Capsule: January 2019

I've never written a post like this but January is the perfect time to begin this series capturing what's been going each month. Reflecting is soothing and meaningful. You see the good and the bad, and there's a sense of acknowledgement that with a new month, there's a new chance to try again or keep up a good habit. I want this to be of value to you, dear reader. If you're short on time, please feel free to skim straight to the links of recipes I have made and loved the past month, for instance. Swann Street is a place you can visit to slow down a bit, too, so I'm writing on personal things as well. Feel free to think, write, and reflect on these categories for yourself.

MOST challenging

This month has been either really good, or really bad. I started the year with a heavy heart- a family member of mine got bad news on their health, and it was hard to see past that for awhile. On top of that, I have been faced with a lot of loneliness as my two best friends left DC. One is gone for a few months, and the other relocated across the country. I'm the kind of person who loves having just a few really close friends so losing out on having them around has been sad for sure. Give your girlfriends a big, big hug, will ya? I'm not trying to complain but I think it's important to highlight challenges we face. They are a part of our life story.

REPEAT recipes

• Instant Pot Chipotle style rice and beans. Yes, it really does taste like Chipotle. And the rice and beans cook at the same time making this a double win in my world.
• Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Soup. Crazy good and tastes like it was a lot harder to make!
• Chanko Nabe (sumo stew). Very easy and you can load up the veggies. Great for chilly winter days.
• And two from Vidya Living: a winter kitchari and stewed seasonal fruits. (Claire is writing a cookbook soon and I cannot wait!)
• Last but not least, delicious focaccia bread! It's like pizza but very airy and the olive oil makes it melt in your mouth. Use extra salt with this recipe.

BEST books

Everything else I had on my nightstand waiting to read has taken a backseat to China Rich Girlfriend, the second book in the Crazy Rich Asians series. I carry it with me constantly to sneak in a few pages during naptime or before I go to bed. What I enjoy most is being immersed in a wild, crazy part of Asian culture and I adore the humor and sass throughout. Admittedly, I did not read the first book. I only watched the movie. Generally, learning about the history of Asia and different aspects of life in modern China is fascinating to me. And while the book is not a primer in economics or political science, I appreciate it for what it is. Highly entertaining and fun.

FAVE looks

While black jeans really push it when it comes to dress code at my work, I pretty much wear them daily with a loose blouse and a scarf. Most of the time I do not interact with anyone outside of my immediate team, and while I know dressing for work is something I should (?) do for my own pride, it is nowhere at the top of my priority list. I dress well enough to get by and comfortable enough to commute daily with a stroller in cold weather. And to be honest, in the back of mind I will whip myself into better shape in the near future and need new jeans or pants any way, so I'm in no rush to get anything new right now. I wrote a little on my current attitude towards style here. 

This month I bought one new piece- it feels like I should call it a piece because it is so beautiful, ah. I can see myself wearing it all year round and when I travel! A total WIN. It's the Zoe Jersey Midi Dress by Boden. 

MAMA things

In a combination of age, tons of patience, and figuring out just what soothes my baby to sleep, Miles is sleeping through the night most every night. It's been happening since December actually! He does wake up very early though, and I have learned to embrace that the best that I can. Most mornings I  keep the lights low, put on music or some news, enjoy breakfast together, and we are out the door peacefully. That's a huge improvement from the sluggish attitude I had about being up when it was still dark out! I'm sorry- it really just comes down to being cranky and hungry. Since becoming a mom my appetite is intense. 6:00 AM is sleeping in for me now and...I accept it, expect it, and embrace it.

AROUND town

Qualia Coffee for bagels and lattes

Fun with baby at Tunes4Tots at Steadfast Supply

All the scones and chai at Big Bear Cafe

Ching Ching Cha for tea

Easy hikes at Pierce Mill

START this

Because of all the sweet, fun vibes it brings, I am thrilled to start February and celebrate Valentine's Day. I want to make it special for some of the people I love. (And I've already ordered gifts for Miles!) Besides this, I have reached out photographers and I'm hoping to find one I can work with so I can begin my style content again. 

All for now! 

wishing you joy on your journey,

kristen

A Home Update! // Tidying Our Kitchen

Turns out having a baby and moving three months later is the best and craziest thing. We were living in 700 square feet before moving into our home so the extra space was hugely welcomed. At the same time, all the responsibilities of parenthood come head-to-head with full time jobs and the suddenly having to remember when trash day is and find time to clean more space.

It has been a whirlwind. A constant tug between being grateful for a place to call our own and a struggle to keep up. Looking around I found myself asking, what are these things? They were (and in some spaces, are) everywhere. In the kitchen I would feel like we had nothing to cook. And even if we did, it would take too long to find things. It made me really sad. Family meal times are so important to us. We love to cook together and eating as a family is essential to our happiness. It felt out of control and like a problem that could never be solved. Turns out, we just needed to make some big changes, starting with our mindset.

My approach to tidying up was influenced greatly by the Japanese organization method by Marie Kondo. I read her book years ago but I did not really get it until watching the Netflix series. Seeing real people using the method helped me see my own unhelpful habits around the house: letting mail pile up, putting things "away" to be out of sight but never really organized... I'm happy to say I have broken these habits by being totally fed up with myself (ha!), along with cheap and effective solutions. In the kitchen we began by going through everything to see what we needed or not. We actually do one section at a time because realistically, that's what we can manage. So, one day I went through all our spices. Another day Max sorted through our appliances. And it continues on even now.

It has been a slow but significant process and the results have led to healthier eating at home, saving money, and feeling warmly content. 

All of this led me to consider a zero waste kitchen. For us it means we will try to use and waste as little as possible in our kitchen. Max was totally down for it and here are some impactful things we have done. Please keep in mind this is a work in progress! We're not perfect at this and never will be. But, I think it makes a huge difference to have a BIG goal like zero waste.

We replaced our trash with these! Easy on the eyes, and OFF the ground (!), I love these bins. We use them for recyclables and trash. The small size of these makes us aware of how much we are putting in them. Our trash output went down immediately just by using them. And our recyclables decreased once we began the bulk section of our local grocery store.

We save veggie scraps in the freezer to make vegetable stock and that cut down on a ton of trash.

The bulk section of the grocery store has become our best friend. It is way cheaper and less overwhelming than wading through endless packages and brands. 

These are the bags we have been using for bulk items. Our usual items are nuts, brown rice, coffee, granola,  and oats.

 

Nothing fancy here, friends, but it's working out really well! The transformation was made possible with the use of chalkboard labels, glass jars, Ikea bins and containers. I would love to replace the big containers at the top with glass ones but we already had these plastic ones so for now, they work just fine. The first time I started keeping stuff in jars I labeled the side but it is much more helpful to add a bold, easy-to-read label on the top. These labels fit perfectly on top of jars! 

When I go grocery shopping I feel more empowered as a consumer. I know what I need and what I don't need. And overall, we are eating healthier at home. We spend less money and buy all organic foods. That feels good!

What else should we try? Is your kitchen zero-waste? Has the tidying buzz gotten to you? Share your experience, please, as I would love to hear.

wishing you joy on your journey,

kristen

Winter Glamping // Alone Mill Schoolhouse in Lexington, Virginia

Ever talk about doing something and never do it? We said we would visit Lexington again so many times. And this past weekend was our first time back in years. We got married on a mountain in this town over four years ago! The same grumpy baristas at the local coffee shop. Washington and Lee's gorgeous campus. A dog friendly breakfast spot. The apartment where Max lived during law school! It is just filled with wonderful memories for us. I am happy we went back, finally, if even for a quick visit.

A weekend away is a great time and this getaway marks our third time renting a cabin in the coldest months of the year. I've learned a thing or two about what to bring and what to expect. There is something so utterly cozy about staying somewhere else and feeling the magic of snow. I hope you give it a try. At home, it is so easy to be caught up in the nuisance of snow, but away, it's really all good! 

I found this cute cabin on VRBO. When we arrived there were only flurries and by the next morning the whole place was covered in a thick blanket of powdery snow. 

This used to be a schoolhouse in the 1800s. Then it was a barn, and now it has been renovated as a home. Wild! The property has a stream running through it and is surrounded by mountains. 

I chose this snowsuit for Miles when I was still pregnant. I just had a feeling the pattern was so him. It makes me happy to see him wear it every single time. I wasn't sure it would even fit him this winter but it totally does! How is he so big?!

Here is what else we packed...

keep in mind the cabin had a washer and dryer so we threw gloves and socks into the dryer between playing and walking in the snow, and washed things as needed at the end of the day.

Pack just enough. For the big kids (aka adults): 1 pair of PJs, 1 sweatpants, 2 thermal tops, 1 snow leggings/pants, 1 jacket, 1 hat, gloves, 1 pair of wool socks, slippers for inside. Snow boots.

For baby, 10 months old: 1 snowsuit, 3 sweatpants, 5 tops, socks, winter booties, 1 hat, 2 pajamas, 1 sleep sack.

Other fun things: an Echo dot or Google home dot to play music. Your own food (more on that at the end of this post!) and snacks.  The night before: get gas, check tire pressure, have an ice scraper! 

The place you stay is going to make all the difference. Here's my checklist:

• Location suits our desires. Within a reasonable driving distance (typically no more than 3 hours). We wanted to be in nature but also be a close drive to town and W&L. 

• There must be a stocked kitchen, and ideally a washer/dryer.  

• Enough space. Never go by the "sleeps" count. People count couches as beds and that is misleading. Look or ask about the actual private bedrooms as well as the size and number of beds. 

• Wifi! To stream music and movies.  

• Extremely clean. I have never had an issue with this in all the times I have used online booking services like Airbnb. I guess because there's a cleaning fee anyway?

To make life simpler, I packed us all of our meals. We knew we would eat a few meals out but for the most part, it is nice to have everything ready to go. The one time we didn't do this, we ended up having to order every single meal and that got old really fast. By time Saturday morning rolled around, everything went into one freezer bag in the car. I made two smaller, single serve jars of the overnight oats and fruit so we could eat quickly the morning of and get on the road. This was all very portable and simple to prepare.

• Whole wheat pancakes and maple syrup
• Overnight oats made with cashew milk with stewed winter fruits
• Chanko-nabe stew (vegetables, veggie broth, miso paste, turkey meatballs, tofu).  It all gets cooked in one pot. Another time we made pasta and meatballs and brought that to have for lunches/diners.
• A dozen eggs and toast
• Ripe avocados
• Trail mix. Especially good for the drive!
• Coffee (we brought a pourover as well, just because)
• A few baby food pouches for Miles for snacks between meals.

You may be thinking, why the heck would I want to cook and do dishes when I'm getting away? I get that!  Somehow it has always felt really easy to prepare these meals while away. On the way home, there's no food to bring back either. We typically have 1 load of dishes to run before we leave which really is no big deal. If you know you will be near a town or area with some local food, you can plan to dine out as well. We got breakfast at Sweet Treats because we knew we could bring Logan inside and it was fun to go the bakery that made our wedding cake!

Coming from Florida, wintertime was a season I dreaded. The first year or so of living in DC I gritted my teeth and grumbled my way through every chilly day just wishing it was warm. Something changed after I went on a yoga retreat one fall. There was a snowstorm out of nowhere! In this situation, there was nothing to do but accept it was going to be incredibly cold. The forest was covered in snow and it led me to feel grounded, and very calm. (This retreat was in the Berkshires.) We wore whatever layers we had and ate the most warm, nourishing meals. It showed me that winter can be a time to welcome a slower pace. Earlier bedtimes. Warm, steamy soups. A season to think deeply about my roots and what I am becoming. Now, every time there's a snowfall, I feel the happiness I had on that retreat.

A few other winter getaways to browse:

Private Cabin at Savage River Lodge

Owl Moon Farm (+ a video!)

wishing you joy on your journey,

kristen