Laugh a little more
Good morning.
I’ve been thinking about the power of choosing what matters.
Because family life is full.
And sometimes, without realizing it, we start believing that getting everything done is the same thing as taking care of the people we love.
But what if it isn’t?
What if some of the most important moments are hiding in the things we skip?
So today, let’s make a little room for the people around us. For a silly game. A family night. A conversation that goes nowhere and everywhere.
Pull up a chair. The table is set.
Give everyone a category and a letter, then see who can come up with the most creative answers before time runs out.
The best part? You don’t need fancy supplies or a complicated setup.
(Over 8,000 readers have loved these Scattergories-style games this year!)
TABLE WISDOM
“In family life, love is the oil that eases friction.” — Eva Burrows
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STORIES FROM THE TABLE
A gentle reminder…
Rebecca didn’t mean for the days to slip away like they did.
There was just always something. Emails still unanswered. Dishes stacked in the sink.
She told herself she was doing it all for her family. That the busyness was part of loving them well.
But one evening, she looked up from her phone and saw them there.
But really saw them.
Her kids laughing on the floor, building something out of nothing. Their voices filling the house in a way no to-do list ever could.
And for a moment, she felt it. The ache of realizing how often she was nearby, but not truly present.
So she put down her phone. Sat down in the middle of the mess and joined them.
At first, it felt strange (like she was forgetting something important).
But then she heard it: their laughter, full and easy, pulling her back into the moment she had almost missed.
Later that night, she stood in the kitchen looking at what was still undone.
But for the first time, it didn’t feel heavy.
Because the most important thing had been done.
She had chosen them.
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK
Have a family night.
This week, choose one evening to put the to-do list down and be together.
Play a game. Make dessert. Take a walk. Eat pizza on the floor.
It doesn’t need to be Pinterest-worthy.
It doesn’t even need to last long.
The goal is simply to give your family your full attention for a little while.
AFFIRMATION OF THE WEEK
Our family doesn’t need perfection, just time to connect.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
If you could pause your life exactly as it is right now and keep one ordinary family moment forever…
Which moment would you choose?
SOMETHING TO CHEW ON
What state was the first to declare Labor Day an official holiday in 1887?
Find the September Trivia answer at the bottom of the email.
TABLE TALK
Sometimes I feel like I have my life together, but then my windshield gets foggy, and I don’t know what temperature to use to get rid of it.
Trivia answer: Oregon
Years from now, they probably won’t remember whether the house was spotless.
But they may remember that night everyone laughed until their stomachs hurt.
Thank you for sitting with us. I hope you enjoyed today’s edition. If you have anything at all you’d like to share, ask, or say, just hit reply. I’d love to hear from you.
I appreciate you!
See you tomorrow at the table,
Jenn Kropf
Founder of Healthy Happy Impactful