i’ve always been a naturally-anxious person. I would worry, overthink, and take things personally to the max capacity. things overwhelmed me that didn’t seem to bother my sisters. other people’s emotions (or the emotions I perceived) would really affect me. the tiniest things would send me into a spiral.

my mom - bless the woman - knew this about me and put me in swimming when I was very little. (she also has a gift for modeling emotional awareness - she instilled the art of identifying our emotions, understanding others’ perspectives, and advocating for what we need from a young age in us three girls.) my mom gave me an incredible set of tools - and a healthy, meditative, physical outlet - to work through my spinny brain and for that I will be eternally grateful to her.

but when I went to college, I stopped swimming. and I did fine - college was fun. but i didn’t take very good care of myself, and mentally I could feel it.

then I went into the working world as a teacher. and I did better, mainly because I loved the kids, I flourished with a set schedule, and I found a local swimteam. I felt better, but not great.

but four years later, i left my teaching job and I took my business full time, working for myself at home. by losing the school day, I completely lost all structure and my days were free to spend as I pleased - which had sounded so appealing. but a year and a half into this, my productivity was at an all time low, and both my weight and self-doubt were at at all time high. my anxiety was absolutely crippling. what was wrong with me?

long story short, everything came to a head and I had an epic, ugly meltdown that lasted the duration of two flights, a layover, the car ride home, and the rest of the evening on the kitchen floor. (affectionately known as The Meltdown of 2017.)

i needed to make some changes. I needed to create my own structure.

I then did a deep dive into lifestyle choices to naturally manage (and thrive with) anxiety. (and, as you can imagine, there are no less than a bajillion suggestions out there.) I learned about INFJs, Highly Sensitive Persons, Enneagram 4s, Empaths, allllll the things - which in itself was very healing. nothing was wrong with me - I just needed certain things to feel my best.

and from there, I started prioritizing those certain things and I felt so good. and once I knew how it felt to feel that good, I could never go back. i built routines to automate these things, and because my routines aligned with my priorities, very little motivation was needed to stay consistent. wanting to feel my best was all I needed to keep going.

when we lost the pregnancy, I gained an even bigger appreciation for my routines. they were my life raft to which I clung while grieving. I will forever be so grateful for them - and for my Past Self for creating them. and when I felt above water again, I had new clarity and new inspiration for new routines I needed to even further prioritize my wellbeing. and for that, I have such gratitude.

and each year gets better and better as I learn more about my needs and adjust my choices as needed. this has been a slowwwww - yet sustainable! - journey. my road to get here was bumpy, but I’m so glad to be where I am today. and I’m so glad KK gets to grow up seeing her mom take care of herself.

here’s my list of things that make me personally feel my best. a list of my favorite routines, systems, and choices. you do whatever works best for you.

I follow a list

I asked myself, “What makes me feel my best? What makes me feel not my best? What makes me happy? What makes me feel anxious? What brings me joy?” and I made a list. this list influences the majority of my decisions. consider it my guiding light.
examples of things that make me feel my best: daily movement, plenty of time to rest/recharge, knowing what’s for dinner (menu planning), sleeping with a white noise machine, walks or hikes, a few close friends, seeing my family, reading, saying no, swimming, alone time, meal prepping, time at home, cooking dinner, setting out play invitations for KK, a clean kitchen, family adventures, when my skin looks good, following a budget, citrus scents, etc.
examples of things that make me feel not my best: when I go to bed late, when I consume alcohol too close to bedtime (I don’t sleep as deeply), too many commitments on the calendar, lots of social outings, overhead lights, candle scents, having to decide every day what’s for breakfast/snack/lunch/dinner, making breakfast/lunch everyday (cooking dinner soothes me - but cooking breakfast/lunch irritates/overwhelms me), not knowing when laundry is getting done, when I don’t drink enough water, too much eating out, too much TV, too many wardrobe options, messy house, lots of errands, laundry piled up, cluttered kitchen bar, etc.

i make my routines a choice

this is a big one. what works best for me is making alllllll my routines a choice. I ask myself, “do I feel like doing this routine today?” and if the answer is no, I skip said routine, guilt free. because to me, the goal is consistency, not perfection.
but also, by skipping a routine, I usually give myself an opportunity to realize how much I benefit from the routine and I return to the routine with newfound appreciation. (however, on the flip side, if I find myself not missing the skipped routine, I dig into that a little deeper. does the routine need to be tweaked? or is it no longer needed?)
so for me, making the routines a choice - and skipping it if need be - is a win-win.

i drink water

because I realized a big trigger for me is dehydration. I feel more anxious when I haven’t had enough water. figuring out a water routine that works was huge.
here’s a quick instagram post where I model how I came up with my routine. (I’ve since tweaked my water routine shown in the post to meet my current needs, but the process is still the same.)
right now I have two of these amazing cups, thanks to the brilliance of my dear friend lisa - one for me and one for Brett. I fill them up first thing in the morning, and then I refill them in the early afternoon. they stay cold, they don’t sweat, they fit in both my subaru cupholders and my stroller caddy, and the straw is a godsend - drinking enough water has never been so easy. easy freaking peasy!

i say no

I say no, and I say no ruthlessly. I only say yes to things that align with our values. things that absolutely excite me.
and because I don’t like an overly busy calendar. saying no protects my peace and allows space for my priorities. saying no gives me plenty of time to recharge at home - something I absolutely need plenty of to feel my best.

i diffuse orange essential oil

many believe there to be numerous health benefits of essential oils, and I’m not discounting that. I really like my home to have a light citrus scent, but candles tend to bother me. so for that reason alone, I have two diffusers, and each morning I add water and orange essential oil to them. I keep no other essential oil on hand.
maybe there actually are mood-boosting qualities to the scent of orange - but really the morning routine of slowly pouring water, carefully dropping oil, and setting a cozy ambiance in my home is what is super grounding for me. and, like I said, my home having a light scent of orange makes me really happy.
(yes, I use inexpensive orange essential oil that I can buy from Amazon. don’t send me hate mail.)

i take vitamins

See the full list of what my family takes here.
We have all our vitamins set to Amazon Subscribe and Save. One less thing to think about.

i prioritize my skin

see all I do each day to take care of my skin here.

i menu plan

one of my favorite ways to take care of myself is deciding ahead of time what we’re eating for the week - so menu planning is one of my friday routines. I’m just not a person that can decide (or wants to decide) dinners last minute, and that’s okay. here’s how I menu plan.
want ideas for your own menu plan? subscribe to my weekly newsletter! i send out my personal menu plan each week, full of recipe links, dinner ideas, meal prep inspiration, and a few of my favorite things.

i use a meal rotation

my other favorite way to take care of myself? following a meal rotation. which basically means I’m not meal planning from scratch and which means I’m not deciding on a day-to-day basis what’s for, say, KK’s morning snack - it’s already chosen for me. the structure in itself is so calming - I know it’s Monday and therefore we’re having some sort of sandwich for dinner. BLISS.
i can’t emphasize enough how much this system helped me. here’s a round-up of all my meal rotations I’ve had up until this point!

i pack lunches at night

even on days we eat at home, I pack lunch the night before. when we get home from our morning outing, and we’re tired/cranky/doing 4799273 things already, I’m SO happy to just pull lunch out of the fridge for my toddler and BAM! it’s done.
our evenings are so much calmer, so it’s more enjoyable to prep lunch then.
see more about my favorite lunchbox things here.

i go to bed early

the minute I get tired, I go to bed. which means some days I’m in bed at 8:00 pm. I honestly can’t remember the last time I went to bed past 9:45 PM - I need my sleep.

i sleep with a white noise machine and good pillows

I swear by this white noise machine. brett and I have two in our room, one on each side of the bed. (we also have two in KK’s room.)
- we also keep three of the travel versions of that white noise machine and we keep them near our flashlights so that when the power goes out (or we go on a trip), we all still have access to our favorite white noise.
i also swear by our pillows. we consider them one of our best investments. i wash them once a month as part of my monthly routines and I’m pretty sure it’s Brett’s favorite day of the month.
while we’re on the topic, I also sleep with a weighted blanket, but I have no link for that - mine’s just one I grabbed from Target for our Christmas Eve Box joint gift tradition.

i make smoothies

i aim for a daily smoothie, but like with all my routines, if I’m not feeling a smoothie that day or if the morning gets away from me, I skip it. (but then I realize how much I miss my morning smoothie, and I return to it the next day with a newfound appreciation.) with this mindset, I’ve had a “daily” smoothie about 4-6 times a week for the past ten-ish years. and since I aim for consistency, not perfection, I am superrrr proud of this consistency.
read all about my smoothies here.
maybe it’s the large dose of fiber and produce, maybe it’s the grounding ritual of adding ingredients to a blender every morning - regardless, I find my daily smoothie to be one of my routines that soothes my anxiety the most.
what also helps? these days I loveeee to drink my smoothie when KK and I are driving home from our morning outing - so, around 11 am-ish. but the key for me is making the smoothie at 8:30 AM-ish - when I’m at home and slowlyyyy working through morning routines - putting it in an insulated tumbler so it stays cold, and putting the tumbler straight in a car cupholder. I make my smoothie ahead of time, way before I drink it, wayyyy before I’m even hungry. and that works for me so well. it’s one of my favorite ways to take care of Future Haley…and because I learned if I wait until I’m already hungry to make my smoothie, it’s not going to happen. create routines that take care of you, however that looks for you!

I have a system for our photos

Because I love photos and photos are important to me, so we have an easy system to prioritize them.

i have instagram notifications turned off on my phone

yep. notifications turned off - i don’t like them popping up on my phone. I only get on Instagram when it feels enjoyable and I step away when it doesn’t (which is why some days I’m suuuuper active and some days I’m just gone), and the turned off notifications really helps.
but, that being said, the downside is I miss a handful of DMs, tags, and comments. just know that even if you don’t hear from me, I so appreciate your kindness and support.
same goes with gmail - notifications are turned off. really the only notifications I get are texts, Nest alerts, and Amazon deliveries. (I really have no other forms of social media, either.)

i meal prep some breakfast and lunch options for the week

I learned while I love making dinner, making breakfasts, lunches, and snacks both drain and overwhelm me. those I like to be quick grab-and-go situations. so each week I meal prep a few options for these for the week to take care of Future Haley. and each week I’m I so glad I did soo. nourishing myself (and a toddler) has never been easier.
see this week’s menu plan for what I’m meal prepping.

i get curbside grocery pick-up

you must know I love the grocery store. when Brett and I were dating, we had a standing Saturday morning grocery store date and it was my favorite.
however, while I love the grocery store, it does wear me out. the overhead lights, the navigating the cart, the people (even though I purposely try to go before peak times), the parking, the mental load of checking my list (and doing the mental math to make sure I haven’t gone too over budget), etc. so in this season, I get curbside grocery pick-up so that I can save my energy for other things I love - like swimteam and meal prep.
and I choose a curbside pick-up for a time and place I plan to be out and about anyways so I can just swing by on my way home. I really dislike multiple car trips since I really don’t like driving, tbh - so I prefer doing one big errand run with several stops. and I’ve created our daily rhythm to encourage consolidation of car trips for that reason, but more on that in a second.

i create traditions that excite me

we ask ourselves about each and every holiday and celebration: “what would truly excite us about this day? what do we want do together? what would be fun to do now and as our family grows? how can we make this day a special celebration? what traditions do we want to have as a family?” and while, yeah, it is because we now had a child and I wanted our lives peppered with joyful traditions and intentional celebrations, there’s also another added bonus: simplification.
because, as one of my favorite books ever talked about, there is power and freedom in deciding once. because we waste energy when doing the whole dance of, “I don’t, know, what do you want to do this year fo {insert holiday or celebration here}?” if you can pinpoint right now what you authentically love for that holiday and what would genuinely get you excited for, say, valentine’s day, assign it to that day. do it every year. decide once. no need to reinvent the wheel every year if you can figure out now what you’d love - we have plentyyyy of other things in our life to have to think about.
(of course - like our routines - the minute something is no longer serving us in our current season, we let it go and we reevaluate.)
but for now, that deciding once makes things so easy. so even when I’m not feeling well or man, I’m tired, or hi, i have a toddler and a three-week old, those family traditions are automated, guaranteeing us a special celebration.
and i want my kids to grow up and know that their mom loved her daily life, but she also loved holidays, traditions, and birthdays. and because life is short. and i want mine peppered with joyful rituals and intentional celebrations.
see our full list of traditions here.

i simplify holidays + celebrations

I Decide Once on gifts.
and I have a simplified gift wrap stash for all occasions.

i move my body every day

and I only move it in ways that are fun for me. doing things that I legitimately enjoy and realizing how much movement positively affects my anxious mind were the key to me consistently (and willingly) moving every day.
things I love in this season: Lifetime gym (more on this next), swimming, Fit4Mom, yin yoga classes, neighborhood walks, and hikes.
I also love taking KK to the nearby park and the pool - both of which require movement from me.

i go to a gym with childcare

here’s more on why joining a nice gym with good childcare has worked really, really well for us.

i take walks with a weighted vest

i love to walk my neighborhood to get my creative juices flowing or to work through an issue - a good walk is the answer to all sorts of problems for me.
and I love to walk with my weighted vest - this book and this post explain the benefits of doing a slowwwww daily walk with a weighted vest.
- tldr: it allows your overused trap muscle - the one used to carry your head - to rest and release, among other benefits.
- I often used to get horrible neck/back pain from all the time I spent looking downward - from all the baby stuff and cooking stuff and reading stuff and computer stuff and housework stuff and floral stuff and overall sitting with horrible posture stuff - until I started this routine.
- **the vest is supposed to be less than 10% of your body weight, so mine is a 12 pound vest.
Brett and I also went a hot minute without prioritizing our family walks — but that quickly taught us we need our walks together - otherwise we don’t feel as connected. (this is a PC way of saying we weren’t getting along like we usually do.) and without our walks, his hip starts bothering him from all his sitting while working, and my back starts bothering me from all my bad-posture-while-existing. so all that to say, walks are a big priority for us.

I go on monthly dinner dates with Brett

see more about this ritual of ours - and how/why we prioritize it - here.

i Decide Once with my wardrobe

A simplified wardrobe works so well for me - I now love getting dressed.
I learned the colors that look best on me - there are lots of options out there, but I used Created Colorful and considered it one of my best investments ever. I now only buy in colors that look best on me, which means I truly only own certain shades of white, gray, blues, and pinks. (with the exception of a few black pieces because hi it’s classic and a few burnt orange pieces because hi i love my university.)
90-95% of my wardrobe are solid colors. I like that the majority of my closet can mix and match.
also. i do not buy colored or patterned bottoms - in fact, i do not deviate from black or denim. i believe these are the most flattering on me, they’re what I feel best in, and this simplifies my closet incredibly, as they mix and match with everything. (and, I’m less tempted + less overwhelmed when shopping.)
I only wear turquoise jewelry - explained in this post. My go-to signature outfit - when I’m not in workout clothes - is a solid top in the aforementioned colors or a solid dress in the aforementioned colors and a great turquoise piece. Repeat forever and ever.
not sure what Decide Once means? read this book (or listen to the podcast by this author) - it is my favorite book of all time. consider it the best manual for making every aspect of your life work for you.

I have split responsibilities (and a whiteboard) with Brett

woo, this is a big one. Brett and I have a very distinct, separate set of responsibilities, as well as a fridge whiteboard. And once we implemented that system, I cannot emphasize how much mental space was freed up. Everything explained in this Instagram post.
Read this book - it is one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read, full of fascinating research about household responsibilities and the inequality of workloads. It beautifully teaches how to identify your priorities and your strengths, and then shows you how to use that to split household responsibilities with your partner. Can’t recommend enough.
This book is another favorite of mine - also full of incredibly interesting research. Don’t be deterred by the title of the book - I so enjoyed reading how the author implemented experts’ findings into her own household.

i use a box

speaking of mail, we have a box (this box, actually) that sits in our main area. and in there goes any important thing we need to deal with, but don’t feel like dealing with this minute.
cards, bills, gift cards, mail, rebates, receipts, important pieces of paper, our envelope for mailing in our property taxes, things that need to be filed, etc. all kept in this box. sounds so simple, but this unassuming box spares us many, many times the question of, “Where is such-and-such?” we know it’s in the box.
see this post for a peek at our box…and the arguably the hardest working area of our home.

I implement a filing system

because between our dogs, our cars, our taxes, our home, and our general adulting lives in general, we have a pile of papers. what works best for me is having a filing system (with dog binders and car binders) - see the system here. I love knowing where everything is, I love that Brett knows where everything is, and - better yet - I love knowing where to put any new papers that come in our home.

i have a laundry system

creating a system to automate laundry freed up so much stress and drama I didn’t even know I was carrying. deciding that this is when laundry gets done always is like a collective sigh of relief for me.
in this season, my laundry system is as follows:
- one of my morning routines is to start a load of laundry, if needed. I’m a morning person through and through, and having this task as part of my morning routine ensures the highest possibility it’ll actually happen. (whereas evening laundry would have a 0% success rate for me.)
- on tuesdays, I wash all towels (and rags, linen napkins, changing pad covers, etc.). happy towel tuesday - see the reel (and impromptu house tour) here!
- on fridays, I wash all sheets. happy fresh sheets friday!
- and on all other days, I just peek to see if we could benefit from a load of laundry, or could I wait a day? my morning routine is to start a load of laundry, if needed.
figuring out a laundry system you love - assigning certain things to certain days, doing one small load a day, doing all laundry in one day, enlisting kids to do their own laundry, hiring someone to do laundry, whatever! - is one of the easiest, best ways to take care of yourself.
see my full cleaning schedule here.

i assign household tasks to certain days/months

running a household is hard work. what works best for me is automating whatever I can.
my favorite way to do this? brain-dumping allllllllllll the household tasks - write them all down. of those tasks, what do I want to do once a day, once a week, once a month, once a year? let’s categorize those tasks! what will be done on tuesdays? what will be done once a month? what will be done in februarys? write it allllll down. (I’m always adding to and editing our lists as I think of new things and as our needs change.)
because assigning tasks to desired frequency really helps everything feel more manageable for me. by saying in january we deep clean the pantry and in september we take inventory of the medicine cabinet and in the mornings we unload the dishwasher and in february we get the dogs vaccinated and in july we touch-up paint the walls and on Tuesdays we clean the kitchen and in march we get new filters and on Fridays we make the menu plan and and and, I won’t get overwhelmed by these small tasks - I know when they’re getting done and I know what I should be focusing on right now instead. it gives me permission to rest.
but also, this system helps give me a lot of grace. if I skip a routine, it’s not a big deal - I know I’ll just get to it next time around. it allows for life to happen, even if life happening is just that I want to sit my tired behind on the couch.
want even more ideas? here’s my full cleaning schedule, here’s my list of monthly routines, here’s my list of yearly tasks + expenses.

i follow a daily rhythm

i need that structure to my days just as much as KK. a daily rhythm is incredibly grounding for me and amazingly soothing for my toddler. a daily rhythm also allows me to prioritize what’s important to us - it keeps us so very intentional in this short life of ours. I love our days.
read more about our daily rhythm here.

**i have (and swear by) a if haley dies document**

I swear it’s not as morbid as it sounds. what started off as a joke turned into one of our most-referenced documents in our household. see the Instagram post here.

i give myself alone time

you know that daily rhythm I just mentioned? in there I create space for me to get my much-needed alone time. I need it to recharge, I need it to survive. (this is also why I try to keep my calendar on the emptier side - too many social outings absolutely drains me, the exception to that being I like to work out with people. go figure.)
when possible, I wake up before the rest of the house to start my day with an hour of quiet alone time to do whatever the heck I want. fills my cup like no other. when that’s too hard to do organically (like in the newborn phase), I make sure I get that daily alone time somehow, even if it’s just asking Brett if we can do something in complete silence.
oftentimes Brett will take KK somewhere on Saturday mornings so I can sit in the house by myself and it is life-giving.

i write everything down

one of the simplest, most effective things that help me - I write everything down.
Google Sheets -
- addresses - a running list of loved ones and their mailing addresses. it was originally made for sending out our wedding invites, but it has proven handy over the years. perfect for holiday cards, surprise snail mail, and care packages alike.
- if haley dies - THE BEST DOCUMENT EVER.
EveryDollar Plus - I swear I’m relatively strong with math, but we didn’t get a handle on our finances until we started using a written budget. I’ve been using this program since 2017 and I swear by it.
Our Fridge Calendar - We used to do a shared digital calendar, but then learned Brett does best with something tangible staring him in the face.
Our Fridge Whiteboard System - shown here!
Allllll the household task lists: here’s my full cleaning schedule, here’s my list of monthly routines, here’s my list of yearly tasks + expenses

I have a prepared-ish home

I say ish because while I’d like to think we’re pretty prepared for the unknown, you and I both know we can’t prepare for everything. But by having a fairly stocked home with a few items and a few specific systems, I feel calmer facing life’s little (and big) hiccups. And that alone is 1000% worth it to me.
See the full post here.
Just know that - growing up in Houston - my mom nicknamed me Hurricane Haley, so just consider yourself warned before you click that post. But know that we were so incredibly grateful for my prepper prepared ways when that Ice Storm last year left us for a hot minute without power, water, and the ability to drive.
- But really, while a lot of things are nice for a potential natural disaster, they’re also nice when I’d rather rest and recharge on my couch than make a last-minute, frenzied trip to the store.

I read a lot

Too much TV makes me feel really on edge. So I read. And mainly I read in moments of waiting. Waiting at an appointment, waiting for Brett to get ready, waiting for the oven to preheat, waiting for the groceries to get delivered, waiting for Brett to come home, etc etc etc. To some people, it’s like “Wait, you read, like, two to twenty minutes at a time?” And I’m like, “YES! Those few minutes here, few minutes there, really add up.” For this reason, I always have a book with me. (Few things make me more upset than being stuck waiting, without a book.)
And, I find that I do my best reading when I read this way: in moments of waiting. Because, oftentimes, when it’s time to put the book down, I’m hooked on the story. And then I work to create more time to finish the book. So I may read before bed, or before KK wakes up in the morning.
So by creating no pressure on myself to read, and instead looking at it as an enjoyable way to wait, I find myself organically reading more.
And really, reading reallyyyy helps my naturally anxious mindset. So whereas most people these days scroll in moments of waiting, I find I do better reading in those few moments because it not only takes me to a new environment, but it also oftentimes provides me with a new perspective - both of which I find incredibly grounding.
The minute I added the kindle app, the audible app, and the libby app to my phone, my reading skyrocketed, as it was now much easier to read in moments of waiting. especially when I had a newborn baby in a pandemic. I read so, so much in those early days of breastfeeding. 2am became my favorite time to read. (See more about my postpartum favorites here.)
Lately I’ve discovered how much I love listening to an audiobook while driving. Or while walking. Or while cooking. Or. or. or.
Here’s my favorite books and all my reading FAQs answered.

I use subscriptions

I love using subscriptions whenever we can on products we use often. because the mental load of running a household can be overwhelming, and automating what I can works reallyyyy well for me - subscriptions automate a big part of our household, especially since there are many items that we use on a predictable, regular basis to run said household.
One of my October routines is to reflect to see if anything in our life could benefit from being set to a subscription (or, alternatively, taken off a subscription) - whether that be Amazon Subscribe and Save, our skincare line auto replenishment, a carwash membership, a coffee bean subscription, a meat delivery subscription, etc.
We especially love Amazon Subscribe and Save - here’s why we love it and what we get!
like I said, I love to automate what I can.

I cook dinner

Simply because it makes me happy. As a stay at home mom, cooking (and meal planning) is my favorite way to nourish my creativity and cooking’s my favorite way to never stop learning. And, honestly, ending my day by working with my hands is so incredibly soothing for me. Eating at home with my people makes me feel good.
However, I only cook 5-6 nights a week - I specifically chose dinner themes on Friday and Saturday that allow me to rest. I love cooking dinner because I get a break from cooking dinner. Schedule your rest. See our dinner themes (and full meal rotation) here.

i add produce, fiber, and water wherever possible into my diet

…and other than that I just listen to my body as to what I’m craving and when I’m full. some days that’s a goooood salad, and some days that’s french fries. restriction doesn’t work for me - I believe food is meant to be enjoyed and everything is good in moderation.

i have a yearly tasks + expenses list

I swear this is why I sleep so deeply. all those household tasks, annual appointments, family traditions - rounded up into one list. see my Instagram post here for more!

i keep a stocked medicine cabinet and first aid kit

few things make me feel calmer than knowing we have the basics on hand. every september and march, I check our inventory and replenish - read the quick instagram post about this routine that has saved us time and time again here.

I have morning routines + evening routines

because it’s so very calming to start and end my days the exact same way. no matter what goes on in the middle of my days, I know that my beginnings and ends of my days will be somewhat predictable. and that in itself is so comforting.
but also? creating morning and evening routines that I love ensures that things very important to me are prioritized and will happen on a daily basis.
here’s my morning routines and my evening routines.
- need help creating a routine that works for you? The Lazy Genius has an episode in her podcast that teaches this beautifully - and it might be in her book too, but I can’t remember since I essentially nodded YES through the entire read.

I enjoy an evening glass of fresh juice

Yep! I swapped a fresh juice for my nightly glass of wine, and I’m in love. Read all about this beloved routine here!

we follow a Sunday ritual

we created a Sunday ritual to make weekly space in our calendar to prioritize family adventures and time together. but also, we made a ritual to allow us both to recharge for the week and prepare for the week - an absolute dream of a combo for my anxious tendencies.
read more about our Sunday Grill and Chill here.
spoiler: it completely revolutionized our marriage…and our weeknight dinners.

I use a carwash subscription

i cannot recommend enough getting a carwash subscription to somewhere with a good drive-thru carwash and a plethora of vacuums/sprays/potions to DIY a good car detail. here’s four reasons why I especially love it as a mom.
(if you’re local, we have a monthly subscription to here.)

i bake one sweet treat a week

I once heard from the Didn’t I Just Feed You Podcast, that Meghan always meal preps some sort of dessert, as she finds it’s one of the most wonderful ways to instill joy in her family’s week. and i was like, omg yes. sign me up.
so a few months back, we started this weekly routine. when menu planning, i choose a new dessert to try and sometime during the week, usually whenever i’m feeling anxious or restless, i make said dessert. (like today, time was standing still after KK’s nap. so kk and i made this to kill time. because I love cooking with her nearby and because she occupies herself better when my hands are busy, tbh.)
and yeah, i’ve loved the excuse to try new recipes, and i’ve loved the nudge to prioritize time in the kitchen - one of my favorite things. fills my cup like no other. but i’ve also learned making brett a dessert is one of my favorite ways to show him love.
and, as it turns out, we’ve learned that brett’s love language is homemade dessert. the guy feels so darn loved with this new weekly routine. fills his cup like no other. he loves ending his day with a sweet, and loves knowing I made it “just for him.”
and each week, brett says between bites, “oh mama, i love you so much.” it truly is the sweetest routine. 🥰
PS those that subscribe to my newsletter receive each week’s menu plan and meal prep plan, including the dessert recipe Im hoping to make. subscribe here. ❤️

I make our home our haven

I’ve always loved decorating and I wanted my home to be my personal haven. I loved colorful homes with creative personality, and I loved all those spaces that looked so cozy. And I wanted a haven that was equally a safe space to recharge for me as it was a safe space to play for our family. (It’s a tall order, I know.) So I made a list of all the things I truly loved for our living space.
According to my list, I love whites, creams, beiges, navys, blues, pinks, oranges, golds, bamboos, wickers, rattans, leopards. I love hooks, baskets, and easy-to-use systems. I love displaying sentimental pieces and happy memories in our home - photos, maps, magazine clippings, pieces of art, whatever. I love when wooden spoons are displayed in a kitchen. I love when a pantry is both a well-utilized and functional use of space. I love blue and white china. I love Julia Child’s Kitchen, I love the kitchen in the movie It’s Complicated. I love white sheets, white towels, white cribs, white drawers, and white shelves. I love lots of opportunities for play, rest, and actual living. I love realistic use of space - it’s a home, not a museum. I love pieces with easy-to-wash covers. I love when kid pieces in cohesive colors are immersed into main living spaces. I love soft lamp lighting. I love the scent of light citrus. I love cozy seating, lots of blankets, and plenty of books. (The list goes on.)
My list pinpointed what I truly loved in a living space. And really, I believe your home should only be filled with things you love. So I never deviate from my list when decorating, organizing, or creating a system. And I am never tempted by things not meant for me - even if they’re a great price or even if they’re super trendy on Pinterest or even if they just look so cute in that girl’s photo.
- And - whenever possible, I tried to get baby/kid things in white, cream/khaki, and navy - not only to make it gender neutral for all my babies, but also so that they blended in with my home decor. Which sometimes means spending more money on a neutral version…or getting a can of paint. The investment is worth it to me.
- Also to note: Brett and I made a deal early on. He said I could decorate where we lived however I wanted, as long as he had plenty of comfy places to sit, plenty of Google Home products, and plenty of good food (and he said plenty of something else, but I’ll omit that and just let you fill in the blank). Highly, highly recommend a deal like this. I took that deal and RAN.
I love our home. (I also did this exercise with our 600 sq ft apartment, and I loved that home, too.) It feels like a true reflection of me, it’s my safe space to recharge, and it definitely helps me feel my best.

I lean into my favorite parts of motherhood

motherhood can be hard, so I very much believe in identifying my favorite parts, and leaning into them hard. mine are cultivating family rituals, creating play invitations (and sensory bins!), and cooking dinner. they bring me absolute joy and they’re so important to me, so I prioritize them - and therefore we make some serious space for them in our home, our schedule, and our budget. (but on the flip side, if you’re looking for a mom that’s loves, say, sports or cosleeping or baby music classes or themed parties or homemade baby food, I’m not your gal. those aren’t my areas of joy.) i say whatever brings you joy is incredible and I say lean into it hard. life’s too short.
here’s a round-up of all my motherhood-related posts. like KK’s favorite things from birth until now, our Baby Led Weaning journey, how I cook with a toddler running amuck, our sensory tables, my postpartum favorites, and my child-friendly home.
speaking of joy, here’s a big source of joy for me: a tour of the play areas (and favorite toys!) of our home and our monthly themes for play