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Protected: It Doesn’t End Here
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Protected: It Doesn’t End Here

by Kate | #NeverDoneWithFunupdated on October 8, 2020February 8, 2020

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creative motherhood + lifestyle

hi, I'm Kate ...
hi, I'm Kate ...

inspiration & ideas for finding fun in family, fitness, food & more! Suburban Chicago mom cultivating creativity amid the chaos of #momlife

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  • When we took this picture yesterday morning, I was wearing black to show my dissent on Roe v. Wade. 🖤 As we were leaving our local 4th of July parade, the world got darker. We heard about another parade in another Chicago suburb. Highland Park - just an hour north. The scene of yet another mass shooting. 💔

For so many reasons, this one hits too close to home. What if it had been us? What if it had been Wheaton? Could we protect our kids? Could their little legs run fast enough? Would our family get separated in the chaos? Would we all make it out unhurt? Why? WHY? Why does every parent have to consider these possibilities? And WHY do we keep letting this happen?

On the 4th of July, we had to talk to our 9-year-old, 8-year-old and 6-year-old about mass shootings. Because they happen so often now, we need the kids to know. We don’t want them to be perpetually afraid — but we need them to be prepared. 

Now when I look at this picture, I hear their questions in my head. Did people die? In real life? Kids like me? I hear Easton, the 9-year-old, matter-of-factly explaining to his brothers how to hide on a toilet seat in a bathroom stall so you can’t be seen. I hear the steel edge in my own voice when I tell them that if it ever happens at their school, to stay quiet and do EXACTLY what their teachers say.

“Could this happen at our school?”

“Could this happen tomorrow at summer camp?”

“Mommy … this could happen anywhere, couldn’t it?”

I can’t lie to them. I won’t. The stakes are too high. And yet, it’s hard to get out the words to confirm their nightmares — to confirm every parent’s own nightmare.

It could. And we need to fight until it can’t.

Follow my new account @kate.writes.real.life for more like this ❤️‍🔥

#momsdemandaction #marchforourlives #enoughisenough #protectkidsnotguns #guncontrolnow #4thofjuly #highlandpark #lgbtq #lgbtqfamily #blendedfamily #twomoms
  • The past year has been filled with so many hard moments. Moments that challenged me. Moments that almost broke me.

But then there are the moments when it all comes together and I know exactly why I fought like hell to be here. Moments like these, when my heart could split open with the happiness I’ve found. No, scratch that — with the happiness 𝙬𝙚’𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙.

Today and every day, I’m thankful to be right here. ❤️ Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours 🍁 

📸: the oh-so-patient @hbphotography630 

#modernfamily #blendedfamily #buildalifeyoulove #lgbtqfamily #twomoms #familyphotos #familygoals #thanksgiving #lifeafterdivorce
  • Partners ❤️🔎🕵🏻‍♀️🕵🏻‍♀️
  • Questionable parenting decision: Taking three boys ages 5-8 to @medievaltimes_chicago for Mother’s Day. You’d think two moms would know how to do ‘our day’ better. 😂 There was some whining, some tears, some beer, and some light-up weapons ... but somehow a lot of fun too. 

Life these days is far from Insta-perfect but it’s mine ❤️
  • “𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜...” 
- 𝚝𝚊𝚢𝚕𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚠𝚒𝚏𝚝

Sometimes a moment changes everything. A kiss. A sunset. A friendship that’s suddenly more. 

a #loveislove story is on the blog tonight 🖤

#thisisus #lovewins #lovestory #samesexrelationship #lgbtq🌈
  • 𝙄’𝙢 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. 

2020 was a year when a lot of things broke. 2020 didn’t break me — but it did show me things in my life that were broken. 

In the months I’ve been missing on here, I’ve been navigating hard things at home. And here’s where I landed: 𝗜𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬, 𝗜 “𝗳𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱” 𝗺𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲. 𝗕𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁.

It has been broken for a long time, and all we’ve been doing for months on top of years is pretending — and hurting each other in the process. At its core, 2020 was not a year defined by fixing (or breaking) my marriage. It was a year about learning how to trust myself. 

I haven’t written in months but I finally, 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 have words to say. More is on the blog today at last because I’m ready for what comes next. More make-or-break-me moments ahead ... but I haven’t broken yet and I don’t intend to. Day by day and moment by moment, I’ll get through.

If you’re navigating hard things this year too — divorce or anything else — you’re not alone. Trust that there will be happiness on the other side. I do. 💜 
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#inbeautyandchaos #honestmotherhood #bedeeplyrooted #holdthemoments #motherhoodintheraw #teammotherly #motherhoodrising #documentingmotherhood #divorce #divorcedmom #divorcesupport #divorcedparents #neverdone
  • I think I needed a little Christmas magic more than I knew, and an evening downtown this weekend was exactly right to discover it. 🌟 𝔹𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖 ... in Santa. 🎅🏼 In the spirit of the season. ✨ In yourself. ❤️ In whatever reminds you of the magic of the holidays.🎄 Just make sure you still believe in something. 𝕀 𝕕𝕠. ❤️💚
⁣
What’s your favorite winter holiday tradition?
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#neverdonewithfun #chicagogram #chicagomomblogger #macysstatestreet #walnutroom #holidaymagic #christmasinthecity #chicagochristmas #covidchristmas #christmas2020
  • The city at the holidays never fails ❤️💚 Chicago’s @artonthemart is free, outdoors, easy to social distance, and entertaining enough for 20 minutes. You can never have too many lights at the holidays! 🌟🎄 ✨ #artonthemart #merchandisemart #chicagogram #christmasinthecity
  • Exhale. Breathe. Look to the future. Believe it’s all possible. Today is a good day. 💙
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#bidenharris2020 #voteforchange #election2020 #betterdaysahead #keepfaith #possibility #united
  • I’ve been making a real effort lately to experience all the moments of my life instead of just documenting them. So I’ve been less present here in favor of being more present with the people I love. Reprioritization is hard but with the holidays around the corner, necessary. 💜

Speaking of holidays ... certainly the strangest Halloween we’ve had but not the worst one. 🎃 Watch my stories for the epic candy chutes in the neighborhood!

Let’s talk costumes. Did you dress up?

p.s. you guys always know where to find me if you need me 😘
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#neverdonewithfun #latergram #funmom #chicagomomblogger #covidhalloween #quarantinehalloween #trickortreat #pinterestmom #diycostume #boymom #momofboys
  • Let’s talk collagen. Are you using it? What do you think?
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I’ve been using it for three months, switching it up between capsules swallowed in the morning and collagen peptides added to my breakfast smoothie or coffee. It’s tasteless and dissolves fast, so you can really add it to anything.
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What I love best about the effects are my nails. I’ve bitten my nails my entire life because they were brittle and always breaking. Collagen has transformed that and I can’t go back — I love having manicure-able nails at last. Plus, my hair is thicker, stronger and longer than ever. Beauty supplements for the win!
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I’ve teamed up with my favorite brand @ForestLeafNutrition to give you the chance to try collagen, or any of their other supplements. 
⠀⠀
Here’s how to enter to win: 
1. Like and save this photo.
2. Follow @ForestLeafNutrition and @neverdonewithfun.
3. Tag your friends in the comments. Each tag is an additional entry!
 
Good luck! Giveaway open Sunday, October 25 through Wednesday, October 28. Winner will be selected and announced October 29. Open to U.S. residents age 18 and older. This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Instagram.
 
#ad #sponsored #ForestLeaf
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#giveaway #giveawaypost #giveawaysofinstagram #wellnessblogger #livewell #collagen #takeitoutside #bloggermom
  • This one. The apple of my eye or a bad apple? 🙃 I’ve recently coined the, ahem, “diagnosis” Attention-Seeking Syndrome (ASS) for Sawyer. He’s classic second child — if he’s not heard the first time, he’ll just say it again louder. And oh, the sass that comes out of that adorable mouth.
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But then when he steals into my bed at 4 a.m., all long limbs and soft curls, he still fits perfectly in the cradle of my arm and the Sawyer-shaped space in my heart and well ... #thisismotherhood
  • Every year on family photo day, I whisper comfortingly to myself: “All you need is one.”
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Because you don’t need a whole album. You don’t need 200 glamour shots or even an entire Christmas card gallery. You just need one.
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Thanks for capturing our family so perfectly in one shot, @wescraft.family. I only needed one ... but as usual, you overdelivered and I can’t wait to share more 💗
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p.s. a genius photog is everything ... but some serious bribes don’t hurt either. Just sayin.
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#thisisus #familyphoto #mytinytribe #fallminisession #fallfamilyfun #pixelkids #raisingboys #momsirl #honestmotherhood #chicagomomblogger #wescraftphotography
  • Why am I not sleeping at 4 a.m.? My second grader goes back to school today. Wearing a mask, with one-way lines and 6-foot markers taped throughout the whole building, water fountains covered, desks like islands in the classroom.
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And I’m not ready. I’ve waited for this day since March 16 ... and now I’m not ready. It’s safer to keep him here with me, where I can shelter him. 
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Not from the virus — but from the harsh realities of life. The things that are uncertain and uncomfortable. A weird new reality that adults don’t even want to navigate. 
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He goes back to school today because a sheltered, protected, safe life isn’t really living. So this morning I’ll make sure his mask is on and his courage is up. To take on the next thing. Covid second grade first ... the whole world after that.
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Time to let go. And let him fly without me.
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#motherhoodunplugged #parentingwithoutfear #biglife #intentionalparenting #rawmotherhood #pandemicparenting #hybridlearning #firstdayofschool #maskup #youcandohardthings #letgo
  • Secret weapon for a good night’s sleep for this tired mom? A hotel bed all to myself 😉
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But since that’s not real life, I’m so glad I got to test @sugarbearsleep vitamins. These vegan gummies help me turn my brain off at the end of the day to fall asleep faster and stay asleep until morning. The blend of melatonin with magnesium, valerian root, L-theanine and so much more is gentle and I just wake up refreshed, never groggy.
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Thanks @influenster and @sugarbearsleep for helping me find that elusive shut-eye. I had no idea how much I needed it. 💜#complimentary #productreview
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Do you fall asleep easily? What’s your secret if so?
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#sugarbearsleepvb #contest #complimentary #neverdonewithfunfinds #welllnessblogger #sleephealth #sleephygiene #selfcare #influenster #voxbox #sleepgoals #tiredasamother
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  • Healthy Cookie Dough Smoothie Bowl | No refined sugar, clean eating breakfast recipe #cleaneating #breakfast #smoothies #healthyeats
    nourish

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