You might have seen on Instagram that sweet Birchie was not himself last week. After a few calls to the doctor I finally got an appointment because I knew something was wrong. My instinct was right: he had his first ear infection! Poor buddy felt awful and wasn’t sleeping well. By mid-day Saturday he was…
Our Weekend: I’m All Ears
Pumpkin On The Porch
Remember when Pumpkin the cat hung out on my porch all the time!? Now I have a sweet little pumpkin baby plus some nice fall pumpkins AND a pumpkin yogurt parfait! Pumpkin or crab, he’s the cutest! Pumpkin Parfait This jar had layers of slightly sweetened pumpkin, greek yogurt, and granola. Almost as good as…
Citrus Curry Farro Salad
This citrus curry farro salad is a great lunch staple to make on prep day. Orange zest, currants, and roasted pistachios combine with hearty farro, curry-spiced sweet potatoes and fresh herbs for a mix of flavors you won’t be able to forget! Citrus Curry Farro Salad You have seen me eat this citrus curry farro…
Apple Crisp Oatmeal + Our Weekend
A few weeks ago we were all so hot that we couldn’t wait for cold weather. And now – it’s freezing! I’m kind of enjoying the up and down temps though. (Not to worry – the space heater was unplugged! He’s just having fun with the buttons). Friday Night In We toyed with the idea…
Remember It’s November
Have you heard Christmas music yet? I used to be one of those people who put Christmas music on the day after Halloween. This year it hasn’t even crossed my mind. I’m more of a “day after Thanksgiving” type now. I keep seeing references to Christmas list-making. Amazon sent me its holiday guide in the…
Postpartum Fitness: One Year In
Four seasons of fitness have come and gone since my body grew a little human and Mr. Birch was born. I no longer say “I just had a baby.” I feel like I’m 90% back to the fitness level I was before getting pregnant. I doubt I’ll ever be able to run like I did…
Soft Cinnamon Apples
These soft cinnamon apples have just two ingredients and are ready in 30 minutes in a rice cooker. They turn a plethora of crispy fall apples into bite-size pieces that taste like apple pie filling! I am always on the hunt for: 1) Apple recipes in the fall when I have a plethora of them…
First Birthday At The Vineyard
For the past year I have a text thread with four other moms of babies Birch’s age. We have been each other’s support group during periods of sleeplessness, sickness, and chaos. And we chat daily about milestones and questions we have, sharing tips and advice. I met each of them in a different way (I…
Happy Halloween & The Best Pumpkin Carving Tools
BOO!! Hope you have your pumpkins carved and ready to light tonight. See below for our new favorite pumpkin carving tools that we used to make the pumpkin above. Last year on this day we came home from the hospital with little Birch! It was a chaotic time to bring a newborn home, but also…
I’m A Better Mom When I Wear A Sports Bra
I’m a better mom when I wear a sports bra The best/worst way to tell kids you can’t play with them? “Sorry sweetie I don’t want to get all sweaty!” Just like when I’m wearing athleisure I’m more likely to exercise, if I’m wearing comfortable clothes I can move in I’m much more likely to…
Birch is ONE!
Our little baby is turning ONE today! One Year Ago We welcomed sweet Birch into the world! He came swiftly during the night seven days past his due date. (Much the same way his brother did!) Every time I read each one of my birth stories I get tears in my eyes! I do not…
Double Birthday Weekend!
Three cakes, two birthdays, one fun weekend! Friday night workout social On Friday night I went to ACAC for a little social involving a double strength and cycle class. I had taken almost a week off of hard exercise and really needed a great sweat! We had a great time grooving to 80s music before…
Ojai with Beautycounter: The Recap!
I came home from my 3-day trip to the Ojai Valley Inn with Beautycounter on Wednesday. The trip was incredible – one of the best events I have ever been to. A friend asked me what my favorite part of Ojai was and my answer was “the ambiance.” Everything from the mountain setting and lush…
Oh Hey, Ojai!
Hey! Hi! I am supposed to be r e l a x i n g (according to both Beautycounter and my husband) but I wanted to pop in quickly and say hi from Ojai! This resort is GORGEOUS! My travel day on Sunday went well but was SO LONG. I was awake for almost 24…
Mazen & The Amazing Maize Maze
I’ve waited seven years to write that title!!! When Mazen was born I couldn’t wait to take him to a corn maze. He was made for it! On Saturday we went to Liberty Mills Farm about 30 minutes outside of Charlottesville. We had ideal weather and such a great time. See all that corn behind…
Weekly Happenings
News this week: Thomas pretended he went fishing Mazen had his worst sickness to date We had our first sweatshirt weather Birch and I missed our babysitter and spent a lot of time hanging out together Reel Em In, Thomas He came home from Whole Foods with a whole Spanish mackerel! I think Gus was…
Turning Our Deck Into A Porch
I’ve hinted at the big project that’s underway on the back of our house. Here’s the halfway update! I’m planning to share the finishing touches once it’s done, hopefully before it’s freezing outside. We’re turning the back deck into a screened-in porch. (Note the scary guard dog in many of these photos!) Here’s a look…
Pesto Tuscan Kale Salad
This kale salad is made with Tuscan kale massaged with pesto and topped with chicken, blue cheese, and parmesan. It made a quick lunch and will hold up in the fridge for a second meal. I am hoping to share more real life meals as mini recipes with you guys. Mini recipes and how-tos –…
A Great Entry Table
I did a little furniture shopping lately to find a great entry table for our house. Luckily I was able to find the right piece in our bathroom! Above is the after – a clean line to walk by. The previous table (below) had a decorative edge that jutted out just a bit making one…
Kids, Candles, Countryside
Thomas and I were just saying how we feel that fall is whipping by and we have yet to do any “fall activities.” Between Birch’s long naps (which we are very thankful for!), Mazen and our soccer schedule, and splitting time with dada, we don’t seem to have wide open days to do things like…
Pumpkin Patchwork
It’s finally cool enough for jackets here in Cville! It’s crazy how fast the weather goes from too hot to too cold. I’ve been enjoying the chilly mornings and warm afternoons. I hope it stays like this for a long time! Chilly mornings mean oatmeal season is back! I made a bowl of whipped banana…
Home Neat Home: Manage The Paper
In my last post about managing clutter, several of you mentioned all the PAPER that comes into a household. Add “manage the paper” to the list of things that come in under your nose and before you know it you have a large pile that needs sorting. Here are some of my tips for paper…
Body Image Like A Cavewoman
I was talking with a friend recently about body image. She had said she was “5 pounds heavier than normal” and didn’t know whether she should put the effort in to tone up again or just settle in where she was for a new phase of life. I said to her: “Imagine you are a…
I Like To Cook With Wine + Cozy Weekend Meals
Hi guys! Our weekend was split between cozy weekend meals, soccer, and family time. Sorry for going MIA yesterday. My brain gets totally torn between reminding myself the internet won’t break if I don’t put up a single blog post and the rules and expectations I have created for myself. I don’t like to be…
New Workspaces + The Beautycounter Holiday Collection
Rolling into the weekend like…. Monday Mazen didn’t have school on Monday, so we got to have a slower start to our morning. Mazey and I had chocolate smoothies, and Birch had toast and fruit. He has given up on eggs!! The same thing happened to Mazen – I made them so much he turned…