Hi friends!

I got a facelift. Sort of. Welcome to a fun, fresh, made-over edition of my personal newsletter! From here on out, you’ll get an inside peek into what’s been going on in my family’s life, I’ll also share a fun seasonal story and you’ll then hear a few of my favorite things. I’d love to hear what you think of this new format... weigh in on my IG page. 

So, as I write this, it’s mid-October... my daughter just wrapped up her school volleyball season, my youngest finished his first season of tackle football and my middle guy is gearing up for travel basketball. Sometimes I feel like a glorified chauffeur… but a friend of mine gave me great advice. He suggested something called “car time, our time.” We're not to be on our devices in the car. So, driving them around has actually turned into an opportunity to have really great conversations with them, finding out what’s been going on in their lives, etc. Sometimes I still feel like I’m pulling teeth to get a word out of them. But, "CAR TIME, OUR TIME" has been a game-changer. Try it and let me know what you think? 

Also, you may have heard that I’m launching a media company in January—you’re going to hear all about it here, first! Next newsletter (November 2nd) I’ll spill the tea. For now, I’ll tell you this: I’m so excited but I’m also really scared... there are moments where I feel completely unqualified and ill-equipped. But, I’m going to continue to chase this particular call, in this particular season. I can’t wait to tell you EVERYTHING! 

Here's a quick Halloween story...

It was Halloween 2013, I was 7 months pregnant—Good Morning America goes ALL out on their Halloween show. What could I possibly dress up as? 

My GMA colleague, Ron Claiborne, and I decided to go as Kim & Kanye on the red carpet when Kim showed off her pregnant belly. 

What do you think? Did we nail it? Kudos to the GMA costume designers—look at how detailed they were, even my gloves match Kim’s! And, it was so nice to not have to suck my tummy in. :) 

Episode 37 — Sadie Robertson Huff — We’re trying something brand new on the podcast. We’re calling back some of our guests who we want to catch up with. This past week, we called back Sadie Robertson Huff, who became a momma since we last spoke. Sadie spills the tea on mom guilt, “bounce back” culture, her chaotic delivery of her baby and her new devotional.

LISTEN NOW

Episode 38 — Madison Prewett — Do the contestants of The Bachelor really fall in love? Madison gives us the inside scoop! Plus, we talk about her new book, Made for This Moment, and her experience on the popular reality show, The Bachelor. Madison is a force to be reckoned with and I can't wait for you to hear her incredible story! LISTEN NOW

FARIS FAVORITES

1. You know those ferns on your porch...you know them — the deadish ones that you are about to throw out. Don’t! My friend Meaghan gave me the greatest hack. Purchase THESE googly eyes, glue them to wooden popsicle sticks or chopsticks and secure them in your ferns. Then you have a hairy green monster on your porch that the kids will LOVE. Photo via Meaghan's front porch 😉

2. The Husbands — what if the Stepford wives were actually the Stepford husbands? I love a good thriller and can’t put it down. P.S. — There’s some salty language... Photo via Amazon.com.

3. I understand how skeptical many of you are regarding the media. And, to be honest, it’s warranted. If you’re looking for RELIABLE news from multiple perspectives with thousands of publications, check out GROUND NEWS. They tell you which publications lean in which direction, so you know upfront what you’re reading and through what lens. It’s also so important we get out of our echo chambers and cross-reference. Photo via ground.news.