We are here/it is here...winter that is (we have been having highs of 0 degrees...). I have kind of been anxious about this winter since the chilly weather started to settle in last fall. I was worried that winter would feel like last spring, and I think no one wants to revisit those feelings. But honestly, winter hasn't been as bad as I thought it was going to be, but it is also not great haha. I have definitely tried to adopt a more hygge mindset about embracing winter weather and all that you cozy indoor space can offer you.
So today, I am sharing my tips on how we are surviving this winter *indoors edition.*
Theme Dinner Nights- We started doing this to have something to look forward to every couple of weeks. Our theme is pick a travel destination, and make dinner from the destination. It has been fun! The other night we had Greek/Mediterranean, and it was incredible making everything at home. It could also be fun to try to make a recipe from a favorite restaurant from traveling!
Game Nights- I. Love. Game. Night. Card games, board games, you name it, I am in! It is good to break up that at night TV/screen time routine with actual human interaction, and game night is just the thing. I think I ask my family if they want to play a game, every night hah.
Cozy Attire- I do love getting dressed and "ready" everyday, but have been wearing a lot of cozy outfits lately. I think the right cozy clothing pieces can really elevate your everyday at home winter experience. I realllly love my Dudley Stephens fleeces, as you may know. The fleeces are cozy, but I always feel a bit more put together because the cut and silhouettes of the fleeces are so chic! You can use this link for $25 off your first fleece and shop my faves down below! [they just released a double fleece turtleneck and I need that with the weather we have been having in MN!!]
Letting Natural Light In- Natural light coming into your home is so good for the mood and to stimulate some natural vitamin D production. Part of my morning routine, is opening my blinds right when I get out of bed. Even when I am up before the sun, starting the day like that feels so refreshing and energizing, and just the thing you need to survive days indoors.
Baking- I am not the biggest baker, partly because gluten free baking can be complicated, but have found some surprisingly easy and healthy-ish recipes. I have made these Levain style gf/df chocolate chip cookies that I saw from @dadaeats on Instagram, and they are amazing! Baking can be a fun activity to involve the whole family in, and serve a good distraction when it is too cold to enjoy some outdoor time. It also warms your house and makes it smell fantastic.
Puzzle Table- I have been a puzzle fan well before the quarantine craze. They are so good to take a break to. I love having one going for heavy study times, as doing something mindless with your hands is a good mental break. I think same goes for this winter season. It is good to exercise your mind (and body) and puzzles do just this.
Lots of Soup- I love soup. I think that there is something so comforting about soup that makes it an extra good choice for winter and this winter in particular. I have made soup several times this winter and it never disappoints, and just makes the cozy vibes even better!
My more positive mindset, rather than the doom and gloom one I had last fall, has really helped make this winter a tad more enjoyable. I think we all wished this season looked a little differently, but we have to just make the most of what we've currently got!
Stay tuned for part 2 of my winter survival where I show all of my favorite winter gear to wear.
Who else has been loving the Coastal Grandmother aesthetic trend on TikTok? I've been very engrossed in this trend that is actually not at all trendy and a nod to classic style, which I LOVE. Classic summer style is one of my favorite facets of classic style- linen dresses and pants, sun hats, walks on the beach and lots of rosé. This is literally me. And I consider myself a grandmillennial, so coastal grandmother is not too far off. Some may call it coast-grand-millennial ;) ALSO, a couple of weeks ago the Today Show did a segment on the trend, and featured a clip from one of my coastal gran TikToks! These are things you need to create your own coastal grandmother aesthetic, the coastal grandmother starter kit if you will. You probably have most of these things in your closet if you are a fellow classic style lover, like myself. So lets all live our lives as if we lived in a Nancy Meyers movie, and have the best coastal grandmother girl summer. Coast Grandmother Essentials...
I am SO excited to be back on the East Coast for a bit. Today, we are driving to Rhode Island to spend the long weekend and celebrate my cousin's 30th birthday (thirty, flirting and thriving, right?!). I have only been to Rhode Island on one other occasion, and that was a marching band trip where we marched in the oldest Fourth of July celebration in the country. Thinking back on that, it was a very surreal experience that I am grateful for, and I am even more excited to get to go back to that state and explore as an adult. As soon as I knew we would be going to Rhode Island, I thought about the outfits for the trip. It invoked a sense of the classic East Coast prep style that I already love so much, and so I took that as my packing inspiration! The Kiel James Patrick store/brand is based out of Newport, RI, so I will definitely be visiting and I had to leave room in my suitcase for some new KJP pieces. I haven't had to pack for travel in awhile, so I decided to take a new ap...
So today, I got the happiest email from Kiel James Patrick , featuring some super cute new pieces, and that they have a 4th of July sale!! The sale is 20% off any thing with the code America . I would definitely take advantage of this! Here are my favorite new things from KJP. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!! Striped shirt dress // I had all the feels when I saw this dress. First, it is striped AND a shirt dress! Second, it is actually named "Bristol Parade." That is the oldest 4th of July Parade in the country, and I had the privilege of marching in it during my high school marching band trip to New England in 2010 (omg that was 9 years ago?!?). That day it was about 110 degrees, and we wore all black uniforms....if you are familiar with the parade, it is a LONG LONG LONG route, and I somehow, barely survived. So, I think I need this dress for (just about) surviving that day, ahah! Flag sweater // What a cute little flag sweater! I normally am not one ...
I love your cozy at home winter tips! Truly a great little self care list :)
ReplyDeleteXO
Emily
awe thanks Emily! It is a nice little self care list! I did not even think about that, love it!!
Deletexx Libby