Power Nap #115

Steal our movie list! How to make Starbucks' Gingerbread Latte at home and quotes to live by

It’s almost movie every night break!!!

Hello friends! Does the lead-up to Christmas feel more rushed than usual? Was Thanksgiving later this year? I don’t know what it is, but I have felt like I have simply been trying to stay above water since Black Friday. John Robert breaking his arm certainly didn’t help matters, but I texted with my best friends and everyone shared the sentiment. How you guys doing?!

We are, however, one week away from one of my favorite seasons. Some call this Christmas break. I call it “Movie Every Night Break.” It’s just what it sounds like. Every night starting from when the kids get out of school through when they go back in January, we watch a movie basically every single night. Pajamas. Popcorn. Cozy by the fire. It’s BLISS! Over the last few years, Nate and I have been introducing the kids to the classics. For that reason, I wanted to re-share our non-animated movie list. Everyone has a different threshold for cussing and scary scenes, so you gotta do your own research, but these are some of our faves. Latest addition to our list: The Greatest Showman.

Please let me know what we should add to the list!! We need some new movie ideas.

Jess here - in a similar vein, though not kid-friendly, I have been loving turning on an old movie after the kids go to bed. I just watched Coach Carter and Good Will Hunting this week. Both of which I had never seen (WHAT!?) and now I only want to watch movies pre-2010. Please send your best recs that fit into this ‘feel-good, inspirational’, category. I feel like Freedom Writers fits well into this category too, but I’ve already seen (and sobbed) at this movie 25 times.

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In Case You Missed It

1. You need to make these show stopper peppermint brownies.

2. I wrote about needing your parent even as an adult.

3. My skin has felt very dull and dry with the colder temps. This is a very low stakes solution. Plus it’s so satisfying to peel off.

4. If you don’t have the bandwidth to read right now, might I suggest listening to me read to you on audiobook?

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Quotes Nate Liked Recently

“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” — Oscar Wilde

“Success is being excited to go to work and being excited to come home.”

Gardening advice: Find what you are good at growing and grow lots and lots of it.

On why you should read (and help your kids learn to love reading: “If one habit unites the leaders, inventors, scientists and artists who have forged our civilisation it is reading. Serious readers are over-represented in almost every area of human achievement. Take great politicians: Teddy Roosevelt claimed to read a book a day, Winston Churchill set himself an ambitious programme of reading in philosophy, economics and history as a young man and continued to read voraciously throughout his life. Clement Attlee recalled that he read four books a week as a schoolboy. . . Thomas Edison read deeply throughout his life. So did Charles Darwin. So did Albert Einstein. Ironically, even Elon Musk claims that he was ‘raised by books’.”

“Much of my thinking is an exercise in discovering something, only to later realize that C.S. Lewis was there long before me, saw it more clearly, and explained it in a children’s book.”

“Live slowly enough to think deeply about God.” — J.I. Packer

“Many of the best things in life are endless. Being in a great relationship. Staying fit and healthy. Doing work that fulfills you. Being a good parent, coach, or teacher. Stop worrying about accomplishing these things and instead focus on building a life where you continually practice them. The important stuff has no finish line.” - James Clear

“When you are older, you will wish you had hugged more.” - Kevin Kelly

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At-Home Gingerbread Latte

I love going to a coffee shop, but I am truly shocked every time I order a latte and hand over my credit card to pay. I try to play it cool like I’m not surprised that a latte costs $8 but internally it pains me. So if you are wanting to treat yourself but not fork over the cash for a latte, let me introduce you to the at home Gingerbread latte. You can enjoy it hot or iced and it’s such a fun and festive little pick me up.

Ingredients:

• 1 TB cookie butter

• dash of ground ginger

• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 shot espresso

• 5oz milk of choice

Scoop your cookie butter into your cup of choice and brew the shot of espresso directly over it. Once the espresso is done brewing, give it a stir to combine. Add in the ground ginger and cinnamon and top off with 5oz of steamed or cold milk (depending on if you want it hot or iced). If you live near a Trader Joe’s and can snag the Salted Maple Cold Foam to top it off, I highly recommend! Note: there recipes online that you can search for that involve making a simple syrup with molasses which gets it a little closer to the original, but I think adding the ginger and cinnamon to the cookie butter gets it close enough for me and just feels overall easier!

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Thanks for reading!! Until next week,

Kate, Nate, Jess, and Molly

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