Have an Inspired Weekend. | A Cup of Jo

What are you up to this weekend? We are driving to Connecticut to see our beloved family friends. They have a trampoline and teenagers, so my kids are always in heaven. Also, thank you for the wonderful response to our heart shirt. Next up: Cup of Jo tees! Hope you have a good one, and here are a few fun links from around the web…

A Michigan mom on how teaching her son to cook made them closer. “He eats so much, though, oh my gosh. My grocery bill is crazy right now.”

Jennifer Hudson’s voice is like a musical instrument. (New York Times)

What a romantic photo booth!

I plan to wear this comfy piece all fall.

Pop quiz: How many states can you identify on a U.S. map?

A beautiful article on grief. “Early on, the McIlvaines spoke to a therapist who warned them that each member of their family would grieve differently. Imagine that you’re all at the top of a mountain, she told them, but you all have broken bones, so you can’t help each other. You each have to find your own way down.”

Alex and I watched this movie and laughed forever.

The secret to truly clean skin.

Modern miracle! This woman convinced her doctor to google endometriosis.

The trailer for King Richard looks great.

Whoa, isn’t this guy a smooth dancer?

Plus, three reader comments:

Says Sarah on Toby and Anton in conversation: “My four-year-old says wild things. The other night, she came running into her room after showering and yelled, ‘Look at my THUNDER BODY.’ Another day, when I asked her what she was drawing, she whispered, ‘Just wait for it.’ One very early morning, after she had been sleeping in our bed for half the night, she calmly asked, ‘Do you want the good news? Or the bad news? I have no good news. I peed in the bed.’”

Says Ilissa on how walking changed my life: “Since March 2020, I’ve been using an app that matches my steps to the Appalachian Trail. So far, I’ve walked more than 1,400 miles, from Georgia to Massachusetts. Some days, it’s two miles around my neighborhood, others 10. Walking the trail (virtually) has seen me through a divorce, the pandemic, a new job, virtual 2nd grade, the start and end of a new relationship, a gazillion podcasts, and several pairs of shoes. When I finish, I plan to get the mileage as my first tattoo.”

Says Mikayla on 10 fun things: “I’m team low-knot, too! Gosh, I love CoJ. Finding sisterhood in hairstyles is everything I dreamed adult friendships would be.”

(Photo of Aretha Franklin. Baseball player and U.S. quiz via Kottke.)