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50: week in review

December 17, 2023

black turtleneck and baybala green pants - M Loves M @marmar

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend! It’s been a fun one over here. Today I had some of my Book Club girlfriends over for a pie brunch. I really want to work on my pie skills so I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to try one out. I made one from The Book on Pie (a rental from the library but I would highly recommend for anyone serious about their pie game). It was a German Chocolate Pie with a coconut and pecan topping that was so yummy. My crust wasn’t perfect but, like I said, I need the practice. I was thinking that maybe next year I should challenge myself to make a pie a month. It could be fun, don’t you think? It would be so nice next December if I felt like I knew what I was doing.

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- Southwestern Sweet Potato Chili- from this cookbook but this recipe on her blog is very similar.

TUESDAY- Roasted Mushroom and Onion Quesadillas- easy and delicious! We made guacamole to go with it…yum!

WEDNESDAY- Skillet Orzo with Turkey Meatballs, Green Olives and Feta– This was an easy one-pan dish, although I did make the meatballs the night before.

THURSDAY- Salmon Larb Bowl with Coconut Rice- We are all obsessed with how good this coconut rice is!

FRIDAY- Pesto Lasagna Bolognese- very similar to this recipe which has rave reviews

SATURDAY- Grilled Flank Steak with Crispy Roasted Potatoes– We made the basil vinaigrette (of course), and I topped the potatoes with a delicious mustard herb vinaigrette

SUNDAY- Chicken Parmesan Tagliatelle- from this cookbook (like most from the week to be honest)- Trying to use up some of our freezer and pantry items before heading into the new year.

southwestern sweet potato chili - M Loves M @marmar

WHAT I WORE

I love the look of a black turtleneck tucked into jeans, a silk skirt, or a pair of trousers. For brunch today, I wore one tucked into these pretty pants from Baybala. The quality of the pants is so good and even the kids commented on how much they liked them. They felt festive, too, in an evergreen shade.

cozy nuuds sweater - M Loves M @marmar

I got this v-neck sweater from nuuds and it’s so cozy and soft. I love how luxe it feels and I know I’ll be reaching for it a ton!

SALES TO NOTE

Not quite a sale but Everlane is offering free expedited shipping on orders over $200. They have so many great pieces that would make wonderful gifts. It could be a one-stop shop!

Gap– 40-60% off their best gifts

J.Crew– Extra 70% off 3+ sale styles

LOFT– Up to 60% off

Sephora– Beauty Insiders get 20% off full-sized fragrances

Williams-Sonoma– If you know anyone who loves cooking/food, they have so many great options on sale, including $100 off Kitchen-Aid Mixers.

Nordstrom– Up to 70% off Designer Clearance- Always a fun sale to look through!

ON MY MIND

On Monday, Tidy Style Home came to reorganize my closet and WOW I am still so beyond impressed with how they were able to rework the space. It is so incredibly organized and I just love how they maximized every inch. My biggest takeaway was how they hung up everything. I had some shelves that had tee shirts and sweaters tumbling down and matching loungewear pieces piled up. They hung everything, even grouping the matching loungewear pieces together. The sweaters are folded on the hangers in a way that prevents them from stretching out and it just makes so much sense. On the shelves they brought in my underwear and socks that were previously in my dresser and put them in woven bins. I love that I can now get completely dressed in my closet without the need to go back into my bedroom. If you’re in Boise, I highly recommend them. They have implemented systems in our kitchen that we still use 3 years later, and now I’m so happy my closet is organized as well. You can also follow them on Instagram for their tips too which I find so helpful!

In-N-Out opened in Boise this week which has been a HUGE deal! For the past few years, everyone has been counting down. I wasn’t planning on going during the opening week because I heard the lines were crazy. On opening day I had a friend wait for 5 hours! She said it was worth it, but that is just way too long for me. My friend Halley convinced me though so I joined her in line at the end of the week and luckily we didn’t have to wait more than 30 minutes. In-N-Out is so nostalgic for me because it was a special treat when we’d go on family road trips to see my grandma in northern California. I have so many memories of those meals off the I-5 with dog, and then dogs, in tow. My order is a Grilled Cheese with grilled onions and pickles. The best! I had to get fries too (with mustard) and I couldn’t resist adding in a chocolate milkshake! The kids were extremely excited, and Matthew was very jealous because he was working. We’ll have to go back again, although it might be in California next month !!

This year I have removed a lot of the typical Christmas pressure I’ve felt in previous years. We’re keeping things simple, I’m not sending cards out and I’m not doing an elaborate Advent calendar. We only give a few presents to the kids and thankfully I bought gifts in November so this has been a slow and sweet month savoring the Christmas season. I know many of us sometimes think or wish we could be doing more but it’s been good to remind myself what Christmas is truly about. Also, the stage of life we’re in sometimes dictates what we can and can’t do. Resting in that has been so freeing.

It’s been getting so cold here lately but I’m still trying to get out for afternoon walks when we can. Augustine and Corinna have found a play spot along our neighborhood creek trail and that has been filling our afternoons lately. In the right clothing, the weather is tolerable, but it still feels extra nice to walk inside a warm house after playing outside.

in-n-out opened in boise, idaho  - M Loves M @marmar winter house decor - M Loves M @marmar

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Can you believe next Sunday is Christmas Eve?!

xox

38: week in review

September 24, 2023

gingham tablecloth espresso cookies - M Loves M @marmar

Hello everyone! It’s officially autumn, and boy does it feel like it. One thing I appreciate about Idaho is that we’ll have these very crisp fall mornings that will turn into these beautifully warm afternoons. It feels like the best of both seasons. We’ve already started to decorate for autumn (I got this new tablecloth for $20!) and I/Matthew pulled down my cold-weather box filled with sweaters and cozy things. I’m looking forward to thoroughly enjoying my favorite season- especially when it comes to baking. There are too many apple and pumpkin desserts on my list!

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- Corn and Poblano Chowder- from the Half Baked Harvest Everyday cookbook– a little spicy but so yummy for a late summer meal

TUESDAY- Dinner with friends

WEDNESDAY- Ground Beef, Roasted Poblano, and Monterey Jack Tacos with a Colesaw salad – a family favorite!

THURSDAY- Salt and Pepper Cod with Turmeric Noodles– from the cookbook The Cook You Want to Be– we loved this, even as leftovers. Just watch out for the clothes and napkin-staining turmeric.

FRIDAY- Chicken Breast with Antipasto Salad – from the cookbook The Cook You Want to Be– so easy and delicious!

SATURDAY- Breakfast for Dinner at Corinna’s request. I made a spinach and mushroom frittata and honey ricotta blinis with honey and sea salt which were so yummy! (both from the Smitten Kitchen Every Day cookbook)

SUNDAY- Balsamic Grilled Flank Steak with Basil Vinaigrette and Grilled Red Onion and Blue Cheese Salad – this is one of our favorite dinners so I can’t wait!

I’ve been wanting to make these Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies (seen in the first photo) for a while and finally got around to it this weekend. They are good, for sure, but just a little too sweet and the sugar tastes very granular (I even used less than the recipe called for because I didn’t pack the light brown sugar). I might make them again but just significantly adjust the sugar amount. It’s nice to have that rich, espresso flavor though! (edit: after 24 hours in the fridge the grainy sugar taste wasn’t as obvious but I’d still try cutting back)

cheese board - M Loves M @marmar breakfast for dinner - M Loves M @marmar

WHAT I WORE

My gingham dress from Doen is so comfortable and cute this time of year. I love all things gingham as you can guess from my new tablecloth. I love their pieces but usually buy second-hand.

M.Gemi makes some of my favorite shoes – they’re so comfortable and well-made. These leather sandals are a favorite in summer but fall too! Their Mary Jane ballerinas are currently on my wishlist.

swing with baby - M Loves M @marmar gingham dress - M Loves M @marmar

One of my favorite pieces of jewelry is my Haverhill birthstone bracelet. It’s always on my wrist – literally the last time I took it off was when I had Beatrice’s stone added. You can use code MARA15 for a sitewide discount too!

SALES TO NOTE

Jenni Kayne- 25% off shoes with code FALLPAIR. These have been on my wishlist for a while, especially these days when tying laces while holding a baby is impossible. I also love this lug boot style that I know would be worn a bunch this time of year.

MATCHESFASHION– 20% off new fall styles with code STYLE20

Abercrombie– 25% off select styles

American Eagle– 30% off all jeans (and cargo pants if that’s a style you’re into!)

ON MY MIND

Beatrice’s first birthday is next month and I think I’m in denial. I mean, I’m not but I am. It’s hard to believe she’s almost a year old. We’re not doing a big party but I think we’re going to plan a fall party around the same time and make some fun pumpkin and apple things. October is my favorite month of the year so I’m excited to have a birthday to celebrate. Just today, she pushed herself up into a standing position leaning on the couch. She loves to wave and play peek-a-boo – she’s seriously a dream baby!

We got together with our Wild + Free group on Friday and worked on a super easy but fun handicraft. The kids made these little notebooks (like this DIY) and then got to fill some of the pages with drawings and stamping. So grateful for this sweet little community that brings such beauty to our homeschooling days.

I picked up these tumblers from Elk and Friends for the big kids and I love them so much! We got the glass and the stainless steal but they have silicone covers, thicker straws for smoothies,  stoppers on the straws to prevent them from being pulled out, and best of all: lids so they can also be used as snack (or leftover) containers!

My latest cookbook from the library is Simply Symon Suppers. I’m not too familiar with Michael Simon’s cooking, so I’m looking forward to trying some of his recipes this upcoming week.

I just got this Mandarin Basile candle from Homecourt and wow it smells so good! I love a fresh herbal scent in the kitchen, especially after cooking. This is a limited-edition scent and smells like sparkling mandarin, spiced ginger, fresh green basil, and ripe fig.

homeschool with coffee - M Loves M @marmar gingham tablecloth - M Loves M @marmar eleven months baby beatrice - M Loves M @marmar

I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead!

xox

11: week in review

March 19, 2023

rocking baby by babybay bassinet - M Loves M @marmar

I hope you all are having a nice weekend! This week we spent more time outdoors than we have all winter. The weather is warming up just enough to be outside comfortably for a few hours at a time and with the sun shining, our chilly temps are much more manageable. My hope is that we’ll be outside as much as we can all spring!

 

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 Chicken Gnocchi Soup- This recipe was from the HBH Super Simple Cookbook. It was ok but not my favorite. I’d actually be more interested in trying this version on her blog which has some additions I think ours lacked.

TUESDAY- Jerk Shrimp and Mango Rice Bowls with Chocolate Caramel Banana Cream Pie for dessert – We couldn’t miss an opporutnity for pie on pi day (3.14). This pie was absolutely amazing and grain-free and refined-sugar free to boot! I highly recommend this cookbook for those of you looking for healthier dessert options that are still so satisfying! And for our Taco night we decided to mix things up with this shrimp and mango bowl that had really yummy spices!

WEDNESDAY- Gingered Apple Pork Chops with Roasted Brussels Sprouts – I had a little leftover dressing from last week’s recipe so I couldn’t resist making the brussels again!

THURSDAY- Saucy Coconut Fish Curry with Cauliflower Rice

FRIDAY- Corn Beef and Roasted Brussels Sprouts- I’m not a big corn beef person but I saw this recipe on HBH that had amazing reviews including serveral saying it’s changed people’s minds about the dish. I’m here to say it was DELICIOUS  and we’ll defnitely be making it again, and more than once a year with other cuts of meat. I’m curious to try the HBH sandwich version but we just made ours on its own with roasted brussels.

SATURDAY- Sesame Orange Chicken with Cauliflower Rice – Matthew used to be a big fan of the orange chicken from Trader Joe’s and I’m so happy to say I think we’ve found a healthier swap with this recipe from the HBH Super Simple Cookbook. The kids loved it too with white rice and it was very easy to put together. I found this very similar recipe on her blog so I might try it next time to compare!

SUNDAY- Hamburger Salad – basically a burger deconstructed without the bun. I’m making a jalapeño dressing for the salad version. For dessert I’m making these chocolate pots de creme!

I wanted to try a sourdough buttermilk pancake recipe so I made these for breakfast this morning and they were amazing! We’ll definitely be making them again.

grain free and refined-sugar free banana cream pie from sweet laurel - M Loves M @marmar

WHAT I WORE

Cooler temperatures mean I can switch to lighter layers. This mac coat is a favorite – so chic and elevated even the simplest outfits. I got this nursing-friendly bodysuit and love how cute it is with this new pair of denim I got. I love how it hugs my postpartum tummy in! I also have this striped shirt dress that works if you’re pregnant or not.

SALES TO NOTE

There’s a big Friends and Family Sale at GAP right now. 40% off everything with code FRIEND. I love these jeans I just got from them. This crochet mini dress is cute, as is this puff sleeve dress. I’m hoping this dress comes back in stock because what a pretty back detail. And I’m going to peek at the kids section too because my little crew is quickly outgrowing their clothes, especially baby Beatrice. I always love Gap’s baby items because they have a lot of organic cotton and linen options. This gingham set is too cute, as is this yellow one!

ON MY MIND

Easter is right around the corner and I’m thinking about what to put in the children’s baskets. I found some cute options and shared them on InstaStories but here they are if you missed them:

I’m also in the process of putting together a Spring Style edit and I haven’t had a chance to hit publish yet but I wanted to share some of my finds. They make me so thrilled for warmer weather!

winter walk - M Loves M @marmar baby beatrice in red headband bow - M Loves M @marmar   sisters winter bike ride corinna exploring wild + free boise - M Loves M @marmar

Have a lovely week!

xox