Ask Casey No. 6
Routines with school-aged kids, the projects I’m skipping, small luxuries worth keeping, and how I’m managing anxiety lately
Welcome back to “Ask Casey”, one of my favorite series to write. I love answering your thoughtful, funny, and practical questions…nothing is off-limits here.
These questions came straight from my Instagram DMs and stories, but feel free to drop your own in the comments below. I’ll do my best to include them in the next edition.
How are you thinking about routines and structure now that both kids are in school?
This has been a big shift for us, mostly because our kids’ school situations look a little different this year.
Ellis is in preschool nearby, which feels very manageable. Rory, on the other hand, is in kindergarten at a public gifted school that’s farther away. In the mornings, the commute is about 20 minutes. In the afternoons, it can stretch closer to 30 or 40. It definitely adds a layer of complexity to our days. But it’s exactly where Rory needs to be. She’s challenged, engaged, and thriving. So even though it affects our workdays and energy, it’s worth it.
One thing that’s helped a lot is that Finn and I actually sat down and divided the week. We split drop-offs and pick-ups, so no one ever has to do both in the same day. If you’re on drop-off, the other person handles pickup. And if you’re not on pickup duty, you’re on dinner duty. That way, when the rest of the crew walks in the door, dinner is ready.
This has been a learning curve for me because I’m not a big cook. Scrambled eggs and mac and cheese are my go-tos. To take it up a notch, I recently started using Marley Spoon, and it’s been genuinely helpful. It takes the mental load out of planning and makes cooking feel doable instead of overwhelming. I’ve been sharing more on IG stories, but let me know if you want me to write more about it.
Our mornings are early. We’re out the door by 7 a.m., drop Ellis first, then Rory, who starts school at 7:45. School ends at 2:45, but both kids go to aftercare, which they actually love. Rory also has a few after-school activities sprinkled in, like cooking, sign language, and art, so she’s getting to explore without being overscheduled.
Evenings are pretty consistent. We come home, eat dinner, and every few days we do a shower night.
Our bedtime flow is simple: pajamas, teeth brushed, three books (we cap it there even though they’d happily read forty-seven), some cuddling, and lights out. It takes a while, but it’s also my favorite part of the day. The kids get chatty when they’re trying to delay bedtime, and it’s often when Rory opens up about school—friend drama, funny moments, or whatever “trauma” happened in kindergarten that day.
Monday through Friday looks pretty much the same, which I’ve learned is a good thing. Fridays are the exception. We do Friday movie night…pizza, popcorn, and one movie. The kids look forward to it all week, and it’s helped us keep screen time really intentional.
During the day, while the kids are at school, we pack a lot in. I work, try to fit in workouts, and schedule appointments. It’s a full day, but it feels intentional. I’m focused when I’m working, and when the kids are home, I can actually be present.
Are there any home projects you’re intentionally not doing right now?
Yes. Big ones. LOL.
Right now, I’m deep in copy-editing mode for the book. After that, it heads to the designer, then into rounds of back-and-forth, and then pre-orders will be here. So this year is very intentionally not a year of major renovations for us.
And next year? That’s going to be all about the book—marketing it, launching it, and sharing it with the world. So if you’re waiting for us to tear apart another room, live in construction dust, or fully upend our house…that’s just not the season we’re in right now.
That said, DIY projects are absolutely still happening, just in a smaller, more thoughtful way.
I’m starting a new series focused on room tweaks rather than full transformations. A lot of the rooms in our house were finished years ago, and my style (and our life) has evolved since then. Instead of blowing things up, I want to refine what’s already here.
A few examples:
Adding wallpaper to Rory’s room
Color-drenching our bedroom by painting the walls, trim, and doors the same color
Reworking my office to maximize every square inch
So no, we’re not living in chaos right now. There’s no dust, no demolition, and honestly, that feels really good!
As for what comes next—bigger projects, a second home, a rental, a lake house…who knows. That’s a question for Casey in 2027. For now, the goal is simple: keep making our home feel even more like us, one thoughtful project at a time.
What’s a luxury you refuse to give up?
I’m going to slightly reframe this and say: what luxuries do I refuse to give up? Because I definitely have a few.
The most everyday one is my coffee shop ritual. A decaf vanilla latte with almond milk and a croissant from my local spot…at least twice a week. It brings me so much joy. I know the people who work there, I run into neighbors, and it feels like a tiny moment of community baked into my week. That is never leaving the budget.
Then there are the bigger, but still non-negotiable, luxuries.
Botox. She’s here to stay.
Getting my hair cut and colored every twelve weeks. Also not going anywhere.
And our gym membership, which might be the biggest one. It brings me so much joy, keeps me feeling strong, and genuinely makes me a better version of myself and gives our family a place to hang on the weekends.
What I don’t spend money on is just as important. I’m not buying designer bags. I’m not constantly shopping for shoes. I’m not chasing trends. For me, luxury isn’t about stuff. It’s about the things that make my day-to-day life feel better, calmer, and more enjoyable.
What’s something you’ve purchased lately that genuinely excited you?
This one’s easy: faux diamond earrings that people keep assuming are real and it makes me way happier than it probably should.
I wore them to the gym the other day, and someone actually asked me if they were real. They’re four carats, so if they were real, I don’t even want to know what that price tag would look like. But they’re not. They’re sparkly, beautiful, and cost about $50.
I don’t buy jewelry very often, so this felt like a fun little buy without the guilt. And honestly, it got me thinking…if I were doing an engagement ring and wedding band all over again, I probably wouldn’t go the traditional real-diamond route. The lab-created and faux options now are stunning, and I would 100% choose a big, bold, obnoxiously gorgeous stone without caring what anyone else thought. Because really, who cares?
I love that these earrings feel luxe without being precious. I can wear them to the gym, throw them on with a sweatshirt, or dress them up, and not worry about them at all. They’re proof that sometimes the things that bring the most joy aren’t the most expensive.
How’s your anxiety lately?
It’s there, but it’s very well managed.
A few years ago, I started taking Lexapro, and it’s been incredibly helpful for me. I feel better than I ever have. If anxiety is something you’re struggling with, I really encourage you to talk to your doctor. There are so many tools out there, and you don’t have to white-knuckle your way through it alone.
I also work with a therapist, who I adore. I used to go more frequently, but now I’m down to once a month. Not because I don’t value it, but because I’m genuinely in a good place. She knows me inside and out, and we’ve worked through so much together. I truly believe everyone would benefit from talk therapy if it’s accessible to them. If your insurance covers it (I’m very lucky that mine does) or if you’re able to afford it, it’s such a powerful investment in yourself.
In my immediate, day-to-day life, I feel pretty steady. Where anxiety creeps in most for me now is on a much bigger level. It feels like the world is on fire. There are huge, scary things happening—politically, environmentally, globally—and it’s hard not to absorb all of that.
Because of my job, I’m on Instagram a lot. But if I didn’t have to be? I honestly think I’d chuck my phone in the river. The doom scrolling, the nonstop urgency, the constant flood of bad news—it’s a lot. There’s this tension between wanting to be an informed person and also protecting your peace. I don’t think there’s a perfect answer. You just have to figure out what’s right for you.
So for me, managing anxiety looks like tending to my inner world as intentionally as I can: taking my medication, seeing my therapist, putting boundaries around what I consume, and choosing rest and connection where I can.
I believe I read that Finn also works full-time from home. Is that still the case? How do you make that work without distractions?
Yes, Finn still works full-time from home, and it works well for us largely because we’re very separated during the day.
He works down in the basement, and I’m up in my office on the second floor. So we’re truly in our own zones. During work hours, we treat it like we’re both “at the office,” just under the same roof. We don’t interrupt each other, pop in with random questions, or expect the other person to be available. Work mode is work mode.
That said, we do occasionally meet in the middle—usually in the kitchen—for a little water-cooler-style chat. Sometimes we’ll order lunch and eat together, which always feels like a fun little bonus. But Finn has so many meetings and calls (honestly, no idea how you corporate people do it), and he’s on them for most of the day, so those moments are the exception, not the norm.
When the weather’s nice, I try to convince him to step away for at least a 15-minute walk around the block. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t—but it’s always worth asking.
Overall, the reason it works is that we’re clear about boundaries. When we’re working, we’re working. And when the kids are home, we’re both much more present because we didn’t spend the day half-working and half-distracted.
A Few Long-Weekend Sales
Presidents Day snuck up on me this year, but I’d be remiss not to share a few of the major sales happening on a few of my favorite items.
Wayfair always does major discounts and this upholstered bed is no joke. It’s 82% off! This might be the biggest discount of the weekend.
This luxurious cleansing balm has become one of my favorite skincare staples and it, along with lots of other goodies, is discounted. Jan is also obsessed with it!
My new Dyson hair dryer is $150 off and comes in a few colors. This baby helps me get the smoothest blowouts at home.
The best pillows ever are on sale. We love these so much, they are now the only pillows we use.
Finn’s beloved Solo Stove is having some great discounts on bundles. We have the 19.5” model (and almost every accessory they make)! This basic bundle is 15% off, plus if you use code TOOLS, they will add a free set of tools too.
We use Air Tags more than I’d like to admit. Those kids are always wandering! If you need to stock up, they’re on sale.
During winter, I use my walking pad more frequently and found this similar model for 61% off. Stay active and warm!
That’s it for this edition of Ask Casey!
Have a question for the next one? Drop it in the comments below.
