Goodbye Twenties

Rain is the default weather at our house from October to June, so I've bought every rain boot and jacket twice. These are the pieces that survived two kids, school pickup, and a lot of puddles they were told not to jump in.

Every Freida McFadden thriller ranked by a tired mom who read them all, from The Housemaid Is Watching to The Tenant and Dead Med. Start with the 4-star psychological thrillers, then work through the 3-star ones you'll still read at 2 AM.

Finished every Freida McFadden book? These 4-star psychological thrillers and suspense novels, from Jennifer Hillier, Lisa Jewell, Liz Nugent and more, scratch the same twisty itch. Perfect for moms reading after bedtime.

The best 5-star books for moms who need an escape, from Kristin Hannah's The Women to Colleen Hoover's Reminders of Him and Jennifer Hillier's Jar of Hearts. Emotional reads, twisty thrillers, and romance worth losing sleep over.

Everything for the box they open the night before, so they sleep. In theory.

He said he doesn't want anything. He's lying, but politely. Here's what he'll actually use.

Teachers have enough mugs. These are the things they actually go through by February.

For when your house already looks like a toy store exploded. Experiences, gear and useful stuff they won't lose by Tuesday.

Small stuff that won't end up in the vacuum by noon. Tested on a 9-year-old, who is basically a large 7-year-old.

The lunch gear that comes home in one piece. Leakproof, kid-proof, and occasionally even eaten from.

Gifts I've actually watched my 9-year-old fight his sister for. Nothing that ends up under the couch by December 26. Mostly.