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Your Thanksgiving Inspo Starts Here

For moms who manage money, meals, and the messy middle.

Author

Ann Woo
November 17, 2025

In partnership with

Happy Monday! Today is going to be a great day and I’m so glad you’re here. 🥰 

This weekend was such a sweet fill to my cup with family photos and celebrating my almost-4-year-old with a birthday party at the science museum! I can’t believe I’m about to have a 4-year-old… that suddenly feels so big. And honestly, the older my kids get, the more I realize my skincare routine needs to evolve right along with them. Here’s everything I’m using for my current skincare routine!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving next week, I’m sharing all the recipes for the sides I’ll be making for my family below. I’m so excited to cook all day (this isn’t sarcasm!) with some good music and mimosa flowing. Thanksgiving is my ideal holiday- good food and practicing gratitude? Count me in. And as I look back on this past year, I have so much to be thankful for:

I’m thankful to have found myself again.
It wasn’t until my second baby turned one in July that the postpartum fog finally lifted. I stopped feeling like I was drowning and living in survival mode. That shift brought me back to food blogging and content creation, and this latter half of the year has been such a gift. If you’re in the thick of it right now, please know it’s just a phase and it truly does get better.

I’m grateful I spoke up about my health.
Earlier this year, I felt terrible all the time. I was doing all the “right” things like working out and eating well but something still felt off. After several blood tests, I learned I have hypothyroidism. That diagnosis started my hormonal balancing journey, and eight months later, I feel amazing. Always trust your gut and advocate for yourself, moms!!

I’m grateful for my family and friends.
I’m surrounded by the most incredible people, and knowing who your people are is such a special kind of security. I don’t take that for granted.

I’m thankful for extra help.
So many of your past money confessionals mention “mom sanity” splurges like housekeeping — and honestly, same. We have the sweetest ladies who come often for a deep clean that I would never get around to, and I appreciate them more than I can say.

I’m grateful for my jobs.
It’s been a great year at my full-time job, and I genuinely love my other work in food blogging and content creation. Each one fills a different part of me, and I’m incredibly thankful to have multiple streams of income to support my family. Which brings me to…

I’m grateful for YOU.
Thank you for letting me into your inbox every Monday and caring about what I have to say. Your time is the most valuable currency, and I don’t take it lightly. I’m so glad this weekly newsletter resonates with you and I hope brings you some joy! Your support is what allows me to live out my dreams, and I am so deeply thankful for this community.

Now I have to know from all 1,165 of you: if money/time were no issue, what household-related chore would you outsource first? Let me know in the poll at the end!

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Let’s get into it:

🍽️ What’s for Thanksgiving Dinner

  • Sausage & Herb Stuffing with Apples -Stuffing is my favorite Thanksgiving side dish, but I’ve actually never made it myself. This recipe seems simple yet full of flavor, and I love that it uses sourdough.

  • Sweet Potato Casserole - This side dish was requested by my husband, who insists that marshmallows are a must. I’m sure my kids will love this sweet and savory dish!

  • Green Bean Casserole - If stuffing is my number 1, green bean casserole is my number 2. With minimal ingredients, this looks to be a hit.

  • No Boil Crockpot Mashed Potatoes - With every kitchen appliance in use on Thanksgiving, I specifically searched for a crockpot mashed potato recipe and this one looks like a winner. Love the addition of sour cream.

  • Homemade Turkey Gravy - In my opinion, gravy is the glue that holds everything on the plate together, and it has to taste exceptional. This food blogger never lets me down, so I’m trusting her with this one.

  • Winter Greens Salad with Pecorino Dressing - Depending on how prep and cooking go, this recipe might fall off my list, but I’d love to have a fresh green salad on the table to balance out all the heaviness and richness of the other dishes.

  • Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls - Yall know I’m on a sourdough roll (hehe), so I was thrilled to find this recipe. It looks so easy and delicious, and I can’t wait to see how these turn out.

❤️ What I’m Recommending

This section contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them—at no extra cost to you (thanks for supporting the newsletter!).

💸 In This Economy? (Mom’s Version)

Western North Carolina Mom with a $500K Household Income Loves Spreadsheets and Consignment Shops

In This Economy? is a weekly series showcasing the costs of motherhood from real moms. Want to share your story anonymously? Submit here — no names, no judgment.

  • Age: 34

  • Kids: Two kids: 2.5 year old and a 4 month old

  • Job: Husband is a surgeon, I’m an actuary/data scientist

  • Household Income: $500K

  • Own or rent: Own; $6,700 (WOOF), bought a house when prices and rates were high but hope to refinance one day

  • Childcare or daycare expense: $4,270 ($4,000 for nanny, $270 for twice a week preschool for toddler)

  • Recent purchase you regret: I can’t think of anything!

  • Splurge and don’t regret: Generator! We were impacted by Helene…never again! (Price range anywhere from $3,000 to $20,000)

  • Best “mom sanity” splurge: Hydrafacials and a massage every 3 months or so

  • Weekly “kid stuff” spend: Maybe $50? We are pretty minimalist with physical things, so just clothes every few months and weekly swim lessons.

  • Weekly spend on groceries: $200

  • Most spent on a kid party: One year we spent $300 to rent a tent at a brewery, one year we spent basically nothing and just had family over for pizza and cake.

  • Purchase that you don’t tell your partner about: Honestly nothing! We are very open about what we spend. We actually siphon off our incomes to pay ourselves each a monthly allowance that we call “fun money.” We can use it however we want without talking to the other person. For me, that’s facials/massages. For him, it’s random mountain biking gear 🤣

  • Saving for your kids college tuitions: Ugh we need to. For now we just have 529 accounts that grandparents generously contribute to.

  • Something financial you wish your parents had taught you: My dad taught me to save, my mom taught me to live my life and spend 🤣 still trying to find my own balance…

  • Managing family budget: I have a badass spreadsheet. We joke that spreadsheets are my love language…

  • Great ways to save money on kid-related expenses: Consignment shop for dress clothes. You know they’ve only been worn a handful of times!

  • Money advice for other moms: If you can swing it, work with a fee based financial advisor for a one time project to get your money organized. We did this when we got married and it really helped us streamline our finances. We know exactly where all our money goes - what order we should be saving (first save emergency funds, then employer matches, then IRAs…etc.).

  • Finish the sentence: “In this economy, I still somehow _______.” do lots of self care

  • Anything else you’d like to say? Money isn’t everything. When my husband finished training, we chose a job that pays much less than others but was in a part of the country we loved (and near family), allows him to be his own boss, and gives him a good work life balance. We feel very rich in life even though we could have been making more!

Thanks again for being here. If you love it, forward this to a mom friend—more voices make this better. And if you ever want to share, vent, or suggest something, just hit reply. I’m reading every email!

Woo you next week,
Ann

✅ This Week’s Mom Poll

If money/time were no issue, what household-related chore would you outsource first?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

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