1.
Anguilla with Kids: A Caribbean Week of Boats, Beaches & Barefoot Luxury
A week in Anguilla turned a long‑standing travel wish into a family‑friendly adventure, beginning with a flight from London to St Maarten, a short ferry ride to Blowing Point, and a seamless car hire delivery to the cliff‑side Malliouhana Hotel. The boutique resort set the tone with ocean‑front rooms, sunrise breakfasts on the balcony and a historic vibe that dates back to the island’s first luxury destination in the 1980s. Kids quickly fell for the friendly host Miss Kissy and the menu that offered everything from steak and eggs to pancake stacks, while adults enjoyed the tranquil sea views and a nightly stargazing session using a powerful telescope on the hotel’s terrace.
Day one moved straight to Meads Bay, where soft sand and calm waters welcomed the family for a relaxed beach morning. Lunch at Leon’s, the hotel’s beachfront restaurant, provided grilled snapper, pizza and poke bowls, plus pool tables to keep the children entertained. The following day the family set out with Funtime Charters, sailing from Sandy Ground to explore hidden coves, the iconic Anguilla Arch, and Little Bay for a daring cliff jump and snorkeling. A stop at the pristine Prickly Pear Cays added more swimming in crystal‑clear water, and the afternoon was spent unwinding at the Malliouhana Spa while one parent watched the kids at the pool.
Mid‑week the group swapped boats for a beach buggy, cruising the west side of the island before checking into Zemi Beach House on Shoal Bay. The larger resort offered a two‑bedroom penthouse with a kitchen, living area and rooftop plunge pool, giving the family space to feel at home. Dinner at the hotel’s 20 Knots restaurant introduced Caribbean flavours through grilled lobster, jerk chicken and a variety of desserts, while live music set a festive mood. The next day the kids burned energy at Aurora Anguilla Water Park, enjoying slides and lazy rivers without the usual crowds, and the parents relaxed with massages in Zemi’s Thai House Spa, a beautifully restored 300‑year‑old Thai house.
The final day reunited the family with their friend Wendy and her crew for a full‑day boat charter aboard Good Living. A Seabob, snorkeling spots and more beach hopping capped the trip, leaving everyone with a sense of lingering sunshine and the promise to return. Throughout the week, the blend of luxurious yet family‑focused accommodations, easy island transport, and a mix of laid‑back beach time, adventurous water activities, and local cuisine made Anguilla a perfect Easter‑holiday escape for both kids and adults.
2.
Holding It All Together ☕
The week feels like a full return to the grind: school runs, London meetings, podcast recordings, red‑carpet events, and the constant juggle of perimenopause hot flashes. Amid the chaos, the author leans on a handful of simple habits that keep the day from falling apart—a sturdy thermal water bottle, a backup outfit in the bag, a splash of cold water on the wrists between meetings, a ten‑minute morning walk, a proper lunch, and a shared calendar that actually beeps. These small, non‑revolutionary tweaks become the quiet anchors that prevent the wheels from coming off.
A practical mindset shift is introduced as the “triangle” method: list three evening tasks, then deliberately drop one each night, focusing on the two that matter most. By giving yourself permission to let go of a single item—whether it’s cooking, tidying, or reading—you reduce pressure and keep the routine sustainable. The author encourages listeners to try this approach as a way to manage the inevitable overload of modern life.
Two product highlights are offered. First, a discount code for Leosun kids’ sunglasses, featuring UV400 polarised lenses, flexible frames made from eco‑friendly castor‑seed material, and a lifetime damage replacement guarantee—ideal for busy families needing durable eye protection. Second, a spotlight on ANJNA jewellery, a brand that blends Indian symbolism with Thai craftsmanship, creating pieces where each stone is selected for its energy, offering wearers a personal reminder of strength and clarity.
The episode’s interview guest is Andrea McLean, who shares candid stories beyond her TV persona: navigating parenting, undergoing surgical menopause in her forties, and rebuilding after a mental‑health crisis and financial setback. Her openness provides a raw, relatable conversation that lingers after the episode ends.
Whether you’re easing back into routine or still in the thick of chaos, the takeaway is to honor the small habits, use the triangle to prioritize, and remember you don’t have to hold everything together alone.
3.
Cam’s Corner: A Disney World Recap & Tips for Traveling with Kids
Cameron shares a straight‑forward guide to Disney World that boils down to three essentials: download the official Disney app, book FastPasses or Lightning Lane reservations before you arrive, and prioritize the must‑do attractions for each park. He stresses arriving early, using the app to check wait times, and mapping out a realistic ride schedule so you can fit in classics like Space Mountain and the new Star Wars experiences without feeling rushed. He also recommends a “one team, one dream” mindset to keep the partnership strong, reminding listeners that the trip is a shared adventure, not a competition.
When it comes to the journey there, Cameron tackles the dreaded plane meltdowns. He suggests a calm, low‑key approach: acknowledge the child’s feelings, keep your voice steady, and avoid drawing attention from other passengers. He also reveals the family‑of‑four seating layout that works best—two adults on one side, two kids on the other—to keep everyone together while still giving parents a little breathing room. To keep screens from turning kids into “iPad addicts,” he rents a tablet for the flight, loads it with pre‑downloaded games and movies, and limits usage to the duration of the flight.
Sleep, he admits, is always a gamble once you leave home, but a few tricks can help. He recommends bringing a portable white‑noise machine, sticking to a familiar bedtime routine, and allowing a flexible schedule for naps. Even while pregnant, he found that pacing yourself, staying hydrated, and taking regular breaks in shaded areas made the park manageable. The episode wraps up with a reminder that traveling with kids isn’t a vacation in the traditional sense—it’s more like a temporary relocation that tests patience but rewards you with unforgettable memories. Listeners are encouraged to check out his Disney guide, outfit ideas, and travel resources for deeper details.
4.
Growing up I was made to do chores but I was never paid... Now I am a parent, here’s what I have learnt
As a child I was expected to clean, tidy and help around the house without any pocket money or negotiation. Chores were non‑optional, and I often complained that my friends didn’t have the same responsibilities, but my parents never changed the rules. The lack of financial autonomy made the work feel more like control than a lesson in responsibility, and I learned to associate household tasks with resentment rather than pride.
When I became a parent, I realized that the same approach could undermine my children’s sense of independence. I started giving them a modest allowance tied to specific chores, turning the work into a learning opportunity rather than a punishment. By linking pay to tasks, they could see a direct connection between effort and reward, which helped them develop budgeting skills and a sense of ownership over their contributions.
I also introduced flexibility, allowing kids to choose which chores they preferred or to trade tasks with siblings, and I set clear expectations about when work needs to be done. This gave them agency and reduced the feeling of being forced. At the same time, I keep some responsibilities non‑negotiable—like cleaning up after themselves—to maintain basic standards of hygiene and respect for shared spaces.
The shift from compulsory, unpaid labor to a balanced system of paid chores and choice has taught my children the value of work while preserving their motivation. It’s a reminder that teaching responsibility doesn’t have to mean stripping away financial autonomy; instead, it can be a chance to model real‑world skills and build confidence in young adults.
5.
Inside Primer's Growing Network
Primer is a K‑8 private school network that partners with passionate educators to launch flexible, community‑focused campuses. The model empowers teachers—often former administrators, long‑time teachers, or Teach for America alumni—who want to start schools that better serve their neighborhoods. Primer provides the operational support, technology, and funding needed to open campuses in a variety of spaces such as churches, community centers, and residential developments, keeping real‑estate costs low and allowing each site to serve between fifty and one‑hundred twenty students.
For families, Primer offers an affordable, transparent option that targets working‑class, middle‑class, and low‑income households seeking better educational outcomes. Tuition is typically on a sliding scale, ranging from fifty to two hundred dollars a month, with many families paying nothing thanks to scholarships from the Primer Foundation. The network has reduced tuition for most families year over year and aims to make education free or ultra‑low‑cost for every student, never turning a child away because of ability to pay.
Students experience a high‑agency environment where academic progress is tracked in real time through proprietary software. Regular assessments show where each child stands relative to grade level, giving parents, teachers, and students clear data to set personalized goals. The curriculum blends mastery‑based instruction with project‑based “pursuits” that develop real‑world skills and empower learners to take ownership of their education.
Primer currently operates fourteen campuses across Florida, Alabama, and Arizona, with plans to expand into San Antonio and additional locations in Florida. Each campus is designed to be adaptable to local real‑estate constraints while maintaining the core values of access, affordability, and community engagement. The network’s growth reflects a broader trend of low‑cost private schools seeking to scale, positioning Primer as a notable example of how technology and flexible models can reshape K‑8 education.
6.
Vigilance in children's reading material
The article urges parents—especially housewives—to take an active role in selecting and supervising the books their children read, warning that many titles today contain ideas that can subtly shape young minds. It argues that simply praising any reading habit is insufficient, comparing unchecked exposure to harmful substances, and stresses that mental corruption can be more damaging than physical danger.
The author points out that even in the 1980s and 1990s, children’s literature often carried messages the writer deems unacceptable, and that contemporary publishing has made such content even more widespread. The piece claims that much of today’s material was deliberately crafted to influence children, and that the broader society cannot be trusted to protect them without parental oversight.
Practical advice is offered: parents should review the books their kids bring home, discuss the quality of each, and guide their children toward more meaningful reads. When a child clings to a “mindless” book, the writer suggests offering honest feedback—expressing boredom or disappointment—to help the child recognize value in better choices. The article also encourages celebrating unexpected literary gems that parents might discover.
Finally, the author invites readers to subscribe for deeper content, including a three‑volume work on family life, and to join a community where they can comment and chat. The overarching message is that vigilant, discerning parenting—paired with humor and confidence—remains essential for nurturing thoughtful, well‑informed children.
7.
Top 5 Tuesday
Aunt Kelsey spent a whirlwind day with Leon, Louis and Lawrence at Triple Play Fun Center, tackling the ropes course and laser‑tag before picking up Lucy from gymnastics. The trio enjoyed treats and a game of Ticket to Ride at a coffee shop, then ate at the Costco food court. After lunch, Lucy got some girl time with Aunt Kelsey at a tea house, and later Kelsey returned to the house for yard soccer and workouts, leaving the parents wishing they’d had more time to catch up with her busy life.
While battling the flu, Katie and I missed our usual date night, but the babysitter’s arrival forced an impromptu outing. We drove to a nearby state park, tried to walk a trail, and ended up resting on a bench overlooking Lake Pend Orielle after only a short stroll. The date was brief, not romantic, and cut short by a practical need for bathroom access, but it reminded us that even modest moments count.
Our family performed a few songs at the grand opening of the Faith Walk Community Fitness Park in Coeur d’Alene. The park, a collaborative effort by the Pinkertons, blends athletic facilities, gardens, art and a forthcoming Guardian Warrior Arena with explicit Christian themes. It’s designed to reach hundreds of thousands, eventually millions, with its gospel‑centered environment, offering something for every age.
The Six Songs Of Summer challenge kicked off strong, with 373 VMA students submitting patriotic pieces to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday. Performances ranged from solo acts to family bands and multigenerational collaborations. Meanwhile, the latest podcast episode explored concerns about a husband’s provision, and Katie shared her recent reading highlights.
8.
The Gift of a Blank Mind
Last weekend, I went to a spa in New Jersey to celebrate a good friend’s birthday. There were eight of us, all moms, arriving and departing at different times, our stays bookended by various family obligations. We relaxed in salt pools, shared life updates, and got chair massages. The phrase we each kept saying over and over again was “we live here now.” We loved bathing in that fantasy — that we could choose to stay there forever, that it was possible to create body doubles so that one version of us would be cared for and pampered at the spa while another version went back home to do all the caring and the pampering.
I had to admit, though: Going into this trip, I felt anxious. I have social anxiety that crops up in certain situations. I can give public lectures without losing my mind, but if you put me in a group of friends or acquaintances for an extended period of time — even people I really like! — I inevitably start to feel self-conscious.
It feels like this: I don’t have enough interesting things to say. The things I say are boring or weird. I start to second-guess whether I really deserved to be invited, whether anyone actually wants me there. The more anxious I feel, the more I socially withdraw, which fuels a vicious cycle.
Going into this trip, I couldn’t help but wonder whether I’d be battling these demons yet again.
But this time, the voices in my head were muted. They weren’t gone, exactly, but I could talk them down. I would notice when I felt self-conscious, and then recognize that this was my anxiety talking. The loveliness of my friends helped, too — anytime I started to apologize or make myself small, they buoyed me back up.
It felt like a huge shift. I have recently been trying to tune more into my body and feelings, notice my self-limiting beliefs, and find insight and peace through journaling and meditation. This spa trip illustrated that something really is changing.
Another thing happened that weekend, too. When I left the spa, I drove to Newark Airport to fly to Chicago for my niece’s high school graduation. I told myself I’d write a newsletter on the plane. As is often the case, I had a few ideas about what I would cover, but I hadn’t made a final decision.
When I opened my computer on the plane, I stared at the blank page and nothing came to me. Not a thing. Usually my mind is going a million miles a minute, planning my work time, planning my writing. But I just sat there, time ticking by, staring at the screen.
Although it was frustrating — I needed to write this damned newsletter! — I didn’t fall into a panic. I felt the voice in my head coo: It’s okay. This is actually pretty cool. The anxious chatter in my head has always been there, and it has always felt so important — but now that it was gone, I sure didn’t miss it. And with it gone, I felt a new serenity, a levity.
This emptiness in my brain felt less like a failing than a gift.
Both of these tendencies, I realize — the social anxiety and the drive to keep achieving — are rooted in a belief that my self-worth is a reflection of how I act and what I do, rather than something that exists no matter what I do. The constant anxious chatter — “I need to do this” or “I need to be better at that” — consists of tales I have spun my whole life that haven’t served me.
I have known this for a while (thanks, therapy!) but I have struggled to actually translate that insight into change — into new tendencies, new feelings, new ways of moving through the world.
These two experiences, which happened over the course of a single weekend, illustrated that I’m finally making progress. And this progress is (ironically) why I don’t have a well-thought-out reported essay for you this week. Instead, I have something quieter: a handful of observations from a weekend when my mind finally gave me some room.
I know that the anxious voices will return. But perhaps I am in a place in which I can hear them less loudly and urgently. I may not have silenced them for good, but I no longer believe everything they say, and that feels meaningful.
9.
Things I Love, Things I Don't Love
Hello from five o’clock in the morning.
I am not a morning person, but my body is still very much on Croatian time, which means I’ve spent the past several days waking up before dawn. I actually really like it.
Nick and I have been drinking coffee together while the house is quiet. No one is yelling that they can’t find their school pants. No one is accusing a sibling of farting in their face. No one is complaining that Daddy made the bagels wrong….AGAIN.
I actually brush my hair and get a little work done before the rest of the world starts making demands.
It’s definitely not gonna last.
Since I’m still creeping back into the world, I thought I’d share a few things I’ve been watching, reading, listening to, and obsessing over this past week.
But before I do thank you to everyone who was so kind when I shared my pre-order numbers for The Parisian Heist last week. I was so scared to do it, but you made it a very soft landing. I’ll keep everyone updated over the next six weeks. We’ve got this. Spread the word my loves.
Eternity
Of everything I watched on the planes, this was my favorite.
The premise asks a pretty bananas question. After you die, would you choose eternity with the spouse you built a life with, raised children with, and loved for decades? Or would you choose the first great love of your life, the one who died before you ever had the chance to see what your future together might have been?
Elizabeth Olsen and Miles Teller are fantastic. The other guy was forgettable. But oh how I snot laughed and snot cried during this movie. I haven’t enjoyed a movie about the afterlife this much since Defending Your Life.
I made it about thirty minutes into this rom com about a late middle aged man getting jilted on his wedding day in Rome and then being forced to go on his honeymoon solo.
I like Kevin James but at this stage of my life, I am no longer interested in watching a shlubby uncharismatic middle-aged man stumble into the arms of a brilliant, gorgeous Italian woman who appears to have wandered in from an entirely different movie. I was here for him in Hitch, but I couldn’t stomach this one.
Hamnet
Anything involving the death of a child is a difficult watch for me these days, but this adaptation is stunning, as everyone already knows.
I think this is a really good plane watch because it’s OK if you both cry and also fall asleep for like ten minutes. Jessie Buckley should be cast in everything forever. The movie captures grief in an intense and gorgeous way and the relationship between Shakespeare and Agnes is shown with a lot more tenderness than I think they probably experienced in real life. I also want Agnes’s red dress.
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
This movie sent my anxiety through the roof.
Rose Byrne plays a mother pushed beyond her limits while caring for her young daughter who refuses to eat and is on the verge of being institutionalized if she doesn’t gain weight. She’s holding down a demanding job, and dealing with a husband who remains frustratingly absent (who you realize at the end is Christian Slater!!! and now I want to watch Heathers).
The film is relentless most of the way through and I also didn’t buy the mom character’s intense recreational drug use. No one our age could still function with that kind of hangover every day. I am sorry.
I’m grateful that someone was willing to make a movie about the impossible expectations placed on mothers and I also found it too hard to watch. I finished it and the ending was a bit disappointing for me.
H Is for Hawk
I loved Helen Macdonald’s memoir and was eager to see the adaptation.
Claire Foy is wonderful, the landscapes are gorgeous and the hawk is magnificent.
The hawk was my favorite part of the entire film.
The movie never quite achieves the emotional depth of the memoir, particularly the way Macdonald writes about grief and obsession, but I still enjoyed spending two hours watching a hawk do hawk things and looking at Claire Foy’s gracefully aging face.
As many of you know, I am an enthusiastic amateur birder. Croatia added several new species to my life list on Merlin, and I returned home with the most ridiculous bird-themed souvenirs imaginable.
I’m not even going to explain them. Here they are.
Understory by Chloe Benjamin
Here is the book I can’t shut up about. This is going to be one of the BIG BOOKS of the year.
The book doesn’t come out until the fall, and I spent half the Adriatic Writers Conference raving about it.
The concept is completely bonkers. There’s a multiverse and time travel and reverse aging! In less capable hands, it would have collapsed under its own ambition.
The book explores alternate lives, second chances, Antarctica, fungi, physics, connection, loss, and the ways our choices shape the people we become. Chloe Benjamin takes all of those disparate elements and turns them into a banger of a novel.
I finished it last week and I’m still thinking about it.
10.
Come Hang Out With Me
I want to see you! I want to drink champagne with you and eat chocolate mousse and fries with you. I want to laugh and rage and take down the patriarchy with you.
So come find me on tour for The Parisian Heist and let’s do all of the things.
BOOK TOUR 2026
JULY 12: Milwaukee — Boswell Book Company
Join us for a special Bastille Day themed launch with Jo! « REGISTER HERE »
JULY 13: Cleveland — Cuyahoga County Public Library
Brooklyn Branch. « REGISTER HERE »
JULY 14: Greenville, SC — M. Judson Booksellers
TWO OPTIONS!
Join us for Lunch and Lit at noon! « REGISTER HERE »
Or Join us for Books Over Drinks at 7:30 « REGISTER HERE »
JULY 15: Charleston, SC — LadyBird Books
Join us for a conversation between Jo and Grace Atwood « REGISTER HERE »
JULY 16: Middleburg, va — Middleburg Books
Middleburg Books presents a very special event at Greenhill Vineyards with a Turtle Dove Farm dinner « REGISTER HERE »
JULY 17: Crozet, VA — Bluebird Books
Bluebird & Co presents a very special event at King Family Vineyards « REGISTER HERE »
July 18: Rehoboth Beach, DE — Browseabout Books
Come enjoy the beach with us! « REGISTER HERE »
July 20: San Diego — Warwick’s
Join Jo at the greatest bookstore in Southern California! « REGISTER HERE »
July 21: Dallas — Dallas Museum of Art
In conversation with Joanna Johnston, UTA. Enjoy a pre-event guided tour exploring some of the artists that influenced Vincent van Gogh and contributed to his legacy. Space is limited; advance registration is strongly recommended and a tour ticket is required to participate. « REGISTER HERE »
July 22: Newport, RI — TBA
LOCATION: Kinney Bungalow | 505 Point Judith Rd, Narragansett, RI 02882
TIMING: 5:30-8:30PM
AUTHORS: Jo Piazza, Kellye Garrett, Meg Mitchell Moore, Josh Weil, Sonali Dev, Debra Curtis, Jean Kwok, Teddy Wayne, Lillian Li & Camille Perri.
BENEFICIARY: Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island (an org we have worked with before that is very important to our community)
« REGISTER HERE »
July 23: OLD GREENWICH, CT — Athena Books
« DETAILS SOON »
July 28: Philadelphia — Barnes & Noble
Center City Philadelphia on Chestnut Street 6pm « REGISTER HERE »
July 29: LONG BEACH ISLAND, NJ — LBI BOOK SWAP
NOON on Wednesday July 29. « REGISTER HERE »
July 29: Spring Lake, NJ — Thunder Road
In conversation with bookseller Kate Czyzewski « REGISTER HERE »
July 30: Northport, NY — Northport Books
In conversation with Northport Books « REGISTER HERE »
July 24: Doylestown, PA — Doylestown Bookshop
Doors open at 5:30 pm, and the event will start at 6:30 pm. « REGISTER HERE »
July 25: NEW HOPE, PA — AMARA Table SERIES
A 3-course meal based on French Bistro Classics like Soupe au Pistou, Steak (or Beet) Tartare, Boudin Blanc, Mirepoix Studded Lentils and Chocolate Mousse - all paired with local French-style wines. « REGISTER HERE »
July 31: Plainville, MA — An Unlikely Story
Join us in fabulous Plainville « REGISTER HERE »
OCTOBER 2: Kilmarnock, VA — The BOOKSHELF ON CHURCH
Fall on the Chesapeake! In conversation with bestselling author Elle Cosimano « REGISTER HERE »
