Monday Roundup: 6 Things I'm Actually Excited About This Week

Can we talk about how heavy Monday gets sometimes?
The week hasn’t even started and somehow the mental list is already three pages long. Childcare pickups, coordinating with the nanny, work deadlines, meal planning, the dentist appointment, doctor’s appointment I need to reschedule, and somewhere in there — just existing as a human person.

Here’s something I’ve learned though: the weeks I have something to look forward to are genuinely different from the weeks I don’t. It doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be a trip or an event or anything Instagram-worthy. It just has to be something that’s mine. Something I’m excited about. An anchor in the chaos.
So every Monday I’m going to share a little roundup of the things I’m looking forward to this week. Call it a permission slip to find the small joys. Here’s what’s on my list right now.

01. Pvolve — Jennifer Aniston’s Kit (not sponsored, just a longtime Jen Aniston enthusiast)

I finally pulled the trigger on the Pvolve Sculpt Anywhere Bundle and I am genuinely excited about this one. If you don’t know Pvolve — it’s a low-impact, resistance-based fitness method that Jennifer Aniston has been doing for a couple of years now and the woman looks the way she looks, so I’m not asking questions.

What I love about the idea of this system is that it’s specifically designed to work anywhere. Compact equipment, streaming workouts, no giant setup required. Which for a Bay Area working mom who is trying to carve out 30 minutes somewhere between 5am and the chaos of the day — that matters.

But honestly? The thing I’m most looking forward to is that this is something that is just for me. No little hands involved. No one asking me for a snack mid-workout. Just me, some resistance bands, and Jennifer Aniston’s trainer on a screen. I’ll report back.

02. EADEM Le Chouchou Lip Balm

I cannot tell you enough about this lip balm. I will not stop talking about it. I am that person.

The EADEM Le Chouchou is technically a 3-in-1 — it exfoliates, it masks, it glosses — and it does all three things without any drama or stickiness. It’s clinically proven, the shades are genuinely beautiful on every lip tone, and the metal applicator tip feels like a little luxury moment every single time. You can also grab it at Sephora if you prefer shopping there.

This is the kind of thing you put on at the end of a long day and think: okay. That was nice. I deserve nice things.

03. The Summer House

I have been a dedicated viewer of The Summer House for ten years. Ten. Years. I have watched every season. I have opinions about every cast member. I have watched this show through pregnancies and moves and job changes and one very memorable maternity leave viewing session at 3am.

Is it a lot of drama? Yes. Is it sometimes objectively ridiculous? Also yes. Is it the best possible thing to watch after the kids are in bed and I have exactly one hour to decompress before I fall asleep? Absolutely, unequivocally, yes.

No shame. Fully dedicated. Catching up this week (if the kids’ sleep schedule will let me) and I cannot wait.

04. How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen

I just bought this book and I am unreasonably excited about it.

How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen by Joanna Faber and Julie King is the toddler-years companion to the classic parenting book and it has over half a million copies sold, which tells me that approximately half a million parents have also been at the end of their rope during a toothbrush standoff and needed professional guidance.

I have a flight coming up and this is going on my Kindle immediately. There is something deeply satisfying about reading a parenting book on a plane while temporarily free from the small people the book is about. I’ll take it.

05. Rhode Glazing Mist

Hot girl summer is coming whether we’re ready for it or not, and I am preparing.

The Rhode Glazing Mist by Hailey Bieber is a hydrating face spray that gives you that glazed, dewy, just-drank-a-gallon-of-water skin look without any effort. It’s lightweight, non-sticky, and works over or under makeup. I’m planning to use this liberally when the Bay Area heat actually shows up — which in the East Bay means it will arrive suddenly in October with no warning.

You can also find it on Amazon if you’re a Prime person, or at Sephora for easy pickup.

06. Napa — Coming Up Soon

Being a Bay Area person means Napa is right there. Like, 1–2 hours right there depending on traffic and bridge tolls and the general mood of the 80. And I have a trip coming up and I am so ready.

There is something about Napa that feels genuinely restorative. The pace is different. The food is exceptional. You can have a beautiful meal and a good glass of wine and just exist without anyone asking you to wipe something.

The only downside I am fully prepared for: allergies. The hills are beautiful and also they are absolutely going to betray me. I have my Claritin. I have made my peace. It will be worth it.

That’s my list for the week. Six things, ranging from the genuinely exciting to the quietly lovely. All of them mine.

If you have something you’re looking forward to this week — tell me in the comments. I really want to know. The small joys are the whole point.