Simple Meals + Honest Book Reviews + Practical Living
There’s so much to juggle — errands, house projects, hosting, kids, meals — and it can drain you fast if you tackle it all piecemeal. I’m sharing how batching — grouping similar chores and errands together — can help you save time, mental energy, and decision fatigue. Listen below, or skim the highlights and full transcript to see how I plan my days to stay ahead (without burning out).
I made these super easy chocolate cupcakes for my older daughter’s 5th birthday party. It’s a very easy recipe and comes out beautifully every time. I love to pair this recipe with vanilla buttercream, and with a bit of food coloring, you can easily tie together your birthday theme. In our case, it was rainbow-unicorns, so.
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Rich and creamy vanilla buttercream, and it’s super quick to whip up! Spread it, pipe it, it’s the perfect way to finish your cakes or cupcakes. It also freezes beautifully if you don’t use the entire batch — simply ensure you have an airtight seal on your ziploc freezer bag, and ensure to get all the air removed before freezing. Can last up to six months in the freezer, but I’ll be willing to bet you’ll find an excuse to use it up well before then.
This is my go-to recipe anytime my children request a color for the frosting of their cake. As pictured, my daughter requested a chocolate cake with purple frosting for her fifth birthday (theme: rainbow unicorns). The year prior she asked for a chocolate cake with pink frosting. Vanilla buttercream is so much fun to play with because it’s delicious (obviously) but also because it’s so diverse, the possibilities for decoration are usually endless.
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These apple cider donuts are a true treat and were apart of our Thanksgiving dessert spread this year. Our kids adore them, especially our baby, who calls them ‘gu-gies.’ They’ll definitely make their reappearance next year as well. …
Today, we’re diving into our November book club pick: Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See. I really enjoyed this novel — it was rich with cultural detail and beautifully immersive. But I also had plenty of issues with it, which I’m excited to unpack with you today!
This is a beautiful time of year for self-reflection, and looking back on our past year. Everything that we did, and accomplished, and was challenged by.