I saw something like this online, and thought it was so funny. And then, it hit me! I could make that! Since launching my Etsy business, most of my creativity is used for others. I realized I hadn't made anything for myself in a long time. So this was a fun, quick project that makes me smile.
Gosh, if you have been around here for any length of time, you know I'm constantly singing the praises of Defined Dish! Consider the source too, I almost never follow a recipe. Every single recipe I've made from her cook books are fantastic. Now that I have 2 first degree relatives with Celiac, the gluten free recipes are so valuable.
I preordered her new cookbook Dinner Tonight and just got it yesterday! Obviously, I haven't made anything from it yet, but the pictures look mouthwatering. Bonus points from me for having a photo to accompany every recipe.
We don't typically dress our dogs in clothes, but when I saw this Gap hoodie for dogs at Walmart I couldn't resist. I was giggling the entire time I was carrying it to the check out line! Winston's fur is a lot thinner than our other two pugs Delly and Bailey. He shivers a lot, and believe it or not, it's actually been quite chilly here in Florida recently.
Buying clothes for pugs (or harnesses for that matter) can be difficult because they are like size small large, haha. I bought him a medium and tore a bit around the neck to make it less snug. (A large would have been huge.) He doesn't hate it, but he's also not used to it yet. I don't think he minded the extra warmth at all!
Instagram knows me really well (surprise, surprise) and often shows me 'before and after' cleaning Reels. Something else that keeps popping up are satisfying jewelry cleaning videos. I found this at home ultrasonic jewelry cleaner on Amazon - and it is such a fun little toy!
I've cleaned just about anything I can fit inside! All our rings, my earrings, my sunglasses, my fitbit band, and even my razor. It's super gross to see what comes off everything.
Fresh Make Up
It's been well over a year since I shared that I was trying out Honest Beauty makeup. Some of the products were pretty good, but some were great! The mascara is fabulous and I've purchased that again and again. Recently, I noticed how used up the eyeshadow palette had gotten and I bought a fresh one. I just love all these colors so much and have really enjoyed using them all in different ways.
Also, getting proper eyeshadow brushes really helped too. I used to wear eye liner religiously, but I haven't in months because I have been able to use the smudge brush to mimic eyeline with eyeshadow. I think it looks a lot more youthful.
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-Kristen
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This happened to me a few years ago. My eye twitched for a solid month, if not longer. I read up on all kinds of reasons it could happen, but eventually it just went away. Well, here we are again. My left eye is twitching every few minutes. It's more annoying than anything! Last time I think magnesium really helped, but I'm already taking that, so now I don't know what to try.
I made these gluten free double chocolate chip peppermint cookies this past week and they were so great! I'm glad I made these for a group of people, because if we just had them at home I would have eaten them all on my own. While Blake and I aren't gluten free, my dad, brother and several other relatives deal with Celiac, so I'm constantly looking for awesome GF recipes.
Like every other Defined Dish recipe I've ever made, we loved these. I really appreciate her approach to cleaner ingredients too. I had to buy a couple of baking supplies for these, but now my pantry is fully stocked to make them again soon.
New Boots
It was time to retire my old riding boots. I still love them, but they were absolutely worn out. (I still don't have the heart to get rid of them all together...) Blake actually picked out my new ones! These are Tommy Hilfiger and much less casual than boots I've had in the past. They are very nice, and I'm happy to have upgraded! They are a bit tight in the calf - which I have never had a problem with before, so that's something to note if you are a wide calf person.
Another Yummy Dinner
What a surprise, it's a Defined Dish recipe! This one is for a blackened Salmon taco bowl from The Comfortable Kitchen book. The flavors together are just great - don't skip the mango!
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-Kristen
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If you only read one book on this list, make it Remarkably Bright Creatures! Tova works the night shift cleaning at the aquarium. She is quite lonely, but ends up making friends with a grumpy giant pacific octopus that lives at the aquarium. Tova has been working the night shift at an aquarium, where she forms an unlikely friendship with a grumpy giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus. This book is a DELIGHT. If you read one book this year, let it be Remarkably Bright Creatures. It's just so sweet and just a lovely read. Marcellus is clearly the star of the show, and I absolutely loved reading his POV.
Not exactly a groundbreaking piece of literature, but I ate this up! It's quick, and easy to get swept up in. It's about Nina, a woman with a troubled past. She starts working as a live in maid for the Winchesters. Working there is a big headache, but things take a weird turn when she realizes her attic bedroom locks from the outside.
Greta James is a musician who had a breakdown live on stage after her mom passed away. She's taking some time off, and somehow she gets guilted into taking a cruise with her dad. This cruise was supposed to be an anniversary cruise with her mom, so no one is too excited about it. Gosh, I enjoyed this a lot. All I want to do is take an Alaskan cruise now, but it really does make you feel like you are on this journey together. There are so many layers to this, and I felt like the father/daughter relationship was so relatable.
Jack Masterson wrote a mega-best selling book series for kids in the 90's. Everyone has been waiting years and years for another installation in the Clock Island series. Finally, he's announced he's written another, but there is only one copy. Only a few people get to compete to win that copy - and Lucy Hart (a huge fan of the series) is one of them. Think Willy Wonka meets your favorite childhood book series like Nancy Drew (That's at least the book covers I pictured while reading).
If you liked to read as a kid, this book will feel extra special. It really captures how important those series can become to you as a child.
I loved Lucy and Christopher! This story might be a little predictable, but I was actually hoping it would be. It just felt like a heartwarming, sweet, wholesome story.
It's between this an Remarkably Bright Creatures as my top book for the year.
Sadie is a portrait artist, so when she is diagnosed with 'maybe temporary' face blindness after brain surgery - she's struggling to cope to say the least.
5 adorable stars! (For what's it's worth, I also loved Katherine Center's The Bodyguard!) Is this a completely unbelievable premise - yeah duh - but it's so cute. Sadie really goes through it and you can see her growth throughout this story. It's a sweet and fun rom com! I think there is exactly one page that has language.
Oh my goodness, this was a 5 star book for me. I can't think of any book better to read curled up in a blanket, next to a fire this winter. Based off of a Russian fairytale, it's set in Alaska in the 1920's. Jack and Mabel are a middle aged couple who have no children. One day they make a little girl in the snow. The next morning the snow girl is gone, and they see an actual little girl running through the woods. Gosh, this book was so emotional and the love just came off the page. It starts off very sad, and I'd say there are trigger warnings for suicidal thoughts and infant loss. But, quickly it turns into a story of hope and family. The whole time I had a pit in my stomach because I just knew it was going to end sad. And while it does, ultimately it's a sweet and happy book.
AJ Fikry is a bookstore owner on Alice Island. Things are pretty rough since his wife died. Now to top it off, the one valuable book in his shop (a collection of Edgar Allan Poe) has been stolen. Then one night a mysterious package shows up at the shop that changes everything.
A book that's full of treats for book lovers. I was so surprised with this story. I really wasn't sure about it as it started, but once the package shows up so many emotions play out and the character development takes off. It's really sweet! I'm glad I didn't know too much before I read this, because the package is quite the surprise. Lots of people call it heartwarming, but I'm not sure that's how I felt all the way through. I actually found it quite sad as grief plays a huge role in the story.
-Kristen
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It's no secret that I love being an organized person. Truthfully, I had to become a person who enjoys being organized, because there is no other way I could accomplish what I accomplish without plans and schedules. Dare I say I miss the days of the pandemic when the biggest decision was what to make for dinner and we had time for hobbies! (I do not miss the fear of the unknown and all of the anxiety that came with it let me be clear.)
In the last few months though, I've started to feel a little overwhelmed with everything we have going on. Mostly because I lost some good habits, and I realized I wasn't feeling good about that. I like what we are busy with, I just don't like that I let some essential things slide through the cracks.
For example, while we have a *solid* don't-have-to-think-about-it morning routine, our evenings have been a total bust. The time change didn't help, but I find myself plopping on the couch too early and staying there until it's time for bed.
Here's what I'm actively doing to try to get back on track:
We had one of these for a long time, like the first generation one. Maybe a year ago or so I think it got struck by lightening. The screen was all wonky and messed up after that. So, we recycled it and just never replaced it. When I started brainstorming about how to create a sort of 'command center' for our family I realized how much I missed this kind of screen. (I even talked to Blake about literally building a digital calendar screen out of a tv - like this one I saw on Etsy. He could totally do it as an IT professional, but I just started to think about how complicated I was making it.) It just so happened that the Google Home Hub Max was on sale and I saw how many cool features it has and realized this was just a good fit.
There are a lot of reasons why it made sense to get one of these, like we have a Google thermostat and all kinds of wifi lights that are set up through Google Home. Plus, I really missed the digital picture frame! This screen is awesome, and I smile every time I see my photos. And, it has a camera in it, so we can use it as a security camera when we are out.
I've been walking into the kitchen each morning and checking out what I have on the calendar. This has also helped me add just about everything to our Google calendar and that's helped so much. With everything we have going on, if it's written down that eliminates the fear of forgetting something important.
Also, we took advantage of the schedules feature and starting having our lights come on at specific times, and go out at certain times too. I really like that, and I feel like it's made a difference in the routine.
Even though I'm relying on our digital family calendar more, I am still paper planning. This is more for personal to-dos and reminders. For example, Blake doesn't need to know what orders I need to work on for Etsy. I also keep track of my work hours and other random things that only I need to know in my planner. Since Blake and I eat breakfast together most days, this is when I've been jotting down what I have on my plate for the day and discussing what I need him to take care of or he needs my help with. It's like a 3 minute family meeting and I makes me feel like we are on the same page.
I'll be honest, this is a great time for Blake to be reminded of just how much I do. He works 9-5 M-F. I do not. But, I do run a Etsy shop, I have a part time job, I have several cleaning job accounts, and I spend many hours doing volunteer work. We are very tired in different ways at the end of the day. I think it's a good thing for him to see what I've got going on, just because it makes him more alert to acknowledge my contribution to our family and not just wonder what I did that day. (Some people don't need this, but I do. It's a words of affirmation thing for me.)
Evening Routine
Okay, so this is what I narrowed down to be the biggest area needing improvement. As I said before, our mornings are in a fantastic rhythm. It's because we do the same things every morning without thinking about it. A friend helped me realize it wasn't always that way though. You have to work up to a routine you don't think about.
Our evenings, have just been lame. It's so dark, so early! I've learned that if I sit down on the couch, I get cozy and don't want to get up. Because of that, I was going to bed with a messy kitchen, or not having finished whatever I started earlier in the day. It's not that I need everything to be perfect, but seriously who wants to wake up to dishes?
I'm still brainstorming on this, but I feel like I have a 'bare minimum' that needs to be done each night. Once those things are done, then it's time to relax. Still working on this, and maybe it'll be a future post with what I've got. But since acknowledging this, we both have been better about getting some essentials done before calling it a night.
Meal Planning
I wouldn't say I've 'slacked' on meal planning, per se. In fact, the majority of our meals are at home, and thought out. I'm just making more of an effort to try new recipes, and plan out a week at a time. I renewed my Plan To Eat subscription for the year during their black Friday sale. And, I've really been enjoying cooking through The Defined Dish cookbook lately. My brother got a Celiac diagnosis a month or two ago and I sent this cookbook to him since it is my favorite and all the recipes are gluten free (or can be made GF). I was flipping through it with him to show him the recipes I like, and ended up getting inspired to make them all. Literally every recipe in there is a 10/10. She's got a new cookbook coming out at the end of the month I'm thinking would make a fun thing blog about as we try the recipes.
Anyway, I'm just making a big point to meal plan once a week and shop once through Walmart pick up. Having the meal plan off my plate and automated in this way is such a relief during the busy season.
Decluttering
A failsafe way for me to feel like I'm in control of my life! Recently, in a Day In The Life post, I showed how I went through and decluttered some of the house. Just doing that helped me feel so good! I also moved around some decor and just that little refresh helps so much. Having an organized environment is so important to me.
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-Kristen
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Up sometime around 6:30 am today. Between the two of us, every morning we:
- Get ourselves up and teeth brushed.
- Get the pugs up and out to pee.
- Get the pugs fed.
- Unload the dishwasher.
- Make our bed.
- Pack Blake's lunch for work.
Both of us workout, sometimes together, sometimes separately. Today, I did my own thing and did a 20 minute Barre class on the Peloton app. It's my workout of choice lately!
While I did that, Blake made us breakfast! I've been loving breakfast sandwiches made with a bagel thin and eggs & bacon. Additionally, we both had a cold brew. I shared our recipe for that here. Over breakfast I did my daily Bible reading. I'm doing a 'read it in a year' schedule and today was Numbers chapters 7-9.
Work
Today I have a cleaning job, one that I do just about every week. They don't have me come till 10, so I've got a leisurely morning timewise. Which is great because I want to clear my Etsy shop orders! I had one come in last night that requested a Priority upgrade so I know they are in a hurry for it.
Then I've got to pack my cleaning kit. I like to unpack it and repack it for each job so I know exactly what's in there. Each house needs different things, but this is one I've got down to a science since I go weekly. I obviously won't show photos from their home but I arrived at 10am and got finished around 2.5 hours later. Pretty straight forward today, no surprises.
I actually bought a new vacuum on Black Friday for my cleaning jobs. I'd be willing to do a whole post on my cleaning set up if anyone would be interested in that. I'm really happy with it!
Lunch
I'm ready for a break at this point, so I pop back home for lunch. First, I let the dogs out, and honestly we all sit out in the sun for a few minutes! It's a glorious day. I made myself tuna to put over a salad with apple slices. This is a go-to lunch for me! I put lots of fresh dill and chopped up pickles in it and it's all so crunchy and good! I'm totally happy to eat and watch Youtube just to take a break from the morning.
Afternoon Productivity
I've got a few hours of free time, which is so great and rare. I felt the urge to do a bit of decluttering, and I find that when that happens I just need to ride the wave. I basically spend the next 2 hours sorting through random drawers and our pantry. This felt SO good, and I ended up with a big ole pile of stuff to either trash, donate, or put in it's real home.
Before:
After:
Dinner Prep
Blake and I offered to take dinner over to an elderly family friend this evening. I decided to make a Defined Dish recipe and cornbread muffins. It turned out really good, but I had to start prepping it like 2 hours early.
I've been in cleaning clothes all day, so I actually go put on a real outfit!
Once Blake got home from work we loaded it all up and headed to her house. She loved it, and honestly probably just loved having people to talk to over dinner. We visited for quite awhile, but both of us were really tired from the day.
Nighttime Routine
When we got home we cleaned up the kitchen, and started the dishwasher. We also had to get the pugs out for their last walk. With the time change, it feels so much later than in actually is! After finishing up with tidying the house, I am all to eager to get in my PJs and do a little reading before bed! We've been watching Smallville, and we are on season 9. Blake puts on an episode and I know I'll end up falling asleep probably before it's over.
-Kristen
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Mia is a twenty year old twin, in a Korean-American family. Her brother Eugene has autism and Angelman syndrome and does not speak. So when he returns home without their dad after a trip the park, it takes a long time to realize something bad has happened and dad is really missing.
I liked several things about this book. The family dynamic is really interesting, and the characters are solid. It goes it a bit of a different direction than I thought, and is actually quite science-y. It's slow slow slow, so just be prepared. And honestly, the ending wasn't super satisfying. But, I did enjoy it and especially liked their family. Rating: 3 Stars ⭐⭐⭐
The 3rd installment of the American Royals Series. It's take on what it would be like if George Washington became king instead of the 1st president. This is about his descendants Beatrice, Samantha, and Jefferson, and their friends.
I didn't really love this one as much as I liked the first 2 books. Lots of drama, and it's easy to read as it's YA. I will continue the series to the next book, just because all these books leave off with a major cliffhanger. Rating: 3 Stars ⭐⭐⭐
Chole's dad is a serial killer. Six girls her own age went missing when she was just 12. Now, she's in her 30's and still grappling with her father's crimes. He's in prison, but now that the anniversary of it all is approaching, new women start going missing nearby. And the similarities to the original crimes are very hard to ignore.
Ooooh, this was a good thriller. I thought I had it figured out, but was totally surprised. I was annoyed while reading that so many bad men were coincidentally in this girls life, but it does all add up in the end. This was a Book of the Month selection. Rating: 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Juniper and Athena have been friends forever, and they are both authors. Athena has actually had big success, while Juniper's debut novel was just ok. Athena dies in a freak accident, and June witnesses it. Impulsively she steals Athena's latest book draft that nobody has read yet, and decides to edit it and publish it herself.
What a ride! This book is such a crazy premise, and I have never HATED a main character more!! It's very immersive and I couldn't put it down. Warning for lots of language.Also, you can totally make a drinking game with how many times the word 'Twitter' is in this novel. Rating: 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The 2nd book in the Fable duology, which I read last month. Basically, Fable is the daughter of a pirate like captain and she's trying to make her way in the world.
Meh, this was just fine. I didn't really like it, but I didn't not like it either. If you want to read something similar but better, I recommend Daughter of a Pirate King instead. Rating: 2 Stars ⭐⭐
The 2nd book in the Fourth Wing series that everyone is talking about. Overall, I thought the first book was better, but this was still just as exciting as the original. It's one of those books you need to read twice to pick up on the little things - but it's so huge that's super daunting. You do need to know that the book is littered with language and explicit scenes. I skip over a lot for that reason, so it's not one I recommend to just anyone and I don't have a rating for it.
Lewis and Wren are newly weds, and just a few weeks into their new marriage Lewis receives a rare diagnosis. He's going to turn into a great white shark.
By far the STRANGEST book I've ever read. It's written lyrically, and is just beautiful. It's a sweet love story in the weirdest premise. Plus, an absolutely gorgeous cover! This is one of my Book of the Month picks. Rating: 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Elise and Juliette become best friends in Paris in 1939, bonding over being young mothers. Elise has to flee because of the coming war, and leaves her daughter with Juliette. Later, when it's safe, she returns and finds that a bomb destroyed the building where she last saw her daughter.
This was really good. Honestly, if I could I would rename it The Paris DaughterS. The big twist was pretty obvious to me from the beginning, but it was still an enjoyable book. Rating: 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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-Kristen
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