weekly roundup vol. 7
and a happy mother's day!
Each day I’m feeling closer to myself. Please remind me this next time I’m being melodramatic about jetlag and readapting. But honestly, just as Charlotte has resisted returning to her school in another language, I need to give her grace because I was feeling that same resistance in a more grown-up form.
Each day it gets easier, but it’s not an easy transition after being with your people in your place for such a long period of time.
I will say jetlag in this direction does nothing for me in the name of becoming a morning person ha. But each day it’s getting easier to drag myself out of bed.
this week
Monday and Tuesday were pretty typical days with Charlotte in school, hanging at home with Remy and getting grocery shopping to have dinner prepped and ready around 6.
Wednesday, I miraculously had dinner ready early, so we all went out for a “special treat” afterwards to have gelato al fresco. An after dinner stroll in the summertime is always so refreshing.
Thursday, we picked Charlotte up early from school and met for an açai bowl and coffee together. We headed home and I got dinner ready for the kids before we headed out on a date.
Neilson and I went on a date, and per my therapist’s recommendation we did something different than our usual. We drove to Monaco, and I got to do a little mothers day gift shopping. Then we went to a new to us restaurant off the beaten path with a charcoal fired oven, famous for their steak. Neilson was in heaven and honestly I couldn’t stop laughing the entire time watching him enjoy a meal so much.
Friday-another holiday in France. I drove my friend to the airport and came back in time to take Charlotte over to a friend’s to play before naptime. They have turtles, chickens, fish and fruit trees in their garden so the kids have endless entertainment running around. It’s rare to have a home in the city with outdoor space so it’s so nice for moms to be able to sit(ish) while they run free.
Later, I got matcha with a friend and stopped at the wine store on the way back. I was craving a chilled white and picked up a white and red from Burgundy and some other yummy snacks for apéro. Our friends came over for an impromptu happy hour that turned into playing tarot, dance parties with Charlotte and ordering pizza for dinner.
cooking
alison roman’s pasta with broccoli rabe, browned butter, and sausage - 10/10
caro chamber’s italian chopped salad and honey harissa chicken bowls
steak, salad and potatoes when all else fails or salmon and mac+cheese
faves
chilled white wine
this soeur t-shirt my chic norwegian friend picked up
these uniqlo cropped short sleeved button downs are perfect in transitional weather with high-waisted shorts or pants. my mom discovered them and when we got back to Nice, I picked two up in white and denim.
indulging in french pastries. Every time I pick Charlotte up from school, she asks where her snack is and I keep saying to myself I’ll bake something and bring it. Then, I remembered we live in France, and the next day I bought a vanilla eclair that was calling my name, and gave her the remainder of it. so simple, but so good
on mother’s day
Being a mom is the greatest gift and hardest job of my life. One I take very seriously, yet have to calm myself down from often. These little kiddos are the sweetest and seeing each of their personalities grow every day is so wonderful. There’s nothing like a gummy smile to melt all your sorrows away. Motherhood is a muscle that’s constantly being flexed, and I strive every day to do so with patience and grace. Which can definitely be testing as a toddler parent.
I enjoyed reading these mom hacks and this piece about time management as a mother. We take all the help we can get!
Anyways, I hope tomorrow treats all of you mothers well. Realistically you’ll still have laundry to do and food to cook but maybe you won’t have to do the dishes?!
xxf