How we store leftovers at our house...

OK... here's the deal. I'm a mom of three boys - ages 10, 13, and 16. They eat a lot. Constantly. When I cook dinner, I try to make too much. My goal is to have a refrigerator FULL of leftovers. Our family lives on leftovers... and they never go to waste. Honestly, I think it's the way I store them. Whether it's lasagna, enchiladas, meatloaf, or homemade soup, all leftovers get divided into small glass containers and stacked in our refrigerator. These single serve portions act as delicious nutritious snacks mid-day, after school, and even before bed.

In the midst of this COVID_19 pandemic, keeping food on hand is more important then ever. With our entire family stuck at home, it's been amazing just how much food we actually go through.

Last night I made a big pot of white chicken chili... a family favorite around here. I love this recipe because it's easy to make AND it makes a lot. Say hello to a refrigerator full of leftovers!

After I let my chili cool down, I was ready to fill all of my Pyrex containers for leftover snacks and meals. For my chili and soup, I like to use Pyrex 2-cup containers (linked here). They are the perfect size for a bowl of soup. To heat them up, we just pop the lid, gently lay it on top, and microwave until warm. Ahh... the beauty of glass containers! This 2-cup container also offers just enough room for any toppings - super critical when you're having chili!

I also fill up some 1-cup Pyrex containers for smaller portions perfect for my 10-year-old and snacks. (linked here) AND - if you are interested, the rectangular containers I use for lasagna, enchiladas, and more are (linked here).

I hope your leftovers go as quickly as ours do! Happy cooking.

Remember to check out my Instagram @smalltownme

Love Emily.

I'm Back! The top 5 things I'm so glad I brought to Maui:

I'm back from an awesome week in Maui! Packing for a vacation is one thing... you have all these plans in your head... narratives of what you THINK your trip will be like. Items you're so excited to wear...

And then reality. Here are my top 5 things I'm SO HAPPY I packed.

First and foremost... drumroll please: Bacterial wipes. When we left for our trip, people just started talking about the COVID-19 scare. Hand sanitizer was just starting to become scarce, and the aisles of Target were beginning to look empty. At the last minute, I decided to load up a sandwich bag of sanitizing wipes for each member of my family - probably the best impulse move I did the entire trip! We used these wipes at the airport to wipe down the self check-in kiosk, on the plane to wipe down our seat armrests, trays, and tv screens... even in our hotel room for counter tops and our phones. 10 wipes per baggy was more then enough for my family of 5 - THAT's 50 WIPES! We all used these sanitizing wipes so much, that I think they will become a staple for each future trip we take.

Next is my Nikon D3500 camera (linked here). I am not a professional photographer by any stretch. Fancy cameras are so confusing to me - my brain just doesn't go there. I probably use my iPhone for 80% of my pictures... but for that other 20%, this camera is an absolute must! My Nikon is a fancy point and click camera that allows me to take crystal clear action shots of my kids - very rarely do any of them ever turn out blurry or out of focus. For me, this camera had a small learning curve - it has a great automatic function which I use for almost everything. It also has a 'sport mode' that allows you to rapidly take pictures of action shots, 'portrait mode' for an awesome professional look that even I can capture, and a handful of other modes that I'm not an expert at, but enjoy playing around with.

If you have small kids as energetic as mine, PLEASE invest in a good camera - you won't regret it!

Third is my Eric Javits 'Hampton' Straw Sun Hat. I got this one at Nordstrom (linked here). This hat packs really well - I lay it upside down in my suitcase and just pack around it. I think this was the third trip my hat has been on, and it still looks like new. Pretty sure I wore this every day! It kept me shaded from too much sun - and BONUS: looked so cute! Please invest in a good sun hat - your skin and hair will thank you :)

Next up - my Dyson Air Wrap (linked here)! This was an investment, but I seriously use it every single day! I didn't pack the entire kit - only the two 1.6" barrels. I would shower and let my hair almost completely air dry. Then, in less then 10 minutes with my Dyson, I was ready to go with perfect beach waves. I am not a hair stylist what so ever (gasp), but the learning curve with the Dyson Air Wrap is so easy, even I can do it! GET ONE! you won't regret it. #totalgamechanger :)

Lastly, I always pack my Aveda Beautifying Composition Oil (linked here). I add this oil to the hotel lotions for a fragrant spa-like moisturizer. It keeps my sun-kissed skin moisturized and glowing. I also put it in my hair for piecey beachy waves. It's super small and easy to pack. A serious must-have!

When my kid found out what my blog post was going to be about, he said "I know your kids are the most important thing you packed." Yes. Hands down, my boys were the most important thing I brought with me to Maui. They make my entire vacation unforgettable!

Remember to check out my Instagram @smalltownme

Love Emily.

Decorating for Easter

Whenever a holiday rolls around, it means decoration time. As a stay-home mom chasing 3 kids (and donkeys and chickens and alpacas) I don't have a ton of time to mess around... trying to find that perfect spot for a colored egg or porcelain bunny. My number-one time saver is being organized. For this holiday, that means every box in my basement that contains Easter decorations ONLY contains Easter decorations. My boxes are labeled and they all sit on the same shelf so when Ash Wednesday rolls around, I'm ready to get my Easter on.

It's so much fun unpacking all of the boxes. It's been a year since any of these decorations have seen the light. It's almost like Christmas - carefully unwrapping each item, trying to remember everything that was packed away. As I unwrap each decoration, different thoughts race through my mind - I remember this... I can't believe I still have this... What was I thinking!!!

Now that I have a counter full of bunnies and eggs, it's time to bust out my decorations book. The book I use is called 'Project Life' by Becky Higgins. Project Life is great because the page protectors have multiple pockets for pictures and printed cardstock. You can buy kits with themed cardstock that fit right into your page protectors. This makes organizing your photos all the more fun and easy. My book holds pictures of every decoration for every holiday and illustrates exactly where they go in my house. I just page through and place my Easter decor in their appropriate places.

An easy decoration I do for most holidays are decorative pillows. I only buy the pillowcase and swap them out for each season. Super effective, and they take up minimal storage space.

Another thing I do is try to keep some of my kid's school projects for decorations. They grow up way too fast and I want to hold on to any piece of their childhood that I can. Putting these projects out puts a smile on my face, and somehow freezes time - allowing me to reminisce of the time my teenage boys were little.

Seriously - how cute is this Last Supper made out of an egg carton!

I always decorate my kitchen and mudroom, living room, and entryway. These are the main areas of our home and they get the most traffic. My decorating sometimes spills into other areas of our home, but for Easter and the smaller holidays, I like to keep it simple. After all, I'll be taking all this down in 40 days!

So there you have it. My house fully decorated in only a couple of hours. Remember to update your photos periodically to keep your binder up to date. Happy decorating!

Remember to check out my Instagram @smalltownme

Love Emily.