Welcome to February! I know Valentine’s Day is super commercialized, but I think it’s fun and will take every opportunity to celebrate the people I love. My husband and I decided years ago that we would forgo the gifts in exchange for a nice dinner—cooked together at home (because an overpriced Valentine’s Day menu is not our idea of fun). Now that our kids are older, we have a family Valentine’s dinner, and I always get my daughters a little something special. My son could not care less, so he usually gets a card and his favorite candy. If you’re up for celebrating, here are some gift ideas for the…
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Need a quick dinner your family will love? I’ve got you covered with my 30-Minute Greek Meatballs. Meatballs are a staple on our dinner table because they’re delicious and can be frozen and re-heated for a fast weeknight meal. We enjoy my Greek meatballs served bowl-style with plenty of options to please everyone. In addition to the meatballs, I set up a buffet with roasted sweet potatoes (because we all need extra veggies), feta cheese, store bought hummus and tzatziki sauce, and a simple salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Greek meatballs are also delicious served over rice or salad greens and topped with Greek dressing or…
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How was your week, friends? We are having a lovely time in Santa Barbara and are headed to Montecito for the day. I’m hoping for a celebrity sighting, a little shopping, and more sunshine before we head home to Dallas. In today’s Friday Four, I’m sharing four things that brought me joy this week and might do the same for you. ONE: I love birthday trips. I didn’t grow up traveling much, so I don’t take a single second for granted. If you missed Wednesday’s post, go back to read about my favorite travel essentials. Last year, we went to Charleston. It is one of my favorite places to spend…
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Good morning from sunny California! As we try to do every year, my husband and I jetted off for a fun sans-kids vacation. With two January birthdays, we enjoy getting away to celebrate, rest, and gear up for a busy semester of sports and all the school things (which includes a high school graduation in May!). We’ve enjoyed several fabulous destinations over the years, but this is our first time in Santa Barbara. We’ve planned a mix of fun and downtime, and I’ll share a full report when we return. In the meantime, I’m sharing my travel essentials. As a frequent traveler, these are the must-haves that I cannot live without.…
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It’s my birthday week, so it’s only fitting that I share my absolute favorite recipe to cook and eat. Yes, it’s another soup (trust me, more non-soup recipes are coming), but it’s delicious and holds a very special place in my heart. In the fall of 2004, I was a young newlywed living in our very first home. My grandparents were coming to visit from Austin, and I knew the occasion called for a special meal. My cooking skills were subpar at that time, but my sweet husband had found a recipe for chowder that he thought we might enjoy. I carefully followed the recipe and proudly served it to…
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Happy Saturday! I hope your weekend is off to a great start. If you’re up for some Saturday shopping, this is a list of the products I’ve shared on Instagram from January 13-19. You can shop these and more in my LTK Shop.
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What a fast week! After the snow days, the week flew by, and I can’t believe it’s time for another Friday Four. Here are four things that brought me joy this week and might do the same for you. ONE: I’m hosting a small party tomorrow night, which means I made a visit to Trader Joe’s to get everything I need to make beautiful charcuterie boards. I love entertaining, but to keep things simple, I stick with charcuterie boards because they don’t require any cooking and can be prepped mostly in advance. To prevent people from crowing around a single board, I like to make several different boards and spread…
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Is winter weather making your home feel a little drab? If your space is in need of a refresh, I’ve got you covered with five easy ways to refresh your home. Most of them are free, but if you’re looking for a few new things, I’ve rounded up some beautiful pieces below. ONE: Start with a deep cleaning. January is the perfect time to clean up and clean out. My house tends to get cluttered during the holidays, but I don’t mind it because i know I can start fresh in January. If this task feels too overwhelming, tackle one room or task at a time. Set a timer for…
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Good morning. It is frigid in Dallas today, and we woke up to a light blanket of snow. I know many of you are experiencing a heavy dose of winter, as well. The cold will stick around for a few days, so if you need something to warm you up, try this Italian Wedding Soup. On New Year’s Eve, my friends and I took a cooking class at one of my favorite places in Dallas–the Cookery. It was my 6th (or maybe 7th) class there, and I am always blown away by the experience. Unlike other cooking classes, the entire group prepares a family-style meal together, and you eat it…
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Good morning, friends. I hope your weekend is off to a great start. If you’re up for some Saturday shopping, this is a list of the products I’ve shared on Instagram from January 6-12. You can shop these and more in my LTK Shop. This post contains affiliate links, and I earn a small commission when you make a purchase through these links.
