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The Carry List
What’s helping lighten our load these days...
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Edition #209 | Read time: 5 Minutes
Hi Mamas -
Welcome back to our once-a-month roundup of finds that make life feel a little easier and more fun. We scout it out so you can just enjoy.
As always, if you have feedback on this monthly drop or things you want more of, leave a comment and let us know! And, we bet there’s another mama that would love The Carry™ List in their inbox, too. Pass on the love with your referral link at the bottom of the newsletter.
Drumroll, please 🥁. We’re not carrying it all, but here’s what’s helped lighten the load lately.
Enjoy!
-The Carry™ Team
If you had a free pass for one splurge right now, what would you spoil yourself with? |
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📚 BOOK — The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
A Good Morning America Book Club pick, The Midnight Library is for anyone who’s ever wondered about the road not taken. The story follows a woman who gets to step into the lives she didn’t live. What she finds is surprisingly comforting. Short, thoughtful, and easy to love.
✉️ Harvard’s New Health Bombshell: It’s Not Sleep Loss or No Exercise—It’s These 15 Daily Habits Silently Destroying You by Thomas Blake
Most of the things that quietly wear us down are the tiny, everyday habits we barely notice. Harvard researchers say that 15 normal routines we repeat daily can slowly increase inflammation, disrupt hormones, and steal energy, sleep quality, and even long-term health.
The hopeful part is you do not have to fix all of them. Even adjusting a few can improve energy, mood, weight, sleep, immunity, and longevity in real ways. (For example:
It really is about the tiny micro-habits under your control that stack up over time and actually fit into real life.
🎬 WHAT’S ON
Rom‑com adaptation everyone’s talking about: People We Meet on Vacation (Netflix)
Reality fans: The Traitors (Peacock) Season 4
Season return to know about: Tell Me Lies (Hulu) Season 3
📅 WHAT’S COMING
Classic vibes: Bridgerton Season 4 (Netflix) - January 29th
Sports fans: Super Bowl LX is on Sunday, February 8, 2026
There’s something about this time of year that practically begs for a big bowl of soup. This one’s hearty, wholesome, and perfectly cozy without being heavy.
Grab a ladle —this one’s worth it. 🥣💛
In Case You Missed It…
There’s a new viral sensation in town! Courtney Cook has been serving up seriously delicious—and delightfully quirky—recipes that people can’t stop watching…or trying. From perfectly roasted sweet potatoes to cozy British-style roast dinners, her creations are unexpected, full of flavor, and totally binge-worthy.
Our best advice? Don’t knock it until you try it. One bite, and you’ll see why we’re obsessed.
“You can learn new things at any time in your life if you’re willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you.” – Barbara Shur
Whether it is a small hobby or a big dream, Barbara Shur reminds us that we can learn new things at any age if we are willing to be a beginner. What if 2026 was the year you actually did that thing you have been itching to try, build, or start? The magic happens when you let yourself enjoy being new at something.
Have you seen the hilarious trend of drinking out of “anything but a cup” until the boss notices? This one and this one really made us giggle.
Have you ever pulled off an epic (but acceptable) workplace prank? Sometimes the best team bonding is laughter!
A recent report highlights a surprising trend on LinkedIn where a number of women have experimented with making their profiles appear more masculine and seen their content reach grow dramatically as a result. LinkedIn insists its systems do not use gender as a ranking factor, but these experiences have sparked broader frustration about fairness and visibility in professional spaces.
Why this matters: It’s an eye‑opening reminder that there are still deeper, systemic biases that continue to hinder women's advancement in the workplace.
You may have heard of the “Wait Until 8th” pledge, the idea that kids shouldn’t get smartphones until eighth grade. But once parents make that commitment, there is still a gap. How do you actually stay connected without handing over a phone?
A creative solution some families are trying is surprising their kids with landlines at home. A group of parents recently shared how introducing a simple, old-school home phone has helped them stay in touch with their kids without smartphones, giving both connection and boundaries. It is a reminder that sometimes old ideas can meet new challenges in unexpected ways.
Read more here: Parents surprise their kids with landlines
💭 Do you have tech rules for your family? Have you navigated that together with friends?
Wanting your home or office to smell like a 5-star experience? Baccarat is known for their signature scent but you can get similar vibes for a fraction of the price with this Amazon dupe.
Last week’s poll results: We asked where you feel the most friction in your day, and you had a lot to say! The majority — over 46% of you — said the after-work and dinner chaos is what really gets you. Keep reading for a few of your thoughts and comments!
➡️ “I start teaching an online class at 8am every morning, but my kids head out to the bus/daycare drop off at 8:05am. It is chaos in the background of my class everyday for that last 5 minute rush of them getting out the door, no matter how much I prep for a smooth morning 😅”
➡️ “Teenagers. #nuffsaid!”
➡️ “There's something about the 4:30-5:30 window when I'm making dinner that makes my toddler go ballistic! I'm sure he's just hungry, but it's seemingly impossible for me to be in the kitchen cooking without him crying, begging to be picked up, or just pointing at the food and yelling "EAT!" I love cooking, but my husband often isn't done with work yet when I'm cooking dinner, and I daily feel as if I'm losing my mind during this hour. Nothing has helped - a solid afternoon snack, prep earlier in the day. Getting through that hour is just a bear.”
➡️ “I hate meal prep/cooking. Now our kids are older, so they have various things going on after school every day, too, so it's hard to juggle the evening meal with the running. One of our family priorities is sitting down together to eat at the same time, and older kids means that this gets a little trickier.”
➡️ “My kids are cranky, I'm cranky. Traffic is always bad. We're always running somewhere and trying to coordinate our schedules, trying to make sure the dogs are getting fed, trying to figure out what we're going to eat. It seems like no matter what systems I try to put in place, nothing really helps curb the chaos.”
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