Sharing some ideas for Christmas brunch and dinner recipes.

This year is flying back at warp speed, and I’m trying to do everything in my power to avoid the last-minute scramble. I started Christmas shopping early – I feel like it’s less of a hit on the budget when you space things out, too! – and am trying to plan and prep as much as I can. Last year, I had prepped a ton for Christmas dinner and it felt like huge treat. I think as moms, we have a lot of the to-dos on our shoulders, and the holiday season isn’t as fun if you spend it stressed and overwhelmed.

Christmas Brunch and Dinner Recipes

Since I was brainstorming ideas for Christmas brunch and dinner (both are at our house), I thought I’d share some sample recipes if you’re looking to prep in advance, too! Worth mentioning here that I get all of the meat for our holiday feasts from Butcher Box. They have beef tenderloin, turkeys, salmon, and it’s all great quality.

What I’m Cooking for Christmas

Smoked turkey on the Traeger

Cranberry sauce

Beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce

Artichoke dip and crackers

A massive cheese board (I take food styling serious when it comes to a cheese board!)

Mashed sweet potatoes

Autumn salad with apples, feta, spiced walnuts and balsamic dressing

Homemade sourdough (made ahead and frozen)

Christmas cookies (I start baking early and just freeze everything! We usually do these thumbprint cookies, Mexican wedding cookies, peppermint bark, peanut butter blossoms, and Read more

Sharing a recap of some of the books I’ve read lately and if I’d recommend adding them to your collection!

Hi friends! I hope you’re having a lovely week. It’s been a good one so far over here but today is packed with events and I forgot the kids have a half day. Does this happen to anyone else? Thankfully the Pilot is swooping in to help with kiddo backup!

For today’s post, I wanted to share some of the books I’ve read lately. TBH, I haven’t been reading nearly as much since the kids started school. Their homework load has been killing me slowly – they each have hours of homework each night in addition to extracurricular events – so by the time I get to bed, I read a few pages before quickly crashing out. I really want to carve out more time to read, and it’s one of the things I’m really looking forward to over winter break!

I’m also working through my High Performance Health certification when I’m not doing client and blog work, and am hoping to finish it up by the end of December. I’m loving the content so far!!

Here are the books I’ve read lately:

(jeans are here// top is here)

Books I’ve read lately

The Secret Life of Sunflowers

The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar is a dual-timeline novel with a mix of art history, mystery, and self-discovery. It follows Emsley Wilson, a young woman who inherits her late aunt’s home and, with it, a hidden journal that once belonged to Johanna Bonger—Vincent van Gogh’s sister-in-law.

Through the journal, Emsley discovers Johanna’s life, her struggles, and her dedication to preserving Van Gogh’s legacy. The story intertwines Emsley’s own journey of healing and self-acceptance with Johanna’s courageous fight for her family’s name, and is a beautiful reminder of how we can connect the past and present day. This was beautifully-written, captivating, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like historical fiction and are looking for something different, I highly recommend it. 9/10

Read more

Sharing a full recap of my experience at the Reimagining Health Summit, along with what I learned. My attendance and travel was provided through EquiLife as one of the winners of their 100-day Challenge. You don’t have to be an Integrative Health Practitioner to attend – I’d love to see you at the conference next year!

Hi friends! How are ya? How was the weekend? Ours was good, but crazy. It was the Pilot’s Change of Command Ceremony (after 3 years as a commander), school auction, and NCL Tea and Fashion Show. It was all a blast but my social battery is in need of a recharge. I’m spending most of the day in my pajamas working, and will escape for a short hike later – the weather has been a dream!

Now that we’re home from our trip and I’ve had a chance to process everything, I can finally share a full recap of the Reimagining Health Summit. It was my first time attending, and it definitely exceeded my high expectations. I also had time to hang out with my business and health bestie, Giselle!

Reimagining Health Summit Recap + what I learned

About the RHS and Featured Speakers

The Reimagining Health Summit is a conference focused on healthy living and longevity, and is presented by EquiLife and the Integrative Health Practitioner Institute. The EquiLife products, functio

Sharing some healthy Thanksgiving recipes for sweet potatoes! For some of my favorite go-to holiday recipes, check out this post!

Now that Halloween is over, my full excitement for Thanksgiving can begin. I looooove Thanksgiving, especially because it has all of the *fun* of Christmas, minus the whole gift thing. We get the spend time as a family, eat delicious food (my nana goes ALL OUT with the desserts), and end it with shopping and pie, and I’m just as happy as a lil clam.

A favorite Thanksgiving staple that we also enjoy all year: sweet potatoes. They tend to be popular for Thanksgiving recipes due to their natural sweetness, versatility, and seasonal abundance. They’re easy to find, inexpensive, you can dress them up or dress them down. They’re always a crowd hit.

Today, I wanted to share a collection of healthy Thanksgiving recipes featuring sweet potatoes to balance the traditional feast. If you have a go-to sweet potato recipe, please share it in the comments section below!

5 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes for Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a nutritious staple and a wonderful ingredient for Thanksgiving side dishes and desserts. I’ve always been a fan of classic sweet potato casserole, but was also recently introduced to sweet potato pie, and omg it’s amazing. We also love them for savory casseroles, roasted dishes, and unique sweet treats, like these sweet potato brownies.

Are Sweet Potatoes Healthy?

Sweet potatoes are nature’s candy, but they’re also packed with nutrients and antioxidants.

Vitamin A: can boost immunity and support eye health

Vitamin C: can support immunity and skin health

Fiber: great for digestion and satiety

Antioxidants: to help reduce inflammation

These nutrients make sweet potatoes a healthy choice, particularly for balancing a festive holiday meal.

What To Make With Sweet Potatoes For Thanksgiving

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

A lighter, healthier twist on the classic casserole, using mashed sweet potatoes, cinnamon, and a nutty topping.

What Makes It Special: Packed with flavor yet reduced in sugar and calories for a healthy Thanksgiving side.

Ingredients

12–15 sweet potatoes, depending on size

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch sea salt

1/2– 1 cup almond milk or milk of choice

For the crumble:

1 cup oats (can use gluten-free)

1/2 cup almond me

Hi friends! Happy Friday! How was Halloween? We got back home just in time to celebrate. The fam came over, I made some tacos, and we trick-or-treated around the neighborhood. It was low key and lovely; the perfect celebration after a whirlwind of Orlando adventures.

(On our cruise, 9 of us were Wizard of Oz characters. Please take a moment to appreciate the Pilot’s Lollipop Guild costume lol)

I have SO much to say about the trip (the Reimagining Health Summit and our Disney cruise) and will put everything together into some recap posts next week. My plan was to finish them on the plane but I ended up sleeping all the way home! I was completely zonked.

This weekend is going to be a lot of fun, too: it’s the Pilot’s change of command (after three years as commander, he’s done!), our school auction, and a big event for National Charity League. Here we gooooo. I’d love to hear what you have going on!

(Wanted to share some pics of the ofrenda I put together for this year’s Día de los Muertos. I wish I could keep it up all year