Jessica's Friday Five: bees & kittens joined our home this week
Published 1 day agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
Hi Reader,
We came home from a week away to a swarm of bees π having set up in the wall of our home. The first clue was about a dozen dead bees in our bathroom (we've never before seen a bee in our house, so this was...unusual). So we've learned a lot about bees this week and are grateful to the local beekeper who is helping us move the bees to a place where they will thrive that is not inside our house. We also welcomed 4 foster kittens π and their mom into our house for the next month or so until they're ready to be adopted, so there are lots more living things in our home than normal right now. The kittens are a tad bit cuter than the bees if you ask me, so I'm glad they will be sticking around for a while.
Last week, we did a contest for 3 of you to win a book of your choice to celebrate reaching 13,000 subscribers! See me, my son, and one of our foster kitties π choose the winners here. Congrats to you 3 - I've emailed you to get your book picks.
How to Write a Condolence Note:This is a great article I've bookmarked to use whenever I need to write a condolence card for someone who has lost a loved one or pet. It can be so hard to figure out what to say, and that can cause us not to say anything at all. This resource helps you avoid that instinct and instead supports you to support your people in a tough time. β
Leave the AC on: As temperatures rise where I live, I wanted to share this article about how it's most efficient and energy-saving to leave AC running (if you have AC, that is) even when you're not home. I honestly would have guessed the opposite, so it was helpful to see this data. β
Silent Auction for Charity: I love an online auction for charity - I scroll through every one that comes across my world. There's so often some excellent prizes for great prices, and it all benefits charity! Win win. One of my client organizations, Ecology Project International (I got to help facilitate some workshops at their staff retreat not too long ago) is having an online auction right now that you should absolutely check out. Those trips (Amalfi! Portugal! Johannesburg!) look incredible and so does the outdoor gear, I have to admit. When I mentioned to their team that I'd mention this in Friday Five, they set up a coupon code so that if you enter "FridayFive", you'll get 20% off any of the EPI gear or the map of Costa Rica. β
S'mores Dip: Last week, we were on a trip with friends and promised the kids we'd make s'mores in the fireplace. But we forget to get firewood when getting all the other ingredients. My friend Alana saved the day by finding this recipe for a s'mores dip that I honestly think was both more delicious and significantly less messy than real s'mores. If you ever want the s'mores vibes but can't (or don't want to) do the full-on sticks-in-a-fire version, try this. β
Teacher Appreciation: If you have teachers in your life at all, now's the time to think ahead for Teacher Appreciation Week (which starts May 5). My go-to is Etsy for teacher gifts, and if money is tight then consider sending an email to the teacher with a heartfelt appreciation and CCing their principal to give extra visibility to your gratitude. My son's teacher is not shy about her love for Diet Coke, and so he picked this out for her when we searched this particular love in Etsy to get ideas.
Bonus Sponsor Resource: My friend Zach is the only person I trust for learning about online social media ads. If this is something you're considering for your small business, the best $25 you could ever spend is to join his bootcamp next week. You'll have affordable and effective ads up faster than you could ever believe with so much help and individual support (and he's just so fun - you'll have a blast in the process). This resource is from one of our Friday Five sponsors - thank you to them for keeping this newsletter free for readers! If you'd like to sponsor an upcoming newsletter, click here to learn more.
