Styles for Kids

Just The Coolest Costume Ever

SLAY, girl.

I have to say, I am super on board with my daughter's recent tradition of choosing Halloween costumes that are a little less Disney and a little more badass (hi, Lydia Deetz). Snow White, out. Katniss Everdeen, in.

This costume was almost embarrassingly simple to put together: I just picked up a bow and arrow from Party City and ordered a mockingjay pin and a braid off of Amazon, then picked through her wardrobe for some suitably Hunger Games-y attire - a leather jacket that once belonged to her brother, a grey tee, black leggings, and boots. Easy, easy.

Lifestyle

How To Traumatize Your Children

via GIPHY

The woman who lives across the street from me passed away yesterday. She was sweet and lovely, and every day when I walked the dog past her place I’d see her listening to the radio at her dining room table, and wave at her. She was very, very old, though, so when a bunch of police cars and an ambulance pulled up at her house with their lights on, but no sirens, I was sad, but not surprised.

I thought about her all day, and when I fell asleep last night I ended up dreaming about her. In my dream, I opened a door in my bedroom that I’d never noticed before, and on the other side was a huge, dark field, with the woman standing in the middle of it. So when I was awoken by the sound of something very, very large banging against the side of the house, I was already primed to be freaked the fuck out.

Lifestyle

In Case I’m Wrong

I kind of figured that most of the people who read here are more or less in alignment with my own political beliefs. But then it occurred to me:

...I could totally be wrong.

And even if there's just one person reading this who isn't sure whether they're going to vote, or who's planning on voting for Trump but doesn't feel quite right about it: That's a person worth talking to.

Crafts for the Uncrafty

The Tiger-Stripe Cat Cake

We've done spooky, Halloween-themed cakes for a few years now, and so this year I thought I'd try something different.

Cat Cake.

See, my son loves cats. LOVES them. He has an especially deep bond with Riggs, who trails him from room to room, sleeps in his closet during the day, and lays next to him reading books (on his back!) like a furry little human at night. But I also didn't want to test my sculpting powers by going full-on Here Is A Cat, so I had to get a little improvisational.

Eat

The Improvisational Egg Bake

Look at that stunner! 

Way back when Kendrick and I first moved to our little Upper East Side walk-up, I developed a thing for baked eggs - or, more specifically, oeufs en cocotte, which are eggs baked in cream. I just love how they take something so ordinary, and treat it like a luxury. It's how weekend mornings should be: slow and a little indulgent.

Which brings me to the baked egg dish I made this weekend: It's kind of similar the North African dish called shakshuka, except quite a bit milder because a) children and b) I was improvising with what I had on hand. (As an aside, I first started looking into shakshuka recipes because I keep hearing that Trader Joe's sells an amazing starter, and I keep wanting to buy it. Except the closest Trader Joe's is a solid 45 minutes away, soooo: no starter for me.)

DIARY

So…How’s That Homeschooling Going?

My thoughts on distance learning precisely.

About two weeks into our public school's new distance learning program - approximately on the date when the above photo was taken - I lost it.

My daughter, who's in a learning pod with a classmate and bounces between our house and theirs, seems to sort of enjoy distance learning, or at least tolerate it. Not that she's actually *learning* much - holy god, the muting and un-muting and kids with their microphones turned up to 10,000% and tl;dr teachers are superheroes and I don't know how any of them are holding onto even a tiny shred of patience or sanity - but she's basically fine. (Not that distance learning is in any way, shape or form fine for me, or for any working parent - just saying, she seems fine.)

Fashion Tips & Reader Questions

The Mom Uniform: Autumn Edition

Let's throw it back to 2019, when I wrote a post that is 2020 in a nutshell if I've ever seen one. (Updated with brand-new outfit suggestions.)

Today's post is a twofer, inspired by a couple of reader questions I received via Insta.

  1. Does comfort and style exist? Can you wear yoga pants but still be stylish? and
  2. I need a Mom Uniform for fall; help me.

The answer to the first question is a resounding "yes," and am certain that it is so, because otherwise I would be naked. There is just no power on earth (except for, perhaps, the possibility of a date with Jason Momoa) that could get me out of the house attired in clothing that makes me feel restricted in any way.

Lifestyle

Links & Love & Stuff

Chrissy Teigen posted about our book, NBD. Update: Utterly heartbroken to hear of Chrissy Teigen and John Legend's loss. I'm sure the news is triggering for so many; please go here for resources if you are suffering.

This is my new favorite shade from Static Nails - it makes your fingers look miles long. (And I agree, it makes literally no sense to wear faux nails right now, but it helps me tame my terrible, horrible cuticle-picking habit.)

Plaid fleece jacket by Carve Designs, yes.

DIARY

I Don’t Owe You Anything

me. 2009.

That's the general consensus on bloggers who share about their personal lives, right? We don't "owe" our readers anything? It's what I've heard countless times over the years, anyway: Whenever a reader asks me about a topic I don't feel comfortable touching - the specifics of my finances, for example, or the precise reasons behind my divorce - other readers will jump in, reminding me that what I choose to share (and not share) is...well, my choice. I don't owe anyone my story.

Except that's never how I've really felt. I do owe you. So very much. And so what I owe you, right now, is an explanation.

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