how to make pumpkin seeds
Sometimes I worry I’m not instilling enough tradition into our family life. Yes, I am completely neurotic and over think pretty much everything. Especially when it comes to my family. We are of the laid-back Southern California family breed so we tend to go with the flow, take things as they come and not make a lot of plans. This doesn’t always work in favor of tradition, which in essence means doing the same thing again and again. What dawned on me the other day while carving pumpkins with the girls is that a tradition doesn’t necessarily have to be an event or a routine, a place or a whole trip. It can be as simple as food. Whenever my mom carved pumpkins she always did a few of the same things-carved detailed eyes and girly eyelashes on at least one of the pumpkins, used hairspray to remove the marker we drew on the pumpkin to guide our design and finally she always always always roasted pumpkin seeds. And so a tradition was born, simple as seeds. I didn’t even realize I had carried that tradition on until Elle started obsessing about keeping the seeds from her carving the other day. Oh yeah, that’s right-we roast them too. And we also use hairspray to remove Sharpie from a pumpkin of course. So what am I stressing about? There is tradition all around me. Here’s a few simple steps if you’d like to add one of ours to yours. Happy Halloween-xo
Step one-carve a pumpkin
Step two-separate the pulp from the seeds, clean seeds in a colander and pour onto a cookie sheet. Do not pat the seeds dry, otherwise they will stick together.
Step three-roast them in the oven at 300 degrees for 30 minutes to dry them out.
Step four-coat seeds lightly in olive oil
Step five-find some little ones who like getting their hands dirty and have them salt the seeds and mix them around until they are coated evenly in oil and salt. Then return them to the oven until golden and crisp, about 20 more minutes. I used flavored salts from my friends at Laguna Salt for a gourmet touch. For sweet seeds try a little sugar and cinnamon.
Step six-while you’re waiting for the seeds to crisp, pose adorably in front of your newly carved Frankenstein pumpkins.
Step seven-Enjoy! Serve warm or bag them up for snacks.
how to print and display your Instagram photos
Lately I’ve become kind of driven to preserve the printed photograph in this digital age. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE digital photography, but what scares me is how quickly the images get taken, developed and filed away onto my desktop instead of being seen. To break this cycle I’ve taken a “get it done now” approach to my job as family documentarian. I print the girls’ birthday pics on Snapfish right away and throw them into these Kolo albums as soon as I can. I frame my Michelle Warren family photos in pre-cut mattes and frames from Aaron Brothers and I recently embarked on this project which has garnered such an overwhelming response from house guests that I had to share. It’s no secret I am a huge fan of Instagram. What I love about it is how on-the-fly it is. It lets you capture those candid family moments that represent your real day to day life, not just the poised holiday card we send out every year like “Yeah, we’re fabulous like this all the time. What?” So I stole part of this idea from my new sister-in-law who used Polaroid Fotobar to print Instagram photos of her and my brother over their courtship. She captioned each one with a date or event and scattered them around their wedding site. They are printed on a thick elegant card stock so they held up really well to lots of hand touching and oooooh and awwwwing. I fell in love with them and soon I was online ordering them for myself. I’ve tried sites that link to your Instagram before and they can be disappointing or they won’t link directly and you have to download then upload-meh. This site was really easy to use. Give them your Instagram account info then just pick which ones you want. (Warning, it’s hard to stop once you get going) Caption, or not, then place your order and they’re on their way. They arrived very securely packaged and pretty quickly. So when I found this hanging display, I knew exactly what to do with it. It was easy to hang thanks to a provided wall template as well as the proper drywall screws. I ended up having to buy more, because it turns out I have been installing drywall screws wrong. (The hole to put them in should be large enough to gently place them in, not hammer in-like I’ve been doing) The only other supplies I needed were a pencil, drill (to make the holes in the drywall) and a screw driver (to you know, screw). I love seeing all these faces smiling back at me, I’ve even packed up a few in birthday envelopes, or just as cards themselves. They really inspired me, thanks for the great discovery Laura. Hope you all are inspired too-xo
It’s kind of weird how much I adored these mini laundry pins, which come with the display.
Captioning each photo was so fun. Some were straight forward like an event title, some were inside jokes that only the people in the photograph would get, which makes it that much more fun for them to see.
I started in chronological order and then I started changing them out based on the season, who would be visiting to see them or just my mood.
This display is on the way to the powder room downstairs, so eventually everyone gets a look-ha!
Extras went in a bowl on my coffee table.
stay at home motherhood
Mother jeans, flats (similar), chambray shirt (similar), earrings Anthropologie
I was with two of my closest friends the other night at a book signing (yes, I’m so cool) and we started talking about next chapters. They were both starting new jobs and I was adjusting to the kids new school schedule. Do I sometimes feel awkward during these conversations you ask? You know the ones where your career girl friends or perfect balancer of work and family girl friends start musing on all they have going on and I’m like, yeah-I just cleaned all the shelves in my fridge and I finally put together the girls birthday photo albums. No, not at all (insert sarcastic tone here). The truth is I always feel a little inadequate when I leave my suburban bubble and see how much everyone else is doing out there when they’re not running carpool and supervising playdates. Don’t get me wrong, these girls of mine are nothing but loving, encouraging and completely supportive of my role as stay-at-home mom. And I really like being a SAHM. But I can’t help but feel a little jealous, and as always in awe of how they do all that they do. It was brought to my attention recently by my sister-friend (let’s be real, we’re beyond besties at this point) that I don’t finish things. She praised all of my beautiful starts and beginnings but observed the end game is where I struggle. After I told her to go f*** herself, I realized she had a point. (Brief pause to appreciate having such insightful, loving, caring forces in my life who aren’t afraid to tell me like it is-you know who you are). So of course I started obsessing and went through a list in my head to prove I’ve been finishing things: completed the 39-mile Avon walk and with my team raised over $20,000 to fight breast cancer, started and completed four new books (titles below), booked my trip to London in October for my brother’s wedding party, and successfully got both kids dressed and coiffed for their respective picture days. So there! But of course thinking of what I’ve finished, inevitably made me think of what I haven’t. My blog. It has been stagnant for a while and that always makes me sad. My t-shirt line. I designed, printed and distributed to friends a women’s and children’s logo t and then never did another thing with it. My retail site. I got a domain, designed a logo, shopped for wares in Mexico then let it go undone. Ok there. So of course this sparked a debate in my head and then it became a debate with some of my other SAHM friends and my working mom friends. Why isn’t being a mom enough? Why do we (I) feel like I’ve got to be doing more with my days than picking up and dropping off. My kids are healthy and happy (some of the time), isn’t that reward enough? I know, poor me (sarcasm). But this question is out there in all circles of life so it’s not just a White Girl Problem if you will. What I can tell you is it’s a complicated topic and one meant to be explored on its own stage, so stay tuned for more of it in upcoming posts. While I still love clothes, style tips and I’m always available to lend my eye to an ensemble or my ear to a closet dilemma, I think a part of my stalemate on the blog has been the challenge of writing more than 200 words about an outfit recipe. Whereas this stream of consciousness stuff comes easier to me. So even though a blog is never finished, this post is. Add it to the list. Thanks C-xo
they’re baaaaaaack!
Coco Ann, first day of Pre-K
Summer is definitely my favorite season. I love lounging in the sun, playing on the beach, traveling to vacation destinations and enjoying a more laid back schedule with the kids. I love being warm all the time and wearing easy breezy dresses and sandals, never bothering to bring a jacket “just in case”. But I can’t quite describe the sweet satisfaction of a quiet empty house after the little darlings go back to school. This week was Elle’s first day of second grade (sniff sniff) and Coco’s first day of Pre-K. It was busy and sometimes touch-and-go getting back into the routine, but overall it was a success. The girls love their new teachers, I resumed training for my Avon Walk for Breast Cancer coming up in September (donate here if you haven’t already) and I enjoyed a few peaceful hours alone, every busy mom’s ultimate reward. So happy back to school to you all! Have a great weekend.
anniversary
Fishnets and first dances
Today is my ninth wedding anniversary and it’s one of my favorite days of the year. Not for expectation of lavish gifts or fancy dinners but because I am 100 percent allowed to lock myself in a room and go through every photo, video and moment again without feeling silly. I laugh, I cry and I usually end up sending little notes and screen shots to people reminding them of that one perfect weekend we shared in Mexico. We returned to San jose Del Cabo earlier this month and like us much had changed, but much had also stayed the same. Our little boutique resort has grown, just like our family, but it is still down to earth, beautiful and a place of love just like our family. We were welcomed with open arms and spent our whole check in exchanging kiddy photos with the staff. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” It has become a second home to us and we made a pact to return more often, and of course daydreamed about doing it all over again. Looking through pictures of the day, I was struck by changes in the lives around us and thought of all the new friends we’ve made, our new family and how much we wished they had been there. Strangely, I realized some of the guests are not in our lives anymore and that made me melancholy and want to pick up the phone, or say a prayer whichever the case may be. Regardless of the emotions I experience throughout my walk down memory lane, I always end with gratefulness, is that an emotion? I’m reminded of how lucky I am to have so much love in my life and that it is okay to reflect with teary eyes but better to look forward with open ones. Happy Anniversary B. So far, so so so good.-XO
Photo by Michelle Warren
san jose del cabo summer 2014
Earlier this month we took a couples anniversary trip to San Jose Del Cabo where we co-celebrated our ninth and their fourth wedding anniversaries. It was a short trip, but a memorable one with a visit to the amazing Flora Farms (Go. Now.) and indulgences in surf, sand and everything else Mexico is about. Yes, tequila.
outfit recipe-flynn skye jumpsuit
outfit recipe-white dresses, sun hat
White dresses (similar), Billabong bikini, H&M hat
So I’ve just returned from a very short but very needed trip to Mexico with the hubs and what can I say, I’m not that thrilled about it. I love being home with my girls and my puppies but you know, the ocean was not at the foot of my bed this morning ok? I mean how do you deal with going from a sandy beach to the 405? It’s cruel really. Thankfully I have lots of pics and Mexican pottery to bring me back to my happy place. Do you ever feel like when you leave everything happens? I’ve been collecting stories from my absence all morning and they’re kind of crazy. It’s not helping my control freak-ness at all. You know, that “Nothing is done right unless I do it” vibe. It is making me feel like what I do matters though. Even if sometimes all I do is clean up poop and play short-order cook, maid, taxi driver. I mean, my girls are fine-they had a blast with their grandparents. But I’ve been at home all day putting life back the way it’s supposed to be and putting out fires that arose over the weekend. Nothing serious. Just the little things that happen when mom’s not home. The misunderstandings, forgotten dates, and general to-do list stuff I happily checked out of this weekend. So I don’t know, there it is. Reality bites, but as far as reality goes mine is really good so I’m going to shut up now. One last thing, I mean can I wear this to school pick up or what!?! I want to live in a bathing suit, bare feet and cover up. Summer’s coming!!!!!!!!!!!!
outfit recipe-baseball hat and jeans
Billabong hat, sweater (similar), Hudson jeans (old), Havaianas, Stella and Dot necklace, Helen Ficalora “E” charm
Finding it hard to write, I mean this pretty much speaks for itself right? (Plus, it’s almost 1 am-Mike I love you, but roll over!) I mean what’s better than a baseball hat and jeans plus white anything on top? Especially when hair under said baseball hat has not been washed all week? Add some serious sunshine and bam-you’ve got it all! Wait, pause. Coco’s up. She’s in the bathroom!?! Oh lord, it’s a doozy. This is real-time action here folks. OK, back from the depths of mommy hero-dom. I won’t go into it but let’s just say I earned my stripes tonight or this morning. What time is it!?! Where am I? Go to sleep!