I am in the thick of a very busy and birth-filled June. As I recover from being on the welcoming committee for new babies and wait for the next call to photograph a birth, I’ve been laying low, sticking close to home in Minneapolis, and making sure that I charge my batteries (literally and figuratively, ha!). Here are a few links that resonated with me this week while I spent some time online in between attending births, spending time with loved ones, and editing photographs of labor and delivery and Real Postpartum portrait sessions.

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“The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.”
.This is funny. Related: these are my favorite and I keep a bunch of them in my car for groceries, visits to Tare, and hauling the water jars that tend to accumulate in my passenger seat back into the house #hydrationiskey
“I wish I knew then that I was always the whole big sparkling iceberg all at once. I was born a round and complete sentence. We all were.”
I love a good adult onesie (so funny, so true)
The Radical Kindness of Teenage Girls
We started incorporating “recency bias” a few weeks ago to prevent the Sunday Scaries and I’m thrilled about our lovely new habit. So far, we’ve been to a concert, watched a movie, and biked to our favorite restaurant for dinner and it’s so wonderful to end the weekend on a high note.
Speaking of movies, have you seen this one yet? It has 97% on Rotten Tomatoes!
Just in time for summer, my favorite blogger came out with a list of her favorite sun protection options for kiddos
“It’s going to be a lot of fun watching lawyers for the soccer federation try to justify why the U.S. Women’s National Team, with their air rifles for legs, are paid 38 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts and had to sue for fair wages.”
“Technology is here to stay, so find ways to incorporate and use it to enhance your family relationships. In addition, recognize the potential for isolation and distance technology presents so you can take steps to avoid those traps.”
Green flags
“NASA is highlighting the legacy of African American women who played a major role in the space race but are only recently getting widespread recognition.”
If you’ve ever been in the car with me while top 40 radio is on, you know that I adore Shawn Mendes. This isn’t new, but it’s always a daymaker, and I thought of it while I was scream-singing his new single at the top of my lungs on a gorgeous Minneapolis evening this week. I hope you enjoy his smile, charm, and voice as much as I do.
These nut butter packets are my go-to birth snack. Bonus: the company was founded by women!
Your favorite grillable + this side + this salad = the perfect summer meal
Speaking of summer, one of my goals is to get better at knots
Things you don’t see in mainstream porn…
On education in America: “But after decades of organizing and giving, I have come to the uncomfortable conclusion that I was wrong. And I hate being wrong.”
Another one of my favorite bloggers compiled this list of ethical clothing brands a while back
I beg you, for the good of your children and this planet, please stop buying plastic crap.

If you’re in the Twin Cities, check out these fantastic businesses:

Hola Postpartum: an amazing new postpartum meal delivery service
Northern Natural Gardens: a sustainable landscape company specializing in native plants, pollinator gardens, and invasive plant removal and I am so stoked about their mission
Organized Period: a professional organizer in the Twin Cities who can help get your clutter under control

On a personal note, I spent some time with a different kind of client this week doing a Mentoring Session. If you are a doula, birth photographer, or other kind of birth worker in Minneapolis, St. Paul, or the surrounding areas and you’d like to grow your business, get in touch! Also, I’m booked up for births for the year but my calendar for Real Postpartum sessions is wide open, and I would love to capture you and your little one(s) at whatever stage of postpartum you’re in. Have a great weekend!