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Free Knitting Pattern // Jumbo Pussycat Hat

This is not and will never be a political blog. But it is a personal blog, and I personally care deeply about women's rights. I believe that we all deserve respect, equal pay for equal work, freedom from fear, access to healthcare, and autonomy in the choices we make about our bodies. Women's rights are human rights and I want them for everyone, including my republican sisters. I want my sons to grow up in a world where boys will NOT be boys, where "like a girl" is a compliment, where "manning up" means standing up for what is right. It is for all these reasons that my family and I will be marching locally on January 21st.   

Cookbook Challenge Week 1 - Thai Shrimp Curry // Mad Hungry Family

New year, new challenge!!! I have quite the serious addiction passion for cookbooks. I love them, I collect them, I read them cover to cover, and then I tend to cook the same tried and true recipes of my own creation over and over again. So this year I thought it was time I pulled those bad boys off the shelf! The plan is simple: once a week(ish) cook a recipe from one of my cookbooks and share the results, as well as a brief book review, with you! 

First up, the newest addition to my library, Mad Hungry Family by Lucinda Scala Quinn*. I just got this book and I can already tell that it is going to get a lot of use. It is full of practical recipes and helpful tips to help you make simple, delicious food for your family. It is broken into standard cookbook categories (meat, chicken, fish, etc.) but it also features some bonus sections that I love such as a whole section dedicated to eggs and a special holiday section. I also love the essays interspersed throughout; they are informative, compelling, and above all inspiring. Whether you are an advanced home cook looking for new ideas or a tentative kitchen new comer, this cookbook is a great addition to your library.

Thoughts On A New Year

I feel as though I spent 2016 slightly listless, I started the year determined to change too much. Trying to force myself to be the type of person that loves to fill in a planner and schedule my every move. Expecting myself to somehow loosen up, be more present, create a tidy home, and get more done all at once. I made headway in many areas, but lost focus often and in looking back at the year I don't feel as though I was well served by trying to take on so much. And yet here I am at the dawn of 2017 running impossible lists of goals through my head. Struggling to choose just one, or two, or three things to focus my energy on. Wanting to do it all, even when I know I can't. I think it comes down to the struggle between accepting who I am and wanting to improve who I am. Growth and change are wonderful, but so is embracing your true self. I love the idea of choosing a word or phrase to help guide your year. Something that can serve as a signpost for progress, something to refer to when making decisions, and perhaps most importantly something that can change meaning as needed. This year I think I've found something that dwells right in between staying true to myself and asking more of myself.