Courtesy of Bainbridge Island Parks and Rec, The Bainbridge Island Movies in the Park 2023 is out, and the lineup includes the best movies to watch on a warm summer night. Grab your friends,, a blanket, and pack a picnic to enjoy movies after sunset at Battle Point Park
Read MoreYou can’t have a good event without a great playlist. Check out my top holiday albums of 2022, and my favorite holiday album of all time.
Read More5 years since this original post, and LOT of life has happened. We’ve got another kiddo, and we’ve been working through a global pandemic… but these 5 tips are even MORE helpful as we start to redefine our holiday season and holiday traditions. More than anything, the past few years have taught me not to trade my peace for ‘tradition.’ I’d encourage you to honor your needs, your space, and your peace this holiday season, and every season.
lots of love, Terra
We've all been there. It's 11:30 on Christmas Eve, and you're halfway through wrapping gifts when you run out of tape... or paper... or bows... and you realize that the last month has flown by. Though you're certain it's been busy, you're not quite sure what happened, who you saw or who you didn't, and you don't remember the last time you got a full night's sleep.
Ok- so you've never experienced that? Congrats! I, however, have been very guilty of spreading myself too thin during what is actually my favorite time of the year. One year, I even managed to forget to take Peyton to see Santa. Like, literally forgot until he said something... On December 23rd... #momfail.
Anyhoo- a few years ago, my husband and I decided to take back our holiday season. Spending time with loved ones- doing the things we love to do- is what makes the holidays our favorite time of year. We had tumbled down a rabbit hole of overcommitment (why is that so easy to do?!) and had gotten away from what really mattered to us. Here's the thing, at the end of the day, when the parties are over, and the gifts have been unwrapped, and the dances have been danced, and the carols have been sung, we still need to be present for each other. Somehow we lost sight of that! Luckily, we both committed to learning from what didn't work and moving forward as a team.
SO. **drumroll please** here are FIVE things we do during the holidays to keep our sanity and stay connected as a family.
Sanity-Saving Tip #1: Frozen Cookie Dough
AND SCENE: It's Thursday night, it's bedtime, and your darling child tells you that there's a class party TOMORROW, and he needs to bring a treat... Your friends are driving through town, and call to see if you're home for a quick visit... Your annual neighborhood 'Cookies, Carols, and Cocktails' party is tonight at 6, and you forgot until you see your neighbor at the mailboxes... at 5:30.
Let me tell you how to save the day in every one of these situations- frozen cookie dough. At the beginning of December, I spend a few nights with my son making cookie dough, rolling it into balls, and FREEZING IT. We do a big family cookie party, but I love these nights because it's just the 2 of us in the kitchen.
No matter how last minute any treat request is, for the next 8 dozen cookies needed, I'm only 15 minutes away from a solution. I have 2 go-to recipes. these Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. This recipe needs no alterations, they are delicious. The second is my family's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe with Christmas colored M&M's. Both of these recipes are crowd pleasers over and over again.
Sanity-Saving Tip #2 Put It All Out There- Together
Have you ever said to your husband 'I told you last week....' SURE, neither have I. He and I totally remember everything the other says... the first time. Hahahaha no way.
My husband and I found this year that our schedules plus our son's schedule cannot be managed by memory. So, now we send each other calendar requests for EVERYTHING. Date night, haircuts, work events, holiday parties, school events, all of it. We used to spend so much time talking about what we had going on every week, but now, we spend time talking about what we did because it's all on the calendar.
Another game-changer this season has been managing our Christmas shopping lists on Trello. We have running gift lists for everyone in our family, and can both add notes, ideas, and mark items complete from our phones.
Sanity-Saving Tip #3 -Keep weeknight dinners simple
Once we get into the first week of December, we have at least two holiday parties/happy hours/concerts every week through New Years. That mean's we're eating at home 4-5 days a week for dinner, and on those days, I stick to the family favorites that are SPEEDY! For us, this means Fajitas, Breakfast-For-Dinner, Meatballs, and Falafels on repeat. I want to spend time at home with my family, not in the kitchen working on dinner for an hour. Eating dinner together is a priority for us, and helps us slow down during this busy season! For more tips on how to get ahead of meal prep, check out this post!
Sanity-Saving Tip #4- Turn the things you have to do into a party!
Last year, we started a new tradition that I don't know I can ever give up. The Thursday before Christmas, we get together with our friends and have a massive wrapping party. We lovingly refer to it as Wrappy Hour. We get a sitter for the kids and leave them at one house. Then, all of the adults wrap all Christmas presents at another house as to not be disturbed by kids. Here's the thing. Wrapping is a thousand times more fun when you do it with your friends, and cocktails, and a giant arsenal of wrapping supplies. It's also a great way to connect with friends while still being productive! In all, we spend about 90 minutes wrapping, and another 2 hours just laughing, relaxing, and enjoying good company. And helloooooooo!!! It means you can actually SLEEP on Christmas Eve!
Sanity-Saving Tip#5 Don't overcommit yourself
This, I know, is easier said than done, but I truly think it's the most important tip. We opted a few years ago to stop saying yes to every invite we got, and instead, choose to attend the ones that mean the most to us. At first, I felt really bad declining invitations. Then I realized, no one really worries if I'm not one of the 50 guests at a cocktail party. I also realized that if I knew I wasn't going to enjoy myself at an event, I didn't have to go just to 'be nice.' It's so freeing to only go to the events you truly WANT to go to.
Now, we are refreshed between events and not run ragged. As much as possible, we try to attend events as a couple. My top picks may not be a priority for my hubby, and vice versa, but WE are each other's top priority and make it a point to show up for each other. Because we've scaled back the number of events we attend, we actually get to treat them as date nights rather than items on an agenda. We also save on babysitters by being selective with events.
Bonus tip- schedule some downtime! We purposely schedule a Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday between Thanksgiving and NYE with no events. This year, we used that weekend to watch Stranger Things. I wore pajamas one day until 2 pm. It. Was. Great.
From our family to yours, and from me to you, we wish you the happiest holiday season! Take a moment here and there to slow down, take a breath, and take it all in.
Much Love, Terra
Planes, trains, and automobiles. How do you get to work? My daily commute consists of a bus, a ferry, and a walk. Staying organized, dry, and comfortable are KEY to starting my workday on the right foot.
Our Pacific NW weather has a mind all it's own. On any given day my commute can consist of rain, sun, wind, sometimes snow. My main goals while commuting are to keep my hair dry (hello frizz), get to work with my hands free, and ideally arrive without being too sweaty from the walk.
Here are my MUST HAVE commuter items for our crazy Seattle weather. These items are tested and approved by yours truly!
Let me know- how do you get to work? What are your commuting must haves?
Happy Travels!
xo, Terra
Oh hey!! I'm a mom, and I work, and I like to work out, and I like to sleep as much as possible. I spend exactly 9 minutes on my makeup every day. No joke. I want to look polished, but I don't need to or want to look made-up. I like to just enhance my favorite features, and give my skin a little boost with a light foundation.
If you're in a makeup rut and live near a Nordstrom store, I would HIGHLY encourage you to make an appointment for a makeup refresh (you can book them online!) They'll show you the ropes, and there's no pressure to buy anything you don't love. Plus, it always feels amazing to learn from an expert.
My goal when I put on makeup is that people notice ME, not my makeup. A huge tip is this- shop around for right right foundation for you (again, a beauty stylist is an excellent resource here) and then use colors (blush, lipstick, eyeshadow) from one company. Think of it like paint by numbers. When you are using colors from the same pallet, you're taking all of the guesswork out of it!
I personally love colors from Bobbi Brown. They're effortless and photograph well. Plus, they easily transition from day to night. As you'll see in my product link, I don't wear eyeliner. I actually use the Bobbi Brown shimmer brick as my bronzer/highlighter/eyeshadow/and eyeliner. With the right brushes, that little pallet does everything!
That's literally it. And I suppose the actual makeup part takes 7 minutes because I spend 2 minutes brushing my teeth at the end. The right tools do make a huge difference, so invest in a few quality brushes to make sure those colors end up where they need to go.
I wear Bobbi Brown Sandwash Pink lipstick almost everyday, but I swap for Dior 'Darling' when I want a little extra pop of color. Bonus, both of these colors make your teeth look extra pearly white!
What are your makeup bag must haves? How long do you spend on your beauty routine in the morning? Let me know in the comments!
xo, Terra
Here I am, 33 years young, staring in the mirror at my freshly washed face, winking with one eye to check the status of my laugh lines, while simultaneously jutting out my chin to get a better look at a fresh zit coming in.
I don't think it's fair that I am currently combatting zits, and wrinkles. Like, can't we just trade one for the other?!?!
Ok, let's back up. I struggled with cystic acne as a teen, and used every topical treatment and pill my dermatologist prescribed. What I learned later in life was that my acne was caused 100% by my diet and products that were too drying for my skin. A diet lacking in alkaline foods wreaked havoc on my skin. I would then used drying astringents to combat the acne. My inflamed skin was painful to the touch, and my cheeks were either completely void of blemishes, or fully covered. There was no in-between.
Once my diet cleaned up (thank you, Tone It Up) my skin immediately followed suit. About that same time, I found a skincare routine that helped me not only heal my old scars but also helped to soften my skin and prevent new damage.
My mom has the skin of an angel. It's always perfectly dewy, and in her 50's, she barely has a trace of a wrinkle. She's also had a religious skin routine including sunscreen, for my entire life. I do know that some of this is genetic. My Grammy also had beautiful, soft skin. My mom has always nagged (with love) 3 things at my sisters and me:
What I now realize is that face washing doesn't mean stripping your face of all oils. I just need to gently remove the day. I've found that my skin reacts extremely well to French skincare. The EU has much stricter rules than the US about what can and cannot go into their products, and I feel good about using products that cost a little more if they are cleaner. Think of it as 'you are what you eat-skin edition.'
I only use Micellar water to remove my makeup. I don't wear a ton of makeup, and my mascara comes off with just warm water, so this is an easy, effective, and inexpensive first step in my routine. I use cotton balls and Micellar water at home, and take the Micellar wipes with me when I travel.
**as a note, I've tried a few other brands of micellar water (now that it's 'a thing') but I come back to Bioderma every time.
These next products are the ones that stay on my face, and therefore I take very seriously. These are the products that have diminished fine lines, faded my acne scars, and (knock on wood) have kept new breakouts to a minimum.
Daytime Products
Nighttime Products
First and foremost, if you feel like your skin is on the brink of a breakout, audit your diet. Are you eating foods that make your skin feel good? Random fact, gummy bears make me break out. So does an excessive amount of bread. This is obviously not true for everyone, but my point is to know your triggers. When you can't avoid a blemish, my go-to remedy is light therapy.
In the Pacific Northwest, we commonly use light therapy for the 'Winter Blues' but I've used blue light therapy for my acne for almost 8 years now. I have a handheld device but am also fortunate to have light therapy built into my sauna. Blue light has been proven to penetrate the skin, and kill acne bacteria, while red light therapy boosts collagen production, and promotes cell renewal (hello faded scarring). I use both for a 1-2 punch on zits! I love that there is nothing drying about light therapy the way there is with topical creams or even some antibiotics. A natural remedy is always better for me!
Here are my thoughts on investing in your skincare. OK actually, here are my thoughts in investing in you. You are worth it. You only get one body, so fuel it with the best food, and put things on your skin that aren't full of weird ingredients. What you put on your skin makes it's way into your body, so be mindful!!
Tell me, what are your skincare go-to's?! I hope you get some ideas (and great results) from these products! Let me know what you think in the comments below!
xo, Terra
As you may have noticed, Bainbridge Kitchen has been quiet for the past few weeks. I've tried to figure out ways to be inspired to share content, but even posts that are 100% ready to publish didn't feel right.
My grandma was admitted to the hospital in the middle of January with issues surrounding most of her vital organs. I'm sad to share that she passed away earlier this week.
My Grammy
I feel so blessed that I was able to spend so much time with her the past month, even if it wasn't under the best circumstances. While she was in the hospital, she all but refused the 'lousy' hospital food. I made sure to pack snacks everyday (because that's what I do) and I was so thankful that I did, because the only thing I could get my grandma to willingly eat was the protein muffins I baked and brought with me.
My grandma is LDS, and she doesn't drink coffee or alcohol, so it's kind of funny that this post begins with a moment about her. Rest assured, I made sure all of her muffins were made sans coffee or booze. Boy Almighty would she have given me an earful if I tried to sneak that to her.
I won't pretend that I'm not sad even as I write this. My Grammy was one of my favorite people on the planet. She was a firecracker. She took zero grief from zero people, and she loved with all her heart. She also taught me how to cook. Not just cook, bake. My Grammy’s cinnamon rolls are the stuff of legends. My Grammy shared her love through her food, and she will always be my inspiration to do the same.
So without further adieu, here are my Grammy and non-Grammy approved versions of DELICIOUS Mexican Mocha Mini loaves. Take a minute today to call someone you love, hug someone you love, and make these with a little extra love. I know I will.
xo, Terra
Grammy-Approved (no coffee, no alcohol- still delicious)
Non-Grammy Approved (a little more decadent, and my personal preference)
Directions:
**Serve with friends, family, hugs, and sprinkle them with a little extra love**
with love, from my home to yours.
We've all been there. It's 11:30 on Christmas Eve, and you're halfway through wrapping gifts when you run out of tape... or paper... or bows... and you realize that the last month has flown by. Though you're certain it's been busy, you're not quite sure what happened, who you saw or who you didn't, and you don't remember the last time you got a full night's sleep.
Ok- so you've never experienced that? Congrats! I, however, have been very guilty of spreading myself too thin during what is actually my favorite time of the year. One year, I even managed to forget to take Peyton to see Santa. Like, literally forgot until he said something... On December 23rd... #momfail.
Anyhoo- a few years ago, my husband and I decided to take back our holiday season. Spending time with loved ones- doing the things we love to do- is what makes the holidays our favorite time of year. We had tumbled down a rabbit hole of overcommitment (why is that so easy to do?!) and had gotten away from what really mattered to us. Here's the thing, at the end of the day, when the parties are over, and the gifts have been unwrapped, and the dances have been danced, and the carols have been sung, we still need to be present for each other. Somehow we lost sight of that! Luckily, we both committed to learning from what didn't work and moving forward as a team.
SO. **drumroll please** here are FIVE things we do during the holidays to keep our sanity and stay connected as a family.
Sanity-Saving Tip #1: Frozen Cookie Dough
AND SCENE: It's Thursday night, it's bedtime, and your darling child tells you that there's a class party TOMORROW, and he needs to bring a treat... Your friends are driving through town, and call to see if you're home for a quick visit... Your annual neighborhood 'Cookies, Carols, and Cocktails' party is tonight at 6, and you forgot until you see your neighbor at the mailboxes... at 5:30.
Let me tell you how to save the day in every one of these situations- frozen cookie dough. At the beginning of December, I spend a few nights with my son making cookie dough, rolling it into balls, and FREEZING IT. We do a big family cookie party, but I love these nights because it's just the 2 of us in the kitchen.
No matter how last minute any treat request is, for the next 8 dozen cookies needed, I'm only 15 minutes away from a solution. I have 2 go-to recipes. these Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. This recipe needs no alterations, they are delicious. The second is my family's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe with Christmas colored M&M's. Both of these recipes are crowd pleasers over and over again.
Sanity-Saving Tip #2 Put It All Out There- Together
Have you ever said to your husband 'I told you last week....' SURE, neither have I. He and I totally remember everything the other says... the first time. Hahahaha no way.
My husband and I found this year that our schedules plus our son's schedule cannot be managed by memory. So, now we send each other calendar requests for EVERYTHING. Date night, haircuts, work events, holiday parties, school events, all of it. We used to spend so much time talking about what we had going on every week, but now, we spend time talking about what we did because it's all on the calendar.
Another game-changer this season has been managing our Christmas shopping lists on Trello. We have running gift lists for everyone in our family, and can both add notes, ideas, and mark items complete from our phones.
Sanity-Saving Tip #3 -Keep weeknight dinners simple
Once we get into the first week of December, we have at least two holiday parties/happy hours/concerts every week through New Years. That mean's we're eating at home 4-5 days a week for dinner, and on those days, I stick to the family favorites that are SPEEDY! For us, this means Fajitas, Breakfast-For-Dinner, Meatballs, and Falafels on repeat. I want to spend time at home with my family, not in the kitchen working on dinner for an hour. Eating dinner together is a priority for us, and helps us slow down during this busy season! For more tips on how to get ahead of meal prep, check out this post!
Sanity-Saving Tip #4- Turn the things you have to do into a party!
Last year, we started a new tradition that I don't know I can ever give up. The Thursday before Christmas, we get together with our friends and have a massive wrapping party. We lovingly refer to it as Wrappy Hour. We get a sitter for the kids and leave them at one house. Then, all of the adults wrap all Christmas presents at another house as to not be disturbed by kids. Here's the thing. Wrapping is a thousand times more fun when you do it with your friends, and cocktails, and a giant arsenal of wrapping supplies. It's also a great way to connect with friends while still being productive! In all, we spend about 90 minutes wrapping, and another 2 hours just laughing, relaxing, and enjoying good company. And helloooooooo!!! It means you can actually SLEEP on Christmas Eve!
Sanity-Saving Tip#5 Don't overcommit yourself
This, I know, is easier said than done, but I truly think it's the most important tip. We opted a few years ago to stop saying yes to every invite we got, and instead, choose to attend the ones that mean the most to us. At first, I felt really bad declining invitations. Then I realized, no one really worries if I'm not one of the 50 guests at a cocktail party. I also realized that if I knew I wasn't going to enjoy myself at an event, I didn't have to go just to 'be nice.' It's so freeing to only go to the events you truly WANT to go to.
Now, we are refreshed between events and not run ragged. As much as possible, we try to attend events as a couple. My top picks may not be a priority for my hubby, and vice versa, but WE are each other's top priority and make it a point to show up for each other. Because we've scaled back the number of events we attend, we actually get to treat them as date nights rather than items on an agenda. We also save on babysitters by being selective with events.
Bonus tip- schedule some downtime! We purposely schedule a Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday between Thanksgiving and NYE with no events. This year, we used that weekend to watch Stranger Things. I wore pajamas one day until 2 pm. It. Was. Great.
From our family to yours, and from me to you, we wish you the happiest holiday season! Take a moment here and there to slow down, take a breath, and take it all in.
Much Love, Terra
Essential Oils have played a part in my daily life for the better part of the last decade. Here are 5 EO's I can't live without, a few ways I use them, and my recipe for homemade cleaning wipes! xo, Terra
my go-to @vitruvi diffuser, and a few of my favorite oils
Peppermint
Peppermint has tons of uses. I first used it the way most of us probably did- making peppermint frosted treats for Christmas. Now, this is the #1 oil I turn to when I need relief from a headache; when anyone in the house is feeling nauseous; added to tea when I want a little pick me up; it's also a natural bug repellent, so I like to add a few drops to a spray bottle, and spray it around my windows and doors to keep spiders away.
**full disclosure** I am not an essential oil expert, just an enthusiast. For all things EO, check out 2 of my favorite people, and their Instagram pages! If you're looking to broaden your knowledge in this area, let these Boss Babes guide you! I'm just here to sing their praises.
Sydney of OutbackSherriffs is my health and wellness guru when it comes to EO's -though I don't know if she knows I call her that. ☺️ She knows oils inside and out, and will help you discover the best oils for your life
Griselda is the master of curated scents. Her page Spruce and Thyme has tons of helpful tips and tricks for incorporating essential oils into your daily life. I am also obsessed with her serious photography skills!!
Because of Peyton's asthma (and allergies), I started making my own cleaning wipes and switched to as many natural cleaning products as I found to be effective. Chores are a family affair at our house, and I wanted to feel good about what Peyton is inhaling, and also what touches his skin. Here's my recipe for kid-friendly cleaning wipes! The best part of this is that there's no waste- Just throw the rags though a sanitizing wash cycle, and you're good to go!
You can fit 20-30 small rags in a jar, but 10 is about how many I can get my son to use before he's OVER dusting and cleaning.
** one note, these may not be suitable for certain stone countertops. Be sure to check the care of your surfaces before using! **
