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ADHD

8 Social Filter Activities for Kids | If you're looking for social skills activities that help teach children how to filter their thoughts and learn whether they should think it or say it out loud, we're sharing 8 ideas that can be used for elementary school, for middle school, for high school, and for kids with special needs like autism and ADHD. These are great team building exercises and will help develop friendship and conversation skills. #socialskills #socialfilter #socialskillsactivities

Think It Or Say It Out Loud: 8 Social Filter Activities for Kids

25 Energizing Brain Breaks for Kids | Engaging your students in regular brain breaks in the classroom can help improve attention, focus, retention, self-regulation, and more! We’re excited to share our favorite quick and easy movement ideas to help kids shed excess energy, and have included ideas for children in preschool and kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school. These activities are fun, calming, and perfect for indoor recess days! #brainbreaks #brainbreaksforkids #sensorybreaks

Focus and Control: 25 Energizing Brain Breaks for Kids

16 IEP Tips for Parents | If you’re the parent or teacher of a student with a learning disability, challenges with executive functioning, or a developmental delay like autism or ADHD and you want to know how to prepare for an IEP meeting, progress monitoring tips, how to ensure your child’s accommodations are being met, and how to set IEP goals and objectives, this collection of ideas is for you! #IEP #IEPmeeting #IEPtips

Learning support for your child: 16 IEP tips for parents

60+ ADHD Diet Tips and Recipes | Whether you’re looking for menu plan ideas for kids, for teens, or for adults as a natural treatment for attention deficit disorder, this collection of breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and dessert recipes is perfect for the whole family – even for picky eaters! We’ve even included a great recipe books for smoothies to help ensure your child is getting all the nutrients he or she needs. #ADHD #ADHDDiet #ADHDKids #ADHDStrategies

The ADHD Diet For Kids: 60+ Tips and Recipes For Parents

27 Play-Doh Games or Kids | Play-doh mats are a great way to teach kids their numbers, letters, and shapes, and there are so many free printables for different themes, like the weather, the seasons, and various holidays like Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter. They also help develop a child’s fine motor skills! Check out our favorite play-doh activities for fun in the classroom and at home. #playdoh #playdohactivities #playdough #playdoughrecipe #playdoughactivities #finemotoractivities

27 Play-Doh Games & Activities to Develop Fine Motor Skills [& More!]

19 Activities for Kids with ADHD | If you’re looking for fun games and activities to help kids with impulse control and anger management while also teaching them important coping skills, like how to calm down before their emotions get out of hand, these gross motor activities are a great place to start. Suitable for use at home, in therapy, and in the classroom, these tips and ideas are perfect for parents and teachers. #ADHD #ADHDstrategies #ADHDactivities #ADHDkids #specialneedskids

19 Activities for Kids with ADHD that Burn Energy and Improve Focus

Good Behavior Charts for Kids | Looking for the best reward system for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, kids in first grade, and beyond? From our best tips for creating sticker charts, to our fave free printable behavior charts, to reward chart ideas you can use for just about anything, these DIY ideas will inspire you to replace punishments and consequences with positive reinforcement! #behaviorcharts #rewardsystem #behaviormanagement #chorechart #positiveparenting #positivediscipline

Good Behavior Charts: 28 Reward System Tips and Templates for Kids

ADHD In the Classroom | Teaching kids with ADHD can be extremely challenging. From poor behavior management and an inability to pay attention, to speaking of out turn and struggling with hyperactivity and poor self-control, teachers can find it difficult to find ways to help young children with ADHD. Check out 18 of our best teaching tips and ADHD strategies for a successful school year! #ADHD #teacher #classroommanagement #teaching

ADHD In the Classroom: 18 Teaching Tips to Maintain Focus and Motivation

19 ADHD Parenting Tips that Work | If you’re the mom (or dad) of a child with ADHD or other learning disabilities that cause problems with attention, hyperactivity, and/or self-control, we’ve got 19 simple yet effective ideas and strategies for families you can start implementing with your children TODAY to help improve focus, concentration, and behavior management at home and in the classroom. #ADHD #ADD #parenting #specialneeds #positivediscipline #positiveparenting

How to Discipline a Child with ADHD: 19 ADHD Parenting Tips that Work

If your kids are prone to after school temper tantrums, this post explains why they occur, how to identify triggers, and the best coping strategies to prevent an after school emotional meltdown. Perfect for kids of all ages and abilities, included special needs kids with autism, sensory processing disorder, and ADHD, these parenting tips will also help your children with self-control and self-regulation! #tantrums #meltdowns #backtoschool #autism #SPD #ADHD #specialneeds #parenting #parenting101

The After School Emotional Meltdown: 15 Preventative Tips for Parents

Therapy Toys for Special Needs Kids | 19 easy and fun occupational therapist approved toys for kids with developmental delays like autism, sensory processing disorder, and cerebral palsy. Perfect for use in speech therapy, play therapy, occupational therapy, and at home, these products and activities help kids develop their gross motor and fine motor skills, aid in language development, and help improve cognitive skills.

19 Therapist-Approved Therapy Toys and Games for Special Needs Kids

Visual Schedules for Children with Autism | Looking for daily routine charts to use in the classroom? Need free printables to use at home? Looking for DIY daily and weekly visual schedules for autistic children? From simple charts that teach life skills, to behavior support ideas, to portable PECS pictures, learn how to make your own visual routines and where to buy ready made communication boards that last.

Visual Schedules for Children with Autism: How and Why They Work!

How to Stay Calm When Your Child is Yelling | Want to know how to stay calm as a parent, even when your children are out of control? We’re sharing 9 tips for moms and dads who want to know how to be more patient, calm, and present with their kids. Whether your child is just misbehaving, or struggles with developmental delays like ADHD, autism, sensory processing disorder, and/or ODD, these behavior management tips will help!

Special Needs Parenting: How to Stay Calm When Your Child is Yelling

Anxiety in Children | Everything you need to know about the signs and symptoms of childhood anxiety (stomachaches, lack of sleep, school anxiety, etc.), the best parenting tips for mom and dad, and 7 coping skills and activities for kids with big worries. #anxiety #mentalhealth #kidstherapy #playtherapy

Anxiety in Children: 15 Tips and Coping Strategies to Teach Self-Regulation

Oral Motor Activities for Kids | If your child has autism and/or sensory processing disorder & you’re looking for oral sensory activities you can do at home, in the classroom & as part of speech therapy, we’ve got 16 fun activities for toddlers, kids in preschool & kindergarten & beyond! These activities help with a variety of challenges like picky eating and inappropriate chewing, sucking & biting.

The Oral Sensory System: 16 Oral Motor Activities for Kids

30 Play Therapy Activities for Kids | 30 simple therapeutic activities for children you can use in a counseling setting or at home to help a child express their emotions surrounding a trauma or ongoing feelings of anxiety. Perfect for toddlers, kids in preschool, school-aged kids, for tweens and teens, and kids with autism, ADHD, and anxiety, these activities offer a great way to teach healthy anger management and coping skills.

Play Therapy Techniques: 30 Therapeutic Activities for Children

Breathing Techniques for Anxiety in Children | If you’re looking for simple relaxation techniques and breathing exercises for kids that work at home and in the classroom, we’ve got 10 ideas to help. These calming activities are perfect for anxiety and stress as well as anger management, and help teach healthy coping skills so kids can calm down on their own when big emotions strike.

Breathing Techniques for Anxiety: 10 Calming Activities for Kids

Gluten Free Casein Free Diet for Autism | The GFCF diet is one of many alternative autism treatments, and some parents see an improvement in autism behaviors when they put their child on a gluten free and dairy free diet. We’re sharing our best beginner tips for a smooth transition to the diet as well as 20 of our favorite kid-approved GFCF recipes to help get you started.

Gluten Free Casein Free Diet for Autism: 29 Tips & Recipes for Parents

DIY Good Behavior Chart for Kids | Looking for a reward system to support your positive reinforcement efforts with children either at home or at school? Perfect for parents trying to control rambunctious boys, teachers trying to enforce classroom rules, and moms who desperately want their morning routines to run smoother, these ideas also work well with special needs kids with autism, ADHD, etc.

Positive Parenting: DIY Good Behavior Chart for Young Kids

21 Sensory Break Activities for Kids | Also known as ‘brain breaks’ & ‘movement breaks’, these sensory breaks for kids are perfect to help students with ADD, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, autism & other developmental delays calm down & focus in the classroom. Perfect for teachers & parents, these fun ideas also develop gross motor skills, improve self-regulation & help with behavior management in the classroom.

Sensory Integration at School: 21 Sensory Break Activities for Kids

11 Phrases to Calm an Anxious Child | The internet is full of all the things you should never say to an anxious child as well as great coping skills and tips about children and anxiety, but what parents really need is a list of things to say to an anxious child when big emotions take over. We're sharing 11 ideas and our favorite anxiety books for kids!

How to Help Kids with Anxiety: 11 Phrases to Calm an Anxious Child

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‘HOW YOU DO ANYTHING IS HOW YOU DO EVERYTHING.’ —Jess Sims
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While some people love reading self-help books or listening to inspiring podcasts, quotes, mantras, and song lyrics are my jam. I spend hours upon hours scrolling through my social media feeds each week searching for motivational quotes and sayings, and I copy the ones I love most to the notes app on my phone so I never forget them. 
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I have a quote and lyric for pretty much every feeling and occasion, and if you follow me on stories, you know that I try to share something motivating and inspiring every morning. 
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I’ve recently been using short quotes/mantras to help me stay focused. Mantras are typically used in meditation, but they are also a fabulous tool to help you stay grounded. The idea is to pick a word or phrase with meaning to you, and each time your mind starts to wander, you repeat the mantra over and over to bring yourself back to the present moment.
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I use mantras to help me stay productive with work, to keep me motivated when I want to push myself during my workouts, to stay present when I’m overwhelmed and trying to do too many things at once, and to stop me from ruminating about the things that make me stressed and anxious. 
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If you’re looking for inspiring quotes and mantras to help you stay focused, present, and calm, here are some of my favorites!
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‘Be present where your feet are.’
—Unknown
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You don’t have to. You get to.
—Jess Sims
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Easy is bullshit.
—Christine D’Ercole
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Feel the burn, step closer to the fire.
—Emma Lovewell
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A setback is an avenue for a comeback.
—Alex Toussaint 
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Hold the vision, trust the process.
—Unknown
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No challenge, no change.
—Robin Arzon
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Acknowledge the fear and do it anyway.
—Emma Lovewell
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Impossible is just an opinion.
—Paulo Coelho
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Treat your body like it belongs to someone you love. 
—Hannah Marie Corbin
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Fix your ponytail and try again.
—Unknown
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👇🏻 What quotes and mantras keep you focused and present when you’re overwhelmed or anxious?
‘ALL GREAT CHANGES ARE PRECEDED BY CHAOS.’ — ‘ALL GREAT CHANGES ARE PRECEDED BY CHAOS.’ —Unknown
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f you’ve been following me on stories, you know we moved to a new house a couple of weeks ago. I was going to document the whole thing, but moving during a global pandemic in a city that is completely locked down with a child in virtual school is… 🤪
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This was the biggest move I’ve ever undertaken, and my Type A personality really struggled with how little control I had over everything. Lists and schedules are my jam, but it seemed the harder I tried to keep things on track, the quicker they fell apart.
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I eventually decided to just embrace the chaos. I allowed myself to let go and just enjoy the excitement of it all and it ended up being the smoothest, most enjoyable move I’ve ever experienced. We’re still waiting on furniture deliveries and have lots of painting to do, but since no one will be visiting us for months (years?!) on end given the state of the world right now, there is absolutely no pressure.
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And that feels great.
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If you’re struggling, here are 4 things that helped me find order in the chaos that has been our lives for the last several weeks:
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✔️ EXERCISE. I start every single day with a hard workout to get those feel-good endorphins flowing. It makes me feel accomplished, helps me work through whatever is on my mind, and sets the tone for the rest of my day.
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✔️ ENERGY MANAGEMENT. I do all of my most pressing tasks when my energy is high and my mind is clear, and save all of the monotonous, mindless stuff (think: responding to emails, meal prep, folding laundry) for the evening.
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✔️ NEVER TOUCH SOMETHING TWICE. Once I ‘touch’ a task, I deal with it then and there so it’s taken off of my plate, rather than ’touching’ it multiple times and allowing it to take up extra energy and mental space. This is one of the best productivity tips I’ve ever read and it’s been a life-saver for me lately! 
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✔️ DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT. I struggle the most with this, but the last few weeks have been a great exercise in challenging a lot of my Type A tendencies.
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👇🏻 How do YOU stay on track when you feel overwhelmed?
‘SELF-CARE ISN’T SELFISH.’ . If you met me I ‘SELF-CARE ISN’T SELFISH.’
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If you met me IRL, you’d probably [hopefully?] never know I suffer from anxiety, and would likely assume I’m just a high maintenance, high strung, Type A personality. All of those things are in fact true, LOL, but what you may not realize is that each of those traits of mine are the result of years of feeling anxious and worried and stressed.
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I grew up at a time when we were taught to keep our struggles to ourselves, and when I think back to grades 3 and 4 when my anxiety was at it’s absolute worst, it pains me to remember how much I suffered in silence. I feel proud that I was able to overcome some pretty tough stuff on my own, but I refuse to let history repeat itself.
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I will not raise my daughter in a world that stigmatizes mental illness.
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According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 38% of Canadians say their mental health has declined since the start of the pandemic, and people already struggling with their mental health were 2 times more likely to say their mental health has declined further. 
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One of the biggest hurdles for anyone suffering from mental illness is overcoming the stigma. It is the number one reason why people living with mental illness do not seek help.
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Today is #BellLetsTalk day and Bell will donate 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for every applicable text, local or long distance call, tweet or TikTok video using #BellLetsTalk - all at no cost to participants beyond what they would normally pay their service provider for online or phone access. 
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MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS.
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Let’s end the stigma.
‘STOP TRYING TO CALM THE STORM. CALM YOURSELF, T ‘STOP TRYING TO CALM THE STORM. CALM YOURSELF, THE STORM WILL PASS.’ —Unknown
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My daughter went back to school virtually today, and while the Type A in me is excited we’re back in some kind of routine, I had forgotten just how chaotic and impractical distance learning is. A province-wide internet outage took down her teacher within 2 hours, shattering any hopes I had of grabbing a little time to myself to get caught up on all of the work stuff I’ve been putting off for the last 3 weeks. I’ve dried tears, prepared snacks, provided new Zoom logins, helped with grade 4 math, and I even made paper plates out of construction paper for a last minute craft.
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Wash, rinse, repeat.
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All is good in our world again, and soon we’ll dive back into those math problems and whatever else is on tap for homework before I retreat to my office to print off tomorrow’s agenda and worksheets. We’ll all play Roblox before dinner to help us unwind after a crazy day, and I’ll stay up later than I want to tonight trying to get caught up because I know tomorrow will bring more unforeseen challenges, and I hate starting my day feeling behind schedule.
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Parenting in a pandemic is extra messy, and if this sh*t storm has taught me anything, it’s that we need to give ourselves a hell of a lot of grace right now. There will be days where we’re super productive and get through everything on our never-ending ‘to do’ lists, but there will be many more days where we feel like we’ve accomplished absolute nothing.
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It’s on these difficult days that we need to remind ourselves that our most important job right now is making sure our kids are healthy and happy, and that they feel safe and loved. When they look back on this time, they won’t remember if the house was clean and the laundry was folded, how often we ordered takeout, or if we gained weight. All they will remember is how we showed up for them - even on the days we were struggling to show up for ourselves.
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If the return to reality has you feeling overwhelmed today, stop trying to calm the storm. Take a deep breath, get present in this moment, remind yourself what’s important, and focus on that instead.
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We’ve got this. 💙
BACK TO REALITY… . Are you ready to get back at BACK TO REALITY…
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Are you ready to get back at it?
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While we’ve certainly been busy organizing, packing, and getting our new home ready and didn’t really relax as much as we’d hoped to over the holidays, I’ve enjoyed operating at a slower pace the last couple of weeks. We’ve stayed up late, slept in a little bit each morning, had too much to eat and drink, and enjoyed a break from routines and schedules. 
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Toronto is currently under lockdown, so my daughter is going back to school virtually tomorrow while my husband and I continue to work from home. It’s not ideal, but we’ll make it work and I’m excited to get back into a routine. The time away from my computer helped me reset and recharge, and I feel like I’m starting 2021 with more realistic expectations of myself. And that feels good.
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2020 was definitely not my favorite year, but when I look back at the last 12 months, a lot of really great things came from it. It gave me more time with my husband and daughter and brought us much closer than our busy, pre-2020 lives would’ve ever allowed. It helped me reconnect with friends I had lost contact with due to the craziness that is being a working mom. And it helped me form amazing new friendships that I will cherish forever.
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I know 2021 is likely going to be just as challenging - if not more so - as 2020 was, but for the first time since becoming a mom, I finally feel like I have a tribe of people around me. I feel less lonely than I’ve ever felt in my life, which is hilarious since we have been holed up in our house for ~10 months, but it feels pretty amazing.
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I’m not sure where I was going with this post, but suffice it to say I’m ready to caffeine and conquer! ☕️
‘ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE. KNOW THAT ‘ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE. KNOW THAT IT IS YOU WHO WILL GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, NO ONE ELSE.’ —Les Brown
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I think we can all agree that 2020 was the absolute shits, and I know we’re all looking forward to a chance to start fresh in hopes that the universe will be a little kinder to us in 2021. 
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Of course, our lives aren’t going to magically go back to the way they were at 12:01 am. It’s not easy to be positive right now, but instead of getting stuck in the suck, remember that the only thing you have control over is your attitude.  You can continue to feel sorry for yourself and mourn all the ways your life has changed, or you can straighten your crown and focus on all of the good things happening in your life.
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If you dig deep enough, you’ll see that there is so much to be grateful right now.
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And if you can’t think of anything that you feel proud of or that brings you joy, then it’s up to you to create it. Accept responsibility for your life. Stop making excuses and be the change you want to see. 
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Instead of thinking of 2021 as another year of lockdowns and restrictions while we wait for vaccinations to take place and herd immunity to take hold, look at it as an open book. 
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12 new chapters. 365 new chances. 🥂
‘BE PRESENT WHERE YOUR FEET ARE.’ —Unknown . ‘BE PRESENT WHERE YOUR FEET ARE.’ —Unknown
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What do you do when you have downtime?
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I haven’t had time off since last Christmas. We hit the ground running in January as we were planning a 2-week family vacay in March and wanted to do ALL THE THINGS beforehand so we could unplug and enjoy the trip. Our vacation obviously got cancelled, and we’ve been on autopilot ever since. I feel like the pandemic has either made people really busy, or extremely bored. There’s no in-between!
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My team and I have been busy working ahead over the past couple of months as I really wanted to unplug and unwind for a few weeks over the holidays and now that the craziness of Christmas is over, I don’t know what to do with myself!
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I’m caught up on This Is Us, we finally watched The Undoing, I’m almost done Open Book, I’ve done a lot of drawing on my iPad, I’ve had a lot of wine, I’ve eaten a ton of chocolate, we’ve played games, I’ve done my nails…and I’m bored, lol. But unless I find something else to do, I have to face packing up this house (we’re moving, ya’ll!) and I can’t face that just yet.
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👇🏻how do you unwind?
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