Other than this, Little Man only had one other item on his wish list in December. A motto jacket. It literally came out of the blue and was completely unexpected. He continued to ask for it, so on Christmas morning he found this sweet jacket under the tree.
After careful consideration of his current wardrobe, he decided he had nothing to wear with it. For the last 3 years he was worn the same thing everyday: basketball shorts, a short sleeve t-shirt and zip hoodie. He has now created a new uniform for himself. Black on black on black. He requested new black jeans and ALL black shirts. (Thank you, Old Navy.) The black Vans were a birthday present, which happens to fall 4 days after Christmas. Without fail he has worn a version of this uniform since New Year’s Day. The kid is strong on commitment.
If I was his stylist- I would add a dark green beanie, for a little splash of color, and these awesome spectacles.
We shall see how long this lasts, but for now it’s pretty fantastic.
In comparison to the previous two or three years, 2017 was a vast improvement. In hindsight, my self-diagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder was most likely simply depression. The thing I missed most was joy and feeling hopeful. If you are struggling right now, I am sorry you aren’t feeling like yourself. Reach out to your partner, your friends, and your doctor. You will get better. 2017 found me healthy and happy and I know that is a gift. The last year gave me countless moments to find joy with the people I love the most. It seems that the boys grew at warp speed, especially Big W. I’m trying not to hold on too tight.
With great anticipation I look forward to 2018! I am not making any resolutions, because I feel like they are always attached to some sort of guilt. The world doesn’t need more people feeling guilty, especially women. Our world needs happy, fulfilled people loving life and those around them! While I DO NOT make resolutions, I do make lists!
Things I would love in 2018:
find my way back to writing, a “just out of the oven” chocolate chip cookie, support organizations doing good work, a challenging day hike, great meals with dear friends, a summer spent on the water, see a ballet, donate blood, celebrate the greatness in women I know, the perfect cat eye, set aside time each day to practice mindfulness, a happy hour cocktail in paradise, start something that scares the sh*t out of me, moments of laughter with my boys, tears of pride, strong arms and toned tummy.
(The last one has been on the list since 2013. It’s a goal and it’s fine. However, all these amazing experiences can happen in my life-with or without fabulous abs.)
I have linked all the Podcasts here so you could listen to these 4 episodes directly from this post. I listen through the Podcast app on my iPhone. Android users can listen too.
What podcasts do you love? I’m happy to share my favorites if you are interested.
I received a West Elm catalog last week and while flipping through I spotted this simple holiday wreath. Well, not really a wreath. I guess it’s more like a wall hanging. It always astonishes me how much fresh wreaths cost during the holidays. (Only to put it in the yard waste come January.) I bought an artificial wreath last year, but it isn’t great.
This one looks simple enough to do yourself. My local nursery always has clippings you can buy as a bundle. It’s not easy to see what is wrapped around the stick to hold the greenery, but one can get creative. If all else fails, I’ll take all the supplies with me (and the picture) to our neighborhood florist.
What do you think?
PS// Looks like stacked wood, as a design feature, lives on.
In the Kitchen- A Weekly Plan is written to help limit the stress that comes with putting a healthy dinner on the table. With busy lives and kids’ practices and activities happening at all hours during the evening, dinner might be the only time we have to look each other in the eye and spend uninterrupted time together. This post provides six meal ideas for you. Pick and choose which recipes work for your family. My hope is that you get at least one meal to add to your menu this week! I have tried them all and provide notes and the link below.
A few things to know in case you are new:
1. I usually make my plan for the week on Saturday. I find it’s helpful to organize myself so there is less scrambling during the week.
2. I do all the cooking in my family. All of it!
3. My #1 criteria for weeknight meals is quick and easy. No meal I post [unless a Sunday Dinner or a slow cooker meal] will take more than 45 minutes to prepare.
4. All meals are 100% gluten free and dairy free. [Because we are fun like that!] Many are Paleo or Whole 30 because there are terrific communities sharing tons of recipes. Keep in mind, I only share recipes that are delicious!
5. My kids do not eat everything I serve. [And that, my friends, is an entirely different post.]
This is a labor intensive salad, with lots of moving parts. It was worth the effort and would be “crowd pleasing”. Probably best to save for the weekend. Maybe serve for brunch with a Bloody Mary?
It takes 5 minutes to throw the ingredients in the slow cooker, but this chicken is so amazing. If you don’t ordinarily cook with ghee, I would recommend you try it. It adds a rich flavor. (You can always sub butter for ghee.) Serve over sweet potato, baked potato, on a bun, or on nachos. The list is endless.
This was a perfect Sunday evening soup. Of course you must love mushrooms. I used my immersion blender and it worked perfectly. For those of you who can handle bread, fresh focaccia would be delightful.
Always a pasta dish! Can’t help it, I’m Italian. You obviously do need to use gluten free pasta. My husband teases me that every plan must include kale. He isn’t a huge fan. Spinach would work too.
Disclaimer: This is one of my best friend’s home. It’s still beautiful though!
The remodel of this modern home is featured on dwell.com! After moving in, my friends knew they wanted to open up the main floor so the dining, kitchen and living spaces flowed and accentuated their knock-out view. They are both engineers, so to say they are exacting is an understatement. Elements such as raising the ceiling, adding pops of orange on the exterior, outlets in the drawers (in order to keep a clean counter), to trimless interior doors and a freestanding stove were all deliberate. Their attention to detail paid off. The amount of natural light that flows into this home is amazing and essential in the PNW. In the summer months, the deck becomes an additional living space and is ideal for lounging and entertaining.
I’m in love with the simplicity of this kitchen. Can you spot the fridge? Covering the refrigerator door with a cabinet front makes the kitchen seamless and cohesive. My favorite feature of this kitchen? Two beverage drawers that can be stocked for parties and everyday living. Brilliant.
A staircase was added from the upper deck to the back yard, which was lacking before the remodel. The covered patio underneath provides ample shade in the summer. An old chairlift from Crystal Mountain transformed into a swing was seemingly destined to be part of this home. The project may have taken 6+ months, but it was well worth it!
To see more photos of this home, pop over to Dwell.
Here it is: gift giving season is right around the corner. I’m constantly challenging myself to give thoughtful gifts, yet not break the bank. If you go to a ton of parties or have a large circle of friends and family it can get really expensive. You have to get creative-which takes a little extra planning. I’m really pleased with myself. I have already found my go-to gift idea of the season. This delightfully cute, porcelain to-go container from CB2 is only $7.95! Fill it with goodies and you’re done. The recipient enjoys the treats and is left with a great serving piece for her home. Full disclosure: the cookies pictured above are Betty Crocker refrigerator cookies. We will call that semi-homemade. {Why yes, they were made in my home!} I have a brainstormed a list of goodie ideas from store bought to truly homemade below.
Treat ideas:
Store Bought
1. Almond Roca (Everyone’s favorite, even if they won’t admit it!)
My latest installment of {mom uniform} is for a field trip I am chaperoning this afternoon. Coincidentally it is to the same location, that I created the Rainy Day Field Trip uniform three years ago. Second kid in 5th grade and second time going to see the salmon run. This time…lucky for me…it is supposed to be dry and sunny. It is fall in the PNW, so warmth will still be necessary.
The uniform:
1. A pair of cropped flair jeans. Raw hems are my new favorite because it allows me to “hem” for free. (These come in regular and petite.)
2. Black muscle tee. If you follow me on Instagram, you will notice this is a recent purchase from my trip to Nashville. Officially obsessed with Immogeene + Willie.
3. Ultra Light Down Jacket. I don’t own this jacket (yet), but a friend bought one last year and I compliment her every time she wears it. The collar is perfection and some how makes a down jacket look chic. And PS. It is under $60!
I was going to add shoes, but the white sneaks are kind of perfect! I’m digging the muted fall colors and the comfort of this uniform. It would also work for a fall farmer’s market or a Saturday flag football game. Here’s hoping for many sunny fall days!
I’m known to fall down a rabbit hole time and again! I want something for my home, or my boys, or my wardrobe and I know that Google will give me the answer. A couple of years ago when we were remodeling our family room I decided I wanted to hang my guitar on the wall. (Insert shameful emoji that I haven’t shared more about the finished project. Are you still interested? I digress!) Guitars are so beautiful they can easily be used as wall art. Lo and behold, my guitar hook wishes were granted by One Forty Three. The hook is made of molded plywood with a leather grip to keep the guitar safe. It’s gorgeous.
What? You don’t have a guitar you want to hang on the wall? Don’t fret. They have so many amazing products. Lighting, tables, chairs, and accessories. Check them out! I’m still in love with that delightfully cute plywood side shelf. It would be perfect next to a guest bed.
Also, if one of you could please come over and force me decide where to hang my beautiful guitar, I can install the hook and share a picture. (Add another shameful emoji.)
