I’m really excited about this new series. I’ve been thinking about a fun and compelling way to compile and share all the bits of my life and thoughts that pop up throughout the month.
As a mom, or hell, a human, you’re constantly moving from one thing to the next and keeping track of it all is a full time job in and of itself. Anyone else have a million sticky notes around the house? I find I jot things down throughout the month and take a million screenshots on my phone (that I rarely ever remember to go back to) of things I want to try, want to do, want to look into… sound familiar?
It’s why I’m starting this series… something I can work on throughout the month and highlight the best of the best: from new things I’ve tried and loved to things I’ve been working on or things I’ve experienced. It’s a nice way to end the chapter of each passing month.
I’ve put together 7 categories that I typically find myself, and I hope you do too, gravitating towards. Each month I’ll highlight my absolute favorite things from each.
So, here we go! My first brain dump of February’s absolute favorite things. I hope it encourages you to try something new for March, gives you something to look forward to, or simply inspires you to make your own list of favorite things. It’s already peaked my daughter’s interest and she has insisted I include them at the bottom of this post.
01 | What I’m Dreaming Of…
Vacation Planning. Being I live in Seattle, February is truly one of the most depressing months of the year. Whether you’ve traveled here or not, the overcast and rainy Seattle reputation is at its truest at this point of our year. I mean, I feel I do need to defend the Pacific Northwest a bit, though: it’s not all doom and gloom and we live for our gorgeous, absolutely perfect summers, but getting through the January/February season is truly a drag.
If you’re reading this from your porch or out at a beautiful park somewhere because you’re lucky enough to have warm weather and blue skies, live it up for all of us in the Pacific Northwest please!
Despite where you live and how much natural Vitamin D your place of residency provides, I would anticipate (even those with the best places to live in February) you too are getting the itch to start planning your summer vacation, or maybe even a spring break getaway. We’re half way through the school year and are ready for a very well deserved and needed break. Am I right?
My husband and I love planning our vacations. In fact, it’s half the fun for us. Once everything is booked and itinerary is set it’s almost sort of sad because that part of the vacation is over. You may think I’m crazy but I do really love the “plan” of it all. And yes, I’m that person who has color coded spreadsheets for all things trip-planning from restaurants to try to clothes to buy.
So, mid-February Evan came to me with the idea of going to Maui this summer. It would be our third time to the island and the kids have the best memories there. Our last time was in March 2021; we were spontaneous and booked a month long stay at a beautiful condo just north of Lahaina.
Times were cheap back then as Hawaii was needing tourism and dropping rates like crazy to get people to do extended stays during the pandemic, and we were both fortunate enough to be able to work remotely part of the time.
It was truly a dream and ever since, Maui has felt like our second home. I can’t tell you what wonders it did for my mental health and for the kids… there’s something about being on an island that makes you feel adventurous and safe all at the same time and during Covid, nothing could be truer. I’ll have to write about it sometime.
So, Maui was his suggestion. We’ve had the itch to go again and decided late August is the time to go back. It feels forever from now but I know it’ll be here before we know it. I can basically already hear the waves crashing to shore and feel the warm sand between my toes.
As I mentioned, once a trip is book there’s a hundred things to start thinking about and planning which gets me excited. We’ve been looking at some snorkeling tours at the Molokai Crater and looking at various new stops we can make along the Road to Hana since the kids are older and more agile this time around.
This naturally gets us thinking about what we can be doing to prepare… I think my Peleton is calling my name… ha! But beyond that, we’re getting the kids back into swim lessons and buying them these fantastic snorkels to use at the pool to get them ready.
So tell me, where are you dreaming of being?
02 | Self Love & Care
loving… Baby Foot Exfoliation Foot Peel from amazon (currently $24.50).
I was first turned on to these by a new mom friend of mine; she swore by them and said they were her self love secret she’d use when traveling for work, curled up in her hotel with a movie, a glass of wine, and these foot peels. I love a pedicure and soft feet are at the top of my self care routine so of course I had to try it.
I’m now obsessed and putting these as the very first self love recommendation I’m giving you all. They’re that good. If you and your hubby love doing things like this together, they offer a women’s and men’s bundle for $39.99.
It takes about two weeks for your dead skin to fall off and when it does, you’ll understand why the brand is called “baby foot.” I’d give a before and after photo for proof but let’s be real, that’s a hard NO. You’ll just have to take my word for it.
loving… Tweezerman Facial (Dermaplaning) Razor. I’ve tested several at home dermaplaning razors and this is by far my favorite. Definitely worth the $16.50 price tag.
The razors are very sharp and I don’t feel like I have to scrape at my face to get the level of exfoliation I am wanting. It recommends using the blade just once and discarding, however I keep it around for the following week to do any touch ups of areas I missed.
If you haven’t tried at home dermaplaning I highly encourage you to try. Not only does your face feel buttery soft (my husband always compliments me for the few days after I do it) but it gets rid of any peach fuzz as well. Amazing.
loving… my products from HERBIVORE. I’ve had several of these for a while but got back into using them regularly the last few weeks and I have to ask myself why I ever stopped. They’re all so smooth, lush and everything you could want for your skincare routine.
My favs are the HERBIVORE Pink Cloud Creamy Jelly Cleanser (it is THE best face wash; not oily and doesn’t leave your skin feeling dry), the HERBIVORE Prism AHA + BHA Exfoliating Glow Skincare (your skin glows after this! Plus, amazon is giving 25% off when you place a subscription order) and the HERBIVORE Milky Way 10% AHA + Oat Soothing Exfoliating Serum (plumps & protects skin; reduces appearance of pores). The three together? Chef’s Kiss!
03 | February Photo Dump
My favorite photos from the month. February may be skies of grey but we sure made the best of it. Highlights were the Super Bowl (go T-Swift! …jk…), Valentine’s Day parties at school, many walks in the rain, and the grand finale: a dinner at Din Tai Fung (mentioned throughout this post because it’s THAT good).
04 | Recipes
I absolutely love cooking and am determined to find meals and recipes that everyone in the family can enjoy.
I’ve really enjoyed as the kids are getting a bit older that they are more willing to try new things, especially from different cultures. They’ve recently really been getting into Asian cuisine which is super exciting for me! Last weekend we treated them to a dinner at Din Tai Fung and dear lord was it the best! Thus why the copycat green bean recipe made it to the top of February’s list and I have a feeling it’ll be a fan favorite for quite some time to come! What’s not to love about kids eating their veggies and thinking it’s a treat?!
Best Family Meal: Pasta is a go-to, but lately I’ve been incorporating in chicken for protein and sneaking in different veggies to not only make it more healthy but to make it more enjoyable for my husband and me. This penne recipe was a hit and so simple to make! You could easily substitute rotisserie chicken if you’re short on time.
Kids’ Favorite: Here it is as promised! Din Tai Fung’s green beans. If you haven’t been to Din Tai Fung before, trust me, this is the BEST green recipe you’ll ever have.
My Personal Favorite: Given my mornings have been less stressful the last two months now that I’m not rushing to the office and am taking some time off, I decided to treat myself to a few “gourmet” breakfasts here and there to start the day off right. These are great for a weekend if you’re busy throughout the week… they’re completely worth the wait while they bake. Trust me. Tip: you can substitute sour cream for Creme Fraiche.
New Recipe I Loved: This one was fun. My husband loves a good pot roast but it’s never really been my thing. I decided to take the time to try it out and omg am I now a pot roast believer! It was so juicy and tender and the kids gobbled it right up.
Best Super Bowl Appetizer: I always like to make my guac from scratch and I also like to try to put a fun twist on a classic if I’m taking something to a friends’ or a party. Love this recipe! Make sure to make a lot because it goes quick!
Related: The Best 25 Holiday Appetizers
05 | Inspiration & Motivation
I haven’t shared this here before and am sure I will at some point when I’m ready, but December was one of the hardest and most stressful months I’ve ever had.
My mom was hospitalized and spent three weeks in the ICU and Recovery unit. I spent every day in the hospital with her and my dad, sincerely fearful about what the outcome would be, all while juggling keeping my kids happy and Christmas festivities moving along like usual. The same week she went to the ER, I lost my job of nearly 12 years, which I loved. I got an email as she was going into surgery that our company was going out of business and just like that, my stability and part of myself went with it. It was Dec 21, which made it all the more devastating.
The stress of what my life will look like has never been something I’ve had to worry or think about. Not knowing how I’d be providing for my family, if my mom would make it home (she did), and what I was going to do with my days felt overbearingly heavy.
It was a lot, to say the least, and I’m glad that chapter has closed and I’m now in a new state where I can really spend time investing in who I want to be.
Sometimes it’s important to take a pause. To not take every day for granted or to do what you’ve always done because it’s what’s most comfortable.
If you asked me three months ago what my life would look like today, I wouldn’t have had any notion in the world it would look like this: I would have thought I’d be plugging away at my career, carting kids to activities, and seeing my mom every other weekend as usual.
The unknown is scary but I’m finding I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Things have a way of working themselves out.
I’ve been jotting down some motivational quotes the last few months to help keep me going and put these two together as a reminder to myself to stay grounded. I hope that wherever they find you in your journey, they will bring a bit of brightness too:
06 | Mom Life Splurges
With my refocus on health and staying active in February (having a 10-month-old golden retriever puppy is a big help in this area!), I splurged on some new activewear pieces from Athleta and Adidas. There’s something about feeling cute that makes being active far easier (at least that’s what I tell myself).
My best pick this month was the white adidas ultraboosts. I get compliments on them whenever I wear them. At the grocery store? Complimented. At school pickup? Definitely complimented. I love them as my go-to shoe. That being said, it didn’t take long before the dog or the kids stepped on them and they didn’t shine so bright… but, happily, they wash very easily and stay super white. No complaints!
Additionally I grabbed THE softest Coaster Luxe Recover Sweatshirt from Athleta. I’m typically a lululemon girl but lately I’ve been super into Athleta’s new line and I’m loving their girl’s line as well for Blakely. I got the cream color (Shale) and the Fern Green but it comes in tons of colors. Love the cut, love the fabric, love the length.
07 | Blakely’s February Favorites
Having a 9-year-old girl is nothing like I’d thought it would be! Kids today have access to so much more than we did and their awareness of YouTubers, celebrities, and brands is slightly terrifying. Raising a daughter today is a constant worry that you’re balancing it all correctly: encouraging her self-confidence while shielding her from the dangers of peer pressure, bullying, and God knows what else.
Blakely is at a stage where she is quickly learning what it means to be a Swiftie (no, you don’t just get concert tickets my dear!), is opinionated about her nail color, and knows that high socks with high tops are “in” but… she still wants her cozy nightlight for bedtime and will curl up with me to do an art project. I really love this phase and am finding it fun to witness her discover herself more each day.
This week we took a trip to the mall and she was treated to her first Athleta top and leggings. I wouldn’t have thought I’d be buying her something like this so soon, but she got a phenomenal report card and her excitement to get something so special won my heart over. The quality is fantastic and as her body is quickly changing, I want her to be very comfortable in what she’s wearing and how it flatters her body.
Her picks are at the bottom of this post in “Shop the Post”: all the items that made her month special. I love that she included gloves… she told to me that she added them because I always tell her to grab a beanie and glove for recess. She argues with me about it every morning so for her to include it felt special.
Hope you enjoy and get some ideas for your tweens or birthday parties you have coming up maybe. Some of these would be great Easter basket items too. She’s a stylist in the making, that’s for sure!
And that brings February to a wrap! I want to hear from you all: what are you loving lately? Leave a comment below and let us know!
