I Only Grocery Shop Once a Month for My Family of 4

SELFCares Newsletter, December 6th, 2017 SELFCares About... Family [I Couldn't Carry a Baby, So My Friend Offered to Do It for Me]( If you are unable to see the message below, [click here to view.]( [SELF Cares]( [Smiling married lesbian couple sitting on front porch with family on summer evening] [gingerbread people] This week, we're talking about... Family For me, December means a lot of flying between Nashville, where I grew up, and New York City, my newfound home. It means splitting time between my mom's side of the family and my dad's, which is never easy or fun or particularly rewarding. And it means fielding questions like, "What's that thing in your nose?" (It's a nose ring.) "You've gained some weight since the last time I saw you, eh?" (Indeed, I have.) "Didn't you have a boyfriend the last time you were here? What happened to him?" (He broke up with me—thanks for the reminder.) Families are messy. Mine is really, really messy. Sometimes I hear my friends talk about how close they are with their siblings, how many hilarious memories they have with their cousins, and how practically no one in their family is divorced. I can't really relate. Whenever it comes up, I find myself wishing my family was a little bit simpler—or at the very least, easier to explain. But then I remember the time my grandpa taught me how to herd cattle on his farm, or the myriad nights my aunt helped me study for my high school exams, or all the times my dad has said the words, "I'm proud of you." These things count for a lot. December is anything but easy. And with a little help from my family, it's also anything but boring. I'd like to spend this week's newsletter celebrating that. Here, you'll find an array of stories exploring the idea of family in its many kooky, complicated, and wonderful forms. Happy holidays, folks! [Lindsey Lanquist @lindseylanquist, Associate Editor]( [woman doing yoga outside]( [How Yoga Helped My Family Heal From Tragedy]( In this piece, writer Janna Hockenjos shares how practicing yoga with her dad helped them move on from a devastating car accident. [READ HER STORY]( Advertisement [advertisement]( [Powered by LiveIntent]( [AdChoices]( [writer with her family]( [My Mom And I Got Matching Tattoos, and It Was Awesome]( I don't think I could conceivably convince any of my family members to get matching tattoos with me, but this story makes me want to try. [LEARN MORE]( [dad and daugther in Iceland]( [Growing Up With a Single Parent Made Me Appreciate This Mom's Viral Post So Much More]( When I first published this article—which is about my experience being raised by a single parent—my dad texted me, "You're a great kid." Suffice it to say, I couldn't write a newsletter about family without including it. [LEARN MORE]( [advertisement]( [Powered by LiveIntent]( [AdChoices]( [three people with one being pregnant]( [I Couldn't Carry a Baby, So My Friend Offered to Do It for Me]( When one woman learned an autoimmune disease would keep her from having a safe pregnancy, her friend stepped in to be her gestational surrogate. The friends weren't related in a conventional sense, but their story is a compelling exploration of what the word "family" really means. [READ THIS]( [grocery food]( [I Only Grocery Shop Once a Month for My Family of 4]( Yes, it's possible. No matter whether you're the host or the hosted, you can simplify your December with these game-changing tips. [FIND OUT HOW]( [advertisement]( [Powered by LiveIntent]( [AdChoices]( [In Praise of the Moms Who Don't Pretend Their Lives Are Perfect on Instagram]( Instagram can be a total highlight reel, so it's nice to see the occasional real, #nofilter, whatever you want to call it post. The moms in this piece are experts at capturing life's complications and less-than-stellar moments, and I can't help but smile. [READ MORE]( [Gwyneth Paltrow]( Sharing Is Caring! Forward this newsletter to your friends! Got this from a friend? [Sign Up Here]( Curated with care by SELF editors [instagram]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( Sent from Condé Nast, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10001, attn: Email Coordinator Copyright © 2017 Condé Nast.