Happy Sunday! What a busy but special week! My parents, their dog Zoey, and my brother came into town to celebrate Corinna’s 4th birthday. We cooked up some yummy meals and had a few special birthday celebrations! They left today and we’re all missing them dearly. There’s just never enough time. Since we’ve moved out of California our time together is even more precious so we try to savor it all. We’re thankful for their drives to visit though, especially in this season when it’s more challenging to travel with a newborn.

WHAT WE ATE

my plan is to share the meals I made the previous week, with links if possible, as some inspiration for your own menu planning.

MONDAY- Winter Vegetable Chicken Noodle Soup– I loved that I could use leftover chicken from our Sunday dinner, as well as other veggies in our fridge.

TUESDAY- Classic Beef Bourguignon– ok I had no idea how complicated this recipe was so it was a little ambitious of me to make without an extra set of hands but thankfully it turned out well! The recipe needs to be rewritten to include times of cooking, and also when to add in the shallots, but everyone loved it. It was a good hearty meal when my parents and brother arrived in town.

WEDNESDAY- Taco Bowls – this is becoming a weekly staple around here! We’re learning that chopped lettuce on top (not on bottom) is a must!

THURSDAY- Spicy Chipotle Honey Salmon Bowls– We made these again (second week in a row) Whether you make it with rice or cauliflower rice, it’s a hit!

FRIDAY- dinner at The Warehouse – This was our first time visiting the new food hall in downtown Boise. It was fun to get out for dinner for the first time in a while.

SATURDAY- Cripsy Oven Pulled Pork with Coleslaw from this this cookbook – Another repeat two weeks in a row! Love how relatively easy this meal is to put together and it perfectly serves a crowd.

SUNDAY – Leftovers and this Winter Salad– this salad looks so delicious, and healthy too!

leftover birthday cupcakes with coffee.. yum!

WHAT I WORE

I finally got my jeans from Gap and I’m thinking the winner is this pair of classic straight jeans in high rise. I also liked this pair, although it’s a stiffer style of denim. If you’re into mid-rise jeans (I wish I could right now!), this would be a good pair to try. I’m so happy to finally have a pair of jeans that fits during my postpartum period.

For Corinna’s birthday celebration, I wore this floral maxi dress from D.Ra. We had a surprisingly warm and sunny 50-degree day so it felt so fitting!

SALES TO NOTE

LOFT– 30% off spring styles!

J.Crew– 25% off with code GOSHOP

ON MY MIND

I made Corinna’s birthday cake from the Sweet Laurel cookbook and it was so delicious! If you’re looking for a grain-free, nut-free, and refined sugar-free cake, this Vanilla Coconut Jam Cake fits the bill perfectly!

I’m currently reading For the Children’s Sake and really enjoying it. It’s a great book about reclaiming a child’s education, spurring you on to teach your child through daily life, and also goes over a lot of Charlotte Mason’s principles.

How cute is my parents’ puppy Zoey? She’s an English Springer Spaniel, almost one year old, and has the sweetest freckles all over!

I hope you all have a lovely rest of your weekend! I’m thankful everyone is taking naps so I can wrap up this post and then hopefully get back to my book before starting dinner. It’s been a busy week so I know everyone is a little tired, myself included!

xox

Happy Sunday friends! The sun came out this afternoon and it’s been such a beautiful change after a few gray days. It was really special to wake up to a snowy white Valentine’s Day though!  This is our third winter in Idaho and I have to admit I’m still adjusting to the gray, and cold, winters. We’re all very much looking forward to spring around here! This is an especially fun week because it’s Corinna’s birthday week and my parents and brother are coming into town to celebrate. I can hardly believe our girl will be 4 years old!

WHAT WE ATE

my plan is to share the meals I made the previous week, with links if possible, as some inspiration for your own menu planning.

MONDAY- Burger Salad- This was delicious and to be honest, we didn’t even miss the bun (that much). We made burger patties and put them over a bowl of shredded lettuce with cheese, red onion, pickles and a drizzle of ketchup/bbq sauce. I added some sauteed mushrooms and onions to my bowl too!

TUESDAY- Valentine’s Day heart-shaped pizzas- We were really impressed with this easy cauliflower rice pizza crust recipe! We topped it with tomato sauce and cheese, sprinkling basil on top after it cooked.

WEDNESDAY- Spicy Chipotle Honey Salmon Bowls– yum! This was absolutely delicious and Matthew even said I need to make it weekly (that’s when you know you have a keeper of a recipe!) There were a few steps but it was so worth it!

THURSDAY- Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs- I made the “Epic Baked Meatballs” from this cookbook and they were so so good! Spaghetti squash noodles are surprisingly easy to make and they’ve been another healthy substitute during our 75-day health challenge.

FRIDAY- Cripsy Oven Pulled Pork with Coleslaw from this this cookbook – We had family over for dinner so this was a great recipe to feed a crowd, and didn’t require a lot of last-minute assembling. We’ll for sure be making this again because everyone loved it!

SATURDAY- Mahi Mahi with leftover chimichurri and roasted cauliflower – an easy fridge/freezer night. That chimichurri sauce is so good and it’s been great to have on hand in the fridge for easy meals like this one.

SUNDAY – Roast Chicken– always trying new recipes around here to find a good go-to! I’ve been loving roasting chicken on Sundays for dinner and then making broth with the bones for the week. We can get 2 good meals out of the chicken too!

For Valentine’s Day, I made a special little brunch with heart-shaped waffles, and for an afternoon treat, we had the best peanut butter cookies! Even better, they had no refined sugar. You have to try them!

Also, made an old favorite breakfast this week: a soft-boiled egg on avocado toast with spinach. So delicious and satisfying!

WHAT I WORE

More babywearing with Baby Beatrice! This carrier is so soft and easy to use. I think I’d recommend it over a fabric wrap at this stage too!

SALES TO NOTE

Shopbop– Get an extra 25% off 1000s of sale styles for a limited time. Use code EXTRA25.

H&M– Take 20% off everything online. Ends 2/20 

American Eagle- 25% off all new arrivals & 30% off all swim

MATCHESFASHION -Share up to 50% off selected items during the Winter Essentials Sale!
Valid 2/21-2/27

Wayfair– Shop major home deals all week on mattresses, living room seating, outdoor seating & more at up to 70% with fast shipping! Ends 2/22

Bloomingdales -Take an extra 30% off a large selection of clearance items for a total savings of 50-65%. Ends 2/20

Anine Bing– 15% off for new customers with code LG15FEB Ends 3/8

ON MY MIND

I’ve been obsessing over homeschool options for fall and I’m currently looking into The CMEC. My friend Larissa has used this program with one of her daughters for the past few years and her YouTube channel is a wealth of knowledge about it. I’m very much drawn toward Charlotte Mason’s educational style and it seems like The CMEC is the closest it comes to how Mason taught. If you want to learn more about Charlotte Mason, I’d highly recommend her book Home Education. I read this book also last summer and loved it! I’m also looking into language programs so if you have any recommendations let me know. I know it’s only February, but I’m feeling the need to start planning earlier this year.

We got some new bamboo sheets from Cozy Earth (in oat) and they are beyond comfortable! I’ll have to do another post about them soon but if you’re looking, I would definitely say check them out! It feels like slipping into a luxurious hotel bed every night (which is just what this mama needs!) They’re currently 20% off too!

I hope you all have a lovely week!

xox

Happy Sunday! I hope you all are enjoying your weekend! I got a workout in today before church, and I’m just taking care of a bunch of weekend chores today. For dinner tonight, I’m making this chimichurri sauce which I’m excited about! As we’re inching closer to spring weather, I’m craving fresh and bright flavors.

WHAT WE ATE

my plan is to share the meals I made the previous week, with links if possible, as some inspiration for your own menu planning.

MONDAY: Creamy Mushroom Soup and chopped salad- I made this chopped salad but it was very tangy. I’m not sure I’d make it again, unless I tried this version with honey.

TUESDAY: dinner with friends (they made yummy tri-tip with roasted sweet potatoes and a kale salad with parmesan. so good and definitely some future dinner inspiration.)

WEDNESDAY: Taco Bowls

THURSDAY: Coconut Green Curry Snapper Bowls (from Simply Real Eating)- this is definitely a keeper of a recipe! It was so easy and delicious.

FRIDAY: birthday party dinner

SATURDAY: Roast Chicken with sauteed mushrooms and leftover chopped salad (this was such an easy dinner and it was fun to try a different method of making chicken. Matthew was a big fan of this with mushrooms instead of the lemon)

WHAT I WORE

We’ve had several days of beautiful blue skies which has me reaching for dresses. I have to pair them with cardigans to stay warm but it’s making me look to spring with lots of anticipation!

Don’t forget I have an exclusive promo for Walli Cases. Use code MARA10 for 10% off! Check out other exclusive deals I have for you here.

My favorite pearl earrings from Katie Dean are almost sold out. They would make such a sweet gift too!

If you’re looking for the best eyebrow pencil, I keep going back to this one from Lancome. It’s truly the best and lasts forever!

SALES TO NOTE

Anthro is having a huge extra 40% off their sale section. I always love taking a peek at their home deals especially!

Take an extra 30% off Gap’s sale section with code MORE or 40% off sweats and tees. Some favorites include this black dress, this rib knit dress, this boyfriend cardigan, and this pair of gray denim. Oh and this white distressed pair is super cute too!

There’s a fun Mystery Sale going on at LOFT. When I clicked on it, I got 40% off! Here are some picks: this striped boyfriend sweater, an anorak jacket, a happy striped shirt for spring, and a classic boatneck sweater.

Here’s a secret code: 30% off anything on Kate Spade with code BLOOM.

ON MY MIND

I made a cute heart sourdough loaf for Valentine’s Day! I keep meaning to do an updated sourdough post so I’ll have to add that to my list. I’m happy I’ve been able to keep up with these weekly posts but I’d love to sprinkle some other ones in too.

I bought this cute berry bowl at Target which I didn’t know how much I needed. It’s the perfect size for holding strawberries and washing them easily. I also love that it’s pretty enough to put on the table, where my kids will be ready to devour all the berries!

If you’re looking for a good gift for a girlfriend, I recently gifted this belt bag which my friend has LOVED! There’s something so convenient about having a hands-free bag option.

I forgot how good this concealer is! It literally covers everything! 

Valentine’s Day with kids is always so fun! I’m going to give them little Valentine’s telling them some of the many things I love about them. I also love to include as many heart-shaped foods as possible. We’re going to start with heart-shaped waffles for breakfast, heart-shaped pb&js for lunch, and heart-shaped pizza for dinner! I’d love to know if you have any special Valentine’s Day traditions!

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day week everyone!

xox