On Doing.
Reading: Why Not Me. When you laugh so hard that you pee your pants.
Deciding: that Wednesdays should be made for margaritas, regardless of the season.
Seeing: everything new through this bug’s eyes.
Wishing: for this cheese plate everyday at happy hour. Can it magically appear? This is what I made for Eddie’s birthday happy hour last week and it probably ranks up there as #1 for my favorite appetizers and snacks.
Hoping: that I can find mallo cups in the grocery store already. (and maybe peanut butter cup pumpkins because they are > then regular peanut butter cups. Duh.)
Making: this whacked out banana drizzle toast once a week or so. It’s no biggie, but a big deal. It makes the day feel fancy even if you’re wearing the same workout clothes for the third day in a row. Do you feel me?
{5 grain sourdough > swirled vanilla almond and chocolate hazelnut butters > sliced bananas > cinnamon sprinkle > coconut butter drizzle > hemp hearts.}
sidenote: WHAT on earth happened to Justin’s chocolate almond butter? Was it discontinued? Am I way late to that party? Ugh.
Feeling: like animal print is absolutely a neutral.
Dreaming: of this homemade affogato that I was making a few weeks ago. I miiiiiight have had a little issue with it. Daily.
Wondering: if I can one day have a big ass pink espresso/cappuccino/fancy coffee drink maker in my kitchen, even if it takes up three feet of counter space.
Snacking: on coconut oil popcorn with this salt. Erryday.
Embarrassing: myself constantly by using words like the above.
Remembering: our weekend fun with these ones and finally meeting them after six years of loving and crushing and admiring. SO FUN.
Flipping: over the fact that my husband set up a weekly recording of Total Divas on E! Why? Just why?
Chasing: him everywhere because he loves to move! The number of pictures have dwindled dramatically.
Throwing: our toes in the air like we just don’t care.
Struggling: to STILL find my own identity when I still want to be 100% doing two things I love 100% of the time always. To incorporate the ways that being a mom has changed my life while still feeling like my authentic self. To deal with feeling stale and stuck and boring. To wish I had more time to put out incredible content.
Vowing: to not live in puffy vests this winter.
Eating:
- this insanely delicious roasted green posole from Ashley’s Date Night In. Holy cow was this fantastic. See also: we may have used some of the leftovers for nachos. Eeeeep.
2. Sweet and spicy chicken salads, at least once per week. Gets us through.
Trying: to desperately decorate and add some style to this home but GUYS. I HAVE NO HOME DÉCOR TASTE. Seriously. I buy the wrong things, I put things in the wrong places, I search for inspiration and nothing looks like I want it to. I keep buying things with flowers (?why?) and now it looks like I live with an 80 year old. I just have such a terrible design eye. HALP me.
Loving: that this is literally all that matters.
Wanting: you to know that I appreciate you. Tell me something good. Or give me a spotify playlist? Either way.
68 Comments on “On Doing.”
There is so much food in this post that I need to eat. That is all.
Oh my goodness! So much love for this post and the toes in the air photo just made my entire day!!!!
Yes, the toes in the air photo did it for me too.
I am also loving why not me! I’ve been listening to it on audiobook when i walk my dog and i laugh out loud all the time. neighborhood must think i’m crazy.
Love seeing a little glimpse of what you are up to! ♥ On struggling…girl, you are doing FINE. Don’t stress…you ARE putting out incredible content…you ARE being a great mom. Know you can’t do IT ALL (at least not all at once) and that’s ok.
Also, I think Max and his little toes need to come to Texas! :)
Change is hard and it totally sucks- but know that you are doing a great job and that you are not boring or stale. We are always our own worst critiques. I check your blog every day just as I have for the past couple of years and if anything-it’s gotten better! I like that you put up 3 recipes a week and then throw in a few extras like Tuesday things or a max post. That is enough and you are enough! Hang in there! And remember that you rule! :)
After reading this post I am convinced that you are my 2nd spirit animal, after Mindy Kaling of course ;)
Heh … Feeling: like animal print is absolutely a neutral. WOOOORRRDDD to big bird! Also, I clearly am okay with embarrassing myself with my language. This was such a great post, your munchkin is getting so big and he’s such a dapper little fellow :)
As well, I think it needs to be said – you may be searching for your true self, but to all of us you’re doing an AMAZING job balancing it all
Animal print is ABSOLUTELY a neutral.
Love this post! And, of course, the toes in the air :) I’ve been trying to decorate my house recently after about 10 years of boring blank walls and generic furniture. What has really helped is something I read about looking through Pinterest and pinning everything you like for say, a bedroom, and then go through the photos and find some things they have in common and do those things first. Also, Emily Hendersons “biggest design mistakes” posts are funny and super helpful.
Oh that struggle. So real. I battled with that when Jesse was born, too. I’ve finally found a place I feel like I can live with…I hope you do too! So hard, though.
Aaaaand I think about our little morning out ALL the time. I just love you so.
This toes in the air just made my morning :)
I’m so with you on this whole 100% working and 100% Mom business. I don’t have anything super insightful to help you with the transition, but let’s just both pause and realize how lucky we are that we don’t commute to a job we hate and then rush home to see our babes. Nobody said working from home would be easy, but it sure beats the alternative <3 xo
Don’t usually comment, but just want to say I love this post. Made my Wednesday morning.
Jessica – I still think you put out great content. And I’ve been making a lot of your recipes lately (chicken tacos, caramelized shallot/spinach/goat cheese pasta, and your chicken skewers and ribs for a cookout we had this past week) and I can honestly tell you they are some of the best recipes I make! And that’s coming from a girl who has a food blogger/cookbook hoarding problem :) Keep up the good work-you’ve got a precious family and an incredible blog!
want to know something good? you’re real. it’s so great to be “friends” with you. you have real feelings and real life problems that we can all relate to. you’re blog is you (i think? i don’t know you. but i like to think i do) as long as you keep staying true to yourself then you’re golden. You want to post about Max all the time? we don’t care. you want to post 3000 words about neon pants, animal prints, and decorating your house? we’ll still be here. that’s what friends are for, right?
also, https://play.spotify.com/user/1287110796/playlist/0RKnux1LV8IVjzaT5dUtBl
um. I feel you ON SO MANY THINGS so I’m sorry about the aggressiveness of this comment. (a) content on my blog – I recently did a HUGE revamp and a few months ago I was complaining like “I try to hard” and now I’ve had this huge life change with doing a whole30 and changing up my whole relationship with food so I’m like will people still like me now that I don’t post brownie batter/cake batter shots every other week? (b) DESIGN. omg. my new apartment in NYC is all over the place. I have a hamptons-y feel in the bedroom, nautical in the bathroom and then the livingroom transitions to like some weird mesh of modern meets bar meets HELLO BIGGEST TV I COULD FIND. and now I’m on the lookout for a place that makes custom bar signs (you know the ones that have like orange or red light bulbs) to make me one that says FrankLey (Frankie + Ashley) because I’m the corniest person I freaking know and think relationship names are cool. is this too much? IDK someone should tell me. someone should stop me. and (c) as for a spotify playlist, I don’t use spotify – I recently tried the free trial of apple music and I’m loving it. I’m OBSESSED with Thomas Rhett’s new album Tangled. you might be iffy on country – if I remember correctly it’s more of eddie’s jam? but that album is a nice mix between country and something I could see playing on the top 40’s station. Die a happy man is now the top contender for my wedding song… in thirty years when my boyfriend decides to propose.
I’m not even a mom and I feel like I’m struggling to do it all. I seriously love your blog, recipes and humor! Keep up what you’re doing because it’s loved and appreciated.
On the music note, seriously loving Be Your Last by Emily Reid! And the Ryan Adams cover of Taylor’s 1989 album! It’s on repeat!
Animal print is absolutely a neutral (I type this as I’m wearing my new favorite Sam Edelman leopard print pumps, which are very similar to yours!) – just ask Stacy and Clinton!
1. I love you.
2. Margaritas are made for everyday.
3. Cheese plates are life. One of my first dates in college was a cheese plate picnic on my dorm room floor. 10 years later, we still have them on our living room floor.
4. Animal print is def a neutral.
5. We (your readers) love you (see #1). We will take you anyway you give it to us. Life is too short to not do what makes you happy. The rest will fall into place.
Those margaritas are giving me some serious FOMO since I’m pregnant! Love how authentic you are!
I thought I had imagined Justin’s chocolate almond butter because I saw it once and never saw it again. Thank you for making me feel less crazy!
Absolutely love this post. I am also reading Mindy’s book, and OMG, it’s hilarious. She’s the best. I definitely agree about the margs. I feel ya on the mom/life/work balance, but really, you are doing awesome (at least as far as we can tell from the blog). Your content hasn’t suffered one bit, in my opinion. Love it. Love you. Keep it up!
Firstly – that toe picture is the CUTEST! Secondly – I totally feel you on the home decor thing. I have no idea what to put anywhere or really what my style even is so whenever it comes to decorating I just feel totally lost. Thirdly – I just did a major blog-follow purge and your was one of the first ones on my new list. Your recipes are always great and I even read your baby favourites posts even though i am baby-less because I love the way you write. You’re killing it, girl!
I feel you on all the things. We are not alone! Before we know it, the struggle won’t be SUCH a struggle. But we’ll always have our little snuggleboys and glitter. Life is good. :)
I love this post, any woman can identify with you. It’s hard to balance everything (career, motherhood, etc), but I believe everything falls into place and we put too much pressure on us all the time, since we want to do or have to do like 100k things daily and sometimes just stopping to smell the flowers and thanking God for everything we have and all the blessings helps to keep things in perspective. Even being thankful for having another day to spend with our love ones and for our health, etc. Never taking for granted what we have. Also, animal print is a neutral, the experts at Vogue says so too. I want that huge pink coffee machine! Your content is AMAZING and it just gets better every week. With you on the whole decorating dilemma, I get so overwhelmed that I end up looking up a whole bunch of stuff and not knowing what to get, end up not getting anything and wishing I could hire a fancy decorator. And I could have a cheese plate for dinner every day. and just change the drink for variety, of course.
I’ve never commented before, but I have been following you for a few years. You are by far my favorite blogger, and posts like this just make me so happy! I have a little girl born in February and it’s been so wonderful to hear you express all the things about new motherhood that I am feeling!
Oh my gee that cheese plate!! Gimme nowwwwwwwwwwww
Kristina does the Internets
Omg my husband likes Total Divas too. I come home and he is just sitting there watching a marathon like whatever. Wtf is that about?
This post is just filled with happiness. Thank you for that…
Jessica! Long time reader, first time commenter. Just HAD to say I love this post!
My son is almost three and I, along with every mother I know, still struggle from time to time. You do your best for your kids and try to remember to do your best for yourself. Wouldn’t it be a little bizarre if you didn’t feel boring? You’ve done some exciting things.
That picture with Max’s feet sticking up out of the stroller is billboard/magazine ad-worthy aside from being the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!
Love that welcome mat! Where is it from?
I loved this post! I still think you post amazing content, btw!
That last picture tho! Melt my heart.
Afternoon Drive is one of my favorite playlists on Spotify :D
I MUST ask, where oh where did you find that pink espresso machine? I need to go to that cafe asap.
Not sure if you’ve listened to it yet, but the Evening Commute playlist on Spotify is currently making every commute I do bearable! So fun and hip lol :)
I LOVE Justin’s chocolate almond butter (more than the chocolate hazelnut) but I looked for it last week and couldn’t find it anywhere!! SO disappointed.
OMG LOVE this post.
And my husband, friend, and I went to a local ice cream shop that had apple pie and pumpkin pie ice cream AND OMG. WHAT. soon good.
And I (we readers) totally appreciate YOU and your blog. I look forward to all your posts!!!
I ❤️ you. seriously.
I just want to thank you for your blog-I understand how hard it must be to keep going after having a baby. Our son will be 11 months next week and we are still figuring it out, in a wonderful way :) Although I can’t make your recipes as often, when I see something I just have to try-it never fails! We make your Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls with Lime Quinoa on the regular.
Also, I’m with you on Mindy’s new book. Its hilarious and I’ve only just started. Makes me miss the Mindy Project!!
Ah I absolutely love this post and love that you´re crazy enough to say “erryday”! :-)
Word of advice: You have NO IDEA how quickly the time goes by…they are only little for like a few seconds and then they are riding a bike and then they are meeting their friends after school and then they are getting caught doing one of the thousands of things you told them not to do. And then they go to university. Your life is EXACTLY what is should be right now…filled with precious memories and poopy diapers! Enjoy every moment!!!
I love this post!! and you always seem authentic to me. this is the only blog I make a point to check every single day <3
Leopard print with everything!! I love your posts. So fun to read! Never stop saying errrything!
Those little toes in the air! SO cute!!!
Ummm….tell me more about this affogato you speak of?….
Leopard is totally a neutral! Its definitely hard to decorate your own house. I can pick out stuff for my clients in no time flat, but I have a hard time narrowing it down for myself. There are too many things I like! It’s nice to have an outsider’s perspective. I’d love to help you figure out your style if you’re ever looking for someone- talk about a dream job! :)
Oh my gosh—that toes picture! So cute. And yes, it is SO true how a pretty breakfast can make a morning feel instantly fancy, no matter what you’re wearing. I feel so scruffy sometimes on my writing-cave days.
OH my goodness! I love everything in this post, but was wondering if there is a recipe for the banana drizzle toast. Or at least a link for where to find all those great looking drizzles!