# #325: Holiday Bucket List

An episode of [A Beautiful Mess Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1485472892), 9 Nov 2026, 1 h 05 min.

Audio: https://mgln.ai/e/498/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/abmpodcast/ABM_EP325_Final.mp3?dest-id=1624655

This week we're getting a head start on our holiday bucket lists, we're sharing more about our favorite subject: Little Free Libraries and we're playing a fun game about which fictional characters embody us. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Visit ernesta.com and order five samples for only $10, and you'll get $50 toward any rug of your choice. Join Wayfair Rewards today to get five percent back on every purchase. Head to Wayfair.com to shop all things home. Elsie's Holiday Bucket List: Exploit Christmas Kitchen movie marathon Make cookie boxes Make marbled ornaments Write a new first draft Emma's Holiday Bucket List: Go on Polar Express Ornaments with the kids DIY Christmas Wreath Make Oreo Truffles and Sausage Balls for Book Club party Hire someone to install Christmas lights Authors Elsie follows: Ann Patchett Carol Clair Burke Alice Hoffman Brandon Sanderson John Green Christy Anne Jones E.L. Shen Kacie B Keegan 3 Fictional characters that embody them: Elsie - Morticia Addams, Amy March, and Elle Woods Emma - Leslie Knope, Linda Belcher, and Sally Owens You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

## Transcript

[0:00] Elsie
[0:01] You're listening to the Beautiful Mess podcast, your cozy comfort listen. I'm your host Elsie Larson.
[0:02] Emma
[0:03] And I'm your host Emma Chapman.
[0:04] Elsie
[0:05] This week, we're getting a head start on our holiday bucket list. We're also sharing more about our
[0:06] favorite subject, little free libraries, and we're playing a fun game where we choose which fictional
[0:07] characters embody us. Yeah, love, love. I do have to say, our listener emails this week. Well, it's
[0:08] actually the last three weeks were absolutely on fire. So thank you for everyone who writes in. I I just
[0:09] like love reading. It's one of the happiest times of my month when I read all the listener emails all at
[0:10] once.
[0:11] Emma
[0:12] Yeah, it's a lot of questions, but it's also sometimes like almost like a mini game that we can play in the
[0:13] podcast.
[0:14] Elsie
[0:15] There's all kinds of stuff. Yeah, there's book recommendations. There's movies. There's story times.
[0:16] Like yeah, just every like and so yeah, never hesitate to write to us.
[0:17] Emma
[0:18] No matter how random. Yeah, we'll probably love it. We'll probably like love it. Put it in the podcast.
[0:19] Elsie
[0:20] Yes, yes, yes. Okay, and our podcast email is podcast@abeautifulmess.com. If you want to write in any
[0:21] time, so this week we're doing our holiday bucket list, and the purpose you want to say the purpose of
[0:22] why we do these bucket list episodes.
[0:23] Emma
[0:24] Yeah, yeah, it's so that we do more things in each season because it can be like time can go so fast. It's
[0:25] like you'll blink, and all of a sudden it's New Year's, and you're like, "Oh my gosh, I meant to do." I had
[0:26] these two other crafts that I was gonna do. They're up in my closet. Now I have to wait till next year.
[0:27] You know, it's like that kind of thing. So we always make bucket list every season, and this one's kind of
[0:28] a special one, the holiday one, because it's kind of a more accelerated. Because I feel like we do like a
[0:29] fall and a summer, but this one, I'm almost like cramming everything in. This is everything Thanksgiving
[0:30] through Christmas, basically. So it's more like a month and a half of stuff. Anyway, so yeah, so follow
[0:31] along. Make your own bucket list. You can print them. We have a whole bunch of printables on our site,
[0:32] a beautifulmess.com. But you can also just make a list and hang it on your refrigerator or in your office
[0:33] or on your bathroom mirror, you can do it however you want. However you're going to see it. I like to put
[0:34] mine in the front of my planner. I put mine on the refrigerator because then my kids see it and they'll ask
[0:35] me what it says because they can't read yet. And sometimes they want to add things. Yeah, and then
[0:36] they'll watch me highlight it once we've done something. Yes, and I feel like I'm kind of trying to build
[0:37] into their little minds like, here's how you do life. You come up with ideas of things you want to do. You
[0:38] do the things, and then you're happy. Yes, and it really works.
[0:39] Elsie
[0:40] I started doing this when I had toddlers, and now Emma has toddlers, and we're just. I do feel like it
[0:41] helps you pack more magical experiences into every single season because if you're like me, I'm sure
[0:42] everyone's felt this way. But like, like last week when Halloween, you know, Halloween's just over now.
[0:43] It's like anything that we forgot to do or missed doing or put off doing, now you have to wait till next
[0:44] year. So it just kind of reminds you to like make the most of it while it's here because these seasons are
[0:45] pretty short. Cool. So we are going to talk about Thanksgiving and the holidays. So, in my book, in my
[0:46] book of rules, which is a real book, it explicitly states that Christmas begins on november 1, and I don't
[0:47] make the rules. I just obey what's in my book. Okay, but I do understand the argument for like
[0:48] Christmas should start after Thanksgiving, and if you haven't heard my Canadian Thanksgiving rant,
[0:49] Canadians have Thanksgiving in October, and I think that's how it should be, and I think they have the
[0:50] right idea. It would work then, but it's not going to work for me to put up my Christmas tree at the very
[0:51] last week of November and have it up for three and a half weeks. That is absolutely not going to work.
[0:52] So, yeah, my Christmas tree is already up right now.
[0:53] Emma
[0:54] Yeah, no, I I drove over and it's like boom, Halloween down, Christmas up. Yes. Now, honestly, my
[0:55] husband's out of town this week as we're recording, and we were talking on the phone, and I was like,
[0:56] oh, I took all the the Halloween stuff down, and he goes, "Oh, great! Did you put all the Christmas stuff
[0:57] up?" I was like, "No, not yet. I was maybe going to wait till closer to Thanksgiving just because I'm
[0:58] tired." He doesn't care. He likes it. Yeah, I was like, "Oh, he likes it. He loves it." He's like, "Was kind of
[0:59] disappointed when I said no." He was like, "Oh, okay." This comes up to another chapter in my book of
[1:00] rules. You don't find a husband; you make a husband. You she's training him. He was like surprised that
[1:01] I hadn't done it. I was like, I don't know. I got tired. I ran out of time. I don't know. I'm gonna do it later.
[1:02] Elsie
[1:03] I'm gonna spend a good two and a half weeks putting up all my Christmas because it's not a one day
[1:04] job for me. Like it takes some time.
[1:05] Emma
[1:06] No, no, no.
[1:07] Elsie
[1:08] I enjoy it. Like I want to, like you know, put on a movie, do my kitchen, put on another movie another
[1:09] day, do my living room.
[1:10] Emma
[1:11] Yeah, that's how I am. I want to enjoy it. So I'm like, you know, if I'm all out of good podcasts for the day,
[1:12] I'm like, well, I'll wait till later to do more.
[1:13] Elsie
[1:14] You're neve out of a good podcast.
[1:15] Emma
[1:16] No ,you really aren't. But that's what that's my mode. I'm like, if I'm not enjoying it, if I'm like feeling like
[1:17] it's becoming a chore, then I'm kind of like, I'm done for the day. I'm gonna do more later. Definitely.
[1:18] Anyway, okay, let's do our bucket list.
[1:19] Elsie
[1:20] Okay, so we have five items each. So my first one is this is my big picture goal for November and
[1:21] December. Absolutely exploit Christmas. So if Christmas was an orange, I'm gonna get all the juice out
[1:22] of it this year. I just feel like my kids are ages 11 and eight. They're kind of like in this like transitional
[1:23] time where they are getting interested in like teenager things. Like we're interested in Twilight, you
[1:24] know things like that. But also, they will still totally sit for me to read them a picture book. They still are
[1:25] totally excited to go on the Polar Express, and so I feel like I kind of have this like window of opportunity
[1:26] to like, you know, keep reliving all the childhood things for as long as that possible, as as many years
[1:27] as they're into it, I'm into it. Like they like matching pajamas still, like all of that stuff. Yeah, I'm just going
[1:28] to do like absolutely every single Christmas thing I can. Like I already started burning the Christmas
[1:29] candles this morning. Yeah, I need to order pajamas matching for the whole family, of course. And my
[1:30] husband's not getting out of it because he's not, and no reference the rule book. Yeah, I mean, yeah,
[1:31] baking. So Elise, our our friend Elise, her newsletter is called Scattering Seeds. She's what we call our
[1:32] third sister. So she just recommended this cookbook called 100 Cookies, and I ordered that for
[1:33] Marigold. It came in last night, and so I think we'll work on that this month. Just like try some new
[1:34] recipes. So watch all the hits. But I actually consider Christmas movies kind of like background. Like I
[1:35] don't need to sit and watch Home Alone. I just it's just playing in my kitchen 24 hours a day.
[1:36] Emma
[1:37] Well, my first one you kind of mentioned briefly there, but because we're doing it together, and it's to go
[1:38] on the Polar Express. Yes, so this is actually like just a few days after Thanksgiving. It's like the week
[1:39] after Thanksgiving. We're doing it. That's perfect. So we live in Springfield, Missouri, which is in
[1:40] Southwest Missouri, and we're very close to Branson, Missouri. If you know, you know. So you can
[1:41] drive. It's like 40 minute drive, and you drive down to Branson, Missouri. And if you've read the
[1:42] children's book Polar Express, that's what I'm talking about. There's a train that they kind of decorate
[1:43] Christmassy. They have actors do little characters on the. They have hot chocolate train. They have hot
[1:44] chocolate. They read the book on the train. Santa comes on the train, and it kind of just like goes down
[1:45] the track a ways, and then goes back to the station. That's pretty much what the the trip is.
[1:46] Elsie
[1:47] The first year we did it, we scheduled because our kids are very young still. We scheduled like an early
[1:48] time, but it wasn't dark yet, and we found that to be like hugely depressing because you're just rolling
[1:49] past like gas stations and stuff. Yeah. So then the next year, last year we did it full dark, and I I think it's
[1:50] worth it.
[1:51] Emma
[1:52] Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's good. It'll be a late night for Hugo. He will be up partying that night, up late past
[1:53] his bedtime. But it's great. I have my whole family wear matching pajamas. This year I got Polar
[1:54] Express pajamas with trains on it and hot chocolates and like the whole thing and yeah, it's super fun
[1:55] and cute. I love it. You get this like kind of hilarious mug as a part of the package, I guess. I don't know,
[1:56] and I love to use mine. I have mine from past years. I don't know. It's just super fun, super kitschy, very
[1:57] Missouri thing. But I'm sure they have these all over the place. But like, it's just fun.
[1:58] Elsie
[1:59] They have them pretty much. If your city has a train station, then you probably have a Polar Express
[2:00] you can do. But ours, we always book ours the first week that school starts because it sells out so early.
[2:01] It's such a funny thing. So yeah, I love it.
[2:02] Emma
[2:03] Yeah, and if you want a certain day, and you know all the things. Yeah, and my kids love vehicles,
[2:04] especially my older son, who's five. He loves trucks, trains, anything. So this is like an opportunity to be
[2:05] on an actual train, which is super fun.
[2:06] Elsie
[2:07] We kind of decided together we're just going to do the Polar Express until our kids start like fully hating
[2:08] it. Yeah, like as long as we can, we'll just keep going. And I think my older daughter is; she's such a
[2:09] young soul, like she's okay with little kid things. So I think we'll be able to do it for a while. Like I think
[2:10] she'll be a teenager, and we'll still be going.
[2:11] Emma
[2:12] Probably, yeah. She's a very good sport, and I feel like you can kind of be like, "Well, Hugo still likes it."
[2:13] She's like, "Oh, okay," and then she tries to make fun, you know, like it, that kind of thing. She's a
[2:14] sweetie.
[2:15] Elsie
[2:16] Okay, my second one. I actually already mentioned this, but kitchen movie marathon. So it's like one of
[2:17] my special things in life that I wanted. Like in on my dream house list was a like a TV kitchen, which is
[2:18] so also like a kitchen fireplace, which is kind of rare. It's more of a historic home thing.
[2:19] Emma
[2:20] yeah, I don't have either of these in my home. A TV I could put, but a fireplace? No, there's really no
[2:21] way.
[2:22] Elsie
[2:23] You find it in historic homes a lot, and you it's not a thing people are building in new homes. Although I
[2:24] think they should. I think they should consider it because it's such a wonderful thing. Yeah, our kitchen
[2:25] has a TV, and we watch movies while we bake and while we do Thanksgiving and like all of that stuff,
[2:26] so Emma and I will have our own special movie that we watch while we cook Thanksgiving and drink,
[2:27] you know, a little tiny bit of wine and do whatever, you know. Yeah, a tiny bit, a little tiny bit. It'll be
[2:28] wonderful. So yeah, I I don't know. It just brings me so much. It kind of reminds me of like the 1990s
[2:29] kitchen TV used to be a thing, and I've seen on TikTok people are like getting those little VHS built-in
[2:30] TVs and putting them in the corner of their kitchen, and I just think that's so cute too.
[2:31] Emma
[2:32] I had a friend; her parents had like the little TV in the kitchen, and it was like I was like that's so cool.
[2:33] Elsie
[2:34] So if you can't have like a fireplace or whatever, try the little tiny TV and either with either a built-in DVD
[2:35] player or VHS player, and just get like three Christmas movies, you know, from eBay, and go for it. Like
[2:36] I don't know, I I can't recommend enough. I just think it's such a cozy, happy. Or even you know what?
[2:37] Sometimes people like have little stands for their iPad and they watch.
[2:38] Emma
[2:39] Yeah, you can do that.
[2:40] Elsie
[2:41] And there's always a way. Where there's a will, there's a way with this kind of thing, right?
[2:42] Emma
[2:43] Yes, yes. What's on the list for movie marathon?
[2:44] Elsie
[2:45] Okay, so my main thing that I enjoy during this time of year between Halloween and Christmas is
[2:46] marathoning the Harry Potter series. I just I really like it. It's really cozy to me. And this year I'm like I
[2:47] have a little bit because the TV series is coming out in December, and I am anticipating and I am
[2:48] excited. My children, well, my old daughter is a fan of the books, but I'm kind of like mourning a little bit.
[2:49] Like I don't know. I'm like a little bit apprehensive. Like I am open. I am excited, but also I don't want
[2:50] them to be replaced. So I feel I'm feeling a little bit like holding them tightly this year. So I think I'll
[2:51] probably do that soon.
[2:52] Emma
[2:53] Yeah, I think it's an addition.
[2:54] Elsie
[2:55] Yeah. Oh yeah. No need to subtract. I think so too. Yeah, and it's going to take like 10 years for the
[2:56] series to be complete. So I'm really excited to see it, but it just it does feel weird. Like I heard someone
[2:57] say, like it's kind of like seeing new people living in your old house. It's a little bit of that feeling at first.
[2:58] Emma
[2:59] Yeah, where you're like, what? Okay, my second one is ornaments with the kids, so I always make tons
[3:00] of DIY Christmas ornaments, also Halloween ornaments with my kids every year. And in particular, the
[3:01] one I always look forward to the most is every year we do a special photo ornament. So I buy like a little
[3:02] wooden. Usually, it's like a Christmas tree or a wreath or a snowman, and then it has a little area that's
[3:03] a cutout for a photo. And I put a photo, a recent photo of them from that year, and I let them paint the
[3:04] wood part. I mean, I let them paint it first, and then dry, and then put the photo in, of course. And this is
[3:05] kind of like becoming a collection to me. That's like really special. Like a lot of our DIY ornaments, I let
[3:06] the kids decorate the trees with me. My kids are also an age where, like, they're kind of constantly like
[3:07] undecorating and redecorating the tree the whole time. Like, there's, I'll find ornaments in the couch
[3:08] cushions, and I'm like, why are these in here? You know, they just are kind of like that age. But the
[3:09] photo ornaments, I tend to kind of put them higher up on the tree, and I kind of am very protective of
[3:10] them because they're a thing that I want when I'm older and when the kids are grown, and so I have
[3:11] one of every year. It's like here's you as a baby, here's you as a one year old, here's you as a four year
[3:12] old, and you kind of get to see their artistic abilities grow because like the very first one always has like
[3:13] a painted footprint because they can't really do it. They're babies, you know, and then it keeps going
[3:14] from there. It's like finger painting and water coloring and just different things. This is like one thing I am
[3:15] very much like. Let your kids grow up. Eventually, they don't want to do certain things anymore, and
[3:16] that's totally fine. But I'm like, my kids will be seniors in high school, and I'll be like, you will paint me an
[3:17] ornament. You will. Okay. It takes five minutes. You're going to do it. I don't care. I actually think that's
[3:18] reasonable. Yeah. I think you can find a way to make it fit at every age. Yeah, I love to try to find things
[3:19] that maybe kind of fit their personality too, if I can. Yeah, but I'm just buying stuff off of like big box craft
[3:20] stores and Amazon.
[3:21] Elsie
[3:22] My favorite like kitschy family ornament is we have this one ornament that has my husband's high
[3:23] school football portrait, and he has like spiky bleached tip hair from like the Blink 182 era, and it's just
[3:24] it's such a funny ornament. Like we always, I love it. Y
[3:25] Emma
[3:26] eah, it's like when you go over to someone's house and their mom has like all their school pictures and.
[3:27] Hallway hung up still, and you're like, oh wow! So this was you as a you know awkward 14 year old.
[3:28] Okay, it's like that, but the Christmas edition. So that's yeah, really important to me. So we do all sorts
[3:29] of ornaments, and those are always fun. But I also don't mind if they get broken or if they don't last
[3:30] forever. It's okay. But the photo ornament is my one thing where I'm like, don't mess with my photo
[3:31] ornaments. Yeah, if you start messing with that, I take it away from you. Like I just like really want them.
[3:32] So yep.
[3:33] Elsie
[3:34] I have a lot of the glass ornaments that are that look like old fashioned. Yeah, what they're called?
[3:35] Emma
[3:36] Vintage looking.
[3:37] Elsie
[3:38] Yeah, and every year at least two or three of those break, and it's it's the worst because they're
[3:39] expensive, and you don't like. I hate to replace them, but you kind of can't fix them. Like it's just.
[3:40] Emma
[3:41] Yeah. I don't even have very many glass ornaments right now, and I sometimes don't even get them out
[3:42] just because I'm not upset if they break. It's annoying because you're like, but it's more just
[3:43] dangerous.because then there's a little piece of glass on the floor, and I'm like, well. And sometimes it's
[3:44] like I might be upstairs, you know, like putting something away or whatever, and something happens
[3:45] like that. So I don't even really get those out yet. That's for later in life, kind of thing.
[3:46] Elsie
[3:47] Okay, my third one is to try to make cookie boxes. So I have to ask you a strategic question, like how,
[3:48] how, like, so we usually do like since they've been little cookie marathon week, but how do you get all
[3:49] these different kinds of cookies? Like, do you freeze them? Like, how do you get them all fresh at the
[3:50] same time, where you can make the box? I want to like make the boxes and leave them on people's
[3:51] porches. I think it's so cute, but it's like intimidating.
[3:52] Emma
[3:53] This is what I would do. I would pick two or three cookies and make them like back to back days, or
[3:54] even like two in one day, and then I would buy some cookies and I would put all of the bought ones and
[3:55] the homemade ones in the box together.
[3:56] Elsie
[3:57] Interesting.
[3:58] Emma
[3:59] And that's how I would make it bigger variety.but they can still be all fresh, or just even just more variety,
[4:00] like certain ones that you maybe wouldn't have made or whatever.
[4:01] Elsie
[4:02] Okay, I'll think about that. That's interesting. Yeah, I really want to do it. I think Marigold would enjoy it,
[4:03] but it is intimidating. But when I see other people doing it, it's one of my favorite kinds of things to watch
[4:04] people make videos of during the holidays. Like they're so elaborate and they look so difficult.
[4:05] Emma
[4:06] An idea too, this is too involved. I don't know. But if you had other of their friends in the neighborhood
[4:07] who like baking, like I'm thinking of one friend. She's like one of the moms who's like an amazing baker.
[4:08] Actually, a few of the moms are amazing bakers. If you're like, hey, this Friday we're gonna have a put
[4:09] together basket party with the kids. So make one or two cookies with your kids this week and bring
[4:10] them, and then everyone brings, so you know this friend is brought to this friend is brought to whatever,
[4:11] and then you you have a little party where everyone puts them together in the boxes and then goes
[4:12] delivers them around the neighborhood or whatever.
[4:13] Elsie
[4:14] Love it.
[4:15] Emma
[4:16] That would take some planning and some coordination, but it's an idea.
[4:17] Elsie
[4:18] No, I love that. Okay, what's your next one?
[4:19] Emma
[4:20] My next one is I'm going to make DIY Christmas wreath.
[4:21] Elsie
[4:22] Tell me your vision.
[4:23] Emma
[4:24] I have a few wreaths, so I mainly have this one that was a DIY on our blog many, many, many years
[4:25] ago. It's like a yarn wreath, and it's really cute and I put it out every year. But I have more than one
[4:26] door, and I just this year my thing for the holidays has been making DIY wreaths where I like have a
[4:27] piece of it that my kids do with me, and then I get to do the the wreath making part, which involves a hot
[4:28] glue gun by myself. So because that's a little bit my level right now with my kids is like, if I'm doing a
[4:29] craft with them, it's really usually not like craft time for me because I'm usually facilitating. I'm like
[4:30] making sure the paint stays in certain areas. So for Halloween, I did a wreath that was like I let the boys
[4:31] paint these little wooden snakes. Oh yeah, I saw it was so cool. Yeah, onto the wreath and and and
[4:32] other things too. I feel like that's fun for me. So my Christmas one is I bought these wooden, like kind of
[4:33] like Scandinavian looking Christmas trees. They're not ornaments; they're just like little figures, little
[4:34] wooden trees. Yes, and I'm gonna let them paint those. I think there's little snowmen too, so I'm gonna
[4:35] let them paint them. They can do that for however long they want. There's a lot of them, so if they want
[4:36] to paint a whole bunch, great. If they paint two, great. Doesn't matter to me. And then whatever they do,
[4:37] I will use that and incorporate it into the Christmas wreath that I want to make. But like that becomes
[4:38] kind of like my craft time that I do later after they go to bed or like just when I have time, because again,
[4:39] it has a hot glue gun. Like they they cannot use hot glue guns yet. That's not. I usually burn myself with
[4:40] the hot glue gun. Like so, yeah, 1,000% no. Yeah, absolutely no. You go with the hot glue gun. No, no.
[4:41] So yeah, and I I just kind of like using things that they make in a craft that I'm doing. It feels very like
[4:42] special and fun and. Kind of gives like me a little activity to do with them, but then I kind of have my own
[4:43] craft time later, and it's just fun. So anyway, I did it Halloween. I'm making one for Christmas too, and
[4:44] yeah, that's pretty much it.
[4:45] Elsie
[4:46] Ah, cute. Yeah, I I want to make crafts too, but not a wreath. Not a wreath for me. But yeah, crafty time.
[4:47] Yeah, crabs are fun to make. Actually, in next week's episode, we're going like hard about crafts. Talk
[4:48] more about crafts. Yes. Okay, my next to do for my holiday bucket list is make marbled ornaments. So
[4:49] earlier this year, I did my first water marbling, and at the time, I just did paper, like just pieces of paper.
[4:50] But the thing I really wanted to do was ornaments, and it looks easy on videos. Like I've saved a bunch
[4:51] of videos on Pinterest and stuff. It looks like it's gonna work, but it also looks definitely more difficult
[4:52] than paper. So I'm excited to try it. I really like the feel of marbling, especially since we went to
[4:53] Florence, and that's like kind of like a regional, yeah, specialty that they have. So yeah, I really want to
[4:54] try that. I hope it works out. I hope they're beautiful. We have homemade ornaments, like kid
[4:55] ornaments, but not that many, like not as many as you do, and so I think this could be like fun. I love it.
[4:56] Okay, my next one is every year our book club does a favorite things like holiday party. Yes, tell
[4:57] everything about this so they can steal the idea because it is so fun.
[4:58] Emma
[4:59] Yes, so it's kind of our annual Christmas party. So we do like a I guess it's white elephant or yeah, it's
[5:00] it's where you can steal. So everyone brings one gift that is not for any particular person, and we do it
[5:01] where it's like you're supposed to bring one of your favorite things from the year. And I feel like we
[5:02] always do some kind of limit, like it's $25 or less, or $30 or less, something like that. So it'll be like your
[5:03] very favorite, like a fancy lip balm, or like a really special necklace, or a book or two, or like fancy tea
[5:04] and a mug. Just random. It's always very random stuff, and so it's favorite things. And then you wrap it
[5:05] up, no names on it, and then we kind of like pick numbers, and you get to pick, and you can steal, but I
[5:06] think you only get to steal twice, and then the gift is dead. So you have to be strategic about it, and it's
[5:07] just like fun. And then we also do kind of like a potluck kind of. It's not really a meal; it's more like a
[5:08] snack meal, really.
[5:09] Elsie
[5:10] It's an appetizer feast.
[5:11] Emma
[5:12] Yeah, appetizer feast. And I like to make my two things that I usually make because I love eating these,
[5:13] but they're so bad for you. So I like to bring it to a party. So it's like you get a little bit, and then it's just
[5:14] there for the party. You know, I love to make my Oreo truffles. Oh hell yeah! And I love to make sausage
[5:15] balls.
[5:16] Elsie
[5:17] Oh yeah!
[5:18] Emma
[5:19] Both of these are on our site. You can type it in the search bar and find them. But they're really just
[5:20] really simple things. It's mostly like the Oreo truffles are just like Oreos and cream cheese, basically,
[5:21] and then you decorate them to look really cute. And then the sausage balls are basically Italian
[5:22] sausage and Bizquick mix and cheese. There's a little bit more, but it's it's like less than five
[5:23] ingredients. But I just love them. They're kind of like a mixture of like a meatball and kind of like a
[5:24] bready meatball, and I love it. It's just so garbage food, like love it. Holiday food, and we're gonna call it
[5:25] that. Holiday.
[5:26] Elsie
[5:27] Find a new like signature garbage food for this year.
[5:28] Emma
[5:29] Yeah. So I look forward to it. It's just fun to hang out with friends and like have like a party that's just
[5:30] adults and there's no kids around. You're just chilling.
[5:31] Elsie
[5:32] I know what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna do wine and Dr Pepper.because you know it's like a special thing
[5:33] from our grandma. It's like the kind of thing at a party that I know everyone will want to try it because it's
[5:34] so stupid and weird. But you do have to know, and it is better than it sounds.
[5:35] Emma
[5:36] It's way better than it sounds,
[5:37] Elsie
[5:38] but it is what you think. It's what you think, but it's better than it sounds. Yeah. Okay. All right. So I have
[5:39] one more, and this one is just for me. So all the other ones have been like family things, you know,
[5:40] Christmassy memories, blah blah. This one is just for mommy. Nice. Yeah. So write a new first draft. So
[5:41] all year, as we've discussed, I've been querying my first novel this year, and I started in February. So
[5:42] I've basically been doing it the whole year. I did it part of 2025 too. So basically, this whole year I've
[5:43] been kind of in this process. And when I first sent it off, I started writing on a new novel, and then I got
[5:44] an R and R, so I had to work on my novel again. Like go back to my first, did that for a few months, and
[5:45] then sent it off again. And then I started again on another separate project, and then like a month. Later,
[5:46] I got another R and R, and I've been doing that for four months. So almost this whole year, I've been
[5:47] working on my first novel, but more, which has been amazing, and I'm really proud of the work and
[5:48] what I've learned. But I feel like there's like this itch inside of me that I haven't been able to start a new
[5:49] project, and I'm just like dying. And then on the last, I had this like two week break recently, and I on the
[5:50] two week break I started again. So I'm doing a mystery. It's a like a who done it mystery, and it's a
[5:51] gothic, and it's so yeah. So I'm so excited. So I I'm gonna try to write that in November and December.
[5:52] So this director who I like, I think his name is Ryan Coogler. Ryan Kegler. I I'm sorry if I'm saying it
[5:53] wrong, but he had the movie This Year Weapons, which was my favorite. I think it was my favorite
[5:54] movie of the year.
[5:55] Emma
[5:56] We talked about a lot.
[5:57] Elsie
[5:58] I really liked it.
[5:59] Emma
[6:00] It looked too scary, and I still considered watching it because of your.
[6:01] Elsie
[6:02] It's a horror comedy.
[6:03] Emma
[6:04] Too scary for me. It's a horror comedy. It's probably too scary for you, but it's really not that scary. And
[6:05] I'm a loser.
[6:06] Elsie
[6:07] There's a lot of people that hate horror movies. I understand. I'm not one.
[6:08] Emma
[6:09] I don't really think I'm a loser. I'm just making fun of myself.
[6:10] Elsie
[6:11] But there's levels to it, and it's like it's like two chili peppers out of five. You know what I mean? Like it's
[6:12] pretty low. Like it has blood, but it's it's silly and funny and yeah. So anyway, he had this Instagram
[6:13] video where he explained how he writes a script, and he says that on his first draft, he pretends that he
[6:14] is an elf, and he said the elf will write the whole first draft for you, and you pay him $1, so you get what
[6:15] you pay for. You don't expect a lot out of the elf, and the only his only job is to finish the document, and
[6:16] then you have something to kind of start from after that. So you kind of think of step one, like some
[6:17] people call it zero draft, but I really like the term elf draft.
[6:18] Emma
[6:19] I picture a little Gizmo type thing. He's like ah.
[6:20] Elsie
[6:21] It's funny because the truth is like I now that I'm not new to this anymore, it works. Like I I think this
[6:22] method is very effective. So he's just like write the first one as fast as you can, as messy as you can,
[6:23] and like obviously like you want it to be like based. You don't just want it to be like random. You want it
[6:24] to be based on the story you're trying to tell, but it can be a really bad version of that story, and that is
[6:25] not going to matter eventually. So, and I'm definitely like a reviser. I'm not a clean drafter, so I don't. I'm
[6:26] I'm not trying to be. So anyway, um, yeah, elf draft. If you haven't, so you can write a first draft quickly,
[6:27] and I definitely never have, but I'm gonna try this time. I kind of just liked as you explained it to. I was
[6:28] like, oh, this is sort of a different version when people say write a first draft. It's like this is kind of yes,
[6:29] it's the same thing, almost like a more like cute, positive way of saying the same thing. So I'm into it,
[6:30] where I I really am just picturing like little gizmo who's like, if I finish this, I get $1. You know, like he's
[6:31] just like do as fast as you can. Yeah, I'm like that's fun, and it will be kind of a first draft, but it's like it's
[6:32] also part of it. It's like the first layer, yeah, out of all the layers you're going to add to it, and you might
[6:33] even like move some things around, but it's going to help you to see it a little better once you get it up.
[6:34] You definitely will. Like you don't have to feel emotionally attached to your first draft. You never have to
[6:35] show, and you shouldn't like ever show it to anyone ever. It's just for you. It's just like an idea, like a
[6:36] show of ideas. So yeah, yeah. But anyway, I'm I am really enjoying this project, and it's just like it's new,
[6:37] it's different, it's so exciting for me to be like in a new world, and it's very different from my first book. So
[6:38] anyway, I'll come back around January 1 and tell you if I achieved this. This is kind of like since this
[6:39] one's my like the other ones are gonna happen.
[6:40] Emma
[6:41] This one is like it might or it might not, so I'll I'll hold some accountability with it. I love it. Okay, my last
[6:42] one is kind of like a chore that I also really do want to get done, and it's that I'd really like to hire
[6:43] someone to install Christmas lights this year. Oh yeah, me too. So years ago, like three years ago, or
[6:44] maybe almost four years ago now. Whenever we first bought our house, I did get some very minimal. I
[6:45] guess you could say Christmas lights, but they're really just like outdoor lights put on our house. They
[6:46] were extremely minimal because it was something that I wanted I have turned on all winter long. Yeah,
[6:47] they were they were great, but they don't last forever. They last a long time. But we had this really big
[6:48] storm this past spring, and that was kind of the end. Like they were like hanging off. Like it was like
[6:49] okay, they've hung on as long as they can, and this was it. This was the final thing. So I was like, okay,
[6:50] this is the year that I could do that if I want. And I don't think I'm necessarily going to do like a crazy.
[6:51] Like I don't think I'm going to do colors. I think it'll all be white. But I would like to do like a little bit more
[6:52] than the minimal that we had before, so that it's something that does feel a little bit more holiday. But I
[6:53] could leave it on in the winter, and it's not like obnoxious, you know. Like it doesn't say like ho ho ho on
[6:54] my roof or something, you know. So anyway, there's lots of companies that do this. Actually, Trey has a
[6:55] cousin. Her and her husband have a company, and I think it's called O Holy Lights, but they're in Dallas.
[6:56] I would love to hire them, but they're in Dallas and not where I live. So I know there'll be companies
[6:57] around here that do it. I feel like I've even seen like yard signs before. So I'm kind of like waiting to see
[6:58] those yard signs start to pop up, so I can like take a picture and call that number and be like, "Hey, I
[6:59] want to get some Christmas lights installed. Come give me a quote. So yes, just one of those things. It's
[7:00] it's like I'm really excited to have outdoor lights. I love driving home and like the lights are on, and it's
[7:01] just like I don't just feel so great. But the truth is, as far as like accomplishing this, it's more like I just
[7:02] need to find a company and get a quote and make sure I'm happy with the quote, or then whatever, and
[7:03] then book a day and then pay them, and it's like it's actually none of that's like fun, but the result is
[7:04] something I'm really looking forward to and cozy. That's the final thing on my list.
[7:05] Elsie
[7:06] I think all house stuff is like that. Yeah, like the messy middle is not fun at all, but it is it is nice when you
[7:07] have like whenever I tell people where I live in the neighborhood. Everyone's just like, "Where do you
[7:08] live?" And I'm like, "At the house with the pumpkin fence." And every 100% of the time, everyone
[7:09] knows.
[7:10] Emma
[7:11] I've mentioned before people like, "Your sister lives in around where she lives." And I'm like, "Oh, it's on
[7:12] this street, whatever." And they're like, "Oh, the pumpkin fence."
[7:13] Elsie
[7:14] Yes. And I'm like, "Yeah, I'm a famous professor."
[7:15] Emma
[7:16] Yeah, and it's worth it. Like, I got that fence made just so I could put pumpkins on it. It was and it was
[7:17] dumb, but is it? No, it was smart. It was genius. No, honestly, people who don't live in this
[7:18] neighborhood, I've kind of said what street you're on, and they're like, "Oh, the pumpkin fence." And I'm
[7:19] like, "Yes! Oh my god! Yes, magical."
[7:20] Elsie
[7:21] Okay, our bonus round is we are gonna go both of us oldest children only for this activity. We're gonna
[7:22] go to the Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium, which is kind of like recently I was in Arkansas and someone
[7:23] was like, "How is that Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium? Like it's famous." Oh, we have had friends who
[7:24] live across the country. Yeah, like oh, I heard an adquarium fast. In Prairie. yeah. And recently, it got
[7:25] even worse. So once a year or so, Brad Pitt comes to Springfield because he's from here. Yeah, this
[7:26] time family lives. He made a bunch of videos for Bass Pro. Oh, he did. Yeah. Oh, I haven't seen him. I
[7:27] gotta look this up. They're just iPhone videos, but he participated, yeah, and so now it's like even more
[7:28] people are knowing about Bass Pro. But I mean, it's kind of it's like it was never my thing because
[7:29] obviously it's Baspero, okay? But this aquarium is actually my thing. Like I'm in love with it. It's so
[7:30] magical, and it's just it's like above the level of our town, so both of our oldest children are more the
[7:31] science loving kids. So we're gonna take them, and they have I don't know if it's an alligator or a
[7:32] crocodile, but they have a I think it's a crocodile with albinism, and I think its name is Snowball. So we
[7:33] kind of fell in love with that. That's a special thing we're gonna visit.
[7:34] Emma
[7:35] And the gift shop. The last time I went, I took both boys, and in the gift shop, I told them they could
[7:36] each pick out a stuffy stuffed animal, and they picked out a green crocodile and a white. The albumin is
[7:37] a crocodile because they have them in the gift shop, and so now we have those around our house too,
[7:38] and it's like really cute.
[7:39] Elsie
[7:40] That's cute. I'll have to get one when we go. But yeah, they put they've been putting up. I mean, it is like
[7:41] neon light. Like you can't not see this place when you drive by it.
[7:42] Emma
[7:43] Yeah.
[7:44] Elsie
[7:45] Neon lights for miles. So anyway, they have been flashing up there that they're having like a Christmas
[7:46] light show in the aquarium. So we're gonna do that. That's our Missouri Christmas, I guess, in the Polar
[7:47] Express.
[7:48] Emma
[7:49] Yeah, man.
[7:50] Elsie
[7:51] Okay, we're doing it. Try to love where you live. Why not do your best? Why not? Okay, we have some
[7:52] amazing listener questions from Laura Jane. It's kind of a series of questions. Which honestly, like, if
[7:53] you want to send a five and one question, this is your sign. Do you want to read them? Yes, they're
[7:54] really sweet.
[7:55] Emma
[7:56] First one is: I really enjoyed your recent episode about little free libraries, and it increased my desire to
[7:57] have one by 1,000%. This is more of a comment, but we're like, yes.
[7:58] Elsie
[7:59] There's like two things in life, maybe five, that I want to be an influencer on. One of them is little free
[8:00] libraries. One of them is pajamas. One of them is homemade checks mix. I don't know what the other
[8:01] two would be. Probably watching Gremlins as a Christmas movie, and there's one or two more. But like
[8:02] that's it. That's all we want. This is so meaningful to me that if we get anyone who listens to build a little
[8:03] free library, we're thrilled.
[8:04] Emma
[8:05] Our work here is done, but we're not finished or anything. We're just we're gonna keep trying to get
[8:06] more people to build little free libraries. It makes the world a better place. Then participate in it. That's
[8:07] great too. That also counts, by the way.
[8:08] Elsie
[8:09] It does. Yeah. If you you don't have to have one because not every house is meant to have one. Like if
[8:10] you don't have walkers, you don't need one where you live, there, you know, you can add them at
[8:11] parks. There's sometimes you can add them at at public places and kind of be the steward for it, even
[8:12] though it's not your house. I have one. A lot of churches have them. Yes, a lot of churches, and it kind
[8:13] of does need a person who's taking care of it to be like a superior one. Okay, the next question or the
[8:14] first question.
[8:15] Emma
[8:16] What are your top favorite books that you've read in your book club since being a part of the same one?
[8:17] Elsie
[8:18] Okay, so I'm gonna take full credit for this. I think my punch card was kind of like the so yeah, um, it
[8:19] was not everyone. Okay, so our book club it's not quite a real book club. It's a club though.
[8:20] Emma
[8:21] Oh, it's a club.
[8:22] Elsie
[8:23] Sometimes we do nonfiction. Like one time we did the Artist's Way, and it took like months. You know
[8:24] what I mean? So it's it's not necessarily like a book club where we read a fiction book every month. So
[8:25] with that in mind, I made this punch card. I think last spring, and it was like book to movie adaptations,
[8:26] and it was like you read the book and you watch the movie, and then you put gold stars each time you
[8:27] do it. And then when you finish, yeah, when you finish, you get a personal pan pizza that you buy
[8:28] yourself, but nevertheless, and well, and that's fine because we let we're actually gonna do that for
[8:29] lunch after we finish recording today. Yeah, the personal pan pizza still holds up if you wanted to. It
[8:30] does. It really does. Love it. Yeah. So are we influencers for Pizza Hut? Maybe. So please do book to
[8:31] movie adaptations if you just need an idea for your book club. And people liked it. And we just finished
[8:32] the last one was Clara and the Sun, and that movie just came out. So I need to make a new one now
[8:33] with the with the movies that are coming out this year, which is really easy to find on Instagram. There's
[8:34] like announcements every day for all the movies coming out and the dates, and it's just yeah, it's really
[8:35] exciting. I I like adaptations, and I just think it's like very fun to like compare. Yeah, you know, every
[8:36] once in a while the movie's better, but you know usually the book is better, and that's normal.
[8:37] Emma
[8:38] I love it when they intentionally make the movie kind of different. I feel like it gives you just another thing
[8:39] to. It's like another level of the book club. I like it too. Where it's like, oh, there's more to discuss if they
[8:40] like change the ending or they cut out a character. They just like made the vibe really different. And
[8:41] there's always going to be one better or worse, like as far as your own opinion, or maybe everyone
[8:42] feels the same way. But I just like that it gives you like another level of things to discuss in book club,
[8:43] book movie club, I guess.
[8:44] Elsie
[8:45] I just made a note that we're going to do an episode after the new year just about adaptations, and then
[8:46] we'll do another episode just about audio books. That'll be so fun.
[8:47] Emma
[8:48] Okay, all right. The next one is if you could choose a specific theme or genre for a book club, what
[8:49] would it be? For example, I just started one with the parents at my kid's school, and we're only reading
[8:50] books that have been turned into movies or shows. And then at our meetings, oh, having a watch party.
[8:51] Cute. She gets it. That yeah, that's what we're just discussing.
[8:52] Elsie
[8:53] Okay, I have two ideas. Do you have?
[8:54] Emma
[8:55] Well, so our book club in the past has mostly been nonfiction because I think that's like a different
[8:56] version of a book club. It's almost more like a little bit of a therapy group or a little bit of a you know
[8:57] we're trying to learn about something together or improve our lives in some some way that's valuable to
[8:58] us, whatever you know. So that's an idea. If you're like, ah, my friends don't really read fiction, but we
[8:59] still want to like do something together. It's like, oh yeah, try a nonfiction book or some kind of
[9:00] workshop, or you know, it doesn't have to be a book, but some kind of project that you do together.
[9:01] Artist Way is kind of a combination because it has a lot of reading, but it's also like a 12 week program.
[9:02] Elsie
[9:03] Okay. If I was starting a new book club from scratch, though, because I feel like our established book
[9:04] club, it's it's true. It's like we're it's chaotic. We want to do whatever we want.
[9:05] Emma
[9:06] It's chaotic.
[9:07] Elsie
[9:08] Okay. If I was starting a new one from scratch, besides the adaptations, I love that idea. I would either
[9:09] do all Weird Girl books because I do feel like there's so many good weird girl books now, and there's so
[9:10] many different directions you could take it, and also a lot of them you do need a personal
[9:11] recommendation before getting into these books. At least I do. Yeah. And then the second one I think
[9:12] would be fun to do is just like an all cozy girl book club where you're like kind of like the John Green
[9:13] vibe book club, you know what I mean? Like where it's just like we're just gonna do like feel good stuff,
[9:14] uplit, uplit, and also like yeah, maybe also just like I don't know things that feel like comforting. I don't
[9:15] know. Yeah, I like it.
[9:16] Emma
[9:17] I think, like as far as like a theme that I would probably be like, oh, that's for me for a book club, like a
[9:18] group. I would probably be most interested in literary because I feel like then it would give me. I tend to
[9:19] read literary books very slowly because I think they are books that you can savor. They tend to have
[9:20] very flowery language and a slower plot, and you know things like that. Not all of them, but you know.
[9:21] So I think having kind of like a deadline that is involved in a group would be kind of nice in a way. It
[9:22] would keep me moving on them. Yeah, and I love literary books generally. So often shorter, and they're
[9:23] all kind of shorter, and there tends to be more to discuss. Because I would love. Here's what I was
[9:24] going to say next, because I think that's more like good for a group. I, as you know, love romance. I
[9:25] could definitely be in a romance book club, but I don't know if I have that much to discuss. For me,
[9:26] they're much more like my own pleasure. Yeah, you know, like, and I don't know if I have as much, you
[9:27] know, to discuss. I don't know, like, did you like that sex scene? Yes or no. That's kind of it's a pretty
[9:28] short discussion, really. That's not all about the sex scenes, but you know, there there's things to
[9:29] discuss. I would definitely do well in a romance book club. I have opinions. I have you know, yeah, I'm
[9:30] into it. But I also feel like I don't know. I don't know if I would join it because I'd be like, I'm already
[9:31] reading a ton of those. Yeah, and I don't even. I'm not going to slow down for the group, like you know.
[9:32] So that, and then I also I would love like a murder mystery book club. So I love true crime. I really, in
[9:33] particular, love love. This is kind of a weird way to word it, but I listen to a lot of wrongful conviction
[9:34] podcasts. I really like learning about criminal law. I've mentioned this before, and I like just the process
[9:35] of gathering evidence and the different scientific technology that's been developed over the years for
[9:36] like tracking different things down.
[9:37] Elsie
[9:38] Yeah, like more than five times, Emma has like in a serious tone been like, "If you murder someone,
[9:39] these three things you need to know. You don't do this. You do this. I'm like, oh my god!
[9:40] Emma
[9:41] I always like when whatever you do, answer no questions. Just say I want a lawyer. Say nothing. Say I
[9:42] want a lawyer. She's like, don't give them any times.
[9:43] Elsie
[9:44] Like she's giving me all these tips, and I'm like, why do you think I'm gonna need this?
[9:45] Emma
[9:46] In case someone accuses you of murdering someone.
[9:47] Elsie
[9:48] I love that for you.
[9:49] Emma
[9:50] But I think I would like the book club. Yeah, because you can kind of all together be. It's almost like
[9:51] doing a puzzle together. Yeah, you know, a fictional.
[9:52] Elsie
[9:53] What about like a banger hits book club? Because I feel like sometimes I can't get myself motivated to
[9:54] read a banger hit, but I want to be a part of culture.
[9:55] Emma
[9:56] What do you mean a banger hit?
[9:57] Elsie
[9:58] Like Fourth Wave, like really popular books. Okay, you know sometimes I'm like I don't want to, but like
[9:59] if if it was a group activity, I would do it. Yeah, you know what I mean.
[10:00] Emma
[10:01] Yeah. A banger hits club would be great. I mean, I think a classics. I would join that too. Oh yeah, that'd
[10:02] be fun because some of them, even if I have read it, it was probably like 20 years ago at this point.
[10:03] Yeah. So it's like, yeah, because you're reading Great Gatsby right now. I am, and that's kind of fun. So
[10:04] if you were like in a little group of people who were like, we're all reading Great Gatsby, and if I read it
[10:05] 20 years ago, I'm reading it again because I don't remember everything, you know. And it's like just kind
[10:06] of fun. And a lot of those are short classics, and they're kind of random. I don't know that that could be
[10:07] fun too. Yeah, basically, top line. There's no bad book club. Any book club is is exciting to us.
[10:08] Apparently, join any book.
[10:09] Elsie
[10:10] Even yeah, even if it was like gonna get me to read genres that I like a little bit avoid, I think I would still
[10:11] enjoy that because you would have the group dynamic to like push you into like out of your comfort
[10:12] zone.
[10:13] Emma
[10:14] Yeah.
[10:15] Elsie
[10:16] Fun.
[10:17] Emma
[10:18] Okay. How do you track what you've read or want to read? Do you set reading goals, and how do you
[10:19] go about setting them and keeping up with the goals?
[10:20] Elsie
[10:21] So I have a secret Goodreads. I did have to like I did used to have a public Goodreads, but I did switch
[10:22] to a secret Goodreads. Yeah, I had to switch to a secret because I I did I just wanted for myself to have
[10:23] like a documenting a totally honest documenting space.
[10:24] Emma
[10:25] Oh, you felt like when you have a bad review, you didn't really want it to be public. That kind of thing.
[10:26] Elsie
[10:27] Yeah, you're not supposed to. If you're trying to be an author, you're not even supposed to have like you
[10:28] know a medium star. Like, and I don't, and I don't want that publicly right accessible. So, yeah, like,
[10:29] you're gonna read books you don't enjoy, and that's okay. But just not to say them in public. But I
[10:30] honestly, like, it's been fun. I have one follower, so yeah, I don't, I don't really have any. I, it's a, it's a
[10:31] totally private thing. Okay, so I do the 52. Like my goal is 52 every year, and the last two years it's been
[10:32] kind of hard for me to get it. So I'm like a little. I'm behind this year. I was behind last year. I think last
[10:33] year I did not get it, and then the years before that I got like 70 or 80. So I don't understand actually like
[10:34] what I like. I don't. Exact. I think it's that I stopped food blogging. I think it's the food blogging.
[10:35] Emma
[10:36] Like you would listen to audio books a lot while you food blog.
[10:37] Elsie
[10:38] Yes.
[10:39] Emma
[10:40] There's a lot of dishes to do. You'd be shocked. Yeah, yeah.
[10:41] Elsie
[10:42] Like it made a huge difference. How do you track? Do you have goals or?
[10:43] Emma
[10:44] No.
[10:45] Elsie
[10:46] Do you have a TBR?
[10:47] Emma
[10:48] Yeah it's called a bookshelf, and I have a whole bunch of books on there that I haven't read yet, and it's
[10:49] like very literal and in my home. I was thinking though recently, my husband and I were having a date
[10:50] night, and he was like, "What are the best books you've read this year?" So I was like, "I really need our
[10:51] podcast show notes right now because I like I have a little bit of a thing where I'm like not the best with
[10:52] memory. I'm a very like always moving forward person, so I like save a lot of photos of my life and stuff
[10:53] like that. Like I, you know, I have very intentional things I do because I know that I'm like this. Where I
[10:54] just like, and I was like, you know, I do kind of forget what I've read because as soon as we talk about it
[10:55] on the podcast, I'm kind of like, there you go, the end, moving on, and then I've forgotten half of them.
[10:56] And if I go back and look, I'm like, oh yeah, I did like that. So anyway, so I was thinking I might do
[10:57] something this coming year as part of like a New Year's resolution type thing. Here's what I'm hoping
[10:58] for, and I haven't researched. So if you know of this, feel free to send me a link. And if it doesn't exist,
[10:59] then I will find that out soon, and I will be set. But I would really love basically like a spiral bound book,
[11:00] like a physical book that I can write in and also potentially print off little photos of book covers or like cut
[11:01] them out of you know whatever and take them out this in one Google search. Yeah, I think so. I think
[11:02] so. And this, I'm gonna ask for this for Christmas for my partner.
[11:03] Elsie
[11:04] Oh, cute!
[11:05] Emma
[11:06] I like to give him ideas. He he buys he picks out stuff too, but like it's I kind of like to like give a couple
[11:07] ideas. So anyway, I have a Goodreads. I'm not really I'm like you. I'm not that interested. I give my
[11:08] reviews of books on this podcast. Like all the books that I really love this year, I've talked about them on
[11:09] the podcast, and I will continue to do that. Like I love talking about books that I love, but I also
[11:10] sometimes have books that I was like medium on, or I don't know whatever. And I'm like, yeah, I don't
[11:11] really feel like putting that somewhere public. I don't really know why I would. Like it's strange to me. It's
[11:12] like showing everyone my dirty laundry. I'm like, why? If you want to, that's fine, but I don't see a point.
[11:13] Elsie
[11:14] So I feel I feel like self conscious about it because I also feel like it's like yucking someone else's yum,
[11:15] and that's like not cool. So I don't like that.
[11:16] Emma
[11:17] I think if other people are out there leaving reviews that are medium to bad, that's fine. You do whatever
[11:18] you want. I just think for me, I don't see the point. To me, that sounds like work, but I'm not getting
[11:19] anything out of it. So I'm like, why would I want to do that? To me, that just sounds like I'm like doing
[11:20] free work for these companies that own these websites. So I'm like, I'm not really interested in that. But
[11:21] I am interested in like saving my own thoughts and memories, like journaling and things like that. Like,
[11:22] why would I put my private journal online? I would.
[11:23] Elsie
[11:24] I actually need to get this book too because I think that when it's fresh on your mind, when you just
[11:25] finished or you're in the middle of reading it, writing down what you hated about it can be like a really
[11:26] valuable. Like you can learn a lot from that.
[11:27] Emma
[11:28] Yeah.
[11:29] Elsie
[11:30] You know, or what you loved, you know.
[11:31] Emma
[11:32] Yeah, and I would ideally again, I'm designing this in my mind, and it probably exists or maybe it
[11:33] doesn't. I don't know, but I can put a little picture of the cover. It has space for me to write what I think. I
[11:34] could color in bubbles of stars, and I'd also love a little space to put like a couple of quotes. So if there
[11:35] were like a few quotes from the book that I just loved and underlined, then I can put them in there. You
[11:36] know, like that's to me would be great. And then I could have this for forever. And then, if I was like
[11:37] wanting to talk with a friend about books, I could bring it with me to meeting them for coffee and be like,
[11:38] "I read these this year," you know, or whatever. Yeah, to me, that's like fun. And then I'm not pulling out
[11:39] my phone and probably getting lost on my phone, you know, like I don't know. Yeah, no, that's exciting. I
[11:40] love. Okay, the last question is: Do you have authors you love following on social media or their
[11:41] Substack newsletters? Do you have any? Emma is off social media. I have a long list, so you go first. I
[11:42] actually am only subscribed to like two or three newsletters. I need to add more because I do love
[11:43] getting newsletters, and they're mostly friends or kind of more like lifestyle people. I don't actually don't
[11:44] have any. The thing I've been into lately though is I will just search on my podcast app an author's
[11:45] name. Oh, and I love I love to find new interviews. Like recently, Barbara King Solver is doing interviews
[11:46] because she has a new book that just came out, and so I was listening to one of her interviews the
[11:47] other day with I think Terry Gross or something. It was like you know on one of those big big ones. But I
[11:48] also sometimes love finding an author, and it's like a five year ago interview, and they're kind of talking
[11:49] about writing, and they're talking about how they got started or just whatever. So I do a lot of that where
[11:50] I'm like. Looking up authors and just like looking for interviews. I love. I wish Arl Stein did more
[11:51] interviews because I'm always wanting another interview from Arnold Stein. I will rewatch things like his
[11:52] Dax Shepard interview.
[11:53] Elsie
[11:54] That's actually the only episode of yeah, whatever that podcast is, the Dax Shepherd, Armchair Expert.
[11:55] Armchair expert. It's the only Armchair Expert I've ever listened to is the R.L. Stine one.
[11:56] Emma
[11:57] Oh, really? I listen to more. II do like it, but I've re-listened to that one a number of times because I just
[11:58] love RL Stein. I just love him.
[11:59] Elsie
[12:00] He's adorable. When he starts talking about therapy, you like stop, Grandpa.
[12:01] Emma
[12:02] We're from different generations.
[12:03] Elsie
[12:04] Cool. I love him. I know. I would do anything to meet him. I. It's one of my dreams. And then I were like,
[12:05] "Hurry up, too! We gotta, we gotta hurry." Okay, my favorite people to follow on social media. So Anne
[12:06] Patchett. So you follow Parnassus Bookstore, her bookstore in Nashville. She does book
[12:07] recommendations almost every single week, and she's really, really cute. Carol Claire Burke, who wrote
[12:08] yesteryear, I loved. I started following her just like immediately when yesteryear came out, and I just like
[12:09] loved watching her journey because she had such a crazy year, and it was just it was very entertaining.
[12:10] And I think that like she comes across as a very good humored person who's like able to like find humor
[12:11] in a lot of like people being really mean, so I loved her. Yeah, she's smart, she's funny, she's snarky.
[12:12] Yes, everything, all of it. Yeah, one of my favorite writers, Alice Hoffman. So I follow her on everything.
[12:13] She's had some really good Substacks this year, and I will like always be first to comment. She's my
[12:14] dream best friend. So yeah, I'm there where she is. I am. Brandon Sanderson is okay. So he, I think
[12:15] that he is like the ultimate brand clarity. He's the person I look up to most as far as like a business brain
[12:16] as an author. I am fascinated by him. I'm not as much. I'm not much of a fantasy reader, and I read one
[12:17] of his books, and I loved it. But it's it's not, yeah. No, I read the um the Tress and the Emerald. Oh,
[12:18] that's right. Yeah, and I loved it. It I did, but it but it's just it's not for me. I know that I'm not in his
[12:19] audience as a reader, but as a again dream best friend, I'm kind of like first in line.
[12:20] Emma
[12:21] Fangirl.
[12:22] Elsie
[12:23] I am a fan girl. So I really like listening to. He has a lot of podcasts. He's very online. He has a great
[12:24] TikTok. I took his class that he posted on his YouTube. He posted his entire college course that he
[12:25] teaches twice, and he's just he is wonderful. Similarly, John Green. I just love John Green. Like I like
[12:26] can't I can go on and on and on and on, but he's he has the personality of a bestie, and he's just such a
[12:27] like warm person. And the the things that he said, I feel like you can learn a lot from him. And then I
[12:28] also love supporting and like learning from people who are in the stage of their career that I'm in, so
[12:29] people who are querying, people who are heartbroken, people who are struggling, and people who are
[12:30] like having their first book, their debut. Yeah. So my favorite, favorite person to follow is Christy Ann
[12:31] Jones. She had her debut this year. It was called Theodora's Tea House, and it's a cozy fantasy. And I
[12:32] know I had to go to lengths to get it because it was a it was not a U.S. release and like I pre-ordered it
[12:33] and came like a month later, whatever. Yeah, so she's just like a wonderful person, and her YouTube
[12:34] channel is my very very very favorite. And then I also follow this girl called E.L. Shen. She had a book
[12:35] called Foreigners this year. Can't wait to read that one as well. So anyway, and I have more. Oh, there's
[12:36] this girl. I watch her videos every single day on TikTok. Her name is Casey B. Keegan, and her book is
[12:37] called Hot Young Widow. I told Emma, oh yeah, I'll get it for you immediately. She's just like very. So I I
[12:38] like following people who are kind of in a similar place as me. A lot of people who get are getting book
[12:39] deals and who are having their like breakthrough at this current moment are in the fantasy genre. So
[12:40] anytime I find someone who's like not in fantasy, you know, because I'm not in fantasy, I'm always like
[12:41] immediately yes.
[12:42] Emma
[12:43] Love it.
[12:44] Elsie
[12:45] Yes. Anyway, yeah. But it's and Barbara Kingsolver also. Yeah.
[12:46] Emma
[12:47] Yeah. I mean, if we're just listing authors, we love. But she has good. She has good social media, and
[12:48] she does give a great interview. Yeah, Bonnie Armists. But yeah, and Kristen Hannah. Yeah, it's fun
[12:49] when authors have new books come out. One because you get to read the new book, but I also feel
[12:50] like if they do any amount of press, then it's fun because it's like you're getting to hear from someone
[12:51] you're you know who you get to pretend as your friend in your head. I love it.
[12:52] Elsie
[12:53] The main reason why I would probably never delete TikTok is that I love watching the press tours that
[12:54] actors have to do when their movies come out. Like I love them; they're great.
[12:55] Emma
[12:56] Yeah, I believe you. Okay, so now we have kind of a game. I don't know. I don't know if it's a game. It's
[12:57] a game activity. Let whatever. No, it's a game, and everyone has to play along. This is from Tara or
[12:58] Tara. Not sure. My friends and I did this thing where we all chose three characters. Could be movie,
[12:59] book, show that we felt like embodied us, and then we explained why. So, for example, I chose Daria
[13:00] from Daria, Kathleen Kelly from You've Got Mail and Frank from Frank, and it's Michael Fassbender. I
[13:01] actually had to look that one up because I was not familiar with it.
[13:02] Elsie
[13:03] Yeah, I don't know Frank.
[13:04] Emma
[13:05] Yeah, and then she says, "I would love to hear about which characters you think most embody you." So
[13:06] we get to pick three fictional characters, and we're going to explain how they embody us. Okay, you
[13:07] want to go first?
[13:08] Elsie
[13:09] Yes. So I first picked Morticia Adams because I am and will always be a tryhard. It is one of my defining
[13:10] traits, and I will always try the hardest. Like that is a character with a brand, and I like strong brand.
[13:11] Yes, yes. And then second, I picked Amy March. Like I feel like people who don't know me think that I'm
[13:12] a Joe. Everyone who knows me knows that I'm an Amy, and that's the real. That's the real truth.
[13:13] Emma
[13:14] From Little Women, if you don't know.
[13:15] Elsie
[13:16] Yes, from Little Women, she's like the sister who gets everything she wants, and she talks all the time
[13:17] about how big her dreams are, and she says a lot of delusional things, and I just relate with her the
[13:18] most. Yeah, yeah. And then Emma made me put Elle Woods.
[13:19] Emma
[13:20] I did make her.
[13:21] Elsie
[13:22] And it's true. I thought about it, but I didn't want to put it. I wanted to put something cooler. But the truth
[13:23] is, the truth is, Elle Woods is very cool. I know, I know, I know. The truth is, it's true. When I get my aura
[13:24] picture taken, I always have the pink aura. It is always there, somehow present. It's like the type of
[13:25] person that gets like often underestimated, and a lot of times it was like my aura was pink and red, and
[13:26] the red is like the businessy person, and yeah, the pink is like you know, you're Jessica Simpson, you
[13:27] know things like that, and I definitely have a piece of that to me because I have been chronically
[13:28] underestimated my entire life.
[13:29] Emma
[13:30] Yeah, people are always like, "How are you so successful?" I'm like, "Well, she's Elle Woods, so she
[13:31] can get into Harvard." What? Like, it's hard. Yeah, in every single Q and A, people ask me, "How was
[13:32] the main way you made money? But it's like there's not one way. That that's a complex question with a
[13:33] complex answer, and I feel like they're not ready for that. They just want it to be like it. Like I got lucky. I
[13:34] flipped this one switch, and you can too. Yeah, yeah. It's like I don't know. Yeah, yeah. Okay, my three
[13:35] are. So first is Leslie Nope from Parks and Recreation. Perfect. I feel like she's a chronic optimist, and I
[13:36] don't know if I like seem like a Leslie Nope because I think she actually seems a lot sweeter than me.
[13:37] And she like runs for public office. I would never do that. I would never be able to get people to vote for
[13:38] me. I'm just not a yeah. I just don't have that, but I love that she is chronically optimistic, and she never
[13:39] really gives up. And I think I'm kind of chronically optimistic, not in a like delusional way, but sometimes.
[13:40] And I think it works.
[13:41] Elsie
[13:42] You're definitely optimistic, and you're also like her, a doer. Like if you have an idea, you will do it, and
[13:43] you will complete it.
[13:44] Emma
[13:45] iYeah, and I also love waffles. Okay, and then my second one is Linda Belcher from Bob's Burgers. So
[13:46] I've talked about it before, but I love Bob's Burgers. It's probably my favorite show ever. One of our
[13:47] listeners wrote in and was like, "My husband works on the show, and she let me know when it's coming
[13:48] back." So thank you. I was hoping you saw that. Oh, I saw it. Oh, I saw it, and I was like, should I email
[13:49] this person and be like, can we just be friends now? Because I think you should. Job, but I was like,
[13:50] that's kind of weird. Maybe don't be weird, Emma. But anyway, anytime we're watching Rob's Burgers
[13:51] at home, it's kind of like an inside joke with my husband, my partner. That he's like, oh, you're a Tina.
[13:52] Oh, you're a Linda. Oh, you're definitely a Bob. Because I'm kind of all of them.
[13:53] Elsie
[13:54] Can you like describe this character? Because I don't know what you're talking about.
[13:55] Emma
[13:56] Okay, so Linda Belcher is the mother.in Bob's Burgers, and she's kind of like loud and funny, but very
[13:57] supportive. But she'll also be like, "Oh no!" And she's just like loves her kids. She's always like, "My
[13:58] babies!" Like that kind of thing. And she's obsessed with her son. She has she's obsessed with all her
[13:59] kids, but she has three kids: two daughters and a son. And it's kind of a little bit of a thing. Like one of
[14:00] the other the other kids will be like, "Dad, what are you gonna wear to mom and and Jean's wedding?"
[14:01] Like she's like obsessed with her son kind of thing. I'm obsessed with my sons. She's just a person
[14:02] who's very like loves Christmas. I mean, she's also like it's wine time, baby. Like she's like that kind of
[14:03] person. Okay, so I just think she's really funny and kind of has a lot of the values that I think I have,
[14:04] which is like family and like being loving and just like yeah, hell yeah. Anyway, okay. And then my last
[14:05] one is Sally Owens from Practical Magic. I was kind of thinking the movie version, which is played by
[14:06] Sandra Bullock. She's the old. Sister, and she's kind of the responsible one. She's almost like a little bit
[14:07] of afraid of her magic, so she uses it to like make this apothecary like lotion shampoo store where she
[14:08] is using her gifts, but she's also kind of like not wanting them to get out of control. And I think I can be
[14:09] that way. I'm kind of like a cautious person who sometimes like needs to be pushed to do bigger things,
[14:10] which is why I have a great relationship with my sister because I think you push me to be a bigger
[14:11] dreamer. But I am a naturally very responsible person, and I like that about myself. I think that's a nice
[14:12] thing.
[14:13] Elsie
[14:14] Yeah, Emma's a pragmatic.
[14:15] Emma
[14:16] Yeah, I'm very pragmatic.
[14:17] Elsie
[14:18] Yes. Yeah, great game. Thank you, Tara, for sending, and I hope that all our listeners do the game. It's
[14:19] a great game. You can do this on your next date night. This is your activity.
[14:20] Emma
[14:21] Yeah, it's fun. Do it.
[14:22] Elsie
[14:23] Yes. Thank you so much for listening. So we are fresh out of hot takes. Please send us at
[14:24] podcast@abeautifulmess.com your hottest hot take: be mean, be divisive, and just say the say the
[14:25] thing. You don't have to even caveat it if you don't want to. We'll do that for you. Yeah, send us your like
[14:26] things in life where it's like you think you see the world in a way that other people aren't seeing it. That's
[14:27] a hot take.

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