The Girl Next Door Podcast

"If it's not a 'hell yes!' it's a 'no'" is one of our favorite sayings. So today we have a deep-dive on how to say no. Plus we talk about to accept someone else's "no" with understanding and grace. Mentioned on the show: FitBit trackers Kelsey's blog post about house shopping in the Midwest Science experiment advent calendar   Connect with us on Instagram at @higirlsnextdoor See show notes on...

As we head into the season of cozy we chat about our current reading habits, what we've read lately, and our fall book queues. Please note, should any little ears be listening, when we discuss the book Superfudge we talk about Santa Claus. A full list of books we mention would not fit in the episode description. To see the full list please visit the show notes !   Mentioned on the show: Kelse...

It's that time of year again, friends...it's FALL EXTRAVAGANZA! We're spending the entire episode embracing our deep and complete love for fall. There are costumes and Halloween candy rankings, we've got autumnal experiences and of course the annual candle sniff quiz. Fall, you are officially welcomed! Mentioned on the show: Together Rising Vote Forward Pinch of Yum Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup Stat...

Today we're diving into the topic of clothing kids. Along the way we've got strong opinions, helpful tips for shopping and organizing, plus favorite brands to share. Mentioned on the show: Desert Sky ninja park Native brand shoes Hyfam elastic shoe laces Zappos Athletic Brewing non-alcoholic beer   Connect with us on Instagram at @higirlsnextdoor See show notes on our website: girlnextdoorpod...

Starting new habits gets a lot of attention but what about getting back to good habits we used to keep? Today we're chatting all about it! We talk about the habits we'd like to bring back to our lives and how to recognize if we're in a rut. Plus we share tips for smaller resets like after a hard day and then help each other think about how to find our way back to some good habits.   Mentioned...

We have a fun surprise for you today! Did you know Erica’s new homeschool podcast launches today?! We dropped the first episode of Homeschoolhood here for you to get a taste. Be sure to go check it out, subscribe, share it, leave a review. You know the drill, friends! Thanks for being excited about this with Erica. This episode is a quick peek into who we are as a family, what brought us to homesc...

We're chatting about practicing gratitude. We share the habits that help us cultivate gratitude, how to find gratitude during challenging seasons of life, and how to model gratitude for kids. Plus we each share three specific things we're thankful for right now. Mentioned on the show: Happier podcast Happier in Hollywood podcast The Happiness Project Off The Clock Line A Day Journal Trader Joe's c...

Even as we continue to navigate a pandemic we find joy in freshly sharpened pencils and the back to school season. We share what school looks like for us this year as homeschool and public school moms plus answer some listener questions. We touch on starting school as a new kinder parent amidst a pandemic, what our morning and afternoon routines will be like, and not getting overwhelmed by extracu...

Our in-person book club is one of our favorite things and we get lots of questions about it from listeners. So we thought our book club deserved its own episode!⁣ We share how our book club started and the nitty-gritty of how it works. Plus all the reasons we love our book club and some funny memories along the way.⁣ Mentioned on the show: Erica shares about her homeschool curriculum on her Instag...

Whether it's because we're tired, trying to feed selective eaters, and/or some family members are under the table...sometimes dinner kind of sucks. We're sharing the dinner challenges we're currently facing as well as our tips for making dinner a little bit easier. Plus we help each other troubleshoot our most pressing dinner frustrations. Mentioned on the show: The Lazy Genius has great blog post...

We're chatting about one of our favorites things: books! We share our current reading habits plus all the books we've been reading including books for our kids. The Liar's Dictionary The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Minor Feelings Beyond the Bright Sea Sitting Pretty Miracle Creek Dusk, Night, Dawn The Book of Lost Friends The Four Winds The Ex Talk The Searcher House in the Cerulean Sea Homegoin...

Tiny anchors are the small rituals or comforts that brings calm when the seas of life feel rough. We chat about the tiny anchors we clung to during 2020 and at other hard times of life. Plus we share the tiny anchors we keep currently and where we need to create new ones. What Are Your Tiny Anchors? Cup of Jo blog post Heather McMahan Absolutely Not podcast Pantsuit Politics podcast Unbox Boardom...

We'll be back in two weeks with a new episode. In the meantime we'd love to recommend two great shows from our archives. Just search for the episode titles in your pod player: + Reading Habits and Neighborly Grapefruit (2017) + Summer Cozy and Hearty Bottoms (2016) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're chatting all about summer eating and drinking, from nostalgic summer foods to how to make summer dinners easier. Plus we share what drinks and eats we're looking forward to this summer including favorite recipes. Mentioned on the show: Gilbert Love episode with all of our Gilbert faves Rhubarb dream bars Minty pea dip Joanna Gaines lemon pie recipe Lemon icebox cupcakes from Shutterbean East...

Friends, we made it through a school year unlike any other and summer is on the horizon! We chat about how we're feeling overall as we wrap this school year plus what we will and won't be doing this summer, how we'll be keeping our kids busy, and what we'll be doing for ourselves. Mentioned on the show: "We are driven to do the right thing" episode of Pantsuit Politics Our 7 Things We're NOT Doing...

Join us for a conversation about calm parenting – the kind of parenting we aspire to practice but it's not always easy. We chat about how calm parenting aligns (or not) with our personalities, what strategies we implement, and which situations test our patience the most. Mentioned on the show: Parenting Without Power Struggles Jen Hatmaker Julie Bogart (aka The Brave Learner) The Workspace for Chi...

Come live a week with us! We're inviting you into our homes and lives for the week of April 3rd through 9th. Mentioned on the show: RISING*SHINING audioblog Spiky Dastards Krusteaz gluten free cinnamon coffee cake mix Best Laid Plans featuring Kelsey as a guest I Am I Can: 365 Affirmations for Kids Night Zookeeper Brave Writer program Teaching Textbooks Song School Spanish Woke Homeschooling The F...

We're big fans of personal policies and the boundaries they bring with them. We share the personal policies in our lives for things we always and never do plus the policies we're trying to adopt. Mentioned on the show: YouTube cleaning videos The Lazy Genius Invisibobble hair ties   Connect with us on Instagram at @higirlsnextdoor and on Facebook . Sign up for our newsletter and see show note...

A little bonus for you today! Kelsey shared the first episode of her new podcast, the RISING*SHINING audioblog. This month-long project brings the honest reflections and encouragement of Kelsey's blog posts to your ears. To hear new RISING*SHINING episodes, search for "rising shining" in your podcast player and subscribe. Read the written version of this episode: Introducing: the RISING*SHINING au...

We bring our best and sometimes most annoying selves to our marriages. In honor of our upcoming wedding anniversaries in April, we share the best and worst spouse qualities for ourselves and the husbands next door. Mentioned on the show: Bluetooth headband Nothing Much Happens podcast Bombas low-cut no show socks     Connect with us on Instagram at @higirlsnextdoor and on Facebook . Sign...

We invite you into our homes as we talk about organization...and disorganization. We each share the systems that are working for us and the ones that are hot messes. Plus we're opening our junkiest junk drawers for all to see. Mentioned on the show: Organization That Works episode The Babysitters Club Ted Lasso See Buy Nothing   Connect with us on Instagram at @higirlsnextdoor and on Facebook...

Hooray! We rescued our 2020 Wrap Up episode from technical difficulty and are finally able to bring it to you. We reflect on the year that was 2020 as we share what was surprisingly hard, what made life better, and what we're most proud of. Plus we share our favorite books, media, and purchases from the year. Mentioned on the show: Maybe You Should Talk To Someone The Lazy Genius Way Troubled Bloo...

Bring your appetite – we're talking all about plant-based eating! As a newbie vegetarian (Erica) and seasoned pro (Kelsey), we share our reasons for being plant-based, what we eat, how we feed our families, and our favorite resources for recipes. Mentioned on the show: Lentil tortilla soup Field Roast Pinch of Yum Shutterbean Moosewood cookbooks Meatless Dinner Illustrated The Shu Box blog Tabitha...

We're pulling back the shower curtain to talk all about our bathing habits. We come clean about how we deal with hair in the drain, how often we wash our kids, and who is showering with their spouse. Plus the correct order of shower operations and honest thoughts on loofahs.   Mentioned on the show: Episode: Our Hair & Unleashing the Mane Episode: Mom 2.0 & Dry Shampoo Dry shampoos: A...

Read anything good lately? We dish about our reading habits lately, what books we've finished, and what's in our queue. Plus we share how we're navigating our in-person book club through a pandemic and chat about the books our kids are enjoying. Mentioned on the show: Erica and Kelsey on Goodreads What Kind of Woman One Line a Day five-year journal The Vanishing Half The Midnight Library Our book...