September Reset: Why Fall Feels Like the New January

In this kick-off episode of Season 2, Ali and Amy dive into the September shift that feels more like a fresh start than the new year. They talk about the excitement (and stress!) of getting back into routines, the realities of juggling kids, work, and life, and how giving yourself grace is the key to navigating it all. With personal stories about mom fails, back-to-school chaos, and how to reset when life feels "glitchy," this episode is a relatable reminder that it’s okay if things don’t go as planned. If you’re craving some motivation (or just a good laugh), this one’s for you! 

Transcript

Season 2 Episode 1

Alison

[00.00.05]

 You are listening to Sweet Insights with Ali and Amy, where we talk about life, candy and coaching. From a real estate agent and a life coach to a candy store owner. We have a little bit of everything. We are both moms living busy lives, and we share all of our raw, authentic selves with you. Hope you enjoyed today's episode. Hello and welcome to Sweet Insights with Ali and Amy. Good morning Amy. Good morning. 

Alison 

[00.00.40]

 How are you today? 

Amy

[00.00.42]

 I'm good. And yourself? 

Alison 

[00.00.44]

 I am good. So I'm going to kick things off with a couple shares from my past week. And so, um, I was talking to a friend yesterday. We were talking about coffee because coffee is something glorious in life, and I have a really bad habit. I got this cup from, uh, my jewel box back a few boxes ago, and it is my favorite cup. But I have a habit of, like, working and drinking coffee and letting my coffee get cold. And so my girlfriend told me I need an ember cup. 

Amy

[00.01.21]

 Oh, I've never heard that. 

Alison 

[00.01.24]

 I was like, what the heck is an amber cup? And she's like, oh, it's a it's like a mug, but it keeps your drink hot. And years ago, my dad had gotten me one of those, like, coasters that's supposed to keep you drink hot. No. Um, so anyways, I went online and discovered that an amber cup is $200. It was like, oh, like, I don't think I need one of those. And, um, yes. And I like that color, actually. Um. Anywho, so I sent Greg a message joking about this amber cup, and he was like, I've been telling you, you need one of those for a year. And I was like, you have. And he's like, yes. And you made fun of me and didn't engage at all. And I was like, oh. And I was like, well, with the amount of coffee that I like, drink half a cup. We probably would save a lot of money on coffee because I am a coffee snob. I buy beans from Guatemala because they are the best. Um, so anyways, today he's away right now. And uh, today he called me and I was talking about the Amber Cup, and like Austin was in the background like the kid. I called them this morning so the kids could say hi to him and he's like, oh my God, you bought a cup, didn't you? Like, I didn't buy a cup, but he's convinced he's coming home to me having this cup. And you two fun tips. So I was at a coffee cafe the other day, and I noticed that when they made me an iced coffee, they just had, it was probably espresso, like, in their fridge, and they just poured it in my cup. And so I drink an Americano, so it's an espresso with hot water in it. So this morning I decided that every coffee that I didn't drink, I would pour in this cup. And then later today, I would maybe turn it into an iced coffee. And I like to have milk in my iced coffee. I don't know why, it's just my thing. So I'm collecting my, um, drunk coffee. 

Amy

[00.03.19]

 You're drunk, 

Alison 

[00.03.21]

 and I'm embarrassed to show that this is how much undrawn coffee I've already had today, because I'm not always really good at drinking my coffee that I make so I'm wasting a lot of coffee. So, you know, I'm attempting to be less wasteful. The other thing that is super exciting 

Amy

[00.03.39]

 is that. I love tea in the afternoon. I like to have 1 or 2 cups of coffee in the morning and then in the afternoon. I'd love to have tea, especially in the fall. However, with my electric kettle, I click the kettle and never to return to go and make some tea. So I have like these great intentions of having tea, but then I never do it. I get distracted by work or whatever I'm doing. So last week, there it is. This is 

Alison 

[00.04.05]

 what I have to tell you about it. I decided to get an old fashioned stove kettle because it whistles and it will only stop whistling when you get off. Yes, so I have to get up, which then results. So for two weeks now I've been having afternoon tea and I'm so happy. 

Amy

[00.04.22]

 I'm so happy for you. I don't love tea, but I'm so happy for you. 

Alison 

[00.04.27]

 It, um. I think if we go back to the basics, we can find joy sometimes. 

Amy

[00.04.33]

 Sure. I will let you find joy in your tea. I so I really wasn't ever a coffee drinker, so. And here's my mug today. Like, just the one that I painted with my my kids. Um, 

Alison 

[00.04.45]

 that. 

Amy

[00.04.46]

 Yes. With a 

Alison 

[00.04.48]

 stencil. No, 

Amy

[00.04.51]

 I like it. 

Alison 

[00.04.53]

 So if you're listening and not watching, you know, there's like that unicorn cake and the unicorn, like, birthday party things and whatever. That's what's on the outside of this cup. And holy darn, she just showed me the inside and the horn on the ears of the unicorn on the inside 

Amy

[00.05.09]

 too. I know, and I 

Alison 

[00.05.11]

 love it like that. 

Amy

[00.05.13]

 So I mean, so when you come visit me, I will take you, and we can make a cup like this. 

Alison 

[00.05.18]

 Oh my gosh, I love that. So I'm going to show 

Amy

[00.05.20]

 you so. Two of my favorite cubs. I buy these cubs at HomeSense, but I think one of the kids bought me this mug. This is a tea mug. I don't drink tea and coffee out of the same cups. So it says I love you to the moon and back. And then inside on the bottom is a little smiley face. Oh, I love it. 

Alison 

[00.05.40]

 Wonderful about there being something inside your cup. Yes, 

Amy

[00.05.44]

 and I have. So I can't show you because I still have some coffee left. Because I'm going to drink it all today. Um, there is something on the bottom as well. It's just purple on the bottom. But I do have something written on the inside of this one. I believe this one. I have my kids names written on the inside of it as well. Um, so 

Alison 

[00.06.01]

 I have these mugs. These mugs. I can't tell you because, um, I can't see without my glasses on. But these mugs are made by a certain brand, so they're both in China and they're big. Yeah. Um, and I have them for all seasons, so, like, this is my all around one, like, for all seasons. And then I have once we bring out our full decoration. So I have Halloween ones and then for some reason this one didn't get put away at Christmas I think because it was wintery. Um, and then inside it says warm wishes. 

Amy

[00.06.30]

 Yeah. See, I love that 

Alison 

[00.06.32]

 this one has just so happy I know. 

Amy

[00.06.36]

 So wait till you see my fall mug. I have Halloween one. I'm so excited I don't think I had it last. No, I didn't have a coffee. I had an energy and energy drink. Oh my goodness, the words are hard today. Words are hard. So podcasting is hard. Um, but anyway, I have all kinds of fun things, but yeah, my coffee. So today, um, I know we've spent a lot of time talking about coffee this morning, but, um, basically I decided I was going to have a fall coffee, so it has like a maple creme brulée flavor shot in it. It also has like a pumpkin spice, um, coffee pod in it. And then I have cold foam, pumpkin spice, cold foam, of course. Like I'm not even a pumpkin Spice Girl other than 

Alison 

[00.07.18]

 pumpkin spice. Do you make your own cold form or do you buy it? I often, so here's the story I often make my own. Today I will. I had bought stuff, but I tried to use homemade stuff today and it went awry. Um, but I'm a pumpkin pie girly. Not a pumpkin spice, really, typically, but something about making it at home just anyway. It does this cold foam and I don't have it to show anyone. I'll show you next time. Um, but it tastes just like a pumpkin pie. But I thought I was going to do my normal whipping cream, and I whip it like, froth it with my frother and then pour it on, and that would be fine. And I could add the flavor shot to it, or it could add cinnamon. 

Amy

[00.07.58]

 I felt like the whipped cream was a little bit thicker this morning, but I still went with it because I tasted it tasted fine. I got it on top of my coffee and it just didn't just didn't smell right. So I don't know, I think it must have been at the end of the whipping cream life. And so I had to dump it out and make a whole new coffee, which I'm so happy I did because I forgot I had the cold foam in the fridge. Um, but that's my coffee this morning. 

Alison 

[00.08.24]

 So because my family doesn't do dairy, it's funny because at Christmas we will sometimes get the, like, dairy free. Like. Yep. Com like, what do you call it, 

Amy

[00.08.37]

 like silk or whatever they have. Yeah. No no no. Not like the coffee cream. The like whipped cream like the like like, yes. You put on a Sunday or something. Yeah. I've never thought about getting it this time of year and adding it to my coffee with, like, pumpkin spice, like, I don't I miss it, like, why have I not done that? So like this is 

Alison 

[00.08.58]

 my mission for the week. I need to do that. 

Amy

[00.09.01]

 So pause for a second. So not only are you missing it, but um, this time of year, they actually have all the dairy free and like, oat milk, whatever coconut, um, pumpkin spice flavors now out in, like, either Starbucks or any of those brands, um, in those beverages, they have them in the coolers here in Nova Scotia. So I assume they have them for you. You just need to broaden your search, I think when you go and at Christmas, then they do eggnog flavors, 

Alison 

[00.09.29]

 the dairy free ones. 

Amy

[00.09.30]

 Yeah. Huh. Yeah. You just you just need to peek a bit harder. There, there. And there's new coconut ones, um, that they have, like coconut whipping cream. Um, I can't remember what brand it is. It may even be through silk or something like that. But anyway, they do have them because they now have like the oat beverages and stuff, like the old creamers, um, or whipped creamers and things like that. 

Alison 

[00.09.53]

 Interesting. Okay. I definitely need to look into this more. I also was just going to make my own because I feel like if I'm going to buy like pumpkin canned pumpkin, I feel like I could throw some can pumpkin in some muffins, I could throw some can, like in some pancakes. I could throw some in my coffee. Like I feel like I could make that can go pretty far. Yeah. I'm curious if you saw my Instagram. I don't know if it was yesterday or the day before my Instagram stories. Um, somehow I got, I don't know, you know, sometimes you get emails and you're like, oh, I'm going to read this email today and you don't really know why you get the email, but you do whatever. M&Ms has a new flavor. Pumpkin pie M&Ms. 

Amy

[00.10.39]

 So I didn't see your story. But because I live in the candy world, I knew this. 

Alison 

[00.10.45]

 Have you tried them? 

Amy

[00.10.47]

 Um, so I have not. But there was one that came out a few years ago that was similar that I did try, and I can't remember if it was like at Easter time or something. They have them. I'm trying to think now, I can't recall. Anyway, I have tried something similar, but I haven't tried those ones. We don't have them here that I can find and I feel 

Alison 

[00.11.10]

 like and it might be in the. I didn't look to see if you could get them here. And you know, for all I know it's a us only thing, but I, I am very pro pumpkin. Everything like I love pumpkin like I think we should eat pumpkin all year round. I don't get behind this. 

Amy

[00.11.25]

 Oh, I'm so excited. If I can find them, I'll try them. 

Alison 

[00.11.29]

 I feel like the candy coating mixed with the pumpkin. I feel like it's not going to do it for me. 

Amy

[00.11.34]

 Um, I don't know, like 

Alison 

[00.11.37]

 we've got some. I feel like we need to, like, make it our mission to find them, or one of our US friends need to send us some because. Yeah. Um. I don't know. 

Amy

[00.11.46]

 So we have a bunch of brand new things we're going to try at the candy store. Um, one, because candy always sells, but it's always something that reinvents itself very quickly. There's always something new on TikTok. It's always something new to you. So we have some really exciting things coming, and I can't share it yet because I don't have anything to show you. I have nothing tangible other than the empty cases and things. And. Um, and 

Alison 

[00.12.13]

 when you reference the is it, is it like fun, like Halloween things or are we talking fun pumpkin things? 

Amy

[00.12.20]

 Um, we're talking fun fall things. Okay. Um, that will also transverse into other seasons or other things, like they're going to be something we're going to carry new going on. And so we have mystery boxes. We're going to reinvent them a little. Um, we also have, like I said, some TikTok trends that we're going to jump on board with as we have been very, very busy with other aspects of life. And so the candy store has taken a bit of a hit, but we're getting close to Christmas, so we always try and come back and get a bunch of new things in and and get them amped up. But we also have like something new coming to our website, not only for our store, but we kind of have like something exciting happening there. So once I 

Alison 

[00.13.05]

 have more details and maybe I shouldn't ask this question, but like with your mystery box, is it like a subscription? 

Amy

[00.13.12]

 We have a subscription box. Yeah, we've talked about this I think last season. Um, 

Alison 

[00.13.18]

 menopause brain. Well 

Amy

[00.13.19]

 that's okay. I for and for our listeners who maybe haven't heard all of our last season or maybe they didn't want to listen to last season, maybe they should. Um, but this season, uh, this is just a refresher. We have a mystery box subscription, and you can subscribe so that you have, like, the whole year. You can just get a single mystery box, um, sent to you. But yeah, we have we have some 

Alison 

[00.13.43]

 people, like. As we talk about like as we head into the holiday season. What a fun Christmas gift that could be for a kid or a loved one to have like a subscription box for a year. So we used to always buy Greg's Dad magazine subscription, and so every month for the whole year, he would like think about us, because he would remember that, like he got the subscription from us. So like, I think that would be fun because like, especially for kids, they love getting mail. And mail is such a thing that like because we're in such a technical world and we have email like we don't like send mail like we used to. And so subscription boxes I think are like so fun, like I'm a jelly box lover and so like I like get really excited. She does a quarterly box. And so quarterly, if you get selected, you can get the jelly box that comes with like mystery items. Um, and I like that so much. For a while I was doing, um, I did the Fab Fit Fun box, and then I did an Etsy box. But, you know, some of the stuff that's coming, so I feel like it's not as fun. Where's the jelly box? You have no idea. So like when that box comes, it's like, better to me than Christmas morning because most of the time I do the shopping and know what's under the Christmas tree. Anyway, um. But, uh. Yeah, I feel like a box is 

Amy

[00.15.06]

 fun. I know, so we're going to revamp Christmas this year, right? We're going to revamp our subscription stuff too. And yes, Christmas, we're going to have all kinds of options. So this new thing coming to our website, hopefully that will also be something that it's like a collaborative thing I'm, I'm working on hopefully. And um, so that will make 

Alison 

[00.15.25]

 sure that you share on our, uh, Instagram page and our Facebook page when those launch with a link to your website. So, um, because I think people will be I think that's a really fun, um, idea, um, that, you know, it's something different, right? I think we're all looking for different things. Yeah. Um, that that are super fun. 

Amy

[00.15.46]

 Absolutely. I will do that. And that's a great idea. We'll post it there. And so when each of the new things launch, I'll post them. And then I'll also put a link to the subscription boxes as well. Um, or maybe just to the Instagram like all remind people and put it to Instagram. But I think it's actually on our Instagram page. Anyway, we have some links to our businesses there. Um, pretty sure maybe. Or maybe not. Well, we'll have to check that because it's been a minute, a hot minute since we've been online on Instagram. I think it 

Alison 

[00.16.17]

 has. So, you know, season two. We, um. Yeah. Getting into the groove and doing the things. And that's a really big theme for fall for a lot of people. I know we talked about that last week, but, um, you know, it's a theme for us. And, you know, we are great, honest examples of how life gets busy. And I think that that is one of the things that, you know, is very authentic about us is that, you know what, we might miss a week here and there. We will try not to, but, you know, life is life and the stuff happens. And, uh, I'm actually excited that so far I have had a week of very productive work in my business. Um, you know, lots of content and strategic stuff behind the scenes happening, which, you know, during August, you know, with the kids home that wasn't happening. So, um, my husband is away this week, which gives me even more time to, like, drill down and focus. And it just feels really good. But it's all about the different seasons in life. So when we talk about seasons, you know, we're not just talking about, you know, the weather we're talking about, like we all have seasons in our lives where, you know, maybe we need to focus more on being a mom. Maybe we need to focus more in our business. You know, um, it depends on what's going on. You know, when we look back at last season, you know, you had a time when your daughter had a concussion. And so that season of life was a little bit different than you expected because of the attention and care that she needed. Same with me when my daughter had knee surgery. The attention and care is different. Um, so we want to remind women that, you know, you don't always have to do it all. Sometimes you have to roll with the season that you're in and you're 

Amy

[00.17.58]

 not just I'm going to interrupt. Yes. Not just women. 

Alison 

[00.18.01]

 Yes. They're very fair. Um, and giving ourselves that grace. Right. And that's where, um, you know, we're not. You know, we're not pushing ourselves to do everything all the time. 

Amy

[00.18.16]

 And as parents, we always do. So that's part of the problem. And for people who are listening, who aren't parents, I mean, you absolutely have busy lives too. We understand that. Um, kids definitely adds an additional complication. And maybe they're your fur babies. Um, I know some people don't call them fur babies, but if you have furry friends in your life, um, that can also take up a lot of time and complicate things. But for parents specifically, I just feel like it's that extra level, that extra step of everything needing to be done right here, right now. And then you have your own job, your own life, your own things going on. And we always forget to take care of us ourselves too, which will definitely talk about more in season two. But, um, yeah, we just need to give ourselves grace and breathe because we can't do everything. We can't be everything for everyone. And, um, life is hard, but we'll get through it and we'll be here, hopefully with some tips and tricks to get through your busy day. Like today, I thought I had nothing on the go. I mean, I knew I had podcast, so that was always a thing, but like all of a sudden I have all these showings that people want and which is wonderful and I'm happy. And I was here going to do paperwork and get some me time stuff done, and I'm going to head out on the road and get some other work done, which is just as equally important and necessary in my life. And it's great. It's a busy season, and so having downtime doesn't happen often, but when it does, I'm totally going to embrace it, especially during the fall, because it's one of my favorite seasons and going to try and do fall things. Although I 

Alison 

[00.19.55]

 think what's key there, and what you're saying is, is that, you know, based on where you're at, like you're a great real estate agent and a great business owner because of your ability to pivot. Right? So if somebody wants a showing, if somebody wants to do something, you can pivot and make that happen. But then you also have the knowhow within yourself to recognize that you have pockets where you can find me time, because this is where people, I think, go stray in the sense of like they think me time has to be a specific set amount of time or a whole day you can have sorry, or 

Amy

[00.20.30]

 a whole day like they think it is the whole day. Like this is me day. That's 

Alison 

[00.20.34]

 not. And I mean, kudos if you can. And if you're in a season of your life where you can have a me day. Woohoo! Like that's amazing. Do it. But you have to find time to have those micro moments of me time and identifying them like me might be you brushing your teeth and washing your face and giving yourself an extra serum because that feels good. You know, like an identifying that as any time, um, you know, identifying those moments because that was, ah, what I want to say rehydrate you. But like, you know, like they, they, they, you know, that extra serum will do that, but 

Amy

[00.21.09]

 they have rehydrate your life. 

Alison 

[00.21.11]

 Yeah. Like, it's, it's it's kind of that um, that metaphor, if you will, of, of, you know, having that pocket. And so there are times where your pockets are going to be bigger and times are they're going to be smaller, but regardless, you need those pockets, because if you're not giving to yourself, you can't give to everybody else. 

Amy

[00.21.28]

 Absolutely. And so what I love about this season is we're going to have like, I'm just excited because last season we were getting used to everything. Finding our groove, whether we found our groove or not doesn't matter. We're going to find our groove this season. We're going to be on YouTube this season, so that's exciting. Um, just posting our so you can see our live episodes and watch our faces and our that we make and our cringe moments. We have um, but like 

Alison 

[00.21.56]

 ordinary lighting. Let's talk about our extraordinary lighting. I have like this, like wicked shine coming from the window. That's like, like kind of grossly dewy. And you have like, a green to you. 

Amy

[00.22.06]

 I have a green hue. And so what I'm hoping like we should do some fun things and like, maybe I'll bring something from my candy store or something new and like, we'll post it on YouTube and have like it live on our video. One of our new things that we're doing and like, I don't know, we can show some of our products, like if you have, um, maybe like one of your ebooks or something that you're going to be coming out with or things like that, like we should we'll try and be more interactive online as well. Um, this season I know we have lots of ideas and lots of things to give to you in season two, but you're going to have to stay tuned to hear it all. 

Alison 

[00.22.43]

 And so tell your friends to watch our podcast. Listen to our podcast. Share it. Um, when you see our links on Facebook, share them out. Um, let people know that we're here and we're fun and we're raw. Um, because you know what? That's what we need more of in our lives. We need that raw honesty that, um, you know, is just there. I love it. Tell people we're fun. Do it. Tell them. 

Amy

[00.23.11]

 We are fun. Um, 

Alison 

[00.23.14]

 thank you so much for today. 

Amy

[00.23.16]

 Thank you. And hopefully everyone has an awesome rest of their work week. Um, depending on what you work and hopefully the weather is as good there as it is here, and we are having a heat wave and hoping it continues. Definitely. All right. Take care. Bye bye.