Kate's Monthly Take - May 2018

We're a couple of days into May and the weather has completely taken me by surprise. We've completely skipped Spring and headed straight into the depths of Summer. Literally, it was almost 90 degrees yesterday. I was melting but I'm not complaining! Bring on Summer! Just maybe give me a week or two to change up the kids wardrobes...ok? Thanks.

Enjoy my Monthly Take!

Kate's Monthly Take - May 2018

Mood

  • Do you ever feel like you have you're in the midst of so many projects, trying to balance them all yet you aren't able to focus on any of them? You're keeping everything afloat but spread so thin that you are kind of failing at everything?. That's me! Especially this month but I'm trying to de-prioritize and it's a work in progress.

Currently Coveting

  • We are hosting a Cinco de Mayo themed birthday party this weekend and these kaftans from Pippa Holt would be perfect! The kaftans are made by women in Mexico and I'm obsessed with the colors and designs. No 10 is my favorite! If only I was a few inches taller.

Favorite Product

  • Y'all may be shocked but I've never used dry shampoo before. I finally decided to try it after being at a conference for four days and seeing firsthand the wonders it could do via some of my colleagues hair. My hair stylist recommended this Rene Furterer Naturia product and all of my sister-in-laws love this Aveda Shampure product. So the jury is still out on spray vs powder but I love something that can save me time in the morning!

Design Pick

  • I'm so excited for the textiles launch of Erika M. Powell. Her designs are inspired by watercolors she's been doing for years. Erika is an Interior Designer and owner of Urban Grace Interiors in one of my favorite parts of the country; Florida's Emerald Coast. The textile collection is awesome more subdued in color than I'm typically drawn to but really soothing and I'm kind of obsessed with the rug ottomans!

What I'm Reading

  • I'm taking a break from fiction this month and checking out a new cookbook! I've been known to pin quite a few recipes on Pinterest and that is where I came across Gaby Dalkin @whatsgabycookin. Gaby recently came out with a new cookbook, "What's Gaby Cooking: Everyday California Food" and if the cover photo doesn't sell you I'm not sure what will! The colorful and fresh ingredients used in this cookbook have me super excited for summer and as many things do... make me wish I lived in California.

What We're Reading the Kids

  • My three year old son loves music and he loves books that correlate to popular songs. These Old MacDonald themed books fit the bill perfectly! Old MacDonald Had A Truck and the new Old MacDonald Had A Boat really take the classic song to a whole new level! Perfect for truck and boat lovers alike!

Instagram Handle

  • I've recently learned about this photographer with agoraphobia who uses Google Street View as a way to see the world. She is known as the Agoraphobic Traveller and has created an Instagram account called streetview.portraits, where she posts photographs she has taken using the Street View technology. It's rather awesome and she recently had a collection of her work shown at an art gallery in New York.

Guilty Pleasure

  • It seems I can't shake my roots in celeb culture and I'm kind of addicted to watching The Arrangement on the E! network. Apparently, it's loosely based on Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Cue the intrigue.

I Need A Vacation

  • Counting down the days until my girls trip to Charleston, South Carolina. First girls trip in five years!

Shit My Kids Will Eat

  • Kid Tested & Approved -  We eat a lot of chicken in our household and I'm always trying to change up the flavoring both because my husband and I get bored and as a way to introduce the kids to new flavors. Recently we tried Ina Garten's Indonesian Ginger Chicken paired with her Herbed Basmati Rice. My children typically pretend to be allergic to "green things" so they were skeptical about the rice but they ate it!