Perfection Pending

By Meredith Ethington

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Product Review Uncategorized utah

Local is Where It’s At

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This past weekend, my husband and I discovered a new restaurant. I was literally savoring each bite and exclaiming in a rather annoying way how delicious it all was with every other bite. My husband loved it too, but I was just a tad bit more expressive about it.

I purposely saved half my food to eat later because I didn’t want it to end. Of course, as soon as we got home and I was carrying 228 things at the same time, while my husband was carrying his keys, I dropped my box of food and my delicious meal spilled onto the driveway. While I didn’t cry REAL tears, I wanted to. And, while I didn’t eat it off the driveway, I wanted to. It was that good.  We vowed this would be our new go-to restaurant when we are looking for somewhere yummy to eat. Which, of course means it will probably go out of business.

This is why when I find a place I love, I try to support it. Go there often. And, help keep it alive! Have you ever loved a place so much and wanted to cry when you realized it went out of business? Yeah, me too. Have you seen the movie You’ve Got Mail? Love. It.

Anyway, when I heard about Merco Local, I jumped at the chance to check out their MercoBox! It’s a fun little box that you get in the mail full of samples, and coupons for local places close to you. How amazing is that?? I was so excited when this cute little box came for me so I could discover some more local hidden gems. My kids enjoyed trying out some goodies from the box too. It was almost like Christmas with all the tiny surprises inside!

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Within minutes, we had devoured the delicious Le Madelines cookies that we found inside and the Meals that Transform Power bar. Yum! And, coincidentally it was laundry day, so I was so excited to see Eco Treasures Soap nuts inside! I heard about these nuts that can naturally clean your clothes and wanted to try them anyway. I washed some of my smelly kitchen rags with them, and they TOTALLY worked! I couldn’t believe it.

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I was also totally surprised to see gift cards in there too for Rodizio Grill ($10), Our Children’s Earth ($5), A free Yoga class at Downtime Yoga, and a buy one get one half off Ballet West Gift Card. I see a mother daughter night in my future to use that one. And, that wasn’t it. There was also some Mason Jar Coffee Roasters coffee and Fit Me Tea that I gifted to friends (since I’m not a coffee or tea drinker) and healing salve from Ashley’s Apothecary healing salve. That’s a LOT of stuff. And, I’ve used it all.

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And, the best part? When you buy a box, your money is going back to the locals. I love that. You need to at least check out MercoBox here. You can buy a single box, or subscribe to a monthly plan. And, if you do the math, you’re totally getting your money back in products and coupons…and then some! And, their website isn’t all about the box either! Make sure you check out their other amazing offers for local businesses.

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And, lucky for YOU, I have a 25% off code for you if you want to try a box of your own. Just use: “iheartutah” at check out! And, if you discover an amazing local UT business, please tell me! Because I might just love it too.

 *This is a sponsored post. I received this box in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% mine. 


9 Comments

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Comments

  1. Susan Maccarelli says

    April 8, 2014 at 5:06 am

    So cool! I want one, but alas I don’t live in Utah. Can they expand to Virginia next? (because that is the next natural place to expand from Utah??). Cheers!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      April 8, 2014 at 8:24 am

      I know! It would so fun to have these everywhere!

      Reply
  2. zeudytigre says

    April 8, 2014 at 9:06 am

    I am crying that you dropped your take home box of food. I think I might have tried to scoop at least some of it up….

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      April 8, 2014 at 12:16 pm

      I wanted to. Trust me! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kelly McKenzie says

    April 8, 2014 at 9:53 am

    Utah! You are blessed. such a great, great idea.

    Reply
  4. Kerry says

    April 8, 2014 at 1:20 pm

    Sounds awesome! Too bad only in Utah 🙁

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      April 8, 2014 at 1:37 pm

      I know! Wish I had more UT readers, actually.

      Reply
  5. Charlotte says

    April 10, 2014 at 11:48 am

    Uhm, that is the COOLEST THING! I love to support local businesses here, too, and since I’m still somewhat new to the neighborhood, this would be a great incentive to try out a few restaurants and places in town. What a great idea!

    Also I’m very (fashionably?) late to the party, but I hope you had a wonderful SITS day!!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      April 10, 2014 at 2:19 pm

      THanks Charlotte! It is a great idea! I wish it was available in more places. 🙂

      Reply

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Welcome! I’m Meredith.

Mom. Writer. Diet Coke connoisseur. Born and raised Texan. Lover of real talk and laughter with a hint of sarcasm mixed in.

The Mother Load

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Meredith Ethington

perfectpending

Mom • Author • Mental Health Therapist In Training
Grab my new book, The Mother Load, available now. 👇👇

Night night! 😤 Night night! 😤
If you missed my last post about how raising teens If you missed my last post about how raising teens can wreck you mentally….wellll this is part of the reason why. So lonely! But we are in this together somehow. 😂 Make sure to check out my latest substack and grab a copy of my book —- The Mother Load!
NEW ---> "When there are problems in these big kid NEW ---> "When there are problems in these big kid years, it’s no longer really acceptable to call a friend and air the annoyances of the situation. At least not the specifics.

Sure, you can commiserate with a fellow parent about teenagers being the worst.

But, to be honest - they’re not the worst. They’re kind of amazing. But their problems make me tired to my core." 

Read the latest on my substack. I promise you'll relate. ❤️
So sweet. ❤️ Follow me @perfectpending and bet So sweet. ❤️
Follow me @perfectpending and better yet buy my book or subscribe to my substack to support me.
"I don’t know about you, but I don’t really wa "I don’t know about you, but I don’t really want same-ness anymore. I want messy. I want admissions that shit is hard and we don’t have it all together. I want to have a makeup free, messy bun in my sweats run in with a mom friend and not feel worried she’s checking out my un-groomed eyebrows.

I don’t want to try to give off this illusion that I’m control of my life any better than the next person. It’s a shitshow for all of us, and we continue to hide it for fear of what? Being human?"

Read the rest on my Substack. Link in profile.
WHAT IF THIS IS THE HAPPIEST I’LL EVER BE AND I WHAT IF THIS IS THE HAPPIEST I’LL EVER BE AND I MISS IT? What if I miss the best time of my life. What if it’s right this second?
What if it’s right now while I’m in finals week of grad school, and have a kid that’s sick? 
I already miss so much. The gummy smiles of babes without any teeth. The squeaky voices of 2 year olds. The babbling of a baby that’s just trying so hard to say mama. The grammar mistakes my kids make when they’re talking that I don’t have the heart to correct because I love it too much. 

I miss a lot about those younger years that have already slipped away. My youngest is sick, much like in this picture, but he is too big to snuggle in my arms now when he’s running a fever. 

Today I had the thought, what if this is it? What if this IS the happiest I’ll ever be?
For a moment, I lingered in that thought as I stood over my sink and did the dishes. I started to cry.
Am I missing it? AM I? I felt a tug that maybe I was. Maybe I wasn’t relishing enough, and enjoying enough, and being present enough.
But, then I realized, it will never be ENOUGH. 

Read the rest in my substack ❤️
New year, same me. 😂 #mentalhealth #anxiety #de New year, same me. 😂
#mentalhealth #anxiety #depression
"I don't care" as I literally care about every sin "I don't care" as I literally care about every single thing.
I’ve got to admit - I’m kind of over all of th I’ve got to admit - I’m kind of over all of this. *sweeps arm generally at planet earth*

Look, I’ve never been a half glass full kind of gal. I can ALWAYS find the negative in every situation. 

But, right now it’s easy to say that I’m over it. It being.....

The state of our economy. Social media. People being unemployed. People being racist and homophobic. The debate over politics. People judging people. ALLLLLL of it. 

Everything is crap right now. We joke about it a lot. We have to in order to survive. 

It’s the one millionth day of January but Spring feels so far away. 

I’m over these four damn walls that we call home. 

Yeah, I know. Even as I’m typing this it all sounds like a bunch of ungrateful whiney BS. I hear it. I don’t need you to point it out, Karen. 

But, my guess is you’re reading this right now and realizing you’re over it too. Whatever “it” is in your life.

Some days the world feels like total crap. Everything is a mess. Everything costs too much. For E-V-E-R-Y-B-O-D-Y. 

Yes, even for you Karen. ➡️➡️ to keep reading.
Yes. Boundaries are healthy and good. And they mea Yes. Boundaries are healthy and good. And they mean someone loves you that much to communicate them! Love this wisdom from @wittyidiot
NEW POST ----> "This is not a post about loss of a NEW POST ----> "This is not a post about loss of a loved one. Or loss of a child. Those things are real, and they’re heart wrenching. And, this post is certainly not to compare that loss with the one I’m going to talk about.

But, the loss of yourself in motherhood is real. And It’s not talked about enough." 

Do you feel like you lost yourself in motherhood? How? I really want to know. 

Psss - I am in grad school to become a therapist, and am not ashamed to ask that you subscribe to my paid substack. I just lowered the cost to $36/year! That's like $4/month and you'll have access to all my previous posts, and some new weekly short posts to give you ideas to help with balancing motherhood and your own mental health. I'm learning a lot in school, and will only continue to do so, so subscribe and we'll support each other. ❤️
This memory made me laugh this morning. 🤣 This memory made me laugh this morning. 🤣
Saaaame. @womenwhorunwiththemoon Saaaame. @womenwhorunwiththemoon
I’m sorry are you really wearing doc martens and I’m sorry are you really wearing doc martens and a dress with spaghetti straps and a Tshirt under it while you’re telling me I’m doing it wrong? 🤣 Life is wild. Teenagers are fun.
Found in my pediatricians office. 🤣 What’s th Found in my pediatricians office. 🤣 What’s the moral of the story friends? If you think your household is always sick - it’s because they probably are. Kids make everything more germ-y
Here’s what I do know 👇 No one knows what th Here’s what I do know 👇

No one knows what they’re doing. 
We all feel like imposters. 
Our kids love us anyway. 
We’re all going to be OK. 
You’ve got this (as much as any of us do) 😘

#momspiration #momlife #funnymoms #memtalhealth #parentinglife #parentingquotes
"By trying to be perfect, we're actually trying to "By trying to be perfect, we're actually trying to avoid being human." 

Do you struggle with perfectionism? Parenthood has helped me quite a bit, but It's something I've battled my whole life. I still struggle occasionally, although it's gotten better. But, let's stop trying to avoid being human and instead embrace ourselves an in turn embrace the entire human race. ❤️ I'd love to hear how you embrace being imperfect. 

#perfecționism #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #anxiety #imperfect #perfectpending #themotherload #thementalload
Mood. Mood.
Some of you wanted sources on my last reel where I Some of you wanted sources on my last reel where I said we only need to be getting it right 30% of the time for our kids to have secure attachments. Well I wrote a bit more about the concept of being the “good enough mother” a term coined in the 50’s by a researcher and pediatrician. Check it all out in my newest post. Link in profile.
It’s true! Researchers have found that as long a It’s true! Researchers have found that as long as you’re doing the repair after mistakes the other times - then 30% is enough! Sometimes I worry I’m not doing it right but I definitely know I’m doing it right 30% of the time! 
Probably a whole lot more to be honest. I bet you are too. #momlife #encouragement #momspiration
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