Melissa Baswell Williams

It’s Friday, the sun’s out, 3 rooms in my house are clean-ish, and my coffee is actually hot. 🙌🏼 (My poor little dude is home sick from school, but it’s the first day he’s missed the entire school year so I can’t complain.) Happy almost weekend. ✨ (Disclaimer: This picture of me was not taken today. I’m currently in ripped pajamas with excessively unwashed hair and sleep deprivation eye bags after cleaning up kids’ vomit all night. But let’s just pretend, k?)

It’s a win-win, guys. 👏🏼 Seriously though, thank goodness for warm weather so these kids can get outside. It’s great for my kitchen and family room. I mean, ahem, for their bodies and brains. 😬

THEN ➡️ NOW Blink of an eye 🥹 I can’t put into words what these two mean to me. They push me to my limits but wow is it a love like no other. I am so grateful for them. To to all of you with human children, animal children, children in spirit, children to whom you had to say goodbye, children you hoped for, friends or other humans you nurture, as well as those of you with moms, step moms, moms-in-law, moms no longer on this earth but still in your hearts, or just people in your life who are nurturing to you, Happy Mother’s Day. 💛💐 Motherhood doesn't only include women who have children, and I wish ALL of you who choose to celebrate wonderful, joyful day.

AD I personally think the best new food discoveries are made at @Costco, and I was honestly blown away when I tried a sample of @FloatingLeafFood Organic Fried Rice there. It is so fluffy and flavorful, and I found out it’s ready in 2 minutes - so I obviously had to get some. This stuff is quick and easy - there’s even a QR code you can scan to show you how to make it. It’s also the only instant organic “on-the-go” rice available! It’s low sodium, non-GMO, eco-conscious, and a better for you option than ramen, so I feel good about giving it to my kids. I’ve been eating it straight from the box at home and even in my car when I’m playing chauffeur all over town, but you can easily jazz it up with some toppings like shredded carrots, avocado, eggs... The possibilities are endless. Floating Leaf Organic Fried Rice is only available at Costco, so get yourself over there and get you some of this tasty goodness today! https://soapbox.buzz/44wpTgP #FloatingLeafAtCostco

May is one of my favorite months because it means garden season is here! 🪴 AD Between the gardens in our front and back yard, our patio container garden, and my mom's urban garden plot close by, I have learned that preparation is one of the most important parts of gardening. Here are a few things you can do to get ready: 1. Grab @Fiskarsamericas Gardening Kits/Tools at @Target so you're prepared with the proper tools. 2. Make of list what veggies or annuals you'll be growing. 3. Purchase and start seeds, if growing from seed (should be done in late winter). 4. Clear out weeds and debris. 5. Prepare soil in garden beds and/or get soil for containers. 6. Prune plants, shrubs, etc. That first tip is especially important right now - because Fiskars gardening products are 30% off from 5/4-5/24, only at Target and Target.com! I just grabbed the Fiskars 3pc Garden Tool Set (super durable and makes planting, weed pulling, etc. so easy), Fiskars 3pc Tree & Shrub Care Set (everything you need for shaping and cutting trees and shrubs), and Fiskars PowerGear Pruner (comfortable and great for cutting through thick stems) at my local Target and immediately put them to use. Get to Target or Target.com and take advantage of this amazing deal to make this year's gardens your best yet! https://click2cart.com/2775000K #FiskarsAtTarget #Target #Fiskars #TargetFinds

Happy (belated) International Dance Day in honor of my very favorite dancer! This past weekend was the final competition/convention weekend of the season for @ess_dancer, and it didn’t turn out the way she’d hoped. She started to feel “off” Saturday evening, and by the end of classes Sunday, she was very sick. She pushed herself (in retrospect, too hard) to try to give the classes and auditions her all, but as soon as we got in the car to make the trip home, she burst into tears because she simply hadn’t been physically capable of doing what she felt was her best. So when we got home (after an urgent care visit and hefty dose of antibiotics), she and I went through photos of the comps/conventions we did the last 3 months so she could be reminded of just how well she did, and, most importantly, how much she learned and how much fun she had. 💛 Swipe through to see her favorite shots from this season. (The last one is mine. And the first is from last year but I just love it.) Those of you who are competitive dance parents (and other sports as well I’m certain) can attest to the fact that being on a dance team and experiencing these weekends provides so many wonderful experiences and important life lessons - even when they’re tough ones. In all, it was an incredible season with her beloved @embodydancecompany, and I am so proud of all she achieved and how much she’s grown as a dancer and a person. Photos: 1. Taken by @cjgphotog for the #MyMuseDancerProgram 2. Her trio at NYCDA Lake Geneva this weekend 3. Standout Dancer scholarship award at NUVO last month 4. Lyrical dance at NYCDA Chicago in February 5. Musical theatre dance at NYCDA Chicago 6. Her trio at NUVO 7. Musical theatre dance at NYCDA Chicago 8. Ballet class at convention this weekend 9. Best Group award and highest adjudication at NUVO 10. Just living the life she loves ❤️

#NintendoPartner In this house, we encourage self expression, which is one of the many reasons we’re excited to be partnering with @nintendoamerica to share how much we’ve been loving the game Splatoon 3 for Nintendo Switch! My kids and I love coming up with over-the-top fashion looks in real life, so it’s no surprise how much we love being Inklings in this colorful, action packed shooter game. (Side note: I told my kids the Inklings have fresh style and they said no mom, they’re drippin’ in their fits. Or maybe, they said their fits drip? I don’t know - I’m not cool.) Anyway, we’re all about the changing assemble of fashionable and functional gear we can wear as these squid-like Inklings. And we have so much fun as we colorfully ink, swim, and splat our opponents to claim turf and earn points, which can be used for in-game items like more clothes and gear to show off our Inkling style. Whether we’re working together as a team on different Nintendo Switch Systems or adventuring alone, Splatoon 3 keeps up entertained in style. Also be sure to check out the downloadable Expansion Pack! Visit the link in my bio to get Splatoon 3 and start your Nintendo Switch journey.

I shared something I’d posted in the Threads app (anyone else use it?) to my stories today about how, in full disclosure, 2024 just has not been a good year for me so far. (Since getting the ‘vid on the 1st day of the year it’s been a whole lot of “kick me while I’m down” struggles. I have a theory about this involving every 4 years but I’ll save that superstition for another time. 🤪) SO MANY of you DMed me to say you could relate, which made me sad, BUT that means we’re all in this together and can do little things to encourage each other, right? So here are some random pictures of an encouraging wall mural 😂 AND some really beautiful flowers my daughter has taken on my phone. 💛 They cheer me up every time I look them. I hope they bring you a little joy too. 🌷🌻🌸🌹🪻🌼

Happy Earth Day! 🌎 For those who don’t know, I owned and was the lead designer for an eco-friendly clothing line called Mountains of the Moon for 15 years. (If you’re a follower from back in those days, please leave a comment! 🙋🏼‍♀️) I was also president of my high school’s eco club, interned for an environmental nonprofit in college, and still do what I can to make sustainable choices in my everyday. My kids are so invested in making earth conscious choices too, which means everything to me. I didn’t get to snap a picture of them today, but scrolling through these past Earth Day shots (especially the last one! 🥹) brings me so much joy. 💚🌎🌲