#101in1001 Update

Another week of quarantine but I'm still goal digging. Although we're mostly homebound (goodbye travel goals for the foreseeable future), we're making the most of it, and to keep ME accountable and keep YOU up to date it's time for a monthly update on my #101in1001 list. 

CHECKED OFF...
✔ 101. Send a surprise package to someone. If there is any silver-lining to COVID-19, it's the need for care packages. And I love a good mail day so this has been an easy one. Have no fear folks, just because I'm officially checking this item off my list doesn't mean I'm not going to send out more

surprise packages.


IN THE WORKS...
18. Explore at least one new place every month. As long as we find someplace new to hike or fish

this weekend, we'll still be on track for this goal. Admittedly, it's harder with the Governor's

announcement to shelter in place but there's no shortage of great spots nearby and safety is the #1

priority.

87. Sell at least $500 worth of clothes. After doubling down on Poshmark, I've now sold $397.05 since January and the creation of my latest #101in1001 list. Overall, I've earned $933.20 total since I started Poshmarking in 2018. Not bad folks, not bad. There's cash in those closets folks, I promise!

89. Choose a cookbook and cook it all. Watch for recipe #6 coming in hot next week from Alison Roman's Dining In. As long as the grocery store keeps items in stock, we'll keep cooking.

90. Have a date night at least once a week for six months. Now that we're quarantined, we're getting creative and hosting mini dates all over the house. Whether that's setting up our coffee table for dining or treating ourselves with takeout, date nights are still on folks!

91. Work out five times a week for three months. Eight weeks in and going strong. Thank goodness for Peloton and Cody Rigsby. I also just ordered a new jumprope so watch out for some hot moves on Instagram.

UP NEXT... 
75. Go without sweets for one month. I've been stealing lots of bites from the Hubs' ice cream bowl and he also brought home a super-sized bin of animal crackers from Costco. After we celebrate Henry's second birthday next week, I'm cutting out sweets because let's get real folks... QUARANTINE! 

83. Organize all the closets and other storage areas. I've been dragging my feet on organizing our closets, drawers and other storage areas but feel like now is the time to make moves. Will I end up crossing this off my list? Only time will tell... But this shoe rack sure is cute right?

We're all in this together

A second week of quarantine and I'm having all the feels. Both the Hubs and I are working from home and Henry's daycare is closed for the foreseeable future which means he's terrorizing the dog, cat, house, us, anything else in his path. But we know we are some of the lucky ones. Our jobs are stable, we're healthy and it's finally spring in Montana. Many of our business friends are not so lucky as they've had to shutter their doors for the foreseeable future and push their community online. We're all in this together so here's a quick rundown of some of my favorite small businesses, please support them!

Ampersand Design Studio | A flare for strong typography, I love this Kansas City shop's bold and hopeful statements for both paper and apparel. It's time we all "COME TOGETHER", amiright?!
Paper and Grace | I've quickly become a regular of this paper mecca and have yet to leave a visit empty handed. Just saying, Easter is right around...
Pelago | We had to cancel our annual trip to Palm Springs and hope to rebook soon but in the meantime, I will virtually peruse this treasured haunt for modern housewares and furniture.

Leif Shop | Goods for living. I love this Brooklyn based shop for tableware and art.
Need Supply Co. | Some of the Hubs and my's most unique wardrobe pieces have come from this small shop in Richmond, Virginia. Their home goods offerings are on point too.
Noteworthy Paper & Press | When I head home to Missoula this shop is a must stop. In my book, you can never have enough cards. And now snail mail is having a big moment, now is the time!
Salchicha | A woman owned modern mercantile here in Bozeman, I love their offerings for women, kids and home.
Salt & Sundry | Home to my favorite Sydney Hale Co. hand-poured candles and other small goods great for gifting, I miss this little DC shop the most from afar and am thankful for their strong online presence.
Spartan Shop | Just stepping into this Portland store takes your breath away. Their curated home goods are thoughtful, clearly hand-picked and individually made.
Woonwinkle | Offering everyday goods that shine bright, this is another not to miss gem in Portland that carries some of my favorite makers including this frequently asked about bowl by Fort Standard.

What are you waiting for, get shopping and try for local, independent small businesses! Stay happy, stay safe, stay healthy and wash those hands!

10 Quarantine Activities

Staying home during the coronavirus pandemic does not have to be a drag. Get outside for a well distanced walk and when you return dive into one of these homebody approved activities and keep doing you...

1. Workout. I'm finishing off week six of my #101in1001 goal to work out 5 times a week for three months. Nothing like endorphins to flip the switch. Join me?
2. Snail mail. COVID-19 or not, I'm all about sending cards and letters. With everyone feeling
   isolated these days, a surprise in the mail helps spread some much needed joy. I even ordered THIS custom stationary to make it personal for Henry. 
   
3. Doubling down on cooking. I know you've been following along while Paulo and I cook Alison Roman's Dining In. Now is the time to try a recipe and tag #pandwdinein.
4. "Dates" at home. Taking a page from Jacey Duprie, I set up dinner for the Hubs and I at our coffee table this week with candles, cloth napkins and the fireplace on high. Simply changing locations and setting the scene felt romantic and elevated.
5. Puzzles, board games, oh my! I'm a total nerd for this stuff anyways and now just have an excuse. We finished our first puzzle early in the week and can't wait to break out another for quarantine week two!
6. Facetime phone dates with family and friends. My GF had the great idea of having dinner together virtually. Thanks to our respective toddler terrorists, we ended up just drinking wine but it was so fun to connect with each other as a foursome again.
7. Read more. For real. Falling into more TV time only increases my anxiety and books always give me an escape. And now I've finally finished Catch and Kill, I'm ready for something on the lighter side and am about to start Sally Rooney's Conversations with Friends.
8. Organize. We've been in our house since the end of the September but still have a lot of organizing to do in our drawers, closets, fridge etc. All of it takes care and time to measure and figure out so it's easy to put off, but nothing like being homebound to add some motivation.
9. Closet cleanse. Poshmark, Poshmark, Poshmark. This app is tailor-made for quarantine. Log in, put your unworn clothes online to sell, make a sale and print off your prepaid shipping label. Next step is just dropping the package off at the Post Office or a USPS box, no need for any face to face interaction. I've sold over $900 worth of clothing and home goods and feel like I'm just getting started - cha-ching!
10. Up your beauty game. Hair masks anyone? Or what about these at home gel nail kits I've been dying to try. Now is the time, people!

Keep others safe by staying home, shopping your favorite small businesses online and picking up takeout from the restaurants you love when you can't cook anymore, we're all in this together. 

RECIPE 5: Roasted Tomato and Anchovy Bucatini

It's a little over half a week since we started self quarantining due to COVID-19, my best friend is in the hospital RIGHT NOW having her baby girl and daycare is closed... It's officially time for pasta! Paulo and I chose Alison Roman's Roasted Tomato and Anchovy Bucatini for recipe number five from Dining In.

You guys! Although this recipe is simple, the flavor of this pasta is COMPLEX and keeps giving you more every bite. With supplies running low, I roasted cherry tomatoes and spaghetti instead of using medium size tomatoes and bucatini. I'll try larger tomatoes next time (think vine-ripe morsels or Romas). Don't get me wrong the cherry tomatoes roasted up nice and jammy, and after just over three hours started getting a little crispy, which gave the dish some added flavor... I just wonder if a larger tomato would yield more liquid for the sauce. 

My one worry for this recipe was the anchovies because I thought it may make the dish a bit fishy. BUT worry no more because I'm here to tell you, the anchovies are the perfect addition and the secret behind that oh so good complexness. The little fish literally melt into sauce. Don't believe me? Henry, our almost two year old, loved every bite - even with the fish.

PRO TIPS: Roast the tomatoes the night before if you're short on dinner prep time because roasting takes three and a half hours (or skip it and crush up a 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes.) I also saved the remaining olive oil from the roasted tomatoes to saute the red onion.

Ready to get cooking? Catch the recipe and a video from Alison herself HERE. And tell me... What are you eating?!

P.S. Wondering about the puzzle pieces? Two words: social distancing.

RECIPE 4: Kinda-Sweet Granola with Coconut and Tumeric

With COVID-19 keeping us home, Alison Roman really comes through with her Kinda-Sweet Granola with Coconut and Turmeric from Dining In. Not only is this colorful and scrumptious but it is the most simple recipe we've cooked yet. 

It's a dump it all together, mix and bake type of situation, which means it's approachable for everyone. So what are you waiting for?

I added some dried cherries to the mix post-bake and now this granola is a slight nod to Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey - which means it's D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S. Without the added dried fruit this granola may be a little flat but as Alison notes this should treated as a base for morning creativity.

With full fat Greek yogurt, this breakfast delight or snack is also toddler approved - WINNING! And it's not so sweet you feel like it should be a dessert.

Now recipe four is complete, any requests? AND don't forget that if you're cooking with us, post a photo with #pandwdinein

Weekday Musings

EATING // Alison Roman's sour cream flatbread with ricotta and oil-roasted mushrooms, with pesto and parm and with tomato sauce, basil, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. It's safe to say the Margherita combination has been Henry's favorite and mine too. But now the dough is finally all baked, what to eat next? Watch for an easy breakfast or snack recipe from Dining In later this week.

HOME*WORK // Slowly but surely my home office is coming together. I finally ordered a chair and I'm literally counting down the days until its arrival. Unfortunately, I've learned the hard way that sitting on a tiny stool gets old VERY fast. So take my advice and treat yo self next home improvement project, okay?!

CRUSHING ON // These fly wedges for spring. Straight to the checkout cart or hard pass?

READING // Still reading Catch and Kill but it's a bit slow going mostly because I'm tired of reading about victims of sexual assault being ignored, especially women. So many stories have been buried, which is just not right. Yes Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 23 years but it's 2020 people - why is sexual assault still such a rampant thing?!

THANKFUL FOR // Joe Biden. Another primary Tuesday has passed and good ol' Uncle Joe is picking up steam. I try to not infuse politics into this space but this Presidential election (as well as

some races here in Montana) makes it impossible. I'm tired of all anger in politics and ready for some stability.

THINKING ABOUT // My Corona! But really... What are you doing to prepare for COVID-19? I've read so many articles but still have travel on the books in the next few months...

WATCHING // The Hubs and I are in a serious monogamous relationship with The Bachelor, which at its most basic level means we can't watch the show without each other. So while Dan is out of town for work this week, I've been keeping myself entertained with The Outsider. This binge worthy HBO series came highly recommended by close friends and although it's creepy AF, I simply can't stop watching.

WEARING // T-shirts? Montana's weather has been all over the map with mornings so cold I can't open our mailbox and afternoons so warm and sunny I've cracked the windows. Wherever we're headed, we don't have the snowpack we need and a bad wildfire season looks to be on the horizon. #ClimateChangeIsReal

That's all for now folks... It's time to throw on some feathers, big glasses and your best red lip like IRIS and take on the day!

RECIPE 3: Sour Cream Flatbread

For our third recipe from Alison Roman's Dining In, Paulo and I chose Sour Cream Flatbread (with a side of Farmgirl ranunculus or maybe that's just me #sorrynotsorry).

You guys! What's great about this approachable recipe is that it's not just easy but it's customizable! Great for a pizza party OR as I did, topped with ricotta and oil-roasted mushrooms for a starter.

You'll totally win the dinner game if this is your appetizer. But I will say if you're considering making this recipe for a quiet family pizza night and not a crowd, skip it. You can buy pre-made pizza dough at a grocery store that will do the job just fine. I'm not recommending store bought because this flatbread isn't delicious but because it takes a lot of planning (the dough has to rise a minimum of FOUR HOURS) and most family pizza nights at home are on the fly, amiright?!

But as a starter or an app for a dinner party, this flatbread will definitely earn you some brownie points.

It's crispy and has just enough sour cream to trick you into thinking it's sourdough - which let's be clear sourdough crust is queen. And once baked, the flatbread can be smoothly cut with a pizza cutter for clean lines - winning the appetizer game because you want something people can eat without it falling apart!

Now recipe three is complete, any requests for what's next? AND don't forget that if you're cooking with us, post a photo with #pandwdinein.

Life by Design

Happy March! Whether we're home enjoying a quiet morning while Henry colors (yes, the Gathre mats live up to the hype) or hiking to the top of Drinking Horse Mountain - Montana life is looking pretty good right now. Especially with a side of Farmgirl Flowers to beat the cold, amiright?!

But more than anything, one of my favorite parts about being back west is being closer to my people. This winter, I've had one on one time with my besties in California, Oregon and Washington and my cup is full. These are the pals I'll grow old with through thick and thin.

This past weekend I headed to Portland to shower Katie before the arrival of her baby girl. I'm feeling extra grateful for this moment of celebration together and especially for our girls night away at the Woodlark Hotel, fuzzy chairs included.