Scott and Morgan are here!
For the first time in the history of Five Things we have two guest writers at the same time, co-writers if you will.
Scott and Morgan Caldwell are two of my all time favorites. Every time I spend time with them I walk away wiser and with a smile on my face. Morgan is in my phone with the company name “wants to play tennis sometime,” we’ve never played tennis together. There’s still time. Morgan really should be in my phone as “the girl you go to for medical advice when you can’t get a hold of Elissa, or want a second opinion.”
I had so much fun at Morgan and Scott’s wedding, two different boys brought me a slice of cake, the absolute time of my life.
Things one and two are from Morgan, three and four are from Scott, and the fifth is both of them.
I’m so glad they’re here. And I’m so glad you’re here. You can support this newsletter by becoming a paid subscriber below.
This sentence now has links to the my instagram, and old issues of the newsletter. Also my Nuuly referral link. I hope today is beautiful for you.
Morgan and Scott introduce themselves:
Hello Katherine’s friends and readers! My name is Morgan and I’m so lucky to help contribute to this week's five things along with my husband Scott. Katherine and I have one of my favorite “meet cutes” that started our friendship. Long story short, after plenty of “we should hangout sometime” encounters, we suffered through a (bad) Christmas party magic trick together that bound us forever. We also walked weekly during the peak of the pandemic and Katherine was a safe outlet for me during 2020 and continues to be. Can I unofficially add a 6th thing to the list of being her friend? I’m originally from Rogers, AR and moved to KC for a NICU job. I now work as a pediatric nurse practitioner and most days include cute babies and/or toddlers who think I am ruining their life. It’s a heavy weight to carry deciding what sticker is going to make up for the occasional covid test administered. I’d say most days Frozen is still the trick. The teenagers still scare me but I love my job. Thanks for having me!
Hi 5 things readers. Long time fan, first time contributor. For those of you who don’t know me(probably most of you) my name is Scott. My wife, Morgan, introduced me to Katherine and the 5 things a couple of years ago, and I must admit that I have always been a teeny bit jealous of Katherine. Her newsletter has always seemed to shed light on the fun, small, and seemingly mundane parts of life in a way that gives them their time in the sun. This is cool to me because life is made up of generally mundane things, and if we don’t recognize them for what they are, we end up hurrying through with very little appreciation for anything. Here’s to hoping Morgan and I do this thing justice.
Number One: Attacking your seasonal allergies
Spring is in the air officially. I saw tons of tulips along the plaza in KC yesterday and I’m ready to fully dive in and wear my platform sandals Scott doesn’t especially love but they make me taller. Unfortunately allergies are also in the air, a silent woe for a few unfortunate souls who suffer annually. I’m here to try and help. Whether your allergies are debilitating or just borderline annoying I feel a calling to educate. First off, everyone should be changing their air filters rn especially if you are the allergic type. Washing sheets in hot water often and showering the days’ pollen off before bed each night will also help you not sleep with those spores just chillin all over you and give more relief. The best relief for allergies is going to be directly targeting your main symptoms. If runny nose/congestion is the culprit: Flonase nasal steroid spray is going to be your ticket to success. Contrary to popular belief you shouldn’t snort the medicine after spraying. If you taste it, you waste it. It can take up to one week of consistent use to get relief so don’t give up! For itchy watery eyes: Pataday eye drops should help ya. If neither of these direct interventions are working alone, best to add an oral antihistamine as well. I like Zyrtec best. It’s molecularly closest to Benadryl without making you fall asleep at your desk. Claritin is also a good one. Stay safe out there kids!!
Number Two: For your lips
Some peoples’ bedtime wind down includes a cup of tea, an episode, a of The Office or Ted Lasso, a glass of wine, a call to your mom, etc. My bedtime vice is a splurge but has become sacred to me. This Agave lip mask along with a few prayers before bed makes my day feel complete whether it was good or bad. Not to mention my lips didn’t crack once this winter so imo worth the splurge.
This brand Bite beauty is also vegan and cruelty free, they also have sales all the time. Their “power move lip crayon” is my fav. This color “sugarcane” I’m convinced looks good on everyone. The sisterhood of the traveling lip crayon if you will.
Number Three: Scott unpacks unpacking
This month, Morgan and I bought a house. And between that and taxes (shout out to those of you who also don’t know how those work) we’ll have just enough money to buy some groceries. Aldi, not Trader Joe’s. As Morgan and I start this new chapter, I want to admit something freely- we do not move well. Most of that is because we have different philosophies on how to approach a task. Are you the “get everything done or I won’t be able to sleep” kind of person? Or are you the “that box could have my favorite shirt that’s missing in it, but we’re 6 months in and I haven’t gotten to unpacking yet” kind of person? If you know Morgan and I, you know which one of us is represented by each. For those of you who don’t, I am the second.
It’s not that I don’t want to unpack, but I think it just takes me a while to process change. Ultimately what ends up happening is that I’ll freak out and go talk to Morgan or my dad, just needing a little reassurance. Change is good, and part of being a human is being a little freaked out by things. It’s just nice to have someone by you, a friend, spouse, parent, etc. who tells you that they felt like this too, and everything turned out okay. So yes- I’m having a hard time with change this month. Maybe you’re having a hard time with a new job, new house, new goals. But everyone feels like this, and it’s going to be okay.
Number Four: The case for the silent car ride
Lately, I’ve been finding it harder and harder to be silent. For those John Mark Comer fans out there, you understand why I find that concerning. I want to find time to be introspective. To pray, to think, to just be- but it’s far too easy to turn on the tv, listen to a podcast, or play a game on my phone (wordle 50 day streak owner). Instead, allow me to introduce, or reintroduce, the silent car ride. I have a 19 minute commute. End to end. And what I’ve been finding is that it's the best centering point for the next 12 hours of my day if I take that time just to be silent. So this week, give it a try for a couple of mornings. You can still get your podcasts in(shout out ghostrunners), but I think you’ll be thankful you did.
Number Five: Jim Dale is the superior Harry Potter Audiobook series reader if you ask Katherine
This spring, Morgan and I re-read the Harry Potter series. Okay, actually we listened to the audio books. Before we get into the age old “can you count audible as reading” debate, let all acknowledge that if the reader does a good job- it can be the most enjoyable way to take in a story. Which is why Morgan and I found ourselves listening to different versions from different readers. For those who aren’t caught up on this raging debate- the US and the UK have different narrators. For copyright reasons, the two countries only have access to their own narrator. Jim Dale for the US, Stephen Fry for the UK. Why was this a debate in our home? Because I was being cheap, I set off to listen to them for free online, and I found them in the form of Stephen Fry. Unbeknownst to either of us, we set off listening at the same time and eventually found out when I got in Morgan’s car and couldn’t stand the voice of Jim Dale. Morgan, after showing her Stephen Fry didn’t like him in return. So we finished the books. Each listening in the same room, but on different headphones. And I’ll say this- the books are magical however you consume them. They bring back a level of millennial nostalgia that is only rivaled by Mr Brightside coming on at a bar. Are you curious as to the difference? You can listen to both at harryaudiobooks.com and tell us what you think.