Outfits of the Month

 What I wore in July - bikinis by the pool & summery prints for the office.

basics for weekend errands

{tie strap top - old navy // denim shorts - billabong // woven sandals - target}

poolside for the 4th of July

{red bikini - ron jon // hat - amazon // sunglasses - amazon}

chambray dress

{dress - cloth & stone // braided belt - anthropologie // platform sandals - target // bag - dooney & bourke}

summer neutrals

{straw hat - brixton // sunglasses - free people // bikini top - ron jon // bikini bottoms - tan lines}

boho blouse

top - vici // jeans - target // sandals - dolce vita // macrame bag - forever 21}

printed maxi

dress - zara // woven belt - target // platform sandals - target // cane bag - t.j. maxx}

summery stripes

{dress - rip curl (similar here) // belt - target // lace up sandals - dolce vita // cane bag - t.j. maxx}

casual knits

{crochet vest - rachel zoe // ribbed bodysuit - t.j. maxx // striped skirt - bcbg // lace up sandals - target // leather backpack - lucky brand}

Favorite TV Shows

{"Yes, Chef."}

After a long day of working, cooking, cleaning, exercising and mom-ing, there isn't much I look forward to more than curling up on the couch to watch a show. Sometimes Greg and I are into the same genre and will binge a series together. Other times, I'll watch solo and relish in the alone time when the boys are asleep and the house is quiet.

Below I've rounded up some of my favorite TV shows - some old faves that I never tire of, some newer ones that I highly recommend, plus Jack's go-to cartoon.

Series that I could/have watched over and over again:

Sex and the City

New Girl

Schitt's Creek

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Friends

The Office

Parks & Rec

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

New faves categorized by streaming platform:

{Netflix}

Firefly Lane

Never Have I Ever

Ginny and Georgia

Selling Sunset

{Hulu}

The Bear

How I Met Your Father

{Apple TV}

Ted Lasso

Shrinking

{HBO Max}

White Lotus

And Just Like That

{Disney +}

Bluey

Jack loves Bluey, and it's one that Greg and I not only tolerate but enjoy as well. Super relatable with jokes for parents and lessons for kids.

Turkey Stuffed Peppers

There are endless filling ideas for stuffed peppers but for a recent Sunday dinner, I threw together ground turkey & taco seasoning, with baby bella mushrooms and sharp cheddar. It turned out to be a quick, healthy and satisfying {gluten-free} meal. I kept it simple, but you could easily mix in other toppings for added flavor, such as: caramelized onions, garlic, black beans, corn, rice/quinoa, etc.

ingredients

bell peppers (4 - any color)
1 pound of ground turkey
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 packet of taco seasoning
olive oil

directions

{1}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off the top of each pepper, remove seeds and membrane. Coat the outside of each pepper in olive oil and set in a rimmed baking dish, with each pepper facing up.

{2}

In a large skillet, add a glug of olive oil and sauté mushrooms. In a separate skillet, mix turkey and taco seasoning, and brown meat. Combine the mushrooms and turkey together.

{3}

Spoon the turkey and mushrooms into each pepper until filled to the top. Any leftover filling can be placed surrounding the peppers in the baking dish. 

{4}

Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes until peppers are tender. Remove from oven, sprinkle peppers with cheese and return to oven, baking uncovered for 5 minutes until cheese melts. Enjoy!

Console Table Styling

We don't have a formal entry way in our home, but we do have a hallway that connects the dining room and den to the rear rooms of the house. This creates the perfect place for a console table. I leaned in to the neutral tones of brown, beige and white, which gently transition from the colorful front rooms to the more subdued palette in the living room and master bedroom.

Console table styling may seem intimidating but you just need a few essentials to create an elevated look.

{1}

mirror

 A mirror is a must to check your reflection before leaving the house. This particular one is special for us - we used it at our wedding for the seating assignments. 

{2}

lamp

We use this lamp frequently and flip it on when we know we'll be coming home after the sun goes down, so the house isn't dark when we walk in the front door.

{3}

vase

On the opposite side of the table, a vase with pampas grass balances out the scale of the lamp. This also provide texture and movement. You could easily swap out the pampas grass for greenery, flowers, or branches that mix well with your aesthetic. 

{4}

baskets

To ground the look, baskets underneath the table add dimension + extra storage. I love these faux leather bins which hold cozy blankets.

{5}

accessories

This is where you can infuse your personality and unique needs to your console table: framed photos, books, candles, plants, a bowl for your keys, etc.

On the left, I grouped together a couple of vases, a succulent and sage stick.

In the middle, I used a wooden cake stand to corral a candle, matches, a wick-trimmer, and a bowl filled with shells from our trip to Cabo. The books stacked underneath anchor the vignette and provide additional height.

The wood chain link that trails from the books to the vase tie the pieces together so everything looks cohesive.

Jack's Favorite Activities

Summer is that magical time of year for kids when it's all play and no school work. Jack has summer camp through his daycare - filled with learning games, crafts and outdoor play, but on our weekends home together, I make an effort to plan fun activities for us to do as a family. I've rounded up a list of some of our favorites - both inside and outside, depending on the weather. Hope these ideas help you keep your kiddos entertained this summer. Feel free to share any other activities you and your littles love.

{indoor activities}

magnatiles 

Jack loves playing with these and using his imagination to create rockets. Hot tip: they work on the fridge and garage door too!

kinetic sand + trucks

Move over play-doh, kinetic sand is where it's at! Super moldable and doesn't dry out. Jack likes to makes ramps for his little monster trucks.

drawing/painting

We bought an easel for Jack for Christmas and it has been super fun to watch his creativity, practice his letters, etc.

bubble bath with legos

Sunday afternoons are a time when we all like to unwind for an hour or so, and do something independently. Jack picks a bath bomb to use in our big tub, and plays with bath toys, legos, etc. while I keep an eye on him & paint my nails at the bathroom vanity, and Greg plays video games in the living room. We all win!

building blocks

I had these carboard blocks as a kid, and they are great for building larger scale things. Jack will often bring out his fake tool set and hammer, saw and drill the blocks to build a house.

board games

Candyland is a classic for a reason. No skill required, just luck - which is a great reminder when Jack doesn't win a round.

go see a movie or play

We took Jack to the movie theater for the first time to see The Little Mermaid - he loved it almost as much as he loved the popcorn! We also love to make a blanket fort on rainy afternoons and snuggle up for a animated movie together.

make a pizza or bake a treat

Jack really likes helping us cook in the kitchen. He puts on his apron, grabs his stool and assembles all the ingredients for his own personal pizza. He also loves helping me bake cookies - and sneak a taste of  the cookie dough :)

"cleaning & fixing"

Jack has a play tool kit and cleaning set, both of which he loves to use to "clean" and "fix" things around the house.

dance party

Between the amazon echo and star projector in Jack's room, he loves to turn out the lights, blast music and have a dance party!

{outdoor activities}

splash pad + popsicle

Nothing better than a popsicle on a hot summer day, especially great when it also involves playing on a splash pad.

bike ride

Jack and I love to go for a bike ride together. He has a tricycle with a handle that I guide so it's a little workout for me as well while we walk around the neighborhood. 

outdoor electric toys

All of our neighbors know Jack thanks to the red car he drives around the sidewalks, honking the horn and playing the radio. He often grabs a stuffed animal to ride shotgun.

play ball

My mama heart is always happy when I watch Greg and Jack play ball in the yard, whether kicking around a soccer ball or working on his batting form.

beach or pool day

Cooling off in the pool or splashing in the waves at the beach is a regular weekend activity for us. 

go to the zoo

Earlier in the day is better with the temperature, but we enjoy checking out all the different sections of the zoo, feeding the giraffes, etc. Jack loved dressing up for Boo at the Zoo before Halloween last year.

canoe/kayak

My parents live on a canal on the river and we like to borrow their canoe or kayaks to explore the Thousand Islands. On a calm morning the river is like glass and it's easy to spot wildlife and manatees below.

picnic at the park

Pack a big blanket, snacks and drinks and head to the park. We'll let Jack run around, swing, slide and play, then take a break for lunch under a shady tree.

blueberry picking

Picking in-season fruit to then eat and bake into a festive dessert is fun for the whole family.

sandbox

We have a sandbox in our backyard and Jack loves playing in it with trucks, excavators and building sand castles.

White Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies

For 4th of July this year, I baked cookies to bring to a party, but could not find the red, white and blue sprinkles I've used in the past. Star sprinkles were the next best option - and still festive! Sweet white chocolate chips, chewy edges and pops of color made these cookies a winner. 

Hot tip: when baking cookies, don't put all of the mix-ins into the dough - save a portion off to the side. As you place dough balls on the baking sheet, add toppings as needed to ensure all elements are represented on the top before baking. 

ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3.4 oz package of vanilla pudding mix
2 cups white chocolate chips
2 oz of sprinkles

directions

{1}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Add vanilla, and eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

{2}

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to the stand mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through. 

{3}

Add pudding mix, white chocolate chips and sprinkles, mixing just until combined.

{4}

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, place dough balls on a baking sheet and pop in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until bottom is golden brown and center is still soft.