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46: week in review

November 19, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving week!! This is one of our favorite weeks of the year and I am so happy it’s here. We are hosting this year for the first time and it will be so nice to celebrate with our in-town family members. My plan tonight (Saturday) is to finish this blog post and then get my giant grocery list written and organized. I know I’ll feel so much better once that is done.

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- Immunity Soup – one of my friends brought this to a Mom’s Favorite Soup Night and I LOVED it. The source is random but the soup is delicious! I think I’m going to always add 10 cloves of garlic to my soups now. I mean, of course, right?

TUESDAY- Cheesy Baked Tacos

WEDNESDAY- Blackened Chicken and Sweet Potato Bowls– This was so yummy! The hot honey mustard dressing was beyond delicious!

THURSDAY- Balsamic Marinated Grilled Skirt Steak with Basil Vinaigrette– I mean a favorite is a favorite! This is going to be in our rotation from here on out, I’m sure!

FRIDAY- Pork Chops and Mac and Cheese for the Kids

SATURDAY- Spinach Pumpkin Lasagna– We made this for our friends and everyone loved it, especially the kids!

SUNDAY- Sheet Pan Salmon with Broccoli and Rice- an easy freezer/pantry go-to!

I also made these sourdough pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and they were so yummy! The recipe makes 2 dozen so I happily have some in our freezer for last-minute get-togethers or surprise treats for the kids.

We’ve been making these spiced banana pancakes this fall and they’re so delicious with the warming spices! I’ve been playing around with different combos and today I subbed in some cinnamon and nutmeg and decreased the pepper.

WHAT I WORE

Turtlenecks are the perfect layering piece during winter and I’m already reaching for them. I especially love them under this Hatch dress with the v-neckline.

I got this brown quilted jacket from Jones NY and it’s such a great piece for fall. I sized up so I can wear it with light sweaters but I like the slightly oversized look.

SALES TO NOTE

Anthropologie– Their sale section is an extra 40% off right now! I always love searching for unique gifts on their site.

Everlane– Up to 50% off almost everything!

GAP- 40% off your purchase & 50% off jeans!

ON MY MIND

Boise friends, you have to go to see Amber Rose for a facial. I went today and it was so amazing. I’ve been wanting to book an appointment to see Amber for at least the past year. She is so sweet, very knowledgeable, and gives the most amazing facials with really good, clean products. I can’t wait to go back to see her again.

I know I mentioned last week that Amazon Prime Video is streaming some of my favorite movies this month. I watched Oklahoma and I’m currently watching Notting Hill when I go on our elliptical. It’s been a good encouragement for me to get my workout in because I want to continue watching!

This past week (tonight excluded) I’ve been going to bed a lot earlier. It’s been so nice to get some extra sleep because we have very early risers around here. I’m looking forward to taking advantage of getting extra sleep this winter but I also want to catch up on some projects that have been neglected. I realized the other day that we never made a wedding album (from our wedding 12 years ago!). I would love to do that, along with finalizing Baby Beatrice’s Baby book and working on our yearly photo album. Basically, I’m going to be spending a lot of time on Artifact Uprising (Or Minted!). If you have a recommendation for quality photo printing, let me know!

Matthew and I are talking about planning a trip this January to break up our winter. While we haven’t had snow yet, the temperatures are definitely dropping. It will be nice to be here for the holidays, but if we can get somewhere warm for a few weeks this winter that would be amazing!

I loved how much time the kids spent outside this week! They were outside for 3 hours at least every afternoon. We’re soaking in the sunshine when it’s out. I can’t believe a year ago there was already snow on the ground. I don’t think we’ll have snow by Thanksgiving but I’m guessing we will the first week in December. We’ll see!

I hope you all have a joyful Thanksgiving week!!

xox

45: week in review

November 12, 2023

Hi! Ok, how are we almost at mid-November?! I feel like we’re already getting in the holiday mood around here. In Idaho, people put up their exterior Christmas lights early because no one wants to be doing that when it’s icy/snowing! The children have been asking Matthew for the past week and today was the day. I love seeing a little glimmer of the lights when I walk by the front door.

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- Sausage, Fennel, and White Bean Soup– We all loved this soup and made extra to freeze for an easy dinner over the holidays.

TUESDAY- Fish Tacos– Not the most fall meal but we had some mahi mahi in our freezer. This recipe reminds us of tacos we got in Dana Point on our babymoon with Augustine!

WEDNESDAY- Pot Roast– We have some big roast meats in our freezer that we’ve been wanting to use so I made this delicious roast and saved the extra for Saturday night enchiladas.

THURSDAY- Baked Salmon Sushi Bowls– I loved how flavorful this was. We’ll definitely make it again for an easy weeknight meal.

FRIDAY- Pork Ragu (from this cookbook but found online here) with the best focaccia and a chocolate brownie pie– We had family over so wanted to make something special! Everything was devoured…so good and kid-approved!

SATURDAY- Beef Enchiladas– We used up the rest of our roast with these enchiladas. This recipe is so simple but has become our go-to.

SUNDAY- We’re going to a friend’s house today to celebrate Friendsgiving! Making this green bean casserole and a (hopefully) kid-approved mac and cheese, along with a loaf of sourdough.

Sadly, I didn’t do any extra baking this week. Beatrice has been my busy girl and she’s been fighting her second nap of the day which makes it hard to even put dinner together. I need to start being more strategic about meal prep!

WHAT I WORE

The Way High Jeans I got from Everlane are so good! I wore them this week with a knit and my camel coat. Also, the Margaux Downtown boots look super cute with these jeans too.

SALES TO NOTE

Anthropologie– 40% off furniture and home decor- These frames are so pretty and would make a great grandparent gift with a photo inside!

J.Crew– 30% off full-price styles

There are so many good early Black Friday Sales popping up! One I had to take advantage of was from my favorite hat brand Gigi Pip. I love their hats and this is one I’ve been really wanting: the River Guatemalan Palm. I just got it in the mail and it is so cute! The fit is perfect and I’m especially excited for the leather chinstrap. This is the kind of hat that would probably look good on anyone. It’s such a flattering style! MARAF15 should get you an extra discount too.

I’ve had my eye on these Mason Cash bowls for our kitchen, but they’d make a great gift as well- especially this batter bowl.

ON MY MIND

Augustine and I are about to start Week 11 of his Term 1 which means we only have 2 weeks left until we can take a break. Instead of jumping back in to Term 2, I’m going to do a Christmas study in December along with our Math and Language Arts. Then we’ll start Term 2 the first week of January. I have been looking into different studies and decided to go with A Connected Christmas by Treehouse Schoolhouse. I have a homeschooling mama friend who says it’s such a special study and one they go back to each year. I can’t wait for it to arrive! While I bought the study myself, I did sign up for their affiliate program so I could share a discount with you. You can use code MARAFERREIRA for 10% off anything on their site! Their studies all look so good!

If you’re looking for something to watch, Amazon Prime Video currently has some of my all-time favorites! Oklahoma, South Pacific, and Notting Hill! I was so so excited when I logged in and noticed the most recent additions to their catalog. Oklahoma is my absolute favorite movie and musical and I know every word and scene by heart. I’ve been singing so many of my favorite songs this week and it’s made me so happy!

I got this new bundle from King of Christmas and I had to open it up to share it with you all before it sells out! Two mini trees, a wreath, and a gorgeous garland! They have battery packs to hold the charge and a timer that goes on for 6 hours, turns off for 18 hours, and then turns on again. Even though it’s a little early for Christmas decor, I have loved seeing the pretty glow from these trees by our fireplace. It’s making me excited to decorate more after Thanksgiving!

Have a lovely week!

xox

44: week in review

November 5, 2023

Hi everyone! I hope you’ve been enjoying your weekend. November is here and I feel like we’re all looking forward to the holidays. We’re hosting Thanksgiving this year for our family in Idaho so that will be a first for us. Send tips and prayers! This week the weather took a significant nose dive so I’m scrambling a bit to make sure I have proper cold-weather gear for all the kiddos, and myself. I was chatting with a friend this morning and she mentioned looking for a snowsuit for herself so she could be out in the snow with her kids, and I was, “yes, of course!” I want to be out there in the snow with them too so I need to make sure I have the right clothes as well.

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- Joanna Gaines Country Potato Soup – perfect meal for a cold night!

TUESDAY- Chili with Spaghetti- a favorite fall meal I used to have as a kid.

WEDNESDAY- Chicken Taco Salad– loved this cilantro vinaigrette

THURSDAY- Roasted Sheet Pan Salmon & zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes

FRIDAY- Sourdough Pizza with Carmelized Onions and Carmelized Mushrooms- We’ve been loving our Friday pizza nights!

SATURDAY- Cast Iron Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Maple-Roasted Kabocha Squash– this felt like a very fancy Saturday night dinner. So yummy!

SUNDAY- Sheet Pan Honey Roasted Chicken with Brussels and Carrots– We made this a few weeks ago when Matthew was out of town and loved it so I’m making it again!

I made pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies today and they were SO good! I need to grab a photo of them tomorrow. I tried to cut back on the sugar just a tad because it seemed like a lot but they were delicious. I loved the chewy texture and the flavor of the pumpkin and browned butter. By the way, Corinna called them snicky doodles and it was the cutest thing ever!

WHAT I WORE

I got this pair of black boots from Zodiac and I love how versatile they are. They make a legging outfit feel more put together, and they give a little edge to a dress.

To the shower, I wore this Emme Mama dress which works during pregnancy and nursing too.

SALES TO NOTE

GIGI PIP– Their Black Friday sale has started and hats are up to 25% off! I couldn’t resist getting this hat that’s been on my wishlist for the past two summers. I’m so excited to wear it, hopefully on a mid-winter getaway! Use code MARA15

Anthropologie– Extra 40% off sale – These earrings would make a great gift for a friend or mom. Or friendship bracelets!

GAP– 50% off sweaters, flannels and sweatshirts

ON MY MIND

This weekend I went to a baby shower for my friend Tiff. It was so nice to get together to celebrate her pregnancy and this sweet little life. My friend Jasmine hosted at her home and every detail was so beautiful!

All of a sudden it hit me that Christmas is 7 weeks away which seems like a lot of time but it will sneak up so quickly! I’m really hoping to get as much of my Christmas shopping done in November so that I can enjoy December more fully. My plan is to make a big shopping/errand/task To Do list this week and start working away at it.

On Friday my plan was to stay home but at the last minute we decided to meet up with our nature group and I am so happy we did. We went on the most beautiful walk at the Star River Walk. It was a misty morning but it felt like we were in a special little woodland village. The trees were canopied across and leaves blanketed the ground. I never regret getting outside for adventures like these!