Hi everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend! It’s still hot in Boise but we’ve been having these lovely cool mornings that remind me that fall is right around the corner. We decided we’re going to take advantage of having our favorite summer meals a little bit longer which I’m totally ok with. We’ll have lots of time for soups and stews, but when it’s 85 in the evenings something lighter sounds much better.

This was our first week of school and even though we started on Tuesday because of Labor Day, we got through almost everything. I’m trying to remove some of the pressure of homeschooling. The truth is, homeschooling doesn’t (and shouldn’t) look like regular school anyway. It’s a part of our daily life and while that might not work for some families, it does for us. I love that I can do some of the readings with Augustine in the evenings, or over the weekend if we need/want to. And the beauty is that we can make changes if something isn’t working well for us. I’m looking forward to about a month in, which I think is when we’ll find our comfortable rhythm.

WHAT WE ATE

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

MONDAY- Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar (this recipe was not good! When tomato soup is good it’s soo good but this one just tasted like tomato sauce) It was from this cookbook. Next time I’ll stick with our go-to tomato soup recipe.

TUESDAY- Chipotle Steak Taco Bowls– this recipe required a little bit of prep work but we all said it was delicious and I even printed out the recipe to store for the future.  The pepita scallion dressing was so good you could drink it!

WEDNESDAY- Halloumi Roast with Eggplant, Zucchini, and Tomatoes- This was so easy and delicious! Roasted Halloumi cheese with late summer produce and piled it onto a bowl of quinoa with a drizzle of balsamic.

THURSDAY- Crispy Shrimp and Broccoli with Rice and a Sesame Peanut Sauce – I ate this recipe cold because it took me awhile to put Beatrice down so it wasn’t my favorite. Another one from this cookbook which I haven’t been nearly as impressed with as this one.

FRIDAY- Beefsteak Skirt Steak Salad with Blue Cheese and Parsley Basil Vinaigrette- Matthew’s ideal meal: steak and salad!

SATURDAY- Burger Night with Salad and Fries- we love mixing our burger meat according to this recipe. It makes it so yummy!

SUNDAY- Grilled Chicken with Summer Squash Salad

For the first day of school, I made blueberry muffins which has become our little tradition the past few years. I made the Smitten Kitchen recipe which the kids really like. They’re not too sweet and there’s a little hint of lemon that’s just right.

I made a really delicious Honey Mama’s knock-off recipe. Matthew and I are doing a little health challenge this month but we’ve ok’d an occasional honey dessert. This one will be a repeat for sure because it satisfies that chocolate craving in a healthier way.

WHAT I WORE

Just a few weeks ago you wouldn’t have found me anywhere close to a pair of jeans, but with our much cooler mornings, I’ve been reaching for this pair of denim and this cardigan. It’s still getting quite warm in the afternoons and evenings so I’ll usually have a midday outfit change into a dress/shorts. This dress silhouette from Christy Dawn is one of my favorites (I have two different prints in the same cut). You can use my code 15MARA for a little discount!

SALES TO NOTE

Abercrombie– 20% off almost everything with YPB purchase

GAP– 30% off your purchase

Nordstrom– End of Summer Sale up to 60% off (lots of cute shoes – see below – but also this cozy FP sweater!)

American Eagle- 20% off off $50, 25% off $75, and 30% off $100 orders

GIGI PIP– Check out their Summer Sale and use code MARA15 for 15% off

ON MY MIND

Getting ready for our homeschool year has taken over every spare minute the past month at least so it’s strange actually to be starting. As I mentioned earlier, I can’t wait to get more into our routine but so far I’m pleased with our curriculum choice of The Good and the Beautiful Math with Ambleside. Ambleside has such a diverse booklist and I really feel like Augustine is getting access to beautiful thoughts and ideas that will hopefully inspire him in a fundamental way. From artists to composers to history, nature study, and literature, it’s truly a feast of riches and I feel lucky that I get to be learning alongside him.

I have been seeing all these cute Samba sneakers everywhere, which reminds me of a pair of black and white ones I had in high school. I came across this beige pair and now it’s high on my wishlist. I love the natural color and I feel like I would wear them a bunch.

I started taking my evening walks again the other night which has been so nice. I had to take a break out of busyness and challenging bedtime routines, but when I can sneak those in I feel so much lighter and calmer. Beatrice has been going through a little bit of a sleep regression at 10 1/2 months. She’s been waking up several times at night and while it’s been common for her to wake once or twice, usually she goes right down to sleep. Lately, however, she’s been waking up and then not going back to sleep as easily. Or I’ll put her down and she’ll be asleep but 7 minutes later she’ll be sitting up in her crib crying. Friday night she was up at 5 am for the day which Matthew and I joke is the normal (but not desired) wake time for babies, according to our first pediatrician. One thing that helps is looking at The Wonder Weeks app which does tell me that she’s in a leap right now (the Leap of Sequences). Reading about that leap reminds me that this too shall pass, and it allows me to be more patient and understanding with her during this period. These challenging times can feel so long and overwhelming sometimes, but it’s just for a short season and before you know it, they’ll be through it. I love how these younger years teach you so much about compassion, patience, and gentleness. Even though I feel utterly exhausted, I’m also cherishing these early years because they are fleeting.

And on that note, I’m going to bed! I hope you all had a lovely weekend and have a wonderful week ahead!

xox

garlic from our garden is strung in the pantry

Corinna was so cute borrowing my sunglasses the other day. A little big but so adorable! (one of my favorite pairs)

the prettiest farmers market flowers

Hi friends! I just got two sheet cakes out of the oven (hooray!) and I’m sitting down to write this post after quite the busy week. My parents were in town to celebrate Augustine’s birthday which was so much fun. We always love their visits and from playing baseball in the backyard, reading books, going on walks along the Greenbelt, and getting ice cream, it was very memorable. We’re having a little party for him today, hence the sheet cakes, and I think we will also start school this week. Well, definitely starting school but just undecided if we’ll start on Labor Day or Tuesday. Matthew has work on Monday so I was originally thinking Labor Day would be fine, but now I’m reconsidering because it might be a little hectic with his party the day before. I’m anxious to start but I also want to feel ready and prepared.

Here’s a little update from our week:

WHAT WE ATE

I plan to share the meals I made the previous week, with links if possible, as some inspiration for your own menu planning. This week Augustine got to pick all the meals in honor of his birthday. We did this for Matthew’s birthday week so it might have to be a new tradition!

MONDAY- Crispy Oven Pulled Pork and Coleslaw on Brioche Buns– We’ve made this recipe countless times over the past year. Everyone loves it!

TUESDAY- Beef Enchiladas with Mexican Rice and Instant Pot Mexican Beans – This meal totally hit the spot! Augustine wanted shredded beef so I used this recipe. We joked about how I used my Instant Pot 3x this day! One of my favorite kitchen items hands down.

WEDNESDAY- Spicy Orange Sesame Chicken– another repeat from Matthew’s birthday week of faves. My boys like what they like!

THURSDAY- Classic Pot Pie– This turned out so delicious. I printed the recipe out so it’s going straight into my Keepers box.

FRIDAY- Creamy Weeknight Macaroni and Cheese– such an easy recipe with only 5 ingredients minus s&p

SATURDAY- Hot Dogs and Tuscan Tomato and Bread Salad– Trying to fit in some faves before the end of summer. This Tuscan tomato and bread salad is one of our faves. We made it with brioche bread this time – yum! And feel free to add a little drizzle of balsamic if you’re a caprese lover like we are.

SUNDAY- Pizza Party for his bday! For an appetizer, we’re cutting up celery and carrots and I’m making these two dips to go alongside: Tuscan mashed chickpea dip and ranch. Also making this sheet cake which is a classic for dessert. Vanilla ice cream is also a must!

For Augustine’s birthday cake, I made the Strawberry Summer Cake from Smitten Kitchen’s Keepers cookbook. If you don’t want the stacked version, check out this one on her blog. You can also make the sheet cake version which would be great for a party. This cake has become a summer staple over here!

Last Sunday we went to the new restaurant, Percy, in Downtown Boise. This Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with currants, almonds, manchego, and a burnt onion vinaigrette was delicious!

With fall around the corner, I wanted to get a head start on some immunity-boosting tinctures. I made a batch of elderberry syrup in the Instant Pot and it was incredibly easy. I also made Fire Cider which is another fave!

WHAT I WORE

I’m starting to reach for my sweaters but the afternoons have still been pretty hot. I got a bunch of tees from Thread & Supply and they are such good quality for the price.

I also started putting Beatrice in my mesh carrier which gives me a little more support as she’s getting bigger. I wore this pink color with Corinna all the time so it’s fun to put our littlest girly in it.

SALES TO NOTE

Maisonette– Up to 40% off Labor Day Sale- love their kids pieces so much! They also have a sale on toys, home items, and womens pieces (love this cardigan that’s under $100)

J.Crew Factory– 50-70% off sitewide!

Levi’s– 30% off sitewide! One silver lining to not fitting into my jeans postpartum is getting new jeans! While before I might have gotten down on not fitting into my old pieces as quickly, now I’m just ready to have jeans that are a little more comfortable.

LOFT– End of Summer Clearance

Bloomingdales– Take an extra 30% off clearance for a total of 50-65% off

ON MY MIND

Our friend invited us over to pick aronia berries, also known as chokeberries, which are one of the richest sources of plant antioxidants. We picked a bunch to freeze dry and then grind onto a powder for our smoothies. They look similar to blueberries but have a chalky aftertaste but I don’t think we’ll notice it in our smoothies.

Baby Beatrice is crawling everywhere these days! It’s becoming harder to get things done when I’m chasing her around, but sometimes she’ll want to be right by me which is so sweet.

Augustine and I went on a walk/scooter ride yesterday and I loved having some quality time with him. It’s crazy how time starts speeding up so fast. When we moved here he had just turned 4 and now he’s 7! I’m so proud of the boy he’s becoming and it’s such a joy to be his mama.

I was browsing Shopbop’s site the other day and getting so excited for fall! It’s my favorite season to dress for – not too hot and hot too cold. Here are some pieces I had my eye on:

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend, and hopefully, you get a long weekend with Labor Day off too!

xox