Stranger Things season 3 arrives in July

Netflix rang in the start of 2019 by announcing that Stranger Things would return for its third season on July 4th.

A brief teaser for the show’s third season accompanied the announcement, giving fans plenty of cryptic hints to think over while enjoying their morning coffee. A news broadcast from New Years’ Eve 1985 includes some bizarre intermissions from a government agency, filled with phrases like “when blue and yellow meet in the west” and nonsensical terms like “SilverCatFeeds.”

A poster for the season also debuted on Twitter last night, bringing us up to date with what’s going on in the lives of our favorite Hawkins residents. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and Mike (Finn Wolfhard) seem like they’re still going strong, holding each other’s hands as Independence Day fireworks explode in the distance. This is Hawkins, though, so we can only assume everything is not as serene as it appears.

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Listen Up: New Year Podcast Replay

As you may know, we recently celebrated our 100th episode of The Fit Bottomed Girls Podcast, and as part of the party, we went back through every ep to pick a few of the moments that stood out in our memories. It was a harder job than we’d expected — not because it was difficult to go back through and revisit all these amazing guests, but because there were so many fantastic moments.

Now, I really hate to admit this, but there were a ton of incredible moments that had kind of slipped our minds after all this time. Not entirely, of course — but they weren’t quite at the forefront of our minds, and that made it all the more enjoyable to be reminded of just how powerful some of these interviews were.

That got us thinking about a few of the eps we thought would be especially timely to revisit in the new year. Because even though we fully encourage you to make this the year you don’t diet, we are all about supporting our readers (and listeners!) as they take steps toward living a healthier and happier life.

And so, we’ll be dropping a New Year Replay daily through January 4 to reacquaint you with eps that may help you do just that. We’ll update this post each day with the latest re-released ep, but, if you subscribe to our podcast, you’ll see them as new “Replay” eps in your subscription. (Don’t forget: You can find us and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, TuneIn.)

We’ll be back with brand new eps next week, but in the meantime, let us know if there’s an ep or a guest we’ve interviewed that’s really speaking to you as we enter 2019. (And, of course, if there’s someone you think would be a great fit for our show, shoot us an email at podcast@fitbottomedgirls.com — we’re always up for recs!)

While we’re talking about inspiration, let’s give a little love to our amazing podcast sponsor: Inspire Bath!

All Inspire Bath deodorant sprays and lotions are all-natural, smell great and use simple ingredients to help with body odor — totally free of baking soda, aluminum, oil and parabens. We’ve been using it for months now and it works! If you’re looking for an all-natural beauty line that is good for your body and skin, this is IT. Plus! For every bottle purchased Inspire Bath donates one to help build and empower women and girls at shelters and interim homes at the YWCA in St. Joseph, Missouri, for their domestic shelter and home for women and families. It’s a win-win!

Get the episode with Ayesha Curry here or below!

Love the ep with Ayesha? We have a feeling you might also dig the following awesome mamas (and come back tomorrow to see who else we’re replaying!):

Get more info on our podcast here and be sure to subscribe on iTunes so that you never miss an episode!

What are your hopes and dreams for the coming year? –Kristen

Want to sponsor the show? Yay! Drop us a note at advertising@fitbottomedgirls.com and let’s make the world a healthier place together!

FCC will suspend most operations on Thursday if the shutdown continues – TechCrunch

The Federal Communications Commission said on Monday that it will need to suspend most of its operations by the middle of Thursday if the partial government shutdown continues.

The FCC will continue “work required for the protection of life and property,” as well as work related to spectrum auctions, since those are funded by the money raised by auctioning off spectrum licenses. The Office of the Inspector General, responsible for conducting internal reviews, audits, and investigations of FCC programs and operations, will also remain open until further notice.

In a document outlining what needs to happen for an “orderly shutdown,” the FCC said suspended activities will include: “Consumer complaint and inquiry phone lines cannot be answered; consumer protection and local competition enforcement must cease; licensing services, including broadcast, wireless, and wireline, must cease; management of radio spectrum and the creation of new opportunities for competitive technologies and services for the American public must be suspended; and equipment authorizations, including those bringing new electronic devices to American consumers, cannot be provided.”

The FCC added that it will release more information on Wednesday about what will happen if it needs to suspend operations, including how it will affect electronic filing and database systems, filing deadlines, regulatory and application fee payments, and “shot clocks,” also known as the length of time allocated for approving or denying pending transactions.

The partial government shutdown continued into its 11th day as President Donald Trump refuses to back down on his demands for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, forcing 800,000 federal employees to go without work or work without pay. House Democrats have said they are preparing to introduce bills that will put an end to the shutdown but not include funding for the wall.

The Verge 2018 tech report card: Streaming music

Stranger Things Season 3 Premiere Date

Proving that the Duffer Brothers know how to start the new year properly, Netflix rang in 2019 on Tuesday by giving fans what they've been waiting an eternity for: the premiere date for Stranger Things season three. According to an appropriately New Year's Eve-themed teaser, we can add binge-watching to our Fourth of July plans, since that's when the eight-episode third season will officially drop.

While the teaser did give us a fun look at Dick Clark's 1984 New Year's Rockin' Eve special, it didn't reveal any new footage from the upcoming season. It does include a secret coded message that reads, "When blue and yellow meet in the west," and we can briefly hear what sounds like Mike calling out for Eleven, but that just adds to the enigma that is season three. We speculated that the third season would premiere during the summer back when Stranger Things dropped an '80s-tastic teaser for the new season on July 16. The teaser introduced Starcourt Mall, the new shopping mall for the town of Hawkins, and a mysterious new character, Robin.

Considering it's been more than a year since the second season's October 2017 premiere, it's safe to say that fans are ready for the Summer of mystery season three promises to be. Especially since there are suspicions that the series will be ending sooner rather than later. Exactly what will this summer change for our young heroes? How will Steve juggle his new job at Starcourt Mall with babysitting and monster hunting? Will Hawkins ever be free of The Upside Down? Guess we'll have to wait until this summer to find out!

7 Ways to Make More Time for Yourself as a Mom

This year, you might be working on ways to sleep more, sneak in more fruits and veggies, or get a few more steps in. And, while those are all healthy pursuits we applaud, the one thing you need to make them a reality is to have more time set aside for you.

Just. For. You.

via GIPHY

So today, we’re sharing seven tips to do just that. (And, yeah, it can mean time to take a bubble bath, but it can also mean ANYTHING you’d like to do and enjoy!)

7 Ways to Make More Time for Yourself as a Mom

1. Have a sitter on a regularly scheduled night. I recently learned this tip from a fellow mom business owner and it’s genius. Instead of finding something to do and then getting a sitter for it, just get a sitter every week, every other week, or every month — just make it on a set schedule. Then, you always have a date night or girls’ night (or solo mama time) to look forward to.

2. Start a morning ritual. Okay, this one can be hard with newborns and infants since they wake up at all times, but! If you can, taking even 10 minutes for yourself in the morning can do wonders for your mood and energy level. It sets a great feel-good tone to the day. Get our best tips to start one as a mom here.

3. Outsource one thing this year. Make a list of everything you do — from getting the kids ready to packing lunches to taking out the trash to doing laundry to cooking to cleaning. Then, go through that list and select one thing you that you don’t love doing and can outsource in the new year.

4. Go on a social media break once a week. It can be for just an hour or two, or it could be for an entire afternoon or day … or weekend! But limit your time on your phone and you’ll magically free up time for other pursuits.

5. Talk with your partner. When’s the last time you sat down with your partner (or biggest parenting support person) and talked through your roles? Is there a way to streamline things? Is there a way to not do something you both dread — or do it smarter or differently? Sometimes you just have to take a step back with another set of eyes to see if there are any areas where you could free up time or make life simpler.

6. Allow yourself to relax … and play. How many times do you find yourself trying to do three things at once while your kiddo is begging you to play? And, I know you have a million things to do, but why not — in that moment — slow down and actually just relax, play, and have fun? It doesn’t have to be for an hour; even five minutes can be a big energy reset for yourself with the right mindset. And it may actually save you time in the long run (read: no kiddo meltdown from both of you being annoyed at not doing what you want to do).

7. Start a self-care ritual. So mornings aren’t your thing (or aren’t a possibility)? All good! Try setting a self-care ritual for any constant time of day so that it becomes a habit. A few easy and fun ideas: take three deep breaths after you drop your kids off or before you pick them up, read a book for 10 minutes before bed, go for a walk or do some easy stretching after you eat lunch, play an inspirational podcast (might we suggest this one?) when doing errands … the possibilities are endless.

And, hey, bonus! When you start taking more time for yourself and time begins to feel more on your side, you just might find that you do have time to get that workout in or try a new healthy recipe. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities!

Okay, commit time. How will YOU make more time for yourself in the new year? —Jenn