If you’ve read Now & Gen for a while, you know that one of my favorite ways to blow off steam is breaking a sweat. But a workout doesn’t necessarily even have to mean hitting the gym: Carving out some time for physical activity can mean a brisk walk outside with my husband, a yoga class to clear my mind or even chasing around after the kids on our bikes.
Read MoreCamp Out
Outside Magazine recently wrote, “America’s kids are caught up in one of the largest mass migrations in human history: the movement indoors.” This really struck a chord with me. Now, you might know that parent, who allows unlimited screen time at the supermarket, in the car, or while running errands… but I am not one of them. I have rules in place in hopes that my kids can sustain a
Read MoreWhat I’m Packing for My Mountain Vacation
Every summer, I like to bring my kids back to the place where I spent so many special months when I was growing up: the mountains of Sun Valley, Idaho. Not only is it a nice little break from the city, but it’s a chance for them to get back to the earth and to feel like kids again, with a lot less TV and device time and a whole
Read MoreMercury Retrograde: Susan Miller’s Tips on How to Deal
Even when I don’t know Mercury is in retrograde, I know Mercury is in retrograde: My keys go missing, I can’t find the one document I need, a supposedly well-laid plan with the kids suddenly falls apart. It’s as if the universe is playing tricks on me, and in some ways, it is. Astrologically speaking, what happens is that a couple of times a year, Mercury speeds past Earth (its
Read MoreJuly Lit List: Beach Reads
There’s nothing quite as relaxing—or a better escape, in my opinion—than paging through a book (no matter where your reading nook may be). The beauty of a beach read is that you don’t have to think too hard about it, but that also doesn’t mean that beach reads have to be mindless. There are so many titles I’d like to dig into this year, but I’ve rounded up a handful
Read MorePower Off: How to Take a Digital Detox
Every Sunday, I try to go without my cell phone or social media—and as you can imagine, it’s harder than it sounds to detach from a device that’s practically become an extension of my hand, even if only for 24 hours. We’re so used to being “plugged in,” to knowing what our friends and family are up to every second of the day, and to feeling the pressure of getting
Read MoreChatting Motherhood, Makeup & More With Whitney Port
Though it would be nice to indulge in a leisurely beauty routine every day, life with kids just isn’t set up like that. For many of us, there’s family, there’s work, and also just a general lack of time to have “beauty regimen goals.” Thankfully, I always have my go-to Burt’s Bees products so that I can salvage a little me time while also getting the kids where they need
Read MoreLove, Gen: Unabashed Unplugging
When I first started to write this editor’s letter, I made a conscious decision to do it the old-fashioned way: I sat down at my desk with a pen and notebook in hand and jotted down my notes. It felt good to step away from the glow of my laptop for a couple of minutes, and to make writing a more sensory experience, feeling the paper as I wrote and
Read MoreSunday Brunch Series: Bittersweet Chocolate and Walnut Skillet Cinnamon Rolls
Today’s Sunday Brunch Series combines two of my favorite things: the Pacific Northwest and a good breakfast pastry. I love the wild ruggedness of the coastline up near Seattle, seeing the outline of Mt. Rainer off in the distance, and, of course, the food. Give me a dozen oysters and a steamed Dungeness crab and I’m a happy girl. And while I usually try to eat pretty clean, there’s something
Read MoreWhat Makes You Feel Beautiful
In my editor’s note at the beginning of June, I asked readers to tell me what makes you feel your most beautiful. And you did, in droves (more than 1,000 comments between the blog and Instagram, to be exact!). First of all, thank you to all of you who commented. I can’t tell you how inspiring it has been to read through your responses. From everyday moments to personal stories
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