The summer break essentials I couldn't live without

The Sidebar | Issue 03

Welcome to The Sidebar—a monthly edit of the things I’ve chosen to keep. In a world that constantly pushes for “more,” this is a series on the practice of being selective. From the books on my nightstand to the links in my group chat, here is a peek at what actually made the cut in my life this past month. Also, some of these links earn me a small commission. Nothing’s here because someone paid for it to be, it’s just what’s actually in my home paid for by me.

What I’ve been putting my energy towards

This summer has honestly been really good. I’ve committed to preserving my time for myself (more on that here) & it’s been very doable. My assignment to myself has been to make sure that I’m less busy. I let my mind get so busy & it just ends up with me wasting my energy on spinning my wheels mentally. And part of that has meant that I’ve noticed a decreasing draw toward inputs in the form of books, podcasts, social media, etc. I just want to be alone, in my world doing the things that feel nourishing.

So it’s been a lot of finding ways to just rest, relax & rejuvenate in the little pockets & projects that come up for me. Since I found a secondhand bookshelf for all of my cookbooks, I’ve been stocking it with a bunch of new titles, so flipping through the pages has felt so fun & therapeutic to me. I’ve been especially drawn to the Mediterranean cookbooks like Riviera by Melanie Masarin—it’s so perfect for summer, by the way, that it’s doubling as a coffee-table book in the living room.

I’m also feeling the urge to finally do something with the front porch. We’ve been in the home for 4.5 years now & I’ve never added any rugs or planters. It’s finally time. It’s a space that’s perfect for morning coffee or aperitivo in the evening with friends, but it’s seriously lacking. I had Claude help me with the floor plan & plants, so the next couple of weeks will go toward actually putting it all together & I’m really looking forward to it. 👯‍♀️

The purchases I can’t stop telling people about

1. I know that the Italian horn talisman is a mainstay for many, but for me it’s the Greek evil eye charm that I love. 🧿 This charm is so dainty, subtle & elegant with its mother of pearl & blue topaz, I’m excited to wear it on the daily.
   

2. We are taking my son to his first overnight camp today & I really struggled to figure out the best way to get him all packed up in a way that wouldn’t be a disaster by the week’s end. This duffle from Tobiq is INCREDIBLE. It’s crafted so well & so thoughtfully. There’s a section for outfits, for warmer layers, for toiletries & dirty laundry.
   

3. In the summers since moving to Colorado, I’ve managed to get burned at least once annually & I’m so over it. My friend Sydney is a dermatologic PA who has sworn about this fern & vitamin-b supplement that works as an extra layer of sun protection (you still have to wear sunscreen) for years. It’s honestly ridiculous I didn’t get this sooner. One bottle should last the whole season & will pay for itself tenfold in healthier skin for decades to come.
   

4. Also since moving to Colorado, my hair has slowly but surely worsened. I didn’t realize it but the water here is just slightly harder than my hair can handle. It was causing more dryness, buildup & breakage than I’d realized. So I switched to this line from Davines that has a chelating shampoo formulation that breaks down all the minerality, leaving me with soft, healthy hair that can’t be beat. Even my stylist commented on just how much healthier my hair is.
   
   If you don’t lighten your hair, Malibu C makes a chelating powder that you can add to any shampoo is also fantastic, I use it for a deep clean now & then. You can buy it at Target or on Amazon.
   

5. I’m sure you’ve seen the viral pants from Ruti. I’d love to try them someday but I was in a pinch & wanted a pair fast before our flight to Chicago so I snagged these dupes & I’m pretty obsessed. The fabric feels great, the tailoring is super flattering & I can dress these up or down.
   

6. And apparently I’ve been on a jewelry kick but these are just a couple of inexpensive pieces I grabbed at J. Crew that have been the perfect pieces to wear all summer long. I’m loving these swirl button earrings & this beaded pearl necklace that a friend told me looks like it cost $200, but it’s actually only $60. 👯‍♀️

   

What’s in my Substack inbox

These are some of the reads recently that I read, re-read & shared with friends—

1. Carly Kremer wrote all about how to see if there are forever chemicals in your community’s water, I feel like every mom will want to check this either for peace of mind or to know what can be done to make the water at home safer for the family.

2. susie hutcheson wrote this positively genius piece on what your favorite childhood books say about you & even throughs in some super thoughtful adult reads that are adjacent to your reading faves of the (mostly) 90’s. Not to mention, this is a treasure trove of inspo for your own kids’ reading…

3. Ella Henry made it a point of sharing how she makes everyday life feel a little more like a vacation & I think it’s chock-full of so many ideas that are spot-on, easy to do (with or without kids) & truly do feel like these help make it possible to enjoy the ease of life without having to get out of town.

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A Little Less is for the woman who’s running her life well and tired of feeling like she isn’t. Every essay is free—always.

I set out some Plus Plus on the coffee table & my son chose to make the flags of World Cup competitors while watching the games. It took 2 min. to set up & provided weeks of entertainment.

What I’m doing with the last month of summer break

So long summer camp. 😭 It’s been great having you to break up the monotony of 4 humans co-existing alongside one another for a solid, straight 13 weeks. So what now?

My plan for these final 4 weeks is to keep it loose, protect my 2x weekly personal training & also enjoy the time. These are the things that are making the difference for us with a 10 & 12yo at home…

• The option to go find friends

  I’m letting my kids have a little more freedom roaming the neighborhood. They both have Apple Watches but Colorado cell service is so unreliable that this 3-pack of walkie talkies + lanyard combo works so much better for us. (And I also added AirTags with this secure holder for added peace of mind).
  

• The snack supplies

  I’m also learning a stocked fridge & pantry to put together a snack platter is everything in getting all of the kids through any afternoon slump. And on afternoons at the pool or playground, you better believe I’m bringing this travel-friendly snack tray fully stocked with fruits, veggies & crackers.
  

• The open-ended toys

  And my other saving grace has been the renaissance of toys long forgotten (inspired by Lizzie from The Workspace for Children). Setting out open-ended toys is seriously low lift, nostalgic for the kids & seriously curbs the choruses of “I’m bored” throughout the day. Popular with my kids these days have been Plus Plus, MagnaTiles & Clixo pieces.
  

• The out-of-the-house adventures

  If it works with our schedule, I also try to find a day or two where I facilitate a day out of the house, I offer to grab friends’ kids & go do something (usually the pool) for a couple of hours. It gives us something to look forward to & breaks up the monotony even if we end up at the same place week after week.
  

• The screen-time options that feel good

  I’ve also tried to say yes to productive screen time (passive time is still preserved for weekends) like watching the World Cup games, learning on Duolingo, catching up with family on FaceTime or creating on GarageBand — they all feel appropriate right now & I appreciate that they’re an option.

Okay that’s been so much for this Sidebar so I think I’ll leave it at that, but if you’re wanting to know anything else just drop it in the comments & I’ll be sure to reply or include it in the next edition.

Talk soon,
Erin

P.S. If you're a paid subscriber, remember to send me the things leaving you feel stuck, I’ll be publishing our first few segments of A Little Less Stuck over the next few weeks! 👯‍♀️ Details behind the paywall below.

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If there’s something on your mind that you want help thinking through, I have 1:1 sessions available here, but there’s only room for 2 more clients before I take off most of August to be with the kids. 💕

I’m Erin, a former teacher, wife & mom of two in Boulder, Colorado. This is where I write about what it looks like to stop running my life the way I was told to & start trusting what I know is right for me instead.

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