December 20, 2018

Fun Gift Guide

For many years our holidays were spent with my in-laws (a lot of them moved out of CA!) and our family tradition included a White Elephant gift exchange. It was always one of my most favorite parts of our holidays. We would all gather around together and laugh/steal presents. Lottery tickets are always an exciting wild card to the party! Today I put together this little Fun Gift Guide if you’re last minute shopping (like me!) and need some of my favorite ideas.

Table Tennis Kit– we have one of these and it is AWESOME.
Shower Cup Holder – who doesn’t want wine in the shower?
Light Box Letters -got this at the white elephant gift exchange last year! I have it in my office and it’s awesome.
Karaoke Mic – if you follow my Instagram stories, you already know how much I love this.
Drinking Buddies – I bought these drink markers for my Mom one year. We still use them!
Rainbow Maker – give the gift of rainbows! I gave my Mom this two years ago and it’s still up in her kitchen making rainbows.
Amazon Gift Card – gift cards are my love language. They create opportunities to get whatever I what when I want it!
Tool Kit -these are always a hot commodity when there are dudes around. I think it would be smart to keep one in my car.
Cards Against Humanity– Always good for a laugh! I have fond memories playing this game with my Mom + Dad in Tahoe.

Happy gift giving!

recipes

December 19, 2018

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding!

For our family Christmas Eve celebration, my Mom would make a croissant bread pudding (Ina’s of course) and sour cream coffee cake for dessert along with a store-bought bouche noel (because she knew my brother Ryan liked it so much). Come dessert time, my Dad was always on coffee duty, my husband passed out on the floor in a food coma and Cooper in the other room, eyeing all of the presents under the tree, chomping at the bit to open one. We would always be so stuffed from appetizers (sorry!) and dinner when she served the bread pudding. My Dad would do his classic, “You gotta try this!” cheer to get us all to join in, while we all cried “MERCY!”

That didn’t stop me from taking a slice of her coffee cake…

Her bread pudding came back to greet us for Christmas breakfast the next morning paired with her oven baked bacon. If I close my eyes, I can see her crossword puzzle on the kitchen counter, the sound of the kitchen fan buzzing as I watch her SLOOOOWLY flip bacon over in the baking sheet. She would do it at such a slow pace that it would take all of my willpower to NOT step in and take over for her. We would sit down around the table, she’d sprinkle some powdered sugar on top and eat together in our pajamas while she stood in the kitchen in her Christmas day/I’m not a morning person haze. I am so grateful I had so many years of this exact routine.

I’ve been on a cinnamon raisin toast kick for the past few months. Problem with this new food obsession is that I am the only one who eats it in my house. I had a whole loaf in the fridge and was thinking about my Mom and her bread pudding so I put this little Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding together and made it for a special weeknight dessert. It’s a great way to use up leftover bread. It’s a great dessert or breakfast for that matter! Scoop with vanilla ice cream for dessert, dust with a little bit of powdered sugar for breakfast. Always serve warm!

In the process, I found out that Cooper is a fan of bread pudding, so that is incredibly exciting for us! Maybe I can start a new tradition with it in my own home?

LISTS

December 17, 2018

Intentions for the Week

Happy Monday, friends!

This is your friendly reminder to slow down if you can. Take your time with things. Don’t rush! I was rushing around my house yesterday and ended up breaking my pinky toe (I think!). Be present and don’t hurry. That’s when mistakes happen. Everyone is rushing around and stress is at an all-time high.

Questions for you this week:

What can you do to make things easier for yourself?
How can you ask for help?

Feeling lost? Start with an Intentions for the Week list. Here’s mine!

Intentions for the Week:

laundry
finish up Christmas shopping
get bloodwork done
make doctor’s appointment
finish addressing + mailing holiday cards
send out packages to family + friends
straighten up workspace after packaging is done
gift for teachers
make another batch of chocolate chunk blondies
make banana bread with all the bananas I have leftover
make instant pot applesauce
drink enough water
take a bath
conference call prep
make more family dinners at home
meditate
order more food journals
get rid of paper piles around the house
do meal prep
make cream of spinach soup
grocery shop
bookkeeping
catch up on social media
events for school
plan a date night with Casey!
take pictures of our holiday decorations

Last Week’s Intentions:

~~laundry~~
~~sell Food Journal!~~
~~address my holiday cards & send them out!~~
~~make a new cookie recipe/share recipe~~
~~work on packages/orders~~
trip ~~to the post office (maybe a few trips!)~~
~~go out for a drive at night this week with the family- look at lights!~~
get some exercise
~~spend time around the Christmas tree~~
clean up office
~~clean out~~ fridge/do some meal prep
~~remember to eat healthy food~~
~~drink enough water/tea~~
~~have a date with the calendar~~
plan a date night with Casey
~~grocery shop~~
~~bookkeeping~~
library time
~~donate items to school~~
~~work on Christmas shopping~~
keep the house tidy
give myself permission to go slow when I need to! (I tried at times!)

Mantra for the Week:

Pump Jam for the Week:

Have a great week! Don’t forget to write down your Intentions for the Week! It will help hold you accountable.

I’m rooting for you!

Tracy

my everyday life, Photography

December 16, 2018

My Everyday Life: Week 50

HERE’S WHAT THIS PAST WEEK LOOKED LIKE: My Everyday Life Week 50

Spent a lot of time at the post office this week!

Thank you for all of your food journal orders. I am going to probably have more in my Etsy shop in the new year.

I had a helper with our Christmas cards this year. I am so glad I thought to ask for help because he made the process faster!

I like addressing our cards myself. I use a stamp for our address. I’m not crazy enough to write our address on all of them. That would take foreverrrrrrrrr.

When I need something to focus on, I pull a tarot card.

This one was good.

I like seeing the words Cooper has to spell each week. Sometimes I make a story in my brain with them.

Night light.

Petey is an ump.

LISTS

December 14, 2018

I LOVE LISTS

This kitchen is super charming!
Put your own oxygen mask on first.
Hello, favorite cookie of all time.
This whole Santa thing has a lotta people stressing.
The Bay Area got a Shake Shack!
Tech is making home renovation easier. I want a new bathroom.
New features on Netflix are distracting yet intriguing.
Some schools are trying out the whole NO HOMEWORK policy.
And kids in Seattle are going to school later. 2018 is interesting.
Pinterest Food Trends for 2019- I’m excited about mushrooms.
When a person’s name matches their job perfectly
Funny Elf on the Shelf ideas! LOL
Why families fight during the holidays
You can get a log for your fireplace that smells like KFC
A look at Christmas Decor from the past.
Time to rewatch Rushmore. I can’t believe it’s been out for 20 years!
Secrets of people who don’t get stressed out during the holidays.
Holiday gift ideas: polaroid camera/ karaoke microphone /do no harm tee / light up sign
The joy of gift free holidays
My favorites from Etsy if you need some gift inspo.
What’s Ruth Reichl reading these days?
Come play with me in Santa Fe next year!

recipes

December 12, 2018

Coconut Lime Macaroons

In the last two years, I let all of my magazine subscriptions lapse except for Bon Appetit. I think at one point I had something like 5 magazine subscriptions? As an adult who must manage the mess of myself (real talk) and my family, magazines just pile up in stacks that I have to manage and I don’t have the headspace to deal with them anymore. How the heck did I ever manage that much paper in our house?

To be honest, I have enough ripped out recipes in a folder in my office that could last a lifetime. I stopped actively looking for recipes once Pinterest stepped in. I don’t think I really even look at the recipes on Pinterest. I sometimes spend a ridiculous amount of time collecting pictures of ideas that will ultimately stress me out that I’m not putting out new AMAZING content fast enough. We have so much information at our fingertips these days! It makes the passing of time feel frenetic. The holidays and the end of the year processes add a million other layers of stress on top of it.

This Coconut Lime Macaroon recipe from Bon Appetit has been popping up in my recipe folder for the past 5 years. The page I tore out didn’t have a photo, just the recipe. With the coconut shavings I have stashed in my pantry and the leftover limes from the week, the time was right for me to make these cookies. One less paper in a pile to keep!

Too bad I waited soo long to make this recipe from my recipe hoard. They’re incredible! Slightly chewy and slightly crispy with toasted coconut with hints of lime. They’re light and delicate, which to me means danger. Only in that, I’ll probably eat three blindly if I’m not careful.

The holidays are about making people happy by being thoughtful. These are perfect for anyone on your list who is staying away from flour or isn’t a fan of chocolate (we exist!). I have a few coconut lovers in my life I can’t wait to indulge with these!

LISTS

December 10, 2018

Intentions for the Week:

Happy Monday, Friends!

How are we feeling today? MY TO DO LIST IS GROWING BY THE SECOND. HOLY COW.

How are we going to take care of ourselves this week?

Take a pause and have some hot tea. Gather yourself. Drink liquids. Your body needs it.

This week is all about packaging up things and sending them out in the mail. My food journal is on sale. THANK YOU for those of you who ordered last week. I posted it on my Instagram/Instagram stories and I sold out in a few hours! I am doing it all on my own so I want to make sure that I have enough time to fit it into my schedule. Thank you for your patience! Buy one here!

Also, a reminder that I’m teaching a food photography workshop in Santa Fe, NM May 2019. If you’re looking to expand your photography or give an amazing experience to someone special (ahem, cough cough YOU), sign up here!

Feeling overwhelmed? Let’s start with a list! Write down your Intentions for the Week!