Today feels like a real-life summer Friday — we’re heading out on vacation and I’m already dreaming of sparkling water by the lake.
TRAVELING
We’re off to one of my favorite places right now: Northern Michigan. It’s our annual family trip and everyone is buzzing with excitement. Max has been counting down the days (okay, the seconds). I’m so glad the kids — Max, Emilia and my niece Evelyn — will spend an entire week together. They always have a blast and I’m already picturing the little moments that make these trips special.
EATING
Every year on vacation I make a large batch of my house salad to keep in the fridge for easy meals. I’m also making a refreshing summer chickpea salad that I prepped based on suggestions from readers — it’s perfect to snack on throughout the week.
DRINKING
Expect lots of rosé, some fruity beers, and a stop to pick up ingredients for an orange crush cocktail. I almost packed my Smeg juicer just for that! Once we’re settled in, I’ll also hunt down one of my favorite canned rosés to enjoy on the porch.
MAKING
Here’s what I prepared and packed for our eight-hour road trip: whole grain croissants filled with smoked turkey, Havarti and honey mustard — a trip tradition. I also packed leftover blueberries and apples, Stonyfield yogurt pouches for the kids, RX bars for Eddie and me, and Sabra snackers with pretzel crisps. For kid-friendly treats I included Fruit Loops (a rare indulgence), pretzel twists, store-bought mini muffins that taste almost like cake, and small tubes of mini M&Ms for emergencies. Fingers crossed they do the trick.
SURVIVING
To make the drive smoother, I packed a selection of travel activities the kids love: a latches board, Water Wow books, sticker puzzles, a Color Wonder travel board, magnetic scenes, a Boogie Board, a doodle board and some favorite books. These little distractions are lifesavers on long trips and help keep everyone entertained.
LISTENING
I’ll be looping my favorite boat-drinks playlist — the perfect soundtrack for driving to the lake and relaxing on warm afternoons.
READING
I’m still working through Drawing Home, though I fell behind a few nights. For the trip I grabbed The Friend Zone and The Unhoneymooners to have some lighter, fun reading while I’m away.
SHARING
I released a new video featuring my chocolate zucchini cupcakes topped with avocado fudge frosting — they’re ridiculously good and a must-try if you bake this week.
SHOPPING
I’m still keeping an eye on the Nordstrom sale every day — the daily deals are hard to ignore. I had an order for a Barefoot Dreams blanket cancelled, so I keep checking back. My favorite find from the sale so far is a black crossbody bag I keep coming back to. I’ve rounded up my current favorites for easy reference.
WEARING
On vacation I’m embracing matching family outfits. Emilia and Evelyn have the same little Lilly shift dress and my mom picked the same pattern in another style. I’m bringing a favorite dress I adore — if not on vacation, when will I wear it?
SOAKING
We’re planning to soak up all our time together this week. As my mom told me when Max was born, “it’s never a vacation but at least it’s a change of scenery,” and she was right. The kids are nonstop, but I’m obsessed with them at this age and can’t wait for the fun we’ll have — I’m especially excited to watch Emilia in the sand, even if she won’t sit still for a second.
Ready to enjoy all the simple things and make new memories.