family Archives - now & gen

Tips for a Successful Digital Detox

Nowandgen Author — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 00:05:14 +0000

After putting away my phone for 24 hours, I felt so present and refreshed. In case you want to go low-tech for a day or more, here are my tips for a successful digital detox.

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Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Nowandgen Author — Wed, 05 May 2021 21:18:58 +0000

It's been a rough year-plus for moms everywhere. I've put together a quick list of items to shower the women in your life with love on Mother's Day.

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How to Host a Virtual Thanksgiving

Nowandgen Author — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 17:41:36 +0000

According to the CDC, the safest way to celebrate the holidays this year is with the people in your household. Event planner Troy Williams shares tips on how to host a fun, memorable virtual Thanksgiving.

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Our Americana Road Trip Itinerary

Nowandgen Author — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 19:49:17 +0000

This summer, we took a two-month road trip from Texas to New Mexico to Colorado to Utah to Idaho to Montana and back. Here’s an in-depth look at our itinerary, including what we did, where we stayed, where we ate, and more.

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How We Traveled Safely

Nowandgen Author — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 14:00:00 +0000

After three months in quarantine, we made the calculated risk to drive from Austin to New Mexico to Utah to Idaho to Montana and back. Keep reading for a look at how we traveled safely.

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What It’s Like to be a Doctor on the COVID Frontline

Nowandgen Author — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 22:40:13 +0000

I’m eternally grateful to all the brave doctors, nurses, and frontline workers who are facing COVID-19 head-on every day. One of them is my husband’s cousin Jeremy Padalecki, who is an ER physician. He works in freestanding emergency rooms throughout Texas, including in Corpus Christi, Austin, Round Rock, and Bryan. Personally, watching Jeremy graduate from medical school and witnessing him become the doctor he is today, I can attest to his ability to blend his expertise in medicine with his wonderful, kind, and empathetic bedside manner. When he dishes out medical advice, we listen. He was the perfect person to find out what it’s like to be a doctor on the COVID frontline. COVID-19 cases in the US just keep going up—with Texas being a particular hot spot—so I wanted to get Jeremy’s thoughts on the novel virus, how it has changed his work and family life, and what he wished people knew right now. (Hint: Wear a mask!) Since he’s so busy with work, Jeremy answered these questions via email. I so appreciate him taking the time out of his busy schedule to share his insights with this community. Please read on and stay safe this holiday weekend. And […]

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Father’s Day Gift Guide

Nowandgen Author — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 13:04:50 +0000

After spending three-plus months in isolation, when every day has felt largely the same, we are taking every opportunity to celebrate. Father’s Day is this weekend (!), so I put together this Father’s Day gift guide because I’ve been looking for special ways to honor the men in my life, from my own husband to friends, uncles and grandpas. Since Jared hasn’t been filming, we’ve gotten to spend a ton of time together. It’s been wonderful…most of the time. He’s been incredibly helpful in supporting me and being the best dad he can be (which may include roughhousing on his end!) In that spirit, this Father’s Day gift guide features items that are sure to make your favorite men smile. Bonus: This list has gifts that start at $6, and features nine items from black-owned businesses, for those who want to support entrepreneurs of color. Happy gifting! 1. Cuisinart Indoor Griddler $70 This gift is a win for you, too: Bring the grill inside, so your guy can cook up steaks and burgers even on rainy days. 2. Golde Matcha Turmeric Latte Blend $29 Jared drinks this every morning for a jitter-free boost. It’s sold out at the moment, so pre-order to stock […]

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10 Postpartum Essentials

Nowandgen Author — Tue, 12 May 2020 15:28:47 +0000

Since we just celebrated Mother’s Day, I want to highlight the importance of taking care of new moms and some postpartum essentials that can help ease the transition into motherhood. Sometimes, it feels like we worry so much about the baby that we forget about the person who just went through a grueling delivery. Giving birth is a life-changing event that should be openly discussed. It’s one of the most challenging and transformative experiences a woman can go through. I found sharing my birthing experiences particularly cathartic, and I was really moved by your stories, birthing journeys, and questions. If you’re pregnant (or know someone who is), there are some postpartum essentials that I think every mama needs. Here, 10 of my favorite items to help nurture yourself during those intense newborn days. Soft robe The last thing you’ll want to do after giving birth is put on pants—or really any clothes. You’re incredibly sore all over and it’s a tad tough to walk. Since you want something non-binding and open in the front that provides easy access for breastfeeding, if you are going that route, I’ve found that a soft robe is the ideal postpartum look. This unisex robe […]

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What We’ve Been Cooking in Quarantine

Nowandgen Author — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 14:00:30 +0000

We’ve always cooked a lot in the Padalecki household, but man—I’ve never cooked so much (or done so many dishes!) in my entire life as I have these last two months. And I know I’m not alone. With restaurants closed and takeout much harder to get these days, I’m pretty sure everyone is spending a lot more time in the kitchen cooking in quarantine. To battle the food boredom and use up produce before it goes bad, we’ve been trying to get creative and find delicious recipes that don’t require too many ingredients or too much effort. Here are eight of my go-to quarantine cooking recipes, from salmon and egg standards to vegan and junk food–inspired options. See any that interest you? Give them a try, and then let me know how they turned out! And I’d love it if you would share your favorite recipes in the comments below. I’m always looking for new things to cook that will please the whole family. Quinoa beet salad with feta from Amy Chaplin I love anything with beets, particularly this recipe. You can see Amy’s passion for food and food prep in her cookbook, Whole Food Cooking Every Day. Her recipes reflect […]

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Parenting Through a Pandemic

Nowandgen Author — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 14:00:37 +0000

When I first started this blog, I wrote about how I wished we’d all stop the mom shaming. (And yes, for some reason it’s always mom shaming, not dad shaming!) So I was thrilled when I heard that Lindsay Powers, who was editor in chief of Yahoo Parenting when they created the #NoShameParenting movement, wrote a book. Called You Can’t F*ck Up Your Kids, the book is a research-based, judgment-free look at hot button parenting issues, from breastfeeding to daycare to sleep training. Lindsay spoke to dozens of experts, ranging from doctors (including the pediatrician who co-wrote the American Academy of Pediatric screen-time rules), to researchers, social workers, and more—she’d basically an encyclopedia of parenting information. Since we’re all learning as we go while parenting through a pandemic, I asked Lindsay to answer some questions I’ve had about how to keep yourself and your kiddos happy and sane during these crazy times. Keep reading for her level-headed tips on everything from screen-time restrictions to how to help anxious kids cope. And then let me know in the comments: What’s been your biggest parenting win and biggest struggle since having to quarantine at home? Covid-19 has changed the world—and parenting—in a […]

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