R a c h a e l D e e

married. mama. speech-language pathologist. marathon runner. mostly just really in love.

[rachaeldee]

Hi! I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on homeschooling, as someone who used to work in schools!

hmm i don’t think my previous work in schools has impacted my opinion much! ultimately i think it’s a personal choice that every family is entitled to make based on their own circumstances! i don’t think public/private school is right for everybody and i don’t think homeschooling is right for everybody. i think how you choose to support your child’s education is what matters most. sorry if that’s not a hot take!

i also won’t be discussing anything about my own children’s education on here, just FYI!

[rachaeldee]

Have you had any luck finding cotton undies that don’t make severe panty lines/have relatively smooth seams lol

hmm, this isn’t really a concern of mine but i think my oddobody ones have thinner seams!

[rachaeldee]

That black / patterned set (?) in your photos is absolutely STUNNING! Where is it from??

Patagonia!!

[rachaeldee]

What are some favourite snacks in your home right now? For adults and kids ahah

we mostly do fruits and veggies at home, yogurt pouches, crackers and cheese etc! and when we’re out and about i usually pack blueberries, dried fruit (solely and thatsit brand), once upon a farm tractor wheels or bars, and pistachios!

my husband and i don’t really snack much, we never have!

[rachaeldee]

Park mom what’s in my bag tour ??!!!

hahaha i think you can see everything in that shot! water, keys, sunscreen, a clip, baby wipes, and there’s a floral pouch filled with snacks and hand sanitizer! my card wallet and lip balm of choice (currently EADEM guava fresca) also underneath. that’s about all i roll with!

[rachaeldee]

Where is that purple tote from !

it’s from Amazon, my daughter asked for a “purple satchel for nature walks” for Christmas and i ordered two because i couldn’t tell how big they were, this one was too big (the other was perfect for her) but when i went to return it they refunded me and told me to keep it! i just found it in the trunk of my car and my daughter loved matching with me 🥹 the brand is “collsants”!

[rachaeldee]

i loved reading your jewelry wishlist! what is at the top of your list, any contenders??

i think my next piece will be a star charm for my necklace for my younger daughter! she is obsessed with the Oliver Jeffers books “how to catch a star” and “where to hide a star” and it’s a whole thing 🥹 she also loves going through each of my charms and fiddling with my necklace so i know she will love it. it’s also my birthday next month!!

[rachaeldee]

an accidental selfie, park mom essentials, the book i devoured this week (WOWZA), mama treasures, and a castle morning

[rachaeldee]

What made you want another ear piercing? Can you see yourself getting more?

I love earrings and wanted to wear two pairs instead of one! no i don’t see myself ever getting any more, I really like the look of just two on each ear :) it was a fun thing to do with a good friend of mine, we had the idea to do it on a girls night like a year before and it worked out that we could go together the last time she came to visit. she got her rook pierced when i got my lobes done!

[rachaeldee]

Have you been watching the Habs run??!!! Thinking of you fellow Canadien!!!

yessss we’ve been having so much fun with it, and teaching our eldest about hockey! she has 1000 questions per minute while we watch but it’s so cute 🥹

[rachaeldee]

How is your new piercing? I’ve been wanting to get my second lobe piercings but scared of the healing… the last time I got my ears pierced I was too young to remember what it was like haha

it’s been so easy! i went to a real piercing studio (my first holes were done at Claire’s in 2002, a rite of passage). zero issues, and i inadvertently timed it really well with not wanting to get in the ocean for a few weeks anyways (it’s just been quite windy and we had another brief period of rain that made the water yucky for a few days). it’s been about a month and it definitely feels fully healed! i don’t plan to change my little studs for a few months though!

[rachaeldee]

Any good high protein meals you’ve been cooking/eating??

I answered questions like this back at the beginning of the year if you go to my archive and scroll back!

[rachaeldee]

Hey Rach! Any tips for maintaining energy levels while mom-ing? Currently 8 months into EBF-ing and SAHM-ing and feeling completely exhausted.

eat high protein and strength train!!! make sure you’re eating enough overall and center your meals around good sources of protein! i also noticed a huge shift in energy when i started strength training and lifting weights regularly. any little bit helps! some dumbbells and a simple arm circuit a few days a week will have a big impact!

[rachaeldee]

Hi! Would you mind sharing some of your recent favourite books?

Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein blew me away!!!

A Guardian and A Thief

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

Yesteryear

Famesick by Lena Dunham

Tom Lake

Buckeye

The Correspondent

all of those were 4 ⭐️ + reads for me in the last couple months!

[rachaeldee]

Rach how is your skin brightening journey going? Any products you love so far?

it’s been about two months and i am just staring to see a difference!!! i think the key is to find a few products and commit and play the long game (shocking). i just purchased my second jar of barefaced toning pads (the orange jar) and i use those every single morning, and my second bottle of youth to the people brightcell vitamin C, and im about halfway through my big bottle of caudalie vinoperfect. those two are both brighteners that work through different mechanisms so they work well together. i think consistency is key, and SUNSCREEN! i noticed a huge difference when i really committed to my tatcha sunscreen every single day and now i never skip even on rainy cloudy days. i really think sunscreen lets everything work without any irritation from the sun and protects the sensitive skin the exfoliation is revealing. i also really love this YTTP cleanser and first aid beauty gel cream for my daytime moisturizer!

[rachaeldee]

rach!!!! omg azelaic acid has changed my skin 😍 thank you for the rec and for warning me about purging. I purged a little bit the first week but ever since my skin has been so smooth and happy 🥰

random question but where do you like buying your socks from? I find it’s hard to find cotton socks and the brands I liked in the past are moving away from natural fibers (😩)

thank you for your recs as always💗

oh yay that makes me so happy!!

i don’t wear socks i live in Hawaii 🤣 for running i just wear Costco cotton athletic socks my husband and i share!

[rachaeldee]

looove seeing all your matchas! Would love to know your current fave at home matcha recipe!

currently it’s an iced strawberry matcha with vanilla bean cold foam!!

i add oat or almond milk and homemade strawberry sauce to a glass with ice. hand whisk my matcha and pour over top, and then i put some whole milk with a bit of vanilla bean paste in my milk frother on the cold foam setting and add on top. it’s divine!

for strawberry sauce i cook down fresh or frozen strawberries with sugar and lemon juice to taste, then thin it out to desired consistency and blend in my vitamix, then strain through a fine mesh strainer. I’ll taste it and add more sugar or lemon if needed. then store in mason jars in the fridge!