Jessica's Friday Five: sock hack and Halloween prep

Hi Reader,

I'm writing this issue quite a while before it's landing in your inbox, as I've been out of the office this week, spending time with extended family while my children are out of school for fall break. Hopefully I've been successful in staying unplugged by deleting my email and other work-related apps so that I can get some real mental rest and come back rejuvenated. Let's get to the Friday Five!

1. Simplify with a Single Sock Type: If you love having tons of different types of fun socks, this tip may not be for you. But if you don't value having a variety of sock looks and really just get annoyed by needing to match socks, consider this tip from Friday Fiver Priscila: buy all the same socks so you never have to match them again. I have this policy for my kids' socks - my son likes low-cut black socks, and so he only has a bunch of pairs of the same black socks. No matching needed - grab any two. My daughter? A different length sock she prefers in white. Same deal. They both have a basket of identical socks next to the shoes near our front door.
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2. Fave Halloween Activities & Books: This free Halloween countdown PDF (available directly here), whether you use it as a countdown or not, offers tons of fun ideas for Halloween activities, small items, and books to help you celebrate the season if you have children in your life.
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3. Know Anyone Who Needs a Workshop for their Team? I feel pretty confident, based on hundreds of positive reviews, that I design and facilitate truly great adult learning experiences. But while I may be good at facilitating workshops, one thing I have always been bad at? Asking for referrals! But, it just so happens that I have some space in late October and November for a few more workshops. And since you’re on my list and know my way of doing things…you might know someone who leads a team and might be looking for great professional development for that team. My most popular training topics, pricing, and all the other details are all here. I'd appreciate it if you could send anyone my way that I might be able to help!​
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4. Permanent Laser Hair Removal: I must admit to being skeptical two years ago when I saw influencers promoting these at-home hair removal devices. After a few that I trust and have met in real life shared their experiences, I decided to get my own last November. I have to say, about a year in, it's an impressive tool and I wish I'd bought it years earlier. I have used it in numerous places - on my face, legs, and arms - and it really does get rid of hair incredibly well, so it doesn't grow back. It doesn't hurt, either! Scroll down to the "Check if Air 10 is right for you?" image on the page to see if it will work with your combo of skin color + hair color. But if you're a good fit, I definitely think it's worth trying. It's been an excellent investment for me.
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5. Shortcut to a Happier Home: This week, I downloaded this set of 3 free resources and found it gave me some great ideas. It's got a What’s For Dinner Idea Guide, Home Management Planning Set, and Mom Bucks Reward System. If any of those topics (meal planning, home management, and parenting) are helpful for you, check them out. I immediately bookmarked the dinner ideas guide because I've been really wanting to add a few new ideas to our rotation this fall.

Bonus Sponsor Resource: Bioma Health has to be back in this spot because y'all have been digging this! It's great to hear that you are enjoying these probiotics too (I've been taking them for about half a year every day). So, of course, I asked them for a discount for us, and they said yes! Celebrate! Use code JST10 to try it out (or to get a refill if needed). It gets you 10% off and doesn't expire, so you can come back and use it again and again if you'd like. This resource is from one of our Friday Five sponsors - thank you to them for keeping this newsletter free for readers!

Last Friday's Most-Clicked Link: Lasagna Love - the way to give (if you're able) a lasagna or get (if you need) a lasagna. www.lasagnalove.org​