Simple Meals + Honest Book Reviews + Practical Living
Hi friends! With the holidays just around the corner — Halloween treats, Thanksgiving pies, Christmas cookies, Hanukkah donuts, and New Year snacks — I thought this would be the perfect time to share my favorite hacks for baking with little kids without losing your mind.
We had our fourth and final baby. Her name is Sophia, and she completes us. We’re a hop, a skip, and a throw away from her first birthday, so it’s probably time I sat down and wrote out her birth story. So here we are.
Oh my goodness — it is officially August, and it is officially baby month around here.
We are in a “could be any day now” situation, which is equal parts exciting and slightly chaotic. I really thought I’d be more ahead with this podcast at this point. I had a grand plan to pre-record the rest of August and September before delivering… and here I am recording this essentially at the last minute.
It’s wild to think that back-to-school season is already just around the corner, and summer is about to start winding down. Which felt like the perfect time to talk about summer romance novels.
It’s been a fantastic (and very full) week over here. We’ve had contractors inside the house, contractors outside the house, and what feels like every home project my husband and I have been queueing up finally coming together at once. And honestly? It feels so good.
We’re about 95% finished with our backyard renovation, and it’s everything I hoped it would be. A fully fenced yard, fresh turf, playground mulch, curved planting beds for trees and flowers, a fountain, and brand-new deck furniture. Sitting outside in the evenings has been pure bliss — truly one of the best feelings. And with all that goodness happening, it felt like the perfect time to talk about something very real and very necessary: keeping the playroom under control.
Let’s not dance around it: America’s food supply is a mess.
Our grocery stores are packed with ultra-processed foods, chemical additives, and “ingredients” that are banned outright in many other countries. Flip over almost any package and you’ll find things you can’t pronounce — or worse, things labeled bioengineered with zero explanation.
Between corporate corruption, weak regulation, and a healthcare system that profits more from treatment than prevention, the result is predictable: rising obesity, chronic illness, and kids consuming far more sugar and additives than their bodies were ever meant to handle.
So instead of spiraling (tempting!), I’m focusing on what is within my control: making a handful of simple foods at home. None of this is extreme or crunchy-for-the-sake-of-crunchy. These are realistic swaps that save money, reduce garbage ingredients, and give you peace of mind.
Here are 10 foods I now make at home instead of buying at the store 👇
Our youngest baby is dairy-free, currently, and I’m always looking for ways to surprise us both with delicious dairy-free options. This tomato soup really hits the spot. I’m also a fan that it’s loaded with cashews!