Weekday Musings

EATING // We've now cooked 10 recipes from Alison Roman's Dining In with only one disappointment (the dish was actually better the next day - so does it really count as a fail?!) With over a hundred recipes left to cook, both Paulo and I are feeling confident about our cookbook choice. And this week we'll be baking our first sweet. Don't forget to join us in the kitchen via #pandwdinein!

HOME*WORK // I've been working on a built-in bookshelf concept for our living room and am close to pulling the trigger. I can't wait to have a place to display books and art but also have a place

to organize and stash the growing pile of Henry's toys. I love our open concept floor plan on our first floor but have quickly discovered we need a solution for the toddler mess ASAP. Stay tuned...

CRUSHING ON // ManiMe. A true lifesaver for any girl stuck at home who's a regular at the manicurist. I was skeptical the on-the-go stick-on gels were an actual option but I'm already wearing my second set and have ordered more. It's super easy, fast and they work just as hard as a true gel manicure. My first set lasted a whole week and I did not hold back on my routine for a second. Within an hour of applying the gel stickers, I was washing dishes, changing diapers, cooking, bathing Henry and going about my day. My first ManiMe manicure lasted an entire week and this second set is going strong on day four. Each set of gels is custom cut by using 3D scanning technology and are 100% guaranteed - so what's the risk? Plus have you seen the designs? ManiMe has great basics like matte watermelon but they also have designs I may not risk at a nail shop (I mean look at this flower power). For $5 off your first purchase, click the link HERE.

READING // When I'm not reading Hairy Maclary, I'm turning the pages of Sally Rooney's Conversations with Friends. Rooney is the winner of The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award and it's no surprise as she solidly paints a picture of each character and you can't help but root for the protagonist while also feeling conflicted about her.

THANKFUL FOR // The extra time with my family. Although we wish we could be frequenting our favorite dining spots and shops, working at coffee shops, swinging at the park and seeing our family and friends in-person - we're feeling grateful for more quality time with our small crew. Don't get me wrong, Henry continues to test us every day (thanks terrible twos) but there are moments during the workday - like random hugs, handholds, kisses and bursts of laughter - that I will definitely miss once this pandemic has passed.

THINKING ABOUT // It's our fifth week of quarantine/self-isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic and it's hard to think about anything else. How long is this going to last? What are you doing to thrive instead of just survive?

WATCHING // Ozark. After months of many friends telling us to watch this show we finally started. We're one episode away from finishing the first season and it is awesome. I tend to judge shows in part by if I am able to stay awake (yes, I'm one of those annoying show sleepers). And you guys! Until last night, I've been wide awake for each episode. We still have two seasons to go but if it continues as is we'll be watching every episode of this tense and dark show.

WEARING // Real clothes. Getting dressed is definitely helping me fight through the #WFH slump. Both the Hubs and I normally work from home but with Henry at home, getting dressed each day has become even more important. Ya'll, I even wear mascara sometimes!

Alrighty, that's all for now folks. And for the escape we all need right now, download one of these six snappy Zoom backgrounds from the one and only Gray Malin.