September 2024
Ahh, September. The start to a new school year. The last month in Q3. Charlie’s birthday month. The first inklings of fall in the midwest. There’s so much to love about September. I typically find myself during September starting to feel a few things all at once: The anxiety of the last 90 days of the year starting to set in, wondering to myself “How can I take advantage of the last bits of the year?” And at the same time, the eagerness for the new year ahead, wondering to myself “How do I want to evolve in the new year as a person, professional, wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend?”
September, per usual, was quite a busy month for the Caldwells. We started the month in Napa, CA for a friend’s wedding, I returned to the area (Sonoma, CA) two weeks later for a work trip, and then went back west a third time to end the month in Sandpoint, ID for another work trip.
One of the things that brought me so much joy was spending time IRL with my family and friends, as well as customers and team. There’s simply no replacement for connecting over a beer or a glass of wine and getting to know the people you work with day in and day out on a personal level. In addition to spending time reviewing and discussing business strategy with customers, I also had the opportunity to spend time with my besties during our quarterly board meeting where I feel like I walked away with new perspectives and so much (needed) support.
Whether it’s being stuck in a car for three hours together to go from the airport to a hotel and back, or lingering during a meal with one of your customers, IMO being IN PERSON is both good for the soul and good for business.
When I wasn’t on the road, I was snuggling with Charlie and enjoying time with family as we celebrated her FIRST BIRTHDAY, something I wrote about recently was what I learned in my first year as a parent — what a trip! It’s wild how fast and slow the first year has passed us. The ultimate reminder to cherish each day and try not to blink.
Okay, onto the good stuff, some discoveries from the last month that you might enjoy reading, watching, or enjoying…. Enjoy!
What I’ve been thinking about / listening to this month:
God and the presence of faith in our kids’ lives. I listened to this episode on the science behind spirituality as an antidote to the mental health crisis in today’s young people, and it’s been something I’ve been contemplating ever since. There’s hard data to show that young girls with a foundation of faith are more resilient than those without it. According to Dr Lisa Miller, the #1 cause of death for high school students and middle school students is suicide, and when we are spiritually involved we are 88% less likely to be suicidal. It’s really had me thinking about the role I want faith, spirituality, etc to play in Charlie’s life and how we can authentically embrace spiritual practices in our daily lives to give her this foundation. This is a new question for me… Anyone reading this think about this stuff? What have you done in your home to embrace spirituality?
Role models. When I was growing up, I was obsessed with Mary Kate and Ashley. I read every book, watched every movie, they were it for me. The older I get, my role models have changed, I find myself more obsessed with business tycoons or insanely cool creatives — women like Kris Jenner, Martha Stewart, and Nancy Meyers… who have made careers (big ones!) relating to America’s homemakers through TV, Film, Products, etc. Who are your role models? What speaks to you about their work? Who are your kids’ role models? How did they find those role models?
Legacy. What do I want mine to be? When I wake up and I am 85, what do I want my experience of life to be? When I think about the photos that will hang on the walls in my home at that time of my life, what will I look back on most fondly? What do I want my relationship to be like with Charlie at that age? How can I preserve our family legacy? The legacy of my parents? My parents parents? Where do you store stories, pictures, recipes, and keepsakes so they aren’t vulnerable to getting ‘lost in the cloud’ or ‘dusty in the basement’?
How to define “A successful life”. Inspired by this podcast episode, you’re encouraged to think about “What does a successful life look like in our household?” and then come up with ways to instill that ethos in your kid, so they don’t feel the wrath of the toxic achievement culture that is plaguing today’s youth.
What we went this month:
It’s been a super busy month, so I haven’t yet had time to write up my favorite discoveries in these places, but what I will say is this: Napa/Sonoma is the best food city in the world that I’ve traveled to. I don’t know if you can get a bad meal in either of these places. Sandpoint is absolutely stunning, beautiful, omg, if you dig nature, seeing mountains makes you feel good in your soul, you crave powder days, boating days, and sunny hikes with equal fervor, and the smell of fresh pine trees is intoxicating to you… point Sandpoint, ID on your bucket list.
What we watched this month:
This month has been the month of Only Murders In The Building. It’s such a fun show, and the episodes are only 30 minutes, so you can micro-dose on entertainment before bed at the end of a long work day. There’s one episode where one of the characters tells Selena Gomez’s character: “You can afford to take your time, what you can’t afford to do is waste it.” and I thought that was pretty profound.
Nancy Meyers is an icon and the woman behind many of my favorite films — The Holiday, Something’s Gotta Give, Father of the Bride, and Parent Trap. Her first film, Private Benjamin (1981) won her three academy awards: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Original Screenplay. It’s a great film. Funny premise. Empowering.
Delightful Discoveries from this month:
Ya girl loves a fall moment, this Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Coffee is too good. It’s so fragrant, it makes the whole house smell so nice when I brew it.
Random, but my new meat thermometer. After endlessly not knowing if my chicken was cooked to perfection or not, I finally got myself a meat thermometer and I will never go back to not knowing. Get one if you don’t have one!
Anna Mack’s Substack where she writes about ditching a common career for a portfolio career, defines this, and tells all about her process. It’s really good and I think offers a new perspective on careers that I hadn’t considered before.
What I made this month:
This sheet pan salmon is becoming a weekly staple in my house. It’s so easy, so health, so macro-y.
These cauliflower tacos are next level, also becoming a weekly staple in my home.
Last but not least, Ronnie is obsessed with my healthy, macro-y, butter chicken, I think I made this 3x this month.
What I am looking forward to in October:
There is sooooo much to look forward to in October, from big life events for my friends, to some travel for both work and play, I am looking forward to most:
One of my best friends is getting married - so her wedding!
Another one of my best friends is having a baby - so her baby shower!
Another one of my best friends is celebrating her birthday - so, a date with her at Aire for her birthday!
A quick weekender to NYC with my family for my brother’s birthday (also Charlie’s first plane trip)!
Charlie’s first Halloween! I have so many cute ideas for what she could dress up as…
I hope you too are looking forward to all the joys that October has to bring!
