Everyday Musts

This quarantine has a lot of people talking about “self care”. I’m not going to lie some of the things I see make me roll my eyes. Mostly because I really never have time for a lot of the things suggested. Don’t get me wrong about once a week MK takes the kids and I take a long hot bath. But, when I’m in my daily routine of mothering and keeping up with the house it can be very easy for things like “self care” to go out the window rather quickly.

I thought I would share my own version of self care that I incorporate in to my every day and believe me these are fast but important in my day.

1. Perfume

   I make sure to spritz after my shower while the skin is still damp, the scent will last longer that way.

2. Hydrate

   This sounds obvious but I I’ve been drinking about a gallon of water throughout the day and I swear it’s pretty life changing. I feel so good!

3. Style your hair

   This always makes me feel better and more ready for the day, even if that day just consists of being home.
   

   I do these every day and I’m telling you it makes such a difference in my very busy day as a Mom. And here are two bonus things that I aim to do every day but don’t always:

4. Get Ready

   Even if just for couch sitting. I wish I did this every day but sometimes my day just tail spins.
   

5. Walk away

   This is so important for me to do sometimes. Once a day I try to just take 30 minutes to myself to recharge. Even if it’s just sitting and drinking coffee in the quiet or reading a couple chapters of a book. Everyone should try to do this every day. I don’t but I’m working on it.

This quarantine has been hard on us all in one way or another. But keep in mind that it’s important to do the things that help you through the day.

Keep your chin up we’re almost there!

Fast & French

Have you been cooking more during the quarantine?

Have no fear. The boy is always very supervised.

I often find myself gravitating to recipes that Theo can help with. He loves to help in the kitchen and gets so excited when the opportunity presents itself. A lot of the time he’ll even drag his “cooking stool” over when he sees me making dinner because he wants to help. I always oblige. Especially when he goes and finds his cooking apron and hat and hands them to me. He’s ready. I like to have some easy recipes up my sleeve so that I’m ready too.

I love so many things French and cooking is no exception. In fact, I have a french cookbook that just came in and I’m so excited to dig into it. Anyway, The French get a bad rap for a couple things. Like being mean and I can assure you they are a lovely gracious people. Another one is that French cooking is hard and it can be, but not always.

Today, Theo and I are making what The French would call “Gougeres” but simply put they are light and airy french cheese puffs! I love to learn new things and one thing I took away from this recipe was that it starts with a Pate a Choux.

Pâte à Choux

(sounds like “pat a shoe”)

Simply put is a paste made of flour, water, butter, and eggs. It’s thicker than a batter but it’s not as thick as dough.

what you need:

what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 425, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a sauce pan bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil. Then add in flour and stir until a dough forms. Cook a couple of minutes to dry out the dough.

3. Put this in a bowl and let it cool a little bit. Add in the eggs one at a time until well combined.

4. Add cheese and parsley and mix really well. Use two tablespoons and drop on to your prepared baking sheet. Set them two inches apart. Then, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top.

5. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 and another 20-25 minutes at 380 or until golden brown.

   Best served warm.

   If there is one thing that you take away from this QUARANTINE, I hope you find yourself in the kitchen more...and love it.

   Thanks for stopping by today!

“Cooking is one of the great gifts you can give to those you love.”

— Ina Garten

Inspiration in a Likely Place

Okay, unpopular opinion: I’m really not a fan of Sex and the City. There I said it. I was just telling my friend the other day that after watching it so many times, the older I get the more it get’s on my nerves. I find the characters extremely self centered and whiney, and the friendships pretty toxic. Don’t get me started about Carrie actually marrying the guy who left her at the alter because, why? He couldn’t see her face? Weirdo. Now I’m not saying there aren’t some redeeming qualities about the show but watching it as an established adult it’s maybe not so much for me.

However, most of the time the fashion is to die for. Especially Carrie’s wardrobe. Which after my rant, brings me around to my point. In the opening scene of Sex and the City movie when “Big” and Carrie are looking for an apartment, she has on such a gorgeous coat. I immediately thought “ohh I want to make a version of that!”. The emerald green stunner is made my Betsy Johnson.

If you know me or my family then you know my Mom is a very talented seamstress by trade. So I sent her photos of the coat asking if we could make something like it. We talked about fabrics and lining and make a decision. Last May, for my birthday she gifted me with all the fabric, and worked out times with MK that he could be home with Theo. We were all set. Keep in mind I’m tired and pregnant in these photos, haha!

I think it took about 4ish sessions to create the coat. I loved the print because I felt the colors would work for just about all the seasons. The things that I made different about my coat than the original are I made mine a little longer, along with making the sleeve length longer. We also didn’t do as crazy of a lapel.

Big thanks to my Mom Deb for helping make this idea come to life. I’m thrilled to have this piece forever.

Hey, maybe I’ll start wearing it to the living room. Haha!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you’re all doing well!