Making this story a reel after I was shocked by the response in my direct messages.🥹 I mean I always underestimate the amount of people that would empathize with me in any given experience, but hearing that SO many of you relate to a hard feeling is just so darn encouraging for me.🙏🏻🤍 Also, I loved all the tips and ideas that were shared for things that might be a quick fix for the nights like this, and I really wanted those to be collected in one place, to maybe help other parents besides myself.👇🏻📝💭 • • (Edited to add) P.s. I’m fully expecting to see some comments about how I’m ungrateful and selfish for this, and should be lucky that I have so many healthy and beautiful children or something…🤔 And to that I’ll respond preemptively that I have had QUITE the decade my friend, and I’m too tired to prove anything to someone who obviously has no idea what I’m talking about here, so please don’t bother.🤟🏻😘

> My first shot at summerizing the basics of my life up to this point, since you're either new here or it's been a while.😏 < **Continued👇🏻** 🤍 Never did I imagine that 3+ years later and I’d be praying that 2024 would be the year I could officially say I’m a divorcee, but it’s been a great exercise in not waiting for the rain to stop and trying instead to dance in the storm. 🤍 Though I’m still reemerging from my hermit cave and rejoining humanity, my job for the last 10ish years has been as ‘The Freckled Fox’, mostly sharing lifestyle content online, and partnering with brands I love to market their products. Hence why I’ve referred to it as ‘social media marketing’, knowing full well that it’s sometimes called ‘influencing’.✌🏻️ 🤍 I stepped away almost entirely from sharing on social media after separating in 2020, dropping everything (and everyone) to focus solely on healing my kids and myself in privacy and safty. 🤍 These days it’s deeply humbling to be see how far the kids and I have come (and with so much kindness and support around us), and although we we’re not out of the woods yet for sure, I’m just so so grateful for the progress and the happy days. ___ ✨ And that’s about the basics, I think? If you’re interested in a part 2, just leave any questions below in the comments, and follow along so you don’t miss anything;) Oh and while you’re down there, would you take a second to share something about yourself, too? Maybe something you love in honor of February. 🩷 Xoxo

Snow days are for sledding.🛷 (But only about once or twice a season if we’re honest) And no, we did not last more than about 10 minutes before some of us started to get wet and cold, thanks for asking.lol And yes, it definitely took several hours minimum to collect everyone some acceptable snow gear, but in the end the laughs were well worth it.💗 Consider this your sign to go out this week and make some positive core-memory type schtuff.🤟🏻 The End.

Thanks for the memories, 2023.🤟🏻💖

I added a little extra drama.✨ Not sure I’ve made enough reels to justify this trend, but I just felt the need to add mine in the mix! BTS of the random inspo quote, paired with the random video that aren’t the least bit related.👏🏻 So are you inspired or what? Like and follow for more! 😂😘

Start small👇🏻 • If it weren’t for beginners, there would be no experts. If it weren’t for ignorance, nothing would be discovered. If it weren’t for uncertainty, no one could build confidence. If it weren’t for imperfection, there could be no transformation. If it weren’t for insignificance, there would be no potential for greatness. If it weren’t for the place you are now there would be no Ware for you to look back on. If it weren’t for what you lack, there would be no measure for what you gain. - @gfda.co (a brilliant account but with a lot of 'f's that make me recommend it only to adults😁) Currently working hard at remembering this, focusing on my 'why', and my reasoning behind it all, and continuing to push past all the fears that really are inevitable when doing anything new! Challenging myself and you reading this to take the first step with something new this week- especially if it's something you've been putting off for a long time because of fear. Take the first step.🫶🏻

Just a mom in her car, with her side part and her skinny jeans, telling you you’re not alone.😌😘😁

100 points if you can guess what we’re from before I tell you? We went with ‘Miss Peregrine‘s Home for Peculiar Children’ this year, and although almost no one had seen the movie (or read the books) when we told them, we knew! …we knew.😂😂 And if you ARE familiar with the story: Ellie was Olive🔥, Sophie was Emma🫧, John was Hugh🐝, Lydia was Fiona🌿, Evelyn was Claire🦁, Alice was Bronwyn💪🏻, (and I was Miss Alma Peregrine⏱️ of course;)) It was SO darn cold this year on Halloween itself, but the kids really didn’t care and were just excited about collecting candy.haha And while I really loved it all, I think my favorite part was going home to make churros and butterbeer, and then we watched a scary movie until we remembered that it was a school night so we went to bed, and then picked back up the next night. Hahaha I hope your Halloween was spooky and sweet! Xoxo

For my adult Fox Fam out there, I think I’ve found the perfect creepy show you were wanting to watch this Halloweekend! If you’re a fan of Eddie Poe up there, as well as the works of Mike Flanigan (Haunting of Hill House anyone?) they are a match made in heaven with ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ on Netflix.🔥 (#notsponsored 😆) I imagined a more drawn-out version of the original title story, but I quickly found myself in an all-night binge of the whole series after realizing that it was a brilliant culmination of Poe’s most popular short stories and poems! All of it happens in the life of the roderick Usher and family, and while I do have my qualms here and there in the show, it’s the best that I’ve ever seen from Bruce Greenwood, AND Carla Gugino for that matter. Mark Hamil’s character was a fun surprise as well, but there’s really not a bad performance in the whole show.🙌🏻 A few notes to enjoy the mystery better: 1. DO NOT look at the trailer beforehand 2. DO NOT look at the episode names if you can help it! 3. DO expect to see many gruesome deaths and horrific elements right off the bat, but the horror isn’t up to Flanagan’s max by any means. 4. DO look closely for all the Easter eggs and hidden or blatant details from Poe’s other works, unless you’re a purest, in which case you might be too frustrated to enjoy it.😅 Have you seen The Fall of the House of Usher, and if so did you like it? Also, would you leave your favorite Halloween and scary movies for any age in the comments? I’d love to make an awesome list.🕷️ • Edited to add: These photos were taken two years ago by my friend @kentperky while visiting some sites on our little ‘eat pray love’ trip, as I dubbed it.😄

Drop a quick note to your 8-year-old self in the comments, or any age that you felt most alone💔 and tell that amazing kid exactly what YOU needed to hear at that point in time. What you say in the here and now can reach and positively effect that kid inside of you, so whether you type it out with the rest of us or on a piece of scratch paper somewhere, I hope you take a moment and connect to your past self.❤️‍🩹 She deserves more than your criticism and your harsh judgements, and she would never dream of treating YOU the way that you do. She’s so proud of the person you’ve become, and of how much you’ve carried her through to get to this point. 🗄️ Save this post to revisit in those moments when you may need a little perspective shift.🤟🏻

My crack at a 30-second trailer, better late than never, right? Haha Would you want to be friends just from watching this? • • #30secondtrailer #atleastthesongisstilltrending

A list of reminders I need myself almost daily, but tonight I could tell that you needed a couple yourself as well, so listen : 1. You’re doing an amazing job: Even on your toughest days, remember that you’re doing your best, and that’s going to look different every day. 2. Take small steps: Baby steps, one at a time, instead of trying to change or overhaul or etc all at once. Start clearing your days more, and remember that changes don’t have to be big to be effective. 3. Embrace imperfection: You don’t have to be a perfect mom. Your kids don’t WANT a ‘perfect’ mom. They want you, and preferably happy.😌 Embrace your human-ness and cherish the beautiful moments, no matter how small. Your effort matters. 4. Trust your instincts: You know your child better than anyone. Trust your instincts and the choices you make as a parent. 5. Find moments of gratitude: In the midst of building challenges and frustration, gratitude is how you find the silver lining. I heard a long time ago that “gratitude turns what we have into enough.” 6. Self-care is not selfish: Taking time for yourself isn’t selfish; it’s necessary. When you care for yourself, you’re better equipped to care for your family. Period. 7. Celebrate small victories: Celebrate even the smallest achievements and moments of joy in your day. These moments add up and contribute to your overall happiness and the positivity in your home. 8. Take breaks without guilt: It’s essential to take breaks to recharge. This one is for me especially. Guilt for sleeping has been hard to shake, but you can’t feel guilty about needing time for yourself—it’s essential. 9. You are not alone: Lastly, maybe the hardest to remember, is that there ARE so many moms/parents out there that also feel lonely, that also go through periods of overwhelm and deep sadness. Remember that it’s okay to feel this way, and you’re not alone in your journey. 💗 Also, it’s okay to seek professional help if you’re struggling! So many of us have suffered in silence because we didn’t think anyone understood or would help, but that’s not true. You are deserving of support and peace, and your children are deserving of a strong and healthy mom. - 🤍Em