Thrill of the Hunt: Vol 7 (Where Have You Been!?)
A quick bout of thyroid cancer, my favorite find this month, how to keep your kids from fighting, and gifted things I'd buy myself.
A SMALL LIFE UPDATE
Hello, friends! I apologize for my unintended hiatus, but it’s been a little wild over here. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my post referring to my surgery about 10 days ago. I had half of my thyroid removed due to a tiny bit of thyroid cancer. I’ve gotten a lot of questions about it, so here’s the down and dirty version of it:
How did you find this out?
In February, when I had my knee revision surgery (yes, I’m a 35-year-old in the body of an elderly woman), the attending physician noticed that my neck looked a little large. After a quick exam, he recommended that I visit my PCP for a thyroid ultrasound.
The ultrasound revealed several small but suspicious nodules.
After a biopsy, they found that the larger nodule (which was still quite small) was, sadly, malignant. It was advised that my whole thyroid be removed.
When I visited the surgeon, though, he felt like there was a way to save half of it. Luckily, this was the outcome, and I am now the proud owner of half of a thyroid!
Do you need additional treatment?
Luckily, no! In my case, surgery is curative and I won’t need any additional treatment like chemo or radiation.
Recovery hasn’t been too terrible, save for exhaustion and soreness, but I’m starting to feel more like myself - just rocking a lot of button downs and trying not to scare small children with my incision.
I feel very, very fortunate that it was caught early and that this is now behind me. I’m also grateful for all of the prayers, kind words, and good vibes sent my way. They were certainly felt!
Now - we’re back in business!
MAY, WRAPPED
1.) Playroom Fun: Sure, the mess makes me twitch a little, but when they’re engrossed in any non-screen activity (and playing nicely together), I don’t mind the mess at all. Our go-to analog toys are Picasso Tiles (a more affordable, just-as-great alternative to Magnatiles) and these XL Lincoln Logs. (Note: I got these Lincoln Logs at an estate sale years ago. I can’t find the XL version online, but the normal size is also great.)
2.) Amazing Peonies: I photographed a truly stunning wedding in Macon earlier this month, and the flowers were next-level. They kindly let me take some home with me. I’ve never seen peonies like this!
3.) New Pasta: I made this pasta recipe from a reel I saw on Instagram. I didn’t have salmon so I used halibut instead, and added more Boursin than it called for. It was great!
4.) School’s Out: Cue the Alice Cooper hit. The chaos has begun, and the fighting is incessant (see below). Send prayers.
5.) New Umbrellas: I ordered these on sale from Wayfair (a large and medium size) and I love them. They’re still on super sale! They’re significantly cheaper than others that I’ve seen, and since these really only last a year or two for me, it was a no-brainer.
6.) Off to Camp: My daughter is off to sleepaway camp! If you know her, you know this is a BIG DEAL. Rather than send a bunch of clothes to get… well, potentially destroyed by camp fun… I ordered a set of cotton shirts, cotton shorts, and socks - and paired them together in labeled ziplock bags for each day. I added these stick-on labels for good measure. Patting myself on the back!
MAY’S FAVORITE FIND
What’s better than a discount? FREE99! I found these pavers (and this gorgeous concrete planter) in a buy/sell Facebook group, and jumped on them. Our backyard has been relatively neglected since we moved in, and the area coming off of our back porch is no exception. We used these pavers to make a path from the steps to the grass. We’ll add pea gravel to make it really pop, but in the meantime - I’m so happy with how it looks!
Next up: some much-needed landscaping (stay tuned on that front!)
HOW TO KEEP YOUR KIDS FROM FIGHTING
LOL. As if this is intel I can actually provide.
The other day, I posted in Stories about how my children have been at each other’s throats, both literally and figuratively, since the end of school. I’d say 70% of the answers were, “please tell us what they say,” so— here they are!
We have a list on our refrigerator of summer chores that my kids get to pick from if they’re being a menace, but that’s about as far as my tips go.
Have one yourself? Share it below!
GIFTED THINGS I’D DEFINITELY BUY
Why would I recommend that you spend your money on something that I wouldn’t buy myself? Well… I wouldn’t. So, here are some things that I was (very kindly) sent, but that I would 100% buy on my own.
1.) Soshe Beauty Lipstick and Liner: this is, hands down, my favorite lipstick I’ve ever owned. It’s moisturizing with great color. It builds with each pass, and also smells really nice. I got this color (more of a lipstick) and this color (almost like a tinted moisturizer - I wear it daily!), as well as this lip liner. Big, big fan!
2.) Basically everything from the Skin Clique. I was generously gifted this tinted SPF and Hydrinity spray by the Skin Clique a few weeks ago, and I love them both. I have bought many, many things from TSC through the years (shoutout to my girl Claire O’Bryan, aka skincare guru) and I’ve loved them all. (Especially power pads and the Jesus Sand.) This SPF gives just enough tint to even out a fresh face, while also providing legit sun protection. The Hydrinity spray is essentially hand sanitizer for your face. Need I say more?
3.) This adorable pouch set from Rifle Paper Co. has brought so much function to my life, given how remarkably simple (and adorable!) they are. I keep one in my purse with travel-sized makeup and a small hairbrush, and the other stays in my car with small “first aid” type things for the kids and myself. I love them!
4.) Lake & Skye perfume: I’m wildly picky when it comes to perfume, and frankly, don’t like much. I’ve found that I’m not into floral scents, but this one… oh my gosh. It’s divine. It’s fresh, earthy… and, clean? I love it. If you don’t want to commit to one, you can always try their sampler.
AND NOW, FOR A POLL…
I didn’t know that there was controversy in this area, but apparently - there is! A lot of people are fine thrifting homewares, but draw the line at clothes and shoes. What say you? Would you thrift clothing?
That’s all for this week! As always, thank you so much for being here - especially during those few weeks when I didn’t share. I appreciate you!