Over the years, I have slowly made my way around o Over the years, I have slowly made my way around our house … decorating, renovating and reorganizing it into a soft place to land. The only part that I haven’t touched that much are our yards (except for a fire pit area that went in two years ago, thank you pandemic). I want our outside to be as much as a sanctuary as our inside is, so I plan to spend the next year digging in (no pun intended 😂). I don’t have a green thumb, so feel free to spam me with all your awesome, low maintenance ideas as we create a Japanese-style zen garden. 🤩 I also hate gardening, so there’s that, but am hoping that some #gardentherapy changes my mind as much as it changes the space.
✌🏻 ✌🏻
About last night … we spontaneously decided to m About last night … we spontaneously decided to make a @crumblcookies run at 8:30 and snagged a front seat to Mother Nature’s show. 😍
I took five books with me when we went on a little I took five books with me when we went on a little vacation in May, and got through two of them, one of which was The Magnolia Story. You are, no doubt, familiar with Chip and Joanna Gaines, but you might not know how they became so popular or how their business exploded. This book, told by both of them, shares their journey from their dating stages to just a few years ago. It’s quite amazing how their path unfolded, with the universe seemingly guiding them every single step of the way. Every time they hit a crossroads, they received clear signs to continue to point them in the right direction. It was interesting to learn more about their story, and a great reminder that you need to trust in yourself and follow your passions, and everything really does just fall into place. Chip has his own book out too, Capital Gaines, which I added to my list after I read this one. If you’re curious about their story or just need confirmation to continue to chase your dreams, read this one. ✨ #catesbookaweek 6/52
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the w “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” – Roald Dahl ✨
We’ve been dog sitting Gracie while my sister an We’ve been dog sitting Gracie while my sister and her family were away. She has settled into a new routine here (ours 😂), and now doesn’t get up until after 9 am, stays up until well past midnight, eats a very late dinner, knows that the kitchen is where the magic happens and sits for a treat after her morning backyard visit. We’ve broken her in nicely but she will be returning with her continued bad habit of suffering from #fomo, playing tag with the cats, and barking every time she hears a door open or sees someone go up the street. We did our best. 😇
The rewards of a weekend of farmers marketing! Gar The rewards of a weekend of farmers marketing! Garlic butter and bleu cheese butter from @njgarlic (the bleu on steak! 😍), empanadas from @catalina_empanadas_2017, half sour pickles from @pickleculture and the quiche and bread were from a vendor I forgot to get the name of. This was all from the @bernardsvillefarmersmarket. Today I hit the @denvillemarket and added full sour pickles from @pickle_licious and a roasted garlic and duck fat loaf and cheese biscuit from @bobolinkdairyandbakehouse. Basically give us all the bread, cheese, butter and pickles and we’re happy campers! Did you hit up a farmers market this weekend? What’d ya get?
Sometimes rules are meant to be broken, and so it Sometimes rules are meant to be broken, and so it is with the gnocchi from Trader Joe’s. Skip what their directions tell you and pan fry them in olive oil, add some of their 4-green bag of vegetables, salt, pepper, drizzles of pesto and a sprinkle of parm. So freaking good and dinner on the table faster than you can order take out. 🤤
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Letter to My Daughter – Happy 6th Birthday!

February 11, 2014 · Narrative

Six.

You have been counting down the days until your birthday for the past week. Asking how many more days, and then counting down yourself once we got closer. Telling me how excited you were about your birthday and that you couldn’t wait until it was here.

And here we are.

My littlest isn’t so little any more. Although I know all you want to do is be older and grow up, I just want to keep you this age forever. It’s just perfect the way it is. Don’t grow up on me.

So much has changed for you in the last year, and so much has stayed the same.

You have lost your first and second tooth. And you played another year of soccer.

You started spring track, mostly because you wanted to be like your older brother. But we also learned how fast you can really run.

You still love animals, now more than ever. You still want to either be an “animal rescuer or shelter person” or train dolphins. You love Max (your hamster), Charlotte (your pink stuffed animal dog), and our cats and dogs immensely, and always have one within arm’s reach, if not on your lap.

You love “chocolate toast (Nutella on toast)” and would eat it for every meal if I let you, and you love to sing along to the radio. I love listening to you when you sing, but if you catch me, you’ll stop.

The other day, when we were out driving, I turned around to catch a glimpse of you, with your legs daintily crossed, singing quietly with the radio, staring out the window. You caught me looking and asked, “what?” Nothing, I said, wanting to just freeze that moment.

You love your brother and would do anything for him, but hate how he pushes your buttons.

You love sparkle and bling, leggings, short-sleeved shirts, and sweaters.

Your favorite colors, currently, are red, orange, and blue, and you asked for a bouquet of blue balloons for your birthday party with friends last weekend.

six balloon-001

You have such a sweet disposition and would do anything for anyone. If you’re up before me, you walk into my bedroom softly singing “Good Morning.” You will often make my bed for me, and always want to help me with dinner. You try your hardest to make me laugh, and will do most anything I ask. You are a rock-star at finding random hearts with me, and hearts are your favorite thing to draw; I see them everywhere, and frequently come to bed to find little notes you’ve left me on my pillow. Notes I am keeping in a book so you can look back on them when you’re older. You love love, just like your mom, and are always looking for ways to do nice things for people.

For dinner tonight, you wanted the exact same thing as last year, pizza and soft chocolate chip cookies at home, and you wanted nothing more than to spend it with your family.

soft chocolate chip cookie-001

You have a heart of pure gold, and are such a pleasure to be around, even when you’re draped across me as we’re watching tv, and you fall asleep, deadweight so I can’t move. You’re a little girl filled to the brim with positivity and love and I couldn’t imagine our family without you.

Happy Birthday, Monks, we love you.

My creation

When she turned five.
When she turned four.
When she turned three.
When she turned two.
When she turned one.
The original “birth” day.

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Posted In: Narrative

Comments

  1. Cathy says

    February 12, 2014 at 12:47 am

    Hard to believe that it was warm enough last year to sit in the front door! Happy Bday Miss M.

    Reply
  2. Joanne says

    February 12, 2014 at 7:42 am

    Happy birthday Maddie!! Hope you guys all had such a great, happy day together!
    Joanne recently posted..Wednesday Coffee Talk

    Reply
  3. Mandi says

    February 12, 2014 at 7:53 am

    Look how grown up she’s getting!
    Happy Happy Birthday Maddie!!

    Reply
  4. patsy says

    February 12, 2014 at 11:56 am

    Happy Happy Birthday! Hope the cookies turned out to be just what she was hoping for!

    Reply
  5. Toni | Boulder Locavore says

    February 12, 2014 at 12:08 pm

    So completely sweet. Unbelievably my ‘baby’ daughter turns 15 in less than a month. Where DOES the time go? A reminder to cherish every single second. Happy Birthday to your little one.
    Toni | Boulder Locavore recently posted..50+ Gluten-Free Valentine’s Recipes

    Reply
  6. Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says

    February 12, 2014 at 2:56 pm

    Awww this was so cute!!! My little niece just turned 6 last week…I can hardly believe it!
    Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes recently posted..Red Velvet Oreo Cookie Dip

    Reply
  7. Christie says

    February 12, 2014 at 9:51 pm

    How sweet. My daughter is 7 yrs old and a lot of this reminded me of her. She usually sits in the car with her legs crossed, singing away. If she notices me watching her she says “What?” and stops. What a wonderful letter this is.
    Christie recently posted..Strawberries and Cream Cookies

    Reply

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Over the years, I have slowly made my way around o Over the years, I have slowly made my way around our house … decorating, renovating and reorganizing it into a soft place to land. The only part that I haven’t touched that much are our yards (except for a fire pit area that went in two years ago, thank you pandemic). I want our outside to be as much as a sanctuary as our inside is, so I plan to spend the next year digging in (no pun intended 😂). I don’t have a green thumb, so feel free to spam me with all your awesome, low maintenance ideas as we create a Japanese-style zen garden. 🤩 I also hate gardening, so there’s that, but am hoping that some #gardentherapy changes my mind as much as it changes the space.
✌🏻 ✌🏻
About last night … we spontaneously decided to m About last night … we spontaneously decided to make a @crumblcookies run at 8:30 and snagged a front seat to Mother Nature’s show. 😍
I took five books with me when we went on a little I took five books with me when we went on a little vacation in May, and got through two of them, one of which was The Magnolia Story. You are, no doubt, familiar with Chip and Joanna Gaines, but you might not know how they became so popular or how their business exploded. This book, told by both of them, shares their journey from their dating stages to just a few years ago. It’s quite amazing how their path unfolded, with the universe seemingly guiding them every single step of the way. Every time they hit a crossroads, they received clear signs to continue to point them in the right direction. It was interesting to learn more about their story, and a great reminder that you need to trust in yourself and follow your passions, and everything really does just fall into place. Chip has his own book out too, Capital Gaines, which I added to my list after I read this one. If you’re curious about their story or just need confirmation to continue to chase your dreams, read this one. ✨ #catesbookaweek 6/52

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Over the years, I have slowly made my way around o Over the years, I have slowly made my way around our house … decorating, renovating and reorganizing it into a soft place to land. The only part that I haven’t touched that much are our yards (except for a fire pit area that went in two years ago, thank you pandemic). I want our outside to be as much as a sanctuary as our inside is, so I plan to spend the next year digging in (no pun intended 😂). I don’t have a green thumb, so feel free to spam me with all your awesome, low maintenance ideas as we create a Japanese-style zen garden. 🤩 I also hate gardening, so there’s that, but am hoping that some #gardentherapy changes my mind as much as it changes the space.
✌🏻 ✌🏻
About last night … we spontaneously decided to m About last night … we spontaneously decided to make a @crumblcookies run at 8:30 and snagged a front seat to Mother Nature’s show. 😍
I took five books with me when we went on a little I took five books with me when we went on a little vacation in May, and got through two of them, one of which was The Magnolia Story. You are, no doubt, familiar with Chip and Joanna Gaines, but you might not know how they became so popular or how their business exploded. This book, told by both of them, shares their journey from their dating stages to just a few years ago. It’s quite amazing how their path unfolded, with the universe seemingly guiding them every single step of the way. Every time they hit a crossroads, they received clear signs to continue to point them in the right direction. It was interesting to learn more about their story, and a great reminder that you need to trust in yourself and follow your passions, and everything really does just fall into place. Chip has his own book out too, Capital Gaines, which I added to my list after I read this one. If you’re curious about their story or just need confirmation to continue to chase your dreams, read this one. ✨ #catesbookaweek 6/52
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the w “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” – Roald Dahl ✨
We’ve been dog sitting Gracie while my sister an We’ve been dog sitting Gracie while my sister and her family were away. She has settled into a new routine here (ours 😂), and now doesn’t get up until after 9 am, stays up until well past midnight, eats a very late dinner, knows that the kitchen is where the magic happens and sits for a treat after her morning backyard visit. We’ve broken her in nicely but she will be returning with her continued bad habit of suffering from #fomo, playing tag with the cats, and barking every time she hears a door open or sees someone go up the street. We did our best. 😇
The rewards of a weekend of farmers marketing! Gar The rewards of a weekend of farmers marketing! Garlic butter and bleu cheese butter from @njgarlic (the bleu on steak! 😍), empanadas from @catalina_empanadas_2017, half sour pickles from @pickleculture and the quiche and bread were from a vendor I forgot to get the name of. This was all from the @bernardsvillefarmersmarket. Today I hit the @denvillemarket and added full sour pickles from @pickle_licious and a roasted garlic and duck fat loaf and cheese biscuit from @bobolinkdairyandbakehouse. Basically give us all the bread, cheese, butter and pickles and we’re happy campers! Did you hit up a farmers market this weekend? What’d ya get?
Sometimes rules are meant to be broken, and so it Sometimes rules are meant to be broken, and so it is with the gnocchi from Trader Joe’s. Skip what their directions tell you and pan fry them in olive oil, add some of their 4-green bag of vegetables, salt, pepper, drizzles of pesto and a sprinkle of parm. So freaking good and dinner on the table faster than you can order take out. 🤤

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