, I was very insecure and unsure of myself, not sure what I wanted out of life or what I wanted to be. For some reason, I thought I had to have it all figured out, but looking back as a parent of my own eighteen year old, I know at that age, we’re all still kids. Young adults, maybe, but still very much finding ourselves. 

I made myself appear to the outside world like I had my s--- together. There was obvious teen angst. But I wanted to grow up fast because that's what you do when you’re legally an adult. Or so I thought.

Deep down, I didn’t want to feel like I had to be responsible for everything, all the time, all at once. But being the firstborn in my family and handling a lot more than anyone should have ever had to deal with at that age, it was this sense of obligation. But it made me regress later on in my early twenties. It wasn’t until my own firstborn that I truly felt like I’d grown up. Having to take care of another human being can do that to a person.

In many ways, I’m still the same person I was back then. I still love fiercely and I am very protective of my family and my friendships. Many of my friends are my family. The picture seen here with the two young ladies in the photo–I’m still friends with both of them to this day. 

I’ve always had a great sense of humor–I know, I could be biased about that, but considering I’ve always been my own worst critic, I don’t think so. I enjoy comedy and anything remotely witty, and I still have one of the loudest laughs you’ll ever hear. The loud laugh runs in my family.

I’m still a sucker for nostalgia, which is why I covet opportunities to look back on my youth and reflect on those days, fleeting as they were. It went by fast but while living it, it felt like the years spanned decades, like I’d never get out of my grueling teens.

I wonder if my son feels that way. 

My boy's graduation day

My senior photo

What were you like when you were younger?

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Barbie

We've been running a column series (for over three years now!) to get more personal with our readers. This month, we are talking about Barbie. Since the movie came in really strong at its release a few weeks ago and is still all over social media, it made us think of our own experiences with the iconic doll. For fun, check out which Barbie was popular the year you were born. (If you were born before Barbie's existence, we'd love to hear what things were like when she first came onto the scene.)

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them. 

Melissa Amster:

Barbie was such an integral part of my childhood. My sister and I spent hours in the basement playing with our collection of Barbies and coming up with all sorts of stories for them. The earliest memory I have is creating villains in the Barbie universe. Ballerina Barbie was Jessica and then she had two sidekicks named Margo and Luigi. (Luigi was female. I don't know how my sister and I came up with that name either.) It's strange that I can remember these names but can't remember my passwords or why I went into a room. 

Courtesy of Good Housekeeping

When I became obsessed with Back to the Future, I acted it out with my Barbies and Kens. The Barbie pink Corvette doubled as the DeLorean. Peaches 'n Cream Barbie was Lorraine because she had the best dress for the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. 

Courtesy of Fashion Doll Guide

When I got Tracy and Todd, it was around the time my aunt and uncle got married, so I had wedding fever at nine years of age. I would stage weddings on my dresser, since it looked fancy. They always walked down the aisle to "Saving All My Love" by Whitney Houston. As an adult, I learned that song was about an affair. Oops!

Courtesy of Barbie Wiki

I gave my Barbies and Kens different names so they would be individuals. I liked having control over what each Barbie or Ken would be named. If they came with different names, I obviously kept those. (I loved Barbie's friend Miko with the long dark hair.) If I had multiple dolls with the same name, I changed it for one of them. Like I had two Dereks (from Barbie and the Rockers), so one of them was changed to Jimmy. I think I named Dream Date Barbie Diane. I also named one of the Skippers Sari (like Sara, but with an "ee" sound at the end) because my babysitter's sister had that name and I thought it sounded unique. 

As I outgrew Barbies, I still found a way to keep them at the top of my mind, thanks to a friend with whom I shared a wacky sense of humor. Shortly after we became friends during our freshman year of high school, we decided to come up with all sorts of Barbies and Kens that were not yet on the market. Our ideas got pretty bizarre, but we'd send each other drawings and descriptions of each Barbie and Ken we came up with. Seeing one of the humans in the movie coming up with strange Barbie ideas made me think of how we would do that. My favorite, and the one that still cracks me up, is Chicken McNugget Ken. Don't ask. Seriously. :)

I finally got a chance to see the movie this past weekend and it was a lot of fun. It also felt nostalgic in some ways. I appreciated the messages that empowered females, especially from America Ferrera's big speech. I also loved how meta it was. For the most part, it doesn't take itself too serious or anything and that's what makes it even more enjoyable. It also reminded me that I had a few "weird" Barbies when I was growing up, thanks to the use of scissors, markers, and even some nail polish remover. 

My daughter's collection. She even has a "weird" Barbie.

Sara Steven:

**Post contains some light spoilers for the Barbie movie**

I’ll be honest–I didn’t know what to expect from the Barbie movie. When I’d first heard that there would even be a Barbie movie, I wasn’t instantly drawn to wanting to see it. I figured it might be tailored for the younger crowd or so filled with sugary-pop fluff that I’d quickly lose interest. Seeing the movie in a theater was never on my agenda.

It’s not as though I was never a fan of Barbie. Growing up, I was like most young children in the eighties – I loved to imagine what life would be like if I could step into the tiny heel-lifted feet of my Barbie, often playing pretend with friends of mine. I had two Barbies from the Barbie and the Rockers line and loved the cassette tape included in my recognizable Barbie box. To this day, I can still remember their theme song, “Barbie and the Rockers”, and the song “Born With a Mic in Our Hands”. I’d pop the tape into my boom box and we’d listen and sing along while moving our Barbie’s akimbo arms, allowing her to shake and move.

Courtesy of Pinterest

As we grew, we’d branch out and create sensational dialogue. Our Barbies were demon-possessed or had to suffer with ghosts or vampires, our movie influences of classic eighties horror films like The Lost Boys and Poltergeist or anything from Stephen King became the backdrop for our verbal screenplays. We’d cut their hair and become freelance artists with our Barbies, much like with the Weird Barbie character portrayed by Kate McKinnon in the movie. It felt like one of the last steps in the process of growing up with and bonding, then outgrowing our Barbies. 

My young adult son had made plans to partake in "Barbenheimer" with a few friends of his, the biggest draw for him being Oppenheimer. He felt he could suffer along and watch the Barbie movie, too, but it turned out that he absolutely loved it. When he arrived home and filled me in on how great it was and that he recommended I see it in theaters, I decided to take the chance. My husband was a good sport about it and joined me, I think more out of curiosity on his end than anything else. 

I had imagined if they’d ever make a Barbie movie, it would look and feel more like the music video from the song, “Barbie Girl,” by Aqua. A cute, quirky, pink-infused experience. And while all of that is true of the film, I was surprised by the emotional depth, the reflection I still feel weeks after, on top of the fun yet heart-wrenching nostalgia that engulfed me while enjoying the Barbie Bites snack I’d purchased at my local Majestic.

I don’t easily get teary-eyed while watching a film. Yet it happened several times during Barbie. When Margot Robbie (Barbie) is sitting on the bench next to an elderly woman, then tells the woman, “You’re beautiful,” it was such a touching, lovely moment. And who didn’t fight back tears during America Ferrera’s (Gloria) monologue about the trials of being a woman. At one point during her speech, I leaned over to my husband and said, “Yep, pretty much.” Gloria’s relationship with her daughter mirrored my own, considering how much I miss the days when my two sons were younger, when life seemed so much easier. When they thought that everything I did was amazing and wonderful. Before they realized I’m just a fallible human, and nowhere near perfect.

Barbie realizes that, too. It might seem easier to be perfect, and she might miss the ease of that life, but it’s better to experience a real life full of mistakes and complications, because it means a whole range of emotion and feeling. I love that my children know the real me too. I think we can form tighter bonds when we can be ourselves. 

My husband still talks about the film. He said it made him question his own choices and the type of relationship we have. I liked how towards the end of the film, Barbie lets Ken (Ryan Gosling) know that she appreciates him and apologizes for the times she may have taken him for granted, and in turn, he also apologizes to her. Amidst all of that are the multiple Barbies and Kens that we’ve seen over the years. And the Alan doll, portrayed by Michael Cera. I tried to zero in on all of the different characters I remembered playing with while I was growing up, even if they were never my own personal Barbies. Overall, I’m really glad I decided to take a chance on Barbie. I think, much like what Barbie did for me when I was a child, it changed my perception of the world, for the better.             

Share your Barbie memories with us!

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Sara and Melissa...Look Back at 2022

We've been running a column series (for over two years now!) to get more personal with our readers. This month, we're taking a look back at this year, in whichever way that means to us. 

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them. 

Melissa Amster:

When I look back at this year, I think of the New Year's resolutions post we did in January. I actually accomplished a bunch of the items from that post! 

I read both the books that I had made a goal to read this past year. You can find my review of House Rules here and my review of 11/22/63 here. In 2023, I'd like to read the following three books:

1. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
2. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
3. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

I am completely caught up on Riverdale now and am eagerly awaiting season seven! While I didn't get caught up on The Goldbergs, it's because that show majorly jumped the shark. (Don't look at me like Riverdale didn't...but it's not the same thing.) I got into a bunch of new (or new-to-me) shows this year, as well. Here are my top five for the year, which obviously includes Riverdale. 

1. Riverdale
2. The White Lotus (I just got into this one recently and can't get enough!)
3. The Sex Lives of College Girls (Such a fun series and it makes me miss college.)
4. Heartstopper (Based on the bestselling graphic novels by Alice Oseman. So sweet and heartwarming!)
5. Virgin River (My summer binge. I can't wait for season five!)

There are also a bunch of shows that came back this year and I was happy to catch up with them. Most recently, Manifest and Dead to Me.

I saw a movie in the theater. I treated myself to Where the Crawdads Sing on my birthday and it was really good! I showed my kids My Big Fat Greek Wedding and showed Empire Records to my older son, as well. There are a bunch of movies I just haven't gotten around to seeing and hope to check out soon. I definitely want to see Clerks III, as I love Kevin Smith movies. I also want to see The Fablemans. 

Aside from that, it's been an interesting year full of ups and downs. I am pleased to share that I've been going to live theater productions again. I'm even going to one this week (a local professional production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast). I'll be sharing more about my year in review at my personal blog at the end of this month, so hop on over there and sign up for the mailing list so you don't miss out!

Sara Steven:

I used to include snapshot letters with my Christmas cards, so my family and friends could see what I’d been up to from year to year. I’d focus on the kids and their accomplishments, or what they were involved in, and my husband and how things were going with his job or any extra curricular activities. I’d mention what I was up to, as well, often coinciding with the rest of my family and what they were doing. But after several years of sending out the letters, I decided to take a break from it. A really long break. A little bit because of social media allowing an outlet into my life. But more so, while dealing with wrapping presents and decorating and purchasing said presents, and going to holiday parties or hosting my own, I’d decided sitting down and trying to remember everything we’d all done from the past year was a lot of work. It was easier to send out the card and leave it at that. 

This post feels like the snapshot letters of yore. This year, though, has been full of ups and downs for me. 

Early in the new year, my dad found out that he had stage III papillary thyroid cancer. He also had stage II squamous cell carcinoma. If it weren’t for the thyroid cancer, the squamous cell cancer would have never been found, so even in the worst scenarios can come a silver lining. He is doing well now, after several sessions of chemotherapy and radiation. But we were all worried for him and rallied around him for several months, while his wife, my stepmom, became his caregiver and really went above and beyond for him. It’s true that having a support system really can make such a difference, and I think my dad had a great support system. He has always been active and healthy, and he’s back to a place where he boasts 15,000+ steps a day some days, which is just the way he likes it.

In the spring, I graduated with honors from Arizona State University. I had an expectation of myself in my younger days that college would never be for me, but I found out that I excelled there. I kind of miss it. I think being around the younger crowd and interacting with so much exuberance and zest for the future rubbed off on me, and I really appreciated that. 

Early fall, I found out that a friend of mine had passed away. It was unexpected, and I am still in shock over it. We’d been close for several years, later becoming estranged, but the pain of losing her has not been diminished by those circumstances. I still don’t believe it. I don’t want to believe it. I haven’t fully grieved over it, either. I don’t feel like I’ve had the space to do that, or the time. I don’t know if I will ever feel like I have had enough time to grieve for her. One of my fondest memories of her had been our time working together in property management. Men Without Hats played on the radio, back when people actually listened to radios, and we danced and as she put it, “whooped and hollered” to “The Safety Dance” song; it quickly became “our song.” She was a lover of music and had excellent taste, but she let that one slide, just for me. I know she’s clapping right along with me when I listen to our song, laughing and grinning from ear to ear. 

Not long after that, I gained my first job after not working for nearly a decade. I’d been a stay-at-home parent forever, and then a full-time college student, so there have been some adjustments for me in getting back out there, and trying to navigate the working world all over again. I feel like I’m getting there and getting used to a working environment again, and it’s nice to hear praise because I tend to get really hyper-focused on things, which bodes well for my reporting job. 

There have been some even keeled days in there, too, which has been a nice change of pace from the new and unexpected experiences I’ve had this year. My family is doing well. We’re about to celebrate Christmas all together in my home, and I always love to do that. It’s my favorite time of year. Some days, the past hits me hard and I dwell on it; the death of a loved one. The change that can happen in an instant. Venturing out into something new and at times, scary. But my loved ones, my own support system, becomes my constant that helps me navigate through that, and I really appreciate it. It makes me cherish what I’ve had, and what I have now.  

How did 2022 treat you?

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Starbucks

We've been running a column series (for over two years now!) to get more personal with our readers. This month, we're talking about Starbucks. We both enjoy getting drinks from Starbucks, as do our kids. Melissa even got Sara a Starbucks gift card as a college graduation gift and we call ourselves Basic Bs whenever we get something from Starbucks and report back to each other about it. Coffee shops feature a lot in chick lit novels, so this is relevant to our blog, as well!

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Sara Steven:

Hi there. My name is Sara, and I’ve got a problem. 

I’m a Starbucks addict.

It wasn’t always that way for me. I never understood it when friends would talk about their Starbucks apps. I couldn’t even fathom putting anything Starbucks-related onto my phone, let alone use an app to attempt to achieve coveted stars. I’d buy Starbucks gift cards, but it was always for my oldest son who is a self-professed Starbucks #basicB, and I’d roll my eyes when he’d beg me to take him through the drive-thru.

I’m trying to pinpoint the exact moment it changed for me. Maybe it was the discovery of their chai tea lattes–I get mine tall, hot, with no water added. And then there are the cheese and fruit and PB & jelly protein boxes that seem to pair nicely with my drink. My latest find is their grilled cheese sandwiches, and I’m not even a fan of sourdough bread ordinarily. Yet I like it! I joke and say that the key to anything from Starbucks is that the food and drink must be laced with something that causes an immediate addiction, and maybe I’m not far off from that assumption. All I know is, I need it. I want it. I gotta have it!

Now I’m just another Starbucks convert who deftly flashes her cell phone screen at the barista at the window, eager to collect the two for one stars–or more stars than that, depending. Sometimes they offer various specials and deals and I can really stack up those points in order to score some tasty freebies. (Yes, I realize they’re not really “free” since I had to pay for the merchandise in order to qualify for anything “free,” but let me live in my ignorance, please.) When my son says, “Mom, let’s go to Starbucks,” I rarely hesitate. I don’t even feel the guilt. It’s too easy when there’s a Starbucks located within our grocery stores and on nearly every corner. 

Like other Starbucks addicts, I think I can break the routine and live without my Starbucks. I tell myself I can go without my latte for one day. Or if I succumb to the temptation, that I deserve my drink. I earned it. 

And now with all of this reflection, I’m seriously craving my chai tea right about now…  

Melissa Amster:

My younger son is a barista...at our house. He loves Starbucks' Frappuccinos so much that he is now making them at home. My husband even got this Starbucks brand flavored creamer from Costco to assist in these efforts. He enjoys making them on his own and they look close to the real thing (at least the Vanilla Bean Crème kind). 

He's not the only kid in my house who is addicted to Starbucks. My older son and daughter love their strawberry açaí refresher and usually get that every time we go there. Sometimes my daughter will get a Frappuccino instead, if there's a new flavor that interests her. I'm mainly a fair weather friend when it comes to Starbucks...and that fair weather is usually the winter, when I can get hot cocoa, preferably with peppermint. Sometimes I'll get an iced tea during the summer and I am always glad to enjoy one of their delicious chocolate chip cookies, especially when they are warmed up. However, I frequent Starbucks in the winter. It may or may not be because of their festive holiday cups. ;)

I really like the atmosphere of Starbucks. The low lighting and soft music just add to the ambience and it feels so cozy every time. The baristas are always so friendly and courteous, as well.

My only complaint about Starbucks is that when they have kiosks in Target or Safeway, they don't work with the app and you can't get points on purchases at those locations. (The points that I usually use toward the aforementioned chocolate chip cookies.) I only go to these locations if I'm desperate for hot cocoa, now that I have had the experience of not being able to get points. (I hope Starbucks corporate is reading this post...) #FirstWorldProblems

One last thing: I heard this song at a show the other night and thought all you Starbucks lovers might appreciate it.

 

Do you like Starbucks? If so, what is your go-to beverage?

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Spotlight and Giveaway: Perfect Happiness

Today we are featuring Kristyn Kusek Lewis's latest novel, Perfect Happiness, which publishes tomorrow. Melissa A has enjoyed Kristyn's previous novels and is excited to read this one soon. Kristyn has TWO signed copies to give away!

For Charlotte McGanley, happiness is her thing (well, that and a glass of chardonnay). She teaches the most popular class in Georgetown University’s history, preaching the gospel of positive psychology to her students. Her viral TED talk, and then her best-selling book about how to live a contented life, have earned her dedicated audiences across the country, along with a social media following that relies on her no-nonsense advice to get through the day. But being the personification of happiness is a tough role to play, and it’s started to wear on Charlotte—and her family.

Jason, Charlotte’s husband of many years, doesn’t recognize the woman sitting absentmindedly across from him scrolling through the day’s feed, more interested in her evening drink than in talking to him. He misses the woman he married, and as the cracks in their relationship deepen, his longtime coworker seems to offer a romantic escape. Meanwhile, Charlotte and Jason’s daughter Birdie, a freshman in high school and star of its varsity tennis team, is navigating her teen years with more than a few hiccups, and none of Charlotte’s trademark advice seems to help.

"In Kristyn Kusek Lewis’s Perfect Happiness, Charlotte McGanley has two sides: the happiness guru with the perfectly curated Instagram profile; and the struggling wife and mother, whose life is crumbling under the pressure. In this timely novel, Lewis deftly explores the price we pay when our outer self doesn’t match our inner one. Insightful and relatable, this book proves our flaws don’t need to define us, and that happiness is always within reach."
— Karma Brown, bestselling author of Recipe for a Perfect Wife

Kristyn Kusek Lewis is the author of HALF OF WHAT YOU HEAR (Harper Paperbacks, 2019), SAVE ME (Grand Central, 2014) and HOW LUCKY YOU ARE (Grand Central, 2012). A former editor at publications including Glamour and Child, she has been writing for national publications for over twenty years. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Reader’s Digest, Glamour, Self, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Parents, Allure, Good Housekeeping, the New York Daily News, and many more. Kristyn is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and the Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she earned an MFA in creative writing. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her family

Visit Kristyn online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 


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Giveaway ends June 14th at midnight EST.

Happy to have Laura Hankin here...plus a book giveaway

Photo credit: Berkley

Today we are pleased to have Laura Hankin here to celebrate her publication day! Her debut novel, Happy & You Know It sounds like it will be a lot of fun to read and we look forward to checking it out soon. Thanks to Berkley, we have one e-book (via NetGalley) for a lucky reader! There's also a fun giveaway to win this novel, along with a Laurie Berkner book (US only, Ends May 22nd).

Laura Hankin has written for McSweeney's and HuffPost, among other publications. The viral videos that she creates and stars in with her comedy duo, Feminarchy, have been featured in Now This, The New York Times, and Funny or Die. She grew up in Washington, D.C., attended Princeton University, and now lives in New York City, where she has performed off-Broadway, acted onscreen, and sung to far too many babies. (Bio courtesy of Amazon.)

Visit Laura online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
After her former band shot to superstardom without her, Claire reluctantly agrees to a gig as a playgroup musician for wealthy infants on New York's Park Avenue. Claire is surprised to discover that she is smitten with her new employers, a welcoming clique of wellness addicts with impossibly shiny hair, who whirl from juice cleanse to overpriced miracle vitamins to spin class with limitless energy.

There is perfect hostess Whitney who is on the brink of social-media stardom and just needs to find a way to keep her flawless life from falling apart. Caustically funny, recent stay-at-home mom Amara who is struggling to embrace her new identity. And old money, veteran mom Gwen who never misses an opportunity to dole out parenting advice. But as Claire grows closer to the stylish women who pay her bills, she uncovers secrets and betrayals that no amount of activated charcoal can fix.

Filled with humor and shocking twists, Happy and You Know It is a brilliant take on motherhood – exposing it as yet another way for society to pass judgment on women – while also exploring the baffling magnetism of curated social-media lives that are designed to make us feel unworthy. But, ultimately, this dazzling novel celebrates the unlikely bonds that form, and the power that can be unlocked, when a group of very different women is thrown together when each is at her most vulnerable. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“It's what would happen if the women from The Nanny Diaries met the women from Sex and the City in the social-media age. I devoured it in less than 48 hours.”
—Jill Santopolo, author of The Light We Lost


What were the most rewarding and most challenging aspects of writing Happy and You Know It?
The most challenging part was simply getting started! I couldn't find the right tone. At first, it was too satirical, to the point where readers were never going to care about any of the women. I had a different main character - a new mom who had just moved up from the South - who I ended up deleting entirely, because she was so much less interesting than all the supporting characters. But once I locked into who the women were, the rewarding part started. It feels magical to know your characters so well that you can put them in any sort of situation and immediately see how they'll respond, what sort of quips they'll make. And now that the book is making its way out into the world, I find it immensely rewarding to hear from readers who tell me that it has managed to distract them from... everything going on right now.

How are you similar to or different from Claire?
I used to do her job! I would sing to playgroups of wealthy women, and marvel at their lives. I never got quite so intertwined with my employers, though. And beyond that, at times during my twenties, I definitely had the same feeling that Claire deals with, that the world was moving on without me, that my big hopes and dreams for myself weren't coming together. But I think/hope I dealt with all of that in a much healthier way than Claire tends to do!

If Happy and You Know It were made into a movie, who would play the leading roles?
So many good options! But while I was writing it, I would sometimes pull up pictures of Emma Stone (Claire), Margot Robbie (Whitney), Gabrielle Union (Amara), and Kirsten Dunst (Gwen) for inspiration.

What is your favorite children's song to perform?
I've never seen such joy as when I used to sing "Let It Go," during the heyday of Frozen. But I always loved doing Laurie Berkner songs too - she's a queen of creative, engaging children's music that is catchy and fun for adults too.

What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?
I can't stop thinking about Little Women! What an amazing way to adapt a classic story and make people see it in a totally new way, while still staying true to the heart of it!

What is something you've stopped doing since the quarantine started?
Um, hugging people besides my boyfriend.

Thanks to Laura for visiting with us and to Berkley for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 


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Giveaway ends May 25th at midnight EST.

Sara and Melissa talk about....Motherhood

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. This month, we're talking about motherhood, with Mother's Day right around the corner. We understand and respect that this topic and holiday may be difficult for some of our readers. Being mothers is something personal to us, but we understand if you do not want to read any further than this sentence. 

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Melissa Amster:

I have now been a mother for fourteen and a half years. I never imagined I'd be a mother to boys, let alone to three kids, but here I am. (I only say this because I grew up with one sister.) Today, instead of reflecting on what it is like to be a mother, I just want to share some of my favorite things about each of my kids.

E, my fourteen year-old:
I still can't believe E is a teenager. I see pictures of him from when he was a toddler and he has grown and changed so much during all this time. I've seen him go from Wiggles to Wicked. (I like the latter phase SO much better!) He's become my Broadway buddy. We listen to musicals together all the time, and when we're not listening, we're singing show tunes. We've also watched a bunch of musicals together and I love his enthusiasm for them. I also love how he is so good with little kids (my friend's daughter loves him) and how well he connects with adults. He usually sits in on video chats with my friends and talks with them like they're his friends too. Whenever my best friend visits us, he gives her the biggest hug. He's smart and talented (acting and clarinet, especially). He also makes me laugh with his impressions and his improvisational acts. I sometimes have glimpses of what he'll be like in the future and I like what I am seeing.

Big M, my twelve year-old:
When I was twelve, I didn't want to be seen with my parents. (It was a pre-teen thing back then, but I'm guessing it still is these days.) Big M is the opposite. He loves spending time with us and all he ever wants to do is cuddle. He's the most affectionate twelve year-old I've ever met. He's also very musical, especially when it comes to playing piano. He has taught himself how to play and is better than I ever was even with several years of lessons. It blows my mind to listen to him play. He also has a great sense of humor and likes to tell jokes or play pranks on people. He's really good with coding and video editing, as well. He loves animals and would have a menagerie in his room if I let him. While the usual sibling rivalry happens, he will still spend hours playing with his sister in the basement and laughing over inside jokes with his brother. I still remember a time E was upset about something and Big M said one word in a funny way and it made E forget all about being upset. He and I always joke about what if he wasn't born to me and someone else was. I am thankful that is not the case though.

Little M, my nine year-old:
Little M has the best sense of style. She's always putting together her own outfits and sometimes ends up looking like Punky Brewster. She's passionate about the environment and is always making sure we're not wasting water or electricity. She gets so mad when she sees litter on the ground. Little M also cares about what is going on in the world and likes to engage with me in conversations about it. Like her brothers, she is both funny and caring. She's also musical, even if it's just with a recorder for now. She wants to learn how to play the violin when she's able to join the school orchestra. She sings the songs that E teaches her and it's so cute to listen to her when she does that. She's fun to talk with, even if it means she's going to bed really late because she wants to ask a lot of random questions. Every time I look at her, I tell myself how lucky I am that she's my daughter.

Aside from everything mentioned above, I love, love, LOVE that all three kids are avid readers! When I am able to go to the library again, I'll be bringing home a huge stack for them.

Left to right: Little M, E, Big M

Sara Steven:

My oldest son turns fifteen next week, and while attempting to think about and plan some sort of celebration for him during the age of COVID-19, a truly terrifying fact, a horrifying realization crept in amidst the ice cream cake (mint chocolate, per his request) and gift ideas (Steam gift cards and something called Apex Legend coins) - a fact that I’ve been trying to avoid like the plague for the last few years, at least.

My son is turning fifteen. He can get his driver’s permit. This. Year. How did this happen?

When he was so much younger, I used to imagine what it would be like when he reached his teen years. I’d picture my sweet, happy boy a lot taller, full of conversation, and while I always suspected he’d be just a little bit snarky given my own personality, I knew he’d also have a sensitive side. I’d picture him doing more grown-up things, like going to high school or (gasp!) dating, and then thoughts turned to my sweet, happy boy behind the wheel of a beater up junker car he’d have purchased with his own money he’d saved up from his first summer job, or maybe he’d drive our 2008 Toyota Camry because we’d made plans to hold onto it for him, and he’d be more than enthusiastic because it would be his very own car, and it would be free, and who could say no to a free car?

Those thoughts felt trivial and silly, considering there were several years ahead of the both of us. More than enough time for me to get used to the idea that there would come a day where he’d become another driver on the road. And now, it’s officially here.

My suspicions have been correct, for the most part. Shorts I’d purchased for him just a few months ago in preparation of our hot Arizona summers are too small on him now, given his penchant for frequent growth spurts. He’s quiet around those he doesn’t know well, but if he knows you, look out. He’ll most likely drive you crazy with his need to banter and argue multiple points incessantly. He’s full of a lot more snark than I ever could have imagined, and the sensitivity is there, hidden away, presenting itself when I least expect it, because much like his mom, he doesn’t like to show it.

He tells me he’s getting his driver’s permit, and then his license, as soon as he’s able to. And there’s no way he’s going to drive our Camry, equating it to a commercial we saw once on TV, where a teen is bequeathed “Beige Betty”, a hideously old station wagon. I don’t think our Camry is all that bad, but apparently my son thinks so. Before COVID-19, he had plans to get his first summer job, and to save money. Those plans have changed, but not where learning to drive is concerned, and I don’t want it.

Picturing him on an Arizona roadway freaks me out. Even with my plans for him, with driver’s education and a defensive driving course. It’s relinquishing the reins, it’s trusting that he’ll be safe and okay, it’s another step closer to losing that little boy and watching this boy morph into a young man. It’s another life skill I have to impart onto him, and I’m a lousy driver. Ask anyone who knows me. But I’ll do my best, and I’ll do my best to hide my fears, because I need him to know that I think he’s capable, and I know he’s more than capable. And let’s be honest- sixteen is right around the corner. I have to get used to the idea now, just as much as he needs to get used to the idea that his first car most likely will be the Camry, our own special version of “Beige Betty”.

Here’s wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there who have been there, done that when it comes to those tough teen years, and those who are either on the brink or have several years to go until you’re there- I hope you have a wonderful day!

Chick Lit Cheerleader: What a year!

Introduction by Melissa Amster

One of the things that made me really happy in 2018 was that our Chick Lit Cheerleader, Jen Tucker, moved to my neck of the woods. We're now an hour away as opposed to 11 hours away! We got together last week with our families for a fun afternoon of bowling and Chinese food. What more could two chick lit lovers ask for?!? I hope that we will get together many more times in 2019 and beyond... Next time, we'll be hanging out in "The Jam." (Jen knows what that means.)

Jen is here today to tell us what made her happy this year. 


Where in the world did 2018 go? Anyone? Bueller?

It’s so true that as my years fly by they’re travelling at warp speed. Yet the irony is that I really don’t want time to slow down. I love my memories and experiences, and I also like where life has me right now. The bumps and bruises, the highs and lows, and even the praises and preposterous markers we encounter in life make us who we are at this very moment. Plus, I don’t have the skills or technology to turn back time, so I’d rather focus on the sweetness than the suck-y-ness on any given day.

Here’s my short but sweet list of getting happy in 2018. Please, hold your applause until the end…


Jen’s Top 5 Happy Moments of 2018
(These are in no particular order…as far as you know)

1. My jeans from last year still fit after a long Maryland summer in shorts! Can I get a hallelujah?!
2. Mike, my beloved, and I re-binged the series Breaking Bad and it had a different ending. At the end, everyone lived happily ever after and Marie broke up with the color purple, replacing it with pink shades of “blush” and “bashful.” No—wait—that’s Steel Magnolias. Never mind.
3. I have discovered that gin doesn’t taste like Pine-Sol when combined with the correct ratio of tonic water and a squeeze of lime. This was life changing, friends. And it took me twenty-five years of being married to a bartender to find this truth. Things that make you go hmmmmm.
4. Three months is the longest Mike and I have been separated from our nineteen-year-old college sophomore, Ryan, since he entered our lives. I burst into tears as Ryan and I embraced amongst Thanksgiving travelers in the baggage claim area at BWI airport. His visit was short, yet so very sweet. And now he’s home for Christmas. He packed only a duffle bag containing, mostly, his PlayStation 4 paraphernalia. This is how college men pack for three weeks at home. God, I love that guy.
5. I’ve happily learned I’m not too old for adventure. Like moving to the east coast with four-fifths of Team Tucker. Most mornings, I awake to deer foraging in our backyard and that doesn’t suck. I only live a short road-trip from so many friends that were once too far away to see often. That my Midwestern crew, who are now father in distance, are but a quick text or inappropriate meme away. This is the truth that sticks with me: no matter where you go in this world, your love for others goes with you.

On behalf of the entire CLC family, I want to wish you and yours only the best in 2019. May peace and joy surround you and your loved ones.

XOXO,
Jen

Jen Tucker is the author of the funny and true stories, The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out and The Day I Lost My Shaker of Salt. In September 2012, she had her children's book, Little Pumpkin published as an e-book. She also blogs monthly for Survival for Blondes. She currently lives in Indiana with her husband, three kids and two dogs. You can find her at Twitter, Facebook, her blog and on her website. And in case you missed them. check out her previous Chick Lit Cheerleader posts here.