Category: Food

I’m back! I haven’t written in eight months – yikes. This year…this last year and a half…what a scary/crazy/sad time to be alive. I’ve had a lot of highs and a lot of lows. And zero inclination to write about any of it. But I’ve been feeling the pull to share some of my favorite new things from the last eight months and decided it was time to come back to this space! I have no idea if I’ll start writing regularly again, but here we go for now – FRIDAY FAVORITES!

Rainbows

Yes, this is a favorite (lol). Originally I decided I was only going to have rainbows in my sewing room, since that made the most logical sense. And what I could get away with as an adult woman. But then I started rearranging all my bookshelves by rainbow. And now the rainbows are totally taking over my living room as well. I even added a very colorful quilt to our bed – a room that has always just been blue and gray. I don’t think I’ll spread the rainbow much further throughout the house, but…you never know. They just make me so dang happy! This corner is obviously my favorite.

Farmacy Beauty Very Cherry Clean

I’ve gotten really into skincare this year when I realized in some of my selfies last fall that I looked like I was aging quite a bit. It seems like one of the most basic things you can do for yourself is properly take off your makeup each night and this has become my favorite way to do it. The cherry scent is my absolute favorite, but I’m currently using their newer apple scent which is really nice as well (and great for fall!).

Makeup Eraser 7 Day Sets

When I remove my makeup at night I smear the melting balm around my face and then wet one of these palm sized remover cloths and use it to wipe away the makeup. It works perfectly and feels so much better for the environment than disposable makeup wipes. Technically they claim you only need water to remove even eye makeup completely, but I like to use the balm for an added measure.

Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask

I have tried out so many nighttime facial creams and serums this year and I keep coming back to this one. I was only using a smaller sample size from Sephora but decided it was time to purchase a larger container since I liked it so much. And of course I was THRILLED to go to their website and see they have a pride edition! 🙂 The formula is super creamy and has a very pleasant scent. I still experiment with various serums, but this dream mask is my go to pretty much every night.

CoTz Face Prime & Protect Tinted Sunscreen

I keep hearing that sunscreen is the number one most important thing you need to be using to protect your skin and prevent aging. But I hate sunscreen. Even the mineral kinds meant for your face just feel like they’re smothering me. I got a sample of this one recently and fell in love with it. It’s a sunscreen, but also a primer. The tint is a pretty good match for my skin tone as well. I just purchased a larger size so I’ll be ready for all my outdoor fall adventures.

Dae Shampoo, Conditioner, and Leave In Conditioner

I am ALWAYS looking for new shampoos and conditioners that will actually clean my hair and make it look nice all day. If it has a great scent, that makes it so much better. I picked these up from Sephora a few months ago and just finished up the bottles today. I almost never buy the same shampoo and conditioner twice, but I’m definitely going back to this one again in the future. It has a delightful citrusy scent that feels so luxurious. The leave in conditioner is also wonderful. I started adding that to my hair care regimen earlier this year when I was desperately in need of a hair cut, but didn’t want to make an appointment. Now I use it every day whether my hair is long and tangled or not!

Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle

I don’t use dry shampoo that often because I do wash my hair every day, but I like to have some on hand since my hair is super oily and if I’m going out in the evening for some reason I can give myself a nice refresh. This has been the best I’ve used and highly recommend it. I actually bought this sample set first which has three different types of dry shampoo – perfect for traveling!

Made by Mary Mini Lucky 7 Rectangle Necklace

Made by Mary is currently my favorite jewelry shop. I have so many of their pieces and absolutely love all of them. But this lucky #7? My all time favorite. I wear it all the time. Seven is my favorite number, my birth date, and the number of people/pets in our family. I just love the style of the 7 as well. This is the jewelry company that converted me into a gold lover!

Sunday Citizen Throw Blankets

You already know I’m obsessed with throw blankets. I’m always on the lookout for brands I haven’t heard of before. I stumbled across Sunday Citizen and immediately ordered one, and then another, and then another. They have single thickness blankets which are nice (I have a coral colored one on my bed for naps), but the double thickness throws are incredible. So soft, so warm. I can’t wait to snuggle up with them all winter. The pets and children already snuggle with them every day. That rainbow striped blanket on my sewing chair is also from Sunday Citizen, but was only available during June. These are definitely an investment, but they seem to be of great quality and I think they’ll last for a long time.

Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour

My brother and his family were in town for a couple of weeks and requested that I make my homemade pizzas for his birthday celebration. I found myself wasting some time at a specialty grocery store and happened to see this bag of artisan flour. Knowing I needed to make a bunch of pizzas I decided to try it out. And? I will never go back to regular flour for my pizzas. Never. This crust is INCREDIBLE. I just followed the extremely easy recipe on the back of the bag. I made it again earlier this week just to make sure the first time wasn’t a fluke and they turned out just as delicious. I really like my homemade pizza again! I’m going to be ordering this flour in bulk from now on.

Cheesy Poblano and Corn Enchiladas

We’ve been trying to eat more meatless meals lately, so I’m always excited when Tieghan at Half Baked Harvest puts out a new option that intrigues me. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this recipe. I’m going to make it again and again and again. Serve it with some Mexican rice, sour cream, and hot sauce and it’ll be your new favorite meal too. You will never miss the meat!

Chacos Chillos Sport Sandals

So I FINALLY went to the podiatrist about my foot pain this summer and got the much expected diagnoses of planter fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis. The only real way to fix those problems are to stretch a lot and wear supportive shoes all the time. I was forced to go on a shoe buying binge so I’d have a variety of options for both indoor and outdoor footwear. I thought these sandals looked fairly ridiculous when I first got them because they’re so thick and bulky, but I actually really love them. They’re my go to indoor sandal. They’re comfortable, supportive, and stay on my feet really well.

Birkenstock Tulum Soft Footbed Leather Sandals

This has been my favorite new shoe purchase for outdoor sandals. You need to have “member access” to buy this particular style – but that really only means that you sign up for their newsletter. Birkenstocks are of course one of the best shoes you can buy for great support, but the majority of their styles don’t have a back strap. I have serious issues with my inability to walk properly if a shoe isn’t tightly secured to my foot, so all those options are out for me. This style, though? They’re perfect. They’re so soft and comfortable and I think they look really nice too!

Fabletics Sports Bras

I have never been able to find a sports bra that fits me – until Fabletics. I’m clearly not a hard core workout person, but I do like to wear them (under my shirts!) when I go biking in the morning. Every style I’ve gotten from here has fit me so perfectly and I just adore all the fun styles of straps in the back. Even if nobody sees them, I still feel sporty and fun. I love Fabletics leggings too, but it feels more monumental that I’ve finally found a source for great sports bras.

Cacique Plus Sized Briefs

I also now have a go to source for underwear. Sorry if this is TMI, guys, but I’ve searched far and wide for underwear that’s comfortable AND cute. I love the options from Cacique, and I really love that they come out with new colors every few months.

Toloco Massage Gun

Because my list of ailments never seems to end anymore, I’ve started having some major sciatica pain this past month. I’ve been doing a lot more stretching to try and fix that problem, but massage is also a huge help. I purchased this massage gun and wish I had gotten one years ago. It feels SO good. In every sore muscle I have. It really felt great on my feet too (until I got steroid shots in them a few weeks ago, finally taking away most of the pain!). But it was so perfect for the sciatica issues.

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

It was a long time coming, but I finally broke up with Fitbit. After much research I decided to give the Garmin watch a shot. I’m SO happy I did. I absolutely love it. It tracks so many more additional things and is perfect for recording all my bike rides and walks. My only complaint is that it won’t track naps as sleep. And I take a nap almost every day, so it sucks not to have that part of my stats. Supposedly there is a way to do it manually, but I’ve yet to figure it out. Besides that, though, I am seriously thrilled to have this thing on my wrist every day.

Tea Lattes

This is hardly a new invention, but for some reason the idea of it always grossed me out. But I recently found myself with a bunch of black flavored teas, which really aren’t my favorite (but I’m trying to up my caffeine intake). I decided to give them a shot by brewing them quite strongly and then mixing in a good amount of frothed pistachio milk. And they’re delicious! Also, pistachio milk is pretty awesome. It froths better than any other milk type I’ve tried. The only downside is that you can only order it in bulk online.

Bouqs Flower Subscription

I started ordering from Bouqs this spring when I needed some flowery cheer. It made sense to try out the subscription service because you get 30% off a bouquet each month, free shipping, and you have a lot of options to change which bouq you want, when you want it, and where you want it shipped. You also have an additional discount each month to use for another bouquet – something I’ve taken advantage of often, sending flowers to other people. I’ve gotten so many gorgeous bouquets and it’s relatively inexpensive compared to most online floral companies. I also think the flower combinations are so much prettier than what you can find in most stores. The only thing better is picking out and creating your own bouquets from Trader Joe’s! But my TJ’s is an hour away, so it’s not something I get to do very often.

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I’m dropping the “Friday” out of Friday Favorites so I can feel the freedom to write this post whenever I please!! I have a few things to share and one of them is time sensitive to January, so I don’t want another week to go by without telling you about it since I’m already so behind!

Book Riot Reading Log

This is such a fun way to track your reading for the year! I’m pretty obsessed with the Book Riot website in general, but when I discovered this reading log they put out every year, it became an invaluable resource for tracking my reading. I’ve actually kept my own master spreadsheet since 2007, so I can see all the books I’ve read in one place. It’s great for looking a book up to see if I’ve read it or not in the past. I also use Goodreads for tracking toward a number goal each year, but I only started doing that consistently four years ago. The Book Riot log is fun for seeing a true breakdown of what types of books you’re reading, what country they were published in, which gender the authors are, which format you read in, etc. You can also hide the columns that you don’t have interest in tracking. If you love to know that kind of stuff – like me – this is a great resource. Oddly, Book Riot does not making actually finding this log very easy after it’s initially released, so I wanted to make sure I could bookmark it for you!

Made by Mary Family Florals Oval Disc Necklace

I wrote about my love for Made by Mary jewelry in my 2020 Favorites blog post, but I’ve since received the Family Florals necklace that I bought with some Christmas gift money, and I LOVE IT. It’s gorgeous. I’m always a huge fan of jewelry that can be personalized or have some sort of meaningful message, rather than just wearing something because it’s pretty. I thought this necklace was really unique because you could pick how many blooms you wanted. I liked the fuller bouquets, so I went with seven to represent my family of four and our three pets. This is now my new favorite gold necklace and I wear it all the time. I upgraded to the satellite chain as well for that little extra something.

Crossroads Warm Pretzel Candle

My candle obsession continues. It’s basically my greatest joy in the gloomy days of winter. This particular candle is one I picked up at the craft barn in the Dells on one of my solo vacations last fall. It’s a different jar design with a picture of a pretzel on it. We all love soft pretzels around here and the smell was intriguing so I bought it. I just wasn’t sure when to light it since “pretzel” is not really a seasonal scent and I like to be seasonally appropriate in everything I do these days! Anyway, I finally took it out the other day to replace a candle in the family room and was AMAZED by the scent. It smells so good! But what’s really incredible is that it fills the ENTIRE HOUSE with scent. I’ve never had a candle do that before!

Stone and Skillet English Muffins

On Christmas Eve I had a Wolferman’s honey wheat english muffin at my in-law’s house and it was so tasty. What’s ironic is that about a year and a half ago I ordered a bunch of Wolferman’s english muffins – like 12 packs of them – and most of the flavors I tried I didn’t really like so I ended up eventually throwing them all away. Including the honey wheat, which I had never even tried. Anyway, because it was so tasty it set me on a mission to look into other english muffin brands and I came across a website that ranked them all by taste. Bay’s is the store brand they recommended, but Stone and Skillet is what they rated as the best english muffin for a true treat. So OF COURSE I ordered them. And I love them SO MUCH. I picked out the original, wheat, and everything flavors. The wheat is my favorite, but I really like the other two as well. What’s interesting about these english muffins is that they’re a lot squishier than the thin crunchy kind you’re used to from the grocery store. But they have such an incredible depth of flavor. I always eat mine with butter and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Absolutely delish!

Don Chilio Chile Crisp Jalapenos

Let me introduce you to another one of my recent food obsessions – little fried jalapeno pieces in spicy olive oil. It’s amazing. I’ve now had all three versions of this – the habanero, serrano, and jalapeno. I live for spicy food, but the habanero is too hot for me. I’ve only used it mixed into queso and I put like three tiny little pieces in it to flavor the whole thing. The serrano is good, but it’s still very spicy. The jalapeno is perfect. Fairly mild on its own, but if you get some of the oil with it it’s perfect. My favorite way to eat it is to make toast or a bagel, cover in plain cream cheese, and then drizzle the jalapenos over the top and top it all with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. It’s really delightful.

Soley Fruit Jerky

This is something I found at Costco last month that I really liked. The Costco bag was a mix of pineapple and mango varieties. I liked the pineapple the most and Greg enjoyed the mango. I then bought a variety pack on amazon, but I was not a fan of the banana or spicy flavors. So I’d stick with pineapple or mango, but they taste really good and the only ingredient is the fruit it uses!

Palo Popcorn Movie Theater Popcorn

I’ve been a fan of Palo Popcorn for a long time. They have a magical way of infusing every single kernel of popcorn with a full burst of flavor. I used to only get the jalapeno cheddar popcorn, but last year I started buying the regular cheddar and mixing it in with my homemade salted caramel corn. PERFECTION. I also really like the Mexican street corn flavor. On Friday I was at Pick n Save and noticed that they now have a movie theater flavor. Sometimes you just want “normal popcorn” so I picked it up to try and I think it’s my new favorite. It’s seriously amazing. I haven’t seen the original salted flavor in any stores, but I’d love to try that too. YUM. I can see myself buying this for special family movie nights instead of making our own because the flavor is just that good.

Gingerbread Biscotti

Okay, we’re out of the holiday season now, but I wanted to make sure I shared this recipe. I didn’t make a lot of Christmas cookies this year, but I made this one twice. These gingerbread biscotti are amazing. And then ten times better if you dip them in coffee. Even better if you dip them in a gingerbread latte! I’m not even a huge fan of gingerbread, but I couldn’t get enough of these cookies. Biscotti feels like an intimidating cookie to make, but try it out and you’ll realize it’s really one of the easiest things ever. And so worth your effort!

Happy Friday! Life has been a bit crazy again these last few weeks and I haven’t had much spare time to write. But I’m hoping to catch up soon! I wish I could go back to writing these posts every Friday, but there just aren’t enough new things coming into my life right now to talk about. But it makes the posts I do write that much more exciting because I’ve been storing up my favorite finds for weeks now! I hope you’re able to find something useful in this batch!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

I first tried this recipe many, many years ago. And now I’m pretty sure it’s the recipe I’ve made more than any other. It’s so easy! It’s absolutely delicious. And it can be dressed up or down according to any occasion. Our favorite way to make it is to top it with fresh berries in summer. I think I first made this for my sisters-in-law on one of their July birthdays. This year I made it for both Caden and Cindy, just three days apart! I’ve also made it for a different sister-in-law and kept it plain, but we ate it with salted butterscotch sauce and fresh whipped cream. Either way, it’s going to be a hit!

Salted Butterscotch Sauce

Speaking of salted butterscotch, I should probably share that recipe too! I make it A LOT. I found the recipe in the book Food Anatomy by Julia Rothman (this whole book series is so much fun!). I should probably take back what I said about making flourless chocolate cake more than anything else, because this is probably the true winner, though I obviously don’t (just) eat it on its own. I normally make it for topping cake or ice cream or sometimes adding it to coffee. This week I added it to the top of an apple galette (my belated birthday dessert). Anyway, it’s very simple:

• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (I usually use light because that’s what I have on hand, but if you can get dark it will definitely have a deeper flavor)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I often add twice this and then some flaky sea salt at the end – I really love salty sweets!)

1. Over medium heat, melt butter and stir in brown sugar until completely moistened. Let sit until it starts to bubble, just a minute or two.
2. Stir in heavy cream and let it come to a rapid boil, stirring occasionally. This also only takes a couple of minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in salt to taste. That’s it! It’s basically foolproof (unlike salted CARAMEL) and it tastes amazing.

Seeds of Change Quinoa and Brown Rice Packets

In the last few years I started making a lot more foods to go with rice because Greg loves rice so much. Once I started adding things to spice it up, I really started enjoying rice as well. But – shocker – white rice is not good for you. So I’ve been on the hunt this last year to find more whole grain alternatives and this is by far my favorite find so far. I’m not great at making brown rice the traditional way – it’s never cooked properly. And quinoa always seems so finicky as well. But these packets of both mixed together that only take 90 seconds in the microwave? Perfection. One packet is just enough to satisfy Greg and I – with a spoonful for Caden (Shepard refuses to touch rice). I usually buy it at Woodman’s for $2.50 a packet, but now that I see it’s a much better deal on Amazon I’ll be stocking up there from now on.

Mary’s Gone Super Seed Everything Crackers

I’ve been trying really hard to get back on track food-wise the last couple of weeks. One of my biggest downfalls is how hungry I get between meals. I’m such a snacker, but I’m also a huge emotional eater and emotions have been all over the place the last seven months. The main type of food I crave is something crunchy and salty. Instead of reaching for chips I’ve been trying out some alternative options and I really like these crackers. I’ve only had the everything variety, but they’re really delicious. Not necessarily salty, but definitely crunchy with a really complex and appealing flavor. They really fit my craving and I never feel compelled to overeat them either. Five or six and I’m good! I need more snacks like this in my life.

Chobani Coffee Creamer

I’ve been drinking a lot more coffee lately because it’s a nice little treat to break up my morning or afternoon. But I’ve been struggling with the health dilemma of putting regular creamers into my coffee. Granted I eat plenty of other things that are bad for me, but creamer seems like pouring myself straight chemicals and that’s clearly a bad choice. But I don’t see myself ever being able to drink coffee black, so I’ve been trying other options. Like all the options. Almond creamers, oat creamers, macadamia nut creamers, natural creamers, regular milk and sugar, heavy cream, half and half, basically anything the store has to offer, I’ve tried. So I finally picked up a Chobani brand creamer and I think I’m sold! It adds a wonderful sweet creaminess to the coffee, and doesn’t have any junk in it. So far I’ve had the sweet cream and hazelnut flavors and both have been wonderful!

Vornado Flippi Personal Fan

Okay, so it seems odd to add a fan to one of my favorite things in the middle of October when it is currently below freezing outside. But LAST weekend it was really warm! I was at my airbnb and it did not have any way to control the temperature (it was just a tiny studio apartment in a larger house) and I couldn’t open the windows because they didn’t have screens. So I ran to Target desperate to find some sort of solution to help me feel more comfortable. I didn’t have many options, but I grabbed one of these Vornado fans because it was small AND cute – the one I got is a really pretty coral color. It’s obviously not going to cool you off in the middle of summer, but it’s going to HELP. And it’s going to be cute and small, which are huge advantages to me. Anyway, I’m just adding this on here in case you want a little fan for your desk or nightstand or kitchen. I love mine!

Tek Gear Ultrasoft Crewneck Fleece Tunic

I’m hoping to continue biking all the way through winter as long as there isn’t snow or ice on the ground (which let’s be real, will be A LOT of winter, but I’m hoping for a lighter year!). But I realized pretty quickly after a few 30ish degree mornings in the last month that I needed warmer clothing that wouldn’t be too bulky or uncomfortable. I resorted to Kohls, as I often do for more basic clothing, and tried out one of these sweatshirts. I ordered a size bigger than I normally wear to make sure it didn’t feel too restrictive and it’s perfect! SO warm and cozy and actually a really flattering fit as well. I originally ordered gray and hot pink (different listing than what I linked, I think those were their summer colors) and came back to purchase again in green and red. I can see myself wearing these A LOT in the next few months!

P.F. Candle Co. Smoky Cinnamon Special Candle

I’m obsessed with candles. More so now than ever because they’re such a simple way to bring me immense pleasure all day long. I love the warm cozy feelings that flickering candlelight brings to a space, but I also love an intoxicating scent. I’ve purchased more candles from small companies in the last six months than ever before and it’s been such a joy to discover the ones that make me happiest. This is one of those candles. It’s possible I like it so much because it’s so different from the tried and true scents I normally lean toward. (I also have to avoid a lot of scents because Greg is particularly sensitive to them.) Without going back and looking at the candle listing when I first lit this the other night I was guessing that it had a tobacco and musky scent. I’m actually not getting much cinnamon, it just smells intensely masculine. After lighting it a couple of times I’m getting more of a warm vanilla scent as well as what must be patchouli. Which I never thought would be a type of candle I’d lean toward, but there you go! Shepard walked by and hated it, so it’s probably not for everyone, but I’m really into it! The smell is also really strong without even being lit.

Tule Fog Apple + Clove Candle

Apple is probably the most dependable candle scent there is. No matter which brand you choose, it’s going to be good. I am very seasonal in when I light which type of candle and September and October are reserved for apple, cidery, and vanilla (birthday!) scents. My sister-in-law gave me one of these for my birthday from a company local to her that I’d never heard of before. And I LOVE it. It’s one of the cleanest and brightest apple candles I’ve ever smelled. The clove is pretty subtle, but I’m fine with that. After smelling this I immediately went to their website and ordered some more varieties to try. Of the four others I bought, I’m really liking the Moss and Pine and can’t wait to light it in December! Greg doesn’t handle pine scents well and it’s one of my favorites, but I’m hoping the unique combination with mossy smells will help!

Stranger Sessions

These started popping up in one of my facebook groups and I’m so excited every time I see a new session because they give me so much joy! It’s exactly what it sounds like – a photographer finds two people (I’m assuming they’re usually single) willing to take part in a “stranger photography session.” What’s incredible is how much chemistry is usually seen between the two models even though they’ve never met before. Some of the sessions I’ve seen are just really sweet and happy, but this particular one from photographer KayLa Ruiz on September 20th (Israel and Christina) is HOT. You have to read all of her captions as well, and some of the top comments! They’re hilarious. If you just want to see something happy and hopeful, I’d highly suggest checking it out. (After writing this I went through KayLa Ruiz’s facebook page to check out more of her photos and it seems like all of her sessions end up being pretty sexy with models she uses in multiple setups. I’ve seen a lot of great outdoor sessions from other photographers that are more on the sweet end, with more “realistic” looking people.) 

Welcome to Friday Favorites! And happy September! I have a couple of great things to share with you today! My newest self care obsession, an upgraded craft supply, shoes that actually fit me, and two of my favorite recipes. Check it out!

Olive & June Nail Polish

I have never been a nail person. I’ve gotten a manicure one time in my life – before my wedding – and I found it to be so painful and I messed up my polish before I even walked out the door. I have rarely worn nail polish since because my nails are so tiny and raggedy looking that it seemed like a waste of time. BUT pandemic life has left me desperate for some new little joys in my life and I started paying attention to how many instagram people I follow kept posting about how much they love their Olive & June nail polish. So I jumped in head first, the way I usually do, and ordered the big Everything Box which includes all their tools, a remover bottle, cuticle serum, a top coat, and six nail polishes of your choice. After using everything I’m not quite sold on the tools – I’m not sure you specifically need theirs, though the polish remover works super well (just not if you want to remove paint from your toes – then you’re screwed). But I really love how the polish turns out and how long it lasts. I’ve been nail obsessed ever since that first coat! It was especially exciting when they released their new fall colors a week or so later. I ordered the pink (LD) and green (WKF) right away. While I don’t exactly love all the original six colors I chose, I ADORE the two fall shades I picked.

My nails obviously aren’t magically perfected, but I’ve also been using a couple other tools that have REALLY helped. Tools that I didn’t even know existed until I started this new journey!

• Cuticle Pusher – I must have bought one of these many years ago, but immediately gave up on using it. I’m not sure why because it works so well! Especially if you’ve done literally nothing to take care of your cuticles before.
• Cuticle Trimmer – Maybe I am extremely naive for getting to age 35 before I realized such a tool existed. But now that I found it I understand just how magical it is! Obviously it made the biggest difference the first day I pushed all my giant cuticles back and then didn’t know what to do with them. I ordered one of these and wow! You do have to be careful not to overdo it and cut yourself, but it’s an effective cheap little tool!
• Sally Hansen Dries Instantly Top Coat – I actually did not particularly like the Olive & June top coat. It was very gloopy. I ordered one of these to see if I liked it any better and it was so much easier to work with. I can’t attest to the longevity of it yet, since I just used it for the first time last night. But I think I’m going to like it at lot more.
• Cuticle Oil – There seem to be a million different kinds of cuticle oil out there, but this is the one I’m currently using because I love the milk and honey scent. I’m not sure if it’s actually making any difference, but I definitely like the cute bottle and the way it smells!

DMC Pearl Cotton Size 8 Embroidery Floss

I’ve liked embroidery for quite awhile now, but I haven’t made time for it in the last year or two. I happened to see one of my dollmaker friends post a few months ago that she uses DMC thread for her doll faces. I haven’t had any issues using the size 10 crochet thread I always use, so I didn’t look into it, but was mildly intrigued. Then an instagram lady I follow (my life choices are obviously ruled by instagram influencers) who does embroidery projects for fun started talking about how much she loves DMC floss. That was enough to finally get me on the site and order a few to try out. And I LOVE them. Unlike the usual embroidery floss you can buy at a craft store that instantly splits into a bunch of tiny messy threads – this stuff stays together and is a dream to work with. I originally just bought colors that I thought I could use for doll noses since I’ve really been changing things up this year. But then I went back again to order every color that struck me so I could start some embroidery projects in my spare time. They are amazing!

If you’re interested, this is where I purchased the pattern for the rainbows. You could definitely just draw your own rainbows and patterns, but I wanted my first set to be as perfect as I could make them. Annoyingly, the pattern is all in German, so if you actually need to know how to stitch things, you’re going to have a tough time learning from this! The rainbows were also centered on separate pages, so I had to print them on three separate dissolvable paper sheets – which wasted a lot of space. And to fit on the 4 inch hoops I used (because that’s all I had), I had to print them at 80%.

Skechers Arch Fit Shoes

I have a never ending struggle trying to find shoes that will work for me. My feet are very wide, which is first obstacle. It’s unbelievable how few shoe companies make attractive shoes in a wide width. I’m also a half size, which eliminates even more options. Then my right ankle is permanently swollen from my internal hardware, so many shoes don’t end up fitting in that area. Then add the plantar fasciitis and finding shoes that properly support and don’t aggravate my heels is suddenly an impossible feat. I can’t wear any type of shoes without a back. I can’t really wear sandals at all anymore, not if I want to walk more than a block or two. I did discover that Crocs work pretty well for me this summer, but I’m too embarrassed to wear them in public. I just wear them around the yard. Anyway, my mom told me about these Skechers shoes and I ordered the Rainbow View gray slip on sneakers because at the time they actually had my 9.5 wide size in stock. I hesitate to recommend that style because there are only two obscure sizes left. I’m not sure if it’s because they’re so popular or because they’re already phasing them out. But there are a lot of other styles to choose from as well. They fit me PERFECTLY. They’re comfortable, I love that they slip on and can be used without socks, and they’re also kind of a little cute! I’ve been using some other slip on shoes for biking this summer, but they slid around on me feet and supported me in weird ways that I couldn’t actually walk very well in them (I’m so lame!). These are perfect for biking AND walking.

Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

I came across this recipe on pinterest and was intrigued by the raving description of it on the website. I’m actually not a fan of enchiladas because I’ve never liked the sauce. When I do make them I always make the green variety (which I love!). But I gave this a shot and I’m SO glad I did. I LOVED it. It wasn’t actually red for me because my chili powder was a really deep brown to begin with, so it wasn’t that appetizing (lol). But it was super tasty. I made the chicken earlier in the day in the crockpot with salsa, then mixed in some of the straight enchilada sauce. I added a little bit of cream (less than the suggested addition amount) to the rest of the sauce that I poured over the top. I used my favorite La Tortilla Factory tortillas so they wouldn’t split, filled with chicken and a little chihuahua cheese, baked, then topped with my garden tomatoes, hot peppers, avocado, and cilantro. Delicious!

Korean Fried Chicken Tacos

This is one of my tried and true all time favorite recipes from my all time favorite food blogger. When I first started making it a few years ago I followed all the directions to a tee and while it was wonderfully delicious, it was SO much work. I’ve started taking many shortcuts over the years so I can get these tacos in my mouth more frequently, but the finished product is still fantastic. I do always fry flour tortillas into a shell shape. It’s the only time I ever eat flour tortillas, but they really taste best with this. The most convenient shortcut is to use popcorn chicken or lightly breaded chicken chunks that you just need to cook in the oven rather than frying your own. I didn’t end up having either this week, so I used chicken nuggets (I don’t really suggest that alternative!). The sauce, though. THAT is what you can’t miss out on. Gochujang, I love you. It’s really intense and spicy, but super good. The crumbled queso fresco, thin crispy rice noodles, and fresh cilantro are also HIGHLY recommended. The slaw part of the recipe is good, I just rarely have cabbage on hand. But stick with the sauce and a few toppings, it will blow your mind with amazing flavor.

Happy Spaces JUST FOR YOU

This has honestly been one of the most stressful weeks of my life. Like I’m legitimately concerned I might just fall over dead one day because my stress levels have been so high. (I strongly recommend not taking away all of your son’s screens for three weeks the same day that you’re all starting a new virtual learning school year.) The highlight of my week (besides biking!) has been working on my drink station and giving it a fall theme. I’m SO happy with how it turned out! It’s nice that my mini pumpkin plant happened to give me one perfect early pumpkin to add to my decor! I also picked up some pretty mums at Trader Joe’s the other day. I got out all my favorite fall mugs (including a new one from Anthropologie) and took all my fall flavored teas and added them to the display for easy grabbing. And I added a new Harvest candle from Target – I love the tiny crock! The mustard colored placemat is new from Target too. You can’t see it, but the bottom basket of the mug holder is filled with fall colored wrapped chocolates and caramels. Anyway, the whole thing is like 1.5 square feet of space in my entire house, but it brings me so much joy! I am highly advocating that you do something similar for yourself. Especially if you’re still living in the same boat that I am – with the rest of your family home with you 24/7 and the house basically falling apart because there is no ideal time or system to keep it clean. I have a couple of little areas (like my reading corner!) that I ALWAYS keep neat and tidy and happy just for myself. It always makes me smile!