Last week was a little bit of an ‘off’ week for me. Do you ever have those? I think the hustle of the holidays can get to me, and my brain just decides to take unapproved vacation time. In addition, I signed myself up to volunteer with my kid’s school for various things so it’s been a bit busy on the home front.
I’ve been slowly gathering Christmas presents for family over the past two weeks and have pretty much completed my shopping (stocking stuffers withstanding.) We’ve sent all our family’s gifts to Kansas City to be wrapped upon arrival. We will be visiting home over the holidays, and I’m excited to see family and friends again. In other news, we’ve officially passed on our six month mark here in Seattle, and I’ll be sharing an update soon of how it’s going.
STYLE
Last week was the first time since we’ve lived in Seattle that it was just too dark and rainy to take outfit photos (we had an unusually dry October and November.) We all knew this was coming. Over the weekend, I researched and purchased some artificial lighting to use on those dark days so I’m prepared next time. Because of that and also because I spent a little more time in my lounge clothes than I care to admit, I only have two outfits to share with you this week. As always, you can find my past outfits in the Daily Looks page of my blog.
FOOD
Here’s a recap. of the meals we ate this week. We cooked two recipes from Lillie Eats and Tells new cookbook. In addition, we had a few throw together meals that I tend to turn to when I don’t have a plan or need dinner on the table really fast and also some takeout as well.
Monday: Chicken Tikka Masala from One More Time. This was light but really rich and satisfying. We served ours with steamed broccoli and rice.
Tuesday: Smoky Pork Chili from One More Time. This was really comforting and delicious; however, I tried to cook it in the Instant Pot, and I think it broke in the move somehow because it would not come to pressure even after several attempts to fix it. The chili still got cooked in the end though.
Wednesday: Pan Seared Salmon + Green Beans with Toasted Almonds + Fresh Bread. This meal came together in under 20 minutes but was healthy and fresh.
Thursday: Takeout from Chipotle
Friday: Pizza and a Movie Night! We just picked up fresh pizzas from our neighborhood grocery store and ate them while watching a Christmas movie.
Saturday: Takeout from Falafel Salem. This is becoming our Saturday night go-to.
Sunday: Bratwurst in Pretzel Buns with sauerkraut and whole grain mustard served with some frozen waffle fries. I quickly grabbed these ingredients while doing my Sunday grocery run. It’s always a winner with the kids.
ENTERTAINMENT
I watched the new Christmas episodes of Virgin River which was very cute, but don’t watch it if you’re opposed to cheesiness. LOL.
Danny and I also watched Leave the World Behind on Saturday night which was newly released on Netflix. It kept me glued to the TV, but the ending made it a bust for me. Bummer!
I’ve been sticking to my favorite podcasts including Mayhem: The 70s You Never Knew on the Here’s Where It Gets Interesting podcast from Sharon McMahon. I also listened to the interview with Carol Burnett on the Wiser Than Me podcast with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. It was SO GOOD. Highly recommend it!
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
This is the best home tour I’ve ever seen. I always say I could live in a smaller space but the idea of doing so with kids always perplexed me. This space is colorful and beautiful but also so realistic.
Time names Taylor Swift Person of the Year. I fully support this decision, and I’m also obsessed with the cover photo and watching the cat people on Tiktok attempts to recreate it.
It’s okay to suck when you try something new.
Understanding the mental load moms deal with over the holidays. THIS.
Madewell is having another 30% off sale, and the good news is that many of the items that sold out during the Black Friday sale have been restocked. This satin blazer and satin pants make for a sleek and cool holiday look. I also own this shimmery silver tank, this embellished bag, and these silver statement earrings. I also love this tan color of the Darcy Boot which I own in silver.
An easy winter recipe to add to your meal plan.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Black and Brown Outfit Inspiration
Timeless Holiday Makeup Look
Ashley’s Christmas Wishlist
The Monday Edition: 12.4.23
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